Cement Utility Pole { #iPhoneography }
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Welcome to the BOPNet
Trying to answer a number of loosely related questions lately, an important idea has become increasingly clear: we are rapidly entering the age of the BOPNet.
The past decade of ICT has been defined by a combination of Moore's law and the need to drive more and more data across expensively built networks, fueling behavior that wants faster processors, faster networks and richer communications and media experiences, culminating in iconic objects like iPhone, big screen laptops and an armada of bandwidth hungry applications and services.
Meanwhile, while we obsessed over bigger, faster, more in the developed world, networks were lit in the global south, mobile subscriptions in emerging markets spiked, and better services have crept (slowly, but surely) into the previously dark corners of these markets. Most importantly, thousands of ambitious developers and entrepreneurs have been developing appropriate services, mainly in small islands, tuned to the unique needs, as well as the resource restrictions, of local environments.
Now, as Niti pointed out recently, we are starting to see not only platforms that span multiple BOP environments grow and solidify, and metaplatforms emerge. We are experiencing the coalescing of the BOPNet. It's emergence can be defined by what you can and can't do with it. You can't reasonably apply most usage and business models from the developed markets—metrics are different, usage patterns are different, and Mbps moved and minutes used don't totally equate to value delivered. Massive infrastructure investments can't just be passed down—cents on the dollar matter. You can manage resources more carefully at the technology level. You can deliver high value utility while not demanding more bytes and bandwidth. You can mine a rich seam of opportunities, because there is now scale.
Thinking about this BOPNet, several implications come to mind:
1. The BOPNet is a separate sphere, but will be integrated with its developed world cousin. As commerce and communication flows between these two spheres increase, opportunities will exist in translating at the border.
2. Its unique characteristics will start to shape macro-level infrastructure. In much the same way developd world ICT models shape and bend physical infrastructure, from transportation to energy to commerce, the unique characteristics of the BOPNet will shape these same markets' design and function in the next few decades.
3. Innovation from the BOPNet will continue to flow uphill. The developed world is fast approaching a point where it cannot devote infinite resources to ICT. We are already learning to take innovations created to better serve the BOPNet and use them to do more with less in the developed world. This will accelerate.
4. Technologically, over time the pyramid may begin to invert. The simple math will drive momentum in innovation to the point where the BOPNet reaches a kind of utility-parity with the top of the pyramid, particularly if the top of the pyramid continues shifting its media consumption to these networks at the cost of developing more actual utility and value. China is doing this with energy, innovating based on the need to sustain 1.4 billion inhabitants (an innovation inversion we will hereafter call "Friedman's Nightmare"). India may do this with communication networks in the same way, as may (hopefully) parts of Africa eventually. This will also mean not measuring innovation simply on the basis of dollars earnd, shareholder value created, or ads served, but more along the metrics of life improvement. Right now, I'd take FrontlineSMS, and Ushahidi over Foursquare and Spotify in that category.
More to come for sure. Stay tuned.
Dropresize 0.02a is now available for download!
It's 2am already and I can barely open my eyes, so I'll just point you to the download page of Dropresize.
Dropresize is a system tray application that resizes jpeg images into smaller, more web-friendly sizes. Just configure the settings, specify the folder you want watched, and drag copies of your photos in the folder. Dropbox will immediately resize the images in the folder. You can point your photos folder in Dropbox and instantly create a web-friendly gallery without even opening other tools. Or you can use it for some other purpose.
Download Dropresize here
If you haven't heard about Dropbox, visit here (yes, it is a referral link which gives extra 250mb to you and me on top of Dropbox's free 2gb space. the additional 250mb space only applies to the first 7 readers who click this link so it's on a first-come, first-served basis).
Send me a mail if you want to help in alpha testing this program. Thanks!
Shades, controllate la luminosità del vostro monitor su Mac
Una simpatica utility gratuita per regolare con grande precisione la luminosità del vostro Mac. Si scarica da qui, provate e fateci sapere se la trovate davvero "utile". State solo attenti che potrebbe interferire con la resa del colore, quindi... fate delle prove prima di affidarvi ciecamente a quello che vedete!
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Better ad blocking with GlimmerBlocker
I've been running Snow Leopard since release day now and (except for the Apple Remote problem) I'm very happy with it. Although there are 64 bit versions of most applications now, I had to run Safari in 32 bit mode until now - because I hate ads.
I know that this is the number one income source for website owners, but they've simply taken it too far. I don't mind a banner or two, but nowadays two thirds of a website are advertising. And it's usually not the unobtrusive banner ads, very often it's auto-running Flash ads with sound. Or layered windows that I have to click away. Or pop-up ads that disguise themselves as links. I'm sick of it, and that's why I'm blocking it all. Screw you, advertising industry!
The tool of my choice used to be Safari Adblock, which is a port of the well-known Firefox adblocking solution Adblock Plus. Safari Adblock, like all extensions for Safari, has the disadvantage that it doesn't work when Safari runs in 64 bit mode. In 32 bit mode Input Manager plugins still work, but they don't seem to work in 64 bit mode. Unfortunately, running Safari in 32 bit mode has some disadvantages: it's generally slower, especially JavaScript, and browser plugins cannot run in their own instances (which means if one crashes it will kill the browser, too). I was hoping for a quick 64 bit release of Safari Adblock, but it looks like the developer has some problems adjusting it.
GlimmerBlocker, which has been around for a while, is the answer to my problem. It's an open source content-filter, Snow Leopard compatible. Since it isn't an Input Manager plugin, Safari can run in 64 bit mode. GlimmerBlocker actually works as a proxy, which filters the stream before the data arrives at the browser. And because it's systemwide, it has the advantage that it can be used in any application - including my favorite newsreader, NewsFire. GlimmerBlocker also makes it possible to use keywords in Safari. So if you're entering "wiki Posterous" into the address bar, it will take you to the Wikipedia article on Posterous.
GlimmerBlocker works great in addition to ClickToFlash, which replaces Flash elements in a website with a temporary placeholder, until you click it (or choose to add the website to a white list). It also adds the ability to open HD flash videos in QuickTime, which is great because those videos run very slowly with Safari in 64 bit mode (Adobe, you can you hear me?).
Development: Cool Utility - Code Collector
Following on from yesterdays request regarding web template sources, we thought those of you who are developers might like the following.
Nearly all developers have "generic" code which is used either throughout a large project, or across multiple projects. The copy and paste function is a quick and simple operation but what about keeping track of code used and organising it so that the bits you use over and over again can be accessed easily?
Many developers have their favourite ways to manage this scenario but nearly all would agree that the task can sometimes be quite time consuming and "clunky". A fantastic FREE UTILITY that can help solve the organisation of your code is Code Collector. Essentially, the programme is a database of your code snippets and allows you to categorise and perform "quick searches" across your library. Even better, your library is completely language insensitive so you can store Java, PHP, VB, or whatever else, all in the same databases. Pretty cool eh?
We think this is definitely a great tool for developers.You can get Code Collector here: [http://www.dnjcompany.com/codecollector/]
Snippet App (for OS X)
I like to make piles; I'm a piler. Snippet App lets you make piles of code:
