Category: Other News

The news items published under this category are as follows.

Help raise money for charity with search engine 'Everyclick'

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:09 AM
Everyclick is a search engine with a difference. It works just like any other major search engine but the difference with Everyclick is that you can raise money for your favourite charity. What’s more, you can choose which charity you would like to support from over 170,000 UK charities.

MPs propose new safeguards for Government uses of personal data

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:08 AM
A Parliamentary committee has called on the Government to be more transparent about its uses of personal data and to adopt "a principle of data minimisation." Its report includes safeguards it recommends to avoid the UK becoming a surveillance society.

Personal web use costs UK plc £10bn - but it's not a bad thing!

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:07 AM
Personal internet use at work costs the UK economy £10.6bn a year – but it is probably money well spent, according to research by employers group the CBI.

SPs sign up to Ofcom Code on broadband speeds

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:05 AM
A Code of Practice to ensure that internet service providers (ISPs) offer greater clarity over customers’ broadband line speeds was published by Ofcom today. The Code does not require the disclosure of average speeds, but Ofcom said that might change.

Online ads 'a challenge to regulate'

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:03 AM
For the first time in its history, more people have complained to the UK’s advertising watchdog about adverts on the internet than those in the national press.

Users get their say about the Web

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:01 AM
YouTube users are being invited to tell Europe’s political and technology leaders how the internet can improve the world.

Software can catch logo thieves

Jun 20, 2008 - 03:59 AM
Like Big Brother maker Endemol, which has just unveiled the TV reality show’s latest ‘eye’ motif, pictured, freelancers are normally keen to see their logos appear on reputable websites. However use of any logo owned by a business, regardless of its size, sometimes comes with certain terms of how the rights holder wants it to appear on the third-party’s site. When those terms are not fully met, or if they are initially met but are subsequently ignored, smaller businesses often fail to act because they are unaware the breach has occurred. Big businesses, in contrast, may have a member of staff in PR and Communications dedicated to spotting third party sites which end up unlawfully using their intellectual property. But now, thanks to technical innovation, designers and one-man companies alike can catch those who mess with their prized business identity red-handed and in near real-time.

National Archives releases UFO files

Jun 20, 2008 - 03:58 AM
The UK National Archives has seen record traffic following the release of previously secret Ministry of Defence files on UFOs. The UFO site details investigations into sightings, alien abductions and crop circles from 1978 to 2002. It attracted 264,285 visits on the first day, five times the normal level. Information is contained in eight PDFs totalling just under 240MB which were downloaded over 1.3 million times in the first four days.

RDA's need to do more to support innovation

May 20, 2008 - 07:27 AM
England's regional development agencies (RDAs) must do more to encourage innovation, according to a report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The report, entitled 'The Ideas Business: The Real Innovation Nation', revealed that 74% of businesses invest in research and development, but just a third are aware of the current regional support available for innovation. One key issue from the report was that innovation policies of RDAs focus too much on science and academia, rather than businesses operating better in new ways. The report recommends that RDAs develop an understanding of what businesses want and need, to help improve innovation in UK-based firms.

E-recruitment is cost-effective, says report

May 20, 2008 - 07:25 AM
Research from the Cranfield School of Management has revealed that e-recruitment is a cost-effective way of attracting new recruits. The research, which looked at public sector e-recruitment systems, also revealed that e-recruitment is an efficient way to attract high- quality job seekers. The benefits of e-recruitment include removing the need for paper systems and the reliance on agencies, as well as reducing administration and hiring times.

E-skills website for small businesses

May 20, 2008 - 07:21 AM
A new Commission, which replaces the Sector Skills Development Agency and the National Employment Panel, aims to put employers at the centre of employment and skills policy development. The newly launched UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) will help to determine targets and policies that will help the Government and employers to achieve world-class skills levels, including engaging small businesses in the continuing development of their staff. It will also report on how UK employers can use skills to become more globally competitive.

Business Link: Web and web marketing

May 20, 2008 - 07:19 AM
Are you aware of and up to date with web and email marketing law? There are basic rules covering the use of email and the internet, these include contracts, marketing and e-commerce, privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and email policy.

Design Week: What rate should you be paid?

May 07, 2008 - 06:54 AM
As a design professional, you deserve to be earning a good salary. But are you being paid enough? The Design Week 2008 Salary Survey reveals the latest average salaries for designers, managers and freelancers in the UK

Ofcom examines future broadband infrastructure needs

May 07, 2008 - 06:15 AM
Ofcom has published proposals for extending the infrastructure required for the next generation of broadband networks for housing and office developments. The proposals seek to encourage investment in super-fast broadband with speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. Ofcom is currently consulting with businesses in the sector about its plans. Interested parties such as investors, property developers and business owners have until 25th June to respond.

Small businesses waste £2,000 a year on clearing spam

May 07, 2008 - 06:05 AM
Small businesses spend the equivalent of two working days a year clearing spam e-mail from their inboxes, according to a report by anti-spam service ClearMyMail. That's an average of £2,000 in lost productivity, as downloading and clearing worthless e-mails takes six seconds per e-mail. The report revealed that small businesses, which manage 10 different e-mail accounts, spend the equivalent of 160 hours of working time moving spam e-mail to the deleted items folder.

IT contractors' joblessness rates rise

May 07, 2008 - 06:03 AM
IT contractors out of jobs for long periods are on the rise, hitting 5.5% in March after falling to a two-year low of 4.4% at the end of 2007. That's according to research by contract services provider giant group plc, which has said the rise in long-term joblessness is due to the credit crunch as firms put non-essential IT work and contracts on hold. According to giant, contractors put more emphasis on job security than they did a year ago.

Employer-led board to help create skilled workforce

May 07, 2008 - 06:01 AM
A new Commission, which replaces the Sector Skills Development Agency and the National Employment Panel, aims to put employers at the centre of employment and skills policy development.

Vista upgrades deferred

May 07, 2008 - 05:59 AM
Some businesses are waiting for the next Windows operating system, Windows 7 rather than upgrade to the current operating system Vista. That's according to market researchers Forrester, who reckon that some businesses might continue to use XP and wait for Windows 7 to be released, before they upgrade. The research also revealed that 32% of businesses will upgrade to Vista by the end of 2008, and 17% plan to upgrade in 2009.

Design Week: Top designer in call for action over bad design

May 07, 2008 - 05:57 AM
Former Pentagram partner Kenneth Grange is calling for British designers to be as willing as their French cousins to make a stand and fight on issues they care about.

Businesses need to invest in IT skills

May 07, 2008 - 05:56 AM
More than half of UK businesses believe they can't find the skilled staff to meet their needs. According to research by the CBI and qualification provider Edexcel, 53% of business employers expressed concerns about finding the staff to meet their needs, while 56% are concerned about the IT literacy of their existing staff. Over two-thirds - 69% - are currently investing in training to raise the IT skills of their staff.

Cornwall likely to host Dott 10 (Designs Of The Times)

Apr 08, 2008 - 07:45 AM
The Design Council’s Designs of the Time is looking to the South West to host its next event in 2010, a year later than originally planned.

Media Innovation Awards winners announced at gala event

Apr 08, 2008 - 07:43 AM
Businesses from across the South West were recognised for their contribution to the screen-based media industry at the Media Innovation Awards ceremony held at the Holiday Inn, Plymouth on 14th March sponsored by South West Screen. The overall winner of the 2008 MIA trophy was Snap Happy, based in Bristol for Mobile Pie in association with Hands On Mobile and Luke Bennett, for producing an original, fun and user friendly mobile application. Plymouth-based HMC Interactive scooped the outstanding contribution award for creating dazzling interactive experiences that are enjoyed all over the world and for leading the field in multimedia installation projects across the globe. The evening was introduced by Mark Hawkins, chair of Plymouth Media-Partnership, and hosted by Jemma Woodman from ITV Westcountry was the host for the evening.