Internet social networking services

Only about half of Twitter's 200 million-plus registered members log on daily but the micro logging website is chalking up growth of 40% every quarter in mobile device usage, Chief Executive Dick Costolo said on Thursday. Twitter, one of a coterie of Internet social networking services like Facebook and Google Inc's embryonic "Google+", is gearing up for a hotly anticipated initial public offering. But Costolo told reporters they would do so only on their own terms. "We want to be able to remain independent, grow the business the way w e want to, and not be beholden to public markets until we feel like we want to be," Costolo said at Twitter's offices. Twitter, which allows people to send 140-character text messages, or Tweets, to groups of so-called followers, is one of the Web's most popular social networking services, along with Facebook and Zynga. The website has grown into a social phenomenon employed by celebrities and politicians alike, hailed at times for promoting the free flow of global information. Analysts have sought details however on how many of Twitter's registered users are "active", a key metric in determining its business potential. Twitter.com now sees about about 400 million unique visitors every month, a 60% leap from 200 million at the start of the year.

Business Software Alliance -largest culprit behind the US, installing

Almost half of personal computer users around the world get their software illegally, with China's massive market the worst culprit, a report claimed Wednesday. A Business Software Alliance (BSA) survey showed 47 percent of PC users globally believe there is nothing wrong with using unauthorised copies of software programs. This includes buying a single licence for multiple installations or downloading programs from peer-to-peer networks, BSA said. The survey of 15,000 PC users in 32 countries showed Chinese users have the most relaxed attitude to piracy. As many as 86 percent of computer users in the country acquire their software illegally most or all of the time, the survey showed. "The survey makes it clear that the global software piracy epidemic is spreading fastest in China, which is now the worldís biggest market for new PCs," said BSA president and chief executive Robert Holleyman. The Washington-based BSA is an industry group that works for copyright protection and counts among its members some of the world's biggest technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe. Pirated software installations cost the industry nearly $59 billion globally last year, a BSA report said in May. It said in terms of value, China was the world's second-largest culprit behind the US, installing $7.78 billion of stolen programs last year. The commercial value of pirate computer software used in the US was estimated at $9.5 billion, the BSA said in the May report.

Control Area Network

New vehicles are increasingly reliant on so-called “embedded systems”, small but sophisticated computers that control an array of functions including door locking, engine ignition, navigation, brakes and communications. These systems are in turn increasingly reliant on connectivity via cables, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G networks to work together, meaning they are ripe for exploitation by hackers, according a report by the security firm McAfee. Researchers have already proved that it is possible to breach the security of on-board computers. Last year, a team from the University of Washington demonstrated Car Shark, a software programme that allowed them to take control of the Control Area Network, a standard system in modern cars that allows moving parts to communicate electronically. The researchers were able to disable the brakes in a moving car, lock the doors and shut down the engine. However, the Car Shark team emphasised that their attacks were not easy to carry out.

“Many examples of research-based hacks show the potential threats and depth of compromise that expose the consumer,” said Stuart McClure from McAfee. “It’s one thing to have your email or laptop compromised but having your car hacked could translate to dire risks to your personal safety.” Wind River, an embedded systems provider to car manufacturers, urged the industry to improve its security. “The auto industry is experiencing a convergence of consumer and automotive electronics,” said spokesman MR.GeorgDoll. “Consumers are increasingly expecting the same experiences in-vehicle as they do with the latest connected consumer and mobile devices. However, as the trend for ubiquitous connectivity grows, so does the potential for security vulnerabilities.” The trend towards computerised cars is expected to continue. Google has pioneered robotic vehicles which drive themselves, and in June Nevada passed laws to allow them on public roads.

Canadian Internet users

Hackers hit the wallets of Canadians rather hard last year, according to a study released by Symantec Corp. on Wednesday. The 2011 Norton Cyber crime Report found more than 7.3 million Canadian Internet users fell victim to a cyber attack of some kind in 2010, costing them $840-million in direct financial losses plus another $4.7-billion in lost productivity. That breaks down to about 14 Canadians being targeted every minute, or about two dozen by the time you finish reading this post. Worldwide, more than 430 million adults were victimized at a cost of US$388-billion in direct and indirect losses, or US$100-billion more than the combined value of the global marijuana, cocaine and heroin black markets combined, said the report, which was based on responses from about 12,000 people spread across 24 country es. As well, more than one in three Canadian respondents (35%) said they lack up-to-date security software. “Cyber crime is much more prevalent than people realize,” Mr.AdamPalmer, Norton’s lead cyber security advisor, said in a release. “Over the past 12 months, three times as many adults surveyed have suffered from online crime versus offline crime, yet less than a third of respond dents think they are more likely to become a victim of cyber crime than physical world crime in the next year.” Men aged between 18 and 31 who access the Internet from their mobile device were found to be the most likely victims, with fully 80% of all respondents saying they have been targeted by computer hackers in their lifetime. Wednesday’s release represents the first time the annual study has attempted to calculate the financial cost of cyber crime.

Learning Management - Information Technology

Information Technology : NSW has allocated at least $1.5 billion to key information technology and communications projects in the 2011-12 budget. The largest beneficiary is RailCorp with $128.94 million worth of ICT funding during the year, budget papers reveal. RailCorp has several projects underway that will receive funding injections, including a $12m passenger information system to improve customer communications. The Department of Health is second with a $124.07m allocation that will be used on a large body of work, including $25.37m for corporate systems and $20.27m for a community health and outpatient information system. The Public Transport Ticketing Corp will receive more than $110m to deliver an electronic ticketing system. Education and Training will put $102.95m into myriad projects as the government continues to support the department's five-year, $203m Learning Management and Business Reform (LMBR) project. More than $160m has been spent on the SAP-based LMBR since 2010. Businesslink, the government's outsourcing arm, will receive a total of $87.4m, including $74m for new projects. One of Businesslink's biggest undertakings will be a consolidated enterprise resource planning system at a cost of $21.42m. Sydney Water has been handed $58.5m to continue its work in support of major water projects. The Department of Finance and Services will receive $54.47m for a slew of items including $12.29m on information system enhancements.

Police will get $51.51m for a variety of projects such as $12.28m to upgrade its core operating policing system (COPS). The COPS revamp began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed next year at a total cost of $45.9m. The Department of Attorney General and Justice will be given $28.52m for five projects but the bulk of its allocation will go to the court upgrade program, which includes Justice link and infrastructure. The Family and Community Services Department was granted $12.93m, while Hunter Water Corporation will have $10.9m in its kitty. The State Water Corp has allocated around $4m to its integrated surveillance monitoring, automation and remote telemetry (iSMART) program. iSMART kicked off in 2010 with an estimated cost of $11.15m until 2014. It covers more than 70 major dam, weir and regulator sites in regional NSW. Computer-aided river management solutions will receive a $3.26m boost. An electronic cataloguing program at state libraries will see $7.48m in funding. The project, which began in 2008, will run until next year at a total cost of $23.29m. Fire and Rescue NSW will receive a $4.46m allocation for its SAP human resources project. Premier Barry O'Farrell wants wireless hotspots installed in all rural and regional libraries. New mobile apps for citizen services and improved websites are also on the cards. Cloud computing options are being investigated by a handful of departments and agencies. Other major projects such as the strategic asset management review and water metering would have strong technology components although they weren't explicitly listed in budget papers. The state spends $2bn on information technology and communications and communications annually.

India's outsourcing, Hiring seems to have slowed down

India's Information Technology outsourcing companies are cutting pay and have put the brakes on hiring new staff as they battle against a global economic slump and fierce competition from rivals in countries such as the Philippines. The industry's two largest players, Tata Consultancy Services and Info-sys, have begun trimming quarterly bonuses, according to research by HSBC. Yogesh Aggarwal, an outsourcing expert at the bank, said the move was linked to a slowdown in revenues for the industry in India, which is struggling because of rising costs and a trend among some foreign companies to move call centres back onshore. "Hiring seems to have slowed down and many of these companies are now being cautious," Mr.AmneetSingh, an outsourcing expert at the Delhi-based consultancy Everest Group, said. The slowdown in recruitment comes as many Indian technology companies are shifting their focus to operating call centres outside India. Mr.AparupSengupta, chief executive of Aegis, a Mumbai-based outsourcing company that employs 57,000 people worldwide, said that the trend was being driven partly by inflating costs and partly by a feeling among many Western companies that their customers were better served by call centre staff more familiar with their own language and culture. "Indians can speak good English but it's still not easy for them to understand someone from, say, Scotland or Yorkshire. There can be misunderstandings, which can really damage their brand," he said.

Aegis now employs only one third of its staff in India and is expanding in Latin America, Europe and Australia. It recently hired 400 workers for a new call centre in Costa Rica. Wipro, another big Indian outsourcer, has opened call centres in Romania and China. Several British-based companies, such as the UK operation of the Santander banking group, have moved their call centres from India to Britain for similar reasons. While India's outsourcing industry is still growing, it is being undermined in some areas by fierce competition from other countries, most notably the Philippines, a former US colony that retains many American cultural values. A recent survey by IBM found there were now more call centre staff there than in India. The Contact Centre Association of the Philippines says that 350,000 people are employed in the country, compared with India's 330,000. Last year, the business in the Philippines raked in about £6.5 billion ($9.8bn), with that figure projected to rise to £16.5bn by 2016. India remains the world leader in the wider market for outsourcing, which includes software development jobs as well as call centre work, but its lead is narrowing. China's IT outsourcing industry is growing by 30 per cent a year against India's 14 per cent, according to research from XMG Global, a Canadian ICT research firm.

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Facebook generation is the future

Defending the use of text messages by young people, a poet laureate has claimed that texting is the future of modern poetry. Carol Ann Duffy claimed the language of ‘txt spk’ lent itself to a new generation of young bards. “The poem is a form of texting. It’s the original text,” the Daily Mail quoted the 55-year-old poet as saying. “It’s a perfecting of a feeling in language. It’s a way of saying more with less, just as texting is. “We’ve got to realise that the Facebook generation is the future, and, oddly enough, poetry is the perfect form for them. It’s a kind of time capsule – it allows feelings and ideas to travel big distances in a very condensed form. “The poem is the literary form of the 21st century,” she added. Duffy became the first female laureate in the royal post’s 341-year history when she succeeded Andrew Motion in 2009 for a ten-year stint paying 5,000 pounds a year.

costs $ 114 Internet computer security software

A study by Symantec Corp, the maker of Norton computer security software, estimates the cost of global cybercrimes at $114 billion annually. The Norton Cybercrime Report 2011 said 431 million adults were victims globally in the past year, with costs of cybercrime surpassing the combined global black market in marijuana, cocaine and heroin. "Over the past 12 months, three times as many adults surveyed have suffered from online crime versus offline crime, yet less than a third of respondents think they are more likely to become a victim of cybercrime than physical world crime in the next year," said Mr.AdamPalmer, Symantec Norton security software Lead Cybersecurity Advisor. The study also identified men in the 18 - 31 years age group, who access the Internet from their mobile phone, as likely victims.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India may soon finalise recommendations on blocking lost and stolen mobiles to provide relief to people who fear misuse of the stored data and personal information in such events. The initiative is part of the regulator’s efforts to curb the illegal handset market and discourage the rampant theft of handsets, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India officials said here on Wednesday. The recommendations are expected to be out within a month, they added. “There needs to be infrastructure in place similar to that for stopping pesky calls. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India will come out with recommendations on ways to block lost or theft mobile phones using International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number within a month,” said a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India official. IMEI is a unique serial number that identifies the handset. It is stored in the equipment identity register (EIR) database of the service provider. Last year, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had sought comments from stakeholders, including operators, to find ways to block lost or stolen mobile phones. At present, there is no mechanism in place to block a mobile phone in case it is lost. The telecom service providers can only block the SIM card. They, however, do not block the mobile phone. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is revisiting the issue, after its earlier attempt in 2004 bore no result because a number of telecom networks did not have the capability to track mobile handsets. Recently, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India came out with September 27 as the deadline date to stop telemarketing calls and SMSs in order to provide relief to customers.