The $175 million is just another example of increased funding for rural broadband development. The promise of connecting the entire country with high-speed, reliable Internet access has never been more imminent.

Windstream, a leading national telecommunications provider, announced on Wednesday, August 5 that it would accept $175 million annually for seven years beginning in 2015 to support expanded broadband. The money comes from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with aim of providing 400,000 rural locations in17 states improved Internet access.

Will Batteries Revolutionize how Power is Produced and Used? NPR Explains...

The segment above, aired on August 3, covered energy storage on NPR and was reported with Inside Energy, a public media collaboration focusing on America's energy issues. It describes the promise of energy storage as a means to unlocking new forms of energy generation.

Backup batteries ensure that the when power goes out, the Internet stays on, and there are already millions of batteries used in these settings. These batteries will support a connected future where the cost of "downtime" grows.

For most people, the word “battery” probably makes them think first of the disheartening sight of their phone battery dying coupled with the mild panic that ensues envisioning even a few moments without the ability to connect digitally to the rest of the world. Next they would probably think of other consumer devices around their homes that either use rechargeable or disposable batteries. Between our smart phones and our cadre of consumer electronics, we are all well acquainted with the inconvenience of a dead battery. Beyond our consumer electronics devices, however, batteries play a huge role in the modern world around us that is largely out of sight and out of mind.

The Internet of Things is coming and it will affect every facet of our lives. The U.S. Government is hoping tech leaders can jump in and help.

Analysts, technology companies, researchers all agree, the next big wave of the Internet is the Internet of Things (IoT). Now lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. Government are trying to get up the learning curve and out in front of the many issues that a future filled with connected devices creates. These issues include improving interoperability between competing IoT frameworks, security and privacy as personal and commercial data proliferate, cooperation between public and private institutions advancing IoT, and the infrastructure necessary to enable IoT to grow.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced July 20 the funding including $74.8 million in telecom loans and $11 million in Community Connect grants with the goal of increasing broadband access for rural Americans in seven states. About the funding, Vilsack said “"Broadband is fundamental to expanding economic opportunity and job creation in rural areas, and it is as vital to rural America's future today as electricity was when USDA began bringing power to rural America 80 years ago.”