chamtech

Friday, 11 January 2008

Stuck at Swindon

Trying to get to Bristol in SW floods on Friday night. Commuters from London wait at Swindon station for news.

Sunday, 6 January 2008

Tech news links 06/01/08

Social journalism

What makes an online journalist from Kevin Anderson – Guardian/Strange Attractor

Online figures for national newspaper sites for December from Press Gazette

dot.life blog launches on BBC with Darren Waters and Rory Cellan-Jones posting – Rory is off to CES

News

Guardian's Jemima Kiss' PDA roundup

Bebo named top social networking site by Which for privacy and security from Guardian’s Rebecca Smithers

Wika Search planned launch 7th January 4 as possible Google search rival from VNUnet

Scoble booted off Facebook for allegedly running scripts on his page – not so open a platform then from TechCrunch's Mike Butcher?

And the explanation why from Jack Schofield with more Plaxo PR further to up-for-sale stories

Cyber thieves target social sites from Mark Ward at BBC Online

Using social media

Future business uses for Twitter from JP Rangaswami

8 reasons to embrace WOM from WOMMA

2008 predictions

BBC Online’s Bill Thompson predictions for 2008 including Facebook location-based services

Library House social media big sale prediction

2nd Tech Weekly podcast from Guardian more predictions

Tuesday, 21 August 2007

Tech news links 21/08/07

Here are a few stories and links that have caught my eye over last couple of weeks:

Google News opens up for comments from readers – old and new media response on Press Gazzette

Why newspapers are screwed by Google according to famous Wall Street Journal internet analyst from Silicon Alley Insider

From 1000heads – future of web searching - social network powered, peer-to-peer web searching

Growth of niche social networking looks like where things will head from 1000heads again

Everything you needed to know about Facebook with latest gossip

And finally more on Wikipedia edit tracking programme from FT – quotes Wired’s top favourites including someone in BBC changed George W Bush’s name from Walker to Wanker – love it!

Wednesday, 27 June 2007

I attended Library House's Essential Web 2007 event today which combined Web early stage company pitches with panels of investors in a discussion forum.

The first session was a combination of search companies; Migoa.com, extate, Quintura, Trexy and ID companies; Garlik.com and the todeka project.

Most of the search companies Google-bashed saying the most well known search company can't do everything, particular as the amount of Web data continues to grow exponentially. Vertical and visual search provides a better quality of search more specific to the individual's search choice according to the companies presenting.

The panel asked whether Google could simply replicate what they are doing to take them out of the market. The overall response was at present, Google is not competing with vertical search companies because at a very local level its crawler technology can't mine complicated estate agent sites, for example.

The ID companies talked about privacy issues and whether there is value in our personal identities online.

The todeka project seemed immediately engaging as it enables Digital ID certification and Digital Life Management. You can prove who you say you are online with an ID certificate and manage your ID to only put the details you want to on the Web. Garlik lets you trawl the internet to find out how many personal details you have posted online for all to see, which I'm sure will surprise most people.

With everyone willing to put their most intimate details on sites like Facebook, will the consumer care about this? The discussion concluded this will happen only when people realise their identities and tastes are valuable to advertisers. When this will occur is open to debate and mass adoption of ID certification won't kick off anytime soon.

Panelists included: Saul Klein, venture partner, Index Ventures; Graham Sadd, CEO, PAOGA; David Soskin, CEO, Cheapflights and Howzat Media.