Why Canadians are Being Left Behind in the Voice-Activated Tech Wars

According to this article in The Record, voice-activated tech in Canada is not advancing at nearly the rate it is in the US. Many American companies such as Amazon and Microsoft seem to be getting involved with voice-activation in combination with other aspects of technology. However, Mudhar does clarify by noting that it is not necessarily the fact that the Canadian tech industry lacks innovation for voice-activation, but rather the Canadian market and Canadian consumers as a whole have been left behind. In addition, the Alexa system created by Amazon has been integrated with many other facets of technology such as speakers, lamps and other home devices such as the LG Smart Fridge. It is noted that Amazon did not provide comment on whether or not it will be made available to Canadians anytime in the near future. The fact that glitches need to be worked out prior to selling in the Canadian market is promising, however, could the Canadian tech industry not create something with as much if not more potential? Would this be a potential niche that requires addition innovation within the Canadian industry? Should Canadians innovators wait for our American friends to introduce a product rather than contribute effort, time and funding towards something that is currently being worked on across the border?

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/7080298-look-who-isn-t-talking-why-canadians-are-being-left-behind-in-the-voice-activated-tech-wars/

Laurier Hosts Community Innovation Hub

Last week on Laurier’s Brantford campus, the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation hosted the grand opening of the Community Innovation Hub. The hub is intended to be the “focal point for all entrepreneurship and social innovation activities” on campus. In addition, the space is meant to act as a location for the collaboration of students, staff, faculty and alumni within the realm of social entrepreneurship and innovation. According to the executive director of the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Laurier, Joanne Benham-Rennick, the goal is to provide a space for “trial-and-error approach in a low-risk environment” and to help those interested in creating their own enterprise to develop the necessary skills needed to do this. 

Laurier received the AshokaU Changemaker Campus designation and Benham-Rennick notes that the creation of a space for promoting experimental learning extends this tradition. With the introduction of the LaunchPad program at Laurier Brantford in 2015, there have been 48 participants within the program. In addition, the Neighbourhood Changemaker workshop which began in 2016, and has helped foster growth and innovation within the community.  The Schlegel Centre’s aim is to promote innovation and change at the grassroots level. 

The Innovation Hub seems like a meaningful way to encourage the involvement of students and faculty as well as community members as a whole, in the entrepreneurial realm. Here at Laurier, there are many ‘options’ that students can enroll in that offer the skills needed for entrepreneurship and social innovation. For example, students can enroll in Social Entrepreneurship courses as well as the LaunchPad program. All of these efforts are important because they allow for students to develop skills which will foster their future successes. 

In terms of concepts discussed within our ‘Work Culture in Tech Ecologies” course, we can think about innovation and how it is displayed here at Laurier. In this sense, innovation is seen as going hand in hand with social entrepreneurship. It is as if Laurier aims to create a sort of entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. Laurier has taken an interest in funding and fostering development of knowledge and enterprise and the hub functions as a network of people all with one common interest. Innovation.   

https://www.wlu.ca/news/news-releases/2017/jan/laurier-hosts-community-innovation-hub-grand-opening.html

Brave New World – of Tech

In Huxley’s classic dystopian novel, Brave New World, he describes a future culture that has succumbed completed to the technical, and resultantly, in the novel, that which makes us human has long since been usurped for nefarious reasons. Yet, here in the 21^st century, it seems the techno-culture of the day continues to foster innovation and empower – rather than extinguish – modern society. Not since the Industrial revolution has such progress impacted our lives and how we interact, for both business and personal. Today it is difficult to imagine a time when digital communication channels were not the norm. Twitter and its seemingly infinite data lakes, mobile business-2-business and consumer-2-business interactions are so seamless now that it is difficult to believe that only a few decades ago none of this existed. Uber has crushed competition by building a ‘better mousetrap’ and undermining the taxi industry that existed since the 18^th century, and likely longer. All due to ideas combined with emerging technology that allowed the vision to become reality.  These successes cannot be eschewed as a fad or simply luck, and those who think so do so at their own peril. The government recognizes the importance of supporting and encouraging growth in the tech sector given the industry’s track record of success to date.  As noted in one Globe & Mail article on this topic, the government is putting money on the table and its “…promises are tens of millions of dollars for co-op placements in the science, technology and engineering industries” (Akkad 2).

                  “Calling an iPhone a phone is like calling a Lexus 500 a cup-holder”
                                                                                                                           – Gary Gulman

Another benefit of tech environments is that they can ‘spring up’ virtually anywhere. There is no need in most cases to construct complex manufacturing plants, rather internet connectivity and a skilled and knowledgeable workforce are the only prerequisites. The Waterloo region is perhaps at the precipice of success or at least approaching it. Relatively low cost of living and two solid University communities seem to be attracting entrepreneurs who are looking to establish their startups. Of course this takes investment capital and venture funding is paramount. As noted in the Financial Post “Entrepreneurial clusters require a culture of risk-taking, and that requires risk capital.” (Spence 2). Yet how far should the government get involved in this regard?  Government bureaucracy – if not autocracy – is not the first thing that comes to mind when we think agile and innovative tech-hubs. Perhaps the – at least to date – failed foray into the world of ‘Green Energy’ technology by the Canadian governments should sound the alarm bell. Sure, invest where due diligence is highlighting opportunity but let those who best understand how to implement new ideas, and fast-track solutions to market, run the show. Do any of us think Uber powerhouse would be here today of the government was calling the shots? It would still be stuck in the Senate as a bill.  This new wave of Capitalism and the attendant technology is proving the resultant benefits to the economy and consumers. Better and cheaper products that, often times, solve a problem for us that we did not even knew we had. After all, our parents’ generation where happy with a telephone that only worked within a 3-foot radius of the refrigerator. RIM/Blackberry changed all of that, due to ideas merging with opportunity and financing. As one comedian notes, “Our phones are really now a seldom used app on our phone” (Gulman).  The brave new world that has emerged is exciting and continues to promise new solutions due to our digital world with its Internet-of-Things. If you think the revolution is over think again; otherwise, you just might get left alone by simply standing still.

References      

Akkad, Omar. "As Economy Falters, the Tech Sector Continues to Climb." The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail, 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2017.

"Gary Gulman." Gary Gulman Official Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2017.

Spence, Rick. "Why Canada Needs Entrepreneurial Clusters, and How to Go about Making Them." Financial Post. Financial Post, 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2017.

Marking Criteria for Blog Assignment

This assignment is assessed on evidence of engagement with ideas from

CS 400Y content (50%), and on clarity and effectiveness of communication (50%).

Students will be awarded a single grade for their overall contribution to their

class blog.

Grade descriptors for blog assignment:

80-100. Excellent. Among other things, these very best posts will probably

demonstrate a complex, critical understanding of the themes of the course.

They will communicate very effectively, making excellent and creative use of

the possibilities of the form (including links, videos, and images), and may be

written with some skill and flair. They will address the assignment tasks in a

thoughtful way. They will make insightful connections between original

examples and relevant concepts. They will be informed by serious reading

and reflection, are likely to demonstrate originality of thought, and will

probably be rewarding and informative for the reader.

70-79 Good. Among other things, good posts will make a clear point in a

clear way. They will relate concepts to original examples in a straightforward

fashion. They will make effective use of the possibilities of the form (including

links, videos and images). They may also demonstrate a broader

understanding of the course's themes and concerns, and are likely to show

evidence of reading and thinking about the subject material.

60-69 Satisfactory. Among other things, satisfactory posts may try to relate

an idea from the course to an original example, but might not be very

convincing. They may waste space on synopsis or description, rather than

making a point. They may have spelling or grammatical errors and typos.

They might not demonstrate more than a single quick pass at the assignment,

informed only by lecture and/or cursory reading. They may suggest reading

but not thinking (or indeed the reverse).

50-59 Poor. Among other things, poor posts may just offer links without

real comment or apparent point. They may offer nothing more than poor quality

synopsis or description of material of dubious relevance. They may

have serious clarity problems (including dead links or random graphics)

which affect comprehension. They might be off-topic, private trivia, or of

unclear relevance.

49 and below            FAIL

What Makes a Good Blog Post?

I.               What Makes a Good Blog Post?

1) A good post should make a point. It should engage with the themes and concerns of CS 400Y, as outlined in the syllabus, readings, on the MLS site and in class.

2) It’s also important to be concise in online writing, so try to keep your posts to no more than around 200 words each.

3) Try to discuss your topic rather than just describe it — if your posts simply describe something, you won’t score higher than 50% at most.

4) Your posts should make connections between original examples and our readings, lectures and other course materials. A good post should link to websites, other blogs, or other online material, and should set any such links in context (i.e. explain why you’re making the link).

5) Don't just offer a link without comment or context, but instead offer a value-added link, by annotating, elaborating, discussing and/or explaining your chosen link.

6) A good comment should start a conversation. It's not enough to write ‘LMAO’ or post an emoticon. For instance, you might ask a question about the post that you really are curious about. Or perhaps point to a connection between the blog post you are commenting on and a blog post of your own or from another classmate. A good comment should engage with the ideas in the post and/or in the material that post links to, and should offer new information and/or new links.

7) Some basic blog dos and don’ts:

do focus on the themes and concerns of this course and demonstrate thinking about them

do introduce relevant links and explain your reasons

do respect others on the blog

do edit and revise your posts before you post them — clarity matters. Check spelling and grammar. Cut out unnecessary words or digressions. Make sure your post has a good title. Make sure your links work.

don’t post administrative questions about the course or the blog (ask these in class or on the MLS site)

don’t expect responses from your lecturer to everything you post (there are 50 of you)

don’t post summaries of set readings (we’ve all read them)

don’t post unrelated trivia (get your own blog instead)