DIGITAL DIVIDE
India Rolls Out Cheap, Handheld Computer This Month
Internet Reaches Another Technological Outpost ... The Iranian
Village
COMPETITION
FCC Leaves WorldCom On Hold
EU Competition Chief Talks Antitrust Policy
INTERNET
ICANN Boss: 'We're Not Undemocratic'
DIGITAL DIVIDE
INDIA ROLLS OUT CHEAP, HANDHELD COMPUTER THIS MONTH
India is rolling out a $200 handheld computers called the "Simputer" in an
effort to help underserved communities bridge the digital divide. Officials
at Encore Software Ltd and professors from Bangalore's Indian Institute of
Science launched the handheld device in April 2001 under their nonprofit
Simputer Trust. While the Simputer is aimed at poor and rural Indians who
are unable to read or write, it has also impressed high-end users. The
Simputer will be three times cheaper than the average PC and include
voicemail, text-to-speech applications and Internet access. Deshpande, an
engineer on the project said, "We are in the process of making about 200
Simputers this month and about 1,300 to 1,400 by September based on
potential and existing orders."
[SOURCE: SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/3605609.htm)
INTERNET REACHES ANOTHER TECHNOLOGICAL OUTPOST...IRANIAN VILLAGE
The Iranian village, Shahkooh, 240 miles northeast of Tehran, has built a
computer lab to help all interested residents become computer literate.
Classes are free and the village has its own Farsi-language Web site,
Shakooh.com. Since the launch of computer lab, two-dozen villagers have
become entrepreneurs and the Web site is used to market local crafts. The
village sees computer literacy as an essential tool to battle unemployment
and poverty among their residents. With only three percent of the Iranian
population online and half the population under 25, the country appears on
the edge of a high-tech surge. Under reformist President Mohammad Khatami,
Internet cafes have appeared in many Iranian cities and for now surfers have
unrestricted access to all Web sites, including adult and anti-government
sites.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/3601630.htm)
COMPETITION
EU CHIEF TALKS ANTITRUST POLICY
Mario Monti, the competition chief for the European Union, discusses his
approach to technology and antitrust policy in a Q&A session with the
Mercury News. He touches on how emerging technology has affected the way he
looks at competition policy and responds to criticism that the EU
commission's interest in the Microsoft case is more in the interest of
competitors than consumers.
[SOURCE: Mercury News, AUTHOR: Kristi Heim]
(http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/3605081.htm)
FCC LEAVES WORLDCOM ON HOLD
Critics of FCC Chairman Michael Powell say he should be doing more to
prevent WorldCom's demise, to preserve both continuity of service and the
benefits of telecommunications competition that MCI, now WorldCom's
long-distance unit, helped create by challenging AT&T's monopoly 20 years
ago. To Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), that means becoming WorldCom's
advocate in the federal government. "I think he should make it clear that he
is going to support a competitive vision for the future of
telecommunications," Markey said. "Obviously, a collapse of this size could
lead to greater consolidation in the telecommunications market," which would
be likely to lead to higher prices for consumers, Markey said. But Powell
has always maintained that his role is to stand back and allow market forces
to go to work. Critics say Powell should at least ask other federal agencies
not to add to WorldCom's woes by announcing that they may reduce the amount
of business they do with the company.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22054-2002Jul3.html)
INTERNET
ICANN BOSS: 'WE'RE NOT UNDEMOCRATIC'
ICANN's chief Stuart Lynn has hit back at claims the Internet naming body is
disenfranchising the public by stopping its online elections for board
members. Lynn explained the threats of fraud and vote-rigging have forced
the organization to stop online elections. "ICANN is not an experiment in
online democracy," said Lynn. Lynn also claims the number of online voters
is far too small to be significant. He argues that the organization is not
excluding the public, but in fact wants "to find a new way to bring online
users into the fold."
[SOURCE: Silicon.com]
(http://www.silicon.com/bin/bladerunner?30REQEVENT=&REQAUTH=21046&14001REQSU
B=REQINT1=54303)
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