There's a reason why we do not like Internet trolls. But it is worst when anonymous comments turn into threats.

This shouldn't be happening. Kathy Sierra shouldn't be afraid.

A great blog, with good market, marketing, product placement comments. But it seems some jerk thinks the person behind it is just another target for his/hers threats.

Sad. I really hope she's got some good police officers investigating. Some clued in police officers. Go get the prick.

I wonder if the New Zealand Police is prepared to work on such cases. I read somewhere they have some technology guys around.

Risking the ire of professional journalists, here is an interesting take on why newspapers' credibility (and consequent business) may be in decline. Blame it on "MSM disconnects", according to the Venture Chronicles:

There are two aspects to newspaper media that people in the newspaper business would rather not talk about. The first is that the quality of writing and original research for that matter in many of the top blogs is far superior to newspapers. For example, look at Powerline’s recent coverage of a mini-controversy brewed up by a local reporter over the investiture ceremony for U.S. Attorney Paulose in Minnesota and you will find a well written and well researched piece that thoroughly eviscerates the reporter who did the original story.

Interested in any coverage of important legal decisions, do you really need the NYTimes when the Volokh Conspiracy not only gets the facts right but gives you the perspective of a respected law professor as well? I’ve learned more about the Supreme Court and recent decisions from the SCOTUS Blog than I ever did from a newspaper.

Also note that many journalists are bloggers and the post ends with this:

It occured to me shortly after hitting post on this that I should add a comment about the fact that journalism isn’t itself flawed but rather the business of journalism as it currently exists. I have a great many friends who are writers by trade and they are an impressive lot with instincts and discipline that escape most bloggers, so the notion that everything is going citizen just doesn’t hold up. It’s more subtle than that, there is a fundamental distribution model shift coupled with an economic shift on top of a generational shift that is redefining how people get information.

UPDATE: I had a big rant here, but I was told it wasn't objective enough. And because of that I will leave only the links and excerpts from the blog I am linking to. Apparently criticism goes only one way...

Yes, I will keep complaining about this one... Novatel Wireless just issued a press release about their wonderful new line of HSDPA/HSUPA PC cards and Express cards:

Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today introduced new, next-generation offerings in its high-speed download packet access/high-speed upload packet access (HSDPA/HSUPA) family of mobile broadband access products. The family of products includes the Merlin™ X950D ExpressCard™, the Ovation™ MC870D HSDPA USB Modem, the Expedite^® EU870D embedded modules and the XUA-1 ExpressCard to USB Adapter.

“Introducing new technologies like HSUPA, as well as diversity, equalization and GPS, simplifying installation and designing new form factors for ease-of-use, highly differentiates Novatel Wireless as a company that is tracking the evolving needs of users, OEMs and network operators, and mapping product innovation to those requirements,” said Brad Weinert, acting CEO and COO of Novatel Wireless. “We will continue to deliver innovative products to the market that support our operators’ and OEMs’ increasing requirements, while continuing to offer added value by developing software solutions that take our devices to a new level of functionality for the user.”

The Merlin X950D ExpressCard is a next-generation global, tri-band HSUPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS wireless modem. The card can be used in both ExpressCard/34 and 54 slots as well as with Novatel Wireless adapters in PCMCIA and USB slots. Unique to the Merlin X950D, full 2.1 Mbps HSUPA and HSDPA 7.2 Mbps is now a reality. A firmware upgrade will be available to deliver the full 2.1 Mbps HSUPA performance. Mobile users, worldwide, can now enjoy full 3.5G capability in their wireless computing devices as well as utilize the GPS capability offered in the ExpressCard.

I am glad to see their R&D department works fine. It is a shame the Novatel Wireless support is not able to reply a simple question submited through their supports forms, with confirmation e-mail delivered to me.

Shame Vodafone had to use these guys, instead of going with Sierra Wireless, who announced full support for Windows Vista, including WHQL signed drivers ready for all current Sierra Wireless EV-DO cards.

Today I removed one RSS feed from my aggregator. Scoble is gone. I followed during the weekend his posts on how he created a (paid) video about Intel's plant and how mad he was after other blogs failed to link to his work.

Well, there you go... Newfound truth: not everyone will link to everything you write. EVen though you think it's a great piece of work.

I am not surprised though, I should have removed the feed much longer ago. Back when Microsoft/AMD gave laptops to bloggers, community sites and MVPs. At that time all was quiet but a voice raised the alarm: "That's my idea of payperpost". I was affected by that post, as many other bloggers.

So there you go. Reality is hard, but you can't point fingers at others without expecting people to point fingers back. Got paid by Intel (or Podtech, as Scoble says) and didn't get the expected links? Too bad, need to find the next best story.

Great summaries for the whole story, from Valleywag:

Robert Scoble: shillling for Intel
Silicon Valley Users Guide: Lessons from the Scobleizer

Appalling... First Apple, now TomTom:

The win32.Perlovga.A Trojan and TR/Drop.Small.qp were identified as being resident on the satnav hard drive, within the copy.exe and host.exe files.

What's the problem with manufacturers? Don't they have quality control?

Leaving devices to be manufactured somewhere else (anywhere) without proper control of the environment, can only lead to these kinds of things. How can anyone be sure the outsourced manufacturer is as serious about IT security as we are?

Devices these days are more than specialised gadgets. They have storage, processors, run a mobile OS. People need to be aware that even though those devices may not show signs of infection, they can still be vectors that contamiinate PCs when plugged and an AutoRun action is invoked.

The 2007 International CES was a great showcase of old stuff. HDDVD, BluRay, HDTV. All shown in 2006, but now bigger, better. You couldn't walk a few steps without going over digital photo frames and USB memory keys.

So here is my pick for the best mobility technologies in the show:

The Qool Labs SkyQube2 gets the top prize. It's a Skype GSM gateway and has the potential to save you lots of money. Just before you go out travelling you remove the SIM card from your mobile and insert into the SkyQube2. You then configure it to use SkypeOut to redirect any incoming calls to your mobile number to a another mobile number (hopefully a prepay SIM card in the country you are visiting) through cheap SkypeOut calls.

This will save you the roaming call costs. And you can plug the SkyQube2 into a landline and have your fixed line calls redirect as well. Sweeeeet!


The next item I liked most was Agere's BluOnyx. This is a credit card-sized device that works as media storage, media distribution, media server, media manager, media everything. You can connect to the BluOnyx through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB.

My last meeting during the 2007 International CES with with Agere's product managers and engineers, and they put an extra effort to show a good product. I am really looking forward to have one to play with sometime in the future.


Then we have the fabric interfaces... Eleksen manufactures the fabric and the platform for these. Two examples are shown here: the messenger back compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista SideShow technology, and a UMPC bag that doubles as a keyboard:



Next in the list would be the S-Xgen, a Windows Mobile Pocket PC device with a fully foldable QWERTY keyboard. Unlike other Pocket PC the S-Xgen comes with ethernet, USB client, USB host, and dedicated media player keys.

This is a collection of all cars around the 2007 International CES in Las Vegas. Because of the number of pictures I've separated this entry in four posts:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

In the last few days a lot of people posted comments on this blog, for many different reasons, mainly because of the whole Microsoft/AMD/Acer laptop story.

Some comments are not shown and there's a reason for that.

The comment policy here is simple: identify yourself and the comments will be live.

Every time you comment you must enter your name and e-mail address (with optional URL, great for some Google juice). You will automatically receive an e-mail with a special link. Click on that link and your comment will automagically appear.

Your e-mail address is not shown, and it's only used for this confirmation.

Why is this? First to prevent spam in the blog comments. Next because I don't want to go through the comment moderation routine, which would be needed to prevent spam if the e-mail authentication wasn't in place.

If you have something to say, show your face. I am not here to read diatribes from people who hide behind fake e-mail addresses.

Yes, I can see the non-authenticated comments, but in principle I won't approve those because I don't want to give voice to people who rather remain in the shadows while posting their unjustified criticism to the world to read.
 
It's interesting how some posting a comment here can't do something as simple as follow the rules by entering a valid e-mail address, but at the same time try to appear as righteous?

I was invited to speak at one of the upcoming Unlimited Potential events, here in Wellington.

The details are:

UP New Years Event - Bloggers predictions for 2007
When: 25 January 2006, at 5:30 for a 6:00 start
Where: Creative HQ, at 25 Marion Street, Wellington
 
And here is the pitch:

We've asked Wellington's best bloggers to gaze into the future and tell us what the big news will be in the next twelve months. The wisdom of their prognostications will astound you—or make you laugh, at the very least.

The blogger who makes the best predictions — as voted by the audience — will be crowned UP Visionary of the Year for 2007, and receive an official certificate, a beautiful tiara [crown?], and full bragging rights… at least until 2008, when we will vote again on whether to revoke their title.

The bloggers:

David Farrar, of Kiwiblog fame,
Tom Beard, Wellingtonista's "Blogger of the Year" for 2006,
Mauricio Freitas, the Geekzone Guy,
Philip Fierlinger, self-confessed Blog Junkie
Mike, carrying the hopes and dreams of the UP Exec

The rules:

Each blogger will make 3 to 5 predictions.
Preditions will be in the following categories: Gadgets & Games,
The Internet, Business & Telecom[munications], Technology, Wellington & NZ.
Predictions made by blog readers in comments are allowed, but must be credited.
Cheating—by using insider knowldge, in-depth simulations, latent psychic powers, reasoned analysis, alcohol, ouija boards, etc— is strictly encouraged.

The last bit is important... So if you think you have a vision of the future of blogging, and it happens in 2007, then drop a comment here or contact me.

PS. If your name is not linked, I sincerely apologise - I simply can't find your blog right now, so please drop me a note and I will update the links.

New Zealand companies don't get blogging:

Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.

Many bloggers differentiate themselves from the mainstream media, while others are members of that media working through a different channel. Some institutions see blogging as a means of "getting around the filter" and pushing messages directly to the public.

Most importantly C-level people, middle managers, employees - everyone - should read Naked Conversations and the Cluetrain Manifesto:

A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies.

These markets are conversations. Their members communicate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking. Whether explaining or complaining, joking or serious, the human voice is unmistakably genuine. It can't be faked.

Most corporations, on the other hand, only know how to talk in the soothing, humorless monotone of the mission statement, marketing brochure, and your-call-is-important-to-us busy signal. Same old tone, same old lies. No wonder networked markets have no respect for companies unable or unwilling to speak as they do.

While many such people already work for companies today, most companies ignore their ability to deliver genuine knowledge, opting instead to crank out sterile happytalk that insults the intelligence of markets literally too smart to buy it.

However, employees are getting hyperlinked even as markets are. Companies need to listen carefully to both. Mostly, they need to get out of the way so intranetworked employees can converse directly with internetworked markets.

Corporate firewalls have kept smart employees in and smart markets out. It's going to cause real pain to tear those walls down. But the result will be a new kind of conversation. And it will be the most exciting conversation business has ever engaged in.

If you think I am talking about your company (if the hat fits) then you are probably correct in your assumption.