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Tech Desk Special Analysis: The Digital Election

2010-05-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

2010 has been a revolutionary and experimental year for politics. Notably we've seen the three televised party leader debates screened on ITV, Sky News, and the BBC. But this year the Internet has played a significant role for party campaigns to go that one step further, to reach out to the voters. This Tech Desk Special Analysis takes an in depth look at the impact the web is having on the 2010 UK Election.

Never before has the term 'freedom of speech' been stretched so far. Two key areas are boosting the election party campaign publicity this year via the Internet: interaction and participation. Two of the webs largest forces joined to make this possible, Facebook and Youtube, to form the Digital Debate (http://www.youtube.com/ukelection). Users of both services were asked to submit questions to the three main party leaders, Gordon Brown (Labour), Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrate) and David Cameron (Conservative). Some 5000 questions were submitted and surfers took the chance to vote on the responses of the leaders - some 180,000 voted in fact. Each question displays the voting trend next to it to show how effective each response was. Commenting on the Digital Debate, Richard Allan, Facebook's director of policy said: "The dawn of the digital election this year is a transformative moment for democracy in Britain. By allowing voters to cross-examine their leaders, these digital debates will put the voters firmly in charge. This marks a decisive shift away from the constraints of top-down traditional media and will take full advantage of the unique scale and reach of Facebook, thus changing the way that politicians campaign for good.''
The number of voters in the 2005 election was little over half the population at just 61%. Politicians will no doubt hope this new spate of Internet and television debates will increase the number of voters at the polling station on May 6. As Facebook and Youtube are targeted at younger adults, maybe we can expect to see a surge in the number of first time voters eager to make their voice heard.

'The Worm' streamed on itv.com showing if the panel
liked, disliked or felt neutral towards leader's points.

Staying Informed
The three television broadcasters, ITV, Sky and the BBC certainly kept the information flowing on the debate nights. ITV streamed an alternative broadcast online with a program known as 'The Worm' which streams a 'like', 'neutral' and 'dislike' moving line depending on the reaction of a select number of undecided voters. It certainly made interesting watching as Gordon Brown said Labour "want to control and manage immigration" and the worm went down to dislike, but when David Cameron declared "immigration is simply too high at the moment, it has been these last ten years and it does need to come down", the worm swiftly moved up. Meanwhile ITV's election page had a live comment bay where correspondents gave instant analysis on the words of the leaders, and surfers were given the chance to vote instantly. Plus, a Facebook link allowing users to give their reaction to their friends as they watch. Sky and the BBC also ran a similar service online allowing interaction between viewers.

The Twitter & Blog Effect
Twitter and blog feeds have been going crazy over the election campaign this year (this article effectively contributing to this trend). Politicians are blogging and tweeting. Journalists are blogging and tweeting. Voters are blogging and tweeting. And it is all generally creating a big buzz around the looming election. Information is flying around everywhere on the web putting a lot of attention on politics. It doe not always work in favour of politicians however, as Labour candidate Stuart MacLennan discovered on April 10. The 24 year old referred to David Cameron as a 't*at', branded the elderly 'coffin dodgers' and 'ugly old boots', and branded other train commuters 'chavs' - not a very good way of shinning attention on yourself, as he was sacked. But it shows how transparent the Internet is allowing the election to be, giving the voter many chances to see what candidates have to offer and whether they're worth the vote.

The surging support for the Lib Dems has certainly fuelled on Facebook and Twitter, with many first time voters swayed by the 'fresh' approach of Nick Clegg and the removal of tuition fees once Britain's financial situation is in better shape. Most of the campaigning is now coming to a close with just a few final days to make a difference. The debates are done, the speculations still spiralling, and a result imminent.

Internet Explorer usage drops below 60%

2010-05-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

The views of students at Canterbury Christ
Church University suggest IE is in declining use.

The number of web surfers using Microsoft's Internet Explorer as their primary web browser has dropped below 60%.

The statistics compiled by NetApplications, show that IE is still the most used web browser with 59.9% of the internet browsing market, but the results will be a disappointment for Microsoft as their market share stood at 95% in 2003, meaning they have dropped by 35% in 7 years.

IE's biggest rivals, Mozilla's Firefox is trailing behind at second place with a 24.5% share and at third is Google Chrome with a 6.7% share.

Why the big loss?
The biggest argument by users and experts for not using Internet Explorer is conerns over security. Earlier this year both Germany and France advised EU citizens to ditch IE and use an alternative after a string of security flaws with IE6, notably hacking into the email accounts of human rights activists in China.

Other security flaws have left surfers bank account details and passwords exposed to hackers.

Tech Desk spoke to students in Canterbury to find out what they are using. Many mentioned the concerns over security and one student blamed IE for giving them viruses.

The browser ballot

After criticism over IE in the EU, Microsoft began rolling out a 'Web browser choice screen' in March. The screen offered Windows PC users a choice of web browsers as apposed to the default Internet Explorer.

The next step, IE9

Although IE has seen a decline in usage, they have not lost - yet. Later this year Internet Explorer 9 is expected to be released, with promises to improve security and to support the next-generation HTML5 which aims to reduce the need for plug-ins.

Google Chrome may only have a 6.7% share of the market compared to Internet Explorer's dominating 60%. However, Google Chrome has rose considerably from last year when it was just 1.7%.

Facebook Entrepreneurs

2010-04-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

There always used to be a young entrepreneur in school, selling multipack cans of coke in the playground. It seems that old habit has moved forward to virtual places like Facebook.
Tech Desk has noticed a growing trend where users promote a 'cab' service - or simply, offering lifts for a price.
Jon Sneade, 21, from Gillingham in Kent told us "I've done a fair few lifts, they are for anything really".
Jon began the business-like idea to earn some money when you have nothing else to do. "The other night, I got a ring to pick someone up from Twydall to go Mcdonald's then up to Walderslade, got a tenner and a Mcdonald's out of it which was good!"

But how do you price a friend, do you charge a little more generously? Jon told us "the pricing all depends on where it is and how many people there are, but its fairly complicated with the pricing, because you want the money but you don't want to over charge otherwise they'll find someone else instead so there is more to it than just saying £20".

So next time you need a ride, maybe you should consider logging onto Facebook and seeing if a friend is available, because they're likely to offer a cheaper price than a private taxi firm.

The Sun to go 3D

2010-04-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

It seems that the 3D phenomenon is spreading even further: first there were films, then there was television, now there is to be newspapers - Well, a one-off 3D edition of The Sun at least.

Britain's most read newspaper will be printed entirely using 3D technology on June 5 viewable with the standard 3D glasses, meaning that everything from the words, the adverts and even page 3 will have a whole new dimension.

News Corp., the Murdoch-owned company which runs The Sun, The Times and Sky has already began pioneering into the 3D-buzz with Sky's 3D channel due to launch fully later this year.

Belgium newspaper DH
went 3D in March

The Sun is to increase its print of the newspaper by 1000s as it expects a surge in readers curious to see the first in British publishing. It is believed that The Sun will also increase its advertising revenue in the edition so that advertisers can take advantage of the 3D capabilities and the expected increase in readership. Readers will receive a free pair of 3D glasses with each edition.

The 3D technique has already been experimented outside of the UK in Poland and Belgium. A marketing campaign to promote the special release is due to start this month.

3D Television launches in the UK

2010-04-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

'Monsters vs. Aliens' is the only 3D
film available at present.

3D television is now available on a small screen near you - but be prepared to pay at least £1,799.

Today the first ever 3D ready television set hit selected stores in the UK. The 40-inch Samsung model has made its way into John Lewis, Curry’s and Comet across the country, with Panasonic following in suit in a few weeks.

Samsung's Vice President of consumer electronics Andy Griffiths, expressed the company’s joy at being one of the first retailers to sell 3DTVs. "Once you've seen a programme in 3D you will be hooked on the excitement and energy it brings into your home, it creates a more immersive viewing experience and with the plethora of 3D content currently being developed, it's a great time to watch TV in a new dimension."

One eager techno-geek who queued at John Lewis for the first set said: "I saw Avatar with my friends in 3D at the cinema and really loved that film. I'm also an avid gamer as well so I'm hoping to exploit some of the features of the TV through gaming."

Don’t rush to your nearest store too soon, as there isn’t much 3D content actually available yet. In fact, the only 3D film release is Monsters vs. Aliens, but you can expect blockbusters like Avatar from June.
The boom in 3D cinema viewing has elevated this latest home entertainment experience. Sky rolled out its 3D sports channel across bars and pubs on April 3, which allowed thousands of lucky punters to watch Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against Manchester United in the Premier League as if they were in Old Trafford. The service is not currently available to the Sky box sets at home, but it will be launched later this year – and at no extra cost to existing Sky+ subscribers.

Good news for those of you who own a Play Station 3 too, as Sony are working on an update later this year to enable 3D compatibility. They will also release their own Sony Bravia 3D television sets later this year, along with LG.

Find a pub showing Sky Sports 3D near you at http://3d.sky.com/pubfinder

Apple delays international release of the iPad

2010-04-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Official promotion for the iPad

Due to huge demand in the US, Apple has decided to delay the international release of the iPad.

Apple has reportedly sold 500,000 iPads in the United States, 300,000 of which were sold on its first day on sale.

In a statement Apple said "Demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April."

British and European countries can now expect the iPad to be on the shelves by the end of May and pre-orders will be accepted from May 10.

Although most eager Apple fans are disappointed with the news, others are actually relieved. Stephanie Cleaverly, a 20 year old student from Canterbury told Tech Desk: "I'm actually pleased they've pushed the date back, at least we can be sure the worst of the teething problems are over".

Indeed, a number of customers in the US have complained of problems with the wi-fi connection, being unable to use existing apps from the iPhone and difficulties charging the device, so the positive look on this delay is that we can hope to get a more stable product by the it reaches our side of the Atlantic.

Full length movies coming to MSN Video Player

2010-04-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Transformers Movie is one of many films
which could be on a computer screen near
you via MSN Video Player

Microsoft has secured a deal with Paramount Pictures to stream movies via the MSN Video Player.

The exclusive deal is the first VOD agreement to show full length films in the UK, undoubtedly leaving other online competitors envious - but for now, Microsoft is keeping the arrangements of the deal under wraps.

"MSN's heritage is based on innovation and it is great to work with a forward-thinking film studio like Paramount Pictures," Ashley Highfield, managing director of consumer and online at Microsoft told us. "This is a pioneering move for MSN Video Player in the UK and the service will continue to evolve with the changing needs and demands of consumers into Europe for MSN Video."

MSN Video Player already shows a raft of classic television shows, including Channel 4's Peep Show, News provided by ITN and football highlights from Sky Sports. This deal could see the arrival of popular franchises from Paramount Pictures like Transformers and Indiana Jones.

It was first launched in Beta last August, and was fully released in March.

Will it still be free?

That is the question on all of our lips. MSN Video Player currently streams ads at the begining and end of programmes, as well as advert breaks during the programmes. As the budget to create films are much larger, we could expect more adverts to pay for the movie. Microsoft has not released any details of how it will fund the movies and what films will be on offer.

This new innovation is the latest solution by large media enterprises to fight off some 6 million illegal downloaders in the UK.

BBC iPhone apps put on hold

2010-03-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

The governing body of the BBC has decided to 'postpone' news and sport applications for the iPhone which were due to be released in April.

Many commercial rivals have heavily criticised the plans, including The Newspaper Publishers Association (NPA), which supports national newspapers. It claims that the BBC's offering would "damage the nascent market" for apps.

"It is vital that these proposals are scrutinised properly to avoid any adverse impact on commercial media organisations," said David Newell, director of the NPA. "We are pleased that the BBC Trust has listened to the industry's concerns and acted to delay the planned April launch. We hope this will enable a thorough assessment to be undertaken."

The BBC has been virtually undamaged by the recent recession, whereas commercial newspapers and other broadcasting news services have been drastically affected by a decline in advertising revenue which all commercial organisations depend on for income.

It is feared that now many commercial organisations have embraced new technologies and are finding ways to profit, the BBC's wealthy and well-resourced news division could move users away from commercial content.

As such, the BBC Trust has told the BBC to delay the release of its smartphone applications while it launches an investigation. the BBC Trust said today that "There remains some uncertainty about the potential significance of whether it constitutes a change of service."

If it is found that the plans are not an extension of existing BBC services, the BBC Trust could launch a full public value test to assess the need and impact of the apps.

ITNs free news app launched in February 2009 and is one of the top downloaded news apps on iTunes

Tech Desk iBulletin

2010-03-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

All the latest technology and online news headlines brought to you in 60 seconds. Hosted by Jamie Harris.

BREAKING: GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY CLOSES CHINA SITE

2010-03-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Google has effectively closed google.cn its China-based search engine following 2 months of negotiations between Google and the Chinese government over censorship.

The web address now redirects to google.com.hk, its Hong Kong based search engine.

Google threatened to close the site earlier this year after its source codes and gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists were allegedly attacked.

Google has had difficulty with the Chinese authorities since it launched locally in 2006 because of strict censorship laws blocking anything critical of the Chinese government. The Chinese government has accused Google of violating a "written promise" they agreed upon to accept laws requiring censorship. The state-run news agency Xinhua quoted a Chinese officially apparently slamming Google's decision and calling it "totally wrong".

Peter Barron, Head of Communications for Google UK told us "We've decided to change our approach to China. These attacks on our system as well as the surveillance exercise that we've discovered has led us to believe that we should no longer agree to censor our results in China."

Google is known for being the first choice in many countries but in China it is second to Chinese-based search engine Bai-du. "Go away, we have Baidu" is a common message on community forums like sina.com.cn from angry Chinese surfers who are offended by Google's actions.

Others have gathered outside Google China's Head Quarters in support of its decision. Chinese blogger Zhou Shuguang said "I welcome the move and support Google because an uncensored search engine is something that I need."

Now Google are running a 'Service Availability' page for Chinese users, to see what services are fully accessible, partially blocked or completely blocked. Services like Youtube and Blogger are completely blocked at present and image-host Picasa is partially blocked.

Click here to view the 'Service Availability' page to see what is available from Google in China today

60 Second iBulletin

2010-03-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

YouTube Report: Gaga video watched more than 14 million times

2010-03-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga's new single 'Telephone' is the most watched music video on YouTube ever - just 3 days after it was first published. The 9 and a half minute short film, featuring popstar Beyoncé is being crowned the 'Thriller' of 2010.

Since it's premier on Thursday, the video has received a massive 14 million hits on YouTube from eager music fans across the world. Putting this into a little more perspective, Gaga's guest on the song, Beyoncé, is no exception to worldwide fame. Her hugely successful hit 'Single Ladies' has received just under 12 million views. The difference is that the video was released over 4 months ago. So 14 million in little over 3 days is exceptional.

If you have not seen the video already, you can watch it below - however please be advised, MTV have not yet broadcast the clip before the watershed due to the adult content and themes within the video but an shorter cut-down version is expected to make its way on screens soon.

Officially Launched

2010-03-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

On this historic day, Tech Desk has opened its doors to the world wide web, unleashing a brand new news blog focusing on the latest technology news.

So what can you expect from Tech Desk? We'll be covering all the latest breaking technology news stories right here at www.thetechdesk.blogspot.com. Inluding, new technology entering the market from imminent 3D TV sets to the latest mobile phones. We'll have an in depth look at the latest technology gadgets, but cutting out the boring jargon and simply bringing the facts that matter to you. Plus, we look deep into what the web has to offer, what websites are causing a stir and which are creating hits through the roof.

And very soon we'll be launching iBulletin, a regular 60 second news update on the top stories of the moment and the hottest pages on the net, all direct from our Youtube channel. As well as video demonstrations of the latest technology due to hit the shops.

At Tech Desk, we don't only report on the technology, we use it. So you can stay up-to-date around the hour via our Twitter feed which you'll find to the left.

So keep your eyes peeled as we publish the latest stories right here, on the Tech Desk.