Italy is one of the last countries to join the information age, and the half of its population that has never used a computer insist that it's not in their culture. With infrastructure improving and users on the rise, long-standing Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has proposed strict regulation that may not be acting in the interest of the end user. The red tape is designed to protect broadcasters and copywrite holders, but its requirement of official approval for any video clip to be uploaded is not only impractical, but patently ridiculous. Berlusconi himself is the owner of several broadcast and digital television networks, and this draconian decree should be viewed as a media baron protecting his own assets at the expense of freedom of expression. Although Italian protesters are asking President Obama to step in on their behalf, net neutrality is a complex issue that demands careful consideration and international consensus. Maybe the Swiss would have some ideas?
24 telecommunications companies announced an historic international alliance at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, today. The industry giants have tired of platform-specific development burdens and App approval tyranny and plan to establish the "Wholesale Applications Community" as a universal mobile marketplace. With the blessing of device manufacturers and the GSMA, their democratic vision will be realized through utilization of existing technical standards to ensure widespread compatibility without multiple software versions.
The high-minded rhetoric that accompanies this marketing release echoes that of the "Open Handset Alliance" recently formed in support of Google's Android OS. Application support for a variety of handsets from a single digital distribution platform is an ambitious goal, but the egalitarian message is a little disingenuous. Alliance members have been watching greedily as Apple's installed base spent an estimated $1 million per day in the App store, and the international customers this alliance is courting are roughly 20 times more numerous than the iPhone community. All mobile users deserve Apps and all Developers deserve customers, but less stringent approval protocols flooding the market will mean huge telecom profits on top of your monthly bill.
If you are a Gmail user (you should be) you have surely watched with delight every time a widget like Chat has been added. The latest feature roll-out is a status update field with picture and link embedding a la Facebook, as well as Flickr, Youtube, and Blogger connectivity. Google Buzz keeps conventional comments, "likes" and @callouts, while adding simple promotion system promising to "collapse the bad Buzz" while simultaneously keeping the "good Buzz" going. This attempt to Twitter-ize Gmail into a social networking hub is conveniently integrated into your inbox to sidestep the usual deluge of email notifications, and is also supported by an HTML5 mobile site and Android and iPhone Apps to boot.
The danger of Buzz is its built-in Gmail connectivity. In an attempt to hit the ground running, Buzz adds your contacts list to your followed Buzz-s and viola, instant network. In my case, every_schlep@gmail.com that I have ever had craigslist dealings with was added to my list and totally killing my Buzz. Just like Facebook privacy settings, managing your new Google profile is a good idea. So before you start Buzzing up a storm, remember to make sure your weekday girl can't see you following your weekend girl, and as with all Social Networking, don't mix Buzziness with pleasure.
Bargain-basement HDTV company Vizio is rolling out yet another way to keep you connected. Their newest suite of flat-panel televisions come equipped with internet-ready applications for plug-and-play online action. Websites such as Pandora, Netflix, Flicker, Twitter and most importantly Facebook are lending their services to the VIA package. With LED backlit displays featuring WIFI connectivity and an innovative QWERTY Bluetooth remote, V inc. is changing the LCD experience.
For better or for worse, more people are spending more time connected to more networks every day. Your key demographics are most likely using local searches via the internet to find restaurants, rate businesses and interact with their peers. It's up you to get your name out there and take advantage of the endless publicity opportunities provided by social media marketing. Engage your customers directly with CloudProfile; social interaction is the catalyst to create community support for your small business.
Accessory juggernaut Logitech has struck gold with their new iPhone/iTouch input app called Touch Mouse. The easy-as-pie app allows the user to control the cursor of their desktop or laptop computer with their Apple handheld over a wifi connection. The app is slim and responsive; supports Windows and Mac OS; features a full touch keyboard, and best of all it's free! To use, simply install via the App Store, install the Logitech Server application (linked), connect both devices to the same network, and go!
Although this is far from the only app of its kind, more full-featured Virtual Console apps such as VNC often struggle with laggy connections and hardware limitations. With a simple purpose and a clean interface, this app is worthy of praise (and downloads). If you are trying to perfect your devices' wireless communication, Student Experts is ready to get your system set up with the software it needs to get everybody talking. We can help you set up your firewall to keep your data safe from prying eyes, without interfering with your trusted applications and devices. Call today and get hooked up!
