Microsoft, Mac, here comes trouble

In 2007, I blogged that Google might be working on some operating system. At the time, speculation had it that Google might be working on something for use in computer operating systems - the domain traditionally held by Microsoft, Mac and to some extent, Linux.

Today, this speculation has materialised. Google was indeed working on an extension of its Chrome and is planning to use it for netbooks. Will it stop there? Who knows...?

Excerpt:

Google's blog announces a natural extension of the Chrome project: an operating system for netbooks. "Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. (...) Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on
top of a Linux kernel."

Read more here:

New Face Of Journalism?

In the old days, if you can write, have a nose for news, chances are you will land a job at a newspaper office. Later, when the demand exceeded supply, media houses put up the bar - you need to be able to write, have a nose for news, and a degree in journalism or mass media/communication.

With the development in new media over the years, as web now dominate and even killed a few traditional print media for good measure and will continue to do so, a new skill is required from journalists. As can be seen here, journalists who are not computer savvy, are on their way out.

Adsense Going Interest-Based, So Update Your Privacy Policy!

Adsense is getting more intelligent, and if you have not received your notification from Google, here it is:

We're writing to let you know about the upcoming launch of interest-based advertising, which will require you to review and make any necessary changes to your site's privacy policies. You'll also see some new options on your Account Settings page.

Interest-based advertising will allow advertisers to show ads based on a user's previous interactions with them, such as visits to advertiser website and also to reach users based on their interests (e.g. "sports enthusiast"). To develop interest categories, we will recognize the types of web pages users visit throughout the Google content network. As an example, if they visit a number of sports pages, we will add them to the "sports enthusiast" interest category. To learn more about your associated account settings, please visit the AdSense Help Center at http://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/topic.py?topic=20310.

As a result of this announcement, your privacy policy will now need to reflect the use of interest-based advertising. Please review the information at https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=100557 to ensure that your site's privacy policies are up-to-date, and make any necessary changes by April 8, 2009. Because publisher sites and laws vary across countries, we're unfortunately unable to suggest specific privacy policy language.

For more information about interest-based advertising, you can also visit the Inside AdSense Blog at http://adsense.blogspot.com/2009/03/driving-monetization-with-ads-that.html.

What do you do if you display Adsense on your site? Easy - just get your Privacy Policy Updated. Don't have one? Well, you can get one here

New Media - Dont Get Carried Away

Malaysian newspapers are embracing new media like crazy, especially after the dismal performance of traditionally preferred political parties during the March 8, 2008 elections. Many blogs have had a field day, beating traditional online news left and right.

With a revenue model yet to be seen - even Facebook which is into is 6th year is struggling - one wonders how Malaysian papers are making ends meet where Online news is concerned. How much do we invest in preparation of something like new media which has yet to consolidate and show exactly where the dough is coming from? Is it manpower? Facilities? Both? How do we provide the balance sheet to show the investors at the end of the day that we should rightly be in the black than red?

Journalists, too, should pay heed to what they do best - seeking out and writing news. Sure, there are plenty of things to use right now to get your news online. Throw a stone into the internet abyss and you will hit an upcoming, potentially going-to-be-the-hottest social media tool with ease.

Do you start learning every software and using every single bit of stuff out there - perhaps even at the detriment of your own skills as a conveyor or analyst of news? Give me some views.

Gutterpost Back With Vangeance!

Now at gutterpost.com.

Does this means the small David has beaten Goliath? In the last post, it was found that Gutterpost was banned by Google after politician Elizabeth Wong's scandalous pictures were sent and put on on the website. Google and Blogger banned it couple of hours later. But now it appears that the tell all site is up and running and with its own domain. However, it appears that the site is still using Blogger templates - is it still hosted on Blogger but using its own domain? Only Google/Blogger can tell.