Anyone who knows me knows that I am a computer geek. I love my computer. I love my laptop. And I love my iPad. When I first began thinking about traveling to Israel, I wondered how I would survive without a computer? Lucky for me, it looks like the Israelis are a nation of computer geeks too.Of course the big question will be whether I am able to find Internet Cafes that have computers with "English" keyboards. I know that it would be an incredible challenge to try and pound out an email in Hebrew - let's just say "impossible". However, since everyone back home is going to want to read any communications in English... having an English keyboard is going to be a neccessity.
All kidding aside (I am sure that there will be tons of "English Only" computers. Here are some interesting technology statistics about Israel:
- Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita.
- With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and start-ups, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world (apart from the Silicon Valley).
- The cell phone was developed in Israel by Motorola, which has its largest development center in Israel.
- Most of the Windows NT operating system was developed by Microsoft-Israel.
- The Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel.
- Voice mail technology was developed in Israel.
- Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the US in Israel.
- The technology for AOL Instant Messenger was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.
