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New Technology is a course that is offered at Reykjavík University this spring, starting 12th of January.  The objective of this course is to look at innovations and technology trends, learn from history, and using theories of innovations to see lessons and try to see patterns so we can evaluate new technology currently emerging and interpret the impact. The world is constantly changing. One of the major factors of change is technology. Businesses that have solid business models suddenly find themselves struggling as consumer behavior changes. Applying good management practices may not be enough. Most companies fail because they resist changes and don’t adapt quickly enough to technological disruptions. Technology is what drives businesses, provides growth and new opportunities.

For more information see New Technology Course Description.

In this first lecture the we look at some stories of how technology has disrupted companies and transformed industries. We also look at state of technology now as we are in the second decade of the 21st century.

The Internet grew out of US efforts to build the ARPANET, a network of peer computers built during the cold war. The two major players were military and academia. The military wanted to build a robust network that could survive attacks, and the academia for economic reasons. Computers were expensive so sharing them in a network was desired.

The network was simple and based on a revolutionary idea: packet switching. Any content is broken into packets that are sent over the network and then assembled on the other end. Each packet is routed through number of computers connected together. No effort was put into security or social responsibility. The early Internet community was mainly highly educated and respectable scientist.

In this lecture I cover the brief history of this global network:

1969-1995 Computer Networking: Simple network run by pioneers. Most users were academics or scientist.

1995-2000 Commercialisation and Growth: Enter the ISPs and the public.

2000-2005 Stretching the Limit: New applications, peer-to-peer communication and digital media.

2005-2010 Reinventing the Network: The New Internet emerges, with Web 2.0 and new businesses that are built on the web.

2010-2015 The App Internet, Smart and Local: Mobile takes over the internet

In the early 1990s the World Wide Web, a hypertext system is introduced, and soon browsers start to appear, leading the commercialization of Net. New businesses emerge and a technology boom known as the dot-com era.

Now 45 years after the first nodes were connected, the network continues to be stretched. Problems such as spam, viruses, antisocial behaviour, and demands for more content are prompting reinvention of the Net and threatening its neutrality. Add to this government efforts to regulate and limit the network.

In this lecture we look at the Internet and the impact of the network. We will also look at the future of the Internet.

Lecture L16 A World Wide Network, part 1:

Part 2:

Slides:

The next edition of my New Technology course starts 13th of January 2014. This is a course that I have developed over the last few years. Despite the title, the course is not so much about the latest gadgets, iPhones and iPads, Google or Facebook, but about people and how they behave when using technology. Like previous years, the course is open to anyone, both online and attending lecture. If you decide to follow this course and even participate, here’s what the the 2014 edition will look like.

New Technology 2014 Course Description

I want to change the way my students think about technology. We may take things for granted but the study of technology evolution is actually a fascinating one. So much are we depended on technology that we don’t even realise that our very existence is based on technology. In fact the definition of the term may be a surprise when you start to think about it.

Here is the official trailer for the 2014 edition of the course:

You are welcome to attend any lecture. They are in room M106