Tag Archive for 'Google'

Global Reduction in Spam

Published
by
Phillip
on Tue November 18, 2008
in News
. 0 Comments

ascii spam email

On the 13th November 2008, the BBC reported that two US Internet Service Providers have pulled the plug on McColo - a US hosting provider. During the month of November, I have received very little spam in my Google Apps email account. Bearing in mind I normally recieve between 5 - 10 spam emails per day, throughout this month, I have received only 4 emails so far.

According to a BBC report, there has apparently been a 70% reduction in spam globally, as McColo was believed to have had spam gangs as clients. Unfortunately, this will only be a temporary respite, as the spam gangs move to less scrutinised networks. As Google reports, they had noticed a similar decrease in the number of spam emails their servers were processing in July, but this had reversed within a few days.

The spammers can make millions in profits, making it a lucrative business, despite only receiving one response per 12.5m emails they send. This information comes after computer scientists from America infiltrated the Storm bot network, estimated to make £4,430 per day or more than £1.28m per year.

Has anyone else noticed a similar decline in the number of spam emails they are receiving?

Photo Credit: Yandle

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Google Predictions for 2009

Published
by
Phillip
on Sat November 15, 2008
in Google
. 2 Comments

As a web based worker, I, like many others are reliant upon Google’s ever increasing catalogue of applications. This list of predictions has been based on the Google Apps collaborative and productivity tools, relevant to web based workers.

  1. Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Docs and Spreadsheets will finally come out of beta. The suite of applications will continue to develop in functionality, providing a viable alternative to client based software.
  2. Gears will be integrated into the Googles Apps suite, enabling offline working for all users on all applications within the suite.
  3. There will be tighter integration between all Google applications. For example, Google Notebook and Google Reader can be accessed and managed directly from Gmail.
  4. Google will finally release a task management application, or acquire a third party provider.
  5. Gmail Labs features will graduate and be introduced into Gmail for all users. Gmail Labs will be opened up to third party developers to enable production of gadgets and features relevant to business and user requirements.
  6. Google Chrome’s features will continue to improve and provide support to Linux and Mac operating systems. Chrome will become a major competitor in the browser market and the operating system for Google applications on the web. There could also be a recurrence of the browser wars between Firefox 3.1, Internet Explorer 8 and Chrome.
  7. Google may release a mobile browser for Windows Mobile, Symbian and Blackberry devices, similar to that available on Android.
  8. Google will continue to develop the Gmail for Mobile application and enable push email for more mobile devices. Google may even offer a version based around the .NET framework built into Windows Mobile 6, removing the dependence upon Java in WM devices.
  9. Google will offer Calendar and Contact synchronisation to all mobile devices, similar to the Calendar sync tool available for Blackberry.
  10. Andriod version 2.0 will be released, offering support for MobileMe and Exchange - competing with Windows Mobile devices and the iPhone. Other manufacturers will release Android devices to the general market, available through all mobile service providers.
  11. Google will provide IM integration with Yahoo and Windows Live Messenger.
  12. The update of Google Apps Standard Edition will increase within education and small businesses, partly due to the global credit crunch.
  13. Google will enable centralised management of Adsense, Webmaster Tools and Analytics.
  14. Google will release a Analytics API allow data to be accessed and manipulated for reporting from the Google Docs package, if not, all packages. Google Analytics will be developed to offer live information on current sessions.
  15. Picasa Web Albums will be developed, offering a viable alternative to Flikr and will also be integrated with the Google Apps suite for businesses. Also the storage limit will be increased.
  16. Google Groups will be added to the Apps suite, allowing businesses to use the functionality internally.
  17. Each Google Account will be allocated a fixed amount of storage that can be shared between different applications as required. The storage allocation will continue to grow incrementally, but can be upgraded to a fixed amount by payment.
  18. Finally, although a bit far fetched, Google will allow Google Apps Administrators to decide where the data for their users’ accounts is to be stored.
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What happened to Gmail/Calendar and Gears integration?

Published
by
Phillip
on Sat November 15, 2008
in Google
. 0 Comments

A few months back, there were reports that Google would shortly be releasing Gears integration into Gmail and Google Calendar (image sourced from Google Operating System). There have also been additional reports that some users have accidentally had Gears integration enabled for the Google Calendar.

Garrett Rogers, reported back in October 2007, that he expected Gmail and Google Calendar to be given offline support prior to Google Reader, however, the contrary appears to have occured.

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Single Sign-On - risk versus reward?

Published
by
Phillip
on Thu October 30, 2008
in Security
. 0 Comments

Having read the recent news articles from the BBC and others, both Microsoft and Google are joining the single sign on bandwagon, making their users’ id’s OpenID compatible. Both parties will now join the numerous other companies who have already implemented the API into their sites and applications.

“OpenID eliminates the need for multiple usernames across different websites, simplifying your online experience”- OpenID, 2008

By removing the complexity of remembering different usernames and their associated passwords, users should find improved access to services on the web. However, by simplifying the authentication process down to one set of credentials; does this make security a bigger risk, and, will this add further temptation to those willing to unlawfully access enrolled applications for bigger rewards?

The security risks aren’t necessarily eaves dropping or packet sniffing attacks, but, what if a malicious keylogger has been installed on the user’s PC without the user’s knowledge. By the time the user is aware, it may be too late and it could prove very difficult verifying your identity to the service supplier and subsequently regaining access to your profile. But what could happen in the interim? Should you be using an online document package, consider what information is stored on there. If by accessing all these interlinked accounts, could a perpetrator find enough information to pose as yourself to open bank accounts and other services, fraudulently using your identity for financial gain?

OpenID is a very good service which is based on “an open, decentralized, free framework … [OpenID has] arisen from the open source community to solve the problems that could not be easily solved by other existing technologies” (OpenID, 2008). As OpenID isn’t owned by anyone, does this pose an major issue over accountability, should any security breaches occur? Especially when “anyone can choose to be an OpenID user or an OpenID Provider for free without having to register or be approved by any organization” (OpenID, 2008).

The SitePoint article, The Single Sign-On War Will Ruin OpenID, has also been drawn to my attention. The article explains how “Yahoo! and Google — and probably soon Microsoft — are locked in a battle to become the de facto OpenID provider … However, Google and Yahoo! (and likely Microsoft to follow) are ultimately competing with one another to become the branded single sign-on solution for the web”. So will the potential future fragmentation add additional complication to what should be, a simple, open technology?

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Mobile working using Google Apps

Published
by
Phillip
on Sun June 1, 2008
in GTD and Google
. 0 Comments

I have now been using Google Apps Standard Edition for about 6 months having previously used the stand alone applications through a standard Google Account. I have to say I am very please with the service I have received.  Gmail provides a superb method of sorting, filtering and labelling emails, Google Calendar is excellent and Google Docs & Spreadsheets are great for producing simple documents without the complexity within Microsoft Office.

The only tool that is missing from this collaborative suite is task management capabilities. However, Remember The Milk have resolved this with their superb Task Management Application. I currently use three of their applications to manage my personal and work tasks - Remember The Milk for Gmail, Remember The Milk for Google Calendar and MilkSync for Windows Mobile. The first two of the three applications are available with a free registration, MilkSync requires a Pro Account.

RTM for Gmail integrates excellently with Gmail, allowing you to manage tasks from your inbox, the application lets you relate tasks to contacts, managed priority, tags and labels among other things. You can also create tasks by ’starring emails’ and by adding labels. RTM for Google Calendar enables you to have the same management capabilities and task access from your Calendar.

Having recently acquired a HP iPAQ 514 Voice Messenger running the Windows Mobile 6 Operating System. I wanted to investigate ways of having mobile access to my Contacts, Calendar, Mail and Tasks - similar to that offered by Microsoft Exchange for a fraction of the cost. Having found the Milksync Application, this provided excellent integration and easy installation with scheduled sync available.

In order to Sync my Google Calendar to my new mobile device I had to look at other third party software as Google Mobile Calendar Sync currently supports only the Blackberry OS. Whilst Googling for such software, I came across OggSync. Oggsync have recently released a public beta version (4.07) of their Calendar Sync tool with added Contact sync functionality for Windows Mobile. Both Calendar and Contacts support two-way synchronisation. Again, there is limited functionality with the free account - you can only sync one Calendar with set intervals and you cannot sync contacts. However, I highly recommend, as I have, purchasing a subscription to this. I have found it to be a faultless application that just works and works well.

Having resolved my task management, calendar and contact sync issues my last item to address is mobile access to my emails. This is simple, Gmail offers IMAP email access, keeping all my read emails up to date.

The annual cost of this set up is $55 USD for one years access ($25 USD for the Remember the Milk Pro Account and $29.95 USD for the OggSync Subscription), just short of £30 GBP for two excellent bits of third party software and a superb collaborative package provided by Google. Compare this to approximately £100 GBP per annum for a hosted Microsoft Exchange Email account, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud Computing are the front runners.

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