China has become the world’s 2nd largest source of spam, after the U.S., the Internet Society of China’s (ISC) antispam team said Wed. ISC said 180 of 400 IP addresses blocked by the International Anti-Spam Organization in Nov. 2004 were Chinese. ISC also said too many IP sites are blacklisted and blocked by the International Anti-Spam Organization, affecting China’s e- mail.
Top federal officials will speak at a Ky. broadband development conference Jan. 12, Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) announced. Presenting at the Bucks for Broadband Summit in Frankfort will be FCC Comr. Kevin Martin, NTIA Administrator Michael Gallagher, Rural Utilities Service Administrator Hilda Legg and Appalachian Regional Commission federal Co-Chair Anne Pope. The conference for state legislators, county judge executives, mayors and community economic development organizations “will help empower communities in every part of Kentucky to tactically plan for high speed Internet access and improved computer adoption,” Fletcher said. “More importantly, the summit will support local leaders by providing critical information for funding broadband and general technology investments.”
Seven business organizations Thurs. applauded the approval by the European Commission (EC) of model contractual clauses for data transfers from European Union (EU) to non-EU countries. On Dec. 27, the EC approved the standard clauses for data transfers as offering “adequate levels of data protection” under the EU’s strict data protection rules, the groups said. Companies can use the model terms as a basis for transfers to data controllers outside of Europe beginning April 1, 2005. The contract clauses can take the place of certification under the Safe Harbor agreement. Approval of the terms followed 4 years of negotiation, the groups said, and marks the first time the EC has officially approved a mechanism for data transfer proposed by the private sector. The clauses “offer the same level of data protection as the Commission’s clauses,” said Christopher Kuner, chmn. of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Task Force on Privacy & the Protection of Personal Data. But he said the industry terms “use more flexible mechanisms that are more in line with business realities.” The organizations said they hope the approval “marks a milestone toward recognition by the EU of additional global data transfer solutions that the seven international business associations have been supporting, such as binding corporate rules.” (On Nov. 25, the EC Art. 29 Data Protection Working Party adopted a model checklist to be used by companies applying for approval of binding corporate rules for precessing private data). The 7 organizations include the ICC, the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU in Brussels, Confederation of British Industry, European Information, Communications and Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Assn., Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing, International Communication Round Table and the Japan Business Council in Europe.
EMarketer issued its forecast Thurs. of the top trends in emerging technologies in 2005, saying marketers offer unprecedented levels of personalization through ventures such as VoIP and targeted advertising. The company does its own analysis and projections based on data compiled from a broad range of primary research firms. “The shifts we are seeing in e-business are toward content, advertising and technologies that are increasingly targeted to specific individuals or groups,” said eMarketer CEO Geoff Ramsey.
LAS VEGAS -- The digital age is starting to live up to expectations, with phones, TVs and other devices linking up with PCs in new ways, Microsoft founder Bill Gates told a standing room only audience Wed. night at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here.
Researchers at Pa. State U. have developed a power line transmission model that could allow BPL to send data much faster than DSL or cable modems. Lead researcher Moshen Kavehrad, dir. of the university’s Center for Information & Communications Technology Research, said BPL trials currently run at DSL-comparable rates of 2-3 Mbps. In computer simulation of the new power line model, the maximum achievable bit rate is close to one Gbps over medium-voltage lines under ideal conditions, he said: “If you condition those power lines, they're an omnipresent national treasure waiting to be tapped for broadband Internet service delivery, especially in rural areas where cable or DSL are unavailable.” The researchers said they were the first to evaluate data-rate handling capacity for medium-voltage lines in the U.S. They said junctions and branches in the U.S. overhead grid cause broadband signals to reflect, resulting in degradation and decreased transmission capacity. “The signal can bounce back and forth in the lines if there is no proper impedance matching,” said Kavehrad: “The bouncing takes energy away from the signal and the loss is reflected in the ultimate capacity.” Under their model, the researchers said repeaters would be placed every 0.62 mile and power lines would have to be modified to reduce interference to data signals. Kavehrad said BPL would resolve engineering issues to make it a technical alternative to cable modem and DSL, but interference issues needed to be overcome to make it an economic alternative. The research was funded with an AT&T grant.
Women 25-45, surprisingly, are 60% of the subscribers to an online porn DVD-of-the-month club, TooTimid.com said Thurs. “We never expected this service to attract women in such masses,” said TooTimid.com co-founder Chad Chungol, who said the business “generates little or no profits” after 4 years. The company sends the month’s DVD title by first-class mail for its unspecified thousands of subscribers to keep for $6.95, but it said it hopes to offer customers some choice by mid-year. It didn’t address the discreetness of its channel compared to others as a reason it attracts women subscribers.
Fewer U.S. jobs were posted online in Dec., according to a report by Monster.com released Thurs. Monster said the report, released a day before the govt. releases its own monthly job creation report, said its employment index dropped to 113 last month from 117 in Nov., which the company called “disappointing.”
Apple is on both defense and offense in lawsuits filed this week. ITunes customer David Slattery filed an antitrust case against the company in U.S. Dist. Court, San Jose, for preventing songs from the Internet music service from working on players other than Apple’s iPod, Reuters said. Separately, in Cal. Superior Court, Santa Clara, the company sued ThinkSecret.com, purveyor of “Mac insider news,” for reporting what Apple characterizes as the trade secrets that it plans to offer an inexpensive Macintosh computer and an office software suite, according to published reports.
The Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines Thurs. arrested a German man who is facing multiple counts of Internet fraud. Officials arrested Manfred Macht, who has outstanding arrest warrants in Germany for 32 cases of Internet fraud, in Cebu City. The German govt. said at least 37 public prosecutors and 20 criminal investigation offices in Germany had been looking for Macht.