mayor bloomberg
Latest
NYC mayor unveils plans for massive free public WiFi network in Harlem
New York's code-loving mayor had at least one more big tech announcement to make before handing over the keys to the city at the end of the year. Mayor Mike Bloomberg announced plans to launch a free WiFi network in Harlem, spanning 95 of the uptown neighborhood's blocks. The size makes it the "largest continuous free outdoor public wireless network in the nation," by New York City's count, bringing access to 80,000 residents -- a number that includes 13,000 people living in public housing. The rollout will occur in phases, culminating next May, with five years of initial coverage currently planned. More details on the rollout can be found in the source link below.
Introducing .nyc: New York City to get its own top-level domain
New Yorkers are notoriously proud of their city, and what better way to show hometown love than with a .nyc address? According to Mayor Bloomberg's official Twitter account, that will soon be possible for Big Apple residents. The just-launched website for the "ultimate New York City address" (har, har) says the top-level domain will help local businesses' visibility in search results, in addition to eliminating all doubt as to where you reside. "Businesses, organizations and residents" will be eligible for the TLD, with registration beginning in late 2013. When it launches, .nyc will be the first city in the United States to receive a geography-based domain. Did you think New York would settle for anything less?
Uber shuts down New York City taxi beta, may see light at the end of the (Lincoln) tunnel in February (update: TLC responds)
Uber has been having a tough time getting a foothold in New York City, and it's temporarily withdrawing the UberTaxi service it had in beta. The withdrawal isn't entirely for the reasons you'd expect, however. While Uber claims to have been getting grief from the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission for offering a competing (if technically legal) service through its smartphone apps, the program's end was due to demand rather than any kind of outright ban -- the Commission's pressure reportedly kept Uber from matching interest with enough yellow cabs. Black car service is still on for those who don't mind the classic ride. Should that uncomfortable balance not be quite good enough, Mayor Bloomberg is promising a truce come February, when a shift in contracts will let New York change the rules and hopefully improve the market for taxi alternatives. Update: TLC Commissioner David Yassky has weighed in with both an elaboration and claims that the Commission has been in favor of newer technology for awhile. He notes that the contracts expiring in February relate to exclusive payment arrangements with Creative Mobile Technologies and VeriFone, and that apps of all kinds (Uber's included) can compete for attention at that point. His full statement: "In recent months, as e-hail apps have emerged, TLC has undertaken serious diligence and is moving toward rule changes that will open the market to app developers and other innovators. Those changes cannot legally take place until our existing exclusive contracts expire in February. We are committed to making it as easy as possible to get a safe, legal ride in a New York City taxi, and are excited to see how emerging technology can improve that process. Our taxis have always been on the cutting edge of technological innovation, from GPS systems to credit card readers."
NYC's Made in New York Digital Map lets you see who's hiring in the tech field
You can't deny Mike Bloomberg's often coming up with different ways to involve New Yorkers in tech-related bits. On this occasion, Mayor Bloomberg & Co. have introduced a novel way for citizens of The Big Apple -- and others who plan on making the move -- to find jobs in the technology sector. Dubbed "Made in New York Digital Map," the service aims to make it easier for folks to see which tech companies are seeking engineers, designers, developers, etc. At the moment there's more than 325 outfits looking for new hires, with over "thousands of jobs" being up for grabs. Mayor Bloomberg says this is only the beginning and he's encouraging startups to set up shop here in the City, as he believes this "is the place to be if you're a growing tech startup." You can take a tour of the Digital Map now via the source link below.
Bloomberg signs NYC 'Open Data Policy' into law, plans web portal for 2018
Live in Manhattan and wish that your local government would be more transparent about its data and make it more easily accessible? Well, consider the request granted by a little bill dubbed as Introductory Number 29-A, which Mayor Bloomberg signed into law this past week. Apparently following in the steps of the White House's Data.Gov initiative, the legislation lays out three ways the city will be "jumpstarting a comprehensive citywide open data policy." The Department of Information Technology Telecommunications will be in charge of of creating a technical standards manual and posting it online to begin, serving as guide for the city's agencies on how to handle and list any data that's considered public domain. Bloomberg also has his eyes on developers, as part two involves getting any info stored online in "locked formats" released over the next year so that it can be used for creating applications. As InformationWeek points out, this is something the city has been fond of, as showcased by its ongoing BigApps program. The third task will require the DoITT to make compliance plans with all of the city's agencies to help them list all of their public data, with the end goal of listing it to "a single web portal by 2018." Want to hear it from the man himself? Make your way to the press release just past the break. [Photo credit: NYC.Gov]
Nissan NV200 van named NYC's 'Taxi of Tomorrow,' Travis Bickle cringes (video)
New Yorkers, this is your "Taxi of Tomorrow." After two years of deliberation, Nissan's NV200 was chosen as the city's exclusive taxi yesterday, edging out models from Ford Motor Co. and Turkish manufacturer Karsan. The four-passenger van is slated to hit New York's streets in late 2013, after which it will be gradually phased in on a more widespread basis. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of around $29,000, the commodious NV200 boasts a 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, transparent roof panel, driver navigation system, overhead reading lights and a mobile charging unit, replete with a 12V outlet and two USB ports. Nissan also placed an emphasis on passenger and pedestrian safety, with front and rear-seat curtain airbags, standard traction control and an external lighting system designed to alert others when the NV200's doors are opening. The van's microbial seat fabric should help assuage the fears of many germophobes, while its "low-annoyance" horn promises to put a (probably miniscule) dent in the city's noise pollution. Mayor Bloomberg definitely won't realize his all-hybrid dreams by 2012, but Nissan has agreed to participate in a forthcoming EV pilot program, involving up to six of the company's electric LEAFs. Until then, New Yorkers will have plenty of time to get used to the city's new soccer mom approach to taxi transport. Cruise past the break for full PR and video.
New York City marks April 16th as Foursquare Day, Mayor feeling good about his chances
16 is the product of squaring four, so naturally the date of April 16th is the most logical one to be called Foursquare Day. Just why such a celebration should exist is less obvious. As it turns out, a grassroots movement of Foursquare users built up steam around the idea of dedicating a day to the online check-in service, that concept then filtered through to Foursquare's founders who decided to go "100% in on this," and now, somewhat surprisingly, so has New York City Mayor (the elected one) Mike Bloomberg. As Mike sees it, Foursquare represents a fine example of NYC's startup-friendly environment, which is why he's giving it and its heretofore informal Foursquare Day celebration the official NYC seal of approval. He even went so far as to deliver a Mayoral Proclamation to the Foursquare offices, which you can see for yourself after the break.
NYC mayor Bloomberg loves his iPad
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg loves his iPad, apparently -- he carries it with him everywhere, uses it for briefings, and even reads speeches off of it, as seen above. He's checking weather in the places he's heading off to vacation at, and he's reading in iBooks, too -- lately it's "The Fires" by Joe Flood and "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition" by Daniel Okent. Very cool to see someone so busy and so important trying to seriously use Apple's magical device to improve their day-to-day. And even the Mayor realizes that what he's going is important -- he's consciously trying to go "paperless." Glad the iPad could help him. "It's amazing," he said at a tech conference recently. "I told Steve Jobs the other day, if he can improve on this, it'll really be amazing. I just, every time I play with it, I discover something new." Wait, improve on the iPad? That's a tall order, Mr. Mayor. But maybe Cupertino will see what it can do. [via 9to5Mac]
