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12-24-08

A 2008 Christmas And My Gift Wish

All I want for Christmas is a Transforming Computer. Like this:

Or maybe an ordinary MacBook Pro will do.

Or even a MacBook Air. Anybody in a gift-giving mood?

12-05-08

Are You Getting Sued Online?

The latest talk around the Philippine blogosphere revolves around the latest tussle between a blogger and a PR firm and another blogger’s copyright complaint versus a large news network. Arpee was insulted by Perlas and Luna while Ms. Noemi almost sued ABS-CBN.

While both incidents have been resolved through simple apologies, a legal case in the states might be more important to look at.

Did you hear about the Drew Case yet?

A Missouri woman was indicted… on federal charges for fraudulently using an account on the social networking Web site MySpace, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Thomas P. O’Brien announced today. The woman posed as a teenage boy who feigned romantic interest in a 13 year-old girl, who later committed suicide after the “boy” spurned her and told her, among other things, that the world would be a better place without her.

Yes, you read that right. One mother’s online impersonation and bullying caused a young girl to commit suicide. The case above has some consequences:

…But the “message,” legal observers worry, may be that anyone who uses a Web site without paying close attention to those ubiquitous Terms of Service risks committing a federal crime.

Although not ENTIRELY applicable in the Philippines yet, it shows a new trend in online social interactions — you can get SUED by actions you do online.

This means that any time you signed up for a online service, you could be liable when you don’t put in real information or don’t use the service correctly.

Here’s an example. Did you know that you have to be of legal age (18) to use Google’s services? It’s stipulated in their Terms of Service:

2.3 You may not use the Services and may not accept the Terms if (a) you are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google, or (b) you are a person barred from receiving the Services under the laws of the United States or other countries including the country in which you are resident or from which you use the Services.

Now theoretically speaking, if your kid (below 18) surfed Google and found some porn sites, I could sue somebody (like the parent for allowing the kid to use Google’s service). Legal eagles, correct me if I’m wrong on this, ok?

This also means you can’t always SUE the big companies. For Facebook users, did you know that all the content you submit there will be owned by Facebook? On it’s terms of use page:

By posting User Content to any part of the Site, you automatically grant, and you represent and warrant that you have the right to grant, to the Company an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part) and distribute such User Content for any purpose, commercial, advertising, or otherwise, on or in connection with the Site or the promotion thereof, to prepare derivative works of, or incorporate into other works, such User Content, and to grant and authorize sublicenses of the foregoing.

Basically, you can’t sue Facebook if they suddenly use your pictures for some commercial endeavor. They just protected themselves legally.

Where’s all this headed? An online legal system of sorts.

The Internet has been like the OLD WILD WEST - you could get away with a lot of things. Now, there will be a bit more legal civility. Might take a few years but it will come. Until then, you guys have fun with your torrents.

I won’t be surprised now if Ms. Noemi would put a Terms of Use in her website - something like:

“You understand that by reading or accessing my blog, you can’t copy content without permission and may be subject to copyright violations…etc. etc.”

11-21-08

Will You Be Seeing a Yahoo Email with the MSN Logo?

Jerry Yang, long time CEO of Yahoo, resigned.

Along with this came a 10% increase in the stock offerings of the company. Obviously, people thought that with the change, good things will happen. Business talks with Google recently failed due to the Antitrust questions that the Federal Government raised up. Google didn’t want to play and that signaled the end for Jerry.

What will Yahoo do? It has two options - continue to implement it’s existing business strategy or sell the business. Speculators say that they might just do a little bit selling at first to get some big revenue boosts while focusing on implementing some of its existing business strategy. It is widely believed that Microsoft will go back to talks with Yahoo to at least buy some parts they are interested in - probably Search and/or Email.

This means you just might see a Yahoo/MSN logo either in your email or on Yahoo Searches. Extreme case - you’ll see MSN on your Yahoo Messenger.

Meanwhile, local Yahoo’s PRESS release - “Business As Usual.”

11-11-08

Why Did Apple Start a Local Online Store?

The big talk among local Apple fans in the social networks is the new Philippine Apple Store.

It would seem that Apple is now taking a gamble on the local market with an online store like this. As Globe released the iPhone, I would think that many Filipinos bought software from the iTunes App store (since that’s the only thing you can buy there anyway).

Truth be told, I did buy one software from the iTunes store.

Perhaps seeing the shopping numbers there, Apple thought - “What the hell? There’s a market in the Philippines!”

Perhaps not. Who can tell? (The local Apple execs probably).

Still, this is good news for Mac fans. Heck, I might just buy something just to try it out.

11-06-08

Fun Times With Internet Mobility: You’ll Be Buying Laptops, iPhones (or iPhone Clones) Soon

Imagine yourself holding your Chinese-made Android Phone, surfing the net from the outskirts of Laguna - twitting, plurking and even downloading the occasional ring tone. You hear a beep from the device, indicating you’ve received an email. You check it and see a link to YouTube. You watch the YouTube clip and thought it was funny. You would’ve read the rest of the emails, but the latest Lakers game is on, and you’ve got to watch it on streaming online video.

Yup, you might just be doing that a year or two from now.

PLDT is making a lot of money from its broadband services:

In its third quarter report, PLDT reported total broadband subscribers now exceed 876,000, with total revenue contribution from broadband and Internet services of P7.9 billion, or 48 percent higher during the same period last year.

They are so happy that they are unleashing a newer, faster mobile network:

…Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company is set to launch a faster version of its current HSDPA (high speed data packet access) standard offered through PLDT WeRoam and Smart Bro.

The HSPA 850 platform will be launched in the fourth quarter of this year. It will target areas that cannot be reached by current the company’s next-generation network, digital subscriber line (DSL) and broadband wireless services.

PLDT has suffered a profit dip, but (if we believe the numbers) it seems to be more due to the FOREX devaluation.

At the same time, we read Globe pushing for Wimax:

“We are also proud to announce that we will soon be at the forefront of new technologies as we deploy WiMax services later this year.” -Globe CEO Gerry Ablaza, Jr.

WiMAx is the new wireless broadband composed of the IEEE 802.16 group of standards, which defines a packet-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections and a range of up to 80km. It is sometimes called “Wifi on steroids.”

We can already get a taste of internet mobility. Globe, at the moment, seems to be ahead in terms of speed.

“Globe is generally better, with more 3G-enabled cell sites. Smart may have a wider coverage, particularly in the provinces.” - Angelo Racoma

Noemi’s look at the different broadband connections offers more insight to the latest net connections:

… my 4 ISPs based on stable internet connection and customer service reliablity:
1. Globelines Broadband could be better
2. Smart 3g (ties with Globe Broadband)
3. Smart Bro
4. PLDT MyDSL (Worst)

Meanwhile, in the US, Google’s push to open the “white spaces” spectrum was given the green light:

FCC formally agreed to open up the “white spaces” spectrum — the unused airwaves between broadcast TV channels — for wireless broadband service for the public. This is a clear victory for Internet users and anyone who wants good wireless communications.

This ties directly to Google’s vision for an open, wireless world:

In this patent app Google envisions a communications device that is capable to connect to any available wireless network (e.g GSM, CDMA, Wi_Fi, WiMax, etc; - UnwiredView.com.

Although we can only wish the same thing happens here in the Philippines, the trends seem to indicate that wireless connectivity will be truly available - very soon. Perhaps it won’t be cheap… yet.

What does this all mean when the latest technologies are fully rolled out?

It means fun times for mobile tech lovers. Expect to see an increase in the purchase of laptops, iPhones and mobile tech devices.

I’ll see you with your mobile gadget next year!