Website design newsletter
Every month we publish interesting news articles relating to website design, search engine trends and other exciting changes happening online.
Current issue: September 2008
Contents
Google's Street View in NZ soon
Bebo used to enrol young voters
Nearly two million subscribers online in NZ
Google browser makes its debut
Google's Street View in NZ soon
4 August 2008
Google will launch a New Zealand edition of its controversial Street View application within the next few months after agreeing to protect the identity of people filmed in public places, following talks with the privacy commissioner.
The free software lets internet users "walk" down city streets and view photos of the scene from any angle on their computer screens. Street View has encountered opposition in Europe and North America, because pedestrians and vehicles can be made out in some pictures. There are fears Street View could be used to plan burglaries.
Google's spokesman in Sydney, Rob Shilkin, says it takes the privacy concerns seriously. "We have been liaising with regulators and groups in New Zealand. We will be blurring faces, licence plates won't be identifiable and there is a very easy system for anyone to report imagery that they feel is inappropriate."
Mr Shilkin is confident Street View will be received enthusiastically. "Lots of groups are really excited, from tourism organisations and real estate agents to geography teachers – all of whom will find it an incredibly useful product."
Streets in dozens of American cities have been covered so far and Google launched Street View in France and Italy last month. Mr Shilkin won't say how much of New Zealand has already been filmed. Google has stated that its ultimate goal is to provide street views of the "entire world".
Source: www.stuff.co.nz
Bebo used to enrol young voters
5 August 2008
The social networking site Bebo is a key player in a new campaign to encourage young people to vote. The "Let's Get Loud" campaign kicked off yesterday, using musicians, actors and sportspeople on Bebo to encourge people aged between 18 and 24 to enrol as voters.
Research released this year by the Electoral Enrolment Centre showed that more than half of people aged between 18 and 24 were unaware it was election year.
In the Clutha-Southland and Invercargill electorates, about 1700 young people had not enrolled as voters, Invercargill Registrar of Electors Carol Baxter said.
"That's roughly one in every six local young adults missing out on having their say this election," she said. A dedicated youth enrolment week would run from August 11.
Source: www.stuff.co.nz
Nearly two million subscribers online in NZ
2 August 2008
The latest figures from Statistics New Zealand show 1.5 million subscribers are now hooked up to the internet and most have broadband.
Broadband subscriptions have increased 10.7 per cent in the six months to March 2008, to reach 891,000. Subscribers with analog connections fell 9.3 per cent from September 2007, down to 613,000. It is the largest decline since March 2006.
Upload speeds of 128Kbps and 256Kbps and download speeds of 2Mbps to less than 10Mbps were the highest ranking categories. New Zealand now has 60 internet service providers.
Source: www.stuff.co.nz
Google browser makes its debut
2 September 2008
The much-anticipated Google browser has made its debut. Chrome is designed to handle complex web video and applications, and claims to be faster and more secure than its rivals like Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Google says its browser is designed to better handle complex web and video applications, compared to older browsers focused on text and graphics.
Google says Chrome will load pages faster and more securely, with a new Javascript engine called V8.
It also features a privacy mode where users can create a hidden window. Anything that happens there is not logged on the computer.
Google Chrome is now available in a trial version in 43 languages and 100 countries at www.google.com/chrome.
Source: www.3news.co.nz
