********************************************************** Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
********************************************************** Don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** Approval for mobiles on aircraft by Ofcom in Europe http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7314362.stm Malaysian Leader Regrets Ignoring Web [AP] http://news.smh.com.au/malaysian-leader-regrets-ignoring-web/20080327-21ro.html Why did Apple try to push its browser onto Windows PCs? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/apple.safari Cashing In on MeCommerce http://ecommercetimes.com/story/Cashing-In-on-MeCommerce-62285.html Bhutan, World's Newest Democracy, Gets Advanced Internet, Cell Phone Deployments http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=206905655 Aussies go for mobile lifestyle http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23438958-15306,00.html IDC Predicts Mobile Phone Market in Asia/Pacific Excluding Japan Region to Surpass 400 Million Units in 2008 [news release] http://idc.com/getdoc.jsp;jsessionid=FHE2W05V1XCFMCQJAFICFFAKBEAUMIWD?containerId=prSG21147808 Femotocells solving poor indoor mobile phone coverage http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/mobilephones.research Cybercrime is in a state of flux http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/security.hacking Use of trade mark in search engine ad infringed, rules US court http://out-law.com/page-8973 How the open net closed its doors http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7312327.stm Trends in Cybercensorship http://businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080325_260847.htm Google board opposes Net censorship ban, human rights review http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;48408893;fp;2;fpid;1 BBC website 'unblocked in China' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7312240.stm UK parents to be shown how to protect children online http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/privacy.childprotection Ultra-violent computer game releases will test guidance to the limit http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3628913.ece uk: Review targets sex, violence in video games and online [Reuters] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10500479 uk: Cyber bully pledge for teachers http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7313458.stm Teachers to be safeguarded from cyber-bullies http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2268128,00.html Indonesia acts on internet porn http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7313497.stm Why WiMax http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/03/26/wimax-clearwire-mobile-tech-wire-bc_0326wimax.html ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Warning to UK parents over children 'being raised online' British children are spending more than 20 hours a week online, most of it at social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, and are in effect being "raised online", according to research from the Institute for Public Policy Research. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/25/children.socialnetworking Approval for mobiles on aircraft by Ofcom in Europe The use of mobiles on planes flying in European airspace has been given approval by UK regulator Ofcom. It has issued plans that will allow airlines to offer mobile services on UK-registered aircraft. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7314362.stm Coming soon: mobile phones on the plane ... The ruling means that British airlines can apply for the wavelengths needed to make calls in the air. On-board base stations, or picocells, which would be switched on at a height of 10,000ft (3,000m), will allow licensed aircraft to link up with mobile operators via satellite. Passengers would pay a roaming rate and would be billed by their phone companies as normal. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3628840.ece Airborne cellphone use is closer on U.K.- registered planes Passengers on British-registered aircraft could soon be able to use their cellphones to make calls and send text messages, the U.K. telecommunications regulator said Wednesday. http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/26/technology/mobile.php http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL2689670620080326 Enabling mobile phone use on aircraft [news release] Ofcom today confirmed plans to enable airlines to offer mobile communication services on UK-registered aircraft, if they wish to do so. This will be subject to approval by the relevant UK and European aviation authorities - the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK. http://ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/03/nr_20080326 Malaysian Leader Regrets Ignoring Web [AP] Malaysia's prime minister has said his ruling coalition made a blunder by underestimating the power of the Internet, which the opposition used extensively to win a record number of seats in recent elections. http://news.smh.com.au/malaysian-leader-regrets-ignoring-web/20080327-21ro.html http://news.theage.com.au/malaysian-leader-regrets-ignoring-web/20080327-21ro.html http://www.thestate.com/technology-wire/story/356968.html http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TECHBIT_MALAYSIA_INTERNET_BLUNDER Why did Apple try to push its browser onto Windows PCs? Because it wants more people to use it - but the method it used to try to get its Safari browser onto Windows users' machines (pre-selected as part of a "Software Update" to iTunes and QuickTime) was, at best, cackhanded; at worst, downright sneaky. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/apple.safari Apple 'undermines the Internet,' charges Mozilla CEO When Mozilla Corp. CEO John Lilly lit into Apple Inc. for using its software update utility to push Safari 3.1 to Windows users, he knew he was going to get a rise out of Apple fans. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9071599 http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1983056704;fp;2;fpid;1 http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/A12354A882036627CC2574180011D726 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** UK plea to ban employers trawling Facebook A powerful coalition of children’s charities is urging ministers to make it illegal for companies to trawl Facebook and other social networking websites for information on prospective recruits. They say that employers and educational establishments are known to be browsing the internet looking for “digital dirt” on young people who have applied for positions. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3613896.ece Yahoo Is Joining an Alliance That Has Google as Leader Yahoo said Tuesday that it would joining an alliance to be led by Google, its principal rival, that will try to make it easier for programmers to write software that can run on the pages of many social networks and other Web sites. http://nytimes.com/2008/03/26/technology/26open.html Yahoo and MySpace join with Google [Bloomberg News, International Herald Tribune, Reuters] Yahoo, Google and MySpace said Tuesday that they would create the OpenSocial Foundation to maintain a neutral, community-governed forum for developing applications for social networks. http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/25/technology/google.php Yahoo Joins Social Network Group, as Google Gives Up Control As anticipated, Yahoo is joining the Google-led OpenSocial alliance, which is developing a common set of standards for programmers to create applications that can run on social networks and other sites. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/yahoo-joins-social-network-group-as-google-gives-up-control/ Yahoo backs Google social networking effort [Reuters] Yahoo Inc. said Tuesday that it supported a program by archrival Google Inc. to develop applications for social networks and that it would help create a joint foundation to keep it alive. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-social26mar26,1,5732722.story Cashing In on MeCommerce ... There is no question that social networks are becoming the networking standard as e-mail replaced snail mail years ago. Today, there are more than 350 million social network users, which is more than the total U.S. population. ... The current social network revenue model relies heavily on targeting consumers via online advertising, hoping the ad reaches the best demographic possible to influence their buying decisions. This approach is outdated and has proven unsuccessful. Business owners and advertisers are finding it harder to segment audiences into distinct demographics. http://ecommercetimes.com/story/Cashing-In-on-MeCommerce-62285.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Bhutan, World's Newest Democracy, Gets Advanced Internet, Cell Phone Deployments Democracy -- as well as state-of-the-art Internet and cell phone service -- are arriving more or less simultaneously this week to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The big question now is how they will impact the tiny kingdom's cherished state of Gross National Happiness. http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=206905655 Reclusive Bhutan uneasy as Internet pushes edge [Reuters] As the reclusive Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan opens up gradually to the outside world and embraces democracy, it is finding the freedoms of the Internet both exciting and dangerous. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKISL5078820080326 Aussies go for mobile lifestyle More than 9 million mobile devices were shipped to Australia last year, including 3.55 million in the last three months of the year, pushing to the highest quarter on record. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23438958-15306,00.html IDC Predicts Mobile Phone Market in Asia/Pacific Excluding Japan Region to Surpass 400 Million Units in 2008 [news release] According to the latest IDC Asia/Pacific Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, mobile phone shipments in the Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region in 2007 hit 366 million units, an 18% increase from 2006. Shipments are further projected to exceed 400 million units in 2008, representing a 10% year-on-year increase. http://idc.com/getdoc.jsp;jsessionid=FHE2W05V1XCFMCQJAFICFFAKBEAUMIWD?containerId=prSG21147808 Femotocells solving poor indoor mobile phone coverage Poor mobile phone network coverage at home could soon be a thing of the past with the introduction of indoor base station devices called femtocells. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/mobilephones.research ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Cybercrime is in a state of flux In the recently released internet thriller Untraceable, starring Diane Lane, a criminal uses advanced technology to ensure that his own macabre website remains "untraceable" to FBI agents trying to close him down. Cybercriminals in the real world have their own version, "fast flux", to hide the location of phishing and spamming sites and illegal malware. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/security.hacking us: Internet ad: take what you want [AP] A pair of hoax ads on Craigslist cost an American man much of what he owned. The ads popped up Saturday afternoon, saying the owner of a Jacksonville home was forced to leave the area suddenly and his belongings, including a horse, were free for the taking, said Jackson County sheriff's Detective Sergeant Colin Fagan. But Robert Salisbury had no plans to leave. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/03/26/1206207187540.html Use of trade mark in search engine ad infringed, rules US court A US court has ruled that a company infringed a rival's trade mark when it sponsored the term 'Smart Money Clip' in Google's search engine and displayed the term as the headline of the advert. http://out-law.com/page-8973 au: Internet ban follows Underbelly storm Jurors who check the internet or other sources for information that might influence their verdict will soon run the risk of being treated as criminals themselves. A ban on jurors "playing policeman" is expected to be made law before the year ends. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23438982-2,00.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** How the open net closed its doors A new book details the extent to which countries across the globe are increasingly censoring online information they find strategically, politically or culturally threatening. Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering challenges the long-standing assumption that the internet is an unfettered space where citizens from around the world can freely communicate and mobilise. In fact, the book makes it clear that the scope, scale and sophistication of net censorship are growing. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7312327.stm Trends in Cybercensorship A talk with an editor of Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering about the recent rise in Web censorship ... Blocking access to the Internet has become a standard "policy" option around the world. The editors of a new book, Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering, published this month by the MIT Press, say this type of filtering is taking place in at least 25 countries—in Asia, North Africa, and even Europe. And U.S. technology companies are finding themselves torn between the open principles of their own country and the realistic need to do business in countries with restrictive regimes. BusinessWeek.com's Arik Hesseldahl discussed the topic with one of the book's editors, John G. Palfrey, a Harvard University law professor who is also executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: http://businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2008/tc20080325_260847.htm Google board opposes Net censorship ban, human rights review Google's board of directors is opposing a ban on Internet censorship as well as the creation of a committee that would review the company's policies on human rights, according to the company's proxy statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and released publicly Tuesday. http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;48408893;fp;2;fpid;1 Google shareholders to vote on censorship, human rights For the second year in a row, Google shareholders will be asked to hold the Web search giant accountable for protecting free speech, regardless of international borders. http://www.news.com/newsblog/8301-10784_3-9903031-7.html Cuba censors cyber critic with block on island's popular blog Cuba has blocked access to the country's most popular blog, signalling an apparent government crackdown on a new generation of cyber critics. The blog, Generación Y, received 1.2m hits last month, but its writer, Yoani Sanchez, said Cubans could no longer visit her web page. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/26/cuba.news Syria tightens controls on Internet users [AP] Syrian officials may boast of a state-of-the art press center with fast Internet access and wireless technology for press covering the forthcoming Arab summit, but the Syrian government is tightening control over its citizens' use of the Internet - jailing writers and bloggers and blocking sites deemed harmful to state security. http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/25/business/media.php http://news.smh.com.au/syria-tightens-controls-on-internet-use/20080326-21kk.html http://news.theage.com.au/syria-tightens-controls-on-internet-use/20080326-21kk.html Turkey blocks Web site over insults to country's founder [Reuters] The Turkish government has been blocking access nationwide to Slide and its popular multimedia Web software after a local court ruled the site let users post photos and stories insulting the Turkish republic's founder, the company said on Monday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2434354220080325 http://www.news.com/2100-1028_3-6235481.html http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6235481.html BBC website 'unblocked in China' People in China are reportedly able to access stories on the BBC News website in full, after years of strict control by the Beijing government. Dubbed the great firewall of China, the Communist government routinely blocks foreign news sites such as the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7312240.stm China 'unblocks' BBC News site Chinese authorities appear to have stopped blocking the BBC News website, making the English-language version of the site fully accessible throughout the country. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/25/digitalmedia.chinathemedia China to Chinese: you may now access the BBC For the first time, internet users in China can read news stories on the BBC site - but only in English http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3619638.ece ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ UK parents to be shown how to protect children online The first national strategy for child internet safety, including a streamlined system for classifying computer video games and codes of practice for social networking sites, will be set out today in a ground-breaking report for government. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/27/privacy.childprotection Ultra-violent computer game releases will test guidance to the limit Two events in the computer games calendar will provide important tests for the regime envisaged by Tanya Byron: the arrival next month of Grand Theft Auto IV, and a court decision last week to overturn a ban on the ultra-violent Manhunt 2. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3628913.ece uk: Review targets sex, violence in video games and online [Reuters] A review into damaging video games and unsuitable websites will be published tomorrow by the British government, keen to protect children from violent, dangerous and pornographic images bombarding the young and vulnerable. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKARM68639920080327 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10500479 UK boys urged to punch and headbutt each other in YouTube video Police are today searching for a man who posted videos on the internet showing himself goading two schoolboys into violently attacking each other. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3625982.ece Internet Miss Bimbo game for girls attacked by parents Parents' groups have condemned a new internet game in which girls as young as nine are encouraged to "buy" their virtual dolls breast operations and facelifts. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/25/children.news NZ groups outraged at bimbo site An internet game aimed at girls to create the perfect virtual body is sweeping the world - a game that encourages them to stay attractive using plastic surgery and crash dieting. But child advocates around the world including in New Zealand have condemned the Miss Bimbo website saying young girls could see the characters as role models. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1662691 uk: Cyber bully pledge for teachers The government is pledging action to protect teachers from bullying through mobile phones and the internet. Schools Secretary Ed Balls will tell NASUWT delegates the "cyber bullying taskforce" for England will seek ways to stop pupils targeting teachers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/7313458.stm Teachers to be safeguarded from cyber-bullies The education secretary, Ed Balls, will today unveil plans to protect teachers from cyber-bullying. Balls will tell delegates at the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers' annual conference in Birmingham that he has asked the cyber-bullying taskforce, set up to tackle the use of technology to bully children, to look at what measures can be introduced to protect teachers. http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2268128,00.html uk: Teachers to be protected from 'cyber-bullying' The schools secretary, Ed Balls, will today promise action against pupils who target their teachers with abusive text messages and comments on the internet. The Government's "cyber-bullying" task force will investigate how to protect school staff from pupils who post offensive images of them on websites. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/26/nteachers226.xml ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Indonesia acts on internet porn Indonesia's parliament has passed a bill criminalising those who access internet sites containing violent or pornographic material. Anyone found guilty of the new offence could be jailed for up to three years, or have to pay a heavy fine. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7313497.stm Indonesia Passes Bill to Block Porn Sites [Reuters] Indonesia plans to restrict access to pornographic and violent sites on the Internet after the country's parliament passed a new information bill, officials said on Tuesday. The Southeast Asian country has had a vigorous debate over pornography in recent years, exposing deep divisions in the Muslim-majority nation. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKJAK8242120080326 http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,143813-c,internetlegalissues/article.html http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10500233 IP hypocrisy: US likes WTO rulings only when it wins The US likes to call out other countries for not being tough enough with intellectual property rules, and it tosses countries like Russia, China, and even Israel onto "watch lists" and "priority watch lists" in an attempt to force changes. But the US comes in for its share of IP-related criticism from other countries both small and large, too. When it happens, though, we're not nearly so quick to change our ways. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080325-ip-hypocrisy-us-likes-wto-rulings-only-when-it-wins.html ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Is cloud computing more than just smoke? The growing buzz around cloud computing sounds eerily familiar to the utility computing noise of a few years ago. But there is a difference--or at least people in the business swear there is. http://www.news.com/newsblog/8301-10784_3-9902616-7.html Apple 'undermines the Internet,' charges Mozilla CEO When Mozilla Corp. CEO John Lilly lit into Apple Inc. for using its software update utility to push Safari 3.1 to Windows users, he knew he was going to get a rise out of Apple fans. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9071599 http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1983056704;fp;2;fpid;1 http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/A12354A882036627CC2574180011D726 Goodbye, Google Poor Google. Its stock has been sliding since the beginning of the year. Now key executives and engineers are trickling out and heading to the Internet's latest darling, Facebook. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/03/26/google-facebook-hiring-tech-ent-cx_wt_0326leave.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** NZ Govt announces digital 'super group' The government will fund a new, broad digital sector forum, Communications and Information Technology Minister David Cunliffe announced today. The forum will likely pick up aspects of the work of the NZ HiGrowth Project and Digital Strategy Advisory Group, which will cease to function in March and April respectively. Earlier today, an earlier unsuccessful attempt to deliver a single ICT sector representative body, ICT-NZ, announced it was shutting up shop. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/740EA6A94E377632CC25741700101D7E NZ govt steps in to form ICT industry group The Government has agreed to fund the creation of an "independent overarching" body to represent organisations with an interest in information technology, Communications Minister David Cunliffe announced. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4451432a28.html nz: Cautious welcome for new ICT sector forum Industry groups have broadly welcomed the new ICT industry representative group announced yesterday by communications minister David Cunliffe. http://m-net.net.nz/2262/latest-news/latest-news/cautious-welcome-for-new-ict-sector-forum.php nz: Creation of digital super group is fine but ICT should be top priority After years of letting the IT and communications industry tackle the big barriers to creating a knowledge economy in this country - lack of decent broadband and an IT skills shortage among them - the Government has stepped in to create a "digital super group" to address such issues. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10500337 BT appoints former BBC adviser to help it beat broadcasters at own game BT has appointed a former BBC policy adviser as its first head of media and convergence policy as it moves further into the media sector, taking on broadcasting giants including the BBC, BSkyB and ITV. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/25/btgroupbusiness.television ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Why WiMax WiMax may be a wonky technology. But the pitch for the long-range wireless standard for pumping zillion bits of data through the air is seductive. Imagine being able to access voice, data and video services from any digital device as simply as if you were logging on to the Web with your laptop via the wi-fi connection at the local Starbucks. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/03/26/wimax-clearwire-mobile-tech-wire-bc_0326wimax.html ********************** VoIP ********************** Security being ignored as VoIP deployments increase Even though VoIP is well on its way to widespread adoption, a new survey from In-Stat has found that many businesses haven't yet taken steps to increase security to take account of these new converged communications systems. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/03/25/229961/security-being-ignored-as-voip-deployments-increase.htm Bidding on VoIP systems is all about the details [Network World] VoIP systems vary in so many ways that businesses need to comb through the gory details of what vendors offer to make sure they get the features and functions they need, attendees were told at VoiceCon Orlando 2008. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9071398 *************************************************** (c) David Goldstein 2008 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address. www.yahoo7.com.au/y7mail _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
