Swiss Post launches new stamps with a built-in two-dimensional mobile tag (kind of barecode) which can be captured using the camera available on most mobile phone using Beetagg reader and connect you to a particular Internet page

New Swiss Post "Beetagged" stamps will promote Swiss Tourism. 

Similar codes are widely used in Japan for quite some time and most of modern mobile phones operating systems have all needed capabilities to read these tags. 

BeeTaggs are developed by connvision AG, a Zug-based company, can have logos, images or text attached to it and are also readable in very small formats.

Last year, PostBus Switzerland and yellowworld trialled BeeTaggs on signposts and at approximately 100 Postbus stops could be used to access timetables.

Mobile operating systems supported: Java, Palm, WM5, Symbian, Symbian 9.x, UIQ3, Symbian UIQ.

WM6 doesn't seem to be supported yet and WM5 version doesn't run on a WM6 phone.

Nomadcom Beetagg. Try it !  

More infos: Swiss Post, Beetagg.
Source: Nouvo

As mentionned on the 20th of October on this site, the City of Geneva and FON have officially announced a joint project to provide WiFi access to the city’s residents and visitors.

A website FON-Genève has been created and residents willing to share their Internet access are invited to complete the registration form to reserve their Fonera (the FON wireless access point) available soon for collection at the Geneva City Hall.

Geneva FON wireless access point : Live Map 

Let's hope that Internet users will play the game and Geneva will become a real connected city and communes of the canton will soon follow.  

The attacks on Swiss financial institutes with the aim of unjustified enrichment and the threat of the targeted industrial espionage via the internet are the main topics of the fifth semi-annual report of the Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance.

The report assesses the situation of the first half of the year 2007 in Switzerland and is now available online and clearly shows that the human factor remains the weakest point of ICT security.

Focus areas of issue 2007/I

• Attacks on Swiss financial services
  "Classic" phishing attacks by e-mail with password requests have decreased substantially in Switzerland. Moreover, all such attacks have been unsuccessful. On the other hand, successful attacks with malware have increased. Two-factor authentication systems (e.g. transaction authentication numbers, SecurID, etc.) do not afford protection against such attacks and must be viewed as insecure once the computer of the customer has been infected with malware.

• Industrial espionage and data theft
  The threat posed by targeted state or private industrial espionage continues. Not only the operators of critical infrastructures, the armament industry, or public authorities are threatened. Medium-sized industrial companies as well as manufacturers of luxury articles and fashion are also being targeted. The attacks are carried out by sending targeted e-mails to individual employees which contain malware in their attachments or links to bogus websites.
• Attacks on web servers:
  malware distribution, phishing, data theft Compromising of web servers has increased. The purpose is to use web servers to distribute malware, such as by drive-by infection, to steal data (especially on commercially used servers), to carry out (interim) storage of data (e.g. in connection with phishing), or to distribute messages that are generally political in nature.
• Malware / attack vectors
  Malware is still usually distributed through e-mail attachments or e-mails with links to bogus websites. Using clever social engineering techniques, the victim is deceived into opening the attachment or clicking on the link. Websites installing malware on the computer without any action by the user (drive-by infections) have heavily increased as an infection vector. Vulnerabilities in the operating system, the browser, or other applications are exploited. For a long time now, this no longer only happens on dubious sites, but also on (compromised) serious and well-known sites. Rates of recognition of malware by anti-virus software remain low.

The complete report is available on Melani website in italian, german, french and english.

A complete and useful list of all Internet risks and related protection measures is also available.

Whisher, a Spanish start-up, backed by Switzerland’s leading phone company, Swisscom, and the venture firm Benchmark Capital Europe is apparently very active for few month now. The principle of Whisher is that Wireless Access to the Internet should be free and accessible from everywhere which is basically the same concept than FON Movimiento, except that you don't need to purchase any specific hardware.

Whisher' users are requested to download an application through which they can share their wireless access (works also with WEP or WPA connections) with other Whisher members 

The newly released version 2.0 beta of the software offers more than just storing and encrypting connections' passwords such:

• Wireless connection manager
• WiFi sharing
• Chat with other users connected on the same wireless access point.
• Multi Instant Messenger support (Yahoo, MSN, AIM, ICQ, GoogleTalk, Twitter, Jabber)
• File Transfer (with users sharing the same wireless AP)
• LAN Support
• GeoLocation
• Other Networks connections (access via commercial access; hotspot, etc..). FON is supported too.
• Around You. Gives you informations about coming events, restaurants around the wireless connection you are currently using.

New services that should be available soon :

• Voice Support
• Global File Sharing 

Plateform supported : Windows XP, Linux, Mac O/S. Vista not available yet.

The software is still beta and some stability and registation problems have been reported. More information on their Blog

I don't want to defend Skype after the outage their login system faced last week (16-18.08.07), as they are doing it lots better than me, but I'm amazed by the quantity of critical and harsh reactions following this unforeseen interruption of service.

I have the impression that Skype critical voices are not so loud and mean when their local ISP, mobile  operator, telephone company, electricity or any other services they subscribe, including indispensable ones such lift, coffee machine, PS3 etc..

Skype outage was the first major glitch for the last 4 years which is more than excellent record in term of reliability. During that period how many time you have not been able to send SMS, pass a phone calls and even access the Internet either from home or at work ? 

In addition, Skype took the decision to compensate their paying customers (Skype Pro, Skype Unlimited,
SkypeIn or Skype Voicemail customers) by extending their subscription for 7 days in a goodwill gesture.

What I would propose is to spead the word among all Telco's and ISP (to start with) that automatic compensations are most welcome whenever they are not able to deliver the service we are paying for (perfect example of bad ISP behavior in Switzerland, video in French). 

Found on BBC website a study, which questioned 1125 IT professional in Europe, revealing that more than 50% of IT projects are not delivered on time.

 

The study conducted by by HP and the Economist Intelligence Unit says the the 3 most commons causes for delay are :

• Outsourcing (it reminds me something)
• Changing priorities half way through (certainly not always an IT responsibility)
• Poor coordination between managers (sic!)

Other interesting points found on the article are that : 

• 51% of European IT's say there would be not risk to their job. This percentage slips to 33% in Asia and 22% in Americas.

• 57% of participants to the study said that less than 50% of the IT initiatives in their firms had a positive outcome. In 2006 this figure was 54%

In Europe Sweden comes first when it is about delivering IT project on time with 44% then follow

• Switzerland 24%

• Czech Republic 20%

• Germany 19%

• Denmark 16%

• UK 11%

• Finland 8%

• Israel 8%

• France 6%

• Belgium 4%

• Italy 4%

• Netherlands 4%

• Russia 4%

• Spain 4%

Source : BBC News

After receiving an email from Kpjas, an Ipernity member, who informed me that he took a photo of mine to illustrate "50 Places To See Before You Die" selected by BBC viewers in 2003 in his blog, I reviewed the list and noticed that I have already visited more than 50% of these places that BBC viewers dream about (lucky me).

This list raised some interrogation to me about why these places have chosen instead of other famous ones ?  I could not find any relevant explanations except perhaps a majority of places where the spoken language is (was) English (but it makes sense as enquiry took place in UK). One thing is sure, after reading names of these great location, you just feel to escape from your office, pack you stuff and go travel.

Personally I would definitively add some places to this list (Okavango delta, Yunnan mountains, Kalahari desert, Japan, etc..) and perhaps drop some but for sure, I'll not be able to keep it to only 50 locations.

BBC 2008 Viewers "Must See list"

Africa
La Digue, Seychelles

(visited)
The Pyramids, Egypt (1993)
Luxor, Egypt  (1993)
Abu Simbel, Egypt (1993)
Masai Mara, Kenya (1993/2002)
Victoria Falls, Zambia / Zimbabwe (1994)
Cape Town, South Africa – (1994/1998)

Americas
The Grand Canyon, USA
Yosemite National Park, USA
Las Vegas, USA
Hawaii, USA
Alaska, USA
San Francisco, USA
Niagara Falls, Canada / USA
Canadian Rockies, Canada
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Angel Falls, Venezuela
Barbados, Barbados

(visited)
New York, USA (1996/2000)
Florida, USA (2000)
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (1999)
Machu Picchu, Peru (2001/2004)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1989/2000)
Iguassu Falls, Argentina / Brazil (2001)

Asia
Singapore, Singapore
Golden Temple, India
Taj Mahal, India
Bali, Indonesia
Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
The Maldives, Maldives
Terracotta Army, China

(visited)
Bangkok, Thailand (1994/2002)
Great Wall, China (2005)
Angkor Wat, Cambodia (1995/2006)
Himalayas, Nepal (2006)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2006)

Europe
Rome, Italy

(visited)
Paris, France (1980/2007)
Venice, Italy (1977/1982)
Barcelona, Spain (2001/2007)
Iceland, Iceland (1992)
Zermatt, Switzerland (1992/2005)

Middle-East
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

(visited)
Petra, Jordan (2003)

Oceania
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
South Island, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand

(visited)
Sydney, Australia (1996/2005)
Uluru, Australia (1996)
Great Barrier Reef, Australia (1996)   

Some pics are really crap, so good excuse to visit some of these places again  

When I saw this list on Bruno Giussani's "Blog over IP" post about Internet prices in Europe I could not resist to add some prices for Internet broadband access in Asia.

I did not add prices paid in most countries of Pacific rim but what they pay in Sweden for a monthly  broadband connection is equivalent to what they pay per minute in Kiribati or Cook islands for a noisy dial-up 14.4 kbps.   

Price comparison for consumer broadband in Europe (average monthly price per 1Mbps, from The Telegraph/MoneySupermarket):

1. Sweden GBP 0.32 (EUR 0.48)
2. France GBP 0.83 (EUR 1.23)
3. Finland GBP 1.41
4. Italy GBP 1.71
5. Norway GBP 2.05
6. Holland GBP 2.19
7. Denmark GBP 2.50 (EUR 3.7)
8. Iceland GBP 2.54
9. Germany GBP 2.64 (EUR 3.9)
10. Austria GBP 3.04
11. Belgium GBP 3.40
12. UK GBP 5.60 (EUR 8.3)
13. Portugal GBP 5.84
14. Spain GBP 6.33
15. Poland GBP 6.60
16. Ireland GBP 7.02
17. Luxembourg GBP 9.39
18. Switzerland GBP 11.03 (EUR 16.8)
19. Czech Republic GBP 12.25
20. Greece GBP 16.86
21. Hungary GBP 24.48
22. Slovakia GBP 25.48 (EUR 37.8)
23. Turkey GBP 58.82 (EUR 87.3)

Spectacular differences. Some of the them can be explained by technical reasons (fiber optic vs copper wires etc), some by the overall living costs in a given country. Most of the high prices however are tied to lack of  competition and of innovation in a specific market.

On this part of the World, the gap is definitively lots wider:

1. South Korea KRW 300 (EUR 0.25)
2. Japan JPY 400 (EUR 0.51)
3. China CNY 175 (EUR 17)
4. Singapore SGD 43 (EUR 21)
5. Thailand (BKK) THB 952 (EUR 22.27)
6. Sri Lanka LKR 4500 (EUR 30)
7. Philippines PHP 1995 (EUR 32)
8. Australia AUD 53 (EUR 33.25)
9. Pakistan PKR  4800 (EUR  59)
10. Malaysia MYR 300 (EUR 65)
11. India INR 3600 (EUR 65)
12. Myanmar USD 260 (EUR 192)
13. Fiji FJD 560 (EUR 260)
14. Indonesia USD 2440 (EUR 1800)

nota: On prices above there is no details about the carrier (ADSL, Wireless Local Loop, Fiber, Wimax, etc..) nor specifications about monthly download limits which are usually ridiculous low for a xDSL subscriber (e.g 2 GB) and still applicable in most countries (particularly on the second part of the list).

Internet for everyone at an affordable price is still far from reality.

In Geneva, Switzerland, there are several projects more or less on tracks with a unique goal…providing Wireless Internet Access city-wide:

• Pour une capitale des télécommunications à la pointe du sans-fil . Under discussion at the City Council. Answer expected during Summer 07.

• Swisswifi is awaiting a political green light to go ahead with a commercial version providing access to up to 90% of the canton's population by installing 3500 antennas on public transports & traffic lights infrastructures.
• L'Esprit de Genève an association created on July 1, 2004 has for objective to give a new image and redynamise the relationship between Geneva and its citizens, which has already mapped Geneva's Wifi Free Access points has launched a project named GEspot that develops a free communication infrastructure in order to offer to Geneva's citizens and visitors free wireless access to the Internet.

  Unlike FON (a semi-open internet community), access to GESpots' wireless access points is totally free. Owners of GESpot access points can turn them on/off as they wish (keeping access point ON 24/24h is a mandatory requirement with FON).On their side, GEspot sells ready to connect Wifi Terminals (Linksys WRT54GL at 105.- USD) and ensures the automatic referencing of all the terminals in free access. Visitors using the WiFi access will find this facility as soon as they are connected to www.gespot.ch

If none of these projects work, the historical telecom operator, Swisscom, still proposes Internet access through its WLAN Hotspots (check prices first !) and of course its GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA network (check prices first). 

As I'm not anymore a resident, but a Geneva's visitor, I hope to see such projects to become reality soon.   

Sources : Largeur.com &  Dubuc's blog

The Musée de l'Elysée, a museum for photography, in Lausanne, Switzerland proposes from February to May an exhibition about "The rapid mutation of amateur photography in the digital age" called "We are all Photographers Now!".

The events wants to be interactive and invites people from all over the World to submit their photos on the exhibition's web site. A selection of pictures received will be publish then on exhibition's walls. Participants will get an email with a new photograph (what museums call an "installation view") with their photo such at it was shown on the galeries of our museum.

The event will explore and try to answer some of the following sensitive issues, such for example :

• Does the digital shift constitute a revolution, or merely an evolution?
• Does the shift represent a real democratization of photography?
• Is citizen photojournalism worthy of its name?
• Does the shift threaten the livelihood of professional photographers in fundamental ways?
• Does the shift represent a shift towards more authenticity or truthfulness — or less?

Sources :  Textually.org, About:Photography