The top 10 most widely read articles published by ICT Pulse in 2013.
Of the over 150 articles we published on ICT Pulse during 2013, below are the 10 most widely read of the year:
10. Jamaica to get new country code: what does that mean?
In February of this year, we discussed the additional country code that Jamaica will soon be receiving. In the English-speaking Caribbean, no other country has been allocated a second country code. Our post thus gave an overview of the topic, plus reasons why Jamaica has been assigned a second code. Finally, we briefly highlighted some key implications to the country when the new country code is finally introduced.
9. Has e-commerce stalled in the Caribbean?
Most of us enjoy the convenience and flexibility that electronic commerce (e-commerce), mobile payment and online payment systems have afforded us. However, these types of transactions are still quite limited in the Caribbean, and it has been argued that their absence is hampering innovation and commercial activity in the region. Using reports in the regional press as an impetus, we discussed e-commerce in the Caribbean, and specifically some of the reasons why electronic payment systems are still underdeveloped when many governments are supposedly focusing on developing digital economies.
8. 6 ICT/tech trends we are likely to see in Caribbean in 2013
In our first post for 2013, we made six predictions on ICT/tech developments that should be expected in the Caribbean. Those trends were, for the most part, based on issues that had begun to emerge in the region, and which we expected would become even more evident in the then upcoming year.
7. Snapshot: Network readiness 2013
Following the publication of the Global Information Technology Report (GITR) 2013, by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, and for the third year, we examined the performance of the Caribbean/CARICOM countries that were included in the report – eight in total. We also tracked their performances over the past seven iterations of the report, 2007—2013, and highlighted select strengths and weaknesses of individual countries, which would have contributed to their scores and overall ranking in the 2013 assessment.
6. 5 key takeaways for ICT development in the Caribbean from Silicon Savannah
A major highlight of the 2013 Caribbean Open Data Conference was the keynote address by Paul Kukubo, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya ICT Board. Having been instrumental in Kenya becoming the ICT hub of East Africa, Mr. Kukubo shared five learnings from the Kenyan experience that Caribbean countries should consider in order to realise their own ICT-related development goals.
5. Snapshot: How affordable is Internet service in 2013?
Since May 2011, we have been tracking broadband Internet prices across the Caribbean and more importantly, assessing how affordable the service might be for the average consumer. As part of the exercise, we discussed and compared the changes that have occurred since our last review, which was May 2012, and since our first assessment in May 2011.
4. Government intrusion and privacy: some things to think about
This post was our first foray into the world of Edward Snowden, and his initial revelations on the extent of the surveillance and spying conducted by the United States (US) National Security Agency (NSA). The issue raised an number of provocative issues, ranging from whether we should revisit our online behavior, to the extent to which countries worldwide, including those in the Caribbean, are complicit is allowing the US considerable latitude in its surveillance and spying activities.
3. 5 best hurricane tracking apps
Hurricanes, cyclones and tropical storms are potentially devastating weather systems that affect the tropical countries, especially those of the Caribbean for at least six months of the year. The five mobile applications reviewed, are available for either the Android or the iOS Operating Systems, and were considered the best of what was available on the market.
2. 2013 update: how safe is your mobile/cellular phone?
In an effort to continue to encourage awareness of the possible harmful effects of prolonged mobile/cellular phone use, we updated our review of radiation levels for a broad range of popular mobile/cellular handsets. Brands tracked were Blackberry, iPhone, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
1. Snapshot: Internet speeds and pricing update 2013
Finally, in our number one slot is our update of broadband Internet speed and pricing, which would have preceded our fifth-ranked post on Internet affordability. Similar to our Snapshot on broadband Internet affordability, we have been tracking Internet speed and spend across the Caribbean/CARICOM region for three years – since 2011. Hence were able to compare how prices and plans have changed across the region, along with which countries offered the best and worst broadband Internet service, in terms of download speed and price.
Image credits: adamr (FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
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