I am very happy that this blog site is launched today. Looking forward to share, contribute and also to learn from you about topics on Internet, Panorama, Real Estate and Productivity. Cheers!
IT SECURITY and data protection firm Sophos is warning Facebook users to be wary following a video attack on users designed to infect computers with adware. Thousands have been hit by the attack, which posts a fake video to profiles claiming to be the "sexiest video ever".
The malicious posts seemingly come from users' friends on Facebook, and are accompanied by what appears to be a movie thumbnail picture of a woman on an exercise bicycle wearing a short skirt. However, Sophos experts warn that clicking on the thumbnail picture doesn't play a video, but takes victims to a Facebook application that tells them they don't have the right player software installed, and tries to trick them into installing revenue-generating adware.
Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said: "You may want to watch a sexy video, but you're more likely to end up being plagued by pop-up advertising. Not only is adware being installed on your computer, but the rogue Facebook application is posting the same message to all of your friends' accounts."
Facebook users hit by the attack are advised not to click on the links or allow the Facebook application to run.
"If you fell victim to this attack, scan your computer with up-to-date anti-virus software, change your passwords, and review your Facebook application settings and remove whatever application was installed during this attack," said Mr Cluley. "Seventy per cent more Facebook users are reporting being attacked by malware via the site in the last year, and the problem only seems to be getting worse. Social networking users need to learn not to fall for simple but effective social engineering tricks like this in future."
Wow, time flies. It is about 2 months since my last posting here. Life has been very busy and hence the time "passed by faster"...
Anyway, just to share something that I realised recently. Of course, it is still related to Internet and property.
If you may know, Singapore property pricing is usually based on past transacted price. The reason is being transacted price is most reliable due to the fact that it is the price a willing seller and a willing buyer has reached an agreement.
However, I think situation may change because of Internet.
I was told by a client (property agent) that buyers who use Internet for house hunting, have an upper hand compare to those who do not. This is because those, so called Internet buyers, can compare properties and get information easily in the Internet. They are the well informed lot. This group of Internet buyers are growing everyday in the Singapore Property Market.
As compared to traditional media, information are not complete. It is not easy to compare the pricing of similar properties because of how information are provided using traditional media. However, Internet has increased the convenience of comparing the pricing of properties.
On the other hand, sellers can also make use of Internet to price their properties too! It works both side. Hence, sellers' agents or sellers themselves can also make use of Internet to keep up-to-date of the trend. This is something that agents need to get used to if they are to be competitive and win the trust of the owners.
Again, I am a true believer of Internet and strongly feel that Internet has changed our life for the better. It is a pity that most people are still not using it. These are people who are less privilege, who can afford it but are "afraid" of IT and who have no time to learn IT. Internet is not just for the young, hip and highly educated lot. Internet is just a way of life, like watching television and etc. When you need information, you just make use of Internet to do that. I used to joke and say "Internet is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're gonna get.".... believe Forrest Gump mother may say that if Internet was available at that time...:) May be Search Engine or Advertising company can use this as their marketing catch phrase... :)
Well, hopefully, the day will come early when Internet access is so so so affordable and more and more people realise the Power of Internet and start using it. :) Enjoy the following video:-
I refer to an article in Todayonline.com (Top News // Weekend, March 14, 2009) :
"You’ve been warned:if newspapers Die ... Companies will see sales slump, citizens will make important decisions in the dark" http://www.todayonline.com/articles/307448.asp ( hopefully the link still work over time)
In my opinion, the writer was trying to bring out the point that Newspaper is still important to the society. Who can deny that?... The question is, is Newspaper refers to Paper or is Newspaper refers to News?
If the "Newspaper" company still don't get the answers right and do the right things, ..... it will be very difficult to progress..... progress is the willingness to leave something behind and to pick up something ahead...
History tells us what will be in the future because history repeats itself..... not something I made up but from great people of all times in every part of the world. Hence, in my understanding, News will not die and cannot die.......but Paper, which is only a form of material that holds the news can be facing some fierce competition. And I can say that Internet is the very direct competitor. And if so, history tells us that material we use changed over time, but Human characteristics, Basic Needs and the needs to have NEWS will still be needed.
To cut things short, my 2 cents for the Newspaper companies is to focus on the Distribution & Contents of the News and not the Material that contains it. Look at it in another angle. Don't resist technology like Internet because it is open and.... threatening to the old way of doing things and old business model..........
I am very sure that papers will exist for a very very very very very long time (you can see how I emphasized its existence duration). Over thousand years, we are still using woods, bamboos and canes....... think about it.
I do not have the answers for the Newspaper companies, (of course, if I have, I would not be here. Or even if I have, no one will believe me either :)), but if you look back a few hundred years ago, not everyone read newspaper..... BECAUSE NOT EVERY ONE IS LITERATE!
For those IT companies, don't be despair in your current endeavours too, BECAUSE NOT EVERY ONE IS TECHNOLOGY SAVVY! And the infrastructure is still in its infancy, if I would say. We are now living in a "transition" era.
But deep inside we know that there are always a better way of doing things. And over times, we will change and adapt..... again, the history tells me that..:)
Enjoy the following video :) Feel free to reach out to me to discuss and chat on topics about Internet and the Current World. Thanks.
In my own opinion, year 2009 is like the 1930 Great Depression. Both started a year before which is 2008 and 1929 respectively. Year 2009 is NOT a normal financial crisis.
Is Great Depression good or back? Like most life experience people, my understanding is that in every good comes with a bad side and in every bad comes with a good side. Hence, it really comes down to how you look at it.
One thing that I am very sure and will bet on every cents that I have is that CHANGES is the only way to overcome Great Depression and it is inevitable. We all know that CHANGES is uncomfortable. People usually are comfortable with what they are already doing especially when what they are ready doing is making them comfortable. Old habits die hard and New way takes time to develop...... but changes, which is like adaptation is the element of survival.
One of the important changes for Real Estate Agents is to start picking up IT and learn and understand how it works and most importantly, how it can help them. This is the best time to do it. But in my experience, most Real Estate Agents are still not making use of technology to help them to be more efficient and productive. That also translate to cost and time saving. My advise is, Just Start Using IT. Only by using it, you will start to learn. If not, one will never start.
Hopefully, our real estate agent industry in Singapore will become more mature like the 1st world or even the 2nd world countries where it is really a profession where licenses are needed to practice and the Institutes are more proactive in helping the agents to keep up with technology to help in their work.....