Life 2.0: Going global was never easier
The last time this column appeared, the subject was GPS and geocaching, and the response was amazing. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been so amazing and that put a serious damper on plans to do some follow-up work with the help of the Life 2.0 community. With the return of the sun I’ll revisit the topic – I promise.
I’m going global today, but in a totally different way. With all the recent protests over human rights in China making international news during the Olympic torch relay, I started thinking about how the Internet, right from the get-go, had transformed how I consumed news.
Altavista‘s online Babelfish translator (babelfish.altavista.com) taking Le Monde from French to English was like magic in the late ‘90s.
For me, that desire to hear other perspectives hasn’t decreased, and the Web has made it easier than ever. The vantage point technology provides today is remarkable.
I have a perfect case study. During the relay riots in Paris last week, the New York Times Web site (nytimes.com) ran a picture of the seemingly unlit torch as it was loaded onto a bus. Contrast that with the English news site ( www.xinhuanet.com/english) of Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency, which featured the headline “Olympic torch relay in Paris concludes” with a picture of a smiling sea of Chinese supporters.
Using Google’s translator (translate.google.com) to read the Chinese version of the Xinhua article shows an even more skewed view of America and the outside world. What a difference a little variation makes.
WatchingAmerica.com takes a more human approach to a similar task. Literally, the site uses real flesh-and-blood humans to translate news articles about America from international foreign-language news sources into English. The effect is spectacular. Looking for a Chilean perspective on the proposed free trade agreement with Colombia? They’ve got it – and the sentiments might surprise you.
One last news tool that I can’t help but steal a look at every now and then is the Newsmap (marumushi.com/apps/ newsmap). Basically, it looks like a whole mess of headlines crushed together in color-coded and scaled boxes, but what’s great is it visually translates the activity of news topics on the Web. I can’t do it justice, so be sure to look it up.
Take the next two weeks to gather some international perspective and let me know what pops onto your radar.
This column is an interactive experience, so feel free to send ideas and stories of technology in everyday life. Heard a great podcast, found a great tool or read a smart blog?