Damien Mulley

Via Om Malik, more details on the Google Social Network thingy. The most interesting thing for me is this:

Google will announce its new social networking initiative, Open Social on Thursday. Joining Google and its Orkut social network are other partners such as XING, Friendster, hi5, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Newsgator and Ning.

Probably the most important one there is LinkedIn.

More on Techcrunch.

Additional comment: Funny how now all the underdogs are teaming up to try and challenge Facebook. Now if only Google’s competitors did the same in the search and ad space. 🙂

Ta very much lads. It’s not just me either who have been wholesale copied and pasted.

Update: Seems they’ve read this post now after seeing the trackbacks. I contacted you earlier today lads. Get the lead out.

Update 2: They’ve stopped infringing my copyright but are still stealing content from everywhere else. How much should I charge for use of my content for the past 6 hours?

Update 3: It seems it was the fault of their outsourced people. From an email:

We outsource some of our content creation to two separate companies in India, they create original content and also use republished content from sources that allow republication. I know that this is not the case with your content and that a mistake was made by the individual concerned. In fairness i dont think anything underhanded was intended as she actually credit your site with the content and also you as the author.

This though is untrue. I’ve taken the time (since I’m nice like that) to contact all those who have had their content republished. I can’t find any of them allowing for republication and attribution should at lease contain a working link if they did allow it. This is a wreckless attitude and an Irish business, especially one involved in Internet Marketing should know how copyright works.

Update: Ace Internet Marketing have instructed me that I’m posting defamatory statements here and are suggesting they might take action. They are also telling me to stop publishing excerpts of their emails to me. I’ll honour the latter for future emails. In other news I’m already hearing back from others I’ve contacted who feature on the Ace Internet Marketing “blog”. Stay tuned folks.

Update: Aidan Doran has admitted via email that he is Paul. His IP has been banned from my blog.

Yet another update: Now another anonymous person from a anon proxy address is leaving abusive comments. An IP address that has left nasty comments on Daithí’s blog too.

It’s becoming more and more obvious that Google, while not jumping directly into the consumer hardware market is doing their best to influence the structure of the web and computing devices by giving away hardware designs for power supplies for PCs, releasing papers on harddrive faults, helping the people with mySQL and very possibly releasing specs and software for others to build mobile phones. We’re now seeing super-cheap desktop PCs as well, such as the Green PC for 100 dollars and maybe Google will even release an operating system for PCs, though more than likely it’ll just be gateway software to the online world. Their biggest moves so far do seem to be on the gateway to the Google computing cloud. They’re still building out their datacentres all around the world. They’ve provided access to their systems via APIs (not great ones though), they’re building serious fibre backbones, so eventually they are going to be getting closer and closer to our homes or our computing devices. It would almost make sense for them to refine the Google access process even more if they could influence your PC and your line from your home (or location with mobile broadband) so what if they partnered with companies to give away free subsidised computers and broadband? Here’s one take:

Welcome to 2009 in Ireland.

People are walking into their local PC World and Dixons and buying the Google PC for 100 euros. They bring it home and plug it into their broadband connection and away they go surfing the net. The box is a simple device that has no DVD drive, it has three USB slots, a connection for a monitor and an ethernet connection.

Specs of the Google PC:

• Mini-PC, barebones, runs silent.
• 3 USB slots.
• Ethernet slot.
• Card reader.
• No DVD.
• 200 GB HD.
• Runs Google Vision Operating System
• You supply the monitor.

Google Vision
Google Vision is the stripped down, web-centric operating system from Google. You can install simple Google Applications on the computer which you can only download after they have been verified by Google. The operating system is highly secure and has a built-in anti-virus system though since all your documents and data are stored online anyway (though synced offline) it doesn’t matter so much and Google Vision so far has proved to be one of the most secure and virus-free operating systems ever. It will also roam with you so that wherever you go, you will have the same interface and it even has an interface for your phone so you can access all your data that way. Applications can be installed on the machine and all settings are stored online as well as offline, so if you move to a new country, you buy your PC there and everything is installed for you on first sign-in. Google provides an API for the Google PC but it is very limited.

Get the Google PC and broadband for free.
Broadband providers are also “selling” the Google PC, by which I mean, you get a free broadband connection and a free PC if you sign up to their phone package. There’s no hidden costs. This makes them money as they have a revenue share with Google on any ads you click on when you surf the net with the Google PC. Due to the profile the telco has on you, which they share with Google, ads are now VERY local. Your local butcher around the corner can now advertise to you. Hyper-local-ads means ad costs are higher than ever but it also gets better sales, which means much better revenue for Google, your telco and the advertiser. You also get free calls to any Google advertiser. An additional plus for all the telcos is that Google looked after international access for free, so telco costs came way down too. The old net neutrality arguments from Google now seemed like red herring and distracted the international carriers enough for them not to see what was happening.

Privacy: Microsoft Vs Google
Microsoft tried to counter this on four fronts:

• Privacy complaints: Microsoft lobbied the US Administration and the EU to investigate what they suggested was a gross invasion of privacy with the implications that every site you visited, everything you clicked on and everyone you called was now logged and stored by Google, this was DoubClick but way worse.
• Monopolistic Practices: Microsoft and what was left of the traditional advertising business (except Facebook) joined forces even more to lobby against the fact that the data that Google had on their PC users meant that they had the best hand when it came to websites that used ads to make money.
• Microsoft fought to get on to the Google PC: Microsoft sued to have access to the Google PC so they could have Microsoft Office, one of their main revenue strands installed but Google pointed out, these were just dumb terminals and gave them access to the API they gave everyone else access to. Everyone, even the Google web apps had the same rights.
• Microsoft Passport: Microsoft finally did more with their Passport after years of dithering. Years! While Passport was tied into their Hotmail/Live system and had access to some profiles, the profiles were inaccurate to a large degree. Microsoft altered that when the Google PC came about. They too tried to sign deals with telcos to do the same and even though they were on the desktop of the majority of net users, they never got traction. When Google released Google OS for those with existing computers, it was another nail in Microsoft’s coffin. It was ironic that Microsoft already had their own PC in millions of homes already (the XBox) and while had some great ideas for the XBox love system, they never considered doing this.

Google Vs Facebook
While the Google PC gave Google back more of the share of online advertising, Facebook and their own advertising system still had a very strong hand and their years of profile data from their now 200Million users meant they’re offering was equally as strong. Their ad and search system had long since moved outside of Facebook and was used on millions of websites which allowed ad networks and individual websites to target Facebook users (as the ad system knew exactly the consumer type visiting your site) and non-Facebook users too (using some very clever statistical analysis techniques, crossed with FB data). Contrary to what people first thought, the Microsoft deal from 2007 did not give Microsoft anything more than early access to the Facebook web advertising system. The 240Million was nothing more than hello money. All in all both companies, while not delighted with the competition from each other still increased their revenues every quarter as more and more of their competitors withered and died and Television and Print advertising plummeted as advertisers moved almost entirely online.

Check out some of the crazy bad reporting about a Google PC.

I seem to be telling people more and more to subscribe to Irish bloggers who talk tech and business to see what new things they’re playing with. There’s a small core of people in this country who always do the donkey work of looking at new technologies or products and testing them til they break or annoy or are realised to be a load of dross. It’s good to have these people.

Of late we’ve seen people using Twitter and Jaiku, but before that it was Podcasting and Blogging. They’re the people who install Linux operating systems, beta versions of Microsoft Service Packs, try out video blogging services like Seesmic or download very alpha software like Prism from Mozilla. Something new and shiny comes out and these folks are trying it out. I’m not one of these people really. I’m a little more conservative and I use people like Tom Raftery, James Corbett, Bernie Goldbach, Alexia Golez, Pat Phelan, Elly Parker, Conor O’Neill and so many others to try things out first and then I’ll wade in.

Via Jeremiah comes a definition from Ross Mayfield – Blogalyst:

What’s a Blogalyst? Part blogger, part analyst and part catalyst.

Maybe that’s what these folks are, it’s a nicer explanation then what I think: They wade through all the shite so we don’t have to.

So if you want to get the Zeitgeist of tech in Ireland from a consumer perspective, people like the above are good people to subscribe to or even contact and ask for opinion. This doesn’t mean spamming, mind. And they’re all way ahead of the trends too as they know how to use predictive text too.

Well there we go. Three.ie are going to be launching their 3 Skypephone before Christmas.

Blurb from the press release:

3 customers using the 3 Skypephone will be able to make Skype calls and send instant messages on the move with the push of a button. This is the first time an operator has offered a mass market device which is tailor-made for free calling over the internet from a mobile. Now, all of Skype’s 246 million registered can be reached for free with the 3 Skypephone. Skype to Skype calls will always be free from your 3 Skypephone as long as you are on contract or your PAYG 3 credit is topped up monthly.

Maybe not for me as I don’t use Skype a lot but this could be really handy for those that use Skype a lot and now want to move away from their computer and outside of the house. I note James already posted about this.

Specs:
With 3G, a 2-megapixel camera, mp3 player, mobile TV and internet. Comes in black or white, with blue or pink trim. 3 Skypephone also includes:

* Fully integrated Skype functionality with contacts, call logs and presence.
* Access to Java and 3D games and two preloaded games
* 2.0 Megapixel camera
* Internet browsing
* Bluetooth
* Weight: 86g
* Size: 100 x 44 x 13.6mm
* Battery Standby: 320 Hours
* Battery Talk Time: 270 Minutes
* Battery Video Talk Time: 170 Minutes
* Screen Size: 2.0” QCIF (176 x 220)
* Colour: 262K
* External Memory: expandable to 1GB microSD

Just checked Facebook. It now says: You are targeting about 154,180 people in Ireland.

That’s an increase of 22520 in 7 days. 22520/131,600 * 100 = 17.1% growth

Every area has seen increased growth. The stats from last week are here. I’ll check the stats again this week but if true, these stats are just crazy. There is no way 40 Google Ireland employees joined or 40 existing employees decided to add their employers details and 280 Microsoft employees joined.

What’s with all these multiples of 40 and 20? Is there some odd maths going on here?

You are targeting about 43,600 men in Ireland.
You are targeting about 60,560 women in Ireland.

137,260 people between 18 and 35 years old in Ireland.
62,980 people between 18 and 25 years old in Ireland.
84,800 people between 25 and 35 years old in Ireland.
8,320 people between 18 and 19 years old in Ireland.

About 1,440 people in Ireland who work at Microsoft. +280
About 360 people in Ireland who work at Google. +40
About 160 people in Ireland who work at IBM. +40
About 180 people in Ireland who work at Accenture. +40
About 120 people in Ireland who work at eBay. +40

About 9,960 people in Ireland who are in college. +1620
About 480 people in Ireland who are at University College Cork +80
About 2,800 people in Ireland who are at Trinity College Dublin
About 1,520 people in Ireland who are at UCD Ireland
About 780 people in Ireland who are at NUI Galway
About 200 people in Ireland who are at DIT Ireland.

• Mashup Camp Dublin. November 10th. Seriously, get to it. Also, if you have a blog and readers of the nerdy/tech variety can you let them know about it too? It’s not everyday we get people of this calibre mixing together and it would be great to see Mashup camp come back on a regular basis.
• On November 1st Digiweb are holding a free seminar called ‘Making Websites Work’ which is part of their Online Edge Seminar Programme. At the Digital Hub, Dublin. All you have to do is go to www.digiweb.ie/onlineedge and register your attendance. Registration closes at 6PM Tuesday 30th October. Laurence Veale, Eoghan McCabe and Richard Hearne will be the speakers this time round. They’ve a lot to live up to since I was fantastic at the last talk. I’m sure they might get near that high bar. You can do it guys!
• On Tuesday, October 30th 2007 The “possibilities for a post Web 2.0 world” will be explored iby Mike Culver, Web Services Evangelist with Amazon.
  

  The presentation will provide an overview of Amazon Web Services, the company’s distinct technology arm, which allows developers to build software applications leveraging the same robust, scalable, and reliable technology that supports Amazon’s retail business; there will also be a code demonstration showing how .NET developers can easily build managed clients for these services.

  This takes place in the swanky Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 with registration from 7.00 pm. If you wish to book a place, please contact Cormac Moore, Verkom, on (01) 432 1501 or email cmoore [ at ] verkom.ie

• IDMA’s Digital Marketing Seminar on 15th November – Raising the Bar in Digital Marketing
  8:30am – 12:00pm
  Thursday 15th November
  Mont Clare Hotel, Merrion Square

  Tom Bazeley (CEO, Lean Mean Fighting Machine)
  Jay Stevens (VP Operations, MySpace.com)
  Jonathan Forrest (Managing Director, Cybercom)
  Shenda Loghnane (Managing Director, ICAN)

  Tickets are only €75 for IDMA members / €100 for non-members – available from info [ at ] idma.ie

Last week I had a Fluffy Link which talked about all the Microsoft Hyper/Microsoft Hyper V domains that Microsoft were buying up. Since then I’ve had, shall we say “interesting” IP addresses visit that post.

Lots of Microsoft Hyper V domains as well as vboxlab.com and vboxlab.net
Some folks in MS in the States seem coy about whatever this is.

However, a project called Viridian, also known as Hypervisor which had to do with Virtualisation might be something to do with it. Just seems to be part of Visrtual Server really. If it ever gets out the door. Seems there were a few delays. More here and here. Maybe that’s it? Shame really after buying all those domains.

I’d love to see MS do their own version of an NGage like platform that will work on all OSes and all platforms so people can interact with XBox Live from anywhere. Course I also think XBox live should be waaaaay more than just an online games platform. That’s their social network right there. Perhaps if Silverlight shows the way for “any OS and platform” they might do the same for other products too.

Update: More.

I’m a bit obesssed with receipts. I hold on to every one I have for about six months or much longer. It comes from having a mother that threw receipts in the bin the minute she got home and so it became a lot more fun to try and exchange things or get refunds or complain about shoddy merchandise. One of the many novelty and tacky cups I have (Aside: I demand of friends that when they come back from holidays, they bring me back the tackiest thing they can.) is filled with receipts for all types of purchases. Every now and then when I do a spring clean I go through the cup and sort out the receipts and throw many of them out.

I’ve also been thinking about email for a while as I use GMail to sort out more and more of my other email accounts. I now seem to have an email account that I just use for notifications of all sorts. Booking details from Aer Lingus, Ryanair, notifications from Bebo and Facebook and offers now and then from Hotels and Threadless. Newsletters and the like. That account used to be my main account for a while and now it’s pretty useless and to be honest I think a lot of the stuff that comes in could easily be replaced with feeds, either public or private ones. So one account is now becoming my receipt cup in a way but GMail is also like a container of all these receipt cups. I currently have three accounts inside GMail. At any time I can just remove any one of these and still have my container.

I seem to find I’m using email now as a jumping point to other places, blogs to reply to comments, Facebook to read messages on that or Bebo or LinkedIn. Isn’t that what feed readers are too? My GMail notification container and my feed reader are becoming blurred. I really wonder/despair why there isn’t any innovation in this whole area and why feeds are still used by a tiny subculture of people for notifications. I thought the latest version of Microsoft Office with this feed support would have kicked off something where people started using feeds more and saw Outlook as a communications application not just an email application but this hasn’t happened. GMail too, while having support for feeds is not pushing it at all and there isn’t a push by the overall tech industry to replace email notifications with feeds. Why is that?

It seems now that email is like the underpinnings of other platforms, like the stilts holding up a house, dealing with the slime and grime that builds up under homes during damp seasons and termites during dry seasons.

Is email dead?