March 9th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 09/03

BBC – US eases Cuba, Iran, Sudan, sanctions to allow freer web

The US treasury department has eased sanctions on Iran, Cuba and Sudan to help further the use of web services and support opposition groups.

BBC – S Korea child ‘starves as parents raise virtual baby’

A South Korean couple who were addicted to the internet let their three-month-old baby starve to death while raising a virtual daughter online, police said.

BBC – Queen expresses Commonwealth internet concerns

The Queen has warned that businesses in developing nations are missing out on opportunities because the internet is an “unaffordable option” in many areas. In her annual Commonwealth Day message, the monarch praised advances in science and technology for improving lives.

IT PRO – Ballmer: Microsoft ‘all in’ on cloud strategy
Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer says his company is throwing its weight fully behind the cloud.

Computer Weekly – UK shoppers flood to online stores

The UK is the largest online shopping market in Europe, but there is still room for growth as online sales catch in-store sales. About E40bn will be spent by UK consumers online in 2014 if sales increase by 10 per cent every year from this year.

The Daily Telegraph – Four in five believe internet access is a fundamental right

Four in five people around the world believe that web access is a fundamental human right, according to a new survey. The poll, which collated the answers from more than 27,000 people across 26 countries and was conducted on behalf of the BBC World Service, found that 87 per cent of interne t users felt that web access should be a basic right. More than 70 per cent of non-users felt they should have access to the net.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
March 8th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 08/03

Silicon.com – Touchscreens will take over one in three mobiles this year

In three years’ time, the majority of mobile devices sold worldwide will be sporting a touchscreen, according to a new report from analyst house Gartner.

BBC – Internet access is ‘a fundamental right’

Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests.

The Guardian – Twitter flies past its 10 billionth tweet

Twitter passed another milestone when a person unknown posted the system’s 10 billionth tweet

CRN – Technology sector on upswing

Research from banking giant Santander has claimed that the technology, IT and telecoms sector is bucking the national trend

The Daily Telegraph – YouTube ‘under threat’ from Digital Economy Bill changes

Popular sites such as YouTube could be blocked under new proposals to cut copyright infringement. The High Court could be given the power to issue an injunction against a website accused of hosting “substantial” amounts of copyright-infringing material, under amendments to the Digital Economy Bill proposed by the Liberal Democrats.

The Daily Telegraph – Introducing the iKey – Apple’s answer to the humble door key

Apple has plans to replace the traditional door key with a hi-tech alternative. It is developing technology, already being nicknamed the “iKey”, which will mean that rather than carrying around a bunch of keys, people will be able to use a single electronic device to unlock their car, front door and gain access to their office.

The Register – Sony takes aim at Apple iPhone, iPad

Sony is working on a series of devices designed to take the fight to Apple’s iPhone and iPad, it has been claimed.

The Register – Beeb deletes iPlayer app from iPhone

Two iPhone developers have been slapped with a 10-page cease and desist order from the BBC for trying to create an app that would cache iPlayer content.

Computerworld UK – Penguin reaches out to grab Apple iPad opportunity

he murky and untested waters of ebook publishing can be hard to navigate, and many a company has been seen flailing its arms in an attempt to keep its head above water. Perhaps they should take a lesson from Penguin Books, a company that seems to have no fear of diving into the deep to try something new.

emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
March 5th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 05/03

BBC – YouTube adds video captions for deaf

YouTube is making the tens of millions of videos it hosts more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing by putting automatic captions on them.

IT PRO – Mobile surfing now more popular than reading

Europeans spend more time accessing the internet from their mobile phones while they’re out and about than reading newspapers or magazines.

The Guardian – Plans to fight cyberwar are a ‘recipe for disaster’

Senior security experts have criticised the west’s approach to online threats, suggesting that not enough is being done to stem the growing tide of cyberattacks.

The Register – Google says desktop PC is three years from ‘irrelevance’

Google’s European sales chief says that desktop PCs will be “irrelevant” in three years. This week, as reported by Silicon Republic, Google Europe boss John Herlihy told a “baffled” conference audience that very soon the smartphone will completely eclipse the desktop. “In three years time, desktops will be irrelevant,” he said. “In Japan, most research is done today on smart phones, not PCs.”

ComputerWorldUK – BBC order pulls plug on iPhone iPlayer app

A promising and potentially useful iPhone application that would have allowed users to browse, view and even download content from the BBC has been blocked by the corporation.

ComputerWorldUK – European IT managers have cloud aversion

Barely one in five of European IT managers think that cloud computing represents a game-changing change in methodology for enterprises, roughly the same proportion that believes that cloud computing is a fad.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
March 5th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 04/03

BBC – US lifts lid on top secret plan for internet security

The White House has declassified parts of a top secret plan outlining how government will protect the nation’s computer networks from cyber warfare.

BBC  Apple patent case ‘could affect all android phones’

Apple’s legal action against HTC may have “wider implications” for all phone makers using Google’s Android operating system, an analyst has warned.

IT PRO – Government vows to get 7.5 million more people online by 2014

There are currently some 12.5 million people around the country who don’t have internet access, but under the newly announced National Digital Participation Plan the Government plans to reduce that amount by 60 per cent in the next four years.

Computerworld UK – Social network launched for business process managers

Software AG opened a beta version of its social network for business process management (BPM), a year after it first announced the service.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
March 3rd, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 03/03

IT PRO – UK spearheads Europe-wide IT sales recovery
Business and consumer technology product sales are up across Europe, according to market research firm Context, and UK distributors are leading the way.

IT PRO – Google expected to tweak Gmail security this week

Google is expected to update Gmail this week with a number of security enhancements aimed at reducing the risk of phishing and hacking attacks on users’ accounts.

The Register – Buzz Aldrin goes Dancing With The Stars

Following his raptastic hook-up with Snoop Dogg, multi-talented Moon geezer Buzz Aldrin will be strutting his stuff in the forthcoming series of Dancing With The Stars - alongside cream-splattered beach strumpet Pamela Anderson.

The Register – Apple is suing HTC

Apple has filed a lawsuit against Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, citing 20 patent infringements including UI and hardware as well as architectural design.

Computerworld UK – Barclays Wealth planning £230m IT and infrastructure overhaul

Barclays Wealth plans to spend approximately £230 million overhauling its technology and infrastructure, it has been confirmed, as part of a bid to grow the business dramatically over the next five years.

Computerworld UK – BBC slashes web budget

The BBC has announced it is slashing the amount of money it spends on its website.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
March 3rd, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 02/03

IT PRO – Twitter to launch search-based advertising model
Twitter is to introduce an advertising model that will serve third-party advertisements in on-site search results, broadly emulating Google’s approach to the wider web.

IT PRO – Orange and T-Mobile merger given EU green light

Mobile heavyweights Orange and T-Mobile have been cleared by European regulators to go ahead with their proposed merger – one that will result in a combined UK customer base of just short of 30 million users.

The Guardian – Microsoft has started rolling out its browser ballot

It’s probably not a “phishing attack”: Microsoft Windows users in Europe are now starting to get a screen that offers them a choice of web browsers, as a result of an anti-trust settlement with the European Commission

The Guardian –  BBC’s iPlayer verification blocks open source software

The BBC seems to have started using a Flash player verification service that stops the iPlayer from streaming for more than a minute or two to unauthorised media players, hitting users of the open source XBMC

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
February 25th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 25/02

The Times – EU launches antitrust inquiry into Google ‘dominance’
The European Commission has launched a preliminary antitrust inquiry into Google after three companies complained that the US giant’s dominant search engine penalises potential competitors and keeps advertising prices artificially high.

IT PRO – Did Google hackers target Intel too?

Intel has confirmed that it was the target of a “sophisticated” hack attack at the beginning of the year around the same time as Google’s episode, but it suggests there is no clear link between the two.

The Register – Adobe Photoshop celebrates big 2-0

Exactly 20 years ago today – Wednesday, February 24 – the first stable version of Adobe Photoshop was released into the wild. At 728 kilobytes, it fit on a single floppy disk.

Computerworld UK – YouTube cuts off support for older Internet Explorer

Google’s YouTube will drop support for Microsoft’s nearly nine year old Internet Explorer 6 in just over two weeks, the popular video site has announced.

Computerworld UK – Twitter churns out millions of tweets

New numbers from the folks at Twitter show that people are tweeting furiously.

Computerworld UK – Apple Macs becoming popular business tool, says survey

Two out of three IT administrators at large organisations with Macs and PCs said they expect to see an increase in the number of Macs this year, according to a newly released survey by the Enterprise Desktop Alliance.

The Daily Telegraph – Human behaviour ‘93 per cent predictable’

Location data from mobile phones has indicated that 93 per cent of human movement is predictable. A study published by peer-reviewed journal Science examined anonymised data culled from mobile phone service providers and found that it was possible to accurately predict movement and location up to 97 per cent of the time for the majority of people, and 93 per cent of the time for the entire set of data.

The Daily Telegraph – Apple close to selling 10 billion iTunes songs

Apple is expected to sell its 10 billionth track from the iTunes music store by the end of the week. The company is giving away a $10,000 iTunes gift voucher to whoever downloads the billionth song. A counter on the Apple website is tracking progress towards the landmark, with the magic number expected to be reached by Friday.

The Guardian – Scribd to launch mobile service

Document sharing website Scribd is making a more direct challenge to Amazon and Apple by launching a mobile service that it hopes will make it easier for millions of people to read on the go.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
February 24th, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 24/02

Computing.co.uk – Parliament gives go-ahead for preparation of e-petitions system

MPs have given the go-ahead for the preparation of an e-petitions system that could result in parliament being forced to debate popular but embarrassing issues because they have secured widespread support.

BBC – Consumers ‘confused by copyright’

Consumers are confused by copyright laws that mean it is still illegal to copy a CD onto their computer, a watchdog says.

The Times – Apple purges soft-core porn apps after complaints from parents

Apple has purged thousands of risqué iPhone applications from its online App Store

Computerworld UK – Apple aims iPhoneOS/ARM architecture at new platforms

With the launch of Apple’s tablet a mere few weeks away, we can already start looking at other platforms which Apple may aim its new processor architecture.

Computer Weekly – BBC IT strikes could hit election coverage

The BBC’s coverage of the General Election could be hit if workers at technology partner Siemens vote for industrial action. Although the BBC has been assured by Siemens that potential action will not disrupt its broadcasting, union Bectu has pledged to time any strike to maximise its impact.

IT PRO – Online shopping plunges to record low

Online sales in January are never good after the December surge in web purchases, but this year they were particularly bad, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-retail sales index.

emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
February 23rd, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 23/02

The Guardian – Plans to cut off internet connections of illegal filesharers dumped

Government backtracks after proposing measures including terminating broadband connections to curb filesharing (updated)

The Times – Chinese students may have engineered cyberattacks on Google

Students at an elite Chinese university who won an international “Battle of the Brains” contest may have been behind the cyberattacks on Google that escalated into a major diplomatic incident last month.

CRN – Rivals unruffled by Virgin launch

After entering the business telecoms arena, Virgin has been cautioned that it needs more than a well-known brand and impressive rhetoric to succeed in the market.

Computerworld UK – Apple culls adult apps from iPhone app store

Apple reportedly has a new policy for its iPhone app store in which any application with “overtly sexual content” will be removed from the App Store, according to an e-mail obtained by TechCrunch.

Computer Weekly – Government invests £200m in high-tech industry

The government is investing £200m in digital and advanced manufacturing businesses as part of a drive to boost skilled jobs in the UK. The government pledged £100m, and this was matched by another £100m raised by the European Investment Fund. The money will be invested in technology-based businesses “where there are significant growth opportunities”.

Computer Weekly – Banks must embrace social media, research reveals

Research from Datamonitor has quashed any remaining doubts about the use of social media to manage finances. Already 50 per cent of UK citizens use online tools to make financial decisions, the research found. This is compared with a significant, although lower, 41 per cent globally.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!
February 22nd, 2010 by Richard Morgan

Daily News 22/02

The Guardian – Google attacks ‘traced to Chinese schools’

Chinese authorities have not commented on NY Times reports that intelligence has linked the hacking strikes to two schools.

IT PRO -Microsoft browser ballot to arrive next week

Microsoft will start offering its web browser choice screen to UK users from next week.

The Register – iPad pitch to the Wall Street Journal laid bare

Steve Jobs took the iPad to the Wall Street Journal to explain why the paper should drop Adobe’s Flash, to a cool reception.

Computerworld UK – Mobile banking doubles every year

In 2015, about 244 million people worldwide will carry out financial transactions with their banks using their mobile phones.

Computerworld UK – Facebook more popular than Yahoo

Facebook is now the second most popular website in the United States, passing Yahoo with 133 million unique visitors in January, according to new research.

The Daily Telegraph – Apple ‘obsessed’ American couple marry at New York store on Valentine’s Day

An American couple, Josh and Ting Li, who are obsessed with Apple products, have become the first to marry inside one of the technology giant’s stores. The couple, from New York, said “iDo” at the city’s Apple store on Fifth Avenue, at 12.01 on Valentine’s Day in a ceremony dominated with the company’s products and references to them. The pair, who met in the Apple store, had their priest dressed as Steve Jobs, the company’s chief executive, read their vows from their iPhones, while the rings were tied to a ribbon wrapped around a first generation iPod.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
emailSave to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usDigg This!Share on FacebookStumble It!