Technology Review: A Google Killer Stumbles

Cuil (pronounced "cool") had a rough launch on Monday. Besides the breakdowns and strange results, the new search engine also has a way of attaching pictures to the entries listed after a search, pictures that have nothing to do with the result itself. One prominent academic, who does a lot of presentations, when searching on his name, came up with a number of entries about him accompanied by a man dressed only in a loin cloth. These pictures obviously had nothing to do with him and were pictures that he had never seen before and never used in any of his work. Needless to say, he was somewhat flustered. Cuil is not cool. At best, it has a way to go. Technology Review: A Google Killer Stumbles

Technology Review: Does Google Need Digg?

Amid rumours that Google might buy Digg to ramp up its news service, there seems to be some concensus that Google news could use some improvement, although an acquisition may not be the way to do it. Technology Review: Does Google Need Digg?

Free Preview - WSJ.com

A new search engine better than Google? Cuil Inc thinks so. This group of ex-Google employees has launched a new browser that thye say searches more sites and searches them better. Maybe worth a look? Free Preview - WSJ.com

PC World - Business Center: Collaboration Under SOA: The Human Aspects

SOA as a tool to streamline organizational processes is well entrenched. Web 2.0 and all it implies with collaboration is working its way into all aspects of corporate oprganizations. In this chapter from their book, the authors describe how Collaborative SOA works and how it benefits a company. PC World - Business Center: Collaboration Under SOA: The Human Aspects

Global data roaming costs sink iPhone 3G use for enterprises

International data roaming charges are causing some companies to delay their adoption of the 3G iPhone. The charges are very high, with one executive racking up $5,000 in data roaming charges during a two week stay in Italy. The charges apply to any smartphone and most carriers. I recently spent a week in Italy and another week in the Netherlands and the UK. I racked up over $1,000 in data roaming charges during the two week period mostly from routine email received on my Blackberry. That won't happen again. Next time, I'll make sure my Blackberry email is turned off and use my laptop./GDT Global data roaming costs sink iPhone 3G use for enterprises

reportonbusiness.com: Wireless license sale sets stage for cheaper services

Help is on the way for Canada's harried cell phone users. Several new entrants into the field emerged from the sale of spectrum just completed. The industry is badly in need of competition and this should help. Consumers can expect lower prices and better services as well as a stronger move into the mobile intrnet - perhaps even one that the average person can afford. reportonbusiness.com: Wireless license sale sets stage for cheaper services

One of the greatest challenges of the information age is distraction. The inability of people o concentrate on a particular task until it is completed. This is a phenomenon that hasn't been addressed and that badly needs attention. Think of it. An employee gets an assignment to write a short article on a new product, such as the iPhone. The writer goes to the internet for information and the browser defaults to the home page. Right away, there is a news item about a riot in a nearby city. After glancing through this item, the writer notices the latest story about Brad and Angelina. By this time the poor employee has forgotten why s/he went to the internet in the first place. This kind of thing happens all the time and exemplifies the difficulty of concentrating on the job at hand. This is an issue that needs to be dealt with. Productivity is suffering greatly and, more importantly, the mental health of people is likely to suffer as well. Check out this article on the subject. Stoooopid .... why the Google generation isn’t as smart as it thinks - Times Online

Coke Exploits Collaboration Technology To Keep Brand Relevant -- Collaboration -- InformationWeek

Coca-Cola Company has been struggling a bit with profits and productivity, so they've been taking some initiatives which are classic to the information age. They have been streamlining their supply chain with technologies and techniques like project management, business intelligence, ERP and SOA. They've also thrown in a product loyality site that has attracted large numbers of people. Whether it works in the long term remains to be seen, but it should at least help, and it certainly makes a good case study on how to use technology to improve productivity and profits and reduce costs. Coke Exploits Collaboration Technology To Keep Brand Relevant -- Collaboration -- InformationWeek

Furor over text message fiasco prompts Ottawa's intervention

If anyone had any doubt that Canada's oligarchic system in the cell phone industry doesn't work for consumers, it was erased last week when Bell and Telus announced that they would charge for incoming text messages. Having to pay for something you didn't order and don't necessarily want amounts to some kind of robbery. They also slipped in a less publicized charge for roaming text messages. Roaming charges, especially data roaming charges, are another favourite way for the industry to gouge its customers. We need strong government intervention in the industry until it can be transformed into a competitive free enterprise economy. Furor over text message fiasco prompts Ottawa's intervention

Catching the Next Wave of Innovation

In this interview with Accenture, Vint Cerf, Internet pioneer talks about the future of innovation on the Internet. He points out, among other things, that the potential of the internet for interactivity has hardly been touched. That this is where much of the future innovation will take place. It's consistent with Web II, but goes beyond that. Catching the Next Wave of Innovation

E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: Online Businesses: Recession-Proof or Just Lucky?

It seems that e-commerce is still growing, despite the downturn in conventional business. Although the field is unlikely to be recession proof, nevertheless it may be consumers are staying home more and buying from there. In any event, Businesses in the eCommerce space may be shielded from a recession for a while. E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: Online Businesses: Recession-Proof or Just Lucky?

KPMG - The evolution of risk and controls: podcast series

KPMG has an ingoing series of podcasts available on its website based on its publication "The Evolution of Risk and Controls," which is available at http://www.kpmg.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/
The_evolution_of_risks_and_controls.pdf.

The podcasts are available at the following link: KPMG - The evolution of risk and controls: podcast series

Google unveils a Lively virtual world | Technology | Los Angeles Times

Google has released its own virtual world - Lively - which is its answer to Secondlife. A major difference is that Lively is free, while Secondlife requires a subscription. It's bound to be a player. Google unveils a Lively virtual world Technology Los Angeles Times

globeandmail.com: Spectrum auction nearing conclusion

For those of us who are tired of the high price of wireless data transfer in Canada as controlled by Rogers, Telus and Bell, help may be on the way. The current spectrum auction, just ending, has brought several new regional and global players into the field. Competition is good, and the Canadian Wireless industry badly needs more. It should benefit the beleaguered consumer. globeandmail.com: Spectrum auction nearing conclusion

Google Street View cars have arrived in Britain - Times Online

The placement of Google cars in the streets of America has raised privacy issues with the publication of scenes through Google Earth.. Now the service is expanding to Britain with the same issues being raised there. Google believes that they have addressed the issue and that there is not legal support for violations of personal privacy. Google Street View cars have arrived in Britain - Times Online

globeandmail.com: YouTube told to hand over users' data

Privacy has suffered a major setback in a landmark ruling by a US District Court judge. The court required Google to hand over the user records pertaining to the videos watched on YouTube. This will mean that the identities of many of the users will be made public, thus violating their privacy and casting a dark shadow over the privacy of the internet. If the ruling is appealed, there is reason to believe it may have a good chance of being reversed. However, even if it is, the case shows up the tenuous nature of the privacy of internet users and how it can be subject to the whims of the courts and legislators. It's something worth keeping an eye on. globeandmail.com: YouTube told to hand over users' data

Technology Review: Ten Web Startups to Watch

Even if you don't already Twitter, you may want to Ping or Pownce. These are some of the new startups on the Social Web being featured by Technology Review today. Technology Review: Ten Web Startups to Watch

Hackers crack cash machine PIN codes to steal millions - Times Online

There has been a mjor fraud involving the cracking of PIN codes of Citibank in Seven-Eleven stores across the US. The codes are supposed to be encrypted immediately upon entry, but all of them weren't, making it possible for crackers operating remotely to break into them. Several billion dollars were stolen. Hackers crack cash machine PIN codes to steal millions - Times Online

EBay Gets Buffeted in Europe

eBay has lost an important lawsuit in France. The ruling requires eBay to pay $6.1 million to a perfume manufacturer for allowing counterfeit perfumes to be sold over the site. The ruling runs agains a longtime tenet of ebay - that buyers and sellers should be able to trade whatever the want on the site and eBay has no responsibility for screening them. If the ruling sticks and particularly if the principle in it spreads to other jurisdictions, it will make life difficult for ebay. EBay Gets Buffeted in Europe