ONE REASON I BUY newspapers on Sunday is to follow the crowd noise about technology. I flicked through three Irish broadsheets today, finding no mention of the most talked-about technology from last week. Specifically, no one wrote about the 3G iPhone in the papers I read on Sunday. Not to worry--Pat Phelan gives his take online and I fold his comments into a 3.5G Qik Take on Tech. It's going to be a multi-part Qik video, starting with jumping over the stile to ascend the Rock of Cashel. I don't know how this multi-part thing will work--we're experimenting with the genre. I don't have a choice because I'm pushing a baby stroller up and around the Rock as I record my video, so that means doing the thing in segments. I have annotated sources of the comments recorded in the Qik video below. I start off with my admiration of Anya Gallaccio. She is currently exhibiting in Kinsale.
Stupid People Googling for Hitmen. A lot of Irish news coverage centres on the conviction of Sharon Collins (aka [email protected]) for conspiracy to murder. Full pages of stories relating to the court case explain how the accused was apparently unaware that law enforcement officials could track and catch people for things they did on the internet. [1] [2] You need to know that no email is ever really deleted, once a law enforcement official formally expresses an interest in the account. As Adrian Weckler explains, you're not safe from prying eyes even when you mask your electronic movements at a cyber cafe. [3]
Irish Recession and Tech Issues. Expect the month of August to be drip-fed with actual details about cuts to State services in Ireland. Two affect my work: the Local Government Computer Services Board may lose its autonomy and the Higher Education Training and Awards Council (where I serve as an extern examiner) will probably merge with the Future Education and Training Awards Council. [4] I'm also trying to diversity a little by revising several of my college modules as offerings that would appeal to readers of Night Courses.com. [5]
Health Tech. I've been carrying the RFID chipset for an iPod Nano for two years--long enough that it might be discharged by now. Related to that jogging technology is a story about GPs being able to monitor patient health remotely. [6] Another Near Field Communications device is the eFlow card that Irish commuters should have in their cars by August. Uptake isn't great. [7]
Airline Tech and Another Issue. Something in the new airport radar system at Dublin Airport caused some of the strip data below blips of aircraft on screen to disappear, resulting in chaos at Dublin Airport when traffic was severely curtailed. The finger-pointing has started. [8] [9] You would expect the radar vendor to be responsible for the safe operation of the system. Air travel ranks highly for Irish. [10] You don't have to look hard to discover travel tips for Irish [11] in the Sunday broadsheets every week.
Bargain Hunting. The drumbeat has started again and patriotic Irish citizens are being reminded that they can hurt the economy by searching elsewhere [12] to cut costs on consumer goods. The Irish Domain Registrar is doing well, suggesting a strong market for dot ie merchants. [13]
Energy Costs. It will cost Irish homeowners at least 30% more to power and heat their homes [14] this winter, because electricity, heating oil, and natural gas are set for steep increases. [15] These price hikes mean good things for the renewable energy sector, [16] as Tom Raftery is quick to note.
1. John Burke -- "How Lying Eyes was caught in a cyber trap" in the Sunday Business Post "News Focus" section, 13 July 2008.
2. Mark Tighe -- "Those Lying Eyes" in the Sunday Times, 13 July 2008.
3. Adrian Weckler -- "If you want privacy, don't go out in public" in the Sunday Business Post, 13 July 2008.
4. Cliff Taylor -- "State agencies to be abolished in reform move" on the front page of the Sunday Business Post, 13 July 2008.
5. Gabrielle Monaghan -- "A new dawn for evening classes" in the "appointments" section of the Sunday Times, 13 July 2008.
6. Eithne Shortall -- "Remote monitor will cut GP visits" in The Sunday Times "News" section, 13 July 2008.
7.John Downes -- "Half of M50 users fail to register for new payment scheme" in the Sunday Tribune, 13 July 2008. The Trib has lost some of its edginess with the departure of Richard Delevan and Damien Mulley.
8. Nicola Cooke -- "IAA may face cost of airport radar chaos" in the Sunday Business Post "News" section, 13 July 2008.
9. Carissa Casey -- "IAA Holds a Stake in Failed Air System" in The Sunday Times "News" section, 13 July 2008.
10. Emma Kennedy -- "Irish top list for travelling abroad" in the Sunday Business Post "News" section, 13 July 2008.
11. John Downes -- "Hand luggage ruse to avoid Aer Lingus baggage charges" in the Sunday Tribune, 13 July 2008.
12. Susan Mitchell -- "Online baby gear is snapped up by Irish
bargain hunting customers" and "Baby, it's the mother of all mark-ups"
in the Sunday Business Post "News" section, 13 July 2008.
13. Adrian Weckler -- "What's domain of the game?" in the Sunday Business Post, 13 July 2008.
14. John Burke -- "Home heating bills expected to rise by 40% in six months" in the Sunday Business Post, 13 July 2008.
15. Emma Kennedy -- "Ireland is among EU's most energy-dependent members" in the Sunday Business Post "News" section, 13 July 2008.
16. Niall Brady -- "Green energy is riding the crest of a wave" in The Sunday Times "Money" section, 13 July 2008.
