Google Spurring FTTH Deployment in the Former Valley of the Heart’s Delight
After reading through a 200+ page, Google Fiber commissioned Draft Initial Study, it’s no wonder that Google’s Milo Medin stated in 2013 that Google wouldn’t come to California as long as CEQA was in place. The design of a Fiber to the Home network seems trivial compared to the multi-disciplinary effort required to create their report to satisfy the demands of CEQA (in this case, to get an exemption from CEQA). Still, even before Google breaks ground, Google’s effort is spurring competition in the former Valley of the Heart’s Delight.
Click here to read more about what a Draft Initial Study is, Ericsson involvement in Google Fiber’s Silicon Valley efforts and how competition is responding:
New Nokia Faces Competition & Challenges from Software Megatrend by Alan Weissberger
In this three-part article, Alan Weissberger reviews Nokia’s acquisition of Alcatel Lucent and the opportunities and threats for this full-service telecommunications vendor.
In part 1, Weissberger looks at the numbers behind an acquisition that complements Nokia’s wireless infrastructure with a significant share of the wireline equipment business.
New Nokia Faces Competition & Challenges from Software Megatrend – Part 1
Weissberger examines traditional competition, such Huawei and Cisco/Ericsson, as well potential new market opportunities for the “new” Nokia in part 2
Competition for the New Nokia – Part 2
The biggest threat to Nokia new scope may not come from white boxes and software, according to the analysis by Weissberger in part 3 of his three-part article.
Threat of Disaggregated Network Equipment – Part 3
The $50 Million Smart City Challenge
Will the U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City Challenge do for urban mobility what Google did for gigabit broadband? That is the $50M question as the U.S. Department of Transportation recently launched a contest that is challenging cities and counties (with populations of 250k to 850k) to find ways to use technology to improve mobility and livability in urban areas. Connectivity is the common denominator in the above elements and is one reason Communications Service Providers, regardless of whether their service meets the aforementioned criteria, should care about this contest.
Click here to learn more.
Some Tweets and Short Thoughts:
- The announcement this week from NICT, a Japanese research institute, regarding their integration of White Spaces IEEE 902.11af- technology into an integrated circuit could herald the beginning of low-cost, low power White Space devices. Look for more White Space news from CES 2016.
- What once would have taken purpose-built encoders and many people, Netflix has managed to streamline and scale its encoding using the cloud.
- To paraphrase Alain Kornhauser, the CA
#DMV hasn’t gotten the memo that humans aren’t good redundant driving systems. - This is as comprehensive study (PDF) as there is on the potential impact of autonomous vehicles on a city; Toronto, in this case. It is a must-read for city planners, policymakers and anyone interested in the potential impact of autonomous cars in the coming decades.
- There was a huge environmental challenge – a challenge so big it would be a disaster and then, out of nowhere – click to read more and to view
- Ford won’t be left behind as autonomy will allow mobility to transition from pure ownership to a service offering. In that context, the rumored relationship with Google to build autonomous vehicles makes a great deal of sense.
- Perhaps the most disruptive thing about the 26-year-old who developed a prototype self-driving car in a month or so is the way he did it; with machine learning. The pace of automation and change quickens.
The Korner – A Couple Last Minute Gift Ideas
Erector Set + Smart Phone = DIY Robot
Turning the original “maker” kit, the Erector Set, into a smart phone operated robot is what Spin Master (the company behind the popular Air Hogs brand) has done with its Meccano- brand, Meccanoid G15 and G 15KS. As would be expected for this type of iconic brand, a big part of the enjoyment is the “build” process. More than a toy, this might also be a good starter kit for a school wanting to start a robotics program, but are on a tight budget.
Click here to read more and to view.
The Mediation App & Headband
With the buzzing of text message alerts, the temptation to check social media and the knowledge that an answer to a fleeting thought is a search away, the conventional wisdom is that technology can be distracting and an impediment to focus. Ariel Garten has a solution that uses these same tools to help people improve their focus. Her company, InterAxon, marries their proprietary brain sensing headband, MUSE, with a smart phone app and a relaxing soundtrack (e.g. sounds of a rainforest) to facilitate meditation.
Click here to read more and to view.
This is exactly the type of app/wearable that many people will need after a week at the upcoming CES 2016 where InterAxon will have a booth along with thousands of other companies. Stay tuned to the Viodi Twitter feed over the next two weeks for the final videos from CES 2015.
In the meantime, peace on earth, good will to all and best wishes to the Viodi View readers for 2016!
