Leading Questions for the Week of 5/23/05
In which we take a look at hot topics in the tech world and pose questions for your consideration.
--The future of television is hot this week. eBay struck a deal with Time Warner that will allow viewers to make bids via their TV sets. Steven Levy takes a look at the future of television in this week's Newsweek and UK mobile provider Orange will offer top shows and channels on your handset.
*Questions: How integral is television to the future of consumer tech? Should the PC be phased out entirely, moving all apps to your TV and mobile device? Would consumers react favorably to such a shift or do we prefer our TV-watching remain non-interactive?
--The supply of future IT workers is a familiar theme that shifts focus every few months. Last cycle, there were worries that India and China will outpace us soon; this week, it's lack of interest in IT degrees from American colleges. IBM held a conference last week to discuss ways to attract top students to Information Technology. "The slope shows an unbelievable decline in computer science majors. There are smart people no longer even signing up to take our introductory courses. We need to fix it, or there's not going to be a U.S. work force in computer sciences."
*Questions: How dire is this problem, really? As both participants in and observers of the tech scene, do you see a marked decline in workers and/or innovations?
--Gary Rivlin penned an interesting piece in the Times last week. The general theme is the reduced field of VC players in Silicon Valley. But Rivlin makes some friends by citing the exodus of "tourist VCs" as a reason. Stewart Alsop and Mitch Kapor receive this designation as VCs from "nonfinancial backgrounds" who left the field due to failure or other interests, depending on who you talk to.
*Questions: Did venture capital become overrun with tourists during the boom? Or is the reduction in VCs part of the natural ebb and flow? What qualifies someone as a VC?
Posted by Carla Thompson at May 25, 2005 09:09 AM
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