Nice story in Business 2.0 about City Telecom and rapidly emerging broadband player in Hong Kong. Their goal is 1 million customers in 5 years and they are well on track.
They use mainly off-the-shelf Cisco Ethernet gear to provide broadband services at about US$6 month.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Greenwashing the Valley
Well it seems everyone is jumping on the environmental bandwagon now. If it just “greenwashing” marketing, then I think it is a pretty lousy ploy just to get green-brownie points with the general pubic. If, however, it represents an actual shift in the way a company looks at its products and its environmental footprint, then I’m all for it.
I saw a Sun Microsystems billboard on the 101 touting its “green” servers and on their website they talk about different pieces of gear sunning cooler and using significantly less power. Making things not just faster or with more capacity, but cooler and more energy efficient is a huge opportunity for Silicon Valley.
I hear a lot about “tele-commuting” and how that is taking cars off the road, and is therefore an example of how Silicon Valley is helping the world live a greener life. I suppose there is some truth to that, but I don’t put a lot of value in “tele-commuting” as conservation practice. When people tele-commute, it just means they are out of the office, not necessarily off the road. And I suspect the actually people who stay at home (ie, who are really off the road) really has a less then minute impact on traffic/smog/road rage etc. Until I start seeing serious double digit percentage of people going off the road and staying off the road because of tele-commuting, I’m just going to put as much faith in that as a conservation initiative as I will in a Cheney energy bill.
I saw a Sun Microsystems billboard on the 101 touting its “green” servers and on their website they talk about different pieces of gear sunning cooler and using significantly less power. Making things not just faster or with more capacity, but cooler and more energy efficient is a huge opportunity for Silicon Valley.
I hear a lot about “tele-commuting” and how that is taking cars off the road, and is therefore an example of how Silicon Valley is helping the world live a greener life. I suppose there is some truth to that, but I don’t put a lot of value in “tele-commuting” as conservation practice. When people tele-commute, it just means they are out of the office, not necessarily off the road. And I suspect the actually people who stay at home (ie, who are really off the road) really has a less then minute impact on traffic/smog/road rage etc. Until I start seeing serious double digit percentage of people going off the road and staying off the road because of tele-commuting, I’m just going to put as much faith in that as a conservation initiative as I will in a Cheney energy bill.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Wank 2.0
The Sleuth casts a much needed critical eye to the Web 2.0 phenomena. I added my own thoughts on this a while back. Love the Wankr Beta.
Medium is still the message
I get my breaking news from the web, my “feature” type news from a hard-copy news magazine or the occasional newspaper, and I get my laughs from blogs.
So why am I going on about this? Well because I had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine the other day who was commenting on what she perceived as the lack of coverage of the Egyptian ferry disaster on TV and major news outlets.
I was actually surprised to hear her say that, because the disaster got top billing for 2 or 3 days on Google news, so from my perspective, the story was pretty widely covered.
A common refrain is that the content of the media has a profound influence on the way public opinion is shaped, indeed if that wasn’t the case (or the perception at least) then as a PR manager I would be out of a job. But what is interesting in this case is that it was not the content that informed a particular opinion of a story, but how that content was accessed.
Yeah, I know… the medium is the message, welcome to media theory of the 1960s, Penguin. I guess it is just interesting to see the theory in action.
So why am I going on about this? Well because I had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine the other day who was commenting on what she perceived as the lack of coverage of the Egyptian ferry disaster on TV and major news outlets.
I was actually surprised to hear her say that, because the disaster got top billing for 2 or 3 days on Google news, so from my perspective, the story was pretty widely covered.
A common refrain is that the content of the media has a profound influence on the way public opinion is shaped, indeed if that wasn’t the case (or the perception at least) then as a PR manager I would be out of a job. But what is interesting in this case is that it was not the content that informed a particular opinion of a story, but how that content was accessed.
Yeah, I know… the medium is the message, welcome to media theory of the 1960s, Penguin. I guess it is just interesting to see the theory in action.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Doing Business ahead of the curve
Nice quick take on "American parochialism in Forbes. It isn't anything you haven't heard before, but it is good refresher. (I know what Tintin, but I've never been a big fan...click the link to see what I mean.)
Anyway, I point this article out not in a smug way, but to highlight that actually American business is very globally-savvy I think. US companies know that some of their toughest competitors, and some of their most talent employees, will come from places outside of the US (or even Europe.)
Business is very much ahead of the curve in terms of globalization, so it is curious that other elements of society are not (as pointed out in the article).
This may be a strange parallel, but even in terms of environmental reforms, some US businesses are way ahead of the curve. True, many of these are in Silicon Valley which traditionally has had a certain granola crunchiness about it, but these companies rubbish the imagines tension between economic success and environmental stewardship.
Anyway, I point this article out not in a smug way, but to highlight that actually American business is very globally-savvy I think. US companies know that some of their toughest competitors, and some of their most talent employees, will come from places outside of the US (or even Europe.)
Business is very much ahead of the curve in terms of globalization, so it is curious that other elements of society are not (as pointed out in the article).
This may be a strange parallel, but even in terms of environmental reforms, some US businesses are way ahead of the curve. True, many of these are in Silicon Valley which traditionally has had a certain granola crunchiness about it, but these companies rubbish the imagines tension between economic success and environmental stewardship.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Answering Bush's competition challenge | Perspectives | CNET News.com
Cisco CEO John Chambers offers a few thoughts on Bush's SOTU and competitiveness....
Friday, January 27, 2006
Why Google in China makes sense
Here is support for Google from an unlikely source, the BBC. While I don't buy the "the internet is censored everywhere" argument, there is a fundamental difference between blocking child porn sites and blocking searches around the word "democracy," I do believe it is far better to engage with China than to try to shut it out.
But if we in the West, with our liberal political culture and our attempts to build open societies, do not engage with China then we lose the opportunity to influence them and convince them of the benefits that this brings. If the Chinese government fears instability then we should offer help and advice and support, not closed borders and locked doors.
Different circumstances require different responses, and just because sanctions were the right way to put pressure on apartheid South Africa does not mean that a technology blockade is the way to influence China.
Also interested in the fact that the Google search actually highlights when a particular search has been censored due to government restrictions; this at least allows people to realize what they are not getting and that it is the government that is preventing them from getting it.
What consequences could that have for censorship?
But if we in the West, with our liberal political culture and our attempts to build open societies, do not engage with China then we lose the opportunity to influence them and convince them of the benefits that this brings. If the Chinese government fears instability then we should offer help and advice and support, not closed borders and locked doors.
Different circumstances require different responses, and just because sanctions were the right way to put pressure on apartheid South Africa does not mean that a technology blockade is the way to influence China.
Also interested in the fact that the Google search actually highlights when a particular search has been censored due to government restrictions; this at least allows people to realize what they are not getting and that it is the government that is preventing them from getting it.
What consequences could that have for censorship?
News @ Cisco: Shanghai Telecom Expands Network Capacity with Cisco CRS - 1 to Support Business Growth
Don't normally link back to Cisco's own news releases, but, aw heck, since I just posted on the CRS-1 announcement to SaksTel....
News @ Cisco: Shanghai Telecom Expands Network Capacity with Cisco CRS - 1 to Support Business Growth
News @ Cisco: Shanghai Telecom Expands Network Capacity with Cisco CRS - 1 to Support Business Growth
Seeing the future in Saskatchewan
Mark Evans offers up a post on SaskTel, which he sees as an example of an SP doing what needs to be done to stay competitive.
We couldn’t agree more as we recently announced that SaskTel bought up our groovey CRS-1.
We couldn’t agree more as we recently announced that SaskTel bought up our groovey CRS-1.
Wireless Networking in the Developing World
Networking is perhaps one of the most important tools currently available to deal with global development and help raise people’s standard of living. It is no panacea, of course, but just as many of use couldn’t do business without being constantly networked, how could we hope that others in developing countries raise their own standard of living and grow their own economies without the same tools.
The Wireless Networking in the Developing World is a step by step guide to help people design and develop their own wireless networks. It is free for download under a Creative Commons license. There is also a wiki for added online conversation. There are a lot of these sorts of “grassroots networking” projects, and I think taken in aggregate, they hold a lot of potential.
Although there is indeed an impressive list of contributors, nice to see that Cisco Distinguished Engineers Jim Forster is among this list.
The Wireless Networking in the Developing World is a step by step guide to help people design and develop their own wireless networks. It is free for download under a Creative Commons license. There is also a wiki for added online conversation. There are a lot of these sorts of “grassroots networking” projects, and I think taken in aggregate, they hold a lot of potential.
Although there is indeed an impressive list of contributors, nice to see that Cisco Distinguished Engineers Jim Forster is among this list.
NASA workers pause for solemn tribute | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
The quest for knowledge and innovation is among human's more noble ambitions, but sometimes it comes at a terrible price.
Spend some time thinking about those who have paid that price....
NASA workers pause for solemn tribute | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Spend some time thinking about those who have paid that price....
NASA workers pause for solemn tribute | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Ethanol could reduce fossil fuel need: study - Yahoo! News
If Silicon Valley is the global center for innovation, how come we don't see more environmental technologies coming out of here?
Ethanol could reduce fossil fuel need: study - Yahoo! News
Ethanol could reduce fossil fuel need: study - Yahoo! News
UN body backs $100 laptop for world's kids - Yahoo! News
Call me naive (and smarter people have called me far worse... and have usually been right) but I think this project has legs. Maybe it won't come to market "as is" but I think it may prove to be a catalyst to other interesting developments aimed at emerging markets....
UN body backs $100 laptop for world's kids - Yahoo! News
UN body backs $100 laptop for world's kids - Yahoo! News
China will pass US in Broadband Lines by late 2006....
....and other research has shown that Chinese will be the dominat language on the Internet...
China will pass US in Broadband Lines by late 2006 - Worldwide Broadband Survey - US Broadband Penetration Breaks 65% Among Active Internet Users - January 2006 Bandwidth Report
China will pass US in Broadband Lines by late 2006 - Worldwide Broadband Survey - US Broadband Penetration Breaks 65% Among Active Internet Users - January 2006 Bandwidth Report
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Cisco High Tech Policy Blog: "Don't Want No Smart People"
In keeping with the “global” theme that I’ve inadvertently stumbled upon during my lunch-time blogging, my colleague over at Cisco’s High Tech Policy blog has some very astute thoughts on immigration.
Cisco High Tech Policy Blog: "Don't Want No Smart People"
Cisco High Tech Policy Blog: "Don't Want No Smart People"
Clarity on human rights, good for business
As a follow on to my earlier post on globalization , I’d like to highlight the ideas posited here on the need to better codify global human rights and provide more clear guidance to companies on how to ensure their practices to not violate such rights.
To my mind, a good starting point is the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Basically, it should be that if you follow these rules, you’re doing pretty well.
Also, there is some positive movement towards reforming the way human rights are handled at the UN. This is important because with human rights being more closely defined and monitored at the UN (rather than cynically being used as a political tool) then that will provide I think a good “trickle down” model that can help companies in their efforts to provide economic growth and protect human rights at the same time.
To my mind, a good starting point is the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Basically, it should be that if you follow these rules, you’re doing pretty well.
Also, there is some positive movement towards reforming the way human rights are handled at the UN. This is important because with human rights being more closely defined and monitored at the UN (rather than cynically being used as a political tool) then that will provide I think a good “trickle down” model that can help companies in their efforts to provide economic growth and protect human rights at the same time.
Investing in a flat world
As we’ve said several times here around Cisco, what the world needs are more Silicon Valleys around the world. More Silicon Valleys means greater competition and more innovation, which means more tech ideas can be turned into better tech products. From our point-of-view, this is also good news because with R&D teams all over the world collaborating and sharing information, that will only drive up bandwidth demands, which is music to our ears.
I got to be thinking about this because of some of the international deals that have been announced recently. SiliconBeat highlighted one such deal here.
There is a lot of talent in many parts of the world and it is good to see various companies invest in that talent. I think too many people associate the global spread of innovation with planting a huge R&D center in some far-flung part of the world. It seems to me that may be the least efficient way to further the cause of global innovation.
What perhaps is the most efficient is a more grassroots approach; to find innovative companies that may have a very different worldview than a company from Silicon Valley, fund that company and see if their particular business model or local-idea has relevance worldwide.
I got to be thinking about this because of some of the international deals that have been announced recently. SiliconBeat highlighted one such deal here.
There is a lot of talent in many parts of the world and it is good to see various companies invest in that talent. I think too many people associate the global spread of innovation with planting a huge R&D center in some far-flung part of the world. It seems to me that may be the least efficient way to further the cause of global innovation.
What perhaps is the most efficient is a more grassroots approach; to find innovative companies that may have a very different worldview than a company from Silicon Valley, fund that company and see if their particular business model or local-idea has relevance worldwide.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Wanderluck � Prediction Internet TV in 5 Years
Here is a quick hit... randomly found this post that I think provides a pretty good summary of IP TV. Plus its in bullet points, and I LOVE bullet points.
Wanderluck � Prediction Internet TV in 5 Years
Wanderluck � Prediction Internet TV in 5 Years
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Silicon Valley Sleuth: Digg on its way up
SV Sleuth shows “Web 2.0” (aargh… sorry) tech news site Digg climbing its way to the top of the tech news heap … can you dig it?
Anyway, this is a prime opportunity to recycle some of my old stale thoughts, since I cannot come up with any new stale thoughts this morning. If you’re wondering about the rise of Digg and other social networking type web applications, I offer a Cisco point-of-view here.
Anyway, this is a prime opportunity to recycle some of my old stale thoughts, since I cannot come up with any new stale thoughts this morning. If you’re wondering about the rise of Digg and other social networking type web applications, I offer a Cisco point-of-view here.
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