March 20, 2010 · www.gothamgazette.com |
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- Judith Kurens on The Long Way Home
- Ellen Balleisen on Raising the Bar
- David King on Lock Down?
- Farah Akbar on Tourist Spot?
- Glenn Pasanen on Framing the Figures
News about Technology:
Links to web sites, articles or reports that illuminate the most recent Technology news.
Computer Glitch Led to 50 Police Raids of Elderly Couple (NY Post, Mar 19, 2010)
Cabs Equipped with New Fare Setting Alert (NY 1, Mar 18, 2010)
Truce Saves Oscars for Cablevision Viewers (NY Times, Mar 8, 2010)
Bloomberg Calls His Plan for Electronic Time Sheets a 'Disaster' (Daily News, Mar 2, 2010)
Phone App Shows Subway on Camera Display (Daily News, Feb 5, 2010)
Newsday Says Pay Model is Working (Crain's, Jan 29, 2010)
An Eccentric Radio Station Plagued By Financial Trouble (NY Times, Jan 16, 2010)
Walder Vows to Unclog Bus Routes, Upgrade Subways (Daily News, Jan 15, 2010)
MTA to Test Eliminating Tollbooths for E-ZPass (NY Times, Jan 15, 2010)
MTA Unveils Open Data Policy (StreetsBlog, Jan 15, 2010)
MTA Unveils New Web Site (am New York, Jan 14, 2010)
MTA Hires SmartCard Czar (NY Post, Jan 14, 2010)
MTA Testing Countdown Clocks Along 6 Train (NY Post, Dec 24, 2009)
New Web Site Creates Forum for Cab Complaints (NY 1, Dec 17, 2009)
City, Union Clash Over New 911 Dispatch System (NY Times, Dec 11, 2009)
Mayor's Office Boasts of New 911 System (Daily News, Dec 11, 2009)
City, Unions Spar Over New 911 System (am New York, Dec 11, 2009)
Sexual Predators Booted from Social Networking (Daily News, Dec 1, 2009)
Bloomberg Asks for Patience on MTA Proposal (NY Times, Nov 6, 2009)
Bloomberg Backs Away from Free Crosstown Buses (Daily News, Nov 6, 2009)
Sustainable Design Continues Growing Despite Economy (New York Construction, Nov 6, 2009)
911 Upgrade Two Years Late, $700 Over Budget (Daily News, Oct 21, 2009)
DNA Helps Solve Cold Cases (NY Times, Oct 19, 2009)
City Using Video Footage to Nab Taxis in Bus Lanes (Daily News, Oct 14, 2009)
By Mistake, City Releases Private Data it Collected (NY Times, Oct 8, 2009)
City Launches Contest for Internet Applications (Crain's, Oct 7, 2009)
Firefighters Sent Out with Wrong Info (Daily News, Oct 6, 2009)
NYC Domain Name Moves Forward (NY Post, Oct 6, 2009)
More Subway Departure Time Displays Coming Soon (NY Times, Oct 2, 2009)
Decision on Times Pay Model Will Be 'Gut Decision' (NY Observer, Oct 2, 2009)
City Rolls Out New Technology Projects (Crain's, Oct 2, 2009)
Lack of Radio Frequencies Encourages Pirate Radio (El Taxista, Sep 24, 2009)
MTA Wants a Cut from Mobile Phone Applications (AM New York, Aug 25, 2009)
Survey Finds Most Principals Now Support ARIS Data System (NY Times, Aug 20, 2009)
Two Operators on Trains for Now (NY Times, Aug 12, 2009)
Bus Shelters Displaying Bus Arrival Times (AM New York, Aug 12, 2009)
Computer Error Caused Rent Woes for Public Housing Tenants (NY Times, Aug 6, 2009)
Con Ed Proposes New $385 Million Technology (Daily News, Jul 24, 2009)
E-Waste and Green Jobs Bills Withdrawn in NY Senate (Crain's, Jul 20, 2009)
Two bills fell victim to a chaotic late night state Senate session – one requiring electronics manufacturers statewide to take away customers’ old products and another hoping to create thousands of jobs by retrofitting New York homes to be more energy efficient.
NYPD Keeping the Typewriter Industry Afloat (NY Post, Jul 13, 2009)
The city is will spend nearly $1 million on typewriters for cops, who still have a great many forms to fill out.
7 Train to Be Computerized (NY Post, Jul 10, 2009)
City Seeks to Attract New Media (Crain's, Jul 8, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday announced eight initiatives to promote innovation, attract new media businesses and help traditional-media workers transition to jobs in the digital sector
Moves Aim to Bolster Key Industries (NY Times, Jul 8, 2009)
The program to bolster new media announced by the mayor yesterday is similar to one introduced earlier this year to persuade laid-off Wall Streeters to stay in the city and join or start new companies. It is one of a series aimed at propping up the industries that form the core of the city’s economy but that have suffered in the last few years. City officials plan to tackle the retailing business next.
Media Plays Key Role in City (NY Post, Jul 8, 2009)
Despite the economic slump, the city intends to retain its title as "media capital of the world" by aggressively courting start-up entrepreneurs and bolstering existing media companies, which account for 10 percent of the private workforce here, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday.
City To Twitter (NY Post, Jun 30, 2009)
Council Bill Would Open Data to Public (NY Observer, Jun 26, 2009)
Schumer Calls for Wireless from the MTA (Associated Press, Jun 16, 2009)
Paterson Creates Council to Execute Broadband Policy (NY Observer, Jun 12, 2009)
Plan for Cell Phone Service in Subways Delayed Indefinitely (NY 1, Jun 5, 2009)
Techies Push for Open 311 (NY Observer, Jun 2, 2009)
Web Site Lets Parents Track Data on Students (NY Times, May 29, 2009)
Statistics on the City's Tech Sector (Crain's, May 29, 2009)
City Resists State on Voting-Machine Program (City Room, May 29, 2009)
New Taxi Meters Would Split Fares (NY Post, May 28, 2009)
Plans Would Let Strangers Share Cab Rides (NY Times, May 28, 2009)
City to Roll Out Cab Sharing Program (AM New York, May 28, 2009)
City Eyes WiFi in Parks (NY Post, May 14, 2009)
Astoria Residents Temporarily Lose Power (AM New York, Apr 28, 2009)
Years Later, City Installs School-Bus Tracking System (AM New York, Apr 23, 2009)
International Hackers Attacking Police Department Computers (Associated Press, Apr 23, 2009)
Time Warner Cable Dumps Internet Meter Plan (Associated Press, Apr 17, 2009)
Web Site Allows Comparison of New York Taxes, Spending (Associated Press, Apr 9, 2009)
New Trains Roll Out on the F (AM New York, Apr 3, 2009)
Councilmember: Food Stamps Should Be Available On-Line (Daily News, Mar 21, 2009)
City Councilmember Eric Gioia wants the city to let needy New Yorkers apply for food stamps online - and get the required fingerprinting done later.
Two Tech Start-Ups Get City Seed Funds (Crain's, Mar 4, 2009)
Citywide Campaigns Log on to Web 2.0 (City Hall, Feb 27, 2009)
Selling NYC at $10 a Dot (AM New York, Feb 13, 2009)
MTA Eyes Bus Arrival Screens (NY Post, Feb 5, 2009)
MTA Bus Tracking Will Have to Wait (NY 1, Jan 30, 2009)
The Metropolitan Transportation Agency has once again dropped plans to implement GPS bus tracking that could tell riders (or hopeful riders standing on a corner) whether and when their bus is coming.
Interactive Visitor Center Unveiled (AM New York, Jan 22, 2009)
Police Department Browses Recruits' Private Online Profiles (NY Post, Jan 21, 2009)
State Wireless Network for Emergency Workers Is Canceled (NY Times, Jan 16, 2009)
Amazon.com Loses Tax Fight in Court with State (Metro, Jan 15, 2009)
Group Calls for Total Cell Phone Ban While Driving (Daily News, Jan 12, 2009)
Contract Dispute Over Police Radio (NY Times, Jan 10, 2009)
Police Explore Cell Phone Interception (Daily News, Jan 10, 2009)
The NYPD is looking into technology that can zero in on and intercept cell phone conversations between terrorists in the event of a Mumbai-style attack in the city, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly testified in Washington on Thursday.
Police Study Way to Jam Cellphones in an Attack (NY Times, Jan 9, 2009)
Police officials are studying the feasibility of disrupting cellphone communications between terrorists during any attack, after revelations that gunmen in Mumbai received electronic transmissions during their killing spree in November. Commissioner Raymond Kelly raised the possibility in Washington at a Senate hearing on Thursday, but he noted there were technological hurdles to shutting down cellular service in a narrow location, like a hotel or movie theater.
Deal for Wireless Access in City Parks Collapses (NY Times, Jan 8, 2009)
Arbitron Settles Suits Over Radio Ratings System (Associated Press, Jan 8, 2009)
Digital TV Transition Still Causing Confusion (AM New York, Jan 8, 2009)
State's Computerized Unemployment System Overwhelmed (NY Times, Jan 7, 2009)
Obscure Fee Pays for Efficient-Energy Projects (NY Times, Dec 29, 2008)
New Web Site Tracks Health by Zip Code (Daily News, Dec 29, 2008)
Photo Evidence Necessary for Parking Tickets? (NY Post, Dec 19, 2008)
Councilmember Jimmy Vacca said traffic agents should have picture evidence of some of the tickets they write. He proposed a law last week that would outfit all traffic agents with a camera phone-like device that both writes up and photographs violations. Chicago already has outfitted its ticket agents with similar devices.
Plan Would Tax Music, Video Downloads (, Dec 17, 2008)
The governor wants to begin taxing music and movie downloads as part of an effort to plug the budget gap - a move New Yorkers say will only make piracy more appealing.
Kelly Gives Details on Downtown Security (Tribeca Trib, Dec 5, 2008)
MTA Implements Text Message Alerts (Newsday, Nov 26, 2008)
Efforts to Increase Digital Media Access for All (City Limits, Nov 26, 2008)
City and State Open New Traffic Monitoring Center (The Forum, Nov 21, 2008)
New York Tech Community Reorganizes (NY Observer, Nov 20, 2008)
Principals Fear Big Cuts (NY Post, Nov 7, 2008)
On the heels of a 1.3 percent cut to every school's current budget, Chancellor Joel Klein warned the principals yesterday to expect a hefty 3.5 percent cut in next year's budget, they said. In another development, education officials are scrapping a program to test GPS locator systems on school buses.
Rock the Vote Printed Wrong Address on 100,000 Registration Forms Staewide (NY Times, Oct 27, 2008)
Delays on $80 Million Data System While Schools Face Cuts (NY Times, Oct 24, 2008)
Brooklyn Subway Station to Display Real Time Train Locations (NY 1, Oct 23, 2008)
New Media the Next Top Business in City? (Metro, Oct 23, 2008)
'Learning 2.0' Brings Schools into the Digital Age (Village Voice, Oct 23, 2008)
Council Renews Call for School Bus Tracking System (Queens Courier, Oct 17, 2008)
Weiner Brings Out New Weapon (Daily News, Oct 14, 2008)
Rep. Anthony Weiner is deploying a new weapon is his battle to stop Mayor Bloomberg from seeking a third term - the Internet.
Union Square Web Site Spoof Prompts Suit (Metro, Oct 10, 2008)
City Looks Into Online Education (NY Post, Sep 29, 2008)
The city is working to clear the way for students to be able to earn credits toward high-school graduation online.
Info On Subway Arrival Is Delayed (Daily News, Sep 24, 2008)
Google Launches MTA Trip Planner (Newsday, Sep 24, 2008)
City to Use Cameras to Enforce Bus-Only Traffic Lanes (AM New York, Sep 16, 2008)
Council Grills Arbitron Over Radio Ratings (Crain's, Sep 11, 2008)
911 to Accept Crime Photos, Video (Daily News, Sep 10, 2008)
One in Seven Principals Would Test Kindergarten Kids (NY Post, Sep 10, 2008)
Experimental Bus Route Gets Passengers' Praise (NY Times, Sep 5, 2008)
Pay-at-Curbside Bus Route Draws Raves (Daily News, Sep 5, 2008)
Liu Wonders: Where's the School Bus GPS? (Village Voice, Sep 5, 2008)
CUNY, Red Hat and Intel Team Up on Tech Lab (Crain's, Sep 4, 2008)
Online Sales Cause City Increasing Revenue Loss (NY Sun, Aug 22, 2008)
CIty Block Covered with 170 Cameras (AM New York, Aug 22, 2008)
Study by Teens Finds Seafood Mislabeling (Associated Press, Aug 22, 2008)
Bloomberg: Windmills on Bridges, Skyscrapers Impractical (Newsday, Aug 21, 2008)
Police Plan to Scan Cars Entering Manhattan for Terror Risks (Associated Press, Aug 20, 2008)
Councilman Seeks to Ban Text Messaging at Wheel (NY Times, Aug 15, 2008)
The proposal is an outgrowth of a fatal crash last summer during which the driver’s cellphone was being used to send text messages.
Verizon and Union Reach Deal (Associated Press, Aug 11, 2008)
Plan to sell Power Out of State Clogs New York Grid (NY Post, Aug 11, 2008)
MTA Introduces 'Green' Escalators (Metro, Aug 7, 2008)
Countdown Signals May Not Improve Safety (AM New York, Aug 6, 2008)
City May Settle More Claims On-line (NY Post, Aug 4, 2008)
City Comptroller William Thompson has saved taxpayers $33.4 million through Cybersettle, an online tool his office uses to settle claims before going to litigation. Now the Department of Environmental Protection is considering employing the same site to settle water and sewer bill disputes, sources said.
MetroCard Glitch Identified, Refunds Promised (AM New York, Aug 1, 2008)
Police and Fire Radios Are Talking to Each Other (NY Times, Jul 31, 2008)
Broadband Report: 'Digital Divide' Exists in City (NY Sun, Jul 31, 2008)
Gowanus Canal May be Source for New Antibiotics (Daily News, Jul 31, 2008)
Police Department To Launch Program For Public To Report Police Abuse (NY 1, Jul 31, 2008)
Witnesses Will Soon be Able to Upload Video and Text to 911 (NY Post, Jul 31, 2008)
MetroCard Machines Malfunction, Spurning Credit Cards (NY Times, Jul 30, 2008)
Automakers Make Hybrids for NYC Taxi Fleet (Associated Press, Jul 17, 2008)
Taxi Owners Criticize City’s Deal for Hybrids (Crain's, Jul 17, 2008)
Education Department Employs Blog Truth Squad (NY Sun, Jul 10, 2008)
Social Networking Sites a 'Revolution' for City Candidates (NY Sun, Jul 7, 2008)
Con Ed Talks Continue (NY Times, Jul 2, 2008)
Tentative Deal Reach with Union and Con Ed (ABC News, Jul 2, 2008)
City Agencies Use New Wireless Network (NY Times, Jun 28, 2008)
The Department of Sanitation and other city agencies are using a new city $500 million high-speed wireless secure data network, one of the largest of its kind in the world. By the end of the summer, the network, known as Nycwin, will include about 400 cellular antennas covering 95 percent of the city. It is intended to allow city agencies to use network-connected hand-held devices and tablet computers to increase efficiency and flexibility.
More Delays for Cameras in Subways (NY Times, Jun 26, 2008)
New York Leads in Technology Jobs, Report Finds (Reuters, Jun 25, 2008)
Web Tool Tracks Con Ed Power Failures (NY Times, Jun 13, 2008)
Three Internet Providers Will Block Sites with Child Pornography (NY Times, Jun 10, 2008)
NYC Seed to Help Web Start-Ups Grow (Crain's, Jun 4, 2008)
Taxi Drivers Protest Unfair Policies (NY 1, Jun 4, 2008)
Verizon Owes Millions In City fines (NY Post, Jun 3, 2008)
City Panel Approves Verizon Fiber Optics Deal (NY Sun, May 28, 2008)
Council Overrides Mayor on E-Waste (Gotham Gazette, May 19, 2008)
Despite Cell Phone Ban, Course Sees Them as Aid (NY Sun, May 16, 2008)
Mini-Cameras for Police Handguns Proposed (Associated Press, May 13, 2008)
Verizon to Join TV Market (NY Times, Apr 30, 2008)
The city’s Department of Information, Technology and Telecommunications yesterday approved Verizon's application to sell television over its new fiber optic network.
311 Line Adding More Operators (NY Post, Apr 22, 2008)
Tracking City Workers Costs Millions (Daily News, Apr 13, 2008)
The cost of a controversial tracking system for city employees has quietly ballooned to $410 million and is still climbing. CityTime, a tracking and payroll system after 10 years and more than $400 million covers just 15,000 employees at 26 agencies.
A Newfangled Way to Count the Trees in the Park (NY Times, Apr 6, 2008)
City Subpoena Seeks GOP Convention Protesters' Text Messages (NY Times, Mar 30, 2008)
Probe of Phone Cards Sought (Daily News, Mar 30, 2008)
Queens Councilmember Eric Gioia is demanding an investigation of prepaid phone card companies, claiming they swindle customers, particularly immigrants.
Schools Score Low on Computer Access (NY Post, Mar 26, 2008)
City Maps Blackout Spots (Daily News, Mar 23, 2008)
The city's Office of Emergency Management has called in an army to map out more than 100 areas vulnerable to a ruinous blackout and to calculate the fastest way to restore power.
MTA Trip Planner Wins Web Award (City Room, Mar 17, 2008)
Cabbies Drop Suit Over GPS (NY Post, Mar 14, 2008)
New Trains Hit Snag (Daily News, Mar 12, 2008)
Effort to Add Transparency to State Government Expanded (Albany Times Union, Mar 6, 2008)
Columbia Maps the African-American Past (City Room, Mar 4, 2008)
Hunting Down Wi-Fi Can Test Patience (Daily News, Mar 4, 2008)
Queens Building Uses 'Mosquito' To Quiet Teens (WCBS, Mar 4, 2008)
Silicon Alley Goes Virtual (NY Observer, Feb 29, 2008)
$80 Million School Computer a 'Disaster,' Principals, Teachers Say (NY Post, Feb 27, 2008)
$80 Million School Computer Debacle (NY Post, Feb 27, 2008)
City Workers Object to Electronic Payroll System (City Room, Feb 22, 2008)
Workers Blast "Big Brother" Scheme (Metro, Feb 22, 2008)
Battle Set Over E-Waste Bill (NY Sun, Feb 19, 2008)
A legal battle is shaping up over the electronic waste bill passed by City Council last week. Mayor Bloomberg plans to veto the bill, which would require electronics manufacturers to set up recycling programs for the goods they sell. He argues the bill is illegal and said he will not enforce it if the council overrides his veto. Supporters of the bill could challenge his decision in court.
E-Waste Bill Seems Headed for a Veto (Gotham Gazette, Feb 18, 2008)
Bloomberg May Track Politicians (Daily News, Feb 17, 2008)
As talk of a presidential run wanes, the mayor has another plan for his next big act in the body politic: a Bloomberg terminal for government. This would make an elected official's voting record, major positions, legislation, résumé, quotes, campaign contributions, campaign promises and so on available online in one place.
Preliminary Mayor's Management Report (, Feb 15, 2008)
An interim look at the performance of various city agencies was released yesterday in a report called the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report. Published annually, it takes a look at the city's performance in the first four months of the fiscal year and forecasts performance expectations. Much of the information can be broken down by individual agency, issue, or community. Some significant highlights were: Sewer back up complaints jumped by 23 percent; the average response time to heat complaints rose by 50 percent (although stays within the goal of seven hours); and major felony crimes in schools were nearly a third lower than the same quarter last year.
Undercover Effort to Get Cabbies to Accept Credit is Effective (NY Post, Feb 15, 2008)
City Council Approves a Bill Requiring Residents to Recycle Electronics (NY Times, Feb 14, 2008)
City Would Require Electronics Recycling Under City Council Bill (Associated Press, Feb 14, 2008)
Council Passes Electronics Recycling Bill (NY Sun, Feb 14, 2008)
Electricity Use Up 23 Percent Over Decade (Associated Press, Feb 14, 2008)
Website Lets Users Shop Around For Best Deal On Prescriptions (NY 1, Feb 14, 2008)
Parks Could Get Cameras (NY Post, Feb 11, 2008)
Craigslist Scams Targeting Renters (Daily News, Feb 11, 2008)
New State Web Site Helps Locate Prescription Drugs (Capitol Confidential, Feb 10, 2008)
City Workers Are Warned About Personal BlackBerry Use (City Room, Feb 8, 2008)
In a warning letter released today, the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board took the position that city employees may only do so if they keep careful track of such activity and reimburse the city for it. The ruling could affect a sizable fraction of the city’s 281,000 full-time employees, who increasingly use BlackBerry devices.
Software Association Closes Incubator (Crain's, Feb 8, 2008)
Court Panel Questions School Ban on Phones (NY Times, Feb 7, 2008)
Company Changes Its Taxi Credit Card Security Policy (NY Sun, Feb 4, 2008)
NY Residents Now Able To Monitor Blocks Online (NY Sun, Jan 31, 2008)
State Bill Seeks to Keep Sex Offenders Off 'My Space' (Newsday, Jan 30, 2008)
Metro-North to Process Credit Card Ticket Sales on Trains (Associated Press, Jan 29, 2008)
Seeking a Metrocard Successor (NY Post, Jan 28, 2008)
Council to Question Con Ed on Explosion (Daily News, Jan 22, 2008)
New revelations about last summer's steampipe explosion will put Con Edison back on the hot seat Tuesday, as the City Council grills the utility about why it never noticed a deadly buildup of water in its system.
Rich Prize Dangled To Spur Anti-Crime Technology (NY Sun, Jan 18, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his State of the City speech yesterday announced that the city is planning to offer a six-figure prize if an inventor can formulate a handheld device that can analyze DNA at crime scenes.
Cablevision Complaints in Co-op City (Daily News, Jan 16, 2008)
Major Subway Anti-Terror Project Falls Behind Schedule (Daily News, Jan 15, 2008)
Sanitation Official Questions E-Waste Bill (Metro, Jan 15, 2008)
Robert Orlin, the sanitation department's deputy commissioner for legal affairs, said the city needs a plan to address increasing amounts of electronic waste, but said a bill currently being considered by the City Council is "seriously flawed."
Tracking Device Keeps Van Patrons Inside (AM New York, Jan 14, 2008)
Bloomberg Gives Rate Hike A Boost (NY Post, Jan 12, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg seemed to endorse a rate hike for Con Ed yesterday, saying the utility "does not make all that much money" and needs extra funds to upgrade its infrastructure.
MTA Exploring Wi-Fi Technology (AM New York, Jan 10, 2008)
City Trees To Be Cloned, Planted in Boroughs (NY Sun, Jan 10, 2008)
Bill To Require Permit for Bomb Detection Devices (NY Sun, Jan 8, 2008)
Private companies and individuals that use bomb-seeking machines, including air monitors that detect biological, radiological, and chemical agents, would be required to get a permit from the police commissioner under a City Council bill being considered today.
Sealant Linked to Steam Blast (Daily News, Dec 27, 2007)
A small blob of epoxy, used as to seal leaks, reportedly caused last July's deadly steam pipe blast in midtown Manhattan, according to a report released this morning. The epoxy, which workers pumped into the system months prior to the explosion, seeped into a valve. That caused the explosion, which killed one person and severely burned two others.
Firm Offers Free Online Lesson Plans for Teachers (NY Sun, Dec 26, 2007)
Hundreds Stranded Online by Botched MTA Webinar (City Room, Dec 12, 2007)
Brewer on Technology in Government (City Hall, Dec 11, 2007)
A Video Posted Online Poses a Riddle for Police (NY Times, Dec 7, 2007)
New System to Notify New Yorkers of Disasters (Daily News, Dec 5, 2007)
A new city system will warn New Yorkers about disasters and emergencies in their neighborhoods by phone, text message and e-mail. The Notify NYC program will start a six-month pilot project next week in four areas, including lower Manhattan, where residents did not receive information during the deadly fire at the former Deutsche Bank building last summer.
Police Recruits Will Get iPods To Study for Exams (NY Sun, Dec 4, 2007)
Renegotiating Cable TV Deals with City (Daily News, Nov 30, 2007)
Parking Rules to Go Online (AM New York, Nov 29, 2007)
The City Council passed legislation Wednesday that will post parking regulations on the Department of Transportation's Web site by Sept. 1, 2009. The site will allow drivers to search the restrictions by block and will be updated if regulations are changed permanently or for construction.
The Incredible Shrinking Freedom Tower (NY Sun, Nov 20, 2007)
The 'American Idol' of Entrepreneurship Gains Momentum (NY Sun, Nov 19, 2007)
CBS Brings Free WiFi to Midtown (NY Post, Nov 16, 2007)
Pilot Program To Use Cell Phones to Inspire (NY Times, Nov 13, 2007)
Council Prepares to Launch Database (NY Sun, Nov 13, 2007)
City Council members may have an easier time organizing and responding to their constituents' needs thanks to a new database program that will organize questions and complaints.
Traffic Regulations for Each City Block to go Online (NY Post, Nov 9, 2007)
City Floats Plan To Harness Internet for Government (NY Sun, Nov 1, 2007)
The city will announce plans to streamline permit applications with the web, create user profiles for NYC.gov, and bring 311 to the internet.
Bill Calls for Recycling of Electronics (NY Post, Oct 24, 2007)
New York City is on the verge of becoming the first municipality to enact an e-waste bill, officials said yesterday.
Taxi Strike Goes Unnoticed (NY Post, Oct 23, 2007)
Con Ed Installs Free Bulbs (AM New York, Oct 16, 2007)
Biotechnology Center Breaks Ground (NY Sun, Oct 16, 2007)
A highly anticipated $700 million biotechnology center is beginning to take shape along the East River. The project, which is being developed on city-owned land, will include 1.1 million square feet of commercial space and research labs when complete.
City Council Urges Special Cell Phone Free Subway Cars (Daily News, Oct 12, 2007)
Taxi Drivers Plan Second Strike (NY Post, Oct 3, 2007)
Police Tested ‘Ring of Steel’ for Six Months (Daily News, Oct 1, 2007)
Cabbies Lose Court Battle on Global Positioning System (Newsday, Oct 1, 2007)
Subway Cell Service Tracks Better Than Above Ground (NY Post, Oct 1, 2007)
Quinn Takes on Radio Researcher (NY Post, Sep 29, 2007)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and a group of her colleagues yesterday urged a listener-research group to ditch a proposed new way of monitoring New Yorkers' radio habits - saying the method will skew results against minority-audience stations.
School Buses to Get GPS Technology (Associated Press, Sep 28, 2007)
Advocates: Time to Get .nyc Domain Name (AM New York, Sep 28, 2007)
Successful Warning System Model for Other Colleges (NY Post, Sep 28, 2007)
State Investigating Facebook’s Predatory Prospects (NY Times, Sep 25, 2007)
Authority Profits From Cell Service Contract (Newsday, Sep 25, 2007)
City TV Goes On Demand (NY Post, Sep 25, 2007)
The award-winning shows produced by NYC-TV can now be called up on demand by anyone who can get to a computer, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday.
MTA Failed During Flood, Report Says (NY Times, Sep 21, 2007)
No. 7 to Get Platform Doors (NY Post, Sep 11, 2007)
Bloomberg and Cabs Plan for Strike (NY Times, Sep 5, 2007)
Google Gains Space in the City (NY Observer, Sep 5, 2007)
Pilot Program to Give Buses Technology That Makes Lights Turn Green (Associated Press, Aug 29, 2007)
Pay Phones: Reach Out and Sell to Someone (NY Times, Aug 17, 2007)
Could Text Messaging Solve MTA's Communication Woes? (AM New York, Aug 15, 2007)
City Council Assails Con Ed over Steam Pipe Explosion (Newsday, Aug 8, 2007)
Council Members Grill Con Ed (NY Sun, Aug 8, 2007)
City Council members peppered Consolidated Edison vice president, William Longhi with tough questions yesterday at a lengthy hearing on the Midtown steam pipe. But Longhi offered no explanation of what caused the pipe to rupture, an omission that rankled council members.
New High Tech Surveillance Cameras Coming to NYC (CNN.com, Aug 2, 2007)
Bloomberg to Veto Cell Phone Bill (NY Post, Jul 27, 2007)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday that he would veto a bill passed by City Council Wednesday that would allow city public school students to bring their cell phones to and from schools, though not necessarily have the cell phones in school. Bloomberg said the bill does not change anything and exceeds council’s authority by interfering in the running of the schools.
Speedy Web Surfing in City Parks (AM New York, Jul 24, 2007)
The Mayor's $70,000 TV (NY Post, Jul 24, 2007)
Mayor Bloomberg, a guy who rarely watches TV, now has the world's largest high-definition plasma television adorning his famous "bullpen" at City Hall.
Deptartment of Education Looks to Protect Student Computer Data (NY Post, Jul 6, 2007)
Mayor's Office Cool on Keycard Bill (NY Post, Jun 29, 2007)
Team Bloomberg was cool yesterday to a City Council proposal that would regulate what landlords do with tenant data collected by electronic keycards.
Blackout Hits Upper East Side and Bronx (Daily News, Jun 28, 2007)
Tech Discovers DUMBO (Crain's, Jun 26, 2007)
Cops Testing New Technology (Metro, Jun 7, 2007)
Port Authority to Study Cashless Tolls (NY 1, May 16, 2007)
NYC Biotech Firm Gets Stem Cell Licenses (Crain's, May 3, 2007)
Spitzer Presents Energy Plan (NY Sun, Apr 20, 2007)
Using Computer Evidence, Prosecutors Charge Noted Artist with Graffiti Offenses (NY Times, Apr 19, 2007)
Con Ed Could Face Fines, Sanctions for Queens Blackout (Daily News, Apr 19, 2007)
Futuristic Taxis on Display at Auto Show (AM New York, Apr 5, 2007)
Taxi Drivers Protest Changes (NY 1, Mar 7, 2007)
Citing (NY Times, Mar 7, 2007)
Councilmember Calls For Digital Cameras In Every Cop Car (, Feb 13, 2007)
One In Four Subway Pay Phones Don (Metro, Feb 9, 2007)
Energy Alternatives And Economic Growth (, Feb 8, 2007)
New York City must begin to change its energy consumption, conserving and focusing less on fossil fuel, according to "Repowring Gotham," a report by the NYC Apollo Alliance, which makes recommendations so that "the city can exchange its dangerous reliance on fossil fuels for a diversified energy portfolio, foster a new industrial sector within the regional economy and enhance the health and performance of our built environment through a sustainable development approach."
New Scanners For Tracking City Government Workers, Arousing Fears Of Big Brotherism (NY Times, Jan 23, 2007)
Firefighters Finally Get Radios Allowing Them to Talk to Cops (Daily News, Jan 4, 2007)
John Thain, CEO Of New York Stock Exchange, Is Transforming It With The Help Of Technology (New York Magazine, Jan 2, 2007)
Taxi Commission Rolls Out Cab of the Future (Daily News, Dec 15, 2006)
Water Bills Are So Flawed, NYC Department Of Environmental Protection Cannot Collect Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars (NY Times, Dec 12, 2006)
Throwing Out Rechargeable Batteries Now Illegal In NYC (NY Post, Nov 30, 2006)
The Resurgence of New York (City Journal, Nov 15, 2006)
Google (Village Voice, Nov 2, 2006)
City Is Bungling Wi-Fi Plan, Critics Say (NY Post, Oct 23, 2006)
Bureaucratic bungling, incompetence and old-fashioned greed have short-circuited a plan to install free wi-fi in city parks, critics charge.
City to Build Wireless Network for Police, Other Government Agencies (Daily News, Sep 13, 2006)
City May Try to Limit Student (NY Sun, Aug 10, 2006)
State Holds Second Day of Blackout Hearings (NY 1, Aug 10, 2006)
Pataki Outlines National Energy Plan, Reducing Oil Consumption By One-Fourth, But Opposing An Increase In Federal Gas Tax (NY Times, Aug 8, 2006)
City Plan May Have Averted Blackout (NY Times, Aug 6, 2006)
A city plan devised after the blackout of 2003 to relieve strain on the electrical system and avert crippling power failures during heat waves may have helped avoided neighborhood blackouts during the early August heat wave. The plan included moving large operations like sewage treatment plants and jails to backup generators and encouraging individuals and businesses to conserve.
New Subway Stations Will Be Cooled (But Old Ones Will Remain Unbearable In Summer) (Daily News, Aug 4, 2006)
Con Ed CEO Grilled By City Council Over Queens Blackout (NY 1, Aug 1, 2006)
Con Edison CEO Kevin Burke faced more than four hours of sometimes harsh questioning from City Council members Monday in the first of a series of public oversight hearings into the nine-day blackout in Northwest Queens.
Con Ed And Other Energy Companies Give Big Bucks For Campaign Gifts And To Lobby Pataki And Others In Albany (Daily News, Aug 1, 2006)
Con Ed Chief Says Cause of Blackout Still Unknown (Daily News, Jul 26, 2006)
Blackout Area Has History of Problems (NY Times, Jul 26, 2006)
The electrical network for the area of Queens where 100,000 people endured a lengthy blackout had the most failures of any of the 57 underground networks in New York City for the last two years, according to statistics that Consolidated Edison provided to state regulators.
At Start Of Blackout, Con Ed Faced Critical Choice on Shutdown (, Jul 25, 2006)
At a command center near Union Square in Manhattan, top managers at the utility had to choose: keep the power running and take the risk of causing more damage to the system, or shut down the network serving western and northern Queens, guaranteeing a wide blackout but one that could likely be resolved quickly… they kept the power on, the trouble spread, and eventually up to 100,000 residents of Queens were plunged into as long as eight days of sweltering darkness. Far more people, four to five times as many, would have lost power had the entire local network gone down, but the misery of the more limited blackout has lasted much longer than it probably would have in a controlled shutdown.
That choice will be a focus of the investigations into the blackout’s causes.
Queens Pols Furious At Bloomberg For Defending Con Ed (, Jul 25, 2006)
As Mayor Bloomberg issued a passionate defense yesterday of Con Edison boss Kevin Burke, three Queens elected officials stood right behind him, making their displeasure visibly evident for all the cameras to see. "Kevin Burke deserves a thanks from this city. He's worked as hard as he can every single day since then, as has everybody at Con Ed," Bloomberg declared.
As the mayor spoke, Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), who lived without power for a week, reacted as though he had swallowed a bee.
"Has he not seen what we've been seeing for a week?" Gianaris fumed after Bloomberg had spoken. "Has he not seen what's been reported about the lies they told both to him and to the rest of the city about how many people were affected for days and days and days? This is just astounding to have stood there and heard that."
Gianaris called Bloomberg's defense of Burke "an amazing head-in-the-sand moment."
After Delays, Wireless Web Comes to Parks (NY Times, Jul 6, 2006)
Library Phone Answerers Survive the Internet (NY Times, Jun 19, 2006)
Pataki Is Eying Extra Session of Legislature Over DNA Test (NY Sun, Jun 19, 2006)
School Phone Ban Stirs, Yes, a Lot of Talk (NY Times, Jun 15, 2006)
For evidence that the ban on cell phones in New York City public schools has hit a nerve, look no further than yesterday's City Council hearing, where members clamored to share personal anecdotes. There were tales about their children's phones, stories about their neighbors' children's phones, and memories of the troubles that marred their own school days, pre-cell phone.
Mayor Favors City Schools Phone Ban (Daily News, Jun 10, 2006)
Mayor Bloomberg wants to disconnect a City Council bill that allows students to bring cell phones to and from school.
MTA To Test New Smart-Card Technology On Subways (NY 1, Jun 2, 2006)
The Bumpy Road to High-Tech Taxis (Village Voice, May 31, 2006)
Bloomberg on Immigration (Daily News, May 25, 2006)
Launching himself into the immigration debate, Mayor Bloomberg offered a radical Big Brother-style plan: Give every legal worker a fraud-proof identification card - sealed with a person's DNA or fingerprints.
New York Parks To Offer Free Web Access (NY Sun, May 16, 2006)
Forget paying a fee to log in at the coffee shop or hacking into a neighbor's wireless connection: Starting this summer, New Yorkers will have free access to the Internet at locations in the city's largest parks, officials said yesterday.
Mayor Repeats Policy: No Cellphones in School (NY Times, May 6, 2006)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg insisted yesterday that the city would not reconsider the ban on cellphones in the public schools despite a widening outcry from students, parents and public officials. The mayor's comments, on his weekly radio program, came a day after Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein seemed to suggest to the Daily News editorial board that he would consider a compromise that would allow students to take phones to school, set them aside and get them back at the end of the day.
E-Z Pass for City's Schools: Use of Swipe Cards, Scanners Grows (NY Sun, May 4, 2006)
Teachers Union Opposes Ban On Cell Phones In Schools (Daily News, May 2, 2006)
Bloomberg Objects To Judge Allowing City Worker To Surf The Web (, Apr 25, 2006)
Transit Authority Rushing On Computer-Run Trains, Its Consultants Say (Daily News, Apr 22, 2006)
Park Slope Students Protest Cell Phone Ban (Metro, Apr 13, 2006)
The Errors Of 9/11 Have City At Work On New Radio System (NY Sun, Apr 11, 2006)
City Releases Tapes of 911 Calls From Sept. 11 Attack (NY Times, Apr 3, 2006)
No Progress on 911 Backup Call Center (Metro, Mar 27, 2006)
Stem Cell Research And What It Could Mean For New York (Gotham Gazette, Mar 20, 2006)
Metro Card Machines May Be Used to Detect Terrorists (Daily News, Mar 9, 2006)
MTA Eying New Device That Sniffs Out Explosives (, Mar 9, 2006)
Two companies have teamed up to develop a machine that can detect whether the straphanger who just touched the start button or screen has recently handled explosives.
Con Ed Finds 1,214 Stray Voltage Sites in One Year (NY Times, Mar 6, 2006)
PATH Unveils (Metro, Feb 22, 2006)
A New Way Of Catching Speeding Cabs (or Cars) (Daily News, Feb 6, 2006)
Bloomberg voiced support for placing devices atop taxis and private vehicles that would light up when motorists exceed the speed limit, making speeders easy prey for cops. He mentioned seeing such alarms in Singapore
311 Makes it Easier to Sue City (Daily News, Feb 3, 2006)
Mayor Bloomberg's 311 information hotline may be helpful in a way he didn't plan: It could make suing the city easier. Simply reporting an incident to 311 could preserve a citizen's legal right to sue the city, according to a court ruling made public yesterday.
City Working on Wireless Network for First Responders (NY Sun, Jan 16, 2006)
Craig Newmark of Craigslist (Which Has Half A Million NYC Apartment Listings A Month, Some Of Them Scams) (New York Magazine, Jan 10, 2006)
City (, Dec 7, 2005)
Gino Menchini, the man behind the city's 311 help line, is leaving his post as head of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, insiders say. The departure makes Menchini, who did not respond to calls for comment, the only agency chief so far to head for the exits as Mayor Michael Bloomberg prepares for his second term.
Cell Phone Towers Bill Draws Static (Newsday, Nov 16, 2005)
Cell phone companies sent lobbyists to argue against a Council bill that would regulate the clusters of antennas.
Underwater Power Producing Turbines Planned for East River (Daily News, Oct 24, 2005)
CUNY To Offer Online Degrees to Entice Students Back to School (NY Sun, Oct 6, 2005)
10 City Parks Getting Wi-Fi (, Sep 13, 2005)
A free Wi-Fi network is quietly being installed at 10 parks across the city - and eight hot spots in Central Park will be online by mid-October.
Wi-Fi - wireless fidelity, although the full name is rarely used - lets computer users with the right equipment log onto the Web wirelessly, is already running in Battery Park, near the Battery Gardens restaurant.
A Manhattan contractor, Wi-Fi Salon, is also outfitting Orchard Beach, Flushing Meadows and Van Cortlandt, Pelham Bay, Prospect, Riverside, Union Square and Washington Square parks.
Cell Phones In Subway -- More Convenience, Or Just More Screech? (, Aug 28, 2005)
Lily Li, a real estate broker, takes the bus instead of the subway so that she can use her cellphone to keep track of her 7-year-old son. Alonzo Munden, a retail worker, stands in line at a pay phone on the subway platform so he can tell his wife when he will arrive home. Yoram Silagy, a lawyer, sees the subway as a sanctuary from the irritating din of idle cellphone chatter.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's decision to invite companies to install an underground wireless phone and data network, linking the airwaves of 277 stations to the world of the streets above, could profoundly alter the time-tested rhythms of the New York City subway system. Passengers like Ms. Li, Mr. Munden and Mr. Silagy, all Manhattan residents, could find their routines enhanced or disrupted - or both.
New Yorkers might do well to look at the experience of Washington, where underground subway stations have had cellphone service since 1993...
Race Is on for Cellular Providers in Plan for Service in New York Subway (, Aug 25, 2005)
The decision to introduce cellphone service in the city's underground subway stations touched off a flurry of interest in the telecommunications industry yesterday, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began soliciting bids for a 10-year contract that will involve immense technical complexity and probably be worth $50 million to $100 million.
Representatives of the country's four largest wireless companies - Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile - all said yesterday that they were considering submitting proposals to build the wireless voice and data network, which will cover 277 of the city's 468 stations. Companies that make wireless hardware - cables, radios and antennas - also expressed interest. Bids are due on Oct. 12.
MTA Calls For Cell Phones On Subway Platforms (, Aug 23, 2005)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has put out a request for proposals to bring service underground, which would allow straphangers to use cell phones on subway platforms.
Not everyone thinks that's such a hot idea.
City (Information Week, Jul 26, 2005)
Two Are Charged In Murder Of 15-Year-Old Over I-Pod (, Jul 4, 2005)
Two Brooklyn teenagers were arrested early yesterday on charges that they robbed and killed a 15-year-old boy in the Farragut neighborhood when they stole his friend's iPod, the police said.
The victim, Christopher Rose, was walking with three other boys late Saturday afternoon when a large group of teenagers approached them and demanded that they turn over the iPod that one of the boys was carrying, according to the police and witnesses. When the boys refused, one of the suspects began hitting them, said Kenneth, 15, who was with Christopher at the time of the attack. Then someone stabbed Christopher twice in the chest.
Law enforcement officials have warned in recent months that iPods have prompted an increase in thefts on the subways, and that teenagers are particularly vulnerable targets of iPod thefts by other teenagers.
Power Outlook Brighter Since 2003 Blackout (, Jul 3, 2005)
The city will coast through the summer without power disruptions and more than enough juice to meet demand, according to forecasts by regulatory and utility experts.
More than 3.1 million customers in the city and Westchester will enjoy a 10% power supply cushion over predicted peak demand of 13,025 megawatts on the hottest days, according to Con Edison spokesman Joseph Petta.
Online Gaming Conference in New York (, Apr 26, 2005)
Third Annual Games and Mobile Forum comes to New York City. Online gaming brought in an estimated $1.5
billion worldwide in 2004.
Verizon Offers Some Customers DSL Without the Need for Phone Service (, Apr 26, 2005)
Verizon is allowing customers in 13 Northeast states
to cancel their telephone service but continue getting
high-speed Internet access. As many customers, cancel their land-line phones in favor of their mobiles, the company’s announcement will allow them to retain their Internet customers.
Free New Cell Phone Service for your Social Life (, Apr 26, 2005)
Dodgeball, a new mobile social software with 16,000
users in 22 cities, helps people keep track of their
friends.
Diesel Exhaust Kills Thousands In New York, Report Says (, Feb 28, 2005)
Exhaust from buses, trucks and construction equipment kills far more people in New York than in any other state, according to a report by an environmental group.
Power Plants Agree to Slash Air Pollution (, Jan 20, 2005)
Six coal-burning power plants in upstate New York have
agreed to significantly reduce emissions in response
to a lawsuit filed against them by Attorney General
Eliot Spitzer last summer.
Many small and medium-sized companies still rely on slow dial-up connections (, Dec 15, 2004)
Many small and medium-sized companies outside of
Manhattan –especially those in large parts of Hunts
Point, Sunset Park, Long Island City, Williamsburg,
Red Hook, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, East New York and
DUMBO--still rely on slow dial-up connections to
access the Internet, and others have no Internet
access according to a new report by the Center for an
Urban Future. Many companies still find broadband to
be unaffordable and those that do have it find it
unreliable.
Con Edison Will Pay $7.2 Million in Settlement Over Woman's Electrocution (, Nov 24, 2004)
Nearly a year after a woman was electrocuted while walking her dogs on a wet East Village street, Consolidated Edison has agreed to pay her family more than $6.2 million and to set up a $1 million scholarship fund in her name at Columbia University, where she was a doctoral student.
The settlement, announced late yesterday, ended months of negotiations between Con Edison and the family of the woman, Jodie S. Lane, who died the night of Jan. 16 after stepping on an electrified metal plate near a bakery on East 11th Street.
Ms. Lane's death set off a firestorm of criticism of the utility that led to aggressive new safety rules and citywide inspections of electrical equipment that turned up hundreds of locations where the public was exposed to stray voltage.
Dominican Families Meet Face to Face Over a Live Video (, Nov 24, 2004)
A new service called Cara a Cara in Washington Heights allows families in New York to connect with their relatives in the Dominican Republic over a live video conference.
City May Install Cameras On Fire Trucks (, Nov 24, 2004)
City may install cameras on fire trucks to reduce the
number of accidents.† There have already been 500
accidents by fire trucks this year.
Natural Gas Rates Could Rise 15 Percent (, Nov 24, 2004)
State utilities have adequate supplies of natural gas
but it will cost homeowners 15 percent more than last
year.
Mayor Announces Awards for Excellence in Science and Technology (, Oct 19, 2004)
A press release in which Mayor Bloomberg announced awards recognizing
outstanding achievement in science and technology.
The awards were part of the first annual “Science in
the City Day,” a celebration by the New York Academy
of Sciences. New York now boasts a $9.2 billion
information technology industry - with almost 5,000
high-tech and new media companies employing more than
94,000 people.
F.C.C. Clears Internet Access by Power Lines (, Oct 19, 2004)
Clearing the way for homes and businesses to receive high-speed Internet services through their electrical outlets, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules on Thursday that would enable the utility companies to offer an alternative to the broadband communications services now provided by cable and phone companies.
Play, But Don't Buy, At New Samsung Showroom (, Oct 16, 2004)
The Samsung showroom at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle allows visitors to explore
virtual maps of New York City and play with new
technology. But, you can’t buy anything there.
Mayor: Take a long walk on a long bridge (, Oct 4, 2004)
Bloomberg states that Pedestrians should be able to cross the majestic Verrazano Bridge - just the way they can walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and other spans citywide.
Con Ed Required to Inspect Equipment (, Sep 22, 2004)
A new City Council bill requires Con Edison to inspect
their equipment annually. The bill is a reaction to
the tragic death of Jodie Lane last January, who was
killed after walking on an electrified metal plate in
the East Village.
RNC Protestors Use High-Tech Tactics (, Sep 22, 2004)
A number of new technologies created by the Bureau of Inverse Technology-including masks that indicate air pollution, sound mirrors to reflect sound back, balloons with camcorders in them to count the number of protestors, and cell phones that dial an anti-terror hot-line-were tried out by protestors at the RNC.
Bikes Against Bush Creator Arrested (, Sep 22, 2004)
Joshua Kinberg was arrested two days before riding his high-tech bicycle, which sprays anti-Bush slogans sent from the Internet to his WiFi-enabled bike onto the street--in the protests against the Republican National Convention.
Bloomberg Seeks to Toughen Code for Noise in City (, Jun 16, 2004)
Bloomberg Seeks to Toughen Code for Noise in City Bloomberg proposed legislation to cope with the city's noise problem. Noise is the number one complaint on the city's 311 number, about 1,000 calls a day.
Traffic Agents Go High-Tech (, Jun 16, 2004)
There's a new reason to be ticked off about that parking ticket. Traffic agents are trading their pens for hand-held, computerized gadgets that scan car registration stickers, record license plate numbers and spit out easy-to-read tickets.
Money for Hudson (, Dec 18, 2003)
Money for Hudson Park Trust Is Running Out
U.S. ushers in e-government (, Apr 21, 2003)
The U.S. government's new e-government plan officially launched on April 17, but it could face a $40 million budget shortfall that may slow down development.
The Fund for the City of New York's ComNET Program (, Mar 19, 2003)
This program introduces small hand-held computers to community organizations so that they can record information about street level conditions and produce reports for government agencies so that problems can be corrected.
The New York Software Industry Association announces its Buy NY campaign (, Mar 19, 2003)
City Council resolution on the New York Software Industry Association's Buy NY campaign (, Mar 19, 2003)
