James B's World-O-Stuff

The Samsung NC10 Service Story

2009-10-30T13:40:00.001-07:00

So, last night I realised my Samsung NC10 (less than 10 months old) had died. So, about 9pm GMT, I emailed Samsung UK, explaining and asking for a warranty repair.

The responses will be on here.

24 hours later - no contact.

Not impressed so far.

The bad advice keeps on rolling...

2009-10-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

First things first - I don't have anything against Microsoft. No, really! It's actually years of dealing with so called 'experts' that has put me off Microsoft more than anything that Microsoft has made.

What I object to is being told that things are the right solution when clearly they are not the best option. Of course, I can see why it happens - you're not going to bite the hand that feeds, after all. But when was the last time you heard an IT person tell you, 'don't buy Microsoft Office, OpenOffice is just as good, (as far as your needs are concerned) it can do everything that MS Office can do and is open source and free'?

I do not know a single person who knows about tech who will look me in the eye and say 'Internet Explorer is the best browser on the market which is why I use nothing else'. They wouldn't dare because they would lose all credibility. It isn't and hasn't been for some time. So why do they pretend it is to their clients? It's been the same for over a decade.

Microsoft do some amazing things and have been real innovators since their inception - Gates is an utter visionary - but they've done some ropey things too. Vista and ME being just two of them. The Zune is another. You know it, I know it. Let's leave it there.

So, why is it that it takes such a brave IT professional to say to a company, 'do you know what, you'd be better off if you used some open source software - maybe even switched to Linux'. The slavish following of the 'one size fits all' 'follow the leader' advice that is so often given in the guise of tech advice is awful, tedious, annoying and just plain wrong. The 'they are the market leader' argument is just lazy - just because a lot of people are making the same mistake does not mean you should follow them.

Sometimes the Microsoft option is right but sometimes it isn't. Practitioners would do themselves a lot of favours in the long run if they introduced a bit of better tech, whether it be non-Microsoft commercial software or open source software.

I know that this is going to wind up a lot of my IT professional followers but I am ready, willing and able to take you on over this. I've spent the weekend discussing this same issue with a former client of mine and they are experiencing just the same phenomenon - and it just isn't wrong.

Like Minds - Controversy and Misunderstanding

2009-10-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a bit of controversy following the Like Minds Conference in Exeter last Friday. I should, from the start, point out that I was one of the people on the stage as part of the panel discussion on building community.

During the event, one delegate questioned whether it had answered the key questions regarding measuring ROI derived from social media. There are, clearly, those who want a 'formula' approach to give some numerical answer.

The first and most effective answer had to be what was happening around us on Friday. Like Minds was promoted and advertised solely using social media. On Friday, 200 people turned up to Exeter from across the country and another 600 tuned in online to watch the live feed. Now, maybe I am missing something but surely those people who were in the room or online were proof of concept. They provide us with measurable numbers.

But they do not tell us the whole story. Lots of people joined us via Twitter - we could not measure them. My co-host on PhotoLegal, Phill Price, was one of them - he was waiting for a haircut at the time but got involved and gave us a tweet. He interacted - which was the point of the day. Also, uber-tweeter, Stephen Fry sent us a tweet with his good wishes for the event. People talked about the event before, during and answer. We can't measure them. We reached people through coverage online and offline - we can't measure them.

Amongst the 'unanswered' questions, so we are told, are:

• How to carry out online campaigns to compliment offline marketing mix

• How to target online audiences, and best engage current customers and new customers

• How to turn customers into brand advocates through social media

Now, we discussed a number of things, one of which was my own subject of the PhotoLegal social media phenomenon. Our online campaign led to offline coverage within industry publications. We indentified, engaged with and nurtured our online audience - actually, we have also showed them the 'L' word which Daren Forsyth used and was so derided by some. They are our customers and brand advocates and they have become not only evangalists for the podcast but some have recommended me and my firm to their friends and contacts. They also go to my cohosts, Darren Hector and Phill Price for advice on photography issues. How would you measure the 'feeling' that they have towards us and that we have towards them? What would the answer be? 75.3? 26.1? What would it mean? What would it matter?

As someone who has also worked in the PR industry, I know that there are some things that cannot be empirically measured. Print adverts are one of them - you will never know how many people have seen your ad no matter what people say. Brand awareness is also incredibly difficult to measure as people sometimes guess as to whether they know a brand when asked - do you want to be the idiot that hasn't heard of the latest website adhsadjhsdf.com? No? Then you answer 'yes' to the nice lady with the clipboard.

In my opinion, the desire to have 'numbers' to justify campaigns is lazy thinking - brand and issue campaigns can take months or even years to come to fruition - and attempting to measure them will prove pretty much impossible (although we could all find a polling agency that could come up with some questions for a fee!).

Sometimes, you need to step back and see and feel what is around you. Sometimes there are no numbers.

From a standing start, we put together a podcast and an ecosystem that has proved massively popular in its particular industry area. What are the percentages? No idea. Nor do I want to rely on numbers. Sure I know how many downloads we have had but it is much more interesting to know the influence we have when we go live and see people sit with us, online, listening, interacting, talking and promoting us without us even asking. It feels right. We have a relationship with our listeners - the best listeners in the world, by the way! When it doesn't feel right any more, we will know and we will do something about it. We do not need numbers to tell us what is working and what does not.

Now, I know all this sounds a bit defensive and maybe it is. The Like Minds crew put together an amazing conference that proved the importance of social media. The speakers, especially Trey Pennington, Daren Forsyth and Olivier Branchard, did address the ROI questions including why it is difficult to measure, why it may not be right to measure it in 'traditional' ways and what other indicators of success there may be.

The conference is now available online via the Like Minds website, so you can decide for yourself. Go and watch it. See what this social media thing is all about and why using traditional methods to measure new media is about as relevant as putting petrol into a horse and cart.

Update from LikeMinds Conference

2009-10-16T10:16:00.002-07:00

It's been a spectacular day so far with some stunning speakers. We even had a bit of interaction with PhotoLegal host Phill Price on the big screen.

But (sorry Phill) that was really overtaken by the fact that we had a bit of interaction with the wonderous Stephen Fry!

Almost 200 people, entirely brought there by social media - no old media advertising. Serious movers and shakers within the social media industry from the UK and US. Not in London but in Exeter.

From huge media companies such as Sky to regional legal firms like Everys, we've had it all.

The beauty of social media is that it does not respect national or any other sort of boundaries. It is an incredible expression of what the internet can be all about - real time engagement and interaction.

Thank you to the speakers, my fellow panelists, the audience and the organisers for what has been an incredible day. Lots of new friends and contacts made. It's what it's all about!

For those of you who could not make it, there will be videos at the LikeMinds website and another conference next year. Hopefully, we'll see you there!

LikeMinds Conference - 16 October 2009

2009-10-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Just been on the panel discussing community building in social networks at the LikeMinds Conference in Exeter.

It's a cracking conference so far with some really fascinating speakers including Trey Pennington, Olivier Branchard, Daren Forsyth and lots of other top top speakers including Devon's own Laura Whitehead.

There is a wealth of experience out there and it has descended on Exeter for a day of collaboration - it's a very social media approach to social media.

More information from the Like Minds website which includes a live feed during the event and videos afterwards.

Oh and me in a kilt.

Well, this is a scary development!

2009-10-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

I've just found BlogPress for iPhone. Your only hope of avoiding a deluge of short blogposts is if it doesn't work (and it's only a two star app in the App Store!) - so keep your fingers crossed!
If it does work, I'll post a review. If it goes quiet, it didn't work!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Cloud with a Chrome Lining

2009-07-08T01:36:00.000-07:00

Google has just announced its streamlined operating system, Chrome OS, and the blogosphere has gone into some sort of crazy meltdown with quite a few people suggesting that it will be the end of Microsoft.

But is that just wishful thinking?

The move to cloud-esque computing has caught the Redmond behemoth pretty much off-guard but it has started to show signs that it realises that people want to be able to access data and services independently of their own computers, allowing them to login from other access points and share between them. Microsoft is, though, taking its time in getting it right and it seems to be in a state of some denial over what this development means for its operating system – an operating system which remains anything but sylph-like.

Apple are, if the rumours are to be believed (and remember that we only ever know anything about what Apple is up to from rumours), in the advanced stages of putting together a massive, billion dollar cloud based data centre in the States. So we know that they get it and, in any event, the Apple fantopia (of which I freely admit to being a member) will be loyal to the leadership at Cupertino whatever happens.

So that leaves Linux.

Linux has always had underworldly appeal but has failed to break into the mainstream. Its best shot has been with the recent advent of netbooks but Microsoft’s decision to carry on flogging the not-very-well-if-not-actually-dead-yet horse that is XP as a cheap-ish OS option for the dinky devices has meant that users can have the portability of the netbook with the security-blanket comfort of a familiar Microsoft operating system. It was a struggle that Linux could never win but it was one in which, at least, it could increase its market share.

Google seems to have identified that there are a significant number of netbook users who just want to be able to use their netbook for… well, the net. So they have massively stripped down the OS and have made it, pretty much, a ‘browser-only’ party. That could well appeal to a significant number of users who want a cheap netbook (using Chrome OS on a netbook will cut down the price of the device as there will be no need for a Microsoft licence fee) but don’t want the geek chic, command-line-ability of Linux – probably because they’re afraid of it/they’re afraid of their techy mates who keep trying to explain how wonderful and pure the world of Linux is.

So, at the moment at least, Microsoft seems to have little to fear. Sure, they will lose some users that might have bought an XP netbook but they will not lose users who need that added functionality that their ever-so-slightly bloated OS can provide. Linux looks pretty much as if it will be dead in the water as an option, kept alive solely to provide the underlying infrastructure of Chrome OS, ironically. And Apple, well, Apple will be kept afloat by its cultish followers who know in their hearts that Apple can do no wrong.

But (and it’s a big but) if the Chrome OS proves to be more substantial over time than it looks today and, when combined with Google’s excellent cloud data and service offering, if it can provide everything that Microsoft can through Windows and Office, Microsoft have a big problem. If they are seen to react rather than innovate, they will lose traction in the market and, as things currently stand, it is simply impossible to see them doing a major u-turn on their OS and making it small, sleek and sexy.

Microsoft’s demise has been predicted before. But today, there is a big cloud bearing down on Redmond and it is a cloud with a Chrome lining.

A Thousand Thanks!

2009-05-12T00:38:00.000-07:00

Just a quick personal thank you to the thousand and more of you who have downloaded the PhotoLegal podcast. When Darren, Phill and I started recording the podcast just two weeks ago, we had no idea how popular it would be and we certainly wouldn't have thought that it would have attracted the attention it has.

The current edition of the podcast covers photography in public (and another blog post on that beckons!) and features special guest, Olivier Laurent, News Editor of the British Journal of Photography. The next one will feature Kate Day of the Daily Telegraph and we will be discussing social networks.

Thanks for all your support – and if you haven't heard it yet, take a look at http://www.photolegal.com

Lord Carter and Digital Britain - My 2 megs worth

2009-03-17T01:40:00.000-07:00

I have taken a long time before settling down to write this piece on Lord Carter's Digital Britain Report. I've done that because I was conscious that my initial reaction would be something of a kneejerk one which might, if I sat down and thought about it a bit, mellow over time. I'm not sure it has.

The Report, which Lord C is keen to point out is a draft and a discussion document, has been roundly criticized in all quarters. The occasional person has put their head about the parapet to defend Lord C but, if we are being honest, there hasn't exactly been a rush.

The main charge is that the Report, in recommending a minimum 2 meg broadband speed for every household, lacks ambition. Personally, I do not think that goes far enough.

Lord C's defence is that the minimum speed is a guaranteed minimum available to every single household and it will be difficult and expensive to achieve.

My own view is a simple one – why set ourselves such dull and uninspiring targets? If we are about to spend a massive amount of time, effort and money, why not try to achieve something bigger? Developed nations around the world see 20 meg, 50 meg and even 100 meg connections as nothing out of the ordinary. We plan to give a minimum of 2 meg. And, if we are being honest, we all know that, based on past experience, if you tell people in this country that they are going to get a minimum of 2 megs, they are going to get 2 megs – nothing more.

The Report, for me, underlines all that is wrong with the country at the moment. It lacks any self belief, any ambition, any hope, any drive. It is feeble in the extreme. We no longer strive to win, we strive to provide some sort of minimum level of service. And it's pathetic.

Back in 1961, President John F Kennedy made a speech to Congress in which he outlined the reasons why they should back his space plan. He said:

“I believe we should go to the Moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.

This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific and technical manpower, material and facilities, and the possibility of their diversion from other important activities where they are already thinly spread. It means a degree of dedication, organization and discipline which have not always characterized our research and development efforts. It means we cannot afford undue work stoppages, inflated costs of material or talent, wasteful interagency rivalries, or a high turnover of key personnel.

New objectives and new money cannot solve these problems. They could in fact, aggravate them further--unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, and civil servant gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward, with the full speed of freedom, in the exciting adventure of space.”

He didn't say, 'Well, this is going be hard and the Russians are already pretty much there. So rather than reach for the stars, how about we reach for Dagenham? We could do that and it still won't be easy. Many people will get further but we will give you a minimum guarantee of Dagenham. What do you say?'

I do not for a second think that guaranteeing a 20 meg or 50 meg connection would be easy. I also do not necessarily believe that it could be rolled out using current technology. So, here's my thought – let's have a guarantee of a minimum speed of 20 megs by 2012 for every household in the country. Let us strive to achieve. If we need to equip a small number of house with fibre or satellite or some other technology, let's do it. Of course it will cost a lot of money but we're printing money at the moment, so we can use as much as we want! Seriously, though, if we are to bring the advantages of the internet to every household in the UK that is going to cost money and it will cost money if we strive to achieve a slow speed or a faster speed but the returns for us as a society (and the Government through increased taxes) will be great as the UK takes its place at the forefront of technological advance and of ecommerce.

Lord Carter was meant to dream of a better future and he could only come up with a slightly enhanced present (and I am being generous here). The UK needs to dare to dream because if we do not, we will be left behind by countries with real vision.

Netbooks – an open letter to Steve Jobs

2009-03-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Steve

I hope that this letter finds you well and that you will soon be back at the helm, doing great things. But I was wondering, is there any chance that you could see your way clear to making a massive u-turn and having a word in someone's ear?

I want to make something really clear from the start – I am a MacHead, an Apple FanBoi, an iFan, whatever you want to call me, that's me. To me, Apple has some fundamental values and ways of working that should be celebrated. I guess it's just the way I am.

However, if someone else does something good, I'll happily admit it and sing their praises too – Richmond, I'm talking about you here! Equally, if Apple do something bad, I'll kick off.

And so it is that I begin to kick off...

Steve, I can fully understand that entering the netbook (TM Psion – for now) market could have an effect on sales of Apple's more expensive high end products but here's the thing – this is a massively expanding market. The reasons are probably two-fold. Firstly, we are in the middle of a recession and people are looking at every option (especially the cheaper options) and, secondly, a lot of us travel and need to be connected 24/7 either for work or because we have developed information OCD.

An iTablet thing will not be the answer simply because of the keyboard. Being able to type quickly on an iPhone is a completely different thing to being able to type quickly on a real keyboard. It is a tactile thing. Your fingers dance across a real keyboard in a way that is not possible on screen where they dance across the screen with all the grace that I am imagining Woz will manage on the tv programme that he's doing (although I may be doing him a great disservice there!). Typing on screens is a great thing and its implementation on the iPhone is superb – but at the end of the day, nobody in their right minds would write massive articles on a iPhone.

We need a proper Apple netbook, Steve. We just do. If you really believe that it will slow the uptake of MacBooks and MacBook Pros, then you underestimate both how good those products are and how much you still need a full size computer when you are using a netbook. In my mind, if you had an Apple netbook, your natural choice after experiencing the joy and wonder of OSX would be a full size MacBook.

Sadly, it is because of Apple's steadfast refusal to enter the netbook market that I am now the owner of a white Samsung NC10. It is a lovely bit of kit. It is well built and if it wasn't for the stickers on it proclaiming that it is filled with Richmond's 'finest', you would think it was a diddy white MacBook. Steve, do you remember the diddy iBook that sold so well? Do you? My fondest memory of it was when I went to magical Reykjavik. It seemed that you could not pass a coffee shop without seeing a crowd of people, huddled around giant mugs and tiny iBooks. Everyone seemed to have one. Imagine how that could have evolved, Steve, if you had not made that frankly ridiculous decision to stop making it. What was that about?

Now, I'm not condoning this and I'd go so far as to say that it is wrong, but does you wonder why people in the hackint0sh community are going to such great lengths to get OSX on to netbooks? Much success has already been had with the MSI Wind and the Samsung NC10 as well as a few others. Some of them will be doing it for the challenge but lots are doing it because they want a machine running OSX. So do I, Steve. So do I. But I will not load it on to another machine because it is wrong – so you've pushed me to use XP.

So, there you go. I'm an Apple FanBoi who, after purging his entire house of Richmond related garbage, has just gone out and bought an XP machine. And, Steve, it's your fault.

Apple's position on this is complete madness. I know that you will not want to just produce another netbook and that you will want it to be special but we both know that, if anybody can, Apple can. Imagine the MacBook Nano Air (you can have that name on me). Fantastic.

Come on, Steve. Get well soon and sort out this netbook situation. Please

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

James

Hello Spammers and Scammers

2009-03-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

Look, don't get me wrong. I know you have to make a living and spread the word but you will notice that any comments that you post on here will be moderated by me. And, as you may appreciate, I don't like the way that you make your living - so I'll almost certainly not let any of your comments on to the site.

You really are wasting your time - which is good.

So, feel free to keep the comments coming with the links and other guff. Be as creative as you want. Put some real time and effort into it. Go on, fill your boots!

James

PS For everyone else, do not worry - I've stopped every one of them so far and I'll do my best to stop the rest too!

Oh the Excitement!

2009-03-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

After years of blogging on other people's sites, ghosting articles and the like, I have decided to 'come out' (in the blogging sense) and so, henceforth, reviews, comment and the rest of it will be here and on Twitter.

And, I'll be guesting, as me, on Darren Hector's excellent Wildlife Photographer podcast talking about legal things (and anything else he wants me to talk about). That's going to be fab and I am very much looking forward to it.

And (you lucky people), I'm also trying to get together a merry band to do some sort of live blog or nearly live podcast from the Social Networking World Forum.

That live blog will happen in some form of another on here and on Twitter on Tuesday 10 March - so check back here or subscribe to my Twitter feed.

It is difficult to fully express the excitement that this is generating but imagine Christmas when you were about 5 and realised that you might be getting the garage set that you really wanted!

An apology - and a call for ideas!

2009-01-10T02:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know! I've been a little slack on the blog posting stuff. It's bad but there is light at the end of the tunnel... hopefully not another train!

The long and the short of it is that I've been massively busy with work and family and study and ... working on the podcast! It will happen! The hardware is sorted (by that I mean that I got a mic for Christmas - thanks Santa!) and the ideas are forming.

I may be asking for your help too. If you have any cracking ideas, feel free to add comments to the blog and we'll see what can be included on the podcast. It's going to be fun, not about anything in particular, just fun. So, if you're an unknown band that wants some exposure, you've got any ideas for new sports or have met a celeb in a chip shop - this is the time to get it off your chest.

I'm also thinking of doing one 'out' somewhere at some stage - so you could be there too! I feel that taking over a Starbucks and recording a podcast would be fun! But that's something for another day!

Onwards and upwards!!

RUMOUR - Lego Batman coming to iPhone?

2008-08-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Rules of World-O-Stuff:

1 - Never comment on rumours.
2 - Never admit that you'd want a game on your very serious iPhone.
3 - Never admit to wanting anything Lego-y when you're over 12 years old.

So, anyhoo...

Pocket Gamer has printed a rumour of a version of Lego Batman that could be coming to an iPhone near you soon. As rumours go, it's quite lame - no source, no idea who's making it, no nothing. Other than an estimated ETA of October 2008.

True or not? Who knows - but it's a great idea. Clearly iPhone gaming's only starting to find its feet but the innovative control mechanism puts it potentially in the same bracket as the Nintendo Wii when it comes to the casual gamer. So, if you're going to make Lego Batman (whoever you are!) make sure you don't just port - make it truly iPhone and make the most of the accelerometer. And don't hang about!

SCAMOLA 3 - Time for a list of shame?

2008-08-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

...and so they keep on coming. The form is familiar but we have a new company involved now...

Subject: Notice Protect--internet intellectual property safeguard

Dear Manager
We Shanghai JinYue Network Technology Co.,Ltd, is an approved domain name Register Organization by China Internet Network.
On Apr.25st 2007, We formally received an application,One company who is called Konderl Holdings Limited want to register "*************" name as domain name and Internet Brand. Now,we are dealing with it, In order to reduce unnecessary conflict between domain name and company's brand name, we have something need to confirm with your company during checking period. if there is any question,pls let the people(Manager) who is responsible for the brand contact me ASAP. It is hereby inform you.Thank you.

Best regards,

Official Organization of China Internet
Shanghai JinYue Network Technology Co.,Ltd
Person in charge : sea
Tel:+(86)21-6427 1113
Fax:+(86)21-6427 1117
Email: sea@domaingov.cn

Bigpockets - how to do customer service properly

2008-08-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Last week, I ordered some crap from bigpockets.co.uk

Those of you familiar with Bigpockets will know that they often sell crap. Previous their £1.99 'Bag O Crap' has been a best seller and their new 'Random Crap' at 99p was also incredibly popular.

So popular, in fact, that their systems got a bit overwhelmed. Ordered on Tuesday, my crap did not arrive until the following Tuesday - despite having paid almost £6 in postage to have CityLink deliver.

Now, I am all for putting the blame for this at the feet of CityLink who, in my experience, are pretty uniformly dreadful as couriers go. But this time, it seems that some of the blame at least needs to go to Bigpockets, who were simply overwhelmed.

So I complained - and even before my order arrived, I had had my postage refunded and a full apology. I know some others had the same.

Brilliant. Why can't more companies just fess and say sorry when something's gone wrong? What's the big problem? Nobody expects people to be superhuman - things go wrong from time to time. So what? Just have the guts to say sorry!

Top marks to Bigpockets and Oli in particular.

And for the record, my order was for three pieces of crap and I got:

1 - a Dora the Explorer V-Tech game.
2 - a set of black metal curtain hold backs.
3 - a very heavy, solid wood cd rack.

Well worth £2.98! In addition, I had a set of 40 CD cases (8p - for 40 not each!) and a 512mb Sony Memory Stick Pro for 50p.

So, it was already cheap! But seriously, I know of a few companies that could really take a leaf out of Bigpockets' customer service book. Having said that, things might get better generally if they used someone other than CityLink. Just a thought.

SCAMOLA 2 - Another domain registration rip off

2008-08-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Here is another from the 'conflicting domain registration' stable...

Dear Manager

We are the ShanghHai LongYu Information Technology Co.Ltd.which is a professional domain name registration and service company in China.On,10th Sept.,our company receive the DiLong International Ltd company's application that they want to register the "*************" as their Internet Brand and CC domain name,but after our confirmation,we found this name will conflict with your company's name, so we send you email and want to confirm with you whether you have authorized the DiLong International company to register. According to the Internet domain name register principle that the domain name is "openly registration" and "first register,first obtain". We need to get your company's confirmation within the following 5 days.For any question, please let your company's charger contact us in time.Thanks! Looking forward to hearing from you .

Yours sincerely Bray

Bray Wu
Chinese Internet Service company:
ShanghHai LongYu Information Technology Co.Ltd
Tel:+86(0)21-6427 8367
Fax:+86(0)21-6427 1117
Email:Bray@longyu.org.cn

If you don't want to get the similar mail,please send your E-mail to the this mail address web@longyu.org.cn and notify "***********",thanks!

ScamOla Launched!

2008-08-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Today, I am launching ScamOla. You send in me your best scam emails and I'll put them up here (amongst my usual postings) as a warning to others who may be about to be duped.

We've all had them. They are all a pain. But, remember, some people are taken in by them - so help me put a stop to that.

I am particularly focusing on domain and trade mark type scams.

Another one will be along any second now...

SCAMOLA 1 - It must be summer - the domain scammers have appeared!

2008-08-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

Like clockwork they appear. More regular and certain than a British summer. More convincing than the green shoots of economic recovery.

Of course, I am talking about the domain scammers. These are the people who trawl websites and use WHOIS registers to try to scam people into buying unnecessary domains at vastly inflated prices.

Today's scam comes from Glen Li at Beijing Anwins Network Service Co. I reproduce it below with identifying information redacted.

I cannot stand things like this. To set out to trick people into paying for unnecessary domains and other services is low. So I'm happy to let people know when these things appear so that they can be forewarned.

James

From: glen.li [mailto:glen.li@anwins.cn]
Sent: *******************
To: enquiries
Subject: ************* Domain name & Internet keyword Registration confirmation

August **, 2008

************

Domain name & Internet keyword

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are Beijing Anwins Network Service Co., Ltd which is the domain name register center in China. We received a formal application from a company who is applying to register “***************” as their domain name and Internet keyword on August **, 2008.Since after our investigation we found that this word has been in use by your company, and this may involve your company name or trade mark, so we inform you in no time. If you consider these domain names and internet keyword are important to you and it is necessary to protect them by registering them first, contact us soon. Thanks for your co-operation and support.

Kind Regards,

Glen li

TEL：+86-10-62961631-8051

FAX：+86-10-62968871

email: Glen.li@anwins.cn

Beijing Anwins Network Service Co., Ltd
website: www.anwins.com

Spot the deliberate mistakes!

2008-07-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

iPhone 3g - let's be clear about something...

2008-07-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

It seems my previous post needs some clarification.

Imagine if you took a 3g iPhone and ran over it with a lorry - a big lorry - then smashed it with a hammer and dropped it in a vat of molten steel. Imagine you then took the steel and made it into mesh and then did the same thing again. You'd end up with something that was still better than any other mobile.

iPhones are incredibly good, technologically far superior to anything on the market and horribly addictive. The 3g variant will also be great and have lots of fans. My only issue is that I had expected something... more.

I'm not even sure what it is that I expected or wanted - just something a little 'wow'! The original iphone delivered that 'wow' and while the 3g is a good upgrade, it isn't enough to get me to upgrade the hardware - let alone get in a queue!

iPhone 2.0 - firmware and hardware

2008-07-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

Now, seriously, I'm not one to moan.

Wait a minute, I am - but that's not the point.

It's 1.50pm in the UK and still we have no iPhone 2.0 firmware - well, not officially anyway. And since Apple Legal got into gear, even the unofficial links to something that was either the final beta or the real deal have been taken down too.

The iPhone 3g is out - I've just had a go on one. The iPod Touch 2.0 upgrade is available for download. The App Store has been up for a while. MobileMe (dreadful name) is there, doing it's thing (whatever that may be).

But no iPhone 2.0 firmward upgrade? What have we done wrong? Come on, sort it out.

Actually, this problem is all of Apple's making. Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive have raised the bar so high that we expect miracles. We want it all and we want it now. And sometimes we just don't get it. The wait for 2.0 firmware has led so many people to jailbreak their iPhones that it's small wonder that the teams working on the jailbreaks announced that they'd broken 2.0 earlier this morning.

And another thing, I've had a go on the new iPhone. Now, I'm a first gen iPhone person. It is a brilliant bit of kit (and will probably be even better when/if we ever get 2.0!) that made everyone reassess what they want out of a phone. It is stunning. How would they possibly top it?

Well, the answer seems to be with a 3g phone that has a nasty nasty shiny plastic back. The original has a lovely brushed steel back and is solid. It also has less battery life than the original - and if one more person says to me 'well, if you want longer battery life, switch off 3g', I'll scream. It's like saying 'I've got a 4x4 gas guzzler but it's very environmentally friendly because I don't put any fuel in it'! The whole point of the 3g iPhone is that it's 3g! If the battery can't cope with it, don't put it in.

It also, and this is a classic example of raising the bar and raising expectations, has two tiny horrible little screws in the bottom. The original doesn't. The original is just a nicer design! You might think that I'm trying to find reasons not to like this and am relying on little things but it's a little device and the little things are what makes it special (or not).

And another thing, have you seen the 'white' one? Well, it's only what at the back, which makes it look as if someone's just stuck a decal on it. At least with a decal, you could take it off once it becomes grubby - can you imagine a white 3g iPhone after a few months? Yeuch!

The iPhone is special. The original was incredible. I am sure that the new firmware will make it even better. But iPhone 3g is a mistake. Sorry Apple - I'm a big fan but...

Today's lesson - If you make something really good, don't follow it up with something inevitable or something that's worse.