Internet News
August 6, 2010
Those famous cars with cameras are once again back in business, as Google continues its street photographing project in this country and around the world.
The fleet of snapping, snooping Street View vehicles had been grounded – or should that be parked – due to the unfortunate episode where Google “mistakenly” sampled wi-fi data from networks across the UK.
In ...
Google Street View cars back in business in the UK
by Darren Allan
August 4, 2010
The row Rim has found itself in over security aspects of its BlackBerry range has deepened, with Saudi Arabia announcing it is going to ban the use of the handsets. The Press Association reports that the government in Saudi Arabia is ordering operators to halt BlackBerry data services such as email and web browsing, due to security issues. The government didn't directly ...
Saudi Arabia and India move against BlackBerry
by Darren AllanThe row Rim has found itself in over security aspects of its BlackBerry range has deepened, with Saudi Arabia announcing it is going to ban the use of the handsets. The Press Association reports that the government in Saudi Arabia is ordering operators to halt BlackBerry data services such as email and web browsing, due to security issues. The government didn't directly ...
July 29, 2010
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has effectively cleared Google over the wi-fi data collection uproar, which privacy activists sank their teeth into back in May.
If you don't recall this one, basically it revolved around Google's Street View photographing cars, which also carried radio antennae to pick up the signals from wi-fi networks around the country.
The idea was to ...
ICO clears Google over wi-fi data affair
by Darren Allan
July 16, 2010
The company behind the Firefox browser, Mozilla, has issued a warning that an add on downloaded by users has been found to be sending the personal details of anyone who downloaded it.
This only came to light when developers at Mozilla noticed that the “Mozilla Sniffer” add on was stealing data and sending it on to a third party.
What ...
Firefox add on steals data
by David Allen
July 8, 2010
The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has now launched a new set of guidelines designed to protect the personal information that all internet users and organisations store online.
The Personal Information Online Code of Practice informs organisations that store data online, how they are able to use this data and that there is a need for transparency in the way ...
Online privacy rules introduced
by David Allen
June 14, 2010
The UK Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has stated that there are no plans to force companies and organisation to disclose to the authorities any data losses, no matter how large or potentially harmful.
According to the ICO, it is best for all concerned that organisations report any data loss and that measures are in place to stop any further ...
Companies do not have to report data loses
by David Allen
May 10, 2010
Last week, we found out how much the iPad was going to cost us here in the UK.
If you missed that bit of news, the price for the most basic 16GB wi-fi model has been set at £429, and for the top end 64GB iPad 3G, you'll have to fork out £699 (yes, ouch).
If you're going with the ...
UK operators reveal iPad 3G data pricing
by Darren Allan
May 5, 2010
Simulmedia is a company that helps broadcasters and advertisers make the best use of the data collected through set top boxes.
For broadcasters the service enables improved ratings, while it allows advertisers to produce more effective adverts, designed to reach specific groups.
But Simulmedia is a new kid on the block, launched around eighteen months ago.
It was backed by Avalon ...
$8 million invested in Simulmedia
by David Allen
April 1, 2010
Mapping organisation the Ordnance Survey has opened up its cartography data to all and sundry this morning.
OS OpenData went live about twenty minutes ago, as announced by Richard Stirling, the Head of Making Public Data Public (snappy title), on Twitter.
“Be gentle on the servers! That is a hell of a lot of data they are serving up,” he ...
Ordnance Survey map data now available to the public
by Darren Allan
March 16, 2010
ROK Entertainment Group has launched a streamed mobile TV service in Russia in partnership with the Russia-based mobile television service KOX TV.
This service is the first of its kind in Russia and marks an important landmark for the UK based mobile communications services and technology applications firm.
The service will be targeting customers of the top Russian mobile phone ...
ROK deal in Russia
by David Allen
January 21, 2010
Tim Berners-Lee, the man credited with founding the web, has taken the wraps off his latest project.
It's for the UK government, and it lives at http://data.gov.uk, under the tagline: “Unlocking Innovation: Working with UK public sector information and data.”
The site aims to make the vast compilation of statistics and figures the government has at its fingertips open to ...
Berners-Lee reveals government data website
by Darren Allan
November 18, 2009
T-Mobile has admitted that it is the mobile operator whose staff sold on customer details to other companies. According to reports, the data sold consisted of names and contact details, but most importantly contract expiration details. These allowed the other companies to contact and attempt to poach T-Mobile users when their contract was due up. In an official statement, T-Mobile said: “When it ...
T-Mobile admits data breach
by Darren AllanT-Mobile has admitted that it is the mobile operator whose staff sold on customer details to other companies. According to reports, the data sold consisted of names and contact details, but most importantly contract expiration details. These allowed the other companies to contact and attempt to poach T-Mobile users when their contract was due up. In an official statement, T-Mobile said: “When it ...
November 5, 2009
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) will be meeting to discuss how the industry can better use the data collected from set top boxes.
The CIMM had asked for proposals from members, to see how broadcasters would like their relationship with advertisers, content producers and other media outlets to grow in the future.
The CIMM is a new US-based ...
STB firms meet to discuss data measurement
by David Allen
July 14, 2009
Some alarming results have turned from a survey conducted by the internet service provider Tiscali.
It seems that despite all of the warnings and stories of real people who have fallen foul of ID theft or had their bank accounts cleared, internet users are still being complacent with their personal details.
The information that users publish online is of the ...
Tiscali says users’ data is at risk
by David Allen
July 1, 2009
Question: You're on holiday abroad - why not take your laptop to the poolside and enjoy an episode of Eastenders, handily downloaded via your mobile broadband connection? Answer: Because at £1,200 an episode, the download will probably cost more than your whole holiday. Research by Broadband Genie has found exactly how much of a "bank breaker" overseas roaming with mobile broadband really ...
Watch Eastenders on holiday for £1,200 an episode
by David AllenQuestion: You're on holiday abroad - why not take your laptop to the poolside and enjoy an episode of Eastenders, handily downloaded via your mobile broadband connection? Answer: Because at £1,200 an episode, the download will probably cost more than your whole holiday. Research by Broadband Genie has found exactly how much of a "bank breaker" overseas roaming with mobile broadband really ...
June 3, 2009
Openwave Systems yesterday launched version 7 of its mobile analytics tool. Openwave Mobile Analytics 7.0 enables operators to track subscriber use of mobile broadband, including peak usage times and data consumption patterns. Openwave said by using its solution operators can deliver targeted content to users at an optimum price. In addition, operators can better monitor, manage and monetize mobile data traffic, including mobile ...
Openwave monitors and monetises mobile data traffic
by David AllenOpenwave Systems yesterday launched version 7 of its mobile analytics tool. Openwave Mobile Analytics 7.0 enables operators to track subscriber use of mobile broadband, including peak usage times and data consumption patterns. Openwave said by using its solution operators can deliver targeted content to users at an optimum price. In addition, operators can better monitor, manage and monetize mobile data traffic, including mobile ...
June 1, 2009
Two in five PC users in the UK have lost valuable files from their computers, a new survey revealed this week. A poll by security specialist Symantec found 38% of consumers have lost data from their PCs, yet two thirds (66%) rarely back up their data. Only one in five (22%) of those surveyed regularly backs up all the data on their ...
Two thirds of consumers rarely back up data
by David MastersTwo in five PC users in the UK have lost valuable files from their computers, a new survey revealed this week. A poll by security specialist Symantec found 38% of consumers have lost data from their PCs, yet two thirds (66%) rarely back up their data. Only one in five (22%) of those surveyed regularly backs up all the data on their ...
May 11, 2009
Top secret details of America's missile defence system were found last week on the hard drive of a computer purchased on eBay. Information on the hard drive included a document outlining test launch procedures, blueprints of government facilities, and photographs of employees together with their personal details, including social security numbers. The leak was discovered by an international research team led by ...
US missile defence details bought on eBay
by David MastersTop secret details of America's missile defence system were found last week on the hard drive of a computer purchased on eBay. Information on the hard drive included a document outlining test launch procedures, blueprints of government facilities, and photographs of employees together with their personal details, including social security numbers. The leak was discovered by an international research team led by ...
April 23, 2009
The cost of downloading data while travelling around Europe is set to drop significantly, thanks to the European Parliament which voted to place caps on wholesale data roaming charges and impose caps on retail SMS charges.
These changes are set to take place on the 1st July.
The EU also voted for cuts in the price of mobile phone calls ...
Roaming Data costs slashed by EU
by David Allen
February 24, 2009
When 28,000 log-in details stolen from a well-known website were posted online recently, security firms discovered that a sizable minority of internet users are incredibly naive at setting their own password. Security analysts Cyber-Ark found that 14% of users choose sequential combinations such as 1234, QWERTY, or ABCD whilst 16% use their first name as a password. Four percent of users, meanwhile, ...
Popular passwords include '1234' and 'password'
by David MastersWhen 28,000 log-in details stolen from a well-known website were posted online recently, security firms discovered that a sizable minority of internet users are incredibly naive at setting their own password. Security analysts Cyber-Ark found that 14% of users choose sequential combinations such as 1234, QWERTY, or ABCD whilst 16% use their first name as a password. Four percent of users, meanwhile, ...
Online privacy concern for consumers
by David Allen
February 18, 2009
In order to make sure that smaller internet service providers' customers are monitored, and records are kept of their web surfing activities under the data retention scheme, the government will be looking towards BT and the other large ISPs.
The main reason is the prohibitive cost of paying all the small ISPs to do this.
The government ...
Larger ISPs to help out smaller firms
by David Allen
January 30, 2009
Another tool has been released by Google, which can be used to check how well internet services are being delivered.
Google has called this tool the Measurement Lab (M Lab) and it can be used to check the performance of the internet and suggest why users may be having problems with their connection.
This could be an answer to ...
Google intros broadband performance tool
by David Allen
January 27, 2009
The online job hunting site, Monster, has become the victim of the largest data theft in the UK, with hackers managing to gain access to the personal details of four and half million people on monster.co.uk.
The hackers are believed to have got away with Names, passwords, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, birth dates, sex and locations of both employers ...
Monster victim of largest data theft
by David Allen
January 20, 2009
It seems that every time government employees lose data on disc or laptops it hits the headlines, but it would appear that they are not the people are being less security conscious than they should be.
Just a visit to the local the dry cleaners could be a valuable source of information, as during 2008 some nine thousand USB ...
Flash drives taken to the cleaners
by David Allen
September 26, 2008
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is trying to help people check up on the information that is held about them by various organisations.
The ICO says that under the Data Protection Act people are able to access information held about them to make sure that it is correct.
In order to help people see how exposed they are, the ...
ICO offer health check
by David Allen
September 10, 2008
Following the carefully reworded terms of service for their new browser Chrome, Google have gone one step further and decided to introduce a new data policy after many complaints about privacy.
Currently the search engine will only make searches anonymous after eighteen months, but the new policy will mean that this will now happen after nine months.
This may ...
New Google privacy policy
by David Allen
August 12, 2008
The personal details of over two hundred and fifty children has been lost by a BBC production partner, adding to the ever-growing list of personal data that has been mislaid by large organisations.
The details were held on flash drive and contained names, addresses, birthdays, contact phone numbers and what they were intending to do during the school holidays.
The ...
BBC lose kids’ data
by David Allen
June 23, 2008
It seems to be the in thing these days, where a government agency or a business, copies a list of customers' contact and bank details, burn it onto a CD and then lose it!
How many times have we heard this happening this year alone?
The latest data loss comes from Virgin Media; they were apparently in the ...
Virgin Media loses customer data
by David Allen
May 6, 2008
NexHorizon Communications is to expand its service offering to include triple play voice, data, and video services, and has entered into a partnership agreement with Ad Systems, a subsidiary of Praebius Communications. Ad Systems will provide its newest advertising insertion technology for cable television providers, and install its digital insertion technology in NexHorizon’s Chula Vista and National City cable systems. This infrastructure ...
Expanded services from NexHorizon
by Lin FreestoneNexHorizon Communications is to expand its service offering to include triple play voice, data, and video services, and has entered into a partnership agreement with Ad Systems, a subsidiary of Praebius Communications. Ad Systems will provide its newest advertising insertion technology for cable television providers, and install its digital insertion technology in NexHorizon’s Chula Vista and National City cable systems. This infrastructure ...
