Archive for May 2009
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Steve Williams, SAP BusinessObjects at n2y4
Hey great news!!!!!! SAP business object is available on techsoup for non profit companies, go ahead and download , check it out.
More From N2Y4: Blogging The Health Panel Expo
Today, at the NetSquared N2Y4 Conference, The Nonprofit Commons faciltated the Health Panel Expo - an online event in Second Life to showcase recent developments in health care research, and to connect efforts in fighting disease and creating a cooperative and supportive environment for patients and their providers.
Read a great summary of the event on the Anita Borg Institute blog by BJ Wishinsky!
Microsoft Mobile Challenge for Development: Winners Announced at N2Y4
The Microsoft Mobile Challenge for Development encouraged innovations for applying mobile technologies for development, specifically around one of the eight United Nations Millennium Development goals. A panel of 5 judges, selected by Microsoft, chose three winners, announced today at the N2Y4 Conference. And the winners are…
N2Y4 Conference: Got Mobile? and Twitter for Social Causes
In this garage session, we've split into two groups. The "Got Mobile?" group has gone outside, so I will stay here inside blogging, anchored to the power strip, with the "Twitter for Social Causes" group, with Susan Mernit and Kwan Booth. Should be good. I'll try my best to capture what's going on.
N2Y4 Featured Project: PublicStuff Presentation Notes
PublicStuff
We need transparency and accountability in government. This is not just a social need, it is a federal directive.
Currently, there are heavy, costly, untimely 311 systems. There needs to be an alt to bridge divide between governments and their constituents.
Online platform that connects people and local govts
Public stuff = online portal, mobile app, and software system.
Differentiation is that they focus on the needs of the government and the citizen.
Social Impact: provides citizens with the tools they need to make changes in their communities especially with lower income areas and people.
N2Y4 Featured Project: AMIS
AMIS - Agricultural Information System
Bringing information to Cameroon farmers by sending sms messages.
The system is 2 way. Can inform farmers about markets or can get information from farmers about pest attacks.
Q. What is the feedback from the farming community? What is the reaction? Challenges to adoption?
A. talked to community, gave them phones, did research about what kind of information they would want to know.
Q. What funding sources have you looked for?
A. We have talked to the government and they are willing to be partners but they don't have much money.
Q. Will phone providers send free sms?
A. There are certain times of the day when sms is free so we will make use of that.
N2Y4 Featured Project: Digital Democracy’s Handheld Human Rights
Handheld Human Rights
Making human rights data accessible and actionable.
Working in Burma/Myanmar - less than 1% cellphone/internet penetration. Neighboring bangladesh has much more cell phone penetration and reception extends into the border of Burma where some of the worst human rights abuses are occurring.
HandHeld Human Rights will take their bangladeshi mobile phone and send a text message and it will be broadcast to a large network of human rights organiziations.
Q. What are the challenges to scaling to other countries
N2Y4 Featured Project: VozMob
VozMob
Multimedia stories posted from your mobile phones.
We're developing a system based on customizing drupal and create multimedia stories directly into the site generated from lowend phones as long as they support MMS.
It is also 2-way. Information can be sent from the site out back to phones. People can rate and comment on the stories directly from their phones.
A physical paper newsletter was created from stories posted via VozMob. It philosophically about helping people retake control of their own communities by voicing their issues.
N2Y4 Featured Project: SeeClickFix
SeeClickFix
Potholes, graffiti, small issues in your neighborhood, drug dealing, school bus problems. It takes a while to figure out who to call to address these problems.
How do we force accountability? We created a tool called WatchAreas. Freeformed bounded maps on Google Maps. When an issue is recorded it sends an alert to the people who monitors that area.
Needs:
Mobile accessibility is the key to bringing this idea to the developing world. SmartPhone apps would be nice, they need to develop an SMS gateway. Also, translation is a need.
It requires users to create watch areas and link these areas to the people responsible
Q. Sustainability(business model)?
N2Y4 Featured Project: FrontLineSMS Alerts
FrontlineSMS
FrontlineSMS is an SMS gateway. CellAlert is a keyword matching job alert tool that sends info about positions that people in developing countries can bid on and help pull themselves out of poverty.
3 aspects to the project:
Technical: Its 2 way sms
Sustainability: focused towards the developing world but also can apply to inner city areas
Grassroots: It directly enables people to help themselves
With FrontlineSMS is possible to bring 50,000 job alerts to people in the developing world.
Q. There are plenty of for-profit services like you, how do you compare?
