Blog Status

All latest updates on E-Commerce are now available at My E-Commerce Blog at http://ecommerze.blogspot.com

Posts related to personal will be available at http://henkaiwah.blogspot.com

Microsoft vs Cybersquatters

Microsoft is currently pursuing hundreds of cases of cybersquatting in US plus a few in UK.

Domain names involved are such as:

• www.exbox.com,
• www.windowsexp.com,
• winowlivemessenger.com,
• mikerowesoft.com
• WindowsLiveTutorial.com
  

Some of these domain names are working on the basis of typo-privacy which targeted on the typo mistakes made by the Internet surfers.

Related links:

1. Microsoft expands cybersquatting fight (CNet News.com)
2. Microsoft hits "cybersquatters" (BBC News)
3. Microsoft pus cybersquatters on notice (CNet News.com)

Related posts on Domain Names disputes:

1. Domain Names Dispute: Gmail vs G-mail
2. China: Gmail vs Gmail.cn
3. YouTube.com vs Utube.com
4. Rooney scored back his domain name

Model of e-Tourism website

Screencapture of Tourism Malaysia (www.tourism.gov.my)

This website is being described as the e-Tourism model by United Nations Conference Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - Tourism Malaysia.

The website is described being a model with superb display of marketing information, graphics and designs for consumers and business travels.

Comments on Thailand's, Cambodia's and Vietnam's websites were also mentioned.
Read here for more.

Source: TheStar Online, 14th March 2007.

www.gov.my

Screencaptured of www.gov.my

This is Malaysian one stop e-Government portal. Its comprises of 395 online services of Malaysian ministries, departments and agencies.

Current applications include:

• obtain information on payments, applications, filing complaints and others
• dealing with authorities
• update postal addresses with Employees Provident Fund (EPF)
• apply for foreign workers with Immigration Department

Future applications:

• sending completed downloaded application forms online directly to the relevant authorities
• sms services

Internet users: India, China and Russia Experience Highest Growth Rates

A study released by comScore Networks revealed the following interesting findings:

• There are 747 millions of Internet users worldwide.
• India, China and Russia experience the highest increase in 2006 with 33%, 21% and 20%.
• US has the largest Internet population - 153.4 million
• China has the 2nd largest Internet population - 86.8 million, followed by Japan at 53.7 million.
• Internet users outside of US is constituting 80%.
• Canada users spend 39.6 hours per month averagely, followed by Israel 37.4 hours and Korea 34 hours.

Related tables can be accessed here.

The rise of the identity theft

A study from the research firm Gartner suggested that there is a sharp increase of identity theft related incidents since 2003.

Facts:

• 15 millions Americans were identity theft victims in mid 2005 - mid2006.
• The average loss of a case of identity theft was US$ 3,257 (2006) and US$ 1,408 (2005).
• Only 61% of the loss fund was recovered in 2006.

Means of identity thefts:

• Internet auctions
• Non-regulated money transmittal systems
• Impersonate lottery contests
• Others.

Read more from here.

Spam - Firm ordered to pay £750

A firm in UK, Transcom Internet Services Ltd, is ordered by the Edinburgh's Sheriff Court to pay an Internet user, Mr Gordon Dick, a total of £750 plus £618.66 legal cost for sending unwanted marketing e-mails (spam mails). The chronological of the event can be read here.

Mr Dick won the case after Transcom failed to turn up at the court. However, Transcom denies that the firm is sending out any spam mails. Mr Dick has since established a website to advise others to sue the e-mail spamming firms at Scotch Spam.

Online Voting in Estonia

The world 1st national election featuring Internet voting was conducted in Estonia, a tiny ex-Soviet country located at the Northern Europe.

A total of 3.5% of registered voters or some 30,000 people casted their votes through the Internet-based polling system.

Electronic voting is gaining popularity throughout the world now. These are some examples of the electronic voting.

The main concern for e-voting will be the realiability and security of the Internet-based balloting systems in selecting the country's government.

Estonia is undergoing high-tech modernisation with high usage of online banking users as compared to the physical branches, universal availability of wireless connections in city cafes, parks and commuer trains.

The details of the e-voting process in Estonia is being discussed here.

National Museum to use RFID

National Museum of Malaysia will use RFID as part of its asset tracking management on its artifacts. The project will be completed by April this year. Some 1000 artifacts will tagged with RFID.

Source: TheStar Online InTech 1st March 2007

China: Gmail vs Gmail.cn

Seem like Google Mail (Gmail) is engaging in another battle for domain name. This time in China.
Gmail is trying to buy the domain name from Gmail.cn, owned by an ISP company in China. Beside China, Google Mail is also facing the same issue in other countries.

Sources for reading:
1. CNNMoney.com - Google fights for Gmail domain
2. CNet News.com - In China, Google grapples with Gmail domain dispute
3. Gmail.cn website (Chinese) - Google在中国受挫 购买Gmail.cn遭拒绝

Smallest RFID Chip: Made in Malaysia

Product: Smallest RFID chip with built-in antenna
Producer: Malaysia Microchip (MM) Project

Features:

• Multi-band frequencies
• Can be embedded on paper
• Has its own serial number

Applications:
1st government application - RFID-enabled B certificates (holographic security labels to verify the authenticity of film discs)

Future Applications:

• Marriage certificates
• Birth certificates
• Foreign workers' identification cards
• Malaysian passports (Its already contained the smartest chip in the world)
• Road Tax
• Bank Cheque
• Bank Notes (No more counterfeit notes in the market)
• University diploma and certificates (can counter forged or bogus university certificates)
• e-baggage management application in airports

RFID in Education:
Universiti Teknikal Melaka on Student IDs to monitor time and examination attendance as well as for asset management system.

Source: TheStar, 25th Feb 2007

Personal Opinion:
RFID proved to be a very versatile and useful identification tag which will lead to improvement on the effectiveness and efficiency of any work process and supply chain. However, the main concerns are still lingering on the two main issues namely COST and PRIVACY.

Cost - Will the manufacturers transfer the higher cost of using RFID to the consumers instead?
Privacy - Will the privacy of the document/certificate holders be intruded, where their location can be easily traced with the use of mobile handheld devices?

Domain Names Dispute - Gmail vs G-mail

Familiar with Gmail? It's Google Mail.
How about G-mail? Is it the same as above? NO. It is Giersch mail, an electronic postal delivery business in Germany and Switzerland run by Daniel Giersch.

This Domain Names dispute is happening in Switzerland. The funny part is that both Giersch and Google received Swiss rights to the name in 2005, although Giersch applied for his trademark several months before Google did, and both remain in possession of those marks.

Last year, Giersch has won in Germany court on the German trademark for G-mail , also against Google.

Google also involved in another legal battle in Poland for Gmail.pl. Why? GMAiL.pl is currently being used by Grupa Mlodych Artystow i Literatow (GMAiL), or Group of Young Artists and Writers.

An interesting fact from Wikipedia - gmail.com was belonged to Garfield.com. It was used as a free online e-mail services offered by Garfield.com. Now it has moved to e-garfield.com.

Personal opinion:
These issues of domain names disputes happen when Google going for localisation of its services. Is it a good idea for Google to go local rather than sticking to their own famous brand - gmail.com? How about gmail in Malaysia - gmail.my? Are we foreseeing any dispute on this in the future? Who will prevail in the end of these Goliath vs Davids? Enough questions for everyone to ponder here.

Software Piracy 2006 report on Malaysia

These are some statistics from the IIPA's (International Intellectual Property Alliance) 2006 report on piracy.

• Malaysian music piracy is down 4% last year from 49% to 45%.
• At the same time, the business software piracy is up 1% to 61% from 60% the previous year.
• Motion pictures piracy is high at 91%.
• Entertainment software decrease 1% from 91% to 90%.
• Estimated losses from the books piracy is US$9 million (RM31.5 million)

With these results, Malaysia remained in the Watch List (less critical from the Priority Watch List) of the US Trade Representative (USTR) Piracy Watch since 2001. Our country once occupied the list of the Priority Watch List before.

The current Priority Watch List consisted of:

• Asia - India, China & Thailand
• Europe - Russia, Ukraine
• America - Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela
• Africa - Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey

Seems like we are not too bad as compared to these countries.

IIPA also published a summary of its global initiatives in 2007.

Two positives reports on Malaysian's effort in combating software piracy were also mentioned, namely:

• The closure of 11 CD plants, a commendable efforts to tackle the optical over-production problem (resulting in less supply)
  
• Sustained efforts against retail outlets that sell pirated software like raids on the shopping complexes such as Low Yat, Imbi Plaze and many more (resulting in less marketplaces)
  

IIPA concerns for Malaysia:

• Backlogs of IP (Intellectual Property) cases in court. (An IP Court will be most likely to be established this year in Malaysia by Malaysian Government)
• Clamp down on the export of pirated product from Malaysia (Made in Malaysia pirated software are well distributed worldwide)
• Increase in mobile music piracy (shopping complexes, night market etc)
  
• Emergence of more 'hard goods' websites distributing pirated movies.

Sources:
TheStar, 22 February 2007 (Malaysia to remain on piracy Watch List?)
IIPA website

Minister: Malaysian Telcos need to improve their services!

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik highlighted that telecommunication companies in Malaysia need to improve on the following four key areas:

1. Extending coverage throughout the country - putting up more transmission towers and units to cover every town and village (achieving full coverage nationwide), providing uninterrupted services all the time at every location. No more excuses such as "no line la"...
   
2. Conducting audit checks on the authenticity of registered pre-paid line users - 17.8 million pre-paid users (90%) registered as at 16 December 2006 in an compulsory exercise. An additional 2 weeks extension was given for the remaining 10% to register.
   
3. Providing number portability - changing mobile operator will not be a major hassle for the users as they can retain their favourite number should this be implemented.
   
4. Better broadband connectivity - with more channels made available to the users such as 3G, Wimax and direct fiber optic connection. Hopefully with this, Internet connection speed can be further increased tremendously.
   

This is aimed to provide better mobile phone access and broadband services by the end of the year by translating the huge profits obtained each year.

(Source: TheStar InTech, 20 Feb 2007)

E-Filling in Malaysia - Taxpayers to receive PIN via mail

In the effort to encourage more citizens to use the e-fillilng, Malaysian's Inland Revenue Board (IRB) will send the PIN for online tax registration through mail to the taxpayers.

I believe this initiative come after the numerous feedbacks on the inconvenience of collecting the PIN from the IRB offices. Definitely, I am in support of this move as it helps to reduce the inconvenience caused last year and it will encourage more citizens to use the e-Filling.

Revolutionise the court proceeding in Malaysia

A few suggestions has been brought up to revolutionise the court proceedings in Malaysia. These include:

• using computers to take down notes of court proceedings
• the possibility of using video conferencing in all cases
• the court should records notes using audio or visual aids

(TheStar, 7 February 2007, pg 10)

China - Straight to 4G, instead of 3G

Instead of 3G, China launched the 1st world 4th generation mobile communication systems (4G) in Shanghai's Changning district on 28th Jan 2007.

Currently, there is no 3G services offered in China. The 4G offered in China can provides up to 100Mbps in wireless data communication. (The current 3G can only offer up to 2Mbps).

Another wonderful technology advancement achieved by the Chinese to showcase their supremacy in all areas.

For more reading, click here -China Skips 3G, Goes Straight to 4G (www.ecommercetimes.com)

IDC Prediction for Malaysian IT Market 2007

IDC has a few predictions in their crystal ball for us this year: (TheStar InTech, 16 January 2007, IT22)

• IT spending will grow 2%. (from 10% to 12%)
• Hardware will grow 2%. (from 8% to 10%)
• Packaged software will also grow 2%. (from 9% to 11%)
• Next generation network services and convergence between landline and mobile will evolving the telecommunication markets.
• Digitalisation of TV boardcasting services.
• Software vendors will focus on SME customers.
• Demand for notebook will grow about 14%.
• WIMAX wireless broadband adoption will be swift.
• Home users and businesses will focus on digital cameras and high-speed scanners.

BabiesConsult.com - Useful Website for new mothers

(Screen captured from http://www.babiesconsult.com/)

This is a very useful website for new mothers on baby care as well as post-natal tips. Established by a former nurse and midwife, Cecilia Koh, its also provide discussion forums where mothers can exchange information and sharing experiences. Worth a visit for all especially new parents!

Latest:
Hey, I received a comment from the author of this website, Ms Cecilia Koh today.

Hi Kai Wah
Thank you so much for your kind words. I sincerely hope that my site will be a good place for new, 'old' and prospective parents to find all the information to make parenting a joyful event.

Cecilia Koh
Babiesconsult.com

Thanks Cecilia.

My dear students,
Let's introduce this website to more people, be it your brothers & sisters, uncles & aunts, friends, etc.

InPictures - Online Tutorial using Pictures

(Screen Captured from http://inpics.net/)

Introducing a new website that enable users to learn new software based on pictures for free. Worth visiting if you want to learn more but without reading text, pictures can be a good substitute. Just visit http://inpics.net/