I’m sure most of you have heard about the big Tier 1 networks whining about people hogging connection speeds with file sharing and video watching. With that said, why did Comcast announce that they will be coming out with speeds of 100 Mbps by 2010? If you’re going to charge more for speed, why do I want a fast connection. It’s like giving someone who has a spending problem a Platinum credit card.
The BBC has a fantastic article on the year ahead for the tech community and what may be on the horizon.
This list is as follows:
Ahhhhh, ubiquitous computing, well, maybe not that far, but with applications like Google Gears, being able to pull such things as Google Reader feeds down to my laptop before I leave work, allows me to read my feeds if I have to pitstop somewhere that doesn’t have wireless. I see this technology becoming increasingly invested in in 2008 and many more applications from Google and Microsoft (maybe Yahoo!) being available with or without internet.
Apple has a patent and rumors abound about a sub notebook that will release this year. I’m not sure how you can get much smaller than a MacBook (which I own), but hey, smaller is better and Apple is all about small hardware. With size comes mass and the lighter, the better. I remember the days of Dell laptops that could be used as weapons if thrown at someone.
The use of Flash memory in place of conventional (and outdated as debated by some) hard disk memory will push these devices even smaller and consuming less power (I smell Green Technology).
If the US can ever get their ass rolling in the utility sector (minus Verizon’s FiOS), this will increasingly take off here in the States. The merge of TV and Web will become increasingly prevalent over the next 5 years. The only blocker would be the FCC or big business lobbyist’s shooting down legislation. This where Net Neutrality becomes a huge discussion point.
Again, another technology that is long overdue and will hopefully open doors on more mobile technologies the likes of ones seen in Japan. The ability to use your mobile device to do more and be able to connect o high bandwidth speeds on a portable device such as a laptop or portable TV are very nice things with the expansion of technology deliverables (voice, video, audio, etc.)
Sprint is launching their Xohn network later this year and Washington, DC, Baltimore and Chicago are the test beds.
Skype is not only an awesome chat service, but now is pushing into the VoIP realm with phones that have data plans only and allow for chatting and VoIP. There were some folks coming up with applications on the iPhone (when hacked) that would allow VoIP as well. Again, this is great technology, but I can see the Telcos trying to knock this down as it cuts into their profit margins.
Award winning Software company seeking the best an the brightest! When you begin your career at Siteworx, you’ll be part of a rapidly-growing software and services company. In fact, you have probably visited some of our Web applications and sites already – many are for companies with household names. It’s this kind of success that creates exceptional opportunities for ambitious people. If you’re looking for a place where you can perform your best, consider the following position in our Reston, Virginia headquarters.
You will develop Internet applications in teams from Siteworx specifications. You will work closely with many Senior Developers to improve your knowledge and technical prowess. Siteworx has very high standards and understands that very few people are qualified to do what we do upon hiring, however, the position requires a BA/BS in a technical field and 1+ years experience (internships applicable) in software development. Fluency with three or more of the following is necessary: XHTML, CSS, C#, Javascript, Java, Python. A background in Object Oriented Programming is necessary and familiarity with Zope is a major plus.
Siteworx has outstanding benefits including 401(k), and health/dental insurance.
The Sr. Experience Architect will be responsible for performing a lead role in the research and design efforts for Siteworx’s client applications and large-scaled websites. This position requires working directly with client stakeholders to develop strategies and specifications to improve the performance, usability and effectiveness of customer and user facing interfaces. You will use information gathered from client meetings, team collaboration, best practices, and competitive analysis to develop site maps, user interface diagrams, requirements and specifications which represent the layout, flow and organization of complex Web sites and Web applications. You will work closely with the client and the Siteworx technical, project management, and visual design groups.
Applicants please note this is NOT an opening for a graphic or Web designer. Photoshop designs do not meet the qualifications listed below. All applicants must be able to provide samples of user interface diagrams/wire frames, requirements, and specifications.
Siteworx is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Gail Glassmoyer
Recruiter/HR Manager
Siteworx
1892 Preston White Drive, 3rd Fl.
Reston, VA 20191
703-964-1700 X245
gail@siteworx.com
Well, I’m going for two at this point. I added the flickrRSS plugin from Eightface, which is pretty slick. The only downside was that my Del.icio.us plugin was making for some interference (Post 21) with the way WordPress was parsing data. A small fix was in order, which Pete pointed out. In del.icio.us.php, look for:
require_once($magpie_install_dir . ‘/rss_fetch.inc’);
and replace it with:
include_once (ABSPATH . WPINC . ‘/rss-functions.php’);
Now both of the plugins will work with no problems! 
Yeah, it’s been quiet for a while. Actually, it’s been too quiet. I’m currently in the middle of redesigning my site and decided to add a feature I got working on my development box. It actually only took about 10 minutes to get this up and running, so I figured I would go ahead and lock it in for data aggregation purposes. It’s in my sidebar, but may migrate as I do more updates and additions. I figure if I do one of these a day and rebuild one page a day, it will only take me a few weeks to get all of my changes. With that said, here’s to more free time and a finished site.