Recently I glimpsed the future, the digital future that is, and I only had to go as far as the KC Stadium. It was a first for this area, the first conference dedicated to the world of technology and how we interact with it; or put simply ‘life in the digital space'. Entitled Hull Digital Live (www.hdlive09.co.uk) it was a coming together of all things digital – the Internet, communication, social networking, advertising & marketing, and how it affects all of us.
The keynote speech was from the BBC's own technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones. Joining the Beeb back in the 1980’s just as Richard Baker was reading his last news bulletin and hi-tech was a typewriter; he is a man who has indeed seen the rise of technology. His theme was Broadband; where the UK ranks in the world standings (about half way), right down to how our own local provider Karoo compares. 'Does anybody know where HU16 is?' he asked, as he pointed to a speed of 7Mbps on his big screen presentation.
Looking even further afield, Rory C-J had just undertaken a tour of East Africa for a BBC programme looking at how those emerging nations are coping, and how they see Broadband as a priority, and are piping it in from a new cable running beneath the Indian Ocean from the Gulf. In some countries this is complimented by the 'one laptop per child' initiative that I have mentioned before in this column. See: http://laptop.org/en/
Such is the momentum behind the digital future that even these nations are racing to put in broadband over their more basic fundamental needs. Everyone is worried about being left behind in the relentless march into the future. Our own Government has published its own version, in the form of the Digital Britain Report. Many say this does not go far enough in its outlook, but it is pointing inevitably towards the Internet becoming a utility the same as water, gas and electricity.
My opinion is 'The Technology Train is leaving and everyone is scrambling to get on board, a platform ticket just won't cut it!'
More to follow..............
