EdinburghApps launches second open data competition
EdinburghApps, a competition run by City of Edinburgh Council inviting teams and individuals to create new mobile apps or websites using council and partner data, is set for its second year. Launched in 2013, the event offered winners business support and the opportunity to work with the council to develop their concepts further. The competition is returning in partnership with Transport for Edinburgh, and this year, will centre on two themes: health, and culture and sport. Ideas should either help citizens live healthy and independent lives or encourage interest and participation in culture and sport. This year's event will launch on 5 September, with participants then given seven weeks to work on their ideas before presenting them at a judging and awards event. Organisers are hoping to attract a similar calibre of entries to last year's contest which was won by Joint Equipment Store, an app that helps council lorries operate more efficiently, and Trashman, an app helping the public to locate their nearest recycling bank. Thanks to the competition these apps are now due for release by the council in October. EdinburghApps also ran an interim Hackathon in June, when participants were challenged to use data from the council, Scottish Government and other partners to come up with solutions to improve road safety.
Pictured: The data section of the EdinburghApps website
EdinburghApps: www.edinburghapps.net
Diplomatic Council think-tank urges "Global Digital Agenda"
Diplomats from more than 50 countries assembled by the international think-tank Diplomatic Council (DC) have called for a "Global Digital Agenda" guaranteeing that as many people as possible worldwide will profit from digitisation. The council of ambassadors leading the DC has appointed Gabriele Viebach as director of the council's Emerging Information Technology Group, to develop the policy. Gabriele Viebach explains: „The Diplomatic Council considers the digitalisation of our world a fundamental historical turning point, similar to the industrial revolution. The effects might be even more severe, the spreading rate definitely is much higher. Herein lies the chance to create completely new opportunities of building supportive communities - from people for people." Recognising this, the DC postulates the complete equality of all nations within the UN General Assembly while shaping the course of global digitalisation. The global think tank calls for the international community to assume responsibility for assuring that all parts of society will be able to participate in the digitalisation and actively influence its course. DC Director Gabriele Viebach said: "The explosive growth of PC capacities, mobile internet and cloud-based software services have created the infrastructure necessary to turn this trend into a digital revolution. Today's devices and services by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google are just the beginning, similar to the mechanical weaving looms of the 18th century. Without wanting to play down the advantages of the industrialization: The suffering the industrial revolution once brought to millions of people and multiple generations must not repeat itself during the digital revolution!"
Diplomatic Council: www.diplomatic-council.org
