291 Posted Topics
 | Here's an interesting one for anyone involved in an online trading community. There are increasing moves afoot to make the communities themselves, whether we're talking about eBay, Amazon's second hand scheme or whatever we're thinking about, [URL="://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/7549306.stm"]responsible for what they sell[/URL]. In other words, if someone sells a fake Rolex … |
| | The concern over domain names and whether they can be hijacked by malicious code is accelerating. The BBC's website carries [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7546557.stm"]this story[/URL], in which Dan Kaminsky is credited with discovering the flaw and he warns that it could be more serious than we'd thought at first. Verisign is in the … |
| | I get the feeling a lot has been written on these blog pages about the iPhone 3G and MobileMe and a lot of people are probably not all that interested. It's worth mentioning, though, that a leaked memo from Steve Jobs basically admits the MobileMe launch was [URL="http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2008/Aug/05/steve_jobs_mobileme_launched_too_early.html"]premature[/URL]. I have … |
| | For once someone has done the right thing. You might remember my [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry2881.html"]last post[/URL] was a disappointed rant against China for restricting access to the Internet for journalists covering the Olympics. I can't speak for the US but in the UK it got as far as our National news bulletins. … |
| | I just love stories like [URL="http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKSP20465620080731?feedType=nl&feedName=uktechnology"]this[/URL]. There's a survey in Australia that demonstrates how few companies bother responding to e-mailed queries. Apparently some 60 per cent of large organisations simply don't bother answering questions sent by mail. I have to declare some amusement here. In 1997 I edited a work … |
| | It's started already. I suppose we all knew it would but were hoping they wouldn't, at the last minute. I'm referring to the Chinese authorities and the journalists' ability to [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7532338.stm"]connect to the Internet[/URL] at the Olympics. You remember the Internet, the thing that was going to set us all … |
| | I was about to launch into a tirade on the new search engine [URL="www.cuil.com"]Cuil[/URL] but I see one of my colleagues has [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry2870.html"]already done it[/URL]. Instead I'll be the first to warn about choosing names carefully. Cuil is apparently Gaelic for knowledge and, er, hazel. That's fine and good but …  |
 | I just got it on the computer, wrote my own post on it then navigated back - to find it was unavailable.com at 14.10 UK time. - Guy Clapperton |
| | The fact that the UK's Internet providers are [URL="http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article4387283.ece"]doing something about illegal downloads of music[/URL] is of course to be welcomed in principle. Whenever the subject comes up there are a handful of objections; civil liberties, the Internet should be free, whatever, the objectors seem to come from everywhere. But … |
| | Since everyone else is speculating like mad about Apple's plans following their warning on profuts due to a [URL="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-9996169-37.html"]product transition[/URL], I thought I might as well have a go. I'm doing it with a difference, though; this isn't what I think will happen, it's what I want to happen. 1. … |
| | That's what the [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121623279341859201.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news"]Wall Street Journal[/URL] seems to think anyway. I can't help but be a little cynical about this, what with their would-be deal with Yahoo! hardly cold in its grave. The cold-hearted journalist in me tends to see conspiracy theories wherever it looks, so please forgive me if … |
| | Hoping to be the first person to unlock an iPhone 3G? Too late, it looks like [URL="http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2221719/iphone-3g-unlocked"]someone has already done it[/URL]. I know, I know. There will be loads of us thinking things like serves them right, they shouldn't have been so shuttered up in the first place, et cetera … |
| | So I get this call. Would I like an exclusive briefing on a new technology that's going to turn text into speech - the first one to do this 'native'. Forgive me, but no I don't. This typifies, in my view, the all-too-common view that a technical advance ought to … |
| | My colleague Ron Miller makes some excellent points about the iPhone shortage in the US in his [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry2782.html"]blog entry[/URL]. If this were any other company we would indeed be taking them to task. Hang on though, let's think a minute: everyone's talking about a hardware shortage, the iPhones aren't in … |
| | I have an iPhone on my desk. Don't get excited, though - you'll have read a number of accounts of difficulties getting hold of them in the UK, and they're right. I have one on my desk because mobile phone company 02's media relations department kindly sent it over so … |
| | Sometimes an analyst just gets it so wrong it's not true. Is it just me, or is [URL="http://www.itweek.co.uk/itweek/news/2219152/gartner-urges-organisations"]this[/URL] too ludicrous for words? You can see the support issues now: "Yes, as a matter of fact the computer is packed to the bilges with games and pirated music instead of work … |
| | First, a bit of confirmation - the iPhone does indeed seem to be in short supply over here, many thanks to 'staff writer' for the story [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry2755.html"]here[/URL]. I had a text from 02's publicity people to say the orders were being taken at 7.30am and the site had stopped offering … |
| | If I wanted to sell a domestic computer I'd do what Apple did a while ago and make it look good. It's supposed to go in someone's home. That's the secret of the laptop-on-a-stick, sorry, the iMac. It also sells into the corporate environment to an extent. This surprises me. … |
| | I've left this one a few days as I've been waiting to see whether there's a consensus. Last week ICANN overhauled the rules on Internet domain name, permanently - there's a BBC report on it [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7475986.stm"]here[/URL]. Without seeing any of the new domain names just yet it's difficult to tell … |
| | So the ICANN people are discussing a major overhaul of the Internet in [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7474889.stm"]Paris today[/URL]. I can't say I'm all that delighted. The thing about the Internet is that it basically works. If you can read this it's because I'm able, from London, to type in [url]www.daniweb.com[/url] and follow the … |
| | It's that time of year in the UK once more - the Wimbledon grand slam tennis tournament is upon us. Here in the UK we believe this is the most important tennis tournament in the world. When you talk to a French person they'll tell you the same thing about … |
| | Here's a belter of a link from Nicholas Carr at [URL="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google"]TheAtlantic.com[/URL]. When I first read it I felt like laughing out loud because it was so improbable. Google and other searches (but mostly Google because so many modern searches are based on it anyway) making us mentally lazy or even … |
| | It's up there now and according to the [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7457503.stm"]BBC[/URL] its makers want it to be the most downloaded software in its first 24 hours ever. [URL="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/"]Firefox 3[/URL] is now available for public download, although the final release candidate has been so close to commercial standard you wouldn't be able to … |
| | I've just had a press release from Salesforce.com about the next iteration of its software. It's all going to be based on cloud computing - you log onto it from a browser more or less anywhere and it's available to you wherever you are. Much as the new version of … |
| | Just off the phone for a piece I'm writing for one of the UK press - I'll link to it when it's up. It's about smartphones, and one of the points was that the iPhone (not strictly a smartphone as far as I can see, more a feature phone) is … |
| | Google Gears are now available for the Firefox 3 Browser, or so it says on CNET - understandably there's some reluctance to confirm in advance of the formal release of the browser itself (although the release candidate looks pretty clean). The final version of the browser will be around later … |
| | OK, the iPhone launched yesterday. Apple aims at the corporate market with support for MS Exchange e-mail and at the consumer with a snazzier connection to the Net wherever you are. I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed with the phone - which is ironic when you consider … |
| | It's started, then. Today there is likely to be an announcement about the new iPhone and according to rumour it's going to be cheaper, smaller, more functional, with 3G, better storage and all manner of unsubstantiated stuff - believe it when Apple says it later today. Only, last week I … |
| | Here's a curious fact. I've seen independent research today that suggests direct mailshots from marketers - by which I mean hard copy - is well and truly down in numbers, while e-mail marketing spend is increasing dramatically. I wasn't in a position to take notes so I won't attempt to … |
| | It's unsurprising that a [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7431336.stm"]report in the UK[/URL] says that there are gross variations in the speed picked up by broadband customers in different areas of the UK. I have no doubt this is the same in the US and elsewhere. The major population centres get the faster broadband, if … |
| | Just a quickie today - I've been invited to the launch of the new Samsubg phone next week. So far, so yada-yada - but from the spec it looks a lot like an iPhone. Given the specilation surrounding Apple being poised to launch a 3G version of its own precious … |
| | So the worst-kept secret is finally out of the bag - the next generation of Windows will [URL="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9953243-56.html?tag=nefd.lede"]work with touch screens[/URL]. It will be faster than current versions of the system and it will take multiple inputs. I can't help being just a little cynical about this one. Yes, I …  |
| | So, back from the public holiday in the UK and I find - nothing's changed since last Friday. Is there a reason it should? Why certainly. Because Friday, in the UK, was Silver Surfer's Day. No, nothing to do with remaking the second Fantastic Four film; this was a day … |
| | American readers will have been delighted by l[URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7413099.stm"]ast night's announcement[/URL] ('last night' is relative, it was last night in the UK) that Microsoft is going to offer cash back on items bought through its partners from its search engine scheme. The idea completes a notion that began over a decade … |
| | Move over phishing - it looks as though there's a new form of malware on the block. Called phlashing it was demonstrated in London today according to news site [URL="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/21/phlashing/"]The Register[/URL]. It works by abusing the firmware update utilties of systems that have them, which is going to be just … |
| | I went to the demonstrations of the latest satellite navigation system from TomTom, and guess what - there's very little new to speak of in any of the devices. Yes, some of them have a wider screen than before and indeed I agree the new mounts for the dashboard are …  |
| | An interesting development in the UK is that residents of Solihull Community Housing are about to get connected to the Internet through their power points at low cost, subsidised due to their low incomes. Solihull is a town in the North of England and these are homes provided by Local … |
| | I'm going on the radio (BBC London) in a few days because in the UK we have a 'National Work from Home Day' this coming Thursday (be sure and quote that to anyone who ever tells you Americans are perceived as vulgar and ostentatious over here). One of the things … |
| | Just been writing a piece for the Guardian in the UK on technology for people with disabilities - not the sort that helps people work around their condition, which is an excellent thing, but the stuff that levels the playing field a bit. So, for example, there's a video conferencing … |
| | Of course. That's the answer. Easy. Japan has sorted it all out. They're planning to [URL="http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/07/ipod_tax_japan/"]put a tax on MP3 players[/URL]. This will be an interesting move not because a single country is planning such a tax - let's be honest, I'm in the UK, the chances are most readers … |
| | Walking around the Digital Summer event in London last week a number of things became obvious. First, everyone wants the sound to come off their iPod and into the world of speakers. Second, people are starting to focus on how to get sounds that aren't prerecorded onto an iPod in … |
The End.