One of President Obama’s strong points during his campaign was the use of technology to reach millions of people and deliver a message. Part of that message was increasing the use of modern technology in government, and advocating modern technology in certain private sector industry that require government oversight. One such sector is energy, with the Obama Administration calling for the energy industry to green up the grid using 21st century technology. Another industry is the medical industry.
Posts Tagged ‘Google’
Greening the Grid Smartly
Posted in Environment, Technology, 2 Comments »
Its 2009. However, the technology used to power all of our 21st century devices is borne out of 19th century ideas and 20th century implementations. The United States power grid is in need of an upgrade. The Obama Administration has set aside money in the latest round of stimulus to spearhead an upgrade of the ailing power grid. President Obama has even asked Congress to come up with legislation to spur development of new high capacity transmission lines and for the country to double its use of renewable sources of electricity. Energy moguls like T. Boone Pickens have developed plans on how to cut the country’s dependence on foreign oil and take advantage of sources of energy here in the United States. Even Google has stepped up and offered its own plan, called RE<C or Renewable Energy less than Coal. Over the last few years California has stepped up adoption of renewable power as a percentage of its total usage. In 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger even signed an executive order requiring California to obtain 33% of its energy from renewable sources.
Google Sync: Recommendations
Posted in Technology, 1 Comment »
Recently Google released a tool that allows some mobile phones, including the iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile-based units to synchronize Google contacts and Google calendars. However, currently there are some limitations to this technology. Below are some recommendations for Google to implement in their sync technology.
Google: Project 10^100
Posted in Technology, No Comments »
Its called Project 10 to the 100th. Google is putting a call out to the find a new innovation sourced from its users. Google is putting out a $10 million bounty for a winning idea in one of the following categories:
- Community: How can we help connect people, build communities and protect unique cultures?
- Opportunity: How can we help people better provide for themselves and their families?
- Energy: How can we help move the world toward safe, clean, inexpensive energy?
- Environment: How can we help promote a cleaner and more sustainable global ecosystem?
- Health: How can we help individuals lead longer, healthier lives?
- Education: How can we help more people get more access to better education?
- Shelter: How can we help ensure that everyone has a safe place to live?
- Everything else: Sometimes the best ideas don’t fit into any category at all.
Other than picking a category, the rules are very open. They seem to want an answer to five basic questions as well:
- Reach: How many people would this idea affect?
- Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need?
- Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two?
- Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is your idea?
- Longevity: How long will the idea’s impact last?
Sometimes the Google thinktank runs empty of ideas. Asking the world for their ideas is a great idea. Google’s philosophy of “Don’t be evil” extends to wanting to help as many people as possible.
Hopefully Google will find an idea that can help the whole world. Whether social, technilogical, environmental, or educational, the impact of such a large project could see a ripple throughout the world for years to come.
Today, September 2nd, 2008, Google released their Chrome browser project. Google is aiming to reboot the browser experience by using updated technology to speed up JavaScript, provide safeguards to crashes, and other improvements.
