Online sales of clothing overtakes geek goods

From the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/14/technology/14clothing.html

For the first time since online retailing was born a decade ago, the sales of clothing have overtaken those of computer hardware and software, suggesting that consumers have reached a new level of comfort buying merchandise on the Web.

Young women largest demographic of web users

A surprising article from the BBC on the latest demographics of web users:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6662469.stm

"Young women are now the most dominant group online in the UK, according to new research from net measurement firm Nielsen/NetRatings"

Looks like the days of the 'net being a tool for young male geeks is long gone...

BBC New Media: "Death by Strangulation"

An interesting post from Monday's Media Guardian (needs registration):
http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,,2079046,00.html

The BBC has set itself a very ambitious task with their iPlayer, but can they deliver?

Wales buying in Welsh

The national procurement website for Wales (Sell2Wales) has started to allow public sector buyers to publish notices in English and Welsh.

The Welsh Language board and National Library of Wales have both published (below European threshold) notices using the facility, and when the goods or services they are buying need a demonstrable ability to use Welsh, then why shouldn’t they conduct the buying process in Welsh as well….?

APS WAG WWW

A slightly confused icWales article heralds that our brothers and sisters at the Senedd have got a new website. In reality I *think* it’s just the APS bit that’s new, as the WAG bit looks to be the same.

The new Assembly Parliamentary Service website is live and it is to mark the separation between the political legislative bit (the Assembly) and the implementers (WAG).

It is without doubt a vast improvement on what was – it boats a good strong design and suitably logical, clear and an intuitive information architecture. However as a product of 9 months and several hundred thousand pounds, it is it is empty (very empty), has several basic technical issues (slow page response times, the odd error)…and it is *so* web1.0 darling!

Google Maps for Mobile *UK*

Hurrah! Google Maps for Mobile finally launches a UK version

Such a cool system - just visit http://www.google.co.uk/gmm on your phone, download the tiny (147k) app for your phone, and away you go. Works lovely on my Nokia6233 - not as "instant" as running on a PC, but so much nicer than the (relatively) slow and clunky Orange service.

Now, if only they'd integrate with Traffic Wales, so we'd have real-time traffic camera images, too...

Microsoft feeling flash

The largely dominant Flash plug-in, used for eons as the preferred method of delivering rich media cross platform interaction, is to face a serious challenge from the Microsoft Alternative, Sliverlight.

Despite the obvious opportunities for close integration to Microsoft’s own .NET platform, Silverlight is also proving an excellent platform for true multimedia distribution as it boasts native support for full screen 720p (High Definition) video.

Silverlight is currently in Beta, and the new media community at large are already experimenting with what is, and isn’t possible. See http://www.silverlight.net/ for more.