What's definitely new in Chinatown, and not present in the past is Singapore's latest national wireless network, Wireless@SG. Indeed, in the lead up to Chinese New Year in February, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) together with partners like CISCO Security, iCell, NETS Singapore and the Ministry of Education (MOE) injected some high-tech into the traditional alleys of Chinatown, with Wi-Fi signals, that enabled a host of business applications.

Those applications included ones for security, business and education. The possibilities on Wireless@SG were demonstrated during a walkabout led by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts.

iN.SG brings you on a photo-tour to see and learn about how Wireless@SG can be free, flexible and functional.

Dr Lee begins his walk at the famous Pagoda Street which is lined with antique shops and souvenir stalls. Acting as guide to Dr Lee is IDA's Deputy Director for Next Generation Wireless and Platforms Mr Ang Peng Seong.

Wireless@SG For Security:
Cisco Security demonstrated that with some wireless-enabled Web cameras, they can offer security surveillance amid the bustle of the festive period.

Two webcams ride on the available Wireless@SG network to send scenes from the street back to the CISCO Mobile Command Centre to enable security surveillance. The cameras' live links offer the additional "eyes" on the crowded ground, without the need to lay additional cables. This works together with CISCO's Track and Trace service, which can quickly identify the CISCO officers closest to the incident, to activate them for immediate action.

Such a security set-up, at similar events or venues, may help allay consumers' concerns over pickpockets or even snatch thefts that may occur.

Wireless@SG For Business:
At Bee Cheng Hiang, Group General Manager, Mr Daniel Wong, shared with Dr Lee how Wi-Fi payment devices are useful for merchants who want to offer the benefits of "cashless" convenience to their customers. With Wi-Fi, a merchant in fact has a "portable cash register" and can enjoy the flexibility of setting up a stall, or even extending his shop-front, to sell his wares without having to line additional electrical and data cables.

The commercial potential of Wireless@SG was exemplified here through NETS, Singapore's leading electronic payments provider. NETS showcased a Wi-Fi enabled payment device that extended the payment point to the entire network coverage area, making it an ideal wireless payment mode for merchants at or near heartland malls.

NETS' compact handheld device provides card-swiping, PIN entry and receipt printing functions, while complying with stringent industry security standards such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and end-to-end Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. NETS intends to leverage on this to extend its reach into the heartlands later this year.

The Minister next visited Scarlet Thread, a boutique shop specialising in custom home décor and furnishings with a distinct oriental flavour. Owner Ms Collette Tan, a private banker turned entrepreneur, also opted to implement the wireless NETS payment system to better serve her customers.

Wireless@SG For Education:
At the Chinatown Heritage Centre, Dr Lee saw a new wireless application that will let students embark on an experiential Chinese Language learning journey that is akin to an "Amazing Race", to discover and appreciate the history, traditions and culture of Chinatown. The application is being developed by the MOE and IDA.

Equipped with new technology, students will take on a specific identities and roles, for example that of early immigrants in Singapore, throughout the trail, immersing themselves in an authentic environment through which they can see, hear and feel the beauty of language and culture. This interactive learning experience is expected to be fully ready later this year.

Wireless@SG For Communications/Entertainment:
iCell, one of the Wireless@SG operators, also demonstrated how businesses can benefit from the Wireless@SG network by using Skype-based phones to make cheap or even free calls via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to both local and overseas partners.

The final stop showcased Mobile blogging – or moblog – which can be described simply as, snap, text and upload. Many bloggers today pay to use GPRS (general packet radio service) to transmit their data to their respective blogs. With Wireless@SG's free access, bloggers can capture festive moments on the go, then upload and update their blogs on the go, for friends and family abroad to see.

Facts About Wireless@SG:

Do You Know? Wireless@SG is available at the IDA's office in Suntec Tower 3. Try for yourself, the wireless service, at all the function halls and meeting rooms.

Wireless@SG is the Government's wireless broadband programme that aims to extend broadband access beyond the homes, schools and offices, to public places. IDA called a Wireless Broadband Market Development Call-For-Collaboration in March 2006, to grow Singapore's wireless broadband market and catalyse broadband adoption. It is part of the Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure which when ready by 2012, will also comprise an ultra-high speed wired network.

Till date, more than 200,000 people have subscribed to the service. The island-wide network has also expanded coverage from its initial launch of 600 Wireless@SG hot spots to 1,300 hot spots.

• To Register For An Account Now or View the Latest Coverage Areas, visit the IDA Website.

Ambassador David A. Gross, United States (US) Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy at the U.S. Department of State was in Singapore recently as a guest of the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) as part of its Distinguished Infocomm Speaker (DIS) series.

Ambassador David Gross(left with Mr Chan Yeng Kit, CEO of the IDA) from the United States Department of State touched on a wide range of ICT-related topics, including new trends and policies that have developed over the past few years

Speaking at the at the Raffles Hotel on 6 February 2007, Ambassador Gross shared that the ability to excel and adapt in a changing world will give tremendous comparative advantages, especially as the pace of change in the world promises to increase. "An enormously important characteristic of the people of both Singapore and the United States is our embrace of change - not for change's sake, but rather because of the better life such change potentially offers to all of our people," he added.

Ambassador Gross also said that he has found that trends in Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) that affect the United States are not unique. They affect all countries. The differentiating factor he has found is the response to each trend and he believes that ICT trends will lead to a common set of expectations among users around the world.

The trends that he has noticed cover areas of:

• Technology convergence;
• Policy convergence;
• The exponential impact of innovation;
• Price reductions;
• Interactive services and complementary products and as subset of this, user empowerment and self-expression.

Technology convergence is providing the world with mobile phones that receive television transmissions and cable television services that offer high speed Internet access. Additionally Ambassador Gross commented that many of the old voice carriers have gone into the television and video services business. With the convergence of technologies, the real challenge is about how much converged functionality can actually be built into one device on the hardware side and how the consumer will interface with all those functions.

Members from the audience posed questions to Ambassador Gross, asking his opinions on how changing trends and technologies will affect Asia businesses and countries

This trend of technology convergence has led to policy convergence as well, where regulators must look for ways to create an environment that encourages innovation and infrastructure investment. By doing so, they are able to best protect the interests of consumers. According to the Ambassador, they have found in the U.S. that rapid convergence in technology has strained the existing legal and regulatory structures. "Unprecedented market changes have demonstrated that what worked in the past may not be the right approach today. In the United States, we have made considerable changes to our approach, working to establish a less-regulated environment that can adapt more quickly to market changes."

According to Ambassador Gross, the Internet is the greatest facilitator for freedom of expression and innovation in the world today and the United States recognises the importance of the free flow of information and ideas on the Internet to economic development, as well as its influence in facilitating greater social and political debate.

Increased access to the Internet allows citizens to express ideas and opinions more freely, encourages the expansion of democracy and accountable government, lowers the cost of doing business, creates new jobs, and expands the provision of education, health, and government services. This is where a government's efforts taken to make its country a "knowledge hub" improved its chances of success of encouraging the free flow of information and freedom of expression. When that occurs, the exponential impact of innovation will also take place, according to Ambassador Gross.

Price reduction has allowed more people to connect to the Internet and each other more cheaply than ever before. Changes in price have allowed more people access to information and to stay connected with loved ones anywhere in the world. "The implications of this revolution in affordability and availability are truly profound - economically, socially and politically," said Ambassador Gross.

User interactive services and complementary products and the complementary trend toward user empowerment and self-expression, younger generations are embracing things like personal video, online gaming, blogging, or dating services. People are using ICT services not only to make distance less relevant, but also to create new virtual environments and new means of self-expression. For this reason, Ambassador Gross says that a great many people now view the Internet with its interactive nature almost as real space, but with the capability for personal expression - this provides interesting opportunities for economic gains, social benefits and political involvement.

Ambassador Gross said that he sees the trend of converging expectations of people coming about because the growth in ICT connectivity has allowed all of the world's users to learn about and to experience the best and the worst of the policies and practices of various governments. He added that new technologies have opened the door to remarkable innovations; and opportunities abound for all of us to advance in the global marketplace and in our human endeavours.

"I believe the achievements are greatest when the freedom to innovate and freedom of access to information are unhampered," he concluded.

For details:

• A transcript of Ambassador David Gross' speech can be found at the IDA Website.

iWhiz, Singapore's first infocomm reality game show pits young talents against each other

Singapore now has its own Apprentice-meets-Survivor reality show set in the high-tech infocomm world.

The Infocomm Development of Singapore (IDA), together with several Institutes of Higher Learning(IHLs), the Singapore Computer Society and the Singapore Science Centre, has created iWhiz, a weekly 10-episode reality series where contestants have to use their infocomm skills and knowledge to solve challenges set out each week.

Hosted by MediaCorp TV artistes Mr Julian Hee and Ms Tracy Tan, iWhiz features 12 contestants aged 15 to 21 years old, who are grouped into three teams. The challenges are developed in line with the National Infocomm Competition launched in June 2006, and revolve around popular and emerging infocomm areas such as security and networking, software programming, as well as digital media and games. The first episode that aired on 5th February at 8pm on Mediacorp TV Channel 5 saw the contestants trying to design a game that was targeted at women.

iWhiz's Chief Judge KC Lee, flanked by fellow judges Andrew Sansom and Colin Png as well as IDA's Assistant Chief Executive Mr Khoong Hock Yun, relates his account of the contestants' performances

Three resident judges were drawn from the public and private sectors. The chief judge is Mr Lee Kwok Cheong, better known as KC Lee, an infocomm veteran with vast experience in the infocomm industry and Chairman of the Infocomm Manpower Council. He is accompanied by Mr Andrew Sansom, Vice President of Singapore Computer Society and Mr Colin Png, Director, Business and Marketing Organisation from Microsoft Singapore. Each week, they will also be joined by guest judges from the IHLs who will provide the necessary subject expertise for each challenge.

Singapore's ultimate iWhiz will stand to win the ultimate iWhiz vacation - an all-expenses one-week paid trip to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, USA. The winner will meet with key Microsoft executives and researchers; as well as tour the Microsoft Home of the Future, Microsoft Centre for Information Worker and the Microsoft Museum.

In every episode, home viewers can also expect to win copies of Windows Vista Home Premium and Office 2007 by watching iWhiz and sending in their answers to questions based on the show that week.

All the iWhiz contestants gamely pose for a group shot with the judges and hosts Julian Hee and Tracy Tan

According to the judges, viewers can expect to see a broad range of human emotions during the series. "There will be laughter and tears. At times you will also see anger," said Mr Lee. There were even hints of a budding romance between some of the contestants.

The contestants who also come from a varied background all hope to make a career in infocomm. If anything, participating in iWhiz has only served to stimulate their love for infocomm. "I had a lot of fun and would love to continue in this in the future," 18 year old Mr Jasmond Loh, said.

iWhiz was developed as part of the iN2015 Masterplan to attract more youth to choose infocomm as a career. "I think that people will see that there is more to infocomm than just programming," Mr Lee said, "hopefully they will come away from this series with an understanding that infocomm can also be fun and challenging. We are hoping that more of the youth of Singapore will see what infocomm can offer them and make it their long term career choice."

For more information:

• iWhiz airs on Mondays, Channel 5, 8.00 pm-8.30 pm, MediaCorp TV. (till 16 April 2007)
• The Future is Infocomm. Be a Player. If you wish to find out more on how you can become a part of Singapore's infocomm talent, please visit talent.singaporeinfocomm.sg.