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In the South Bay--where almost every computer, cell phone and coffee shop is connected to the World Wide Web--it can be hard to imagine that only 15 percent of the world's population has access to the Internet.
On Nov. 9, Sunnyvale's Advanced Micro Devices was honored for its efforts to bring that figure up to 50 percent in the next decade. AMD's "50x15" program earned it a spot as one of this year's Tech Museum Award laureates.
Tony Santos, public relations manager for the Tech Museum in San Jose, said the awards ceremony has been held for five years to honor companies and organizations from around the globe that use technology to benefit humanity in the area of environment, economic development, education, health and equality.
Advanced Micro Devices unveiled 50x15 in January 2004 at the World Economic Forum. To meet its goal, it is developing technology including the personal internet communicator, a computer device with word processing, graphics and spread sheet capabilities coupled with a modem for internet access, all in a rugged, affordable package.
'We came up with the design, but we're going to work with local manufacturers around the world to create jobs and invest that money back into the communities," AMD spokeswoman Tammy Bigelow said.
AMD is hoping to use the communicator--the PIC as it is known--in such developing areas as Africa, Russia, the Caribbean and China.
Bigelow said 50x15 is the brainchild of company CEO Hector Ruiz, who grew up in Mexico and saw that developing areas can go far if the resources for advancement are provided.
The AMD project was one of five laureates in the equality category.
"It's always nice when there are local laureates," Santos said. "But it's also great to see that there are laureates from outside the Bay Area because its means innovations are going on all over the world."
In fact, there were only two local companies honored at this year's event, AMD and a group from the East Bay.
"It was incredible to be nominated; we're usually on the other side of the events as a sponsor," Bigelow said. "As a local company, it was exciting to be there."
For more information on the 50x15 program, visit www.50x15.com. For more information on the Tech Museum Awards, visit www.techawards.org.
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