Former President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, appearing at the tail end of a keynote address by Samsung that focused on mobile devices. Clinton urged the technologists in attendance to developoo technology that will better connect us to “bridge the remaining divides in the world.”
Clinton noted how new social media technologies have played a major role in helping to topple governments in the Arab Spring and he praised the State Departments use of social media to raise awareness of a number of issues.
“The three biggest challenges the world faces are vast chasms of iinequity and education, healthcare and access to capital, access to jobs that pay a decent living; instability on everything from the financial crisis to vulnerability on terror, and the looming crisis of climate change,” said Clinton. “None of them can be solved unless we are committed to a positive vision of shared prosperity and shared responsibilities when we meet with our challenges.”
I’m here at CES and will report on some amazing new technologies I’ve had the chance to see.