Technology

With much fanfare, Kansas City was selected in 2011 as the launching site for Google's experimental fast fiber-optic network. Now, a dispute about how and where to run fiber optic lines on poles in the city is causing significant delays.

January 21, 2012 - The Kansas City Star

At least that's what some are accusing Microsoft of patenting in its "Pedestrian Route Production" app, whose aim is to help pedestrians avoid unsafe neighborhoods "by taking information from maps, weather reports, crime statistics and demographics."

January 20, 2012 - NPR

Branden Klayko reports on the pioneering project planned by innovative Philadelphia design-build developers Onion Flats.

January 20, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Tools for civic engagement -- there's an app for that. The Knight Foundation announces Engagement Commons, a comprehensive catalogue of civic engagement software.

January 17, 2012 - Knight Blog

The EPA's new fuel efficiency standards have auto makers scrambling to produce electric and hybrid vehicles, but the higher prices of these vehicles deter buyers.

January 17, 2012 - The New York Times

An increasing number of cities, often led by entrepreneurial mayors, are thinking and acting like startups. The qualities that make a startup company and a city successful, are "remarkably similar".

January 16, 2012 - Tech Cruch

In his new book, The Conundrum, David Owen pierces the magical thinking that has repackaged high-end luxury goods, such as hybrid cars, as virtuous and the idea that we can consume our way out of trouble.

January 14, 2012 - Txchnologist.com

Super-fast, beautifully-designed trains are the all the rage again in China, but safety, pricing, and technology concerns now need to be bumped to country's rail priority list to make it work.

January 13, 2012 - The Economist

"Look out, Silicon Valley"-- A decades-long effort to bring technology-based firms to New York City is beginning to see a payoff, according to this piece from The Economist.

January 11, 2012 - The Economist

A group of high technology firms, led by IBM and Cisco, are plunging into the city management business to offer super-efficient new-generation computerized information and control systems.

January 9, 2012 - Citistates Group

The Environmental Protection Agency is crowdsourcing a massive photo project to update a 40-year old agency project known as 'Documerica', which includes images of American environmental problems and everyday life.

January 9, 2012 - Network World

SF Park is an outstanding success when measured by 'ticket anxiety'; i.e. the new program allows motorists to reduce the likelihood of being ticketed by making payment easier and allowing for longer parking stays, thus avoiding a $55-65 citation.

January 9, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Because of the relative motions of Earth and Mars, the pioneering astronauts who touch down on the Red Planet will remain there for a year and a half. For this reason, NASA has already started experimenting with a habitat fit for life on Mars.

January 9, 2012 - Txchnologist

A new technology enables pedestrian behavior and flow to be monitored continuously using mobile phone technology. Its use in US and UK shopping centers has consumer rights activists worried.

January 9, 2012 - The Guardian

Mapmaker David Imus spent 2 years creating the best 3x4-foot paper wall map you'll ever see.

January 8, 2012 - Slate

Jobs of the future will be located in areas with some of the fastest bandwidth in the world -- and American is in sorry shape, writes columnist Thomas Friedman in The New York Times.

January 5, 2012 - The New York Times

Emissions would be reduced 25% if Europeans adopted the Danish cycling habit, a new study reports. The ECF warns politicians it would be a mistake to invest heavily in technological solutions like electric cars.

January 2, 2012 - The Guardian

Google starts charging for its maps, and an open source alternative -- with support from Microsoft -- begins to challenge Google's dominance.

December 29, 2011 - MIT Technology Review

Noted energy expert Daniel Yergin has written "The Quest" as an update to his landmark 1991 book, "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power" to capture changes in the oil industry. Full transcript and video of NewsHour interview available.

December 25, 2011 - PBS NewsHour

Eric Jaffe at Atlantic Cities assembles his collection of the best time lapse videos of cities.

December 24, 2011 - Atlantic Cities