bob metcalfe

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This week on Crave, NASA awards a $125,000 grant to 3D-print a pizza; UCLA Health live-tweets and Vines a man as he has brain surgery; and we wish the Ethernet a happy 40th birthday. … Read more

Most people probably associate Ethernet with a simple cable cinched with phone-like jacks. But, Ethernet is so much more.

It is the foundation for global Internet access and undoubtedly the world's most-used connectivity technology. In the annals of "techdom," Ethernet is a very big deal.

"Ethernet ranks highly among those technologies that impact day-to-day life on a global basis," IEEE Standards Association writes on its Web site. "Data center networks, PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and now the smart grid, smart meters, personal medical devices, the Internet of Things, connected cars, and more -- Ethernet … Read more

In the early days of personal computing, Ethernet co-inventor Bob Metcalfe received a call from Steve Jobs, a person he didn't know, to talk about a company he had never heard of--Apple Computer. Over time, Jobs became a "hero" and sometime-collaborator.

CNET contacted Metcalfe to share his memories about Jobs, who died today, which we publish here:

Today is a sad day.

It's been 31 years since Robyn and I got married at that small white church in Woodside, but what we remember most about our wedding in 1980 is that Steve Jobs was there.

Was … Read more

PALO ALTO, California--It's hard to believe, but PARC is 40.

Known for years as Xerox PARC, the Palo Alto Research Center is now a wholly owned Xerox spin-off working for a wide variety of corporate clients after years of doing world-class R&D exclusively for the copier giant.

And on Thursday, with dozens of the research institution's alumni on hand, PARC threw itself a 40th birthday party.

For those not familiar with its accomplishments, PARC may best be remembered for its roles as the birthplace of the laser printer, the graphical user interface, Ethernet networking, and more. … Read more

The same type of innovation and entrepreneurship that built the Internet should be applied to building a smart grid for a "squanderable abundance" of cheap and clean energy. That was one of the main messages from Bob Metcalfe, co-inventor of Ethernet, during his keynote speech at the GreenNet conference on Tuesday.

The San Francisco conference was aimed at outlining a way forward for a smart grid.

Metcalfe, founder of 3Com and now a venture capitalist at Polaris Venture Partners, said energy people don't like that IT entrepreneurs are getting into their field. But, he added, it's … Read more

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Self-described "Internet tycoon" and venture capitalist Bob Metcalfe said that the world can solve global warming by transferring Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship to the plodding energy field.

Metcalfe on Monday reprised his EnerNet talk where he draws on the history of the Internet to challenge today's thinking on energy. The co-inventor of Ethernet and current clean-tech investor at Polaris Ventures spoke at the Lux Research's Executive Summit here.

Overall, Metcalfe is optimistic that technology can solve the problem of global warming, either through through new technologies or geoengineering.

But he argues that many people are … Read more

BOSTON--Bob Metcalfe thinks we'll solve global warming if we take our cue from the Internet.

Metcalfe, best known as a co-inventor of the Ethernet and now a venture capitalist at Polaris Venture Partners, on Wednesday laid out his vision of the "EnerNet," the concept of applying the lessons of building the Internet to the energy business.

Speaking at the AlwaysOn East conference here, Metcalfe said that, despite concerns of overinvestment, the growing energy technology bubble is a good thing.

"There will be many decades of bubbles ahead," he said. "There are people out there … Read more