Super Bowl XLV is proving to be one of the most tech-friendly in recent memory.

The Wisconsin Technology Council and Pittsburgh Technology Council have placed a lighthearted wager on the event, each offering tech products related to its state technologies.

Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology council, is wagering “Jam City Rollergirls, a video game produced for Nintendo Wii users by Green Bay’s Frozen Codebase; a gallon of “green gasoline” produced by Virent Energy Systems of Madison; a case of Leinenkugel’s beer; and a selection of cheeses.”

The Dallas Cowboys’ stadium is prepared for the event with a 5,000-square-foot data center and “500 HP servers tucked away in a massive server room 22 feet below land level still almost 30 feet above field level.”

Technological perks for fans attending include extra signal power from “every major carrier, including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and Metro PCS,” along with free Wi-Fi to to ensure every bragging or booing Facebook status or tweet is posted.

Fans can also bring their IPad to take advantage of the NFL’s official Super Bowl app, featuring virtual 3-D navigation of Cowboys Stadium.

Read more: Wisconsin, Pittsburgh have tech-friendly Super Bowl wager
Cowboys Stadium Techs Up for Super Bowl Close-Up

At Wired Wisconsin we often stress the importance of more commonly known technology issues like the need for broadband deployment, utilizing technology in the classroom to improve education and social media for collaboration. But Wisconsin’s long and rich history as being a place to find world-class agriculture demonstrates that technology really does come in all forms.  It’s not always in a high tech laboratory; often it’s on the farm.   Agriculture has always been an important and cherished part of our state’s way of life, and technological improvements have been key to sustaining this tradition.  The farming industry like any other seeks to better utilize technology to increase agricultural production and quality. It’s important to instill this innovative spirit, this thirst for understanding how technology makes our lives easier in our youth so they can continue our agricultural legacy for generations to come.

 That’s why we’re excited to see that the University of Wisconsin River Falls is hosting its 50^th annual Agricultural Technology Contest for high school students on March 27.  Students will compete in categories like food science and technology, agricultural mechanics, and several other areas.

This is a good way for students to use technology creatively to make farm work more efficient and productive. We think this is a great investment in our Wisconsin youth and ag tech advancement.  We look forward to seeing what these future Wisconsin leaders can do!

Link: http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=296

This week, we at Wired Wisconsin were able to see the months of hard work come to fruition, with our first coalition event: Government 2.0: Utilizing Social Media called a success by many of the attendees who ranged from legislators and their staffers to 9 government agencies.

The purpose of this event was to get the conversation started about the importance of government officials and agencies incorporating social media into their current communications plan. It is Wired Wisconsin’s position that social media provides greater opportunities for outreach, education, and collaboration between government and citizens.

For many of us, we look to our favorite social media channels as a “one stop shop” for all of our information needs. We expect that we can go to our Facebook or Twitter pages and find all the latest news, events, and issues.

Wendy Soucie does a good job summing up what was discussed here.

There were  great questions and comments. The event which was supposed to take no longer than hour, ran almost 45 minutes over as we tried to answer and address everyone’s concerns about incorporating social media. A lively discussion to be sure!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended!

Join the Discussion about Wisconsin’s Role in Wireless Technology Thursday, February 26, 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin . Check out the MobileFuture Event Flyer: http://www.wiredwisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/mobilefuture-event-flyer.pdf.

The 2008 New North Summit, a gathering of business leaders and economic development officials in Northeast Wisconsin, will feature breakout sessions that promote business practices featuring Web 2.0 applications and services, and provide information on how to effectively use those websites.

Katie Felten, a LinkedIn expert that hold a monthly “LinkedIn 101″ class, will provide demonstrations on using the business networking site and discuss ways that business leaders and employees can use the service to their advantage.

Cd Vann, creator of SoHoBizTube, will discuss the benefits of and strategies for using viral marketing, social networking, and word of mouth marketing to promote, brand, and position products and services for businesses in the New North.

The Summit is being held on December 8 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, and more information is available at www.thenewnorth.com.