eBay is being sued for £30 million over its seeming willingness to let its users sell designer fakes.
A Paris court has ordered eBay to pay up. Louis Vuitton, its sister company Christian Dior plus four of its perfume brands - Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy and Kenzo - sued the website for "culpable negligence".
Massive news for the industry which will need to completely change the way it runs - with Amazon also being effected to a lesser extent. If eBay is going to tackle this problem, it will need to install security software that can vet for illegal sellers - and even then, it's not guaranteed.
Moreover, this story has the potential to severely damage the reputation of Internet selling... watch this space
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1320396,00.html
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Amy Winehouse - verdict
Hmmm... I don't know if I'm just getting old. But aren't people with good voices supposed to sing? Winehouse just mutters her way through her set.
Maybe it's deliberate? She looks better at least - amazing what fake tan and clothes can do!
Maybe it's deliberate? She looks better at least - amazing what fake tan and clothes can do!
BBC says it'll deliver IPTV to every home
Potentially huge news for the internet TV/IPTV world with the Beeb's Mark Thompson claiming BBC will soon be delivering iPlayer to the TV's of all licence payers.
Thompson said the BBC was developing plans to bring the online catch-up TV service, currently eating up the UK's limited bandwidth, to televisions connected to the internet.
However, worth noting he didn't give any details. He doesn't know how exactly this will work but it is likely that a new generation of set-top boxes would connect directly to the iPlayer.
He said the BBC's aim was to create a user-friendly technology where consumers "open up the box, get a bit of kit out, plug it into the TV [and] your broadband connection and instantly get IPTV [internet TV] on your television set."
If this happens it could be huge for an industry that, while becoming more popular, is still largely unknown to the general consumer. Be interesting to see how much the Beeb whack up licence fees to pay for this though...
Thompson said the BBC was developing plans to bring the online catch-up TV service, currently eating up the UK's limited bandwidth, to televisions connected to the internet.
However, worth noting he didn't give any details. He doesn't know how exactly this will work but it is likely that a new generation of set-top boxes would connect directly to the iPlayer.
He said the BBC's aim was to create a user-friendly technology where consumers "open up the box, get a bit of kit out, plug it into the TV [and] your broadband connection and instantly get IPTV [internet TV] on your television set."
If this happens it could be huge for an industry that, while becoming more popular, is still largely unknown to the general consumer. Be interesting to see how much the Beeb whack up licence fees to pay for this though...
EMI searching for an answer
EMI ia looking to solve the problems the music division has been experiencing.
The company is in talks with Elio Leoni Sceti, head of Reckitt Benckiser's business in Europe. Interesting that EMI are looking outside the music industry for a saviour (Sceti currently looks after brands like Airwick, Finish and Veet - bit different to Colplay).
Such is the extent of the once leading music label that Guy Hands, chairman of EMI, is appointing separate chiefs for EMI Music and EMI Music Publishing.
Surely this is a sign that he'll merge the music divison with the more currently more successful Warner Music, as EMI looks for ways to repay the £2.4bn debt
it took on before the credit crunch hit.
Good story to keep an eye on
The company is in talks with Elio Leoni Sceti, head of Reckitt Benckiser's business in Europe. Interesting that EMI are looking outside the music industry for a saviour (Sceti currently looks after brands like Airwick, Finish and Veet - bit different to Colplay).
Such is the extent of the once leading music label that Guy Hands, chairman of EMI, is appointing separate chiefs for EMI Music and EMI Music Publishing.
Surely this is a sign that he'll merge the music divison with the more currently more successful Warner Music, as EMI looks for ways to repay the £2.4bn debt
it took on before the credit crunch hit.
Good story to keep an eye on
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Data recovery turned into entertainment!
This was posted on the Computer Weekly site a while back. I wish I was the journo preparing for this piece.. Smashing up my Mac sounds like heaven!!!
On another note - who know data recovery could be so fun!?!
On another note - who know data recovery could be so fun!?!
Can you draw the Apple logo?
It can be argued that Apple is the biggest tech brand around right now... But can you draw the logo? This is doing major rounds on YouTube...
Big Brother
I'm watching this year's Big Brother UK for the first time right now.
And what's happened so far?
Someone smudged someone else's painting. The 'artist' spent the next few hours balling her eyes out and made sure she made the rest of the housemates heard her (thereby causing major tension in the house).
Then some little man wearing more fake tan than Dale Winton spat in a Muslim's face and called him a homophobe.
Are these strange little cretins supposed to reflect UK society? If so, I'm moving!
And what's happened so far?
Someone smudged someone else's painting. The 'artist' spent the next few hours balling her eyes out and made sure she made the rest of the housemates heard her (thereby causing major tension in the house).
Then some little man wearing more fake tan than Dale Winton spat in a Muslim's face and called him a homophobe.
Are these strange little cretins supposed to reflect UK society? If so, I'm moving!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Oracle vs SAP
Interesting story doing the rounds this afternoon -
Oracle could look for £500 million in TomorrowNow damages
http://www.itpro.co.uk/604098/oracle-could-look-for-500-million-in-tomorrownow-damages
For those who have missed this and, if you don't follow SaaS news you may well have, here's a brief background:
Oracle, world's largest enterprise company, is suing TomorrowNow, a US subsidiary of SAP, another enterprise co., for corporate theft. Oracle claims TomorrowNow (which SAP bought in 2005) downloaded Oracle customer service materials and passed those documents to SAP. Naturally, Oracle are bit peeved.
Now it comes out that damages sounds hit £500 million. Ouch.
I'm guessing LarryEllison is trying to recoup some of the billions he's spent on acquisitions over the last few years... search Oracle on Google and I guarantee you the word 'aquisition' will follow close behind.
The interesting thing about this lawsuit, apart from the accusation itself, is that the whole saga has been played out in the press... and on these damn blogs. Press release after press release has been coming from SAP and Oracle... denials, accusation blah blah blah...
You'd think both companies would be saving a few pennies but you have to wonder how much money the two companies have been spending on PR stunts and journo lunches?
Oracle could look for £500 million in TomorrowNow damages
http://www.itpro.co.uk/604098/oracle-could-look-for-500-million-in-tomorrownow-damages
For those who have missed this and, if you don't follow SaaS news you may well have, here's a brief background:
Oracle, world's largest enterprise company, is suing TomorrowNow, a US subsidiary of SAP, another enterprise co., for corporate theft. Oracle claims TomorrowNow (which SAP bought in 2005) downloaded Oracle customer service materials and passed those documents to SAP. Naturally, Oracle are bit peeved.
Now it comes out that damages sounds hit £500 million. Ouch.
I'm guessing LarryEllison is trying to recoup some of the billions he's spent on acquisitions over the last few years... search Oracle on Google and I guarantee you the word 'aquisition' will follow close behind.
The interesting thing about this lawsuit, apart from the accusation itself, is that the whole saga has been played out in the press... and on these damn blogs. Press release after press release has been coming from SAP and Oracle... denials, accusation blah blah blah...
You'd think both companies would be saving a few pennies but you have to wonder how much money the two companies have been spending on PR stunts and journo lunches?
Royal family in the news... again
I twittered about this story today: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/7614634
The story appeared in all the UK nationals... the Royal family taking our money again, and at a time when all people seem to talk about is the credit crunch, petrol prices and so on.
Now I am by no means a royalist and I do think they take the p**s sometimes (William flying the RAF's helicopters around the country irritated me to say the least)
My argument was that I'd like to see how much money the Windsors bring in through tourism each year. I'm saying, if the average American couple fly BA from New York to Heathrow and back we're talking £600 going to the UK aviation industry. Then taxis, hotels, theatre and so on. That's a lot of money!
Now I'm not for a second saying the Royal family are the only reason this couple would visit but the monarchy distinguish the UK from other nations. Ask a tourist what they think represents the UK and I'm sure the Royals will be in the top five and Buck Pal would certainly be in the top 3 landmarks.
Before you make any business decision, you need to weigh up pros and cons (in £ terms particularly) so, before we again stamp our feet and demand we stop paying for the Royal family, lets see the exact figure of how much money they bring in to the country.
Then we can decide if they're worth it.
The story appeared in all the UK nationals... the Royal family taking our money again, and at a time when all people seem to talk about is the credit crunch, petrol prices and so on.
Now I am by no means a royalist and I do think they take the p**s sometimes (William flying the RAF's helicopters around the country irritated me to say the least)
My argument was that I'd like to see how much money the Windsors bring in through tourism each year. I'm saying, if the average American couple fly BA from New York to Heathrow and back we're talking £600 going to the UK aviation industry. Then taxis, hotels, theatre and so on. That's a lot of money!
Now I'm not for a second saying the Royal family are the only reason this couple would visit but the monarchy distinguish the UK from other nations. Ask a tourist what they think represents the UK and I'm sure the Royals will be in the top five and Buck Pal would certainly be in the top 3 landmarks.
Before you make any business decision, you need to weigh up pros and cons (in £ terms particularly) so, before we again stamp our feet and demand we stop paying for the Royal family, lets see the exact figure of how much money they bring in to the country.
Then we can decide if they're worth it.
Story of the month
No need to say why - the brilliance of the headline is enough I feel...
June 17 - Sometimes it rains cement - on Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUKL1760049120080618
June 17 - Sometimes it rains cement - on Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUKL1760049120080618
Story of the week
Silly season has well and truly begun!!! There have been so many candidates for 'Story of the week' but my favourite has been chosen purely becasue it comes from the most news-worthy yet most written about research in some time -
NEWS JUST IN - Takeaway are... bad. for. you?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2193347/Which-Takeaway-contains-more-fat-than-allowed-in-a-day.html
NEWS JUST IN - Takeaway are... bad. for. you?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2193347/Which-Takeaway-contains-more-fat-than-allowed-in-a-day.html
Twitter awakening
So I attended a 'social media' training session today and a huge portion of this session was dedicated to what I h ad considered a fad that passed some time ago.
Turns out I was wrong.
While I was faithfully blogging away, adding to my now unmanagable collection of RSS feeds and igoogling my way into oblivion - twitter was making a major comeback.
I'm sure may will claim it never went away but, with Facebook 'status' and so on taking centre stage, twittering seemed pointless. Even worse, we'd see stories of 'desperate-to-be-hip' politicians twittering about reading the telegraph or cycling to work (given the majority live a stones-throw away from parliment this is hardly a difficult task).
But now I see the benefit of the twitter - it's quick, it's easy, it's not filled with a host of applications that take five minutes to load... I'm sure we've all desperately tried to click on our Facebook wall only to see it moving further and further down the page as a proliferation of apps loads up. Twitter is genius in it simplicity - it's almost Web 1.9999 in it's determination to remain constant and by god I love it!
Turns out I was wrong.
While I was faithfully blogging away, adding to my now unmanagable collection of RSS feeds and igoogling my way into oblivion - twitter was making a major comeback.
I'm sure may will claim it never went away but, with Facebook 'status' and so on taking centre stage, twittering seemed pointless. Even worse, we'd see stories of 'desperate-to-be-hip' politicians twittering about reading the telegraph or cycling to work (given the majority live a stones-throw away from parliment this is hardly a difficult task).
But now I see the benefit of the twitter - it's quick, it's easy, it's not filled with a host of applications that take five minutes to load... I'm sure we've all desperately tried to click on our Facebook wall only to see it moving further and further down the page as a proliferation of apps loads up. Twitter is genius in it simplicity - it's almost Web 1.9999 in it's determination to remain constant and by god I love it!
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