Vodafone ADSL

I have recently moved to a new apartment in Barcelona so I had to "move" also my Internet connection. I have also a Huawei e156 modem with a Simyo SIM card that I use for having Internet while On the Go, so I had no struggle about been without Internet connection at home. In any case, and luckily I must add, the change of ADSL connection from one apartment to the other was not difficult at all. Luckily because when I contacted Tele2 for the change, they informed me about the need to pay around 80? for this change. But, as the product I had, only ADSL connection, without phone, was not available anymore, I had to change the product contracted or... I could finish my contract even though I had a 18 months compulsory contract.
This was the first good news, but then they informed that they had promotion with Vodafone, as Tele2 Spain is now owned by Vodafone Spain, so I could change the service to a more complete pack, with fix phone and a flat rate in fix phone calls, for roughly the same price and without having to pay one euro for the installation, I accepted without doubt.
I started the process beginning February so I was supposed to receive the router around a week after. At the end the shipment was delayed because a shortage of routers (I was informed), so I received the wifi router about a week ago, but one of the most interesting things about the Vodafone solution is that the router comes with two ways of connecting to Internet: Through ADSL but also through HSPA. And the point is that even though I had not ADSL connection yet I could use for a week or so the HSPA connection from my router and with a nice download speed of about 4Mbps.
Now I have the ADSL connection and the speed has been improved to 6Mbps downlink and almost 1Mbps uplink, and the HSPA connection is there as a backup solution in case the ADSL link fails.
So, at the end it took around three weeks to have the ADSL connection up and running again at my new apartment, but the struggle of been without Internet is not a must anymore when moving!

My new Dell Mini 9

Finally I did it and bought a fancy Dell Mini: 9? screen, 8Gb SSD and 1Gb RAM, accompanied by a megapixel Webcam, Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity and running Windows XP. What about WWAN? No way, the standard model from Dell website comes without one. Not only it comes without the Mini-PCI card but also lacks of the slot. I bought it barely used through eBay and it was a big deal for 170 euros. At the same time I bought a WWAN card for it, that cost me around 100 euros, before knowing that the Dell Mini had not the Mini-PCI slot. Now I know and what is more important, I know how to install one on the Wifi slot and connect an embedded USB Wifi on it. You can check how on this video.

So, once I realized I could not install the WWAN card on my Dell Mini I had to sell the card. Fortunately I did it for almost the price I paid for it, so now I am looking for the suitable WWAN card that may fit inside my Mini's back. Why do I want 3G connectivity? Well, I have used 3G external USB modems for some time with my laptop, and it was great, but with the Mini I can not imagine sitting on the train with the tiny netbook connected to an external modem. It breaks all the aesthetics of the Mini and most of the times I would forget the modem at home. As I commented some time ago I use a Simyo connection when I am traveling for pleasure, so I need an unlocked WWAN card in order to configure it to work with my Simyo. The other possibility I am considering is buying a Huawei e156 USB Modem and try to take the cover out, sold the USB PINs to the corresponding of the Mini-PCI slot and put it all under the back cover of the Mini. As soon as I have more info on the solution I will post it here.

The use of the Mini is great, it fits everywhere, weights around 1 kilo and the charger is slightly bigger of one of a mobile phone. For me this is an important point because if you have a 1 kilo netbook but the charger weights half a kilo it loses part of its sense! The battery performs well, although it does not reach the announced 4 hours, it is enough for a 3h+ flight from Tenerife to Barcelona. As you can check on the image it is great to work with it on the plane (even if you don't fly business ;-) ) so is ideal to bring it anywhere.

Wikis

The year is started and once the first part of my Master Thesis is written, I do a pause to write a brief post about Wikis. I'm a strong supporter of Wikis. Not only of the servers themselves but also of Wiki Philosophy: Collaboration, Openness, Control... Control? Yes, Control, I really think that the versioning system of Wikis is very powerful and enables control about what is published, when and by whom. Would be Wikipedia possible without editorial control?
I have found an interesting whitepaper from a site that talks about Wikis. Although it is a commercial Whitepaper I found it quite interesting. Particularly some parts like these excerpts:

Though the type of wiki employed may differ from company to company, the types of tasks for which wikis are used are basically the same. Specifically, daytoday usage of the application typically falls into the following three categories:

Project Management

• Wikis may be used as a central repository for capturing constantly updated product features and specifications
• Wikis may provide a central repository for simple issue tracking and resolution
• The iterative nature of wikis allow team members to track thedevelopment history of projects over time
  

Collaboration

• Internally, wikis allow simple text-based collaboration on internal documents such as company guidelines, reports, and productspecifications
• Externally, wikis are useful for collaboration with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders on key business documents and ongoing projects
  

Knowledge Management

• Because wikis can be easily updated by anyone in the organization, wide-ranging company documents, such as guidelines and FAQs are more easily kept accurate and up-to-date

Actually in the R&D department of my company is used for the 3 purposes. Interisting also these comments about evaluating the value of Wikis in the enterprise, that i find true but quite dangerous ;-)

In assessing the potential impact of wikis, one might do well to take a lesson
from the early days of e-mail. Although many tried to detail the cost savings
associated with e-mail by measuring the related reductions in postage, increases
in worker productivity, and various other metrics, these estimates paled in
comparison to the actual value brought by e-mail itself. This major discrepancy
occurred primarily because e-mail ultimately changed the way people worked,
not just how they exchanged documents.

You can find the whole document here.

Rural Internet

As I have commented in previous post I have switched my Telefonica ADSL connection to Tele2 and also have a flat rate with my Vodafone N95 so I can access my mail, facebook and all when on the road. Anyhow, when I travel on Holidays with my laptop, I have a Simyo SIM card to connect to the Internet and browse full screen and access some services that are quite uncomfortable to do it from the N95 screen.
Simyo offers a prepaid rate for 1? per day that is great for sporadic use, like mine. Just have to do a recharge every six months, from 10?, and that's all! Additionally Simyo uses the Orange Spain radio network to offer their services and, I think, maximun bandwidth is 3,6 Mbps, so it is a full HSDPA service.
Beside this, and as the idea of this post, is to introduce the test speed I have done where I am at present spending Christmas Holidays. After a week in Tenerife, I am in Touro. If you don't know where it is, don't worry, Google Maps does the job. It is a small town in the middle of rural Galicia. This territory is quite difficult to deploy good landline coverage so Mobile Internet is quite a good solution. Since I have been coming regularly to this place I have lived the different evolutions of the Mobile Networks services. From simple GSM circuit data services, limited to 9,6 kbps in early 2000's, to first GPRS deployments, UMTS and HSDPA. Anyhow, at present I am using a simple 3G Motorona E770v phone to connect, so bandwidth is theoretically limited to 430Kbps on the downlink. After the test, with full coverage indicated by the handset, I got the following values

They are not that bad, actually is like an early ADSL (256-64Kbps... remember? :-) ) and allow me to browse quite conveniently so I think it's a great and low cost solution to access to the Internet sporadically in a simple way.

GSMA Mobile Asia Congress news

These days the Mobile Asia Congress of the GSM Association is been held in Macau. From the first speeches some interesting news extracted from the Mobile Business Briefing of the GSMA:

GSMA CEO: Digital Dividend key to future growth
GSMA CEO Rob Conway used his opening keynote address at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress yesterday to call on governments around the world to free up further Digital Dividend spectrum for mobile use. Conway said that further mobile use of the spectrum ? which is becoming available due to the shift from analogue to digital TV ? would be a "major economic stimulus" that could help governments address the current global financial crisis. "Broadcasters have plenty of spectrum and using some of that spectrum for wireless is far more efficient and a much bigger boost to the economy than any TV channel," he said. "We all know the studies which show how mobile can increase GDP."
Conway added that the success of mobile broadband had meant that new spectrum is required to meet capacity demands and noted that future mobile standards such as LTE will also benefit from the new airwaves. "LTE depends on harmonised spectrum and LTE is the future," he said. Citing GSMA research, Conway said that network costs in lower frequencies such as 700MHz are around seven times cheaper than 3.5GHz, making network expansion into rural areas more economically viable and ensuring greater 'in-building' coverage. "The lower the harmonised frequency band, the greater the incentive for investing in LTE networks," he said. Conway hailed the recent decisions in France and Switzerland to make Digital Dividend spectrum in the 790-862MHz frequency band available for mobile use, but criticised the situation in Spain, which is allowing broadcasters to block the release of Digital Dividend for mobile. Elsewhere in his address, Conway pledged his support for measures aimed at increasing network efficiencies and reducing costs, such as network sharing between operators, and the deployment of energy efficient base stations.

And another one on NFC (Near Field Communications):

GSMA pushes for NFC handsets
The GSMA has called for full Near Field Communications (NFC) functionality to be built into commercially available handsets from mid-2009. Such a move would give a big boost to mobile payment services, it said. The Association's board also announced its support for the 'Single Wire Protocol' (SWP) standard that defines the interface between a mobile phone?s SIM card and its embedded NFC chipset. It is the NFC chip which communicates with contactless readers so users can make financial transactions over short distances, for instance using a debit or credit card to buy small items in a convenience store or a ticket on public transport.
A number of mobile operators are already conducting trials of NFC services as part of the GSMA's Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative. The GSMA claimed that the trials ? being conducted by nine operators, including South Korea's KTF, and Taiwan's FarEastone, in eight countries ? have already shown a growing consumer demand for mobile payment services. Further trials are planned by 15 operators in 14 countries. Encouraging results from Taiwan found that 90 percent of people felt positive toward the new service, whilst over 90 percent of triallists in France said they found contactless mobile payment convenient, fast and easy to use. This latest development follows issue of a detailed Device Requirement document by the GSMA in July to a wide range of vendors and suppliers in the Pay-Buy-Mobile ecosystem. The GSMA revealed that 37 key players responded, giving an understanding of the core requirements for any SWP/NFC device.

More information in Mobile Asia Congress website and the GSMA official page.

Tele2 (and Telefónica)

Last Wednesday, when I arrived home my Internet service was down. As I received an SMS from Tele2 informing that I should install the router once I lose my ADSL connection, I connected my new router. Of course, it did not work. A tried to go back and put my old ADSL router, but it did not work either. Not even the phone.
So it finally happened. I was without ADSL connection at home. Luckily, I own a Simyo card and thus I am not without Internet connection, although the pure 3G connections was a bit slow. The fact is that it is quite inconvenient to pay for a service and not to receive it.
Thursday morning I called Tele2 and they told me that this is an illegal practice by Telefonica and that I should complain because I should receive my former service until I am switched to the new one... I decided not to do so and loose hours hung of the phone talking with a telephone operators that has not too many possibilities to help me and just hope that, as promised when I signed for the Tele2 service, in 25 days I would have my ADSL service up.
Finally, on Saturday morning I received the redemptive SMS informing that my ADSL service was activated. I connected the router and started browsing!!
My happiness was short because when I did a speed test the results were not very impressive. The connection is more or less performing like the 3Mb line I had with Telefonica as can be seen in the following test results.



It improves the upload speed, that for the 3Mb "Duo" was of 320Kbps, but the download speed is more or less the same. The promised bandwidth in the Tele2 offer was 20Mbps, I was sure this was not been going to be achieved, but I expected a connection speed of around 8Mb.
The conditions of the DSL connection are not bad:

noise margin downstream: 15 db
noise margin upstream: 17 db
attenuation downstream: 39 db
attenuation upstream: 26 db

And following this article the connection should achieve ~11Mb.

So, to conclude this series of posts, a summary.

The timeline has been:
1st of October 2008 at 23:50. Started the migration process in the Tele2 website and received an email of confirmation stating that the process would take around 25 days.
6th of October 2008 at 19:36 Received an SMS stating that the process was already started and I would receive the Wifi Router at home in brief.
7th of October Received a letter with the contract inside to be returned to Tele2.
8th of October Returned it signed.
20th of October Received the Router package at home and an SMS informing that I have to connect and installed it when my present service goes down.
22nd of October Lose the Telefonica service
23rd of October I call Tele2 to complaint because the lost of service. They inform me that it has not been yet activated.
25th of October at 08:40 I received a SMS saying that my service is up. I connect the modem and it works!!

Indeed, 24 days after requesting the service I had my service up and running!
Speed is not impressive, but it overperforms my previous service with Telefonica.
Price is the most competitive offer out there. It halves my previous payments to Telefonica.

So, I think that the change has been good... and will work to improve the speed complaining to Tele2... to be continued ;-)

Tele2 (II)

Today I have received the Wifi Router and the documentation for the setting up of my new Internet connection. Not so bad, 19 days after the request via the website. Anyhow, I have not received any call from my present provider, Telefonica, as to make me a counteroffer... I thought I would receive such a call as I received it when I was switching from Movistar to Vodafone in my mobile phones service.
As the planned timeline to switch was 25 days I expect to receive the SMS indicating that the service has been successfully started withing 6 days...

Bradford Robotic Telescope and eyeOS

Well, while I wait for my switch to Tele2 from Telefonica, I have discovered some things in the Internet world. One of them is the Bradford Robotic Telescope. A fully automated installation in the Teide Observatory that gives support to students all around the world in order to explore the night sky. Beside its scientific and pedagogic interest it has a page where the webcams that are in the observatory continuously show the state of its surroundings. One of the cams gives a night vision of the Teide from Izaña, the mount where the Teide observatory is set on. Each day they generate a video with the pictures taken. The one from Yesterday night is quite breathtaking because some high altitude clouds. Just have a look to it and enjoy!



The other thing I recently discovered, well actually rediscovered as I heard about them a year a half ago, is eyeOS. A web OS system founded by a Catalan guy that can be downloaded and set up on any Apache-PHP5 enabled machine. I installed mine and am evaluating it... my next step is to access from the Internet and my mobile phone while on the go!!!

Tele2

Some days ago I started the process of changing my present Internet Service Provider. I was receiving this service from Telefónica, but after more than one year (the minimum time you have to be with them after a "free" installation of a fixed line) and the announcement that the 3Mb ADSL only would be upgraded to the 6Mb service after paying for the Antivirus service, even if you do not need it, I decided to quit from Telefónica and move to another provider. My election has been Tele2. It is quite a competitive offer, 29,9? for 20Mb ADSL without fixed line support. It cuts my present spending with Telefónica by a half, as I am paying around 62? for a 3Mb ADSL, fixed line and national calls for free. As I do not need a fixed number as I do not use it anymore I guess that is a great offer. Actually I am able to pay the ADSL, the Vodafone Mobile broadband and half my mobile bill for the same I was paying for a 3Mb ADSL formerly. Tele2 has not been a very valued ISP, but I guess that the recent acquisition by Vodafone will give them a better service for the customers. Additionally I expect a good offer for a dual or triple play service soon.

I must say that I have not the service already activated, but I will leave track of the process in the Blog as to be helpful to other users doing the same path.

I started the migration process in the Tele2 website on the 1st of October 2008 at 23:50. I received an email of confirmation stating that the process would take around 25 days.
On the 6th of October 2008 at 19:36 I received an SMS stating that the process was already started and I would receive the Wifi Router at home in brief.
Today, 7th of October, I have received a letter with the contract inside to be returned to Tele2. I will return it signed tomorrow.

Well, up today this is everything I have to say... will continue, hope so!!

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona and NFC

Last Friday, while I was going to watch a cinema movie to Gràcia, I was shocked after what I watch underground. As can be seen in the following pictures, in Universitat Underground station there is an access barrier that is activated with NFC... this has been a big surprise because I have not found any official announcement in the net, but they have installed this access barrier and also a "recharge point" near the ticketing machines...






It does not seem supported by any mobile operator, as the logos and information there was unbranded. I guess they are using Nokia 6131 NFC enabled phones that does not use the SIM card for storing the sensitive data but an "embedded chip" that is inside the handset and managed over-the-air... will continue investigating.

Google Chrome (or Chromium)

Recently has been released the Google Chrome, the new google application that is going to give them the control of the world. Just kidding, this new web browser is quite awesome. I downloaded it 10 minutes after it was made available and start working with it. 

The first thing I missed where my delicious plugin that I use frequently on Firefox, but this has been easily solved. Just with some Bookmarklets (small pieces of javascript code bookmarkable) I already have the buttons. Now just need to configure the keyboard shortcuts.

The second thing I missed was Portability. I actually use the portable version in all my Windows computers, on Linux the regular one suffices, because I am able to sandbox everything to a directory: No registry, no hidden folders... As Google Chrome source has been released also as Open Source with a BSD license, tons of developers are workin on this. Actually, the day after the publication of the browser, the first version of Chrome Portable was made available. And it rocks! I am at present using it and I guess is going to replace my Firefox Portable implementations in a brief time... 

The only thing that scared me was the Google Terms of use that you have to accept before using the Google Chrome executable... but thanks to Chromium and the BSD license you can get rid of it easily!

UOC

The UOC is the Open University of Catalonia. Its method, based on distance and online learning is sometimes hard to cope with, but it is flexible enough to adapt to your time availability. This is sometimes bad, as can make you relax, but is a powerful tool when you are highly motivated!

In the MSc on Knowledge and Information Society they have made possible to finish the MSc Thesis in two semesters... even for the ones that have started it in the previous semester, and without having to enrol (and pay!) again.

I was convinced of the method, but now I am convinced of the institution ;-)

WIPO Python document retriever

Working on the sources for my MSc. Thesis I started to have a look to the patent finder of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). As it is the world database and the topic I am covering is quite globalised I think that it is the best IPR database to do the analysis. I need to do such an analysis of several searches on the Wipo database and I have not close the terms of the final search I have to do. So, I have to perform previous searches, analyze the number of records per year, applicant... and then decide if the terms are OK.

The point is that the way the records are retrieved is not useful enough. Thus I have written a Python script that retrieves the records that match the terms of search and stores them in a delimiter separated file. This file can be imported in a calc sheet and analyzed with the usual tools, or even exported to any database format to do advanced treatment of the information.

I put it in online under a Creative Commons license, as usual. I will update the code uploaded if I make further developments.

Here is a sample of what you would get if you execute:

C> wiposearchretrieve.py "Smartcard"

Query Params|Record Id.|Patent Code|Publication Date|Description|International Class|Application Number|Applicant Name|url|Abstract
SIM+Card|1|WO 2008/052205|02.05.2008|COMBINED ALGORITHMIC AND EDITORIAL-REVIEWED MOBILE CONTENT SEARCH RESULTS|G06Q 10/00|PCT/US2007/082754|JUMP TAP, INC.|http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/fetch.jsp?LANG=ENG&DBSELECT=PCT&SERVER_TYPE=19-10&SORT=41236014-KEY&TYPE_FIELD=256&IDB=0&IDOC=1451431&C=10&ELEMENT_SET=BASICHTML-ENG&RESULT=1&TOTAL=3280&START=1&DISP=500&FORM=SEP-0/HITNUM,B-ENG,DP,MC,AN,PA,ABSUM-ENG&SEARCH_IA=US2007082754&QUERY=%22SIM+Card%22|In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for reviewing mobile content to determine relevance such that presenting the reviewed content to a mobile communication facility may be based at least in part on the relevance. The reviewed content may be subject to an algorithmic review, an editorial review, or a combined algorithmic- editorial review. The reviewed content may be blacklisted and prevented from being presented, whitelisted and permitted to be presented to the mobile communication facility, or given a relevance score based at least in part on appropriateness of content. Portions of the reviewed content may be removed or replaced with appropriate content prior to presentation to the user.
SIM+Card|2|WO 2008/052100|02.05.2008|PORTABLE MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE, METHOD, AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR ADJUSTING AN INSERTION POINT MARKER|G06F 3/048|PCT/US2007/082486|APPLE INC.|http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/fetch.jsp?LANG=ENG&DBSELECT=PCT&SERVER_TYPE=19-10&SORT=41236014-KEY&TYPE_FIELD=256&IDB=0&IDOC=1451325&C=10&ELEMENT_SET=BASICHTML-ENG&RESULT=2&TOTAL=3280&START=1&DISP=500&FORM=SEP-0/HITNUM,B-ENG,DP,MC,AN,PA,ABSUM-ENG&SEARCH_IA=US2007082486&QUERY=%22SIM+Card%22|In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display. The method includes: displaying graphics and an insertion marker at a first location in the graphics on the touch screen display; detecting a finger contact with the touch screen display; and in response to the detected finger contact, expanding the insertion marker from a first size to a second size on the touch screen display and expanding a portion of the graphics on the touch screen display from an original size to an expanded size. The method further includes detecting movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display and moving the expanded insertion marker in accordance with the detecte...
SIM+Card|3|WO 2008/051718|02.05.2008|METHOD, SYSTEM, AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR MAKING CONFERENCE CALLS|H04M 1/247|PCT/US2007/080971|APPLE INC.|http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/fetch.jsp?LANG=ENG&DBSELECT=PCT&SERVER_TYPE=19-10&SORT=41236014-KEY&TYPE_FIELD=256&IDB=0&IDOC=1450639&C=10&ELEMENT_SET=BASICHTML-ENG&RESULT=3&TOTAL=3280&START=1&DISP=500&FORM=SEP-0/HITNUM,B-ENG,DP,MC,AN,PA,ABSUM-ENG&SEARCH_IA=US2007080971&QUERY=%22SIM+Card%22|A user interface for handling multiple calls includes displaying an image associated with a first party on a first call and an image associated with a second party on a second call. When one call is active and the other call is on hold, the image associated with the party that is on the active call is visually highlighted to make it more visually prominent relative to the other image. When both calls are joined into a conference call, both images are displayed adjacent to each other and neither is visually highlighted relative to the other.
...
...

Sources of information

It is interesting to see how hard is to get the right sources for developing a rigorous work on any subject. Let's say that sources are half of the final result. Of course, the effort is not half, just like buying good bricks is not half of the effort of building a house, but a bad election of bricks would have dramatic consequences in the final result.

In my work regarding the knowledge production on the SIM technology, I have found some databases that would help in the retrieving of records related with the research. I have mainly found in the UPC library page. I have also checked in the UB and UOC library, as I have remote access for this libraries only, and almost them all are accessible from them.

Additionally I have started using del.icio.us, the fantastic online bookmarks manager. I am not a fan of bookmarks thus the elementary possibilities provided by firefox sufficed my needs, but now that I have to look for interesting and locatable sources in the Internet, it is a very powerful tool.

One of the problem of creating a knowledge database is the format. First I started with MSWord, the I switched to BibTex, and finally I did it in Excel. I will combine the use of Excel with Python scripts to be able to convert between this format and the others... let's see how it works ;-)

... and now, the RenfeGadget!

I've finally completed the two main ideas I had in order to improve my "just-out-bed" time. The first one, the BicinGadget was released some days ago. Now I'm running the RenfeGadget, a gadget that shows the commuter trains schedule between the city center and the place where I work. It can be tuned in order to include more stations (a combo-box would be excellent!) and time configurations, it's up to you to do so and send it back to me to put it in my web space to be available for everyone.
As it's developed now it shows the trains from Pça. Catalunya to Sant Joan Despí before the 12 p.m. and from Sant Joan Despí to Pça. Catalunya after this time. The schedules start from the present time to two hours later. As the BicinGadget it can be added from your iGoogle page: Click at "Add Stuff"-> "Add from URL" and put this address in the box. Once accepted the warning of "You're adding stuff not created by Google" it will appear in your page.

Enjoy it!

At last... BicinGadget!!

This weekend I gave a bit momentum to this project and I finished it late Sunday. It is available at http://www.domocat.com/bicingadget/bruc45.xml. If you want to see it just go to your iGoogle page, click at "Add Stuff"-> "Add from URL" and put this address in the box. Once accepted the warning of "You're adding stuff not created by Google" it will appear in your iGoogle page. In this screenshot you can see how it looks. I must say that it was easier than I thought and looks great for the effort invested!
However, the license of the publishing of the gadget is the usual Creative Commons on what I post in the blog.



Now I'm preparing the RenfeGadget!

Knowledge Society in Catalonia

This weekend I've been working in the bincingadget, a first approach to the idea I introduced in my previous post on having standard gadgets for my everymorning worries (bicing, renfe, weather...). At present I'm able to catch the information that I need and put it in an ftp server. The google gadget simply accesses to this information in the web server and shows it. Now I'm planning the step to put it in a dedicated server because I now have to keep the laptop on to execute the updating script.

Today I read this article on the knowledge society in Catalonia. It started setting up the fact that Catalonia, a former engine in software and IT services in Spain, has receded in its leading role. One of the targeted causes are lack of institutional strategy, or even diverging strategy, in the topic. I may agree with the idea but I would add also the high prices in the broadband access and the strong and rigid telecommunications regulation as factors that make a huge impact on it. At present, for a home to have broadband access to the Internet costs around 60 ? per month in Spain. This cost, affordable for middle and middle-high class homes contracting a double and triple play offer, lays quite aside for the 30-40 % of homes with incomes below the mean. Additionally, the ban for public institutions to offer free universal wireless access to the Internet is a hard barrier in order to give local administrations, like the city government and NPO's, the possibility to impulse and give momentum to local initiatives. These two factors may have been taken into account in the analysis of the KIS of any territory or country because the infrastructures are, like is mentioned in the article, the basement where the whole knowledge is build on.

Bicingadget

Today when I was having a shower (I know, it's an strange place to have an idea, or maybe not?) I started to think in an status screen where useful information at this time in the morning may be showed. The kind of issues I was thinking where the number of available bikes in the nearest bicing station, weather, trains schedule, traffic information... the kind of information news program give in the morning but more personalized. Once in the office, I opened firefox and my iGoogle page appeared and I thought... why not? I've just found a place where I kind find some of this information, in fact the one on the bicing station, and I expect this weeked to start working on the gadget development... Lets see if it works!

Kubuntu

Finally I installed the Kubuntu Feisty Fawn distribution on my laptop. Everything went well but the wireless adapter. It was a Ralink 2500 chipset based card and it seems like having problems with KNetworkManager, the management tool of this version of kubuntu for networks. After tuning some issues, uninstalling KNM and installing Wifi-Radar, it works fine. This software is unbeatable, try it and you'll forget about MS.
It looks like to be a good companion in my personal projects!

Projects & Future

Today a person from Telefonica has promptly installed the telephone and ADSL lines and finally I'm a wired person. It's been hard doing the MSc. first with the UMTS connection and the last time even without these. ONO has disappointed me in a deep way. I asked for the broadband service almost four months ago and I'm still waiting to receive the documentation... a pitty.

Talking about work, I decided to accept the offering to became part of the Telecommunications department as a Project Manager. So, in a few weeks I'll start to develop a more market prospective and customer related work. It's been sad to leave the R&D crowd but I guess is a good change for my professional future. Hope to keep the leading position in the innovation and socioeconomic management framework the company has stablished and don't lose the technological contact I'm nowadays having.

Finally, as the access lines to the telephone and Internet network have been installed at home, I'm start playing with them and try to develop a lightweight fax/email gateway and exploit it. I don't know if I'll have time but think it can be fun.

Google & Cuatrecasas

Yesterday morning I was in an event of APD at the WTC of Barcelona. The event was on Internet and its integration in the business strategy. The panel was exceptional, Isabel Aguilera, CEO of Google Spain and other high ranked personalities.
Unfortunately I just could attend the one of Google and Cuatrecasas. The first one was the most interesting although the second one was the most fun. They both were very complemented and made a good combination. The first one talked about the Google Philosophy and what it has to offer to the companies interested in doing business in Internet. Like always its point of view is fresh and challenging, notwithstanding they converted billions of webpages in just a rectangle in the middle of a white page - and it worked. That's the most important contribution from Google to the world, simplicity and ease of use. I think no one using Google Applications has ever read a manual. Even programming through the APIs of its applications is made simple!
The second one, by a member of the board of Cuatrecasas, a lawyers buffete, talked about the legal aspect of doing business in Internet. Nothing new under the sky, just some requirements because the environment, but the rules are the same. Interesting a comment he made on security: "Security is like love, you always want more but if you push too hard, it breaks".

Here are the notes (in Spanish and Catalan) I took in the event.