News and Notes Roundup: Dec. 29
The days, weeks, and months have passed. The seasons have turned. The New Year is on our doorstep, and with it the final NDItech News and Notes Roundup of the old year. While 2015 holds much promise - highlighted undoubtedly by the continued meteoric rise of this weekly roundup tradition - we must look back at 2014’s final week before we look forward. As always, tweet or email (@nditech/[email protected]) with any tips for future roundups.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t start this week’s “Tech History” feature with a shoutout to the great New Year’s panic of December 31, 1999. Of course, we are referring to the “crisis” of Y2K. And although Y2K came and went with few of the problems anxiously predicted, it certainly left a legacy. Fifteen years prior, on Jan. 1, 1985, the internet’s domain name system was created. Just two years before that, in 1983, ARPANET began officially using Internet Protocol, and in doing so created the seed that would become the modern internet.
Now, time for the links:
Popular Tech News:
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Gmail blocked in China
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Estonia offers e-residency to the world
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XBox and Playstation internet platforms running again after hack disrupted service
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Politician’s fingerprint cloned by hacker using only photos
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Uber CEO charged with operating illegal taxi service in South Korea
ICT and Development:
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5 ways technology is improving public service
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Using sheep to solve wi-fi problems in rural areas
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Effective educational technology interventions
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A roadmap is under development for smart grid solutions in Nigeria
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Is data replacing ICTs as the core focus for informatics in international development?
Mobiles:
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Domestic abusers using surveillance apps to track partners is on the rise
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Indian telecoms pitching “his and her” simcards to connect rural women to mobile tech
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Internet.org app gets east Africans online for free
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Can SMS be used for surveys in Congolese IDP camps?
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Affordable smartphone maker Xiaomi becomes world’s most valuable tech startup