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If you have a new web browser that supports the W3C Geolocation API web standard, you will now see a My Location button on the left hand side under the street view button that will pin point your exact location on Google Maps. You will only notice this button if you have a Firefox 3.5 or a Google Chrome 2.0+ web browser.

So what does this do for me? It could worry you that their is now technology that can pin point your exact location from your very own home. On the positive side, if your travelling around and your a bit lost, you can now find where you are.

Once you click the button, you will be prompted to allow Google Maps to track your location. Google says that they take privacy very seriously.

Google takes privacy very seriously, so your location will never be used without your permission. The first time you use My Location on Google Maps, you’ll be asked to confirm that you’re happy to share your location with Google Maps, and you can always undo your decision.

So does this mean if you use the feature once, they can track you? You might want to read their privacy policy first.

You can read Google’s Article on the Google LatLong Blog.

Google has just announced that they will be creating a new operating system called Google Chrome Operating System. The new operating system that Google is developing will be an extension of the Chrome browser that will link the desktop market to the online world. Google has a lot of work to do and will think it will be ready for consumers by the second half of 2010.

I don’t know what you think, but this is one step closer for Google taking over the world. They already have access of information of what we search for, emails, documents, web history, website traffic stats, telecommunication, tracking system (latitude)  and now an operating system which I think will need broadband access and always be connected to the internet to get all the benefits.

What are your thoughts on Google developing an new operating system? Is it a good idea or are they going to far?

You can read the official Google Post here: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html

Today, Gmail finally removed its Beta tag after having it for more than 5 years now. As long with Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk also had the tag removed. The tag has been removed from both the Enterprise and consumers version so that is more than 1.75 million companies around the world out of Beta.

However, since you may miss the Beta label from Gmail, there is a lab feature that moves Gmail back to beta. If you feel a bit empty with the tag gone, bring it back and fulfil the emptiness.

You can read the official Google Blog post at Google Blog.

If your a Blogger, you would probably heard of Wordpress by now. With Wordpress Version 2.8 being launched in June, you can now vote for your favourite features that you would like 2.9 to included. Just head over to the Wordpress Blog Post and vote now on what you want in version 2.9.

Do you own and run your own website or blog in Australia? Then you might want to have a look at a few fact sheets by the Australian Copyright Council.

Did you know that any original content that you write on your website is automatically protected by copyright?

There is no system of registration for copyright protection in Australia.

You do not need to publish your work, to put a copyright notice on it, or to do anything else to be covered by copyright — the protection is free and automatic. There are no forms to fill in, and there are no fees to be paid. You do not have to send your work to us or to anyone else.

A work is protected automatically from the time it is first written down or recorded in some way, provided it has resulted from its creator’s skill and effort and is not simply copied from another work. For example, as soon as a poem is written, or a song is recorded, it is protected.

Australian copyright works are protected in most other countries, and copyright works from most other countries are protected in Australia.

 

Source: Copyright Basics. More information about how you can get copyright can be found here.

Did you know copyrighted material lasts for 70 years after the contributors death?

For most material, copyright lasts for 70 years after the end of the year of the creator’s death, or 70 years from the end of the year the material was first made public.

The source and more information on how long copyright lasts can be found here.

Did you know that if you run a website such as a forum with user generate content (UGC) you do not necessarily own that content.

Under the Information Sheet G057v08, contributors own the content that they post on your website, unless contributors agree to give their permission before or after they have posted content on your website.

If you do wish to acquire copyright in material users post to your site, you will need to have contributors assign
copyright to you by “signing” a written agreement to that effect. In this context, typing their name may
constitute a “signature”, but you may need legal advice on this.

If you do not own the rights to the user generate content, you will not be entitled to use their material offline and grant website visitors permission to only view and listen to the content.

If you want to own the UGC, you may be able to contact them after they have made this content (if possible) and make sure you have terms and conditions stating who will own the content.

Did you know that if someone uploaded copyright material to your website such as someone else’s photo or music, you may be liable if legal action is taken.

In some cases, UGC may infringe copyright. For example, a contributor may post someone else’s photo, or upload
a video that uses someone else’s music in its soundtrack. This may often be as a result of ignorance on the part
of the contributor but, whether or not you are aware of the infringing material, you are likely to liable if there is
an action for copyright infringement.

To protect yourself from this, make sure you set out a binding agreement with contributors that will indemnify you from any infringing behaviour. Make sure you get a lawyer to draft your terms. Make sure you remind contributors not to post copyrighted content without the owners consent and that you will remove any posts that violate this rule. Also moderate the content so you can remove potential copyright material before it becomes a problem. If a problem does arise, remove the content immediately.

The source and more information about user generated content can be found on The Australian Copyright Council Website.

Do you know when you can use copyrighted material?

• The copyright has expired
• The content is not protected by copyright
• You are not use a ‘substantial part’ of the full content
• In special exceptions

Source: Information Sheet G057v08.

Did you know that direct linking to third-party website content may be illegal?

If you direct link to someone else’s content, it may be illegal because you are bypassing that websites homepage.

More information can be found from Information Sheet G057v08.

For more information on copyright in Australia, please visit the Australian Copyright Council by visiting: http://www.copyright.org.au. For more Information Sheets, visit http://www.copyright.org.au/publications/infosheets.htm

*Disclaimer: This post is intended for general information only and a summary of notes from the Australian Copyright Council website. For legal advice, please see qualified person. Information from this post (including quotes) has been gathered from http://www.copyright.org.au. If any incorrect information has been interpreted, please post in the comments.

Currently, their is a feature in Microsoft Windows that allows you to deny the Automatic Updates for Windows Service Packs. However, this will change.

For Windows Vista users, on 28th April, 2009, you will be forced to download and install Service Pack 1. Service Pack 2 will not be forced on you to upgrade.

For XP users, 19th May is the day that you will not be able to block the update.

For some PC users, this will be timely and costly. If you are still a dial-up user, the update will take a while and Internet time outs my make it impossible to update, using your Internet speed every day.

For broadband users on limited bandwidth (Telstra Bigpond 200mb plan), at 15 cents per megabyte, a forced upgrade to your computer will be costly. If your on this plan, you basically loose 15 days of not using the Internet because your computer will be heavily downloading this update.

Twitter recently had a price valuation. And guess what it is worth. $250 million dollars. So with the 6 million twitter users, to buy twitter your worth a whopping $42.

If you have visited Facebook recently, you would  have noticed that the homepage has been changed. It is more like twitter with your friends post and “What’s on your mind questions” To see your photo’s, you have to click on the photo link on the left hand side.

So what are your thoughts on the change?

Today was the first of something that the Australian Victorian Police have done. Today, Victorians received a text message from VicPolice saying

Extreme weather in Vic expected Mon night & Tues. High wind & fire risk. Listen to Local ABC Radio for emergency updates.Do not reply to this msg.

Now the thing is my phone account is listed as a different address to where I currently am (In Victoria).

So this proves that they don’t send you text messages based on your phone account details, but rather the geographical location of your mobile phone and number.

So if you received the message, they know that you are located in Melbourne, which proves they can track you.

If I were you, I’d be careful of where you go with your mobile phone, because by sending this text message to you when your account details are elsewhere, is proof that they know where you are.

Current plans state that Windows 7 is due to be released in September 2009.

But who’s to say that is going to happening?