IBM Launches the 2008 Series of Its "Future of..." Podcast

announced today the launch of its 2008 podcast series “IBM and the Future of...,” conversations with thought leaders on how technology will change everyday life. They will also examine how shifting economics can dramatically alter performance and value. The first episodes include:

* The Future of Africa: Just a decade ago, economists would have scoffed at predictions of steady, 5% growth rate for the continent. Today, the conversation around Africa is changing dramatically. Hosted by Tim Washer, with Amanda West, global head of innovation for Reuters, and Mark Harris, general manager of IBM South Africa.

* The Future of Microfinance: Two thirds of the world’s population earns less than $5 a day. Among the many efforts to alleviate global poverty, one of the most promising is microfinance. Hosted by Tim Washer, with Jessica Jackley Flannery, cofounder of Kiva.org and Kevin Thompson, IBM corporate citizenship and corporate affairs.

* The Future of Medical Imaging: a discussion about how algorithms from the high-resolution gaming industry, and analytics from other industries such as oil exploration will bring significant advancements to the field of medical imaging. Hosted by Lorie Luedke with Dr. Brad Erickson, director of radiology informatics lab, Mayo Clinic and Bill Rapp, IBM CTO, healthcare and life sciences.

Other podcasts in the series can be downloaded at http://www.ibm.com/podcasts/future.