Al Gore Honors Visionaries
December 30, 1996 - Vice President Al Gore recently honored four
technology visionaries with the Leadership in Technology Award for
TECH CORPS. TECH CORPS is a national, non-profit
organization dedicated to enhancing K-12 teaching and learning through
the effective use of volunteers to integrate technology into the educational
environment. Thomas Wheeler of Cellular Telecommunications Industry
Association, Robert Palmer with Digital Equipment
Corporation, Bert Roberts with MCI Communications
Corporation, and Gary Beach of
Computerworld, Inc. were recognized for their leadership as the
Founding National Sponsors of TECH CORPS. For more information on the
organization visit their Web site, or the
Washington, D.C. Chapter of TECH CORPS, online.
Positive Messages
December 27, 1996 - The Athens Institute,
based in Alexandria, VA, promotes education, research and scholarships
relating to independence of thought, self-reliance, individualism, hard
work, honesty, perseverance, and intellectual courage. One of the Athens
Institute's programs is Positive Net,
which is dedicated to increasing the awareness of all the good things
that people do all around the world.
Beta Participants Needed
December 26, 1996 - Herndon, Virginia-based, Image Machines
Corporation, recently launched their selection process for beta
sites of their new Web server product, IMageSite. Image Machines
is a developer and manufacturer of computer software and hardware
which specializes in large format imaging.
IMageSite
will allow companies to view and collaborate with large format
drawings over the Internet or on their Intranet with standard Web
browsers. For more information, or for a
demo of IMageSite, visit Image Machines Corporation's Web site. To
participate in the beta site, e-mail Linda Reiger.
Marketing Success on the Net
December 26, 1996 - The Tenagra Awards for Internet Marketing
Excellence has recognized innovation and success in the Internet
marketing industry since 1994. Currently, the
Tenagra Awards is looking for success stories related to
marketing, promotion and advertising on the Web for their 1996
competition. Four
categories have been defined for this year's awards and the deadline
for nominations is January 31, 1997; winners will be announced in
April 1997. For more information, send an e-mail
to the Tenagra Awards.
High-Speed Access
December 24, 1996 - MFS Communications,
and its subsidiary UUNET Technologies, will offer low-cost, high-speed links
to the Internet over conventional telephone lines with their Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL) service, in the first quarter of 1997. MFS will initially provide
business customers with high-speed access connections equivalent to more
than 20 times faster than conventional modems through
UUNET. Users will be able to use existing phone lines for simultaneous
voice and data transmission. This will enable small to mid-sized businesses
to access the Internet at higher speeds: from 28.8 Kbps to 128 Kbps. Visit
MFS Communications' Web site, for more
information on DSL.
YouthNet Teaches Internet Skills
December 23, 1996 - Washington, D.C.-based YouthNet is a six-week
program targeting 14- to 21-year-olds interested in learning about
computers, the Internet and Web page creation. YouthNet's three program
areas include an introduction to Windows, Internet/Web skills and desktop
publishing. After completing the program, participants have the option to
become YouthNet-preneurs or Web designers, return as student trainers or
continue advanced Internet studies. To learn more, visit
YouthNet's homepage.
Customer Satisfaction Survey
December 20, 1996 - A team from The
George Washington University's (GWU) Marketing Department is researching
customer satisfaction with World Wide Web sites. A 10-question
survey is available
online and takes only minutes to complete. This survey is an academic study
used determine the best customer satisfaction practices on the Internet.
Survey results will be posted online early next year. Visit GWU's Web
site for more information
or send an e-mail to the
research team.
Online Network for Kids
December 19, 1996 - Kidz Online, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to teaching the youth of today technologies that will
play a major role in their futures, recently launched its Web site.
Based in Northern Virginia, the program encourages kids to learn how
to e-mail, attach, upload/download files and unzip files. Children
also learn how to retrieve information through the "Library", a l
isting of available resources on the Web, including dictionaries,
a mapping services, and a link to the
Library of Congress. Visiting youngsters can also engage in "chat"
with other kids in cyberspace. For more information, visit
Kidz Online's Web site.
Santa Takes on Cyberspace
December 18, 1996 - Santa and his helpers have developed a
creative experience for kids of all ages. There are lots of things
to see and do on this interactive and colorfully illustrated Web site.
Take a sneak peek at the
Naughty and Nice List or visit the elves in the
Toy Workshop.
You can also stop by
Santa's House and learn about the meanings behind Christmas
traditions like Gingerbread Houses and Christmas Trees.
Create a Wish List online and keep
track of Santa on Christmas Eve by visiting
Santa's Web site this month.
Link to the Netpreneur Program
December 17, 1996 - A new link has been added on the Potomac
KnowledgeWay Web site's home page to the
Netpreneur Program. Individuals can now subscribe to "Netpreneur News," sign up as a beta tester for
the Potomac KnowledgeWay Netpreneur Program's Web site and link to two
speeches recently given by Mario Morino, chairman of the Potomac
KnowledgeWay Project. Netpreneur News is a biweekly e-mail that
includes updates on the Program and other information including news
about regional netpreneurs, funding, partnerships and resources. The
first speech focuses on the Potomac KnowledgeWay as
"A Transformation in Process"; the second speech introduces the netpreneur as
"The Innovator of a Digital Age". Visit the KnowledgeWay's Web site
at http://knowledgeway.org for more information.
Municipal Sites in Maryland
December 16, 1996 - Cities and towns throughout Maryland have
discovered the advantages of the World Wide Web for communicating with
citizens. An article, which appeared in the Municipal Maryland,
reports that 15 communities currently offer their citizens, and others,
electronic access to information ranging from council agendas to
historical and tourism information.
Annapolis, Frostburg, and
Salisbury were listed
as examples of how small-to-midsize jurisdictions can make effective
use of the newest communications technology without spending a lot of money.
Visit Maryland
Municipalities on the World Wide Web for more information on other cities and counties online.
Futuristic ATMs
December 12, 1996 - North Communications of California,
has developed a new generation of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)
that are delivering high-tech banking services beyond dispensing cash.
The TouchTeller Financial Center performs a variety of services
including printing loan applications, assisting in personal finance
decisions, showing information from the Internet, and bringing you
face-to-face with a live bank teller on the screen. For additional
information on the TouchTeller system, visit
North Communication's Web site.
Virtual Yellow Pages
December 11, 1996 - Irwin
Professional Publishing recently published the "Best of the Net"
book series. This is a series of comprehensive guides designed to provide
consumers and businesses with a direct link to the Internet's most
informative sites. These guides summarize the most creative and
practical sites on the Net and provide an up-to-date listing on how
to find them. The "Best of the Net" takes the hassle out of searching
for information by pointing consumers to high-content sites. To learn
more about "Best of the Net",
visit Irwin Professional Publishing's Web site.
Sidewalk Santa Goes Online
December 11, 1996 - Proxicom
of McLean, Virginia has developed their first "Sidewalk Santa"
Web site for the Volunteers of America (VOA).
The site enables charitable donations for VOA's Sidewalk Santa tradition
to help those in need during the holiday season. Visitors can make
donations
through Santa's
Cyber Chimney to support the VOA's holiday assistance programs
throughout the nation.
Bridal Registry on the Web
December 5, 1996 - Reston, Virginia-based, American Bridal
Registry provides couples with a personalized online wedding
gift registry, in a free personalized home page, for the Internet-savvy
couple. Couples can publish their photograph on the site, information on
their upcoming wedding and post a list of gifts they would like from
their favorite stores. Throughout December, American Bridal Registry
will offer couples a free registry
online. For more information, visit American Bridal Registry's Web site.
Nine Regional Organizations Recognized by NII Awards
December 4, 1996 (updated December 16, 1996) - The National Information Infrastructure (NII) Awards
Program recognizes and honors outstanding achievements in the innovation
and use of the Internet and the information superhighway. The Awards
Program seeks out those projects that show the world the power and
potential of networked, interactive communications. Nine of the 56
finalists were from the Greater Washington region.
Government
Winner: National Science Foundation Fastlane Project, Washington, D.C.
Finalists:
Education
Finalists:
Children
Finalist: The National Missing and Exploited Children's Network, Arlington, VA.
Arts & Entertainment
Finalist: Discovery Channel Online, Bethesda, MD.
Special Award: The AT&T NII Telecollaboration Award
Finalist: ATM Research and Industrial Enterprise System Project (AIRES), Washington, D.C.
For a brief description of all the winners and other
finalists, visit the NII Awards
Program Web site.
Call for Netpreneur Beta Testers
December 3, 1996 - A focal point for the Potomac KnowledgeWay
Netpreneur Program
is the Netpreneur Exchange, a Web site for a new kind of entrepreneur the netpreneur
whose business would not exist without the Internet or network-based communications.
The goal of the overall Program is to help netpreneurs bring net-centric products
and services to market faster. The Netpreneur Exchange is currently under development,
and we're looking for beta testers to provide input on site content and functionality.
If you are interested in becoming a beta tester, please send an email to
beta@netpreneur.org and you will
receive your user name and password within 24 hours.
Interactive Underwater Search
December 3, 1996 - Throughout December, Discovery Channel Online (DCOL)
will take viewers deep into the Pacific Ocean in search of sunken
World War II planes in the historic battleground of Palau. Via live underwater
photography, video and daily reports, the online audience will actually go
"into" the downed planes off the coast of the Palau Islands. DCOL viewers are
encouraged to participate in discussions with divers and scientists as they
explore the remains of Japanese and allied planes in this underwater war museum.
Join the explorers by visiting DCOL this month.