Delaying the nation's Feb. 17 switchover from analog to digital television would lead to considerable consumer confusion and additional costs for the U.S. government and the private sector, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin warned during an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Saturday. Earlier this week President-elect Barack Obama proposed pushing back the deadline and it was announced that the federal program to help subsidize the cost of converter boxes for analog TV sets had run out of money. "Ultimately this is up to Congress to decide," Martin told Tech Daily Dose. "But something needs to be done to make sure coupons [for converter boxes] are issued again." he said.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller issued a statement Thursday saying Obama's team "deserves time to bring to order what has been an appallingly mismanaged process by the Bush administration" and he would support delaying the date "unit we can do it right." Ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison, however, said it was too early to call for a delay and members should focus on the coupon shortage. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a senior member of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, said moving the date would involve significant logistical challenges but Congress should immediately consider the feasibility of Obama's proposal.
Technology can be used to drastically transform economies in emerging countries, Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett and Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers told a crowd of thousands at the Consumer Electronics Show on Friday. During his keynote, Barrett announced the launch of the Small Things Challenge -- a campaign based on the premise that every small action can make a big difference. He bolstered his message with some star power: Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine (pictured) and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz -- both of whom support the Intel-sponsored effort. Each spoke on stage about the importance of nurturing the global community.
"Technology can be used in tremendous ways to impact people's lives on the ground," Barrett said. "There are huge opportunities today and real examples of how technology is changing the lives of people." Technology accessibility, connectivity and content are "absolutely key," but education is potentially the most powerful component, he said. "Ultimately, economies are competitive if they have smart people who generate smart ideas," Barrett said. The event also featured a panel discussion with Seven Fund cofounder Michael Fairbanks; Grameen Solutions CEO Kazi Islam; inventor William Kamkwamba; and Microsoft's Kentaro Toyama.
Once President-elect Barack Obama announces the nation's first chief technology officer, the White House tech guru will have no shortage of recommendations from the private sector on how to spend his time and energy. Intel Corporation CTO Justin Rattner, for one, plans on sending the chosen one a list of suggestions -- with a little help from his friends. Attendees who visited the computer chip manufacturer's mega-booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week were invited to share their thoughts via an online questionnaire -- and enter to win a an ultra-portable "netbook" computer. An Intel official said hundreds of people completed the survey on the first day of CES alone.
Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro hilariously volunteered to be the guinea pig for YooStar, an interactive entertainment publisher whose product debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show this week. The system allows users to star in their favorite movie scenes with the original actors and share their performances online. The start-up has secured hundreds of movies from Paramount, Universal, MGM and Lions Gate for its digital library. Watch the video above to see what YooStar can do. In a speech on Thursday, Shapiro said the small firm "epitomizes what CES is about -- innovation, content, technology and enhancing life."
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab urged President-elect Barack Obama's administration Thursday to continue the momentum on an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which the United States and several trading partners have been working on for more than a year. Since the deal involves the rapidly evolving high-tech and content industries, time is of the essence, she told CongressDaily at the Consumer Electronics Show. "Unless we find a way to protect intellectual property we're going to continue to hemorrhage billions of dollars worth of income and jobs," she said. Read the full story in CongressDaily's AM Edition.
The Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday hosted a panel that I would have definitely covered had I not been moderating the line up of tech and telecom policy superstars. "Washington Update: The Times They Are A Changin'" featured NetCoalition Executive Director Markham Erickson; Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute; Center for Democracy and Technology President Leslie Harris; Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn; and National Association of Broadcasters President David Rehr (not pictured). If you weren't there, you should have been. Panelists covered lots of ground -- including a discussion about what role President-elect Barack Obama's chief technology officer will play and how tech issues will fare in the 111th Congress.
One of the most eagerly anticipated announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show this week was the unveiling of smart phone manufacturer Palm's new operating system. The company is scrambling to compete with Apple's iPhone and the Blackberry. The high-tech firm touted its new handheld device called "Pre" at a swanky, dimly lit lounge tucked away in a corner of the bustling Las Vegas Convention Center. The invitation-only space featured demos of the product, a DJ, a coffee bar, specialty cocktails and light fare.
Movie star Tom Hanks tries out some new high-tech glasses alongside Sony Corporation CEO Howard Stringer at the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday. The effervescent Hanks also poked fun at Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro''s on-stage pacing and somewhat monotone delivery during his State of the Industry speech. "What a wake-up, cup of coffee Gary is!" Hanks laughed.
From CongressDaily's AM Edition:
President-elect Barack Obama will have a greater interest in and appreciation for the technology industry than has been the norm in the Bush administration, a panel of public policy experts agreed Wednesday. Obama's use of the Internet during the campaign helped him mobilize supporters and win the election -- and that momentum has continued through his transition team's multifaceted, content-rich Change.gov Web site. His plan to name the federal government's first chief technology officer -- a high-level White House staffer whose identity and job description has not been disclosed but could come to light this week -- is the most significant indicator of the importance Obama places on using technology to improve the business of government, they said. Read the full story here (subscription required).
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