Blog
By Chris Doten
| October 6, 2015
Hello dear readers -
As you may have noticed we've made a few changes around here. On the NDItech team one of our goals is to share what we learn and highlight the accomplishments of our partners: this blog is our primary platform to accomplish that.
A lot of things have changed in the 4 years since we launched this experiment. The team has changed members; common types of programming has shifted; the citizens with whom we work are radically more connected.
For technologists, Marshall...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| October 19, 2015
Another happy Monday to you, cherished readers! Here’s your weekly roundup to start things right.
Consumer hardware has had a big week with reveals, releases, and reviews. Valve’s hardware line for Steam is a mixed bag. The Nexus 6P appears to be a worthy follow-up and has some awesome features from Android Marshmallow, while the 5X pays loving tribute to its predecessor. The Apple TV’s release details are still a mystery. One of Segway’s owners released an affordable,...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| October 13, 2015
Happy Tuesday, treasured readers! Yesterday was Columbus Day - or, if you find him a deplorable historical character, Indigenous People’s Day. In any case, NDItech was on vacation for the day.
On Sunday, the world observed International Day of the Girl, a day to recognize and empower girls everywhere. US First Lady Michelle Obama released a girl-power playlist on Spotify, supporting her Let Girls Learn campaign, while Twitter abounded with hashtags related to the day’s...
By Jared Ford
| October 6, 2015
Last week, NDItech participated in another Working Group meeting for the Principles for Digital Development. Starting in early 2014, the Working Group has convened over 10 times to hold detailed discussions about the Principles for Digital Development, emergent best practice in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support development projects, programs, and practice. NDItech hosted one of these deep-dive sessions. Highlights of all the discussions can be found...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| October 6, 2015
The internet is a titanic beast, endlessly growing and fed by the information we give it, from our expense reports to our engagement photos. As we entered the digital age, our societies more and more trusted and relied on servers in anonymous, chilled basements and the hard drives on our desks to keep our secrets for us. However, this has never been an easy task. As cybersecurity evolves, so too do the agents that would break down the doors and abscond with our sensitive data. October is...
By Chris Doten
| October 6, 2015
I had the opportunity to see Pope Francis when he addressed Congress in Washington recently. It was a beautiful early autumn day and a pleasure to be out on the Mall. It’s an inspiring speech - you should check it out - but my ears really perked up when he mentioned technology and the critical role it can play in building a more just society today. Francis has been called many things, but a civic innovator isn’t a label I've heard before. However, his message was spot on for...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| October 5, 2015
Happy Monday, valued readers! We’re relaunching our website tomorrow, so please enjoy the brand new NDItech.org and the old one while it lasts!
Amazon Web Services is hosting a hackathon tomorrow in Las Vegas and NDI is sponsoring one of the contests! At re:Invent 2015, we’re asking teams to design a framework for building story-driven text-based games that convey lessons in an engaging “choose your own adventure” format. Follow us on Twitter (@NDItech) for some live...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| October 5, 2015
We all remember sitting in the classroom, teacher in the front and class clowns in the back. Traditional education and training have followed the same format for centuries, but now technology is changing the game.
Technology has been creeping into the classroom for decades. Forty years ago, slideshow and overhead projectors were the slickest items on the market, quickly followed by the introduction of film and video projectors. My generation (the millennials) saw the mass adoption of SMART...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| September 28, 2015
Happy Monday, dear readers! We hope that everyone enjoyed seeing the super blood moon eclipse last night. If you missed it, we have you covered.
Over the weekend, the UN held a summit on sustainable development, announcing 17 goals to reach by 2030 and strategies for accomplishing them. Numerous entities are developing plans for meeting these goals and here’s a playbook for ICT strategies provided by a collaboration between NGOs and tech companies.
After the papal fanfare in DC settled...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| September 21, 2015
Happy Monday, dear readers! DC is all abuzz with the impending papal visit this week, but you can bet the NDItech team is still working hard around the clock, regardless of the crazy traffic!
Today is International Day of Peace and groups and people are observing this important day all over the world. Our friends at the United States Institute of Peace have thrown the gauntlet to the world with the Peace Day Challenge. Commit to an act of peacebuilding, do it, then share the story with #...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| September 14, 2015
Happy International Day of Democracy! Tomorrow, Sept. 15th, is one of NDI’s favorites days of the year. This year’s theme is Space for Civil Society, which is meant to remind governments everywhere that democracy is most stable and successful when civil society is allowed to function freely, fostering a healthy cooperation between private and public groups for a better future. Check out the UN’s page on IDD and see the great events they have planned.
NDI president Ken Wollack...
By Jonathan Goodwin
| September 8, 2015
Happy Labor Day to our American readers! Here’s hoping the barbecues and final pool parties of the year went well.
Over the weekend, news outlets have been reporting extensively on the crisis Syrian refugees are facing in leaving home and finding asylum. Facing myriad reactions in Europe and Southwest Asia, refugees are using mobile apps to stay connected with family and make the journey more bearable. Elsewhere, many are surprised at the diffusion of mobile technology among Syrians.
Want...