Google Inc launched an open data platform yesterday to share information on natural disasters in Taiwan such as typhoons and floods, with the aim of building the country into a model area for the cloud computing-based system.
Taiwan is the second Asian country to adopt the platform in partnership with government authorities after a similar launch in Japan in March this year, Google Taiwan managing director Chien Lee-feng (簡立峰) said.
“This represents Google’s commitment to Taiwanese users and shows the government’s efforts to release open data and build a more localized crisis response system,” Chien said at a press conference to announce the platform.
Photo: CNA
For example, when a typhoon strikes Taiwan, people will be able to access the platform through Google Maps or Google Search services on computers or mobile devices to find information such as the typhoon path, affected areas and nearby places of refuge.
Users can also share disaster information on social network sites such as Facebook or Google Plus, Google said.
“As Taiwan heads into another typhoon season, the need for reliable and easily accessible information about where the next storm will hit and how to stay safe has never been more important. That’s why we’re launching Google Public Alerts and a dedicated Google Crisis Map for Taiwan,” the global search engine giant said in a blog. “Starting today, relevant severe weather alerts for typhoons and flood-related events in Taiwan will appear on the Google Public Alerts page as well as on Google Search, Google Maps and Google Now.”
The data will be provided by government agencies including the Central Weather Bureau, the Water Resources Agency, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, the Directorate General of Highways and the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction.
Minister Without Portfolio Simon Chang (張善政), a former Google executive, said at the press conference that with this crisis response platform, the government expects to help more people avoid the upheaval brought by natural disasters.
He said that Google and the government are also working on an open data system for earthquake information that will be integrated into the crisis alert platform in the future.
Taiwan would remain in the same international network for carrying out cross-border payments and would not be marginalized on the world stage, despite jostling among international powers, central bank Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) said yesterday. Yang made the remarks during a speech at an annual event organized by Financial Information Service Co (財金資訊), which oversees Taiwan’s banking, payment and settlement systems. “The US dollar will remain the world’s major cross-border payment tool, given its high liquidity, legality and safe-haven status,” Yang said. Russia is pushing for a new cross-border payment system and highlighted the issue during a BRICS summit in October. The existing system
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to grow its revenue by about 25 percent to a new record high next year, driven by robust demand for advanced technologies used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications and crypto mining, International Data Corp (IDC) said yesterday. That would see TSMC secure a 67 percent share of the world’s foundry market next year, from 64 percent this year, IDC senior semiconductor research manager Galen Zeng (曾冠瑋) predicted. In the broader foundry definition, TSMC would see its market share rise to 36 percent next year from 33 percent this year, he said. To address concerns
Intel Corp chief financial officer Dave Zinsner said that a formal separation of the company’s factory and product development divisions is an open question that would be decided by the chipmaker’s next leader. Zinsner, who is serving as interim co-CEO following this month’s ouster of Pat Gelsinger, made the remarks on Thursday at the Barclays technology conference in San Francisco alongside co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus. Intel’s struggles to keep pace with rivals — along with its deteriorating financial condition — have spurred speculation that the next CEO would make dramatic changes. That has included talk of a split of the company’s manufacturing
PROTECTIONISM: The tariffs would go into effect on Jan. 1 and are meant to protect the US’ clean energy sector from unfair Chinese practices, the US trade chief said US President Joe Biden’s administration plans to raise tariffs on solar wafers, polysilicon and some tungsten products from China to protect US clean energy businesses. The notice from the Office of US Trade Representative (USTR) said tariffs on Chinese-made solar wafers and polysilicon would rise to 50 percent from 25 percent and duties on certain tungsten products would increase from zero to 25 percent, effective on Jan. 1, following a review of Chinese trade practices under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. The decision followed a public comment period after the USTR said in September that it was considering
RSS