San Jose, CA to bridge digital divide with new inclusion fund

The fund will be supported by the fees telecom companies must pay to the city to install small cells and other infrastructure for 5G deployment. 

By Chris Teale • Feb. 14, 2019

$13B data center investment will expand Google to 24 states

"2019 marks the second year in a row we'll be growing faster outside of the Bay Area than in it," CEO Sundar Pichai said in a company blog post.

By Samantha Schwartz • Feb. 14, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Smart Cities Technology and Data

Cities are increasingly looking to technology and data to address real-world issues from traffic safety to law enforcement.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

NYC mayor touts Amazon HQ2 importance while rumors indicate deal is at risk

Mayor Bill de Blasio says bringing the tech giant to the city is "mission critical," but reports indicate Amazon isn't amused by New Yorkers' negative attitudes.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 13, 2019

Senate Democrats urge rejection of T-Mobile, Sprint merger

The Senators say the $26 billion deal would stomp out innovation — including around 5G networks — and would limit options for rural customers.

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 13, 2019

Trump signs executive order to boost US-based AI development

Federal agencies are ordered to prepare workers for the growing development and use of AI through tech-forward education and training.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 12, 2019

Philadelphia releases online map of street closures

The map displays active and future closure permits, including everything from construction and utility work to temporary permits for parked moving trucks. 

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 12, 2019

With 5G, midsize cities can be more 'nimble' and 'ambitious'

Kim Zentz, CEO of living lab Urbanova, told a U.S. Senate committee that the technology could make government operations more efficient and save money.

By Chris Teale • Feb. 12, 2019

The US is catching up on 5G deployment — but equal coverage remains a headache

Members of a Senate committee heard that to truly catch up with China and South Korea, the country must work harder to close the digital divide.

By Chris Teale • Feb. 7, 2019

More evidence that drones could and should play a major role in infrastructure inspections

Researchers further solidified the idea that UAVs can inspect dams, wind turbines and other infrastructure faster and more safely than humans.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 7, 2019

Telensa launches data collection platform in Cambridge, UK

The project will use sensors installed on streetlights to gather video and radar feeds, with the data collected in a Microsoft Azure-built database.

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 6, 2019

The Grid initiative launches in NYC to encourage cooperation in urban tech

Organizers — including the city's economic development arm and CIV:LAB — hope this new initiative will help foster community between tech companies.

By Chris Teale • Feb. 6, 2019

Amazon wins patent for package pickup on public buses

The offering is aimed at customers forgoing home delivery, creating a more convenient, alternative package pick-up location.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 6, 2019

Report: NYC trumps San Francisco as top tech city

An index of the top global cities by real estate firm Savills found New York ranks highly due to its available investment capital and a large workforce.

By Chris Teale • Feb. 5, 2019

Philadelphia establishes SmartCityPHL roadmap, advisory committee

The initiative was originally established in 2017 and has been supported by a $200,000 investment from the Knight Foundation.

By Kristin Musulin • Feb. 5, 2019

Houston welcomes MassChallenge accelerator to spur startup innovation

The accelerator will support up to 25 early-stage startups through a zero-equity, six-week boot camp this summer.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 1, 2019

Report: San Antonio could be 'global industry leader' in cybersecurity, IT

The city's economic development arm says jobs in those fields will see a double digit jump in demand over the next five years, though many positions are currently unfilled.

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 1, 2019

San Francisco advances ban on facial recognition tech

As the city moves forward on its "Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance," nearby Oakland is also considering prohibiting the use of the technology. 

By Jason Plautz • Updated May 8, 2019

Waze installs beacons in NYC tunnels to improve navigation

The Bluetooth-enabled beacons help Waze focus on "leveraging technology to promote road safety," according to Gil Disatnik, head of Waze Beacons.

By Jason Plautz • Jan. 30, 2019

How connected devices are driving a new wave of data center construction

While demand for massive data centers is subsiding, smaller facilities with better geographic spread will need to come online to support video streaming, smart devices, 5G and more, says DPR Construction's Tom Maples.

By Kathleen Brown • Jan. 30, 2019

Coursera, University of Toronto partner on AV education course

The online learning giant will offer a four-part course to teach people about self-driving systems in an effort to democratize AV research.

By Chris Teale • Jan. 30, 2019

Uber commits $300K to Bay Area tech training programs

The company will donate cash, office space and volunteers to nonprofits DevMission, Code Tenderloin, and Opportunities for All.

By Jason Plautz • Jan. 29, 2019

MIT, Microsoft develop model to target AI 'blind spots'

Researchers said helping systems identify and correct knowledge gaps will allow driverless cars to react more safely to unfamiliar situations.

By Jason Plautz • Jan. 29, 2019

The hype cools on 5G — but the revolution is still coming

Presentations on the wireless upgrade underwhelmed many at CES, but it remains an essential consideration when developing strategies around the next generation of consumer technology.

By Peter Adams • Jan. 29, 2019

How NYU's smart city-focused institute is helping mayors learn and engage

A collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors is helping give city leaders a bigger role in innovation, where the private sector once dominated.

By Chris Teale • Jan. 28, 2019

FCC's 5G order faces further scrutiny in courts, Congress

The order to streamline deployment of small cell infrastructure came into effect this morning, but is being challenged legally and legislatively.

By Chris Teale • Jan. 25, 2019