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February 18, 2010

The World is Flat, but in a Different Way

New Scientist today carries a report on how scientific research is surging in areas such as the Middle East (notably Turkey and Iran), as well as in Asia, which passed North America last year in total scientific papers published. Judging by total published papers is at best a simple metric, but it indicates an important shift in knowledge production—itself an indicator of innovation overall. 

As I wrote about with regard to Chinese IT and the long-term implications of its growth, these weak signals point to a future where the roles of innovators and copiers may well shift and swap. Science and technology driven by these emerging regions will change the cultural mix of global S&T and will certainly over time take away the West's perceived birthright as the engine of global technology. Flat worlds run both ways. 

(Thanks for the link goes to @mgorbis)

Filed under  //   Asia   innovation   Iran   science   technology   Turkey  
Posted by Scott Smith 

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December 8, 2009

3G Leapfrogging in Turkey

While I was in Istanbul this past week, the number of ads for 3G USB modems I saw on the street jumped out at me, as did Turkcell's ubiquitous advertising for its 3G services. It turns out that the availability of these 3G modems, along with the netbooks that are showing up in high street shops in the major cities, are gaining significant traction. Together are enabling a new slice of Turkish consumers the ability to get online quickly and conveniently that they lacked before.

New Turkcell data suggests that 34% of its new 3G dongle buyers are first-time Internet subscribers. Having only been in the market since July, this represents strong takeup. Along with USB Wi-Fi modems (seen here from operator Avea) and other easily obtained, portable connectivity, more and more of Turkey's tech-hungry middle class will be able to get access to fast Internet services. With the difficulty in driving fixed-line broadband out to rural areas, 3G enables a classic leapfrog situation for Turks, pushing it out to smaller communities faster.

Filed under  //   3G   Avea   broadband   leapfrogging   mobile   netbooks   Turkcell   Turkey  
Posted from Lawrence, KS
Posted by Scott Smith 

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December 1, 2009

Turkey's Tech-rich Future?

Twenty-four hours in Istanbul has shown me Turkey is edging toward an advanced information economy. The city is being flooded with technology: digital TV in my taxi, competitive mobile services on offer everywhere, a flood of smartphones, dozens of slick satellite TV channels, SMS banking, mobile broadband, 3G netbooks, and electronics stores stacked the ceiling with flat-screens and every conceivable piece of consumer electronics.

This is of course against a background of per capita GDP around $8,000, and 50% of the income held by the top 20% of the population. Just last year, the EIU placed Turkey's e-readiness at 5.64 out of 10 in its index of ICT maturity. Nonetheless, a competitive market with a growing, status-seeking middle class appears to be enough of a lure for the nation's media, telecoms and product marketers to pour investment into Turkey's wires, towers and airwaves.

Like their peers elsewhere, Turkey's youth are glued to their technology , from mobiles to iPods, so much so that its has trickled up to older Turks as well. This bodes well for growing a stable technology culture, and therefore economy, in years to come. In the face of this, it will be interesting to see how top-down control of digital media, including blocking some services, will be maintained.

Filed under  //   Asia   banking   EIU   Europe   media   mobile   Turkey   TV  
Posted by Scott Smith 

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November 28, 2009

Broadband on the Bosphorus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maryjoyce/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

This week I'm headed off to Istanbul, at the heart of the 11th largest Internet market in the world. Often overlooked, Turkey is a mini-BRIC in Internet and mobile usage, with almost 26 million of its citizens having access to the Web, over 5 million of which are connected via broadband. With over 66 million mobile subscriptions, the country is on par with some of Europe's largest mobile markets. According to CGAP, Turkey is one of the most progressive mobile money markets at the moment. 

This should be a particular enlightening trip as I'm due to meet and speak with people involved with the Web and mobile media from all across Central Asia, where rapid growth is taking place across many communication channels, often against constraints ranging from expensive access to majority control of networks by governments in some countries. 

I hope to report interesting observations and indicators of change throughout the week as the trip progresses. Stay tuned.

Filed under  //   Central Asia   CGAP   Internet   mobile   money   Turkey  
Posted by Scott Smith 

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