convergence

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Will a shift to gesture based computing via tablets and apps help get the final third online? A guest blog

Friday, May 28th, 2010

On the day the iPad is launched in the UK, a guest blog from Brian Williamson of Plum Consulting considers what impact a shift to this type of device, with simpler, more intuitive interfaces and utilising mobile connectivity, could have on internet adoption.
“A report by Plum Consulting for Vodafone examines internet use and barriers to [...]

Creating the digital citizen of the future? Knowledge and confidence is key

Friday, February 13th, 2009

The Government’s Digital Britain report rightly devotes a chapter to how you can “equip everyone to benefit” from the digital future.
Whilst much of the commentary around the report has focused on infrastructure, broadband speeds and protection of copyright online, the important issue of how to drive take-up has been somewhat overlooked.
Such an oversight would be [...]

Digital Britain Interim Report launched

Thursday, January 29th, 2009

The government’s Digital Britain Interim Report has been launched. The press release is available here, and the report itself is available here. The BSG press release responding to the launch is available here.
We have produced an initial analysis of the report in a special edition of our newsletter. We are keen to hear the views [...]

Can superfast broadband save the economy?

Monday, January 26th, 2009

This week saw NESTA publish a policy paper advising that investment in fibre-optic broadband would be a vital part of the infrastructure of our digital economy as it emerges from the recession.
NESTA go on to suggest that ‘a spectrum for speed swap’ could be used to incentivise deployment of universal next generation broadband.
So can next [...]

Conservatives set out next generation broadband views

Monday, January 12th, 2009

Building on Conservative Party Leader David Cameron’s commitment to broadband earlier in the week, last Friday Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt set out the Conservative Party’s views on next generation broadband.
The main commitment in Hunt’s speech was to re-iterate Cameron’s commitment to bring next-generation broadband to the majority of the population within five years, and [...]

Broadband - flavour of the month

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

It may have been the holiday season, but broadband was rarely off the news cycle in one form or another, so here’s a round-up of some of the most interesting stories from the Christmas period.
Most interestingly, David Cameron yesterday committed the Conservatives to fibre optic ‘high speed broadband’ for the majority of the population within [...]

iPlayer Day

Friday, December 12th, 2008

To celebrate the iPlayer’s first anniversary since its soft launch, the BBC’s Internet blog has been blogging on a variety of iPlayer issues for iPlayer Day.
The blog has produced some interesting discussions, particularly their developments for delivery on multiple platforms, such as games consoles and mobiles as well as over broadband and cable networks. It [...]

Obama and the growth of broadband

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Much has been made of Barack Obama’s successful use of the Internet in organising and coordinating his campaign, and in engaging (and soliciting donations from) his supporters, with many refering to him as the first candidate to successfully do this.
This is true, but it is worth remembering that he and John McCain were the first [...]

Government to undertake Digital Britain Report

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

On Friday last week the government announced it would be undertaking a Digital Britain Report, led by the new minister for technology, communications and broadcasting Stephen Carter. This represents an opportunity for Government to tackle a range of issues in a coordinated, strategic way. Hopwever, doing so requires that the report is not a stock-taking [...]

Home broadband improves GCSE results

Monday, September 1st, 2008

According to the latest UK Internet Access Report from the Office of National Statistics those students with home broadband access are likely to do better in their GCSEs.
This is not really surprising. Broadband provides students with access to a wealth of resources that previously were simply unavailable. It can aid independent learning by encouraging independent [...]