Technology Issues
Economic Development | Internet | Education | Wireless | Health Care | Broadband | WiFi
TOT plans to concentrate on several issues that embrace high-tech jobs, investment and research and development to better prepare all of us for Ohio's Tomorrow. Some of these critical technology issues are ones that come to mind immediately when we think of technology, the internet, wireless issues, broadband, and wi-fi. TOT also plans to focus on some broader issues. These include harnessing economic development opportunities, providing excellent educational opportunities, and life changing advancements in health care.
Economic Development
To be competitive with other states, Ohio needs to embrace and support technology companies. Whether it's providing venture capital funding or small business loans to start-ups, Ohio must give businesses the tools they need to thrive to generate revenue and jobs to the Buckeye state.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio's high-technology cluster includes more than 23,600 private sector establishments, employing 453,000 people. Tech industry workers made $63,500 in 2006 – 67 percent more than the state’s average private sector wage (American Electronics Association's 2008 Cyberstates 2008).
Ohio's Technology Investment Tax Credit, since its inception in 1996, has provided incentives for investments in 380 small Ohio technology startups.
In 2007, there were 49 venture capital deals involving Ohio companies; these deals totaled $170 million (according to the MoneyTree Survey). While the number of companies and their deals are fairly typical of recent years, the total amount invested is below average. We must work to turn this around.
Internet
Eight short years ago, only 46 percent of people in the U.S. used the Internet; now a staggering 75 percent of people go online (Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project).
What exactly is the Internet?
The Internet is the name given to millions of computers around the world that are connected to one another so that people who use them can share information.
No single person or body owns or controls the Internet.
The number grows everyday, but it is estimated that approximately 47.5 million people use the Internet in the United States alone.
And in the U.S., there are more 450,000 domain names (tech4ohio.com is just one of them!)
It is estimated that Internet traffic will continue to grow at a rate of 50-60 percent every year. (Source: Professor Andrew Odlyzko, University of Minnesota)
Education
Technology's reach extends deep into the classroom. Whether it's students taking classes online, teachers posting their assignments on the web or making lectures available for download, technology has completely changed the way students learn. Teachers and students use the Internet for research, with the virtually endless supply of information making encyclopedias and microfiche obsolete (do students today even know what microfiche is???). Even libraries are putting their resources online. Today, college classrooms are filled with students typing on their laptops, instead of hand writing their notes. Technology will continue to evolve, and with it, how and what we learn.
Wireless
It took more than 21 years for color televisions to reach 100 million consumers...
More than 90 years for landline service to reach 100 million consumers... And less than 17 years for wireless to reach 100 million consumers!
Wireless users have been growing at an extraordinary rate. In just over a decade, the number of wireless users has increased nearly ten-fold.
| Wireless Subscribers |
Dec-07 255.4M |
Dec-05 207.9M |
Dec-00 109.5M |
Dec-95 33.8M |
|
Wireless Penetration % of total U.S. population |
84% | 69% | 38% | 13% |
| Monthly SMS Messages | 48.1 Billion | 9.8 Billion | 14.4 Million | N/A |
(Source: CTIA, International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications)
The percentage of homes that only use wireless phones now, for the first time, exceeds the percentage of homes that only have a wireline. (Source: BuddeComm)
Health Care
One of the major industries that has been impacted by technology is health care. Medical records and x-rays can be easily transmitted online, saving time that can be critical when a person's health is at stake.
Patients can now research symptoms, illnesses and treatments online – as well as doctors and hospitals – making them more educated health care consumers.
Some doctors even provide email consultations, giving patients more timely answers to their medical questions.
All of these technology advances are improving our health care system for both patients and doctors.
Broadband
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just broadband, is high-speed Internet access—typically contrasted with dial-up access over a modem.
At the beginning of 2007, the nation's cable industry served 28.9 million high-speed Internet customers. In fact, more than 107 million homes have high-speed Internet service available.
With a modest increase in broadband adoption, Ohio could realize a total direct economic impact of more than $5 billion and 96,000 new and retained jobs. (Source: Connected Nation, Inc.)
WiFi
Whether you're in the airport, a library, coffee shop, or hotel, chances are you're in the middle of a hot spot – a WiFi hotspot, that is. WiFi is shorthand for wireless networking, a technology that enables people to connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet.
WiFi technology can now be found in computers, cell phones, MP3 players, video games and so much more.
Some 34% of Internet users have logged onto the internet using a wireless connection either around the house, at their workplace, or some place else. In other words, one-third of internet users, either with a laptop computer, a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA), or cell phone, have surfed the internet or checked email using means such as WiFi broadband or cell phone networks (Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project).
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Ohio Tech Bits Blog
Tech Bits Weekly Round-up (July 10-16) – July 16, 2010, 10:18AM
Tech Bits Weekly Round-up (July 3-9) – July 9, 2010, 9:48AM
News 
Bill to ban texting while driving sent for changes
Toledo Blade, October 6, 2009
Big Tech Ten Survey
Technology for Ohio's Tomorrow needs your help! We are launching a new initiative: The Big Tech Ten. Our goal? Identifying ten new, bold technology ideas and innovations for Ohio's future.
Through this initiative, we hope to foster a conversation with you and other Ohioans about where technology policy stands in Ohio and where it can go.