SiteProNews AU

Ansearch, NAVTEQ Ink Exclusive Location-Based Advertising Deal

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Originally published Thu Mar 13, 2008

Ansearch Limited has today signed a deal to represent mapping and navigation provider NAVTEQ exclusively in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

A subsidiary company of Nokia, NAVTEQ provides all map and navigation data to every Nokia phone through its Direct Access program.

Nokia controls about 39% of the global mobile phone and devices market, and is equal in size to its four main competitors - Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG - added together.

The NAVTEQ-Ansearch deal gives Ansearch the exclusive Australasian rights to provide location based advertising for clients.

For example, banks could plot all their ATMs and branches on a map which would appear on any Nokia mobile phone or other device.

SEMPO Launches 2007 Industry Survey

Emma Weekley (c)
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Originally published Wednesday Nov 28, 2007

The fourth annual industrywide survey to assess year-to-year changes in SEM spending and resource allocation was announced today. It is to be conducted through early January, 2008, with preliminary results being accessible in February, 2008. A full report is expected in late Q1, 2008.

SEMPO have been surveying search marketers since the inception of the organisation. The 2007 survey will be open to all search engine marketing agency professionals, whether or not they are SEMPO members. Individuals are encouraged to log on to http://www6.intellisurvey.com/run/sempo2007 to take the survey, which will contribute to explaining the state of the market to-date.

Google's Threats downplayed as Networking Sites take over the Web Industry?

Microsoft has recently paid $265 million dollars for a minority stake in Facebook - taking the value of the social network site to $16.47 billion. Microsoft snared an exclusive banner advertising deal across all Facebook sites as part of this deal.

This move has prompted the following question: as more and more internet activity is occurring within social network sites rather than on the open internet, is it possible for Google to maintain market leadership? This question was recently proposed to chief executive Eric Schmidt, who strongly refuted the possibility.

Yahoo Slow to React to Changing Consumer Behaviour and Online Advertising Shifts.

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Originally published Thursday Oct 25, 2007

Yahoo have reportedly failed to respond quick enough to rapid changes in the market for display ads, online banner ads and other advertisements wanted by corporate brand managers.

A disappointing couple of quarters have resulted, prompting Wall street to press for radical action, suggesting substantial layoffs and the possible sale of the company. Fortunately for Yahoo, the most recent quarter's results have bought some time for Chief Executive Jerry Yang, and has subsequently prompted a 100-day strategy review of Yahoo's businesses.

Yahoo President Susan Decker told a news conference in South Korea that the leadership that placed Yahoo ahead of competitors in the first decade was not amenable to newer market shifts.

Given this, Yahoo intend to shift their strategy away from being a media company that strives to keep audiences on site. Instead, Yahoo plan to become a technology platform that facilitates users in getting tasks done.

"Naked DSL"- Coming Soon to Australia

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Originally published Tuesday Oct 16, 2007

Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a very high-speed connection that uses the same wires as a regular telephone line. By way of contrast, naked DSL plans enable users to bypass costly line rental charges, maintaining only the broadband connection.

Australian broadband providers, including iiNet, Engin, TPG and Internode, are gearing up to launch the product as early as November of this year.

Alternative internet connections without the added cost of a landline are largely limited to either cable, which has limited coverage, or slower wireless broadband.

e-farming in Australia

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Originally published Monday Oct 1, 2007

Farming is set to become more economical in the next two to six years with the introduction of CSIRO-developed farm sensors.

These sensors are solar-powered and are the size of a mobile phone battery. The device is designed to be attached to farm stock via a collar.

This product will be capable of producing reliable information regarding stock location utilising GPS navigation.

Motion detectors will reveal the animals activity and collect and transmit data on temperature, sunlight, plant characteristics and soil moisture.

Roses Only "May Have Been Hacked"

The Australian online florist RosesOnly.com.au may have had its site hacked by cyber criminals who used customer credit cards to make a string of purchases in South East Asia.

The NSW State Crime Command Fraud Squad has established StrikeForce Parkview to investigate the possible breach of the Roses Only database of credit cards and customer numbers.

A statement from the online retailer assured customers they would not be held responsible for unauthorised purchases on their credit cards. Further, RosesOnly informed customers that measures were implemented to stop this kind of thing from occurring again.

"We moved quickly to address the situation and engaged a leading international technology security firm to enhance the security of our system," the statement said.

The alleged hack comes only months after the Australian website of AAMI was defaced by Turkish hackers in July.

Ethical Guidelines Required as Machines Outsmart their Makers

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Originally published Friday Sep 14, 2007

The physiological term "singularity" refers to the the centre of a black hole, the point at which the laws of physics no longer makes sense.

This notion of singularity in terms of technological progression was discussed at a recent conference in San Francisco whereby hundreds of Silicon Valley techies and scientists from abroad gathered to discuss the ethical considerations associated smarter-than-human technologies.

The conference was titled "The Singularity Summit: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity". The task of this group was to conceptualise a future of self-programming computers and brain implants that would permit humans to think at speeds nearing those of current microprocessors.

This issue clearly calls for implemented guidelines to ensure that technological advances and processes such as these are used to benefit rather than harm society.

At the conference, a robotics professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology confidently asserted that once self-programming and brain implants are introduced "who is us and who is them is going to become a different question", further stating that "we and our world won't be us anymore".

Whirlpool Sued Over 2Clix Threads

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Originally published Thursday Sep 13, 2007

Whirlpool founder Simon Wright has been accused of alleged "injurious falsehood" and is being sued by by accounting software company 2Clix Australia for for at least $150, 000 in damages.

The outcome of this court case could potentially set a precedent for the restriction of individuals' freedom of expression. This decision is significant in that it could ultimately change the nature of the the game for Australian and eventually international website operators and their users.

The Statement of Claim filed with the Supreme Court of Queensland states that there were recorded statements on the defendant's website "relating to the Plaintiff and its software" in manners that are "both false and malicious".

Two threads consisting more than 30 posts were reportedly published on the Whirlpool forum between late last year and July this year including, amongst others, the following posts taken directly from the statement:

Commonwealth Bank Flags Gumtree Ads In Money Laundering Scam

The Commonwealth Bank has warned users of popular Australian community site Gumtree to be wary of possible money laundering scams.

The bank's internal audit team flagged ads which posed as job advertisements but were merely elaborate methods of moving money into and out of users accounts.

Australian IT reported that the Commonwealth Bank froze the account of an international student at a Sydney university after she replied to an ad on Gumtree.

The ad sought drivers to pick up visitors from Sydney airport but on applying for the position, the student was asked for her bank account details.

The fraudsters deposited $2000 into the student's account and asked her to transfer it to a third-party account. However, the account was allegedly frozen by the Commonwealth Bank as a fraudulent transaction.

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