e-paper devices

The Sony Reader is an e-book reader manufactured by Sony. It uses an electronic paper display developed by E Ink Corporation that has 166 dpi (200 dpi in 5 inch version PRS-300) resolution, eight levels of grayscale (16 in the PRS-900 model), is viewable in direct sunlight, requires no power to maintain a static image, and is usable in portrait or landscape orientation. The reader uses an iTunes Store-like interface to purchase books from Sony Connect eBook store (currently US and Canada only). It also can display Adobe PDFs, ePub format, personal documents, blogs, RSS newsfeeds, JPEGs, and Sony's proprietary BBeB ("BroadBand eBook") format. The Reader can play MP3 and unencrypted AAC audio files.

The Sony Reader competes with other e-paper devices: the Amazon Kindle, iRex iLiad, the Jinke Hanlin eReader, CyBook by Bookeen, and the Barnes & Noble nook.

Operating systems

Windows

Sony Reader comes bundled with Sony's proprietary software called Sony eBook Library (formally called Sony Connect). It is similar to iTunes in nature and requires Windows XP or higher (Windows Vista or Windows 7), an 800 MHz processor, 128 MB of RAM, and 20 MB of hard disk space. This software does not work on the 64-bit versions of Windows XP. 64-bit Windows Vista and Windows 7 is supported since Sony eBook Library version 2.5.00.09170 for all but the 500 models.^[12]


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Reader

UBBL 1984 may be amended

UBBL may be amended to increase broadband reach: Muhyiddin
Husna Yusop


PUTRAJAYA (March 4, 2010): The government was looking at amending the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 1984 to make it mandatory for all new buildings to have broadband facilities, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.


The matter was being considered by the Housing and Local Government Ministry which has been talking to the relevant stakeholders in the industry to ensure the proposal can be implemented.

"Broadband facility has now become a necessity like electricity and water. Every house everywhere around the country needs this facility. So, it is timely for all of it to be done at the same time.


More from Sun2Surf, 4 March 2010: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=44030

New buildings must have broadband infrastructure

Must for new buildings to provide broadband infrastructure

PUTRAJAYA, March 4 — All new buildings will have to provide broadband infrastructure as a new compulsory service, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

More from The Malaysian Insider, 4 March 2010 -  http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/55265-must-for-new-buildings-to-provide-broadband-infrastructure

Three-tier meetings:

1) Cabinet
2) Ministry
3) Stakeholders

Cabinet meetings:
1) Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
2) Cabinet committee meeting - Done

Ministerial meeting:
Ministry of Housing and Local Government - Not yet

Stakeholders' meetings:
1) Stakeholders - Not yet
2) Who are the stakeholders? How many?
3) The choice of stakeholders will depend on what/which technologies are chosen for roll-out of broadband & services for housing schemes

Summary & broadband issues for new buildings:

1) All new buildings must provide broadband infrastructure
2) This is a new compulsory ruling for broadband services
3) Broadband is a necessity just like electricity and water
4) Make broadband & services available
5) To help achieve targeted 100% accessibility
6) Housing schemes are either with/without broadband infrastructure
7) Cheaper to provide broadband infrastructure in new buildings
8) New buildings without broadband infrastructure will incure higher cost

Broadband infrastructure for new buildings:

1) No specifications so far
2) No cost has been cited (can be more expensive than now)
3) Cost is dependent on technology deployed
4) Bigger bandwidth will incur higher cost

Broadband performance and cost today

1) I pay RM77/mo for TM Streamyx (non WiFi version) since Jan 2008
2) I get to use Internet 24/7 most times
3) Internet is fast at home
4) Sometimes I cannot get Internet
5) Error msg: cannot find www.google.com
6) It is very frustrating when I cannot access Internet at home
7) Sometimes I don't know what is wrong
8) I have to learn to figure out what possibly went wrong
9) It takes me 3 days to finally obtain help from TM Streamyx
10) TM Streamyx was selling an insurance plan
11) I complained I could not get Internet
12) I got Internet immediately after I complained

On Campus & Jaring:

1) We had e-mail postings that Internet services will be disrupted
2) Internet was terrible on 4 March 2010
3) Internet was nil from 6.30pm-7pm on campus
4) On-campus Internet is slower now than it was before
5) Computer Centre said it upgraded our network
6) I feel it is worse now than before
7) What is the real truth?

Digital Review Asia Pacific

The biennial Digital Review of Asia Pacific is a comprehensive guide to the state-of-practice and trends in information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) in Asia Pacific. This third edition (2007–2008) covers 31 countries and economies. Each country chapter presents key ICT policies, applications,and initiatives for national development. In addition, five thematic chapters provide a synthesis of some of the key issues in ICT4D in the region, including mobile and wireless technologies, risk communication, intellectual property regimes,and localization.

DirAP Summary

1) Digital Review Asia Pacific is issued bi-annually

2) 4 issues - 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2009-2010

3) Chapter by country or economies

4) 30 countries & 3 regions listed

5) .my Malaysia is chapter 21

6) Each chapter can be downloaded


Source: http://www.digital-review.org/

SAING

Sahabat Siber Sayang Kelantan (Saing)
2 March 2010

Summary for Saing:
1) Date launched - Saturday, 6 February 2010
2) Who launched - MB, YAB Tok Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
3) Venue launched - Restoran Senangin, Perdana Resort, Kelantan
4) Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=433631045286
5) Admin team - 15 people
6) Registered members - 5,820
7) Language - Kelantan dialect / Kelantan ascent / loghat Kelantan
8) Source blog - http://asakelate.ning.com/profile/adninaim 
9) How many Internet subscribers joined Saing on Facebook?  Only 5.94%
10) How many Internet subscribers did not join Saing on Facebook? About 94%
11) How to promote and entice the 94% to join Saing on Facebook? Promote Saing on blogs, Twitter, etc

7% Internet penetration in Kelantan

Only Seven Per Cent Of Kelantan Population Have Internet Access

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Describing the percentage as low, the Kelantan Government has revealed that only seven per cent of its 1.4 million population have access to the Internet.

More from Bernama - 24 Feb: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=477803

 

Internet penetration at 7pc for Kelantan

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 24 — Describing the percentage as low, the Kelantan government has revealed that only seven per cent of its 1.4 million population have access to the Internet.

More from The Malaysian Insider - 24 Feb: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/54348-internet-penetration-at-7pc-for-kelantan

Summary for Kelantan:

1) Population 1.4 million
2) Internet penetration 7% (98,000 subscribers)
3) IT literacy - many are not IT literate
4) State reference for IT literacy - cannot access Internet to follow foreign & local news
5) Infrastructure - state govt supportive of land development by telcos including for transmitter installations
6) Govt agency - Kelantan State Economic Development Corporation (KSEDC)
7) Subsidiary - Infraquest Sdn Bhd (subsidiary of KSEDC)
8) Policy - by State govt & Jaring, to monitor users
9) Abuse - borderless world encourages cyber crime
10) Facebook - Sahabat Siber Sayang Kelantan (Saing)

Accessing the Internet at home

Ofcom research study done by Ipsos Mori in the UK.

Research design: Qualitative & quantitative study
Target group: Home without Internet, non Internet users at home, people without Internet at home

Source: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/telecoms/reports/bbresearch/bbathome.pdf