Technology finally turns friendly to cities

For two centuries, technologies damaged cities, says Simon Kuper, a columnist for the Financial Times. Factories brought dirt and noise. Cars added sprawl. But now technology is becoming a boon to urban living. The Internet, the laptop, and the Smartphone together make it easier for people to create new networks that reinforce older urban networks. If you can carry your network around in a 10-inch-square device, says Kuper, suddenly it's easier to find everything you want—from a bus to a date. As for sprawling cities that rely heavily on cars, those, he says, are becoming dysfunctional. 

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