..and onwards to Twitter!

Update: While I've enjoyed blogging here, you can find me on Twitter.

It's a bit wit here!

I've been in Auckland for just over a month for work & have noticed the following:

- Despite what most of the locals say, public transport in the city is actually pretty good. If I'm feeling lazy, a bus takes me pretty close to my flat. However, my view has obviously been swayed by years of Sydney public transport.

- One of the bars I visited when I first arrived in AKL responded to me on Twitter! The bar, Steamship, is in a pretty good location & is a nice after work spot. They've even got lamps hanging from the roof!

- The NZ accent has me smiling to myself most days. One of my colleagues, sent me this amusing link on mastering the Kiwi accent.

- All kiwis I've met so far are very proud of Flight of the Conchords, and why shouldn't they be? It's an awesome show!

More later..

The Generational Digital Divide

I came across an interesting study done by the University of Vermont which aimed to "engage youth in teaching senior citizens computer and Internet skills to navigate and obtain needed information from the Medicare web site".

If you check out the study results, it proves that after training sessions the senior citizens proved to be very competent at using the Medicare website.

Nielsen Online released figures over 5 and half years ago, outlining the growth in senior citizens using the Internet. I have no doubt this has escaluated and the ratio between young and senior citizens online have narrowed. Just think about all the grandparents checking our their grandchildren on Facebook.



Check out these blog posts for more informative posts on senior citizens online:
Is Online Video Marketing Bigger Than Social Networking? (Included are some more recent stats on senior citizens watching online videos)
Online Social Networks Empower Older People (Some info on online community for aging baby boomers).

Australia’s digital divide: Some thoughts on the media

After seeing this tweet on Twitter, I started to think about the different levels of access Australian’s have in regards to published/broadcasted material:


Of course, most Internet users have access to illegal streaming and download sites, but Australians don’t have a third party website that allows to stream shows for free. Itunes Australia provides some free content, including video podcasts, and Youtube can be used for some programs, but most Australian programs are very hard to access legally online.



The ABC allows streaming of previous episodes, as do some of the commercial stations like Channel 9 and Channel 10, but not without a myriad of advertisements in place. Networks will be forced to create legal avenues for users to view programs, otherwise users will continue to access illegal sites.

It is obvious that Australia is behind the US in terms of access, both the access to the Internet and sites like Hulu, but nowhere near developing countries that are not even yet online. The NBN seems like a nice idea in theory, but it is evident the Federal Government have not invested enough research or thought into developing a well structured program for all Australians. Check out what the Liberals have to say.

I’ve come across some well written posts on these topics which both highlight the concern for the adoption of NBN and the ramifications for consumers.

Where's my laptop?

As the digital divide is concerned with levels of access, the Rudd government made it an election promise to increase this ‘access’ to school students by promising laptops for each pupil.

However, a non for profit organisation, One Laptop per Child has already stepped in to provide computers for local communities in the Northern Territory.

I have doubts to whether firstly this can be economically feasible for the government and second of all, whether there are enough teachers to develop the skills of students using these tools. The digital divide is not merely restricted to physical access to a computer, but rather the skills needed to use the computer to serve the students educational requirements.

There is doubts published recently regarding laptops, but should the government be focusing upon laptops for every student when farmers in rural Australia are still using dial up Internet? It is a balance between the façade of meeting election promises and the reality of the needs faced by some of Australians rural communities.

So school are going to have to wait for their laptops, as the audit continues..

Leapfrogging the digital divide

I was reading information about developing nations and how some nations, specifically African nations are ignoring the need for established broadband infrastructure and leapfrogging to mobile technologies. These nations have skipped establishing infrastructure such as telephone lines and getting private investors to establish mobile networks.

Why is this a problem? From a business perspective, this seems logical, as the problem for access is resolved and the new technology can be readily adopted.

However, after reading last weeks readings on the Digital Divide, getting another more powerful “core” nation to establish mobile technology infrastructure in a developing nation creates reliance, both through financing and education. In fact, it often disadvantages countries because although they may have mobile access, they still may not have access to basic necessities such as safe drinking water and shelter. Why would a country opt in for mobile technology infrastructure when basic infrastructure is needed? Clearly this appears to be a concern for national interests.

The UN run African Information Society Initiative outlines their involvement in actioning framework for communication and research, with technology being apart of this.

I thought this video provided a good insight into these mobile technologies:

Have a looksie!

Here is a random selection of some my favourite musical Youtube clips (and one from Funny or Die) from the past couple years.

Zach Braff fandom at its extreme:


Favourite Ben Folds clip:


Some Hanson for good measure:


John Mayer on the song writing process:

Makin' Music with John Mayer by John Mayer

Enjoy!