50家本年度最睿智公司麻州佔5家，中國有4家

麻省理工學院科技評論雜誌（MIT Technology Review）今（21）日宣佈了本年度的50家最睿智公司。

打入名單的有應用數位科技重新定義企業的亞馬遜（Amazon），字母（Alphabet）等大公司，，也有在科技上作了改變的微軟（Microsoft），博許（Bosch），豐田（Toyota），英代爾（Intel）等公司。其他還有野心勃勃的初創公司，包括在容許消費者使用DNA檢測的123及我，重新發明電池科技的24M，在中國市場上打敗Uber，僅面市4年的共乘車輛應用程式公司Didi Chuxing（滴滴出行）。

排名第一的是亞馬遜，總部在美國華盛頓州西雅圖市的上市公司，估值3370億元。

亞馬遜去年就因為在完單中心使用機械人而打入名單，今年則是因為該公司在使用Alexa語音服務上，令人驚詫的成功，以及該公司持續成長的睿智設備應用，例如亞馬遜回音（Amazon Echo)，回音點（Echo Dot），以及Tap等。Alexa使得上網搜尋，播放音樂，調節燈光或溫度都變得更容易，只要在家裡發語音指令就行了。亞馬遜網絡服務（Amazon Web Services）這雲運算操作，不但成了業界領頭羊，也成為該公司成長最快，最盈利的部門。

亞馬遜的Echo Dot只賣89.99元，是使用Alexa語音服務的最廉宜設備。

排名第二的是百度。總部在中國北京，估值550億元。

百度在核心業務的網路搜索，銷售之外，在語音辨認及對話介面上有值得人注意的成就。在2015年時，百度宣佈發展語音辨識工程，稱為深度演講2（Deep Speech 2），應用深度學習來辨識口說語言，有時比人還聽得準確。百度做人工智慧研究，既改善產品、服務，也使得該公司面對阿里巴巴，騰訊時，更有競爭力。百度還積極角逐自動化汽車市場，在矽谷設立了一個小組來帶領電腦視覺，機械人及傳感器的研究及工程。

百度計劃年底之前，在加州聘用100多名自動化汽車研究員及工程師。

排名第三的是總部在加州聖地牙哥，估值200億元的生物科技公司Illumina。

Illumina是全世界最大的脫氧核糖核酸（DNA）檢測公司，希望在診斷疾病上拓展該公司的科技角色。今年Illumina組成了一家新公司，發展費用低於一千元的血液測驗，能夠在徵狀出現前測出許多種癌症，大幅度增加了患者存活率。這家分裂出來的公司，名叫Grail，由妻子因直腸癌去世的谷歌前資深高管Jeff Huber領導。這種測試概念稱為“液態活體組織切片（Liquid Biopsy），用Illumina的高速檢測機器，來找癌細胞在人血中釋放出來的DNA碎片。

百度去年的營業額達到22億元，較之前一年增加了19%。

排名第四的是總部設在加州柏拉阿圖（Palo Alto），估值280議員的特斯拉（Tesla）汽車公司。

排名第五的是賓州匹茲堡Aquion能源公司。

麻州佔了10%。這50家公司中有5家在麻州，包括劍橋市的24M，Editas Medicine，Seven Bridges，勒星頓鎮的T2Biosystems，丹佛市的Veritas Genetics。

座落在中國的有4家，包括同在中國深圳的華為，騰訊，以及在北京的滴滴出行，在杭州的阿里巴巴。

在前五名之外，其他打入名單的公司，依序為，在以色列耶路撒冷的電腦通訊公司Mobileye，在加州山景的生物科技公司23andMe，谷歌母公司Alphabet，在賓州費城的生物科技公司Spark Therapeutics，在中國深圳的電腦通訊公司華為（Huawei），在亞利桑納州天普（Tempe）的第一太陽能（First Solar），在加州聖塔克拉拉的電腦通訊公司Nvidia，在紐約州紐約市的生物科技公司Cellectis，在加州舊金山的生物科技公司Enlitic，在加州蒙羅公園的臉書（Facebook），在加州Hawthorne的運輸公司SpaceX，在日本豐田是的豐田（Toyota），在加州舊金山的電腦通訊公司Airware，在以色列Kadima的能源公司IDE 科技，在中國深圳的騰訊（Tencent），在中國北京的滴滴出行（Didi Chuxing），在英國牛津的生物科技公司Oxford Nanopore，在麻州劍橋市的能源公司24M，在中國杭州的網路及數位媒體公司阿里巴巴，在紐約的生物科技公司Bristol-Myers Squibb，在華盛頓州雷蒙（Redmond）的微軟（Microsoft），在日本Oshino-mura的電腦通訊公司Fanuc，在德國Wildpoldsried的能源公司Sonnen，在英國倫敦的電腦通訊公司Improbable，在加州聖荷西的電腦通訊公司Movidius，在馬里蘭州德國城的生物科技公司Intrexon，在加州雷蒙（Redmond）的能源公司Carbon，在德國Stuttgart的運輸公司Bosch，在麻州勒星頓鎮的生物科技公司T2Biosystems，在麻州劍橋市的生物科技公司Editas Medicine，在瑞士Vevey的生物科技公司Nestle，在密西根州Ann Arbor的生物科技公司RetroSense Therapeutics，在日本東京的網路及數位媒體公司Line, Subsidiary of Naver，在英國倫敦的運算及通訊公司TransferWise，在麻州丹佛的生物科技公司Veritas Genetics，在加州Milpitas的電腦通訊公司Fire Eye，在麻州劍橋市的電腦通訊公司Seven Bridges，在加州舊金山的電腦通訊公司Slack，在南韓首爾(Seoul)的網路及數位媒體公司Coupang，在紐約Armonk的電腦通訊公司IBM，在加州洛杉磯的網路及數位媒體公司Snapchat，在奈及利亞Lagos的網路及數位媒體公司Africa Internet Group，在紐約的電腦通訊公司LittleBits，在加州聖塔克拉拉的電腦通訊公司Intel，以及在密蘇里聖路易斯的生物科技公司Monsanto。

紐英崙中華資訊網路協會慶廿週年 創辦人回巢

左起，容志誠，陳五福，吳錦城，宋利偉的代表郭明，許基康，邱瑞賢，尹南鷹，王雷的兒子，王義明，陸德禮，寧可，陳君瑤，沈心焯，洪銘勝，鄭茹，王振榕。（周菊子攝）

前排右起，陳五福，容志誠，吳錦城夫婦，何曙光，高玲平。後排
左起，尹南鷹，寧可，陳君瑤，沈珊，王義明。（周菊子攝）

            (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州伯靈頓鎮報導) 紐英崙中華資訊網路協會（NECINA）上週末在麻州伯靈頓鎮萬豪酒店（Marriott）探討“科技及生活品質”，慶祝成立廿週年，展望未來要拓展關注層面，加強培育年輕世代。

網協兩名榮譽主席陳五福（右），吳錦城（左）憶想廿年前的合作，
開懷而笑。（周菊子攝）

            會上，均已遷居加州的兩名網協創會前輩期許未來。創辦人陳五福希望朝四方面努力，一追蹤業界趨勢，二改善生活、健康品質，三拓展關注層面，四期許網協將來成為“創業者的偉哥”，能夠增強人們的創業慾望，表現及滿意度。榮譽主席吳錦城期盼以整體社會為著眼點，加強培育年輕世代。

在大波士頓華人專業社團中，網協是規模最大，組織力最強的組織之一。創辦人陳五福從“瀑布（Cascade）通訊”開始，一連創辦了Cameo通訊，Xinwei電信等十幾家公司，幾乎一半以上的出售或併購價都數以億元計，吳錦城創辦的”箭點“也被思科（Cisco）以60億美金收購等事蹟，一直都讓網協頭頂光環，會員們向心力極強。

左起，尹南鷹夫婦，陳君瑤，王振榕，許基康夫婦，杜星望，邱瑞賢
舉杯慶祝網協廿歲生日。（周菊子攝）

            廿年來的歷任會長，除了已過世的宋利偉由妻子代表，人在中國的王雷由兒子代表，以及未克出席的余鴻，陶東斌之外，許基康，邱瑞賢，尹南鷹，王義明，陸德禮，寧可，陳君瑤，沈心焯，洪銘勝，鄭茹，王振榕等歷任會長，當晚全都在座，和創會時就已加入的李秀貞，章學原，沈珊，歐陽翊，杜星望等共二百多名會員，駐紐約總領事館科技參贊邢繼俊等到賀者同歡，場面十分溫馨。

網攜歷屆會長、嘉賓舉杯同慶。（周菊子攝）

網攜會長王振榕（右）卸任，田田接任。（周菊子攝）

6月18日下午，網協還為年會舉辦了講座，安排該會榮譽主席吳錦城，現任主席容志誠，IDG-Accel中國成長基金創辦人周全，NetBrain創辦人高玲平，會鴿（EventDove）創辦人常軍，Aldephic Mobile創辦人林淑華（Jennifer Lum)，MNL合夥人Mathew Nordan，麻州創新夜創辦人Bobbie Carlton等8名講者，從不同角度闡述“科技和生活品質“。晚上的頒獎晚會由陸德禮，李天舒，沈心焯主持。

會上的頒獎，包括創辦人陳五福頒獎給榮譽主席吳錦城，董事會主席榮智成頒獎給卸任會長王振榕，青少年創業項目執行任鄭敏等人。

許基康夫婦（左）邀Empatica創辦人，MIT媒體實驗室教授Rosalind
W. Picard夫婦出席網協廿週年慶。（周菊子攝）

麻省理工學院媒體實驗室教授，Empatica公司創辦人Rosalind W. Picard在投資人許基康邀請下，擔任晚會主講人，介紹Empatica所發展，可偵測，分析人類情緒，在疾病發生前預作防治準備的新技術。

            網協會長王振榕當晚做年度報告後交棒，副會長田田接任、升正。

網協幹部合影。（周菊子攝）

網攜早年幹部合影。（周菊子攝）

網攜主席容志誠（左）頒獎給卸任會長王振榕。（周菊子攝）

網攜美女走旗袍秀。（周菊子攝）

中國駐紐約總領事館科技參贊邢繼俊致詞。（周菊子攝）

寧可（左起），王義明等人跳天鵝舞。（周菊子攝）

網攜青少年創業項目參與者。

網協幹部合影。

北美中華醫學會的錢志榮（右起），朱正倫，倪健，范曉舵等人和KPMG
合夥人麥永芬（左二）等人都是網協廿週年慶嘉賓。（周菊子攝）

MAYOR WALSH TO RECOGNIZE JUNE AS ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH

MAYOR WALSH TO RECOGNIZE JUNE AS  ALZHEIMER'S  AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH

BOSTON - Tuesday, June 21, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh will recognize June as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month with an event on City Hall Plaza on Wednesday, June 22. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m, and Mayor Walsh will attend to meet with organizers and observe a moment of silence to honor those living with Alzheimer's disease. Staff from the Elderly Commission and the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter will invite the public to wear purple and write a purple message of hope and remembrance on the "Reason to Hope" chalkboards. They will also be hosting a table with resources for residents with Alzheimer's and their caregivers, providing information and signing people up for the Greater Boston Walk to End Alzheimer's in September. Nationwide, more than five million people are living with Alzheimer's disease, including 10,000 Boston residents that live with the disease.

MASSACHUSETTS CONSUMERS TO RECEIVE NEARLY $9 MILLION IN REFUNDS FROM E-BOOK PRICE FIXING SETTLEMENTS

MASSACHUSETTS CONSUMERS TO RECEIVE NEARLY $9 MILLION IN REFUNDS FROM E-BOOK PRICE FIXING SETTLEMENTS Consumers Nationwide to Receive $400 Million as a Result of Successful Litigation against Apple, Inc.

BOSTON – Massachusetts residents who purchased electronic books (E-books) will begin to receive additional account credits or checks this week as a result of the successful prosecution of a price-fixing case against Apple, Inc., Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

In total, consumers nationwide will receive more than $400 million after the United States Supreme Court denied Apple’s request to review the decision of a lower court finding Apple had violated antitrust laws. Of that amount, Massachusetts consumers are expected to receive approximately $9 million in restitution.

“Consumers who were forced to pay higher prices as a result of the price-fixing and collusion among these competitors will finally get the relief they are due,” AG Healey said.  “This outcome sends a clear message that these kinds of practices are unfair to consumers and violate our antitrust laws.”

In July 2013, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Apple conspired with five major U.S. Publishers - Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers LLC, Simon & Schuster Inc., Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC, d/b/a Macmillan, and Penguin Group (USA) Inc. – to raise the retail prices of E-books, in violation of federal and state antitrust laws.

In June 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed that ruling. And in March 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Apple’s request to review the Second Circuit’s decision.

The nearly $9 million in restitution is in addition to the approximately $5 million dollars that was paid to Massachusetts consumers starting in March 2014 as a result of previous settlements with Macmillan, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C., and Simon & Schuster Inc.

Whether a consumer receives a credit or a check depends upon the retailer from which the relevant e-books were purchased; for some retailers it also depends upon whether a claim was properly filed or whether the consumer specifically requested a check. Eligible consumers are asked to review emails from their e-book retailer, or from the Settlement Administrator, regarding account credits or checks.   

The amounts received by E-book purchasers will be based on the number of E-books purchased between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012. For each E-book that was a New York Times bestseller, consumers will receive $6.93. For all other E-books, the payment will be $1.57.

For more information on the settlements, please visit www.ebookagsettlements.com.

This case was handled by William Matlack, Chief of Maura Healey’s Antitrust Division and Kyle Barr, Paralegal and Economic Analyst, also in the Antitrust Division.

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $28 Million in Community Development Block Grants

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $28 Million in Community Development Block Grants

57 communities set to receive flexible funding for housing, infrastructure and community services

BOSTON – Today the Baker-Polito Administration awarded 34 Community Development Block Grants, totaling $28 million, to a total of 57 cities and towns across the Commonwealth. The Community Development Block Grant program provides competitive funding that allows municipalities to pursue economic development projects, and support the needs of low- and moderate-income residents.

“Our assistance to municipalities is most effective when it provides flexibility to directly support their established goals,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Community Development Block Grants provide for investment in wide-ranging improvements that will bring long-term, positive impacts in these communities.”

This year’s Community Development Block Grant awards will allow municipalities across Massachusetts to redevelop housing and local infrastructure, and provide for a variety of social services, including childcare assistance, elder services and domestic violence prevention programs.    

“Residents across the Commonwealth will see marked improvements in the livability of their communities through these Community Development Block Grant awards,”said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These awards will help further progress at the local level, and allow municipalities to pursue a bright future for their community.”

The CDBG awards this year will support numerous efforts to support and improve access to housing and services across the Commonwealth. Funds will provide for housing rehabilitation for almost 300 units, along with infrastructure improvements across communities. Awards will also support improvements to a community center in North Adams, provide youth leadership, family literacy and elder services to families in Montague, facility improvements to West Springfield’s Boys and Girls Club, fund a fuel assistance program in Winchendon and Ashby, among many other projects.

“Ensuring municipalities have the resources to invest in housing, infrastructure and social services is crucial to the future of Massachusetts,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Community Development Block Grants directly support economic growth and community development and empower communities to tackle challenges with home-grown solutions.”

“The Community Development Block Grant program provides flexible funding that complements local aid and increases coordinated local action,” said Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development Chrystal Kornegay. “Continued, comprehensive partnerships between the state and municipalities are vital to meet the Commonwealth’s needs for affordable housing and our shared vision of a livable, affordable Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts’ Community Development Block Grant Program is a federally funded, competitive grant program designed to help small cities and towns meet a broad range of community development needs. Assistance is provided to qualifying cities and towns for housing, community, and economic development projects that assist low and moderate-income residents, or by revitalizing blighted areas.

Project Awards and Descriptions:

ABINGTON and WHITMAN will receive $800,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 20 units of housing, and to support a food pantry.

AMESBURY and MERRIMAC will receive $967,953 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 20 units of housing, and for food pantry support and emergency homelessness services.

AMHERST will receive $825,000 for Boltwood Walk accessibility improvements, Health Center HVAC improvements, Housing Authority modernization projects, and to provide services related to homelessness, after-school and literacy programming, youth mentoring and family stabilization.

ATHOL will receive $593,022 for infrastructure improvements to Grove and Main Streets, and to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing.

BERNARDSTON, ROWE and GILL will receive $1,000,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 18 units of housing, and to provide a fuel assistance program.

CHELSEA will receive $825,000 for improvements to Hawthorne Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, code enforcement, a housing study and social service assistance to include after school/summer programs, ESOL, homelessness prevention and citizenship training.

CHESTERFIELD, CUMMINGTON, GOSHEN, PERU, PLAINFIELD, WESTHAMPTON and WORTHINGTON will receive $894,110 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 13 units of housing, and to provide childcare assistance, elder services and a food pantry.

CLINTON will receive $749,635 for infrastructure improvements to Nelson Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, and to provide elder services.

DENNIS will receive $825,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 17 units of housing, childcare vouchers for approximately 50 families, and financial literacy training.

EASTHAMPTON will receive $800,000 to provide improvements in the Admiral Street neighborhood, and for housing rehabilitation assistance for 3 units of housing.

EDGARTOWN, WEST TISBURY and GOSNOLD will receive $805,714 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 15 units of housing, and childcare vouchers to approximately 30 families.

EVERETT will receive $825,000 for public facilities infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing, microenterprise assistance to 8 businesses, and social service assistance to include elder self-sufficiency, homelessness prevention, ESOL, youth services and a food pantry.

FAIRHAVEN will receive $695,551 for Housing Authority parking improvements, and infrastructure design services.

GARDNER will receive $825,000 for public facilities improvements, housing rehabilitation for 3 units of housing, downtown planning services, and to support homebuyer education and job training and domestic violence services.

GREENFIELD will receive $825,000 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, infrastructure improvements to School Street, and to support a food pantry, youth and elder services.

HARDWICK will receive $796,836 for infrastructure improvements to Prospect and Broad Streets, municipal building accessibility improvement design, and domestic violence prevention services.

HOLBROOK and ROCKLAND will receive $710,496 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 16 units of housing, and to provide a fuel assistance program.

HUNTINGTON, MIDDLEFIELD and CHESTER will receive $753,226 for infrastructure improvements to Pleasant Street, a senior center feasibility study, housing rehabilitation assistance for 7 units of housing, and to provide senior services, adult education, a food pantry and domestic violence prevention services.

METHUEN will receive $812,825 for sidewalk improvements in the Arlington neighborhood, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, and to support adult literacy, youth services, elder services and childcare assistance.

MONTAGUE will receive $816,263 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 4 units of housing, lighting improvements to Avenue A, and to provide youth leadership, family literacy and elder services.

NORTH ADAMS will receive $825,000 for improvements to a community center, park improvements, a historic properties inventory, and social services.

OAK BLUFFS and TISBURY will receive $782,495 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 15 units of housing, and childcare vouchers for approximately 55 families.

PALMER will receive $807,862 for infrastructure improvements to Stewart Street, to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 4 units of housing, and to support financial literacy and domestic violence prevention services.

SHEFFIELD and GREAT BARRINGTON will receive $923,983 to provide housing rehabilitation for 14 units of housing, Sheffield Town Hall accessibility improvements, and design for new sidewalks and for circulation, drainage, and parking capacity improvements at the Housatonic Community Center.

SHELBURNE, BUCKLAND and COLRAIN will receive $961,382 for improvements to North Street (Buckland), to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing, and to support a food pantry.

SOUTHBRIDGE will receive $825,000 for infrastructure improvements at Overland Street, to support the rehabilitation of a public building, and for commercial rehabilitation assistance for 3 signage and awning upgrades in the downtown target area.

SOUTHWICK and GRANVILLE will receive $900,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, infrastructure improvements at Veteran Street, and a food pantry.

TRURO, PROVINCETOWN and WELLFLEET will receive $756,952 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 12 units of housing, and childcare vouchers for approximately 33 families.

WARE will receive $800,000 for infrastructure improvements to Prospect Street, for design services for Bank and Spring Street improvements, and to support for domestic violence prevention services.

WAREHAM will receive $825,000 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, for a slum and blight study for Onset, for street design at Wareham Village, and to support for a food pantry, homelessness prevention, at-risk youth, and domestic violence and transportation services.

WARREN, HARDWICK and WARE will receive $724,000 for School Street neighborhood design, housing rehabilitation assistance for 14 units of housing, and for support services related to adult education, community health, and domestic violence prevention.

WEBSTER will receive $825,000 for infrastructure improvements to Tracy Court and Davis Street, and for housing rehabilitation assistance for 10 units of housing.

WEST SPRINGFIELD will receive $825,000 for improvements to Memorial Playground, housing rehabilitation assistance for 11 units of housing, code enforcement, Boys and Girls Club facility improvements, and support for services related to family self-sufficiency and homebuyer programs, ESOL, camp scholarships and Head Start.

WINCHENDON and ASHBY will receive $1,000,000 for improvements to Walnut Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 12 units of housing, and for a fuel assistance program.