Britons spend more than 'one day a month online'

Britons spend more than 'one day a month online'

British web users are spending 65% more time online than three years ago, according to a survey of net habits.

The average surfer spends 22 and a quarter hours on the net each month, according to the UK Online Measurement company (UKOM).

The lions' share of that time is spent on social networks or blogs, which accounts for nearly a quarter of users' time online.

Instant messaging (IM) has been one of the victims of social network growth.

Three years ago 14% of online time was spent using IM but that has fallen to just 5%.

But e-mail, also predicted to suffer as more people used Facebook and its rivals, is still healthy and accounts for 7.2% of time compared to 6.5% of time three years ago.

Networking, communication and playing games remain the most popular online activities.

Full story : HERE

Google admits wi-fi data collection blunder

Google admits wi-fi data collection blunder

Google has admitted that for the past three years it has wrongly collected information people have sent over unencrypted wi-fi networks.

The issue came to light after German authorities asked to audit the data the company's Street View cars gathered as they took photos viewed on Google maps.

Google said during a review it found it had "been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open networks".

The admission will increase concerns about potential privacy breaches.

These snippets could include parts of an email, text or photograph or even the website someone may be viewing.

In a blogpost Google said as soon as it became aware of the problem it grounded its Street View cars from collecting wi-fi information and segregated the data on its network.

It is now asking for a third party to review the software that caused the problem and examine precisely what data had been...

'Historic' day as first non-Latin web addresses go live

'Historic' day as first non-Latin web addresses go live

Arab nations are leading a "historic" charge to make the world wide web live up to its name.

Net regulator Icann has switched on a system that allows full web addresses that contain no Latin characters.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the first countries to have so-called "country codes" written in Arabic scripts.

The move is the first step to allow web addresses in many scripts including Chinese, Thai and Tamil.

More than 20 countries have requested approval for international domains from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).

It said the new domains were "available for use now" although it admitted there was still some work to do before they worked correctly for everyone. However, it said these were "mostly formalities".

Full story : HERE

Infected XP owners left unpatched

Infected XP owners left unpatched

Some of the latest security updates for Windows XP will not be installed on machines infected with a rootkit virus.

A rootkit is sneaky malware that buries itself deep inside the Windows operating system to avoid detection.

Microsoft said it had taken the action because similar updates issued in February made machines infected with the Alureon rootkit crash endlessly.

The latest updates can spot if a system is compromised by the Alureon rootkit and halt installation.

Full story : HERE

Smartphone maker Palm up for sale

Smartphone maker Palm up for sale

Handheld device maker Palm is in the market for a buyer, as sales of its latest smartphones fail to catch up rivals such as Apple and BlackBerry.

Palm was a trailblazer for handheld devices but its latest offerings, the Palm Pre and the Pixi, have not sold as well as hoped.

Full Story: Here

Thanks to GiddyG for the link

Microsoft Creates New Certification

Microsoft Creates New Certification

by Emmett Dulaney

3/24/2010 -- While details remain difficult to find, Microsoft is in the process of creating a new Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification as an entry-level certification for Windows Server 2008 small business administrators. This operating system is popular as witnessed by Microsoft awarding Windows Server 2008 credentials last year to 60,000 professionals worldwide (300,000 were given new certifications by Microsoft on all products during this time period).

The three new certificaitons (and related exams) slated to become available are:

1. MTA Server Administration (Exam # 98-365, TA: Windows Server 2008, Server Administration Fundamentals)
2. MTA Networking (Exam # 98-366, TA: Windows Server 2008, Networking Fundamentals)
3. MTA Security (Exam # 98-367, TA: Windows Server 2008, Security Fundamentals)

See...

Microsoft: one in eight workers use pirated software

Microsoft: one in eight workers use pirated software

Vendor research shows 57 per cent of UK workers think employers would approve pirated software use

UK employees are risking identity theft and computer viruses through the use of pirated software in the workplace, research claims.

According to the findings of Microsoft’s Attitudes to Piracy report, one in eight people admitted to using pirated software at work and 57 per cent believed their boss would consider the practice acceptable.

Julian Swan, director of compliance marketing at anti-piracy body the Business Software Alliance, said: “Businesses have many excuses for not managing software effectively, with cost cutting, ignorance and changes in IT personnel often cited during legal action.

“But the cost of being found using unlicensed software far outweighs any perceived savings.”

In the report, which features contributions from 1,000 respondents, two thirds admitted they...

Apple shows off iPhone OS 4.0

Apple shows off iPhone OS 4.0

Multi-tasking and e-books highlight upcoming firmware refresh

Apple has provided the first glimpse into its upcoming iPhone firmware update, which promises upwards of 100 new features for the iPhone and iPod touch devices.

Headlining the new features is multitasking capabilities. Long rumoured to be in the works, the feature will allow users to run multiple third-party apps at the same time.

The feature will not be available to all iPhone versions, however. Apple said that iPhone 3GS and iPod touch models released before late 2009 will not be able to multitask.

Apple also plans to overhaul the iPhone OS interface, allowing users to create folder directories for applications and organise email messages as conversation threads.

Read the rest of the article here.

-Ken

BCS urges members to withdraw support for £100k EGM

BCS urges members to withdraw support for £100k EGM

BCS, the chartered institute for IT, is writing to 50 disgruntled members in an attempt to persuade them to withdraw their signatures from a motion calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss the institute's future.

The motion, which calls for a vote of no confidence and a halt to BCS spending on its £5m modernisation programme, has won support from prominent BCS members, including two former trustees, a former president, seven current members of the BCS council and three ex-council members.

Supporters have listed 20 reasons why they are supporting the EGM. They include concerns that the BCS is placing the interests of its members second to its role as a business and that members have not been properly consulted over its modernisation programme.

Read the full article...

MPs pass Digital Economy Bill

MPs pass Digital Economy Bill

The Digital Economy Bill has been passed following its third reading in the House of Commons, after two hours of debate.

It was passed by 189 votes to 47 and has managed to keep the majority of its original clauses intact.

The controversial Bill seeks to curb online piracy, among several other major policies, all with the aim of stimulating the UK’s digital economy. It has caused ripples across the technology world, most notably because of its proposals regarding the suspension of repeat filesharers’ internet connections and also the measures (formerly contained within clause 1 that would allow politicians to block pirate websites without primary legislation.

Read the article here.

Compliments to Len for the find

-Ken