Business Briefing Event

Juiced Media have once again teamed up with Managed Perceptions and Performance Plus Partnership to bring you the must attend event for local businesses in 2009.

The event, hosted at the newly opened Studio 2 at Great Yarmouth College on the 2nd December 2009 will feature presentations from Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth regeneration company, 1st East, Business Link, Eastern Wind Energy Group and Performance Plus Partnership and will give local businesses access to opportunities and information about business in the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth areas not available anywhere else.

After the presentations, refreshments will be served and the attention will then be turned to networking and a chance to speak to the presenters on a one-to-one basis.

Tickets are available priced at just £12.50 + VAT or at the reduced rate of £10.00 + VAT for FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) members. Places are limited and we are expecting the event to sell out quickly, so make sure you get your ticket by emailing enquiries@managedperceptions.co.uk with your name, business address and details of any guests.

We look forward to seeing you there!

http://bit.ly/171CFF

Mobile Phone Software Company Not Pleased With Courgette, Sues Google: Red Bend, a VC-backed mobile phone softw.. http://bit.ly/2thubU

Piracy plans

How government intends to tackle illegal file-sharers http://bit.ly/2×8rqd

Lord Mandelson sets date to block filesharers’ connections

Campaign against illegal filesharers will begin with warning letters only, but with option of blocks from summer 2011

Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, warned internet users today that the days of “consequence-free” illegal filesharing are over as he unveiled the government’s plan for cracking down on online piracy.

Mandelson, speaking at the government’s digital creative industries conference, C&binet, confirmed that the internet connections of persistent offenders could be blocked – but only as a last resort from the summer of 2011.

He added that a “legislate and enforce” strategy was the only way to protect the intellectual property rights of content producers. “Three strikes is a reasonable way of describing our approach,” he said.

The strategy, which will be officially set out in the government’s digital economy bill in late November, will involve a staged process of warning notifications with internet suspension as a last resort.

“It must become clear that the days of consequence-free widespread online infringement are over,” Mandelson said. “Technical measures will be a last resort and I have no expectation of mass suspensions resulting.”

The legislation is expected to come into force in April next year.

The effectiveness of the warning letters to persistent illegal filesharers will be monitored for the first 12 months. If illegal filesharing has not dropped by 70% by April 2011, then cutting off people’s internet connections could be introduced three months later, from the summer of that year.

“If we reach the point of suspension for an individual, they will be informed in advance, having previously received two notifications – and will have the opportunity to appeal,” Mandelson added. “The British government’s view is that taking people’s work without due payment is wrong and that, as an economy based on creativity, we cannot sit back and do nothing as this happens.”

Mandelson said that the strategy was a “proportionate measure that will give people ample awareness and opportunity to stop breaking the rules”. “The threat for persistent individuals is, and has to be, real, or no effective deterrent to breaking the law will be in place,” he added.

There would be a “proper route of appeal” for those that do have their internet accounts suspended, Mandelson said. He added that he did not want to see internet service providers “unfairly burdened” by the new system.

“ISPs and rights-holders will share the costs, on the basis of a flat fee that will allow both sides to budget and plan,” he said.

The staged roll-out of the strategy will see Ofcom assess the effectiveness of the warning notification system on cutting illegal filesharing, backed by the threat of legal action by rights holders and content companies, in about April 2011.

If the 70% reduction is not achieved the use of technical measures to cut off persistent offenders’ web access will be introduced by about July 2011.

Should this system be introduced repeat offenders will be warned they are infringing and then, in a second letter, told that technical measures could be implemented. Further infringement will lead to the offenders’ names being put on a “serious infringers list”, with ISPs then “obliged to exercise technical measures”.

No timetable was given by the government for the speed with which the process can go from a warning letter to internet suspension.

When infringers are informed that they face having their internet access suspended, they will have 20 working days to appeal to an independent body, to be established by Ofcom. The suspension will not come into force until the appeal has been heard.

If the first appeal is unsuccessful the infringer can lodge a second appeal within 20 working days.

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• File sharing
• Internet
• Digital Britain
• Digital media
• Peter Mandelson

Mark Sweney

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Twitter for TV lovers: who to follow

From Armando Iannucci and Graham Linehan to Mathew Horne and Katy Brand, Tim Lusher picks out the best TV folk to follow

Jonathan Ross

@wossy

Much of what the chatshow host shares with his 434,000 followers is predictably about films and his TV guests, but his always upbeat thread also gives a sweet-natured insight into his home life: dodging his kids’ difficult homework questions, waking up to find the dogs asleep on his head or wondering how to dress for their walkies (“Ralph Lauren or Lady Gaga?”).

Armando Iannucci

@alannucci

The comedy genius behind The Thick of It has been busy posting trailers and teasers for the latest series of the political satire, as well as sharing his views with nearly 25,000 followers: he’s “incalculably depressed” at the thought of a Cameron government, and thinks the “gob-hammeringly insensitive” Ben Bradshaw proves we are entering “the Dawn of the UberTwat”. TTOI fans will be glad to know that the cast and writers of the show are big Twitterers. Junior adviser Ollie Reeder, aka @mrchrisaddison, is consistently funny (“Ikea. Sunday. I am full of meatballs and loathing”), as is “swearing consultant” @ianmartin. You can also follow @rebeccafront, who plays new minister Nicola Murray, and writers @jessearmstrong1 and @simonblackwell.

Grace Dent

@gracedent

Fast, distinctive and merciless, the Guardian’s World of Lather soap columnist is a prolific and hilarious tweeter. Her lucky 11,000 followers are treated to regular updates on everything from her latest TV passions (Sky1’s Modern Family) to Danny Dyer, Spandau Ballet and chocolate biscuits, although it’s her companionable commentary on weekend TV that is most indispensable (Strictly: “feel like I’ve been sitting in my gran’s bay window waiting for the mobile shop for the last hour”; X Factor: “‘couldn’t have tried any harder’ – that’s what you say to the vet before you agree to having your dog put down.”) Particularly funny when bickering with @caitlinmoran and @alexispetridis. Other X Factor greats: the brilliant @popjustice and, for specialist gambling tips, @victoriacoren.

Graham Linehan

@glinner

The creator of Father Ted and The IT Crowd tweets frequently and entertainingly about anything that takes his interest, but he’s one of the more thoughtful users of the site – he’s as likely to share his views on Nick Griffin, Jan Moir and car-pooling with his 32,000 followers as he is to spread good-humoured gags. The results – such as when he set up the hashtag #welovethenhs to defend the British health service from Republican criticism – can be powerful and persuasive.

Mathew Horne

@mfhorne

The comic-sketcher seems to have a busy moonlighting life as a DJ. Who knew? Cheerily and enthusiastically bonds with his 50,000+ followers by greeting them as “Team” or, er, “jizz biscuits”. 

Derren Brown

@derrenbrown

The tricksy mentalist mainly uses his feed to direct his 165,000 followers to quirky postings on his blog, but frequently pops up to talk about food, gadgets and apps, or to pose mind-bending questions. A thoughtful and playful presence.

Sharon Horgan

@realsharhorgan

A newcomer to Twitter, the Pulling/Free Agents star has around 1,200 followers listening in to her bizarre dietary habits (“For supper tonight i am having a glass of speciality vodka and a bag of Percy Pigs. Then i might go for run”) and pithy X Factor verdicts (“That was shit”).

Sam Bain

@sambaintv

“Had a dream last night that Mark from Peep Show was gay and married Super Hans. Series 7?” The writer of the Bafta-winning comedy (nearly 2,500 followers) pops up occasionally with intriguing thoughts such as this. Also on the site are the two stars, @realdmitchell (111,500 followers) and @realrobertwebb (42,700 followers).

Sue Perkins

@sueperkins

The Supersizer (over 8,000 followers) is a diffident poster but her infrequent comments are amusing and self-deprecating: “A builder has just shouted ‘Oi, Mel Sykes!’ at me, proving that regular eye tests are no longer mandatory in the construction industry.” All her food-related posts are as hapless as her experiments on the TV series: “Attempting to make a courgette trumpet (with red pepper mute). So far I’ve managed to slice off my thumb. That, at least, created a sound.” By contrast, her fellow presenter, the restaurant critic and “sweary food-throwing man” Giles Coren (@gilescoren, 7,000 followers), cleverly gives the impression of often pressing send before checking over his very funny posts: “Hix rocked by the way. Loads of art people, sexy people, cocktails, grown up food, bar-billiards. Book now before people like me ruin it all.”

Simon Pegg

@simonpegg

The actor and comedian (over 76,000 followers) tweets about fatherhood, balding, his dog and his local fox population. Not much about TV but he helpfully brings up those questions that have been niggling in the back of all our minds: “Did JT bring sexy back? He said he was going to. I mean, if anyone can he can. I just wondered if I should, in case he forgot. He’s busy.”

Ben Miller

@bennylicious

The sketch-show star doesn’t post that frequently (he recently mentioned shooting the Catherine Tate Christmas special, involving a skit on Christmas past with Nan as Scrooge), but like his comedy partner Alexander Armstrong (@xanneroo, 13,600 followers) he engages enthusiastically with his 15,000 followers and seems to genuinely like their feedback.

Katy Brand

@katyfbrand

The TV impressionist told her 2,200 followers that she now approaches celebrity haunts where her targets might hang out “with gleeful caution”. Her comments on what she’s seen on the box remain interesting and direct. On those cash-for-jewellery ads: ”‘I sent in my unwanted gold ring from my first marriage and got more money that I could ever have imagined’. This recession has no class.” On Top Gear: “Is it just me, or is Richard Hammond looking increasingly like Liza Minnelli?”

• Television
• Twitter
• Digital media
• Social networking
• Armando Iannucci
• Jonathan Ross
• Derren Brown

Tim Lusher

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

http://bit.ly/4vAN1s

Massive call for mobile rate cut

A petition to reduce mobile termination rates with more than 114,000 signatures will be passed to watchdog Ofcom. http://bit.ly/2mjykB

Apps success opens up mobile revenues for Sky

BSkyB will begin selling FA Premier League goal highlights in its Sky Sports Football Score Centre iPhone app to bolster the “tens of thousands of pounds” of revenue it says its apps are generating. http://bit.ly/28Q34v

Schwarzenegger Gives California Legislature A Hidden Finger

There is absolutely no way I’ll be able to make this relevant to tech. But I’m posting it anyway. Our Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, vetoed a California legislative finance bill – AB 1176. The letter is terse and to the point. And the first letter of each line in paragraphs 2-3 are even terser and more to the point.

Schwarzeneggers battles with the state legislature are epic. But this just goes way beyond epic. It’s something for the history books.

I wish I had the time to do this kind of thing in my posts here on TechCrunch.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programing.

http://bit.ly/2BgM9j

Pandora Opens Its Box A Bit More With Twitter, Facebook, And Gifting Integration

Currently, if you want to share a Pandora station or song with a friend, you have to email it to them. Last time I checked, this isn’t 1994. Tonight, Pandora is joining the 21st century with the addition of simple ways to share stations and songs on Twitter and Facebook. And it’s further emphasizing a feature that no one seems to realize exists: Gifting Pandora stations.

On Pandora’s main playback pages you will now see a new set of buttons next to the traditional playback ones. These include a Twitter button, a Facebook button, a mail button, and a gift button. Clicking on any of those allows you to send the current station or current song you’re listening to via those respective services.

http://bit.ly/xP44L

Exclusive Picture Of Unlaunched Apple Tablet (circa 1990)

Yeah ok it isn’t that Apple Tablet. But this is a picture, taken around 1990, of the Apple Pen Mac, a little known and never launched Apple tablet project. As far as we can tell there is no other image of this device anywhere on the Internet, and very few references to it at all.

The Pen Mac was a fully functional Mac computer (it even played the Mac startup chime) with a pen based touch screen. The screen itself was identical to the Mac Portable, but with the addition of pen touch. And of course the case was a lot smaller than the Mac Portable. The Pen Mac was supposedly not much more than one inch thick. Users could plug in a keyboard and mouse or easier input.

Holding the Pen Mac in the picture is Glam CEO Samir Arora, who told me about the device over dinner a couple of weeks ago. Arora worked at Apple on the project, eventually going to a spinout company, Rae Technology, which was designing applications for the Pen Mac. Rae Technology eventually morphed into NetObjects.

The Pen Mac project was led by Paul Mercer but was eventually axed in favor of the Newton. Then Apple CEO John Sculley wanted a PDA, not a tablet. From a 2006 NY Times article:

http://bit.ly/jFlc9