home

INSIDE

2012 Tech Matching Fund
Tet With iPads
A Look Back
WAVE Broadband
Perez Joins FCC
Smartphone Safety
Buy or lease?
Dollars
Linkage
Calendar
What's Hot

Mark your calendar. This is early info. We are helping sponsor a start-up weekend for government applications development, in partnership with our Citizens Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB) and the folks at the Start-Up Weekend organization. This will complement a Seattle Apps applications contest which seeks to increase use of city data and generate new data by residents which helps support transparency in government and provides valuable community services. The apps contest and start-up weekend will encourage the use of data found on the data.seattle.gov portal. We will also be soliciting for community ideas regarding applications that should be developed. The start-up weekend 4/27-29 will be a chance for developers and community members to work intensively to brainstorm and then code new apps. Exciting! Stay tuned.

Washington State has issued its 2011 Annual Report on Broadband in Washington State. It can be found as a PDF on their web site. The report is published by the state Broadband Office of the Department of Commerce. It provides an overview of trends in broadband deployment and adoption and its impact on Washington’s economy. The report features data on Internet availability, where Washington ranks in the middle range of states--number 23 of 56 states and territories--and on the deployment of wireless, and describes the work being done to implement public computing and broadband adoption projects that are funded under the federal stimulus broadband grants. According to data in the report, Washington ranks third highest in broadband adoption rates.

Will Saunders, Director of the Office of Broadband was recently featured on an edition of Comcast’s Newsmakers Program. The video is available on YouTube.

For all the young people out there and the people who work with them: If you are a youth (12-17) and are in trouble, you can go to any Metro bus driver in King County and say "I need a safe place." The driver will arrange for you to be met by a youth counselor who can help you find shelter or other services. If you can't find a Metro bus, text the word "SAFE" to 69866 and you'll receive a text back with the closest Safe Place. If you need to talk to someone right away, reply with “2chat” and you’ll be able to text with a counselor.

You can also call YouthCare directly at (800)495-7802, option 2, or email to learn more about their shelter, housing, employment, and education programs for young people.

InterConnection, located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, refurbishes donated PCs and distributes them around the world to humanitarian organizations, nonprofits and other deserving groups. Their mission is to provide technology to under-served communities. They take in old computers from individuals and businesses and wipe the hard drive, sometimes reinstall the operating system, clean them, test and upgrade and then distribute them to low income people, non-profits, schools, community organizations, basically anybody in need of technology. InterConnection founder and director Charles Brennick is a former member of Citizens Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB). Read more here.

Global Pulse and the Power of Big Data.

Seattle walking map.

Memorial to police killed in action...in the 1920's.

q&a

Have a question for Mayor Mike McGinn? Join the conversation with Seattle Channel host Brian Callanan as he sits down with the Mayor on Wednesday, February 22, at 7 PM for Ask the Mayor. Call (206) 681-8821 between 7:00 and 8:00 PM or email your questions. Also, follow their conversation on Twitter or Facebook with the Seattle Channel’s accounts. You can also submit questions through Twitter and Facebook as well.

Follow the Seattle Channel on Twitter.com/SeattleChannel and become a fan of the Seattle Channel on Facebook! Friends and followers get up to the minute info on new programs, behind the scene pictures of shoots and interviews and more!

Free cable broadband Internet service is available for organizations providing technology training to community members. The free service is offered within the Seattle city limits, based on the City's cable franchise agreements with Comcast and Broadstripe (Millennium). For more information and to download a short form to make application, go to our tech web. If you have questions, email Derrick Hall or call (206) 233-5061.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to Brainstorm, please email us, and we'll add you to our email notification list, or subtract you per your request. If you have ideas for future stories, please let us know and we'll try to accommodate them. We encourage you to visit the City of Seattle's Community Tech pages, seattle.gov/tech.

The Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA) and Vietnamese Student Association held a fun and fantastic gathering for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year celebration. In this year of the dragon, the VFA youth used iPads purchased through VFA's City Technology Matching Fund project grant, to create a slideshow about what Tet means. Learn more about VFA.

The Technology Matching Fund supports Technology Literacy & Access and Civic Engagement projects that reach technology underserved communities, with grants up to $20,000. To read more about current and past projects, review eligibility criteria, download the application, and register your organzation, visit the Community Technology TMF page.

Attend one of the informaiton sessions below for details about the Technology Matching Fund and application guidelines:

Thursday, March 1, 10:30-noon
Solid Ground
1501 N 45th St
Seattle, 98103

Saturday, March 3, 10:30-noon
Delridge Community Center
4501 Delridge Way SW
Seattle, 98106

For more information, contact Delia Burke by email or by phone at (206) 233-2751.

by David Keyes

The City and our Community Technology staff personally feel very fortunate to be able to do our work; helping to ensure technology access and literacy for all. Our efforts to close the digital divide do more than put technology and access and skills into people’s hands. They level the playing field of opportunity for access to jobs, health and consumer information, and education. While the divide over some basic access to computers has closed, there are still many who have yet to touch a computer mouse for the first time or are challenged to use the web to look for a job, to use it to learn English, or be able to effectively comparison shop for the prices. Many of these activities for those who can afford the latest and greatest, or have the community of techie friends, are taken for granted. In 2011, we were able to apply your money--the cable franchise fees that the city collects--and provide services including the following:

• Provided more than 2600 hours of public computer use at the City Neighborhood Service Centers. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, a few locations were closed, though we were able find a new location in Greenwood at the foodbank, thanks to Volunteers of America.
• Fifty-three new free cable broadband connections were installed at community organizations, thanks to our agreements with Comcast and Broadstripe/WAVE.
• Twenty-two Technology Matching Fund projects were completed, thanks to our community partners.
• Awarded $320,000 in 23 new Technology Matching Fund grants.
• Our new Boost mini-grants and training increased the online capacity of 16 neighborhood organizations.
• Provided 10 public educational sessions on computer safety and security.
• Ten community computer labs and volunteers helped us hold Get Online Week, where residents could get an orientation and training in computer and Internet use.
• We helped launch the new CommunitiesConnect web site and the implementation of the public computing projects funded by the federal BTOP program, with the EdLab Group.

As we look to 2012 and beyond, we know that the economy is making it very tough for a lot of families and the community organizations that help people with their daily needs and paths to new opportunity. With great support from the Mayor and Council, we will keep working hard and working closely with the community to ensure technology access, skills and effective electronic public engagement for all Seattle residents.

Broadstripe customers take note! On January 13, 2012, WAVE became the owner of Broadstripe’s Seattle cable franchise. WAVE will spend the next couple months working to integrate Seattle customers into their operations. During this transition time Broadstripe customers should know:

• Your services will continue without interruption.
• Current service packages and pricing will remain the same.
• Payments should be submitted using the same method you have in the past.
• 1-800-781-0947 is still the number to call for service and support.

For more information on WAVE's plans see Welcome to Wave Broadband. For news and documents related to the Broadstripe/WAVE Cable Franchise transfer, visit the Office of Cable Communications Franchise Transfer page.

Seattle’s Office of Cable Communications director, Tony Perez, has accepted a two-year term with the Federal Communications Commissions’ (FCC) Advisory Committee on Diversity in Communications in the Digital Age. The Committee’s mission is to make recommendations to the FCC regarding policies and practices that will enhance the ability of minorities and women to participate in telecommunications and related industries.

The Committee’s most recent meeting included guest speakers from Comcast, AT&T and NBC Universal outlining achievements in building a diverse workforce in their companies. The Reverend Jesse Jackson also addressed the committee, presenting on the importance of equitable and affordable access to broadband connectivity in minority communities.

If you have questions or ideas you would like Tony to forward to the committee, feel free to contact him. The Committee meets again on March 8.

WSYR-TV in Syracuse shares some excellent tips on keeping you information secure when using your smartphone.

Treat your smartphone like a computer: Users need to be aware that a smartphone is more than a phone. A general rule of thumb is to treat the device like a computer. Experts say that rule should apply whether you’re an iPhone user, or an Android user.

Do not connect to open WiFi: Free WiFi is not your friend. What might appear to be secure connection could be a front. A WiFi hotspot can be called whatever its creator wants to call it. What appears to be Starbucks may not be. If you are browsing on one of these connections, shopping via a smartphone app can be dangerous. Each time you enter a password or credit card number, you may be exposing it to hackers.

Never save passwords in a text document: You should never save sensitive data or passwords to a text document on your phone.

Know your app: Before you download an app, you should know what you’re getting into. You should always download apps from trusted sources. One way to research an app is to read reviews on it before downloading.

Protect your smartphone: Tim Kirk of the US Secret Service also suggests that smartphone users contact their provider to download free or low-cost malware and virus protection. He also says that the customer should use passwords to protect their networks.

Finally, you should always leave your smartphone someplace safe. The simplest form of data theft isn’t done by hacking, but by simply turning on your phone.

Hackers should be warned that criminal use of smartphones can lead to federal charges of wire fraud, computer fraud, identity theft, or other violations that can lead to fines and considerable federal prison sentences.

For the full article, click here.

For more security tips, check out the techtalk blog.

When you sign up for DSL service and some cable Internet providers, they ask you if you want to buy the equipment or just lease it at a small dollar amount per month.

Leasing your modem is normally not a good idea unless you plan to stay with that company or type of service for less than a year. Most companies charge on average $5 per month to lease the modem. The cost of this is $60 per year. Most modems only cost from $50 to $75 and you may be able to move it to another same service provider, if needed.

Agree or disagree with me? Drop me a note: Derrick Hall.

2012 Youth Arts Funding Program Youth Arts Provides up to $10,000 to support out-of-school art classes for Seattle middle/high school youth led by professional teaching artists in all art forms. Priority targets teens with limited to no arts engagement access.
Application due date: February 15

Department of Neighborhoods Small and Simple Projects Fund
The Small and Simple Projects Fund provides awards up to $20,000 to support community members in building community relationships around a project. Small and Simple Projects Fund activities may be physical projects as well as less tangible but equally significant educational, cultural, and relationship-strengthening activities.
Application due date: March 12

Technology Matching Fund
The Technology Matching Fund awards up to $20,000 to community projects which increase resident access to information technology, increase literacy in using technology, and/or apply technology to foster civic engagement and community building.
Application due date: April 3 11:59PM

Safe Routes to School
The Washington State Department of Transportation is calling for projects to address pedestrian and bicycle mobility and safety near schools. Eligible projects may include: (1) Engineering Improvements; (2) Education and Encouragement Activities; and (3) Enforcement Efforts.
Application due date: May 4

Back issues of Brainstorm including techtips and linkage are now available in our online archives. Previous TechTips and Linkage are also available. Click to revisit all previous issues.