Title: How Information Communication Technology (ICT) is transforming Africa
Author: Alex Twinomugisha
Source: About Africa Business Source
Publisher: Diaspora Interactive Media, Corp.
Date (published): 16/10/2009
Date (accessed): 28/10/2009
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"...The African ICT landscape a decade ago could be likened to the lunar surface- desolate and almost devoid of life. All telecommunication services including TV, radio and telephony were tightly controlled by governments through government owned companies. Services were mostly of poor quality, unreliable and limited to the elite in the capital cities...The mobile phone is responsible for changing this landscape the most. Africa currently leads the world in annual growth rates for mobile subscriptions...The explosive growth in ICTs especially mobile phones is transforming Africa in many ways."

Title: Public Internet Access Points: impact vs. sustainability
Author: Ismael Peña-López
Source: ICTlogy
Date (published): 25/10/2009
Date (accessed): 28/10/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Let’s imagine there are only two kinds of Public Internet Access Points, that is, a place, different to your house or your work where you can connect to the Internet:

* A library, a civic centre, or an ad hoc place equipped with computers and connection to the Internet; access and usage is free...Let’s call them telecentre.
* The other kind is similar to the previous one but it is not free... Let’s call them cybercafé.
...
If things were that binary, telecentres would be having an impact on people’s lives while cybercafés wouldn’t; on the other hand, cybercafés would be economically sustainable (self-sustainable) while telecentres would not."

Title: Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy 2009, Revised Edition
Pages: 188 pp.
Publisher: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Date (published): February 2009
Date (accessed): 26/10/2009
Type of information: statistical handbook
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML and pdf)
Abstract:
UNCTAD has released its 2009 revised edition of the Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy to serve as a reference for national statistical offices and other producers of official statistics on business use of information and communications technology (ICT). The Manual provides a guide to data collection and analysis, international standards, and definitions. It also offers model questions for surveys on ICT use, and it reviews important institutional issues related to compiling ICT statistics.

The Manual focuses on statistical issues particular to developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and provides useful advice on how to tackle statistical challenges. It will form the basis of future UNCTAD training courses and other technical assistance on ICT statistics. It also contributes to the wider international work of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development.

The revised edition of the Manual was the result of a global consultation with National Statistical Offices during 2007-2008, carried out in collaboration with the UN Statistical Division. The revised edition of the Manual was presented at the 40th session of the UN Statistical Commission in February 2009.

Title: Consultation on financing ICT for development
Publisher: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Date (published): 12/10/2009
Date (accessed): 26/10/2009
Type of information: press release
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
The United Nations Group on the Information Society held the first-ever Open Consultations on Meeting the Challenges of Financing ICT for Development. Financing ICT is important in order to bridge the digital divide and for developing countries to connect to the global economy.

See also:
Open Consultations on Financial Mechanisms: Meeting the Challenges of ICT for Development (8-9 October, Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland)

Title: Information Economy Report 2009
Pages: 153 pp.
ISBN: 978-92-1-112778-2
ISSN: 2075-4396
Source: unctad.org
Publisher: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Date (published): 22/10/2009
Date (accessed): 25/10/2009
Type of information: report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML and pdf)
Abstract:
The Information Economy Report 2009: Trends and Outlook in Turbulent Times is the fourth in a series published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The report is one of the few publications to monitor global trends in information and communication technologies (ICTs) as they affect developing countries. It serves as a valuable reference for policymakers in those nations. It gives special attention to the impact of the global financial crisis on ICTs.

Contents:

* Global and regional trends in the diffusion of ICTs such as fixed and mobile telecommunications, Internet, and broadband
* Ranking of the most dynamic economies in terms of increased ICT connectivity between 2003 and 2008
* Monitoring of the “digital divide”
* Survey of national statistical offices on the use of ICT in the business sector
* A review of the changing patterns in the trade of ICT goods
* A mapping of the new geography in the offshoring of IT and ICT-enabled services.
* Policy recommendations on how developing countries can reap greater benefits from ICT
* A statistical annex with global ICT data.

Title: Developing countries must boost broadband: UN
Author: Jonathan Lynn
Source: Reuters
Publisher: Thomson Reuters
Date (published): 23/10/2009
Date (accessed): 25/10/2009
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Developing countries risk missing out on the benefits of information technology because of their lack of broadband infrastructure, a U.N. agency said.

Lack of broadband Internet access deprives countries of the possibility of building up offshoring industries, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a report..."

Title: WhiteHouse.gov Goes Drupal
Author: Nancy Scola
Source: techPresident
Publisher: Personal Democracy Forum
Date (published): 24/10/2009
Date (accessed): 25/10/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"WhiteHouse.gov has gone Drupal. After months of planning, says an Obama Administration source, the White House has ditched the proprietary content management system that had been in place since the days of the Bush Administration in favor of the latest version of the open-source Drupal software..."

See also:
Whitehouse.gov using Drupal (from Dries Buytaert, creator of Drupal)

Interesting fact: Drupal is the CMS used by yours IFAP Information Society Observatory too.

Title: Information Society Statistical Profiles 2009 – Americas 2009
Pages: 92 pp.
Publisher: International Telecommunication Union
Date (published): September 2009
Date (accessed): 21/10/2009
Type of information: statistical report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
This report is the third of a series of regional statistical profiles on the information
society prepared by ITU in 2009, as an input to the regional preparatory meetings
(RPMs) for the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference 2010
(WTDC-10). The third RPM – for the Americas region – takes place on 9-11 September
2009 and is hosted by the Government of Colombia.

See also:
Spanish language edition

Title: Kontax, a teen m-novel in a local African language
Author: Steve Vosloo
Source: mLearning Africa
Date (published): 16/10/2009
Date (accessed): 18/10/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
On 30 September 2009, the world’s first mobile novel – or m-novel – published in both English and isiXhosa was launched. Kontax, a teen mystery story, was created for the Shuttleworth Foundation’s m4Lit project, lead by Steve Vosloo.

Standing for “mobiles for literacy” the project aims to explore whether teens are interested in reading stories on their cellphones, whether and how they write using their cellphones, and whether cellphones might be used to develop literacy skills and a love of reading. The hope behind the m4Lit project is that by researching the role of cellphones in teen reading and writing, educationalists and publishers can better understand the opportunities and challenges for literacy practices presented by the most popular communication device used by any teen today.

See also:
m4Lit: a teen m-novel project in South Africa
Conference paper describing the project (in pdf)