Nokia take the rights to customize Windows Phone 7

Nokia has confirmed its unique relationship and partnership with Microsoft is even more closer than that of its rivals.
Talk about a change of mindset – it looks like Microsoft are taking back what they said about not allowing manufacturers to customize Windows Phone 7.

Microsoft originally didn’t want their operating system to be like Android – where consumers faced update delays just because manufacturers decided to throw on their own UI or skin over the stock operating system but now it seems that things have changed. Nokia has just confirmed that they will be allowed to customize the Windows Phone 7 operating system any way they like. But they have mentioned that the customizations will be kept to a minimum and won’t affect the update process when Microsoft releases updates for the operating system.  It hasn’t been made known if Microsoft will now let other manufacturers play a role with WP7 customization, but if so, we’re probably going to see a very different operating system when Nokia makes their WP7 phones. This Nokia-Microsoft deal is starting to get very interesting. What do you think of a Nokia-customized WP7 device?

Source

Apple to set up Japan Web warning on problem iPods

TOKYO (AP) -- After prodding from the Japanese government, Apple Inc. will post prominent notices on its website warning some iPod Nano music players in Japan may overheat.
Sixty-one cases of batteries overheating have been reported in first-generation iPod Nano machines sold in 2005 and 2006, according to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Some units were warped by the heat that caused minor burns when people touched them, but no serious injuries or damage have been reported, it said.
A notice for a battery replacement was posted late last year on Apple Japan's website but it requires several clicks before it can be read.
The government, in talks with Apple Japan since last year, pressed the company to correct that, ministry official Seiji Shimagami said Friday.
Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said an easily accessible web page will be set up by early next week that outlines how to get a battery replacement.
Apple will also send e-mails to registered owners, he said in a telephone interview from California. "Safety is the highest priority for Apple," said Neumayr.
Japanese are among the world's biggest fans of Apple products, standing in long lines to snatch up iPhone models and the iPad as soon as they go on sale.
The ministry said 1.8 million first-generation iPod Nano players have been sold in Japan, but it is unclear how many of those have the problem battery.
Neumayr declined to comment on whether Nano players in other parts of the world may be affected by the same problem.
Last month, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs offered free protective cases to buyers of the iPhone 4 to prevent reception problems that occur when people cover a certain spot on the phone with a bare hand.

Apple to set up Japan Web warning on problem iPods

TOKYO (AP) -- After prodding from the Japanese government, Apple Inc. will post prominent notices on its website warning some iPod Nano music players in Japan may overheat.
Sixty-one cases of batteries overheating have been reported in first-generation iPod Nano machines sold in 2005 and 2006, according to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Some units were warped by the heat that caused minor burns when people touched them, but no serious injuries or damage have been reported, it said.
A notice for a battery replacement was posted late last year on Apple Japan's website but it requires several clicks before it can be read.
The government, in talks with Apple Japan since last year, pressed the company to correct that, ministry official Seiji Shimagami said Friday.
Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said an easily accessible web page will be set up by early next week that outlines how to get a battery replacement.
Apple will also send e-mails to registered owners, he said in a telephone interview from California. "Safety is the highest priority for Apple," said Neumayr.
Japanese are among the world's biggest fans of Apple products, standing in long lines to snatch up iPhone models and the iPad as soon as they go on sale.
The ministry said 1.8 million first-generation iPod Nano players have been sold in Japan, but it is unclear how many of those have the problem battery.
Neumayr declined to comment on whether Nano players in other parts of the world may be affected by the same problem.
Last month, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs offered free protective cases to buyers of the iPhone 4 to prevent reception problems that occur when people cover a certain spot on the phone with a bare hand.

Samsung Galaxy S lands in two more countries, Brazil and China

Samsung Galaxy S made it to Brazil and it seems that along the way it has picked up a strange appendix pointing from its top. Yup, it's a digital TV antenna. Unlike the other Galaxy S versions spread around the globe, the Brazilian Galaxy S comes with ISDB-Tb Digital TV on board. Oh, and it's pretty overpriced.

As for the rest of the features, you should be familiar with them since those are common for the Brazilian and the non-Brazilian Galaxy S variants. So, you'll find the same gorgeous 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen of WVGA resolution as well as the 5MP autofocus camera on the back which is capable of shooting HD videos (720p@30fps).


Live images of the Brazilian version of Samsung Galaxy S
To refresh your memory, the Galaxy S is powered by a fast 1GHz processor and packs an impressive 1500mAh battery. At its launch the Brazilian version will run Android 2.1 (a.k.a. Eclair) but an official Froyo update should follow up pretty soon.
The only downside of the Brazilian Samsung Galaxy S is its price. The SIM-free handset is said to cost good 2400 Brazilian reais (around 1036 euro). Hopefully, the Brazilian operators will offer a better subsidized price at the launch of the phone (some time in September).

Samsung I9008 Galaxy S
By the way, China will apparently get the Galaxy S as well (versions for both China Mobile and China Telecom are expected). The one on the picture above is called Samsung I9008 Galaxy S and should become available at the China Mobile stores soon.
Thanks for the tip, Hugo.
Source

Samsung Galaxy S lands in two more countries, Brazil and China

Samsung Galaxy S made it to Brazil and it seems that along the way it has picked up a strange appendix pointing from its top. Yup, it's a digital TV antenna. Unlike the other Galaxy S versions spread around the globe, the Brazilian Galaxy S comes with ISDB-Tb Digital TV on board. Oh, and it's pretty overpriced.

As for the rest of the features, you should be familiar with them since those are common for the Brazilian and the non-Brazilian Galaxy S variants. So, you'll find the same gorgeous 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen of WVGA resolution as well as the 5MP autofocus camera on the back which is capable of shooting HD videos (720p@30fps).


Live images of the Brazilian version of Samsung Galaxy S
To refresh your memory, the Galaxy S is powered by a fast 1GHz processor and packs an impressive 1500mAh battery. At its launch the Brazilian version will run Android 2.1 (a.k.a. Eclair) but an official Froyo update should follow up pretty soon.
The only downside of the Brazilian Samsung Galaxy S is its price. The SIM-free handset is said to cost good 2400 Brazilian reais (around 1036 euro). Hopefully, the Brazilian operators will offer a better subsidized price at the launch of the phone (some time in September).

Samsung I9008 Galaxy S
By the way, China will apparently get the Galaxy S as well (versions for both China Mobile and China Telecom are expected). The one on the picture above is called Samsung I9008 Galaxy S and should become available at the China Mobile stores soon.
Thanks for the tip, Hugo.
Source

Google, Verizon Near Agreement on Prioritizing Content: Reports

(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- A report from the New York Times has suggested that a possible deal between online services provider Google (www.google.com) and broadband provider Verizon (www.verizon.com) could result in a system where content creators can pay extra for faster content delivery. Other reports, however, suggest that the negotiations are surrounding a pact to ensure "network neutrality" for Verizon's broadband services.
Net neutrality is basically the concept that Internet users, not Internet Service Providers or governments, should be in control over what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. To do otherwise, Google has argued, essentially gives those with power over Internet access the ability to discriminate against competing applications or content.

"We are united in our dismay about an agreement reportedly reached by Verizon and Google," reads a statement signed by the Free Press, the Media Access Project, the Media and Democracy Coalition, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, and The Center for Media Justice. "It is unseemly and inappropriate for two giant companies to decide the future of the Internet and how Internet will work for millions of users."
The fight between those who want unrestricted online communications and those who would rather regulation be left to the invisible hand of the free market is one that impacts billion-dollar companies, millions of users and even democracy.
The New York Times reports that content providers like Google subsidiary YouTube could pay Verizon, one of largest ISPs in the US, to ensure its content is given priority. The report also notes that this added expense could be passed onto consumers in the form of inflated Internet use charges.

UPDATE: Google has denied that it has discussed such an arrangement with Verizon. Its Twitter post on the subject reads: "@NYTimes is wrong. We've not had any convos with VZN about paying for carriage of our traffic. We remain committed to an open internet."
The sort of agreement suggested by the New York Times, however, is uncharacteristic of Google, which has been a longtime advocate of a neutral Internet. "Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online," read one of Google's statements on net neutrality.
Bloomberg has reported that two anonymous sources briefed by Google and Verizon said the secret meeting involved a compromise in which Verizon may be permitted to selectively slow Internet content delivered to mobile phones, but not to broadband.
In the Summer of 2006, Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt issued an open letter on net neutrality, urging individuals to take action to protect Internet freedom. “Creativity, innovation and a free and open marketplace are all at stake in this fight,” he stated.
Known as an opponent of Internet regulation, Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg has argued that net neutrality legislation could ruin the Internet's potential to fuel the economy, and drive societal change. Seidenberg and his supports have also argued that prioritizing online traffic helps broadband speeds remain fast.
Dave Schaeffer, CEO of pure-play ISP Cogent (www.cogentco.com), notes that ISPs should welcome net neutrality because Internet services are more valuable to consumers when they can more fully utilize the network - even displacing traditional, high-margin services such as telephone and cable TV. “If service providers offer a bundled service where they are providing an application along with network functions, they are internally conflicted and will always look to protect their legacy revenue streams from those bonded services, such as cable TV or telephony services,” he said in an interview with the WHIR.

Google, Verizon Near Agreement on Prioritizing Content: Reports

(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- A report from the New York Times has suggested that a possible deal between online services provider Google (www.google.com) and broadband provider Verizon (www.verizon.com) could result in a system where content creators can pay extra for faster content delivery. Other reports, however, suggest that the negotiations are surrounding a pact to ensure "network neutrality" for Verizon's broadband services.
Net neutrality is basically the concept that Internet users, not Internet Service Providers or governments, should be in control over what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. To do otherwise, Google has argued, essentially gives those with power over Internet access the ability to discriminate against competing applications or content.

"We are united in our dismay about an agreement reportedly reached by Verizon and Google," reads a statement signed by the Free Press, the Media Access Project, the Media and Democracy Coalition, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, and The Center for Media Justice. "It is unseemly and inappropriate for two giant companies to decide the future of the Internet and how Internet will work for millions of users."
The fight between those who want unrestricted online communications and those who would rather regulation be left to the invisible hand of the free market is one that impacts billion-dollar companies, millions of users and even democracy.
The New York Times reports that content providers like Google subsidiary YouTube could pay Verizon, one of largest ISPs in the US, to ensure its content is given priority. The report also notes that this added expense could be passed onto consumers in the form of inflated Internet use charges.

UPDATE: Google has denied that it has discussed such an arrangement with Verizon. Its Twitter post on the subject reads: "@NYTimes is wrong. We've not had any convos with VZN about paying for carriage of our traffic. We remain committed to an open internet."
The sort of agreement suggested by the New York Times, however, is uncharacteristic of Google, which has been a longtime advocate of a neutral Internet. "Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online," read one of Google's statements on net neutrality.
Bloomberg has reported that two anonymous sources briefed by Google and Verizon said the secret meeting involved a compromise in which Verizon may be permitted to selectively slow Internet content delivered to mobile phones, but not to broadband.
In the Summer of 2006, Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt issued an open letter on net neutrality, urging individuals to take action to protect Internet freedom. “Creativity, innovation and a free and open marketplace are all at stake in this fight,” he stated.
Known as an opponent of Internet regulation, Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg has argued that net neutrality legislation could ruin the Internet's potential to fuel the economy, and drive societal change. Seidenberg and his supports have also argued that prioritizing online traffic helps broadband speeds remain fast.
Dave Schaeffer, CEO of pure-play ISP Cogent (www.cogentco.com), notes that ISPs should welcome net neutrality because Internet services are more valuable to consumers when they can more fully utilize the network - even displacing traditional, high-margin services such as telephone and cable TV. “If service providers offer a bundled service where they are providing an application along with network functions, they are internally conflicted and will always look to protect their legacy revenue streams from those bonded services, such as cable TV or telephony services,” he said in an interview with the WHIR.

Amazon opens UK Kindle store doors to teeming hordes

Amazon today opened its UK Kindle store for business and is offering popular e-books at massive discounts.
The online retailer has already established a Top 10 best sellers league, and prices are between 50 per cent and 66 per cent off list prices, The Bookseller says.
Helpfully, for us, this trade publication has checked out prices of competitors for one e-book Stieg Larssen's The Girl who played with Fire, which costs £2.70 - 66 per cent off list price - at Amazon, £5,49 at Waterstones and £5,19 at WH Smith. It is not on sale at Apple's iBookstore.

The UK Kindle store is stocking 84 out of the 100 Nielsen UK bestsellers. Apparently the absentees are picture-heavy. In total, the store is stocking one million free titles. You can also buy newspapers and magazines and subscribe to various blogs.
Of course, Amazon is yet to ship Kindle e-readers in the UK - that kicks off on August 27. But you can buy now and read later when your pre-order arrives.
Alternatively you read your e-books on iPads, iPods and iPhones, Mac, PC and Android-based devices. Amazon uses something called Whispersync to keep your place across all devices," so you you can pick up where you left off".
That sounds kinda neat in a creepy way. Anyone tried this out yet?

Source : Amazon opens UK Kindle store doors to teeming hordes

Amazon opens UK Kindle store doors to teeming hordes

Amazon today opened its UK Kindle store for business and is offering popular e-books at massive discounts.
The online retailer has already established a Top 10 best sellers league, and prices are between 50 per cent and 66 per cent off list prices, The Bookseller says.
Helpfully, for us, this trade publication has checked out prices of competitors for one e-book Stieg Larssen's The Girl who played with Fire, which costs £2.70 - 66 per cent off list price - at Amazon, £5,49 at Waterstones and £5,19 at WH Smith. It is not on sale at Apple's iBookstore.

The UK Kindle store is stocking 84 out of the 100 Nielsen UK bestsellers. Apparently the absentees are picture-heavy. In total, the store is stocking one million free titles. You can also buy newspapers and magazines and subscribe to various blogs.
Of course, Amazon is yet to ship Kindle e-readers in the UK - that kicks off on August 27. But you can buy now and read later when your pre-order arrives.
Alternatively you read your e-books on iPads, iPods and iPhones, Mac, PC and Android-based devices. Amazon uses something called Whispersync to keep your place across all devices," so you you can pick up where you left off".
That sounds kinda neat in a creepy way. Anyone tried this out yet?

Source : Amazon opens UK Kindle store doors to teeming hordes

Google's New Search History Link for US Mobile Users

Offers fast access to searches performed on handset, or desktop PC

Mountain View-based Internet giant Google has recently performed an enhancement to its page, enabling mobile phone users in the US to easily access recently performed searches either from their Android-based device, from their iPhone, or from their desktop PCs.The enhancement comes in the form of a “history” link included at the bottom of Google homepage.

“Have you ever tried to remember how to get back to a website that you found from a recent search? Today in the US, we’re launching a new search history feature which helps you quickly get back to sites you've been to and see items you have starred from your Android, iPhone, or desktop searches. Just sign in and then tap the history link at the bottom of the Google homepage,” Ran Liu, Software Engineer and Nick Fey, User Experience Designer, Google Mobile Team, note in a recent post on the Google Mobile Blog.
In order to benefit from this feature, users would have to have search history enabled in their accounts, something that can be done via heading to “Settings” and selecting “Save Searches” under “Search History,” after which users would have to tap “Save.” all searches performed while the user was signed in would be displayed there, including those performed on a laptop, on the desktop computer, or on the mobile handset.

The phone searches are marked with a small phone icon, while sites visited on a desktop or laptop would have a thumbnail next to them. The History page would also display “Starred items,” showing a list of searches starred on the laptop or desktop. History items can be easily removed from the list via the “Edit” button situated at the top of the page. In case one would like to stop recording searches, one would be able to do so through choosing the “Do not save searches” option under “Settings” on the home screen, and then taping “Save.”

“Let’s say after researching places to snorkel in Hawaii, you found a website full of photos about Kealakekua Bay that you want to return to later. To start the Kealakekua Bay website, simply click on the star next to the Kealakekua Bay website on Google search results. Thereafter, whenever you want to return to the site, simply click on the “Starred items” option in history. This way, while you’re out with friends, you can easily get back to the website and show pictures of this magical cove right from your phone,” the said blog post concludes.
  

Google's New Search History Link for US Mobile Users

Offers fast access to searches performed on handset, or desktop PC

Mountain View-based Internet giant Google has recently performed an enhancement to its page, enabling mobile phone users in the US to easily access recently performed searches either from their Android-based device, from their iPhone, or from their desktop PCs.The enhancement comes in the form of a “history” link included at the bottom of Google homepage.

“Have you ever tried to remember how to get back to a website that you found from a recent search? Today in the US, we’re launching a new search history feature which helps you quickly get back to sites you've been to and see items you have starred from your Android, iPhone, or desktop searches. Just sign in and then tap the history link at the bottom of the Google homepage,” Ran Liu, Software Engineer and Nick Fey, User Experience Designer, Google Mobile Team, note in a recent post on the Google Mobile Blog.
In order to benefit from this feature, users would have to have search history enabled in their accounts, something that can be done via heading to “Settings” and selecting “Save Searches” under “Search History,” after which users would have to tap “Save.” all searches performed while the user was signed in would be displayed there, including those performed on a laptop, on the desktop computer, or on the mobile handset.

The phone searches are marked with a small phone icon, while sites visited on a desktop or laptop would have a thumbnail next to them. The History page would also display “Starred items,” showing a list of searches starred on the laptop or desktop. History items can be easily removed from the list via the “Edit” button situated at the top of the page. In case one would like to stop recording searches, one would be able to do so through choosing the “Do not save searches” option under “Settings” on the home screen, and then taping “Save.”

“Let’s say after researching places to snorkel in Hawaii, you found a website full of photos about Kealakekua Bay that you want to return to later. To start the Kealakekua Bay website, simply click on the star next to the Kealakekua Bay website on Google search results. Thereafter, whenever you want to return to the site, simply click on the “Starred items” option in history. This way, while you’re out with friends, you can easily get back to the website and show pictures of this magical cove right from your phone,” the said blog post concludes.
  

Can open business practices survive an acquisition?

It ain’t easy being open in today’s corporate environment. It’s even harder for an open company to stick to its knitting when it joins forces with a much larger, much more entrenched player in its industry. Is it possible for a small company to stay true to its more 21st century values if it hopes to reach the heights of its 20th century predecessors?
Well, if anyone’s got the incentive to be open and transparent in its approach towards its customers, it’s a company whose very name evokes one of the tenets of the open source way. Consider Honest Tea, a small beverage company began in 1998 by a business school professor and a former student with a shared passion for tasty beverages. Under the tagline “Be Real, Get Honest”, the Bethesda, MD based company sells a variety of healthy non-carbonated beverages with such exotic names as Mango Acai White Tea, Jasmine Green Energy, and Peach Oo-la-long.

According to their mission statement, Honest Tea “strives for authenticity, integrity and purity, in our products and in the way we do business. In addition to creating a healthy alternative beverage with a lot less sugar than most bottled drinks, Honest Tea seeks to create honest relationships with our employees, suppliers, customers and with the communities in which we do business.”

In early 2008, the Coca-Cola Company took a 40 percent interest in the Honest Tea with the hopes of expanding its selection of lower-calorie drink options. Both companies saw the benefits of such an arrangement: Coke plugged a hole in its product portfolio while Honest Tea enjoyed vastly wider distribution than it could ever hope to attain on its own. Coke has an option to buy the whole company in 2011.

In a recent case study about the company, the New York Times details how, almost immediately following the deal, friction emerged between the two companies. In an effort to stay the course of their mission statement, Honest Tea added a “no high-fructose corn syrup” label to the packaging of its Honest Kids line of children’s drinks. Coke saw this label as disparaging and potentially damaging to its other product lines and asked Honest Tea to change or remove the claim from its labels.

The question emerged: should Honest Tea compromise its values and beliefs in the interest of its business partner? Or should it stay true to its promise to “create honest relationships with its customers?” What do you think?

In a follow-up, the NYT gathered opinions on the matter from several other leading businesspeople who have experienced similar dilemmas. I particularly liked the advice of Gary Hirshberg, chief executive of Stonyfield Farm, who is still with the company after it was acquired by Group Danone:

“My advice to C.E.O. Seth Goldman: Stick to your knitting. Keep the honest in Honest Tea. If you don’t, you’ll regret it. And so will Coke.”

The NYT ultimately posted an update detailing, in his own words, how co-founder Seth Goldman responded to Coke’s requests. Honest Tea declined to make the packaging changes requested by Coke.

When asked if business dealings with Coke have chilled since the decision, Goldman responded with a nod to another key open source principle.


Source : Can open business practices survive an acquisition?

Can open business practices survive an acquisition?

It ain’t easy being open in today’s corporate environment. It’s even harder for an open company to stick to its knitting when it joins forces with a much larger, much more entrenched player in its industry. Is it possible for a small company to stay true to its more 21st century values if it hopes to reach the heights of its 20th century predecessors?
Well, if anyone’s got the incentive to be open and transparent in its approach towards its customers, it’s a company whose very name evokes one of the tenets of the open source way. Consider Honest Tea, a small beverage company began in 1998 by a business school professor and a former student with a shared passion for tasty beverages. Under the tagline “Be Real, Get Honest”, the Bethesda, MD based company sells a variety of healthy non-carbonated beverages with such exotic names as Mango Acai White Tea, Jasmine Green Energy, and Peach Oo-la-long.

According to their mission statement, Honest Tea “strives for authenticity, integrity and purity, in our products and in the way we do business. In addition to creating a healthy alternative beverage with a lot less sugar than most bottled drinks, Honest Tea seeks to create honest relationships with our employees, suppliers, customers and with the communities in which we do business.”

In early 2008, the Coca-Cola Company took a 40 percent interest in the Honest Tea with the hopes of expanding its selection of lower-calorie drink options. Both companies saw the benefits of such an arrangement: Coke plugged a hole in its product portfolio while Honest Tea enjoyed vastly wider distribution than it could ever hope to attain on its own. Coke has an option to buy the whole company in 2011.

In a recent case study about the company, the New York Times details how, almost immediately following the deal, friction emerged between the two companies. In an effort to stay the course of their mission statement, Honest Tea added a “no high-fructose corn syrup” label to the packaging of its Honest Kids line of children’s drinks. Coke saw this label as disparaging and potentially damaging to its other product lines and asked Honest Tea to change or remove the claim from its labels.

The question emerged: should Honest Tea compromise its values and beliefs in the interest of its business partner? Or should it stay true to its promise to “create honest relationships with its customers?” What do you think?

In a follow-up, the NYT gathered opinions on the matter from several other leading businesspeople who have experienced similar dilemmas. I particularly liked the advice of Gary Hirshberg, chief executive of Stonyfield Farm, who is still with the company after it was acquired by Group Danone:

“My advice to C.E.O. Seth Goldman: Stick to your knitting. Keep the honest in Honest Tea. If you don’t, you’ll regret it. And so will Coke.”

The NYT ultimately posted an update detailing, in his own words, how co-founder Seth Goldman responded to Coke’s requests. Honest Tea declined to make the packaging changes requested by Coke.

When asked if business dealings with Coke have chilled since the decision, Goldman responded with a nod to another key open source principle.


Source : Can open business practices survive an acquisition?

Nagasaki Archive Uses Google Earth to Preserve the Accounts of Survivors

It has now been almost 65 years since the first, and thankfully the last time, an atomic bomb was used in combat. The numbers of survivors of the attacks is getting smaller and soon there will be no one left to tell the story first hand. The Nagasaki Archive is a website dedicated to highlighting the stories of some of the survivors and provide context with the help of Google Earth.

 ‘Nagasaki Archive’ is an attempt to reorganize all of those information on a digital virtual globe (google earth). In order to make Nagasaki the last place on earth where the A-bomb struck, we hope that many people to interact with and learn from ‘Nagasaki Archive’,” the website reads.

“You can see photos from the same angle they were taken 65 years ago, and also you click the portrait of survivors to read their experiences and wishes associated with the actual location they were exposed to A - bomb,” it continues.

The website is mainly in Japanese, but there is an English version as well. The translation is not perfect at times, but it doesn’t get in the way of understanding and navigating the site. The stories of only six survivors have been translated so far, but the people behind the project hope to have more done in time.

The Nagasaki Archive leverages the Google Earth plugin to put all of the data it stores in context. It shows the blast radius of the bomb and also provides aerial imagery of the city shortly after the explosion superimposed over the current imagery, to highlight the reconstruction. The site also features a large number of photos, of the city and the survivors, placed at actual location and at the angle they were taken at. There are plans to create a similar archive for the Hiroshima bombing. [via Google Earth Blog] 

Source : Nagasaki Archive Uses Google Earth to Preserve the Accounts of Survivors

Nagasaki Archive Uses Google Earth to Preserve the Accounts of Survivors

It has now been almost 65 years since the first, and thankfully the last time, an atomic bomb was used in combat. The numbers of survivors of the attacks is getting smaller and soon there will be no one left to tell the story first hand. The Nagasaki Archive is a website dedicated to highlighting the stories of some of the survivors and provide context with the help of Google Earth.

 ‘Nagasaki Archive’ is an attempt to reorganize all of those information on a digital virtual globe (google earth). In order to make Nagasaki the last place on earth where the A-bomb struck, we hope that many people to interact with and learn from ‘Nagasaki Archive’,” the website reads.

“You can see photos from the same angle they were taken 65 years ago, and also you click the portrait of survivors to read their experiences and wishes associated with the actual location they were exposed to A - bomb,” it continues.

The website is mainly in Japanese, but there is an English version as well. The translation is not perfect at times, but it doesn’t get in the way of understanding and navigating the site. The stories of only six survivors have been translated so far, but the people behind the project hope to have more done in time.

The Nagasaki Archive leverages the Google Earth plugin to put all of the data it stores in context. It shows the blast radius of the bomb and also provides aerial imagery of the city shortly after the explosion superimposed over the current imagery, to highlight the reconstruction. The site also features a large number of photos, of the city and the survivors, placed at actual location and at the angle they were taken at. There are plans to create a similar archive for the Hiroshima bombing. [via Google Earth Blog] 

Source : Nagasaki Archive Uses Google Earth to Preserve the Accounts of Survivors

Google Enables Business Owners to Respond to Place Pages Reviews

Google is trying to please everyone with its Place Page offering and has now started allowing business owners to respond to user reviews posted on Google Maps. The idea is to enable owners to provide context for a negative review or to thank users for a positive one. User reviews on Place Pages had been a one-way conversation so far. 

“Starting today, if you’re a verified Google Places business owner, you can publicly respond to reviews written by Google Maps users on the Place Page for your business. Engaging with the people who have shared their thoughts about your business is a great way to get to know your customers and find out more,” John Maguire, Google Place Page team, writes.“For example, a thoughtful response acknowledging a problem and offering a solution can often turn a customer who had an initially negative experience into a raving supporter. A simple thank you or a personal message can further reinforce a positive experience,” he adds.

The idea is solid and it’s surprising that it took Google almost a year to implement it. Place Pages are designed to offer all manner of information about a place, be it a store, restaurant, transit spot and so on. It pulls data from several places, both from Google and from third parties. For user reviews, it relies on comments people leave on Google Maps, but also on reviews from dedicated sites, like Yelp.

Google will now enable registered owners to reply to a review, but only to those coming from Google Maps and not from third-party websites. Google encourages businesses to engage in healthy conversation and try to cater to their customer’s needs and complaints. The company is even providing a guideline for small business owners on how to respond to reviews, positive or negative ones. 

Source :  Google Enables Business Owners to Respond to Place Pages Reviews



***

Google Enables Business Owners to Respond to Place Pages Reviews

Google is trying to please everyone with its Place Page offering and has now started allowing business owners to respond to user reviews posted on Google Maps. The idea is to enable owners to provide context for a negative review or to thank users for a positive one. User reviews on Place Pages had been a one-way conversation so far. 

“Starting today, if you’re a verified Google Places business owner, you can publicly respond to reviews written by Google Maps users on the Place Page for your business. Engaging with the people who have shared their thoughts about your business is a great way to get to know your customers and find out more,” John Maguire, Google Place Page team, writes.“For example, a thoughtful response acknowledging a problem and offering a solution can often turn a customer who had an initially negative experience into a raving supporter. A simple thank you or a personal message can further reinforce a positive experience,” he adds.

The idea is solid and it’s surprising that it took Google almost a year to implement it. Place Pages are designed to offer all manner of information about a place, be it a store, restaurant, transit spot and so on. It pulls data from several places, both from Google and from third parties. For user reviews, it relies on comments people leave on Google Maps, but also on reviews from dedicated sites, like Yelp.

Google will now enable registered owners to reply to a review, but only to those coming from Google Maps and not from third-party websites. Google encourages businesses to engage in healthy conversation and try to cater to their customer’s needs and complaints. The company is even providing a guideline for small business owners on how to respond to reviews, positive or negative ones. 

Source :  Google Enables Business Owners to Respond to Place Pages Reviews



***

Saudi Arabia to Ban BlackBerry Service on Friday

Saudi Arabia has ordered the suspension of Research in Motion's BlackBerry service as of Friday, as it does not meet current regulations, according to the country's telecommunications regulator.

The suspension will cover all services, including e-mail and instant messaging, said an official from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), who requested not to be named. He did not specify what were the current local regulations that BlackBerry did not comply with

The CITC has meanwhile instructed three mobile service providers in the kingdom to discontinue the BlackBerry service, the official said. These are Etihad Etisalat, which uses the brand name Mobily, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and Zain Saudi Arabia. The operators had been asked over a year ago to ensure that the BlackBerry service complied with local rules, he said.
RIM's BlackBerry service has come under scrutiny from regulators in other countries as well.
BlackBerry's service is to be suspended in neighboring United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct. 11 because it does not fall in line with the country's regulations, the UAE telecommunications regulator said on Sunday.
RIM is also in negotiations with the Indian government over the country's demands that security agencies should be able to intercept BlackBerry data. RIM's spokesman in India did not comment on the discussions and described them as confidential.
In a customer update earlier this week circulated to the media, RIM said that it does not possess a "master key," nor does any "back door" exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the encryption key or corporate data. The symmetric key system used in the BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers ensures that only the customer possesses a copy of the encryption key.
The UAE government regards the service offered by BlackBerry, specifically its instant messaging application, as an obstacle to its censorship and surveillance programs, Reporters Without Borders said last week. The UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) complained that BlackBerry data from the UAE was being sent out of the country and managed by a foreign commercial organization.

Source : Saudi Arabia to Ban BlackBerry Service on Friday

Saudi Arabia to Ban BlackBerry Service on Friday

Saudi Arabia has ordered the suspension of Research in Motion's BlackBerry service as of Friday, as it does not meet current regulations, according to the country's telecommunications regulator.

The suspension will cover all services, including e-mail and instant messaging, said an official from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), who requested not to be named. He did not specify what were the current local regulations that BlackBerry did not comply with

The CITC has meanwhile instructed three mobile service providers in the kingdom to discontinue the BlackBerry service, the official said. These are Etihad Etisalat, which uses the brand name Mobily, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and Zain Saudi Arabia. The operators had been asked over a year ago to ensure that the BlackBerry service complied with local rules, he said.
RIM's BlackBerry service has come under scrutiny from regulators in other countries as well.
BlackBerry's service is to be suspended in neighboring United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct. 11 because it does not fall in line with the country's regulations, the UAE telecommunications regulator said on Sunday.
RIM is also in negotiations with the Indian government over the country's demands that security agencies should be able to intercept BlackBerry data. RIM's spokesman in India did not comment on the discussions and described them as confidential.
In a customer update earlier this week circulated to the media, RIM said that it does not possess a "master key," nor does any "back door" exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the encryption key or corporate data. The symmetric key system used in the BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers ensures that only the customer possesses a copy of the encryption key.
The UAE government regards the service offered by BlackBerry, specifically its instant messaging application, as an obstacle to its censorship and surveillance programs, Reporters Without Borders said last week. The UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) complained that BlackBerry data from the UAE was being sent out of the country and managed by a foreign commercial organization.

Source : Saudi Arabia to Ban BlackBerry Service on Friday

cPanel Launches New Podcast Series

(The Hosting News) – cPanel officially launched its podcast series Sunday, August 1, 2010, www.cpanel.net/podcast. The cPanel team added this new multimedia addition to provide listeners with practical instruction for improving their websites.
Every two weeks, Technical Writer Lindsey White will interview cPanel experts and investigate a variety of subjects to help listeners learn more about cPanel products.
“I plan to explore a wide range of web-related topics to help website owners perfect their sites,” White said.
The cPanel podcast team will release a new episode on a bi-weekly basis as well as offer information about the next episode via the podcast site. There is a pre-released schedule for the first three podcasts in the series, which includes:
Episode 1- “How to Install WordPress in cPanel,” will go through the basic steps to help answer this commonly asked question. This podcast became available August 1, 2010.
Episode 2- “Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates Demystified,” will look at how SSL certificates can be used to make a website more secure. This podcast will be available August 15, 2010.
Episode 3- “Installing Custom Web Applications,” will provide listeners with insight into the process of installing web applications in cPanel. This podcast will be available September 1, 2010.
Podcast episodes will be available via direct download from the cPanel Podcast site. Listeners will also have the option to subscribe via RSS feed or through iTunes.
Listeners may visit http://www.cpanel.net/podcast for more information about the cPanel podcast series. If you have questions or topic ideas, please email cPanel at podcast(at)cpanel(dot)net.