In the Globe and Mail Technology section, Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams are running a series on the impact of mass collaboration and its effect on business and business models. In this segment referenced here, they discuss the Second Life phenomenon and how people are making money, sometimes big money, in that virtual economy. Collaborative Business is by now old hat, but the idea of mass collaboration is a new next step that merits attention. globeandmail.com: 'Second Life' is a signpost for the future

E-government has been an important initiative of many countries for several years. In Canada, the Government Online (GOL) initiative has been a successful effort of which the government is justly proud. However, Canada is falling badly behind in one important area, and this is shown most recently by the recent announcements of Chairman Cox of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He has been pushing the use of XBRL for filing corporate reports, and this will make a big difference to the online initiatives of that government. Similar initiatives are happening arond the world. But not in Canada. Why is this? Eventually, we'll have to step up and be a part of the new world. E-Proxies to Debut in 2007 - Technology - CFO.com

Small personal technologies - cell phones, PDA's laptops, and the like are growing in use and changing in important ways. Cell phones are starting to move to VOIP. All are staying connected to the Net, meaning the internet will be more and more integated into these devices and their use. Better power sources are in the offing. All of this has serious implications for data use and data management, including security. It's a bit of a second wave revolution. Not as big as the internet itself, but nevertheless big. Technology Review: Special Reports: Personal Technology

While illegal downloading of movies continues despite the resistance of the movie industry, there are several ways to legally obtain movies over the internet. This article lists some of them. The various organizations represented are trying a variety of means to establish a workable business model, usually by placing some kind of constraint over the ability to copy the movies and even the ability to watch them for an extended period of time. Clearly, the business model will continue to evolve. Technology Review: How do I buy online movies and what can I do with them?

Knowledgable consultants and business leaders have long said that a technology strategy has to be aligned with the business strategy. Increasingly, companies are realizing the full import of this principle in an e-business world, where IT so so crucial to making strategies and business models work. IT Directors are being looked to as sources of new revenue streams rather than just cost center managers. This is an inevitable, but important development. Not Your Father’s IT

Yahoo has been losing ground in its competition with Google and sites like Youtube and Myspace. It has just engineered a major reorganization to bolster its position. Will a reorganization be enough? That's the question. globeandmail.com: Yahoo! undergoes its biggest shake-up in more than 5 years

The growing maturity, complextity and breadth of working as an Information Systems Specialist is placing an increased emphasis on formal university training and certification. It's also leading to an increased diversity in educational backgrounds. This is a positive trend for the profession. Moving Target: The Information Security Professional

New research indicates that spontaneous buying is increasing on the internet. People are logging in and then buying something before they log off with no intention of doing so when they started. The Christmas season this year is expected to benefit from this apparent trend, as growth in Christmas shopping online is expected to grow again in the double digit range. E-Commerce News: Best of ECT News: Captitalizing on 'Spontaneous Buying' This Holiday Season

Google Earth has quietly taken over a healthy chunk of the mapping industry. Who goes abroad to a strange place without taking a look at Google Earth to see where they will be - and get to know their way to points of interest? Now it is undergoing an information explosion, and quickly becoming a mapped encyclopedia. Will it become an indispensible research tool as well? Will it fit into new business models for the tourism industry? Technology Review: Annotating the Earth

Everyone who has an internet account is familiar with the Nigerian money scams. A recent UK report has said that the scams cost Britons millions of dollars a year. No doubt the same is true of North America as well. The UK report also highlights some of the reasons why Europeans would fall for the scams. Nigerian scams cost Britons millions, says study | Top News | Reuters.com

Microsoft's new Vista Operation System will include extensive new Digital Rights Management (DRM) features that will cause problems for users, especially those pushing the edge on copyright issues. Some of the new built-in safeguards were put in at the request (demand?) of the movie industry to cut down on DVD piracy. But many of the new technologies are bound to cause issues for ordinary honest users as well. Vista and More: Piecing Together Microsoft's DRM Puzzle

Wireless technology is likely to be a major factor for economic development in Africa. That's one of the big reasons why the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize went to Muhammed Yunus and Grameen Bank, who developed the idea of microloans, which are being used for such purposes as using cell phones to start small businesses. globeandmail.com: World's poorest nations new frontier for cell giants

Voting continues to try to move into the electronic age, but as evidenced in the recent US mid-term election, problems are still being experienced - technological as well as user acceptance. E-Voting Glitches Abound: Five States with the Biggest Problems

Couchsurfing is a new Web application that travels. It involves using the web to make contact with someone else where you are travelling and make arrangements to crash on their couch. It's built somewhat on the principles of eBay, including a rating system. Yes, there are risks. It's not for the faint of heart. But it is catching on with young people. globeandmail.com: 'Couchsurfing' travel takes off on Web

Google's recent acquisition of Jotspot is part of its strategy to employ a 'wiki" style approach to workplace collaboration. Garner has a short paper on this subject at: Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for our clients to make the right decisions, every day.

Online trading of securities has been growing and is most likely to continue on that path. This means that the buy-side traders need to revisit their software. They are doing that by buying new Execution Management Systems (EMSs). The new EMSs, however, don't always integrate well with the more traditional and function-heavy Order Management Systems (OMSs). The traders are looking for better systems overall. Wall Street & Technology : Buy-Side OMSs Face the EMS Threat

Here's a webcase that points out how an e-commerce site can be improved with technologies like flash that weren't practical before the majority of people gained access to high speed internet.CIO Screencast

Increasingly, the Web is being used to supplement TV. MLB.com is an example of such a site, where up to the minute (second?) reporting of stats and details of ongoing games can be brought up as the game is taking place. Envisage people watching the world series with their laptop open in front of them to track the stats as they go along. Some people also use the sites of the teams and leagues to do the same thing, not only in baseball but in hockey and other sports. Eventually, when tv and computers complete their convergence, it will make for more powerful viewing experiences. It does now as well, as long as you keep both units on at the same time. globeandmail.com: Baseball's (on-line) field of dreams

We heard a lot about E-Trade when e-business got started, but it faded away with the dot-com bust. But now it's back, with some new and innovative ideas about online financial management and a new business model. How to Put the Money Where the Mouse Is - Editorial - CIO

Dr Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, who is a leader in Internet Innovation, has released a white paper which advocates the use of Microsoft's Seven Laws of Identity to promote a safer Internet, with less SPAM. Her white paper is at the following site: 7laws-whitepaper.pdf (application/pdf Object)

In a leadership move, Microsoft is releasing privacy guidelines that it hopes will encourage people to adopt their own. globeandmail.com: Microsoft to release privacy guidelines

The 2006 Emerging Technologies conference was held at MIT on Sept 27-28. MP3 files for the sessions are on their website, one of which was a presentation by Motorola of a new service involving their new "Smart Phone" and making possible the idea of video blogging on mobile units. An interesting development that could turn out to be a passing fad or could have real potential as a means to "publish" news and other events. Technology Review: TR Blogs

Google's purchase of Youtube will be interesting to watch from several points of view. Will they be able to establish internet entertainment as a mainstream trend? Will they be able to bring in their advertising expertise to make Youtube profitable? Will they bring in more copyright material rather than the large volume of home made videos presently online? If they do, will they lose their present customer base? Google is incredibly innovative, to be sure, but not everything they do makes money. In this case, they seem to be latching onto a major trend, one that has the potential to change the very nature of television, perhaps even make conventional television obsolete. But how long will this take? And what business models will make it happen? The Google venture will help us to address some of these questions. globeandmail.com: Google takes a lead in the on-line video revolution

The Venice Project, one in which Skype is a partner, involves feeding professional video content to pc's in such a way that the computer acts and looks a lot like a tv, but contains the functionality to control what is being watched. Is it a model for the future of TV and video watching? Skype Founders' Venice Project Revealed

Sharing information with others can mark you as a leader. Blogging and podcasting can be a good way to share. Therefore Blogging and podcasting can be good for your career. InformationWeek Weblog: How Blogging, Podcasting Can Help Your Company--And Your Career

ebay's Shopping.com site has been enhanced just in time for the Christmas shopping season with several new features to make shopping online easier and quicker. The site is already popular; perhaps this will make it even more so. Shopping.com aims to simplify comparison shopping

A major new announcement by the SEC has launched XBRL firmly into the mainstream. The US federal agency has awarded contracts totalling $54 million to renovate the EDGAR filing system to accomodate Interactive Data, to finance the development of a new set of US XBRL taxonomies and to support the development of new and better implementation tools. Press Release: SEC to Rebuild Public Disclosure System to Make It "Interactive"; 2006-158; September 25, 2006

This item expands on the posting of last week, which addresses the idea that security must follow the data, inside and outside of the secure networks that an enterprise sets up. this is very different rom the old approach where security was limited to corporate owned infrastructure. It's essentially a shift of security focus from the infrastructure to the data - data centric security. E-Commerce News: Data Storage: Where Data Goes, Security Must Follow

Mobile security is getting to be an increasingly difficult area to control, with the proliferation of laptops, handhelds and the growing use of public WiFi networks with weak security. It calls for greater vigilence and adaptable security policies that need to keep up with this fast-changing field.Why mobile security is a never-ending story

High availability hosting solutions may provide a needed stability for businesses that are dependent on their internet activity for success. This article explains how. E-Commerce News: Web Services: Growing Your Web Infrastructure Wisely

Security is getting more complicated with the growth of mobile technology. Companies are losing mobile units holding client and employee data with incrasing frequency. What's needed is tighter control over the data, not necessarily over the devices.Survey: 81% of U.S. firms lost laptops with sensitive data in the past year

Dell computer co is optimistic moving forward despite recent challenges the company has faced. This interview sets out the thoughts of Michael Dell on future prospects and directions of the company. Michael Dell: Still Betting on the Future of Online Commerce and Supply Chain Efficiencies - Knowledge@Wharton

A couple of years ago, numerous "drop-off" stores started up. The idea was that they would take goods in on consignment and then sell them on eBay. eBay itself had a number of them, but many were independents. It was widely touted as a sterling idea at the time, but subsequent experience has indicated that many of them have gone bankrupt. The experience hasn't necessarily invalidated the idea, but it has taught some serious lessons to aspiring entrepreneurs. The State of eBay Drop-Off Stores

Nortel and Telus are combining to provide an Internet TV service, adding to the growing number of organizations joining this new and important TV paradigm. globeandmail.com : Nortel and Telus unite to work on Internet TV offering

Amazon has launched its new movie and TV show download service. iTunes launches/announces its service tomorrow. The movie and TV business will never be the same. globeandmail.com : Amazon.com launches TV, movie download service

The big TV Networks are looking to the internet to save them. That's the thing for them to do. However, it does raise serious questions as to how they handle the internet. Do they see it as a way to provide TV type content. The short answer is probably "no" becayse the internet is not TV. Or should they make use of the other functionality of the Web? Do they institute "on demand" viewing? Presumably that might work. But will it work for sports? The internet raises interesting questions for them. It could be their doom or their savior. globeandmail.com : NBC hoping NFL, Internet will lead comeback

The new head of Transcontinental Inc's media division plans to take the giant company to the internet with refreshing new strategies. She seems to be on the right track. Recognizing the importance of the internet as a central communications vehicle. globeandmail.com : Executive Decision

Google's "Google Book Search" service is going to allow, effective today, downloading books in the public domain. This includes classics as well as other more obscure books. They will be in pdf form, and people will then be able to read them online or print them and even bind them if they wish. The announcement and link to the service is at: Official Google Blog: Download the classics

You will be hearing more about IPTV over the next few years. Internet Protocol TV. It's the protocol for sending HDTV over the Internet. A BC company has announced a new technology to make this viable. The big problem was to compress transmission sizes down to a size that current technologies can handle, and they have done that with MPEG 4. Along with the introduction of a new box for TV's that can manage the technology. the signals can also be sent to conventional PC's, which is likely more significant. The provision of High DEfinition TV over the internet will shake up the industry considerably. Already a hot bed of competitive activity, the telephone companies, cable companies and other players will be adapting to this new reality. The cable companies already provide both TV and the Internet so it won't be too hard for them to embrace the internet. However, their competitive environment will be changed, since the telephone compaiies will now be able to provide TV content over their high speed connections. Also, the Internet providers and internet content providers will be interested.
It will be another industry shakeup. Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact

It looks like IT executives had better get serious about security. There have been numerous high security breaches in recent years, and now companies like AOL and enterprises like Ohio University are starting to fire the IT managers and high end executives who they deem to be respoonsible. Maybe it will mean more attention being paid to the issues around system security.IT execs on firing line over security breaches

The internet is global, we like to say, but it is largely English, which not everyone on the web speaks, and many parts of it are in languages we don't generally speak here in North America. Is there a better way? Prof Pierre Levy of the University of Ottawa thinks so and is working hard on the Information Economy Meta language (IEML) that can be understood by computers worldwide. It reminds one of the efforts in the accounting community to develop XBRL. Whether or not Prof Levy suceeds, the concept is going to have a lot of legs over the next few years. Truly global and computer readable languages are needed for global e-business, and for that matter everything else. globeandmail.com : Pioneers aim to create new language for the Web

Television is moving to the internet and other networks and it promises to change the very nature of tv. Cisco, in recognition of this, has bought a video on demand company - Arroyo Video Solutions, which is distinctive in that it enables networking of tv's. This is a trend that will not go away. Online tv abounds, and now, there are innumerable sites where a person can watch tv from around the world over the internet. Networking tv is another extension that is sure to prove popular as a way to gain access to a tv without buying a lot of extra boxes. It also could change the business model for tv, as advertising becomes more difficult to convey to tv watchers, who have a growing ability to bypass the ads. Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact

It's not just the recording companies who need to enbrace the internet. It's the entertainers too. Some of them have, but others haven't. However, some of the holdouts are seeing the light.globeandmail.com : Music holdouts give in to iTunes

Online banking is one of the most successful online e-business applications. It has revolutionized the banking industry structurally and strategically. This recent survey confirms that. globeandmail.com : On-line banking a habit that's starting to click

Sony is about to launch a new wireless handheld called MILO which is designed to communicate using wireless networks over the internet using VOIP. It will be directed to younger users, but may be attractive to business users as well. If the success of the iPod is any indication, look out! globeandmail.com : Sony to launch a new wireless handheld

The use of RFID tags to track goods has been growing impressively. Last quarter revealed a rise of 14% in sale of RFID scanners for this purpose. It shows a continuing interest of business in streamling goods movement and the supply chain through the use of technology. E-Commerce News: RFID: RFID Reader Shipments Jump 14 Percent in First Quarter

eBay has been under legal attack from several sources. Here's a rundown of those attacks - and the response. eBay: The Lobby

XBRL has been a promising new technology for several years. When and how will it meet that promise? Will it happen when companies realize the data integration benefits of this powerful technology or when the SEC mandates it? We'll find out within the next year, according to this CEO Mag article. XBR-What? - CFO Magazine - August Issue 2006 - CFO.com

Here's an item for those who think that downloading music without paying for it is legal and acceptable. Kazaa has been required in a court case to pay $115 million to the music industry for compensation. More importantly, they have agreed to "use all reasonable means" in their software design to discourage piracy by users. We'll have to wait to see exactly what that means. globeandmail.com : Kazaa settles piracy suits

Everyone is familiar with Spyware, and especially with the annoying ads and viruses they invite, not to mention the intrusion of privacy occasioned by the tracking cookies. The firm of Direct Revenue attracted some attention as a significant purveyor of Spyware, and this article, focusing on them, offers some great insights into the world of Spyware. The Plot To Hijack Your Computer

China only recently got into the internet, but by 2007, they will have surpassed the US as the largest internet user in the world. At the same time, because they are relatively late to the game, they are short of IP addresses, something that is plentiful in the west. For this and other reasons, they are leapfrogging the US and moving to IP version 6, which carries enhanced capabilities, much greater expansion of IP addresses and better security capabilities. It could give them an edge and put the US and everyone else behind, which could have massive implications for the technological strength of the west. The US has been the leader of the internet, but it could become a follower if it doesn;t act soon. China Builds a Better Internet - Editorial - http://www.cio.com/archive/071506/china.html

This article provides an interesting insight how UPS leverages IT to increase efficiency and remain successful in a very competitive industry. Northwest Florida Daily News: How UPS went from low-tech to an IT power

ebay has taken a new turn by adding powerful mobile capability to its auctioning service. If you want to start and manage an eBay auction from your cell phone, all you need to have is a compatible photo capable phone and the rest is supplied by ebay. For people on the move, the interesting question is whether it will change the dynamics of ebay auctions. will they move faster, become even more popular as a result. It's an interesting move. Don't Fence Me In: eBay exits desktop with Sell it Mobile

The movie industry has made a move - somewhat tentatively - to make legal downloads of movies possible. Called CinemaNow, the new service will enable people to download movies and record them on a DVD. The movie industry has been particularly slow to embrace the internet, even slower than the music industry, but that's what they need to do, all in the context of a viable business model. There's the rub. Technology Review: TR Blogs

Google continues its move to take over the world. It is moving into web based enterprise wide applications, which could be attractive to many organizations. We have a lot of applications using the internet in the background anyway, so it may be simply a natural progression. The Enterprise Gets Googled - Editorial - CIO

People are still finding opportunities in tech e-business to start their own business and even make a decent living at it. Here are some examples. InformationWeek Careers Accidental Tech Entrepreneurs Turn Their Hobbies Into Livelihoods June 30, 2006

More people are using wireless networks, both at work and at home. They still often do not secure them, however, and that can be a fatal flaw. It's not hard to install basic wireless network security, through the encryption code that all networks provide for. But there are additional steps that wireless owners can take. It's important to have a secure network, both to protect sensitive data that may be on your laptop from work, but also to protect your own private information, such as banking access numbers. InformationWeek Security Locking The Wireless Network June 21, 2006

Google is widely considered to be the tech-heavyweight these days. Every announcement of a new product or service by the company causes a huge buzz and scares potential competitors. But aside from its core search engine business, Goggle has not always fared so well. In fact, many of Google's new services can hardly be considered a success. This Businessweek article takes a critical look at why Google has not been as successful outside of its core business. So Much Fanfare, So Few Hits

People are putting more things on the web, from photos, to complex accounting applications. They are joining online communities through google, yahoo, paypal and the like. These applications make use of web based applications, often using XML, called Web Services. The growing use of Web Services is attracting hackers, who are finding it profitable to attack these communities. Microsoft and the administrators of the online communities are scrambling to plug the holes that the hackers find. But it's a race, leaving people exposed to the attacks, some of which are bound to succeed. globeandmail.com : Web services under attack

RFID tags, which are very common in retail, do create potential privacy issues. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is going after the issue in a big way. globeandmail.com : Privacy Commissioner weighs in on RFID

Discovery hearings have been a key part of civil legal disputes since before the cows came home. However, the rules and legislation have of course been built on paper documents. However, electronic evidence has been growing in importance over the past decade or so, and that means new rules are called for. The US Supreme Court has introduced new such rules, that go into effect in December. they require a company to disclose its handling of electronic evidence and covers among other things e-mail, another area that has cost a lot of companies a lot of money, because people are just not careful about what they say in their e-mail messages. New e-discovery rules go into effect in December

eBay and google are two information age powerhouses. Now they are going head to head in the online advertising market, with eBay launching a new initiative in this area. It'll be interesting to see if a background of auctioning helps in selling online ads. InformationWeek eBay eBay To Go Head To Head Against Google For Online Ad Market June 12, 2006

A spammer crackdown has cost a man 10 million. Spam costs millions of dollars each year and causes havoc especially in businesses dependent on the internet for their business. More of this type of action is needed. Aljazeera.Net - US spammer fined $10m

Google is making a significant effort to have companies move their computing to the internet, and off the desktop and out of their own shops. Their objective is to bypass Microsoft, not compete with it. It'll be a whole new paradigm for the companies, raising issues of security and IS management particularly. CIO's will have to change their approach from one of control to one of risk management. Will companies do this? What's at stake? Will it benefit their e-business strategies or act as a deterrent? These are just some of the questions that CIO's will have to address in the short term. The Enterprise Gets Googled - Editorial - CIO

The Securities and Exchange Commission is holding an important public forum on Monday, June 12 to discuss ways in which the use of interactive data (XBRL) can improve disclosure for ordinary investors. It is expected to be well attended. Press Release: Commission Announces Speakers, Panelists, and Agenda for June 12 Interactive Data Roundtable ; 2006-90; June 7, 2006

A notable new website and blog has been launched to promote the concept of inherent quality in software and among IT professionals. It's worth keeping an eye on and can be found at the following link: Inherent Quality

Mobile internet is poised to take a new turn, hopefully for the better. The point of departure is the launch of a new domain type - .mobi. The .mobi domains were approved last year by ICANN, amid much controversy and over the objections of Mr Internet himself - Sir Timothy Berners-Lee. The launch started in the first quarter of this year, and companies are now busy registering their mobi domain names to protect them. The purpose of mobi domains is that they must follow rules that make it easy for mobile devices - cells and PDA's - to access them, using the WAP 2 protocol. Good access to the internet by mobile devices is very limited now, but all indications are that it is poised to take off over the next couple of years. It's wise, if you have a domain on the web now to register a .mobi name to protect it. Most providers offer programs where they can be registered for a two year period, after which it will be clearer where they are going - or have gone. InformationWeek Mobile Phone Browsers Two Events Show Effort To Fix Mobile Web Browsing May 29, 2006

San Francisco has announced the formation of a task force to study the deployment of a city wide wireless network. The City by the Bay has been studying this initiative, for reasons similar to those of Philadelphia, to provide opportunity across the economic spectrum and help break down the digital divide. They have also formed SF TEchConnect, an arm of the city, to focus on the project. SF TechConnect: Press Release - April 20 2006

Identity theft has become a major problem, affecting 9.3 Americans last year and proportionately as many Canadians. But there are steps that ordinary people can take to help control it, such as checking your credit with a Credit Reporting Agency such as Equifax. It may cost a few dollars, but it may save a lot more. Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact

With cable companies moving into the telephone business and telephone companies moving into the television business, we have an interesting competition that will help determine the shape of the communications/entertainment industry for a long time to come. Will it be winner take all? This report indicates the cable companies are pulling ahead in the race. Will that mean the phone companies end up with an insufficient customer base to even support their phone business? With the phone business going wireless as well, it could be the death knell for the traditional phone carriers. globeandmail.com : Telcos' TV tardiness may put phones at risk

Since e-business began there has been talk of connecting appliances to the internet for various reasons. For example, your fridge detects that you are running low on milk and sends you a reminder or even places an order to the store for delivery. That hasn't happened yet, and maybe it was a bit fanciful, but now Whirlpool and IBM have combined forces to connect washers and dryers to the internet to monitor power prices, and choose the most opportune time price-wise to do their work. It could save consumers money and also provide more efficient distribution of a scarce resource. We'll see much more of that sort of thing. InformationWeek Internet-Connected Appliances Internet-Connected Appliances Could Lower Energy Bills May 15, 2006

Spyware is often viewed as an aggravation and a potential invasion of privacy. However, it can be more than that, as shown by the Sony case that started last year. As one of the world's largest suppliers of recorded music, Sony is concerned about music piracy. Legitimately, since music piracy costs the indistry an estimated 4.2 billion annually in the US alone. In recent years, the fight has gone underground, through the use of various types of digital protection. The Sony case involved the sale of CD's that contained programs for use on PC's. When inserted into PC's, the autorun feature takes over and installs a "rootkit", a small program that resides inside the PC's registry and serves to shield certain tracking cookies installed by Sony. The big problem is that the rootkit could also shield programs used by hackers, thus opening up the computers to hacker attacks. This unintended consequence raises a serious question as to the use of invasive technology by groups such as the music industry. How far should they be allowed to go to protect their interests? Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact

The City of Philadelphia has inspired much discussion after its decision to go ahead with a city-wide wireless plan. Recently, the city council approved a plan to implement, which means they are going ahead with the city-wide wireless system. One of their prime objectives was to provide an infrastructure for economic growth. But they also wanted to make low cost or free wireless high speed internet available to the poorer areas of the city. Moreover, they didn't want the city to be providing and supporting the service, and indeed wanted the city to remain "cost neutral" on the program. These were challenging criteria, and the city adopted an outsourcing approach and did a considerable amount of studying to come up with a business model for all the players that could work. Their business plan is at the link below. They identified several business models (pages 30 etc. in the document) and the sponsoring committee recommended a hybrid plan that combined a "non-profit" and a "cooperative wholesale" approach. It makes an interesting study in municipal government and business working together. http://www.phila.gov/wireless/pdfs/Wireless-Phila-Business-Plan-040305-1245pm.pdf

Technology offers many opportunities to foster development in Third World countries. With newer technologies, like wireless networks, it may even enable them to bypass the need for infrastructure, which many of them lack. Intel has launched a major initiative to spreead technology in a number of countries needing development. There are some very positive elements in their program, and hopefully other major High tech operators take up the challenge. Intel commits big money to Third World project - InterGovWorld.com

Accenture has launched its Interactive Network with a large screen installed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. People can interact with the display by touch, and it handles two people at a time. The idea is that people can pursue their particular interests by touching the screen and develop information of interest to them - a customizable information source. Accenture envisages a variety of potential applications for the new technology, such as use by car dealers where customers can design their own car onscreen. It's an innovation very much in tune with the age of e-business - offering interactive and customizable news and information that is useful for purposes of on-the-spot decision making. Accenture Interactive Network

The North American cell phone/pda revolution is under way and it is going to be a convergence of epic proportions. it's about new content. Soon, voice only cell phones will be a distant memory and the new versions will be configurable or customizable to handle pictures, music, video and other content as you wish. they'll be routinely used to surf the web, handle e-mail, make payments at cash registers, and pay tolls on highways. They will interface with your laptop, upload and download data wirelessly and become an integral part of your information system. Microsoft is trying to seize the moment with their windows Mobile Operating System, designed for cell phones/pda's and if they are successful could be very successful as they will be able to capitalize on their overwhelming penetration of Windows into the small computer market. This will mean even more challenges for the established purveyors of mobile phones, but great opportunities as well. Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact

We've all heard a lot about the promise of VoIP to transform the telephone system. We all know the problems we have with SPAM. We've heard less about the new VoIP Based version of SPAM called SPIT (Spam over Internet Telephony) It could be very a serious problem if it isn't addressed. globeandmail.com : Next-generation spam will hit where it hurts

Way back in '93, when the Internet was just getting nicely started, some people predicted the end of traditional television. They predicted the advent of interactive television, with all that implies. Now, we're on the verge of that happening. Eventually it is likely that interactive online television will replace traditional television. Exactly how the replacement/merge takes place is still a bit up in the air, whether it means that tv's become computers (likely) or computers become tv's (not likely) or neither (a new thing). In any event, the new sites, like youtube.com and google video allow people to upload and share their videos. With readily available video editing tools, they can create their own videos/movies/shows. It will change tv forever. And consider the commercial implications. The potential business models. Will it mean the death of the traditional networks? Or will they have to become interactive to survive? It's a world of new possibilities opening up for us. globeandmail.com : Nothing on TV?

One of the major changes taking place in society driven by technology is the change going on in the media - the change from directional news to participatory news, as evidenced by blogs, where numerous people can post to them, or by the wikipedia phenomenon. We do not yet know where this change is leading us, or what the efffect will be on such e-business elements as e-marketing. However, there is growing evidence that the change will be considerable. A recent feature in the Economist detailed some of the significant possible implications of this change. however, a blog called We Media Blog, referenced in this post, is an interesting look at the global implications of the change to participatory media. BBC NEWS We Media Blog Global forum 3 - 4 May, London

The transition from EDI to web based portals has been a trend in the ongoing integration of business systems with suppliers. The challenge companies face is that EDI has worked well, and offers a standard platform for conducting transactions. On the other hand, portals are often preferred by buyers, and they are often asking their suppliers to use their portal rather than EDI. This means that suppliers can be in the position of being required to support numerous portals, which can be cumbersome and expensive. While they often tend to be XML based, this does not really solve the standards problem. It's a problem that's not going to go away. How to Keep the Web from Becoming a Trap - Editorial - CIO

The new Internet2 network is scheduled to be in place by fall of 2007. It transmits data at up to 10 gigabytes per second and in tests recently reached speeds of 8.8 GBs. While the new internet is intended for scientific research, including the transmission of high volume data such as telescope pictures, it is only a matter of time before sumilar networks become available to conmmercial users. It will mean an incredible increase is speeds, for example being able to download a movie in seconds ratheer than several minutes. More important;ly, such high speed internet service will make such things as online TV and view-on-demand videos easy and fast. Current trends to migrate to the internet will be solidified. globeandmail.com : Internet2 aims to boost capacity 80-fold

RIM's Blackberry is one of the most popular mobile devices on earth. The reasons seem quite simple. It is small, portable, attractive and fast. It shines when using its e-mail. And it makes a great cell phone. those are reasons why Micrisift is having limited success penetrating the Blackberry's market with its new Palm Treo loaded with Windows technology. Although the Microsoft approach sounds attractive for interactive computing with larger systems, nevertheless the basic elements of Blackberry's design and functionality seem to be what customers want. It's going to be even more of a competitive field though in the future. Mobile Computing: A Window into the Future?

As everyone with any interest in the internet knows, Google has been extending its reach into the realm of e-commerce and e-business with amazing speed and flexibility. Several of their offerings have considerable potential in this area. For example, their Google Base, a service which allows people to upload content into google and thus make it more available to searchers, has a great deal of marketing potential. Also, their Google Payments system may well become one of the premier payment methods on the net, rivalling paypal. More will be coming, to be sure. Google Base(d) E-Commerce

Computerworld has released a new report on the state of corporate security, addressing issues ranging from the old one about whether people keep their passwords on sticky notes to contemporary ones like the growing use of biometrics for access control. The report focuses on the widely employed risk based model for determining security levels for particular areas of systems. Growth in the strength of security has been an important ingredient of the development of e-business, but more work is needed. Biometrics may provide part but not all of the answer. Computerworld Security Special Report

One of the many major changes revolutionizing the communications and media industry is that of wireless television. As the regulators struggle to cope with it and the providers consider what the content should be, not to mention the business model, consumers are taking it up on PC's and mobile phones. Where it goes probably depends on the consumers. globeandmail.com : Wireless TV services given free rein

The marketing efforts of businesses are increasingly including the use of social networking websites, such as Myspace.com and others. It's a new phenomenon, making use of the long-standing offline activity of networking. There are perils, however, such as making sure you're invited, and respecting the personal space of those on the network. E-Commerce News: Internet : Businesses Tap Into Online Social Networks

The spread of wireless hotspots throughout many cities and in homes is bound to ramp up web usage and maybe even change the way people use the web. London provides yet another example. The net BBC NEWS | Technology | Wi-fi set to re-wire social rules

For years, security has ranked as the number one IT issue in many surveys. However, this year there are indications, that from a strategic viewpoint, the top position is being overtaken by enterprise-wide Business Intelligence. This is not a great surporise to those who have been close to e-Business, but nevertheless, it is a breakthrough of sorts - perhaps a mature viewpoint that business strategy matters a lot. Information Architecture > Data Warehousing > Intelligent enterprises need enterprise business intelligence

Google is moving into the office. They've announced the acquisition of Upstartle, a company that offers a word processor that Google hopes will be a challenge to Microsoft's Word. If they take the next step to an office suite, it could spell trouble for Microsoft, but better times for consumers. Google's Office Invasion Is On - Forbes.com

Paying for purchases using cell phones is something that has taken a long time coming in North America, although it is farther ahead in other parts of the world. One of the problems has been to decide on a method of payment that works with Cell phones and is secure. Paypal, probably the most quickly rising star of online payment systems is coming out with a possible answer. It's Paypal Mobile, a service that enables customers to use Paypal to pay with the text messaging function of their cell phone. When a message is texted to a designated destination, the customer will receive a call on the cell phone to confirm the details. The purchase will then be charged through the customer's Paypal account. This service is not the first to use a call-back system, but is the first to use Paypal, which has been a remarkably successful method of payment on the Internet, principally on eBay. E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: PayPal Goes Mobile With Cell Phone Payment System

It used to be that if you wanted to watch your home TV you needed to be at home. No more. Now you can get a slingbox and watch it on your laptop no matter where you are as long as you have high speed internet. Is it the beginning of the end for conventional TV, or has that beginning already begun? Is it a big step in the convergence of TV and personal computers? Likely it is. - TV Here, There, Everywhere - New York Times

Frequently asked questions about the SEC Voluntary program are recorded on this website. The questions are growing, and some are quite technical, but it gives an interesting overview of the issues people must face. Frequently Asked Questions about the XBRL Voluntary Filing Program

No company moves faster than Google. They are now in process of revamping their website to make it an all-encompassing portal. If they don't run themselves off the road, they may eventually dominate most sectors of the tech world. globeandmail.com : Google evolves into all-purpose website

An Internet boom with no bust? Looks like it could be happening! People learned their lessons about the need for workable business models last time around. Fast Forward: The new Net boom - Mar. 17, 2006

This article is some verification that countries in Africa may be able to leapfrog the industrial age because of wireless technology and prosper in the technology age. Nigeria is an example of a country that ten years ago didn't even have a fully functioning landline telephone system. Now cell phones are rampant and Internet Cafes are springing up around the country. It's good news for them - and for the rest of us. BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Ringing in changes in Nigeria

Memory sticks are really popular and convenient. But they can pose a security risk as well. All that data on such a little portable device can get lost. - - IT managers see portable storage device security risk - Computerworld

Integration of systems has always been an important part of e-business. The latest approach to integration under common interfaces is Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). This article describes how it might be implemented in an organization. For a more complete definition, try www.whatis.com. Four Steps to SOA - Computerworld

Google has reached a settlement of its infamous "click-fraud" case, in which a class action was brought against the company on the grounds that as many as 20% of the clicks on the "pay-per-click" ads that Google runs for its customers are fraudulent. For example, an advertiser's competitor can click repetitively on a competitor's ad, knowing that each click is costing the competitor money. Such ads make up a majority of Google's revenues. As a result of the settlement, Google will reimburse certain of its its customers at a cost estimated to be as much as 90 million. Extended Enterprise > Online Retailing and Ecommerce > Google to settle click-fraud lawsuit for $90M

A major new trend that is about to intensify is the explosive growth of hand-held music players, such as industry leader Apple's iPod. There is about to be another convergence, where cell phone makers come out with music capable (in fact, mp3 capable) phones. First off the block is expected to be Sony Ericsson, owner of the Walkman, who will be producing a new cell phone in the fall capable of playing music. Of course, this will open the door for music to be played directly off of the internet. Apple is not expected to take this lying down, since they have a major winner with their iPod, so they are expected to move into the cell phone business in order to compete. Their plans are a little hazy, but their executives have given some tantalizing hints. In the past couple of years, the availability of MP3 music on the internet, through such vendors as Apple's iTunes has solidified the status of that format for music off the internet. The success of the iPod has made clear the strength of that market segment. Of course, cell phones are rampant and the prospect of combining them with music players will be attractive to many people. It'll open up a whole new market and a whole new use of the internet. InformationWeek Music Phones Analysis: Music Phones To Slice Into iPod Growth March 10, 2006

Yesterday's announcement by Bell and Aliant to create an income trust combining elements of their businesses represents the latest move within the industry to cope with growing competition and the impact of technology on the industry. The Trust combines the land-line business of Aliant with that of Bell in rural Ontario. Ultimately it will be renamed as a Bell company, with the service presumably integrated under the Bell infrastructure. Most likely that will mean a loss of jobs for Atlantic Canada, in the land-line end of the business. It may create opportunities in the wireless end of the business, which is what Aliant is left with. However, that remains to be seen, as the wireless business is extremely competitive and competition is heating up. The telecommunications industry is the latest of the old mainstream industries to face drastic re-engineering as a result of the growth of e-business and the impact of new technologies. There will be more to come. globeandmail.com : BCE's Aliant trust spinoff valued at $8.5B

Many people feel that everything on the internet should be free. However, this may be ignoring the fact that the infrastructure supporting the internet is not itself free, and that as usage grows, the size of the networks needs to grow as well. So the companies who own that infrastructure will want to have someone pay for the growth. That likely means the internet consumer. Which likely means that using the internet is not going to stay as cheap as it is now. E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: Internet 'Fast Lane' Could Carry Heavy Toll

I've been on vacation for ten days, so no postings. While I was away, RIM settled their dispute with NTP for a multimillion dollar settlement. There's no indication, however, that the high profile case made any headway in addressing the intellectual property isues it raised, particularly in regard to the US patent laws as they are applied. However, the profile of the case may have some impact on legislators. It's good, however, that us Blackberry addicts will not be deprived of our balm while in the US. globeandmail.com : RIM, NTP settle BlackBerry patent war

Here's a collection of articles on the ongoing Blackberry Saga - a story that points to the importance of wireless technology and the need for change in US patent legislation. globeandmail.com : The RIM Decision

It's well known tht North America has fallen considerably behind Europe and Asia in terms of cell phone usage for e-commerce applications. Soon this could change, as the ability to pay for items using a cell phone spreads into the US. then the question will be - will North Americans embrace the idea? InformationWeek Will The U.S. Embrace Cell-Phone-As-Wallet? February 17, 2006

Preliminary findings of a recent RSA survey appear to be indicating that consumers and businesses are willing to face incrased risk in conducting business online in order to reap the benefits. It's not that they are unconcerned about the security risk, it's just that they don't want to miss out on the advantages on online commerce. RSA Security - Press Release - Internet Confidence Index Shows That � for Businesses and Consumers � Transactions are Outpacing Trust

Many companies are going for VoIP for their communications systems. But are they aware of the risks? There is a chance that VoIP will take you back to the early days of the internet in terms of security. This article outlines these risks and also gives some excellent background on the structure of VoIP. Dial VoIP For Vulnerability - Editorial - CIO

After the burst of the dot-com bubble, many felt that web technologies were over-hyped in the late 1990s. The concept of Web 2.0 brought back a lot of enthusiasm for web-related technologies. Everyone talks about Web 2.0, but no one really knows what it is. O'Reilly -- What Is Web 2.0

E-Mail marketing has a bad reputation, but it is possible to use it in an ethical and successful marketing campaign if a few simple rules are followed. This article summarizes these best practices. E-Commerce News: E-Marketing : E-Mail Marketing Best Practices

Search engines, mobile phones, VOIP, podcasting - all are about to wreak major change in 2006, according to the 2006 edition of Deloitte's Technology, Media and Telecommunications. Globetechnology: Search engines to be key technology in 2006: Report

This interview with Akamai co-founder Tom Leighton points to many of the problems faced by e-business, such as security issues, privacy, identity theft and scalability. E-Commerce News: ECT News Exclusives: Akamai Chief Scientist Tom Leighton: E-Businesses Face Critical Challenges

A new study prepared on behalf of the North American television and advertising industry says that it is likely that television as we know it will end. TV will move to the internet, making it poossible to download and store programs or watch streaming television on the internet. This will have a major effect on advertising revenvue, and will change the business models in the industry, The question is, as with so many industries since the advent of the information age, can our existing broadcasters survive? The Globe and Mail: Web threatens TV: report

"How Amazon Works"offers a comprehensive look at how Amazon.com does business. The article also includes interesting insights into the strategy and the technology infrastructure of the company.

The world of technology has been looking for a good electronic book for years. But no-one has come up with a portable unit that has all the portability of paper books along with the readibility (no glare, etc). Now, however, we have the Sony Reader coming to the market. It is small, readable, can hold lots of digital books and uses technology for its screen that is reputedly almost as good as paper. If it catches on, what will be its impact on the publishing industry. Will it do to the industry what digital music has done to the music industry? Maybe not, since the industry itself is excited! Wired News: Screening the Latest Bestseller

The recent holiday season was a good one for online retailers. However, this success is driving many of them back to the basics of the e-commerce world. When people buy on the web, they expect the site to perform flawlessly and also expect the goods to be produced for them very quickly. this puts a lot of pressure on the companies to move fast, which means they need top-drawer inventory and supply chain applications. Their supply chain needs to be integrated and smooth. So the recent success has many online retailers scrambling to upgrade their technology infrastructure, so their Web sites and delivery mechanisms will work better than ever. E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: After the Holidays: E-Commerce Seeks Springboard Into 2006

Now that online video is becoming big business, Google is moving into the area. It will go head to head with iTunes (read Apple), and it could be a real donnybrook. InformationWeek Business Innovation Powered By Technology

The search for the perfect online payment system goes on. One that has attracted some attention lately is e-Gold, an online currency that you can use by going to the website, buying some currency units and then using them to pay for purchases online. The idea is that the system preserves the anonymity of the buyer, one of the sought after characteristics of online money. However, the very idea of anonymity also can open doors for the criminal and fraudulent elements. Gold Rush

Phishing, that generator of annoying e-mails saying your account needs to be updated, or your credit is about to be cancelled, relates, according to a recent survey, disproportionately to eBay and paypal. Phishers have presumably decided that the open and popular nature of these applications makes them enticing targets. eBay, PayPal Rank High on Phish Lists

Cell phones have long been touted as a potential vehicle for buying and paying for goods. They have been slow to be adopted by consumers, in North America, but that may be changing. People are increasingly recognizing the role of cell phones as a multi-purpose device, to be used for much more than just talking. E-Commerce News: E-Commerce: Internet Shopping Finally Coming to Cell Phones in US

The surveys are coming in on online shopping for the last holiday season. They all show a substantial increase, with shoppers including web shopping in their holiday shopping plans early on. They also show that incentives, such as guarantees of delivery before christmas make a difference. Online Shoppers: Early and Often

Systems integration has been a central part of the e-business world but some companies have gotten caught up in the decentralization of their information systems through a continuance of distributed computing. This article from Accenture makes a timely plea for a consolidation of corporate IT Infrastructure. IT Consolidation and the Bottom Line

A divorced mother of five may end up being the first person to go to court over the illegal downloading of music from a music sharing service, specifically in this case Kazaa. The problem is she can't afford a lawyer, but says she didn't do it, and didn't even know how to do it. She is being sued by the recording industry as part of their crack-down on music sharing. CNN.com - 'Internet-illiterate parent' fights downloading lawsuit - Dec 27, 2005