Articles by date
02 July 2009
China's Green Dam internet filter will go ahead; already installed on over 500,000 Chinese computers (The Guardian)
China's controversial plan to install Green Dam internet filtering software on all computers will go ahead despite being postponement, a government official told state media today.
Google isn't making us dumb - or smart. That's the problem (The Guardian)
Last year, Nick Carr wrote a forceful article for the Atlantic magazine, arguing that Google was making us stupid. It's not just Google, of course, but the whole chaotic wave of technology that seems to be sweeping us into the future, surrounded and sometimes battered by the flotsam and wreckage of old certainties. And that was before Twitter hit the big time.
Buyer of Pirate Bay Plans to Go Legal (New York Times)
Free music and movies, mostly pirated, abound on the Internet. But Hans Pandeya says he thinks he has an even better offer. He wants to pay Web users to share songs or films -- with the full approval of the copyright owners.
Nokia's N97 brings a clash of two cultures (The Guardian)
Smartphones are booming - even in the middle of a recession - but their design and functionality can differ remarkably
Google: Spammers regroup after ISP takedowns (Network World)
Spammers are pumping out an increasing number of garbage messages as they regain their capacity to send spam through hacked PCs, according to the latest statistics released by Google on Wednesday.
Facebook simplifies privacy settings, calls them too complex (Computerworld)
Facebook will simplify the way in which it offers privacy options to its users, as it gets ready to give its members for the first time the option to make the content they post on their profiles available to anyone on the Internet.
Chinese bloggers hail Green Dam 'victory' (Financial Times)
A garden party in east Beijing billed as a protest against a government plan to fit all computers with Green Dam, a controversial web filtering software, turned into a celebration on Wednesday after the programme was postponed.
Greenpeace guide frowns on HP, still loves Nokia (CNET)
Greenpeace released its latest Guide to Greener Electronics on Wednesday, revealing that promises aren't always kept.
How wide is the world's digital divide, anyway? (ars technica)
New broadband penetration data shows that the majority of the world has almost no home access to high-speed Internet access; in Africa, for instance, only 2% of homes have broadband. Ars takes a look at the worldwide digital divide.
NZ Telecom offers unlimited downloads (Stuff)
Telecom will begin selling a broadband plan on Tuesday that will offer unlimited downloads for $69.95 a month.
Future of Australia's newspapers is bright, says News Ltd chief (The Australian)
The head of Australia's largest newspaper company, John Hartigan, has delivered an optimistic verdict on the future of journalism, arguing that Australian newspapers are holding up well compared with their counterparts in Britain and the US.
Six areas picked to start Australian broadband network (Australian IT)
The Rudd government has named six broadband-deprived areas as the first recipients of its $250 million cash injection to kickstart the $43 billion national broadband network in rural areas, reports The Australian.
01 July 2009
Firefox 3.5: Excellent for fans, but competition getting tougher (CNET)
Firefox 3.5 brings the world's second-most popular browser up to speed with current browsing technology and trends, and perhaps nudges it just a bit ahead of the competition. However, it is by no means the leap ahead that its predecessor Firefox 3 was, and it's clear that the competition isn't going away anytime soon.
ANALYSIS - Cybercrime spreads on Facebook (Reuters)
Cybercrime is rapidly spreading on Facebook as fraudsters prey on users who think the world's top social networking site is a safe haven on the Internet.
'Life or death' SPASMS alert: SMS death threat (Sydney Morning Herald)
The communications regulator has sounded the alarm after receiving a number of complaints from Australians who received SMS messages containing death threats.
CDT: New US privacy law getting closer (Computerworld)
Comprehensive legislation to protect consumers' privacy is closer to becoming a reality in the U.S. Congress than it's been in several years, officials with the Center for Democracy and Technology said Tuesday.
In China, New Limits on Virtual Currency (New York Times)
The buying and selling of the make-believe currencies used in online gaming has become so widespread that Chinese authorities fear it will affect the real economy.
African broadband costs too high (Stuff)
Many African countries should focus on lowering the cost of broadband access to help boost their economies.
Mobile roaming charges drop across Europe (The Guardian)
Mobile phone charges will fall for millions of holidaymakers across Europe from today, after new regulations come into force to drive down the cost of roaming.
Online Auction Fraud: Don't Let it Happen to You (FBI)
One in four complaints in 2008 to the Internet Crime Complaint Center involved online auction fraud. Computers, sports memorabilia, rare coins, designer fashions, and even cars.
China Delays Software Internet Filter Green Dam [updated] (New York Times)
Facing strong resistance at home and abroad, China on Tuesday delayed enforcement of a new rule requiring manufacturers to install Internet filtering software on all new computers.
Foes No More, Ad Agencies Unite With Internet Firms (New York Times)
Advertising agencies and Internet companies once viewed each other as foes, but are now coming together to harness the potential for online advertising. Like many other segments, online ad spending has slowed from its previous breakneck pace during the deep recession, forcing companies to devise new ways to chase fewer dollars.
With 3.5 launch, Firefox faces new challengers (CNET)
A funny thing to happened to Firefox on the way to vanquishing Internet Explorer: the Mozilla browser's success opened the door for a host of its other competitors.
30 June 2009
Pirate Bay starts video streaming (BBC News)
The world's most high-profile file-sharing website, The Pirate Bay, has lifted the lid on its new video sharing website, The Video Bay.
Swedish software firm buys The Pirate Bay for £4.7m (The Guardian)
The Swedish software firm, Global Gaming Factory X, has bought the file-sharing site The Pirate Bay for almost £4.7m.
