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• Ryan Petersen on Smartphones and Emerging Markets: A New Technology Revolution?: I can't wait til the first time I come across a kiosk in some remote corner of the developing world ...MoreI can't wait til the first time I come across a kiosk in some remote corner of the developing world and get checked out by a lady with a Frogtek phone!
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• Luke Davenport on Smartphones and Emerging Markets: A New Technology Revolution?: First off, congrats on your progress and on winning the Echoing Green Fellowship - great ...MoreFirst off, congrats on your progress and on winning the Echoing Green Fellowship - great accomplishment! I'm currently working on an SMS-based business networking platform for small businesses in Kenya. The debate here in Kenya rages about the merits of developing for SMS vs. Smartphones. While smartphones are gaining traction (cheapest web-enabled phones are now down to about $45 after a recent value-add tax decrease on handsets), basic low end phones still dominate here - web-enabled phones are fewer than 1million out of 16 million subscribers in the country. While I share David's view that smartphones are the future in the developing world, for now we have determined that reaching a critical mass in Kenya means using SMS, and will for at least the next few years. If Frotek and other innovative smartphone apps aimed at the developing world push adoption and lower the cost of the devices, we will all be the better for it. Good luck!
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• f.guzman on Cheap Content: Is It Over?: The way I pictured this model was that the product that newspapers were producing was the written ...MoreThe way I pictured this model was that the product that newspapers were producing was the written articles(labor from the journalist) which the blog readers and e mailers then copy/paste and reproduce thus creating a free product out of something that requires labor. As long as newspapers and online magazines are producing content on regular web pages that can be copy and pasted they will always be giving their content away to someone. Essentially I think they need to shift to a technology that will eliminate that (if they want to keep their old model of ad sales). Kindle? e-readers? In regards creating necessary value, is there much difference between a professionally written article by a times writer and a citizen journal piece written on someones iphone? Or a better question: is there a market big enough out there of people willing to pay for professionally written content vs citizen journalist content
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• StellaLeigh on Around the World in 70 Days: Hi, CBS, wondering if you could provide the detailed information about your trip to China. ...MoreHi, CBS, wondering if you could provide the detailed information about your trip to China. time & venue, etc. extremely interested in your activity. Thanks
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• Lysia on Social Enterprise Tools for Education Reform: It's unfortunate that this type of fresh approach to education reform terrifies teacher's unions. ...MoreIt's unfortunate that this type of fresh approach to education reform terrifies teacher's unions. As Chmielewski rightly points out, one key to success is working with the constituencies to affect broader change. Organizations like The New Teacher Project and TFA are not anti-union, as they can be portrayed. But they recognize that in order to face a problem as profound as educational inequity, other methods and thinking must be employed, some of which run counter to the union's traditional approach. Entrepreneurship programs committed to education reform will face their biggest challenge before they even get into classroom achievement results - bureaucracy.
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