Articles by date
29 April 2013
Chat app messaging overtakes SMS texts, Informa says (BBC News)
Instant messaging on chat apps, such as WhatsApp, has overtaken the traditional SMS text message for the first time, according to research firm Informa.
US panel seeks to fine tech companies for noncompliance with wiretap orders (Washington Post)
A government task force is preparing legislation that would pressure companies such as Facebook and Google to enable law enforcement officials to intercept online communications as they occur, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the effort.
Junk foods avoid ad ban by targeting children online (The Guardian)
Advertising regulators have been accused of failing to protect children from aggressive online marketing by food companies using internet games and advertising.
Australian Cat Ladies Teach Christians A Lesson In Protecting Domains
It's a lesson in registering the key domain names relating to your business. Down under a trio of feminists from Melbourne calling themselves the Australian Cat Ladies have registered the domain name AustralianChristianLobby.org after realising the ACL, which has registered both acl.org.au and australianchristianlobby.org, had failed to register it.
NZ demand for mobile data doubles for second year in a row (Commerce Commission)
The Commerce Commission today released its 2012 telecommunications annual monitoring report analysing the state of New Zealand's telecommunications markets.
Facebook deserted by millions of users in biggest markets (The Guardian)
Facebook has lost millions of users per month in its biggest markets, independent data suggests, as alternative social networks attract the attention of those looking for fresh online playgrounds.
28 April 2013
iTunes is 10 years old today. Was it the best idea Apple ever had? (The Observer)
While the shares fall and the smartphone wars rage, Apple's music store keeps growing - and tying users into its platform
UK mobile networks see bright future for electronic wallet (The Observer)
Britain's big three mobile networks have united on a project to make debit cards of our smartphones. And they're even planning to outsmart Google
US Internet Sales Tax Coming Too Late for Some Stores (New York Times)
Anita Demetropoulos, a Maine shopkeeper, figured she would never see the day when her most relentless competitor, Amazon, would be forced to collect sales tax.
27 April 2013
Netflix CEO says future of TV is in apps (Washington Post)
After Netflix's blockbuster earnings sent its stock soaring this week, the company's chief executive made a bold prediction: TV as we know it is coming to an end.
North Korea embraces 3G service (BBC News)
Almost two million North Koreans now use the country's only 3G network, reports a blog dedicated to technology news in North Korea.
26 April 2013
Google searches predict market moves (BBC News)
The volume of Google searches for finance-related terms may predict moves in markets, research suggests.
New York Times Moves Toward Netflix Model as Ads Tumble (Bloomberg)
New York Times Co. Chief Executive Officer Mark Thompson is taking a cue from subscription services like Netflix Inc. in a bid to transform the publisher into an Internet company that relies less on advertising.
Looking at Facebook's Friend and Relationship Status Through Big Data (New York Times)
Wolfram Alpha, a computational search engine, released a detailed report Wednesday about people's friendships and relationship habits on Facebook.
A decade of iTunes singles killed the music industry (CNN)
Believe it or not, Apple's iTunes Music Store turns 10 this weekend. Although iTunes has in many ways been a godsend to fans of digital music, it has been a source of endless frustration for the music industry.
Technology makes it easier for terrorists to act, senior official warns (Daily Telegraph [UK])
Modern technology is allowing terrorists to act more easily without the risk of being caught, the Government's most senior counter-terrorism official has warned.
'More data is being collected and stored about each one of us than ever before' - Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work And Think by Viktor Mayer-Schönberger and Kenneth Cukier (The National)
Consider the Stasi, the hated secret police force in the former German Democratic Republic. Officially known as the ministry for state security, the agency was a particularly pernicious force in an already oppressive communist state. Its modus operandi was simple: to intimidate, infiltrate and gather intelligence on East German citizens using the most invasive methods. For four post-war decades, the Stasi ruled everyday life with a clenched fist. Only the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the simultaneous fall of the Iron Curtain derailed its operations.
Google-Facebook Privacy-Probe Tactics Criticised in Germany (Bloomberg)
Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. were criticized by German data protection regulators for "delay tactics" and "impertinent" behavior when responding to probes into their privacy policies.
Google Sees More Government Requests to Remove Content Than Ever Before (The Atlantic)
In the latest edition of its Transparency Report, released this morning, Google revealed that the final six months of 2012 saw an increase in government requests to remove content -- often YouTube videos. All told, Google received 2,285 such requests (compared with 1,811 during the first half of 2012) that named a total of 24,179 pieces of content for removal (compared with 18,070 in the preceding period).
Google's rivals likely to reject offer of label in listings (The Guardian)
Google's rivals have indicated they will reject its offer to label its services in search listings, as it tries to settle a long-running antitrust investigation by the European Commission over its market dominance.
2 Googles: 1 for Europe and 1 for everyone else (Washington Post)
There soon could be two Googles: One built for Europeans, with links to rival search engines and labels alerting users whenever Google is featuring its own products. And another version for everyone else, with none of those consumer-friendly features.
Could US Privacy Protection Bills Hinder Law Enforcement? (CIO)
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act reform bill advances to the Senate floor to better protect email privacy. Meanwhile a House subcommittee considers privacy protections for location data, data which some in law enforcement say is necessary to solve crimes.
Deutsche Telekom Plan to Limit DSL Worries Berlin (Der Spiegel)
German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom sparked controversy this week with plans to curtail flat-rate DSL speeds once certain data thresholds are reached. Customers, Internet advocates and the German government are all concerned.
Verisign Revenues Boom In Q1, 2013 With 2M New .COM/.NET Registrations
Verisign Revenues Boom In Q1, 2013 With 2M New .COM/.NET Registrations
Verisign reported revenues of $236 million for the first quarter of 2013 as 1.99 million new .com and .net domain name registrations were added to the base, an increase of 15.5 percent in revenues and 5.5 percent in registrations when compared to the same quarter in 2012.
Maliciously Registered Domains Decline As 4 in 5 Phishing Domains In .COM, .TK and .INFO
A new phishing survey released by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) at its conference in Buenos Aires this week reveals that phishers are breaking into hosting providers with unprecedented success, using these facilities to launch mass phishing attacks.
