Tech Bitch

Earlier this month Apple dropped the price of its smallest flash memory player to just £32. Wow! It also bumped its capacity to 2GB (around 500 songs in 128Kbps AAC format) and charges just £45 for the pleasure (1GB model still available). So I thought now was as good a time as any to get one in for review and see what I’ve been missing.

The immensely popular iPod Shuffle is a sight to believe - it’s just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs an unnoticeable 14g, features a minimalistic aluminium design with a built-in clip and comes in five metallic colours - silver, blue, green, purple and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition. There simply isn’t anything else on the market that’s as portable or as hard wearing.

The iPod Shuffle is also the world’s most wearable iPod - just take a look around the next time you’re in the gym! Now let’s not get carried away - the iPod Shuffle’s features list is almost non-existent and you have to use iTunes to get your music onto in. On the plus side there’s a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 4000 products made specifically for the iPod including cases, fitness accessories, and speaker systems. It should work with a lot of modern automobile stereo systems, too.

There’s no display on the iPod Shuffle, so it’s not great for discovering new artists, but using it is a snap. Tactile controls on the front let you alter volume levels and skip tracks, and there’s a dedicated on/off switch and shuffle switch - the latter either randomly mixes up the song order or resets back to the order in which the tracks were synced from iTunes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the player actually outperformed Apple’s 12-hour battery life rating, and not by just a few minutes, but a few hours - I managed to get 15 hours!

The iPod Shuffle requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later and iTunes 7.4; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.4 or later (not supplied). The headphone jack doubles as a dock connector - simply flip the player upside-down and drop it into the included dock.

The iPod Shuffle isn’t about features or sound quality - it epitomises ease of use, portability and convenience. It’s time to join the revolution! [8]

Heads Up. The threat posed by zombie networks are real after a teenager was accused of being at the centre of an international cybercrime network.

18-year-old Owen Thorn Walker, a computer whiz from Hamilton, New Zealand, has been charged with two counts of accessing a computer for dishonest purposes, damaging with a computer system, possessing software for committing crimes, and two counts of accessing a computer system without permission. If found guilty, Walker could face up to 10 years in jail. More likely he’ll get his pocket money suspended.

When arrested in November 2007, it was alleged that Walker - known by his online handle ‘AKILL’ - was the boss of a gang that infected 1.3 million computers around the world, stealing banking and credit card information. Kudos!

Hackers can use zombie networks of computers to send spam, manipulate stock prices, steal identities and attack company Web sites. These botnets are one of the biggest security problems faced by the Internet today, and could be a powerful weapon in the hands of an experienced cybercriminal.

Walker appeared in Thames Magistrate’s Court in northern New Zealand, and was released on bail. News of the charges against him follow the unconnected arrest last week of 17 young people in Quebec alleged to have infected up to a million computers in 100 countries around the world.

Roll up, roll up, it’s not every day you get some for free from the Murdoch empire. Sky has announced that its high definition line-up is expanding, with three channels getting the HD treatment over the next couple of months.Sky Sports 3 HD, Sky Movies Premiere HD and FX HD will debut, making seventeen high definition channels available on the platform.

With Sky Sports 3 HD launching, Sky will be the first and only broadcaster to offer live, high definition coverage of European Tour golf, from 23rd March. The channel will also show World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from 17th March. It will include a mix of coverage from Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports Xtra.

FX HD brings a number of dramas to the UK, and will broadcast daily from 7pm to 2am, with at least 90% of the content originated in HD. Sky Movies Premiere HD’s upcoming films include Blood Diamond, Mr Bean’s Holiday, Flags Of Our Fathers, Fracture, Babel, and Ghost Rider. The channel will launch with a high definition premiere of Titanic.

Added to Sky’s existing HD line-up you can now vegetate to over 6500 hours of HD programming each month. Sky said it’s committed to investing in the HD programmes and channels that matter to its customers - so where’s the prOn, ey?

Technology can be both good and bad. I’ll let you make your own mind up on this … The BBC is to test screen the Rugby Six Nations match between Scotland and England live and in 3D HD to a select audience. The event is a joint venture between BBC Sport and the3Dfirm. Stupid eyewear is mandatory.

The project has kept a few people in work all year, so it better be good. The 8 March event is claimed to be the first and probably last ever live test screening of an international sport in 3D HD, although more accurately it is likely to be the first event to be satellite-delivered and screened in 3D (in February 2007, the National Basketball Association teamed up with Vince Pace’s 3D outfit, PACE, to offer the first-ever live sports event in 3D HD with footage delivered to the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas via fibre cabling).

Technical details for the Riverside event have not been finalised but it is understood that three 3D rigs comprising dual Sony HDC950s will capture the action. One will be positioned up high for wide shots with two at pitch level. The dual HD streams will be transmitted multiplexed to down link at Riverside Studios, demultiplexed and combined on reception before projection onto a large screen for an audience wearing stereoscopic glasses.

The 3D feed will be standalone and not cut into BBC Sport’s live host broadcast and will be supplied with surround sound. Audio commentary will probably be provided via a mix of Radio 5Live, TV commentary and clean sound feed (each will be trialled and the audience reaction gauged).

3D is apparently taking off as a big screen event for recorded material. I’m yet to witness this revolution …

Targeted advertising and clever widgets are missing the point when it comes to brands working with sites like Facebook and MySpace, said Beyond Analysis. Like the new kid on the block, we have to earn the trust of our new friends before we’re allowed to play.

The hot debate this year amongst brands is what to make of the social Web and how to use it as a channel to market for their brands. Already there have been various attempts to do clever stuff on sites like Facebook. Well, maybe clever is over egging things: some brands have advertised in the traditional banner ad sense, others have gone one step further and built an application. By and large, these all miss the point.

This year is the year for the start of the final death throes of traditional marketing. The world moved on last year when you and I went online and decided that the Web was our space for catching up with old friends and making new friends. Meanwhile the big brands still think it is THEIR channel for US to listen to THEM telling us about what they have to offer. Wrong - why did they call Myspace My Space? The double u double u double u is ours now and woe betide anyone, especially a big brand, that doesn’t behave itself.

So how should brands behave on the Web? Is the Web primarily a channel to market, or is it much more than that now? Businesses need to recognise that they are now effectively a guest at the table that is the World Wide Web, which is now a social Web, where all networks - personal, private, public and business - can interact. The real value from this new social Web is gained from listening to your customers and getting to know them a bit better. Doing this and acting upon what you learn, be that improving your customer service, or changing your proposition to better suit their needs, is what will drive your business forward.

This means that brands need to rethink how they view the Web and how they interact with us. It strikes me that there are a lot of similarities between being the new boy at school on his first day at school in the playground, and being a brand trying to find its feet in the new world of the social Web. So what’s the right playground etiquette for the new kid on the block? Beyond Analysis has come up with a few pointers that it thinks are just as relevant for brands as the start their foray into the social Web:

1. Be Yourself - To start with, have a little confidence and self-belief in yourself. Know who you are and what you stand for. Take a little time to think about the kind of people you like to spend time with and what you want to get out of any new friendships.

2. Know what you like in people - As you start to wander around and check out all the other kids in the playground think about other friends you have and what characteristics they have that might help you spot like-minded people.

3. Look for things that you have in common with other people - Before you dive in and introduce yourself to anybody, have a quick walk around the yard: check out what the different groups of kids look like. What are they doing? What are they talking about? Is there anything you can see or hear that might mean you have something in common with them?

4. Wait for the right moment to introduce yourself - Once you’ve had a look around, rather than diving in and interrupting a group that looks like they’re busy in the middle of something, see if there are some people who look interesting and like they might be up for a chat. Approach them first.

5. Be prepared with what to say - Go up and introduce yourself and have a few interesting things up your sleeve to have as conversation starters. Remember not everyone will want to hear just about you! Think of some questions to ask them which shows that you are interested in them too.

6. Be a good listener - Be sensitive to what they are like: they might be a bit shy or may not be as open as you. Be careful not to scare them off by being too friendly or enthusiastic. Take some time to get to know them. You might be really keen to make new friends and share out the contents of your lunchbox, but don’t expect everyone to like you the first time they meet you.

7. Be honest about who you are - Whilst it’s always a bit of a temptation to big things up, if you start telling tall stories about how big daddy’s car is or get found out for being less than you say, your new friends might stop taking you seriously.

8. Value any new friendships - Remember that trust and respect are really important foundations for any long-term relationship. Don’t go telling people things about your new friends that they might not want other people to know.

9. Respect people’s space - Don’t expect your new friends to introduce you to all their friends straight away. They will have lots of different friends and may want to keep some of these friendships separate - be careful not to invade these other friendships.

10. Know when to stop - You’ll know after the first conversation if there is any chemistry between the two of you. If there isn’t don’t push things and move on.

AbilityNet, the only UK charity that helps people adapt and adjust their information and communications technology (ICT) whatever their health condition or disability, is hosting a one-day conference at City University in London on 25 April 2008.

‘Accessibility 2.0’ will have speakers drawn from leading Web development companies and the RNIB aims to provide Web developers, Web managers and anyone interested in the technical aspect of accessibility with an in-depth understanding of accessibility issues and provide a host of practical solutions.

Robin Christopherson, Web Services Manager of AbilityNet, said: ‘We believe it’s time for the focus to come back onto Accessibility, and that a conference of this kind is what is needed to help developers make their Web 2.0 applications accessible.

‘It promises to be a highly practical day, where delegates come away knowing exactly what they need to do, and where they need to focus to make sure they consider accessibility in their products. With some of the biggest and best names in the industry we are very excited about what this event is going to bring to individuals and the industry as a whole.’

Following today’s announcement from Ofcom regarding proposals to curb unfair additional charges levied by communications providers on consumers’ bills, you might want to watch out for hidden charges in the mean time.

The investigation is great and it couldn’t have come sooner. We all continually face the prospect of additional charges from our service provider, which are all too often buried deep in the small print of the contract.

I just hope that the proposals will ensure that extra charges are fair and up front. I also call on ISPs to clearly market the true cost of their service and not hide them away in the terms and conditions. Until Ofcom’s proposal is enforced you should be wary of the following hidden extras.

There are two types of broadband packages when it comes to downloads: ones with set, monthly limits or ‘caps’, and ones that are advertised as ‘unlimited’ but which are almost invariably subject to a fair usage policy. Both can end up costing you extra, or you may find you have the speed of your connection reduced.

Even if you’re signed up to an unlimited package, you could still be restrained under the conditions of your ISP’s ‘fair usage’ policy. If the ISP considers that your monthly downloading is excessive (or unfair to other users) then you could have your speed ‘throttled’ or ‘ports’ blocked, which will affect downloading. You may also have a fixed download limit, which may mean you end up paying an additional fee on top of your monthly rate for big downloads.

If you opt for a ‘no contract’ broadband deal it isn’t quite as straightforward as it seems. In order to cover costs, many ISP’s charge significantly more per month if no long-term contract has been signed. Other providers may charge you an exit fee if you leave during the initial 12 months.

Even if you’ve paid your bill just a few hours late you can still fall foul of late payment fees. Also, check your new contract carefully if you think you might need to cancel before the 12 month term is up. Even if you’re moving house and intending to use the same supplier again, this could still incur a charge. Finally, you’d think ISPs would be happy once they have your money, but additional charges can be incurred for paying by cheque or credit card. Make sure you read the small print and choose a payment method that won’t penalise you if you choose not to pay by direct debit.

Additional fees that are not part of the main service charge must be demonstrably fair and clearly sign posted on marketing materials and product information. Make sure you read through the small print and summarise all the hidden charges alongside the various package options to make an informed decision. I hope that Ofcom’s proposals will encourage companies to be open and straightforward about additional charges, and we’ll all be a little more vigilant when it comes to reading the small print.

With mobile broadband sales booming, are home broadband’s days numbered?Based on data from thousands of UK broadband package sales over the past six months, marketing types at Top 10 Broadband are currently tracking a paradigm shift in sales patterns towards mobile broadband and are foreseeing the eventual demise of home broadband.

Top 10 Broadband predicts that mobile broadband as a source of Internet connection will overtake home broadband by as early as 2010 to become the default way to access the Internet in the UK. What a load of toshiba!

Top 10 Broadband says mobile broadband sales have increased by over 50% month on month since adding them to its Web site. Mobile broadband now makes up over 10% of its total broadband sales from 0% only six months ago. Oh, that’s definitive then …

Come on! Even if laptop sales have boomed in recent years, the cost and hassle of mobile broadband means it’s still a long way off for mass market adoption. Even if major mobile broadband providers like Vodafone, T Mobile, 3 and Orange are competing hard, I just can’t see it happening any time soon.

What do Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, George Galloway and Friction.tv have in common? They have all joined in the fight to save a pub in Stepney. Oh dear …

The George Tavern, whose future is threatened by developers Swan Housing, has apparently become one of the leading creative outlets in East London.

Friction.tv, the self proclaimed ‘virtual Speakers’ Corner’, has announced that it is creating a specific online channel to provide much needed publicity for the campaign. The channel will allow those with too much time on their hands to add their voice to those of the stars in support of the venue.

Friction.tv offers an online platform for free user-generated opinions and debates through the upload of content in both video and text. The first video on the ‘Save the George’ channel will feature lunatic MP George Galloway discussing the threats of not getting pissed faced by the pub, and the landlady Pauline Forster announcing the creation of a new charitable trust.

The ‘George Tavern Charitable Trust’ will look to raise enough money to buy the disused ‘Stepneys’ nightclub behind the pub, and turn it into a community centre, further increasing the George’s contribution to the area.

The George, which has played host to guests including as Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake, will be holding many fundraising events, footage of which will be aired exclusively on Friction.tv. The Tavern is even installing inside the venue a designated Webcam for the channel, allowing pissheads to leave their messages of objection. The channel will also continue to provide up to date news on the campaign.

This is the first time Friction TV has teamed up with a single issue campaign and supplied a dedicated channel. Let’s hope it’s the last …

Cyber-crooks are looking for ways to test their creations before distributing them. An investigation conducted by Panda Security has shown that cyber-crooks are collaborating on different forums and pages to develop test-tools that replicate the scans of some of the leading security solutions. This allows hackers to check their creations will be undetected before launching them.

The tool is very similar to Hispasec’s legitimate ‘Virus Total’ tool. The increasing interest in these new tools coincides with the removal of the ‘do not distribute the sample’ option in ‘Virus Total’ which allowed files to be scanned without sending the sample to security companies.

These tools represent another piece of the new malware dynamic, in which cyber-crooks no longer seek to cause widespread alerts and make the headlines, but to go unnoticed. They therefore want to check their creations are undetected by companies before launching them.

This recent increase of malware collaboration poses an active threat to security systems. Participating in such forums, exchanging knowledge and testing new malware ideas helps crooks facilitate the development of more effective malware. It is important, therefore, to have an up-to-date security measures in place for full protection.