This month, The Digital Divide looks at ways people are putting communications back in the hands of the community and how technology is shaping the future of how we work.
First, we speak with the Personal Telco Project, a Portland nonprofit dedicated to the idea that people should have a bigger say in how their electronic networks are operated. They began in 2000 by turning people's houses and apartments into wireless hotspots (or "nodes"), and then set about building networks in public locations such as parks and coffee shops. We'll also take a look at the failed MetroFi attempt to cover Portland and hear recent news about another wireless provider, Clearwire.
Next, we hear a talk from the hacker CypherGhost on how modern automation allows you to send a letter 3000 miles for only 42 cents and what security vulnerabilities might exist in that infrastructure. He shares how the new "PLANET" barcode will track all mail in the future.
We also look at how technology is changing the future of work. Remote knowledge workers of today need to not only be in constant contact with their companies and customers—they also need to collaborate with their peers and managers. The future of work, hosted by Amber Case and Bram Pitoyo, interviews Kristin Wolff from the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and Nate Di Niro from Earth Class Mail about the impact of technologies on the life of telecommuting employees.