The opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held later today, Friday, 5 August, and over the next two weeks, most of us will be stealing time away for our normal schedule, try to watch some of the events. However, even with the best effort, keeping on top of it all can be a challenge, as event are occurring simultaneously, and for some of them, such as the 100m and 200m dash, within 10–20 seconds, they are done.

As expected, there are dozens of apps that will be provide news on the Olympics, be they news or sports apps, for example, that will include the results of events in its updates, to apps dedicated to the Olympics, and will become dormant once the games have ended. Below we highlight three mobile/cellular applications that could help us to have the best Olympics experience, regardless of whether we will be witnessing it remotely, or on site in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio 2016 mobile app

How best to keep abreast of the latest results whilst on the go? The official app for the 2016 Olympics promises to help by providing the event schedule for all of the sports and competition results in real time. To round out the app, details on the various sports that are tested at the Olympics, along with information on all of the venues, just in case you are (or plan to be) in Rio de Janeiro!

Supported platforms: iPhone;  Android;  Windows Phone

Price:  Free

YouTube

In addition to the Running Man, cat, makeup, cooking, and music videos so many of us frequent on YouTube, and similar to what obtained in 2012, some of the events of the 2016 Olympics will be live streamed, so you can witness the happenings in Rio even if you are not home to watch them on TV. Further, if you happened to miss the live streaming, scores of highlights will also be uploaded to the YouTube channels of official broadcasters for the Games, so that we can catch up without the pressure.

The YouTube app, which is still one of the most downloaded and used apps, is also available, just in case you cannot wait until you get home to catch up.

Supported platforms: iPhone;  Android;

Price:  Free

Brazil Travel Guide

For those is us lucky enough to be in Brazil during the 2016 Summer Olympics, a travel guide could be invaluable. Brazil Travel Guide app is one of many available in app stores today. Some of them are for specific cities, but this one covers over 100 cities in Brazil including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo. For many of us, visiting Brazil will be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and so we might want to cover as much ground as possible!

In addition to maps and a sightseeing section with all major monuments in each city, the app also has an eating out section with the best restaurants, bars, pubs and nightlife for the cities covered. It also includes phrasebook with useful basic Portuguese to help users get around..

Supported platforms:  iPhone; Android

Cost:  Free

Image credit:  Brian Godfrey (flickr)

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In a number of our earlier posts, particularly those dealing with privacy and security, we do remind everyone set strong passwords – see for example, How secure are your passwords?  However, due to considerable processing power and software programmes that is readily available for those that might want to breach our security, industry experts have acknowledged that regardless of our best efforts generate and manage strong passwords, they can still be cracked relatively easily. This post highlights options that could be considered when passwords and passcodes should not be the sole security control mechanism for crucial physical and electronic resources upon which we rely.

Biometric authentication

Biometric authentication has been around for several years and is based on using human characteristics or traits to confirm a person’s identification. Many of us are familiar with biometrics through movies, which frequently show irises, retinas and fingerprints being are scanned, or even when travelling to countries such as to the United States, where facial recognition and fingerprinting are used at Immigration/Border Control. However, a number of mass market computing devices, such as laptops and smartphones, either have built-in biometric capabilities, or there are hardware or software options through which it can be implemented, as highlighted below:

• Many of the popular laptop brands (e.g. IBM/Lenova, Toshiba, Dell) have had biometric fingerprint scanners capability available and integrated into their design for a number of years.
• There are biometric mobile apps for both the iPhone and Android-based smartphones on the market that use iris, voice, facial, hand geometry and signature recognition.
• Tactivo is case the iPhone that provides fingerprint scanning and smartcard reading capabilities, which can be implemented separately, or together. However, the price point for this accessory (MSRP USD 249.00) might make it more attractive to businesses/enterprises, than to the average consumer.
• Apple has patented a fingerprint scanner to unlock the iPhone. Experts hope will be included in the next device iteration, iPhone 6 (Source: TechRadar).

Passphrases

Unlike passwords that typically are between six and 14 characters, a passphrase consists of a series of words or text that are used for security control purposes. One of the key benefits of passphrases over passwords is that the considerable longer length of the code allows for increased complexity, which at the very least, can make successful breach more difficult.  However, in order to be a marked improvement over passwords, at a minimum, passphrases ought to be:

• Long, at least 20 characters, so that they would hard to guess,
• not a popular quotation or saying
• hard for persons who know to guess, and
• include a combination of numbers, upper and case letters, and symbols, as the system might allow.

It also is important to highlight that similar to passwords, passphrases should easy to remember, and should not be reused between websites, applications, etc.

Authentication tokens

Security or authentication tokens are used to confirm a person’s identity, and can be used to replace passwords or to add an extra level of the security to an existing system. These tokens can take many forms, such as hardware-based, as a smart card or USB dongle, or electronically generated, and transmitted (with wireless encryption) to mobile or portable devices. Additionally, regarding electronic tokens, in particular, there is the potential to generate new security keys as and when necessary, e.g. for each new transaction, which again reduces the likelihood of successful intrusion.

Authentication tokens are widely used by the banking industry to supplement the customer password. A few banks in the Caribbean have already introduced this level of security, but this is still the exception, rather than the norm. The video clip below describes how the security token for Citi works, where customers are provided with a physical device that generates the tokens needed to complete their online transactions.

Putting the pieces together

The above alternatives to the password all have distinct advantages, which can strengthen the security of devices and electronic accounts that need to be protected. However, it ought to be appreciated that none of these alternatives, like passwords, are infallible. They must still be prudently managed and controlled to limit the chances of successful interception or intrusion.

Nevertheless, and for resources we can consider highly valuable, it might be worth considering implementing a two- (or multi-) stage access control protocol, where one or more of the above options could be used to supplement passwords or passcodes. We, as individual users, can implement some of these options straightaway, such as using biometric authentication and passphrases. In some instances, it may require enhanced features of your device or account to be enabled, or an app and/or accessory be purchased.

While some of us may baulk at the thought of having to spend money on device or account security, and world prefer to rely on free products and services, it might indeed to appropriate to remember: “you get what you pay for”. Hence depending on how critical we consider the information or devices we are trying to protect, greater personal effort and commitment might be necessary.

Image credits:  digitalart; twobee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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In our most recent news roundup, the Government of Jamaica announced that by early 2013, “there should be a full-fledged social media policy in place, with guidelines for order and professionalism in Government” (Source: Jamaica Information Service). Without a doubt, it is heartening that the Government of Jamaica is preparing a social media policy that ought to standardize management and use of the various platforms across its Ministries and associated agencies. However, much of the private sector across the Caribbean – small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as large corporates– is still grappling with how best to use social media.

More importantly, although a number of businesses and organisations might be using select social media platforms, that use might be ad hoc, or has not been considered within a wider context. This post outlines five key considerations when developing a social media policy, or a framework for social media use in your business or organisation.

Although some of you might begin to feel anxious by the words “policy” or “framework”, these documentsdo not need to be complicated. They can be less than one page, but their main purpose is to provide a structure for social media use, in order to achieve the organisation’s goals, and to ensure that this use is aligned with the organisation’s brand.

1.  Be clear about the purpose, function and goals of social media in the organisation

Determining the purpose, function and goals of social media in your organisation, from the outset, will not only be critical to the framework, it will have a direct impact on which platforms are selected, how they are used, along with emphasising the perceived importance of social media to the organisation. As indicated in our presentation at Avaya Evolutions 2012 delivered earlier this year, businesses typically use social media for one or more of the following purposes:

• marketing and promotion
• customer care and feedback
• information dissemination, and/or
• discussion forums.

Furthermore, many organisations look at social media as just marketing. However, it ought to be considered as part of the wider business strategy to achieve corporate goals and imperatives. Hence, depending on the perceived importance or value, of social media in that wider context, it may be easier to demand (or justify) a greater allocation of resources to maximise outputs.

2.  Be clear about the messaging

This point does not speak to specific content, but in general terms, the corporate position on how social media will be used, and preferred practices.

Many organisations, especially conservative firms, have been reluctant to employ social media because they are concerned about how it could affect their brand. Their greatest fears tend to be inconsistent messaging and inadequate controls. This tip would ensure that some of those concerns are considered, and could cover topics such as:

• interaction style or guidelines
• privacy
• intellectual property
• confidentiality.

Ultimately, the aim is to consider and begin to develop a framework for the organisation’s engagement with public via social media, to ensure that consistent policies and practices are established.

3.  Specify the internal approval processes and channels

Coupled with the previous point, businesses that are concerned about their brand tend to be keen to ensure that internal controls to govern social media use are established. An individual, or a group of persons, ought to be identified to manage the social media platforms used by the organisation. This person or team would have overall responsibility, but may also be required to vet and oversee new campaigns, posts, entries, responses, etc.

Depending on the organisation and how complex its use of social media is, the oversight and management processes could be tiered. Hence certain activities would be approved by the lower tiers, with provision being made to escalate unusual or important matters up the prescribed channels.

4. Identify performance metrics

Again, when social media is being considered within the context of the overarching corporate strategy, it is also important to identify key measures that can be used to gauge the success of strategies or campaigns that have been implemented. Useful indicators of the impact of social media could include:

• the size of the network on specific platforms (e.g. number of followers)
• website traffic (e.g. number of unique visitors, page views, and other analytics measurements)
• sales directly attributed to social media/networking
• organisational improvements directly attributed to social media/networking.

5. Identify the team

Finally, a general observation made on many business websites and social networking pages is that engagement is ad hoc or infrequent, which would limit the effectiveness and possible benefits of social media to those organisations. This situation is often due to the fact that many businesses underestimate the effort and resources needed to develop and execute a cogent and well-defined social media strategy that will contribute to the their goals and performance.

In point 3, we suggested that the team who will vet and oversee social media use by the organisation be identified. Now, it is important to identify persons who might be on the frontlines of engagement, and those who would be required to prepare content that eventually will be disseminated or highlighted via the selected social media channels.

Final remarks

Once more, it is emphasised that social media should not be seen a just a marketing tool for a business or organisation.  It can have an impact  on important corporate metrics and performance goals.  Hence it is critical for managers to consider it within their wider strategy, and be prepared to develop the necessary structures and assign the resources needed to facilitate successful execution.

Image credit:   jscreationzs (FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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On Monday, 3 October , Research in Motion (RIM), the manufacturer of BlackBerry smartphones announced the launch of three new BlackBerry 7 smartphones for the Caribbean region.  The new phones: BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Torch 9860 and BlackBerry Torch 9810, should be available from the company’s carrier partners in the region from mid-October. Around the same date, the much-anticipated iPhone 4S, from Apple, is also expected to go on sale in major markets.

New BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 9860 and Torch 9810

Smartphone product lines from high value brands such as Apple and RIM are normally priced in the region of USD 200 to USD 350. They also tend to be much sought-after brands by the consumers, which make them highly lucrative for counterfeit manufacture. A glaring example of this was the recent news reports of  fake iPhone 5 handsets being on sale in China, along with the fake Apple stores that were also discovered across that country.

How can you spot a fake?

Consider the following six tips.

1. Do your research. Although it almost goes without saying, it is important to be familiar with the appearance, specifications and features of the mobil or smartphone that you are interested in purchasing. This especially the case for new or soon to be released smartphones, where there might be relatively little information publicly available, or they might not yet be as widely released as earlier versions.

2. Check the appearance. Frequently, fake phones are a close, but not an exact, match of the original. There can be subtle inconsistencies in

• colours and shades used
• the manufacturer and product name
• location of manufacturer’s logo and branding
• the packaging and documentation provided
• overall quality of the final product.

3. Check the weight. In order to sell the phones cheaply, inferior quality materials are generally used. As a result, coupled in the subtle differences in appearance, the final product might appear unduly light and flimsy.

4. Look closely at features and functionality. In addition to inferior housing, cheap electronic chipsets are usually used in counterfeit devices, and the operating systems used may, at best, also be substandard, or at worst, pirated. Prospective buyers are advised to try the phone before you buy, as users may experience limited functionality when compared with the real article in the following ways:

• slower processing speeds
• missing or limited features
• incompatibility with known software and applications.

Additionally, some fake devices tend to be unreliable. They may work for a short time, but within a few weeks or even months, they stop working altogether.

5. Is it cheap? Relatively speaking, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Counterfeit devices tend to be heavily discounted, sometimes being sold for up to half or even a third of the retail price of the genuine version of the smartphone.

6. Can you return it, get it repaired or replaced?  All reputable manufacturers offer limited warranty on their mobile phones, e.g. on the handset, accessories and software.  On smartphones, the warranty is normally for a period of one year from the date of purchase by the original owner, and many resellers might offer extended warranty options. For imitation phones, little or no warranty is provided. Hence it is important to ask about the warranty provided and to ensure that clear information and documentation is supplied on the process and locations where such issues can be addressed.

7. Does it have an IMEI number? Every genuine mobile phone is issued a unique code, an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) that is used to register the device to a mobile operator’s network. Certain networks, especially GSM networks, use the IMEI to identify valid devices. For stolen or questionable phones, network operators can use their IMEIs to block those from successfully connecting to their networks.

The IMEI of a phone is usually found printed under the battery. Alternatively, on most phones, it be displayed on the screen by entering ” *#06# ” via the keypad.

On the other hand, counterfeit phones tend either to have a fake IMEI, or no IMEI at all. These phones can experience difficulty registering on a particular network, which is a problem intrinsic to the device, and cannot be corrected by changing the SIM used.

Summary

The above tips are meant to provide some guidance to those who are being given an exceptional deal on a “new mobile phone” or “new smartphone”, and might be concerned about the possibility of buying a fake product. The best avenue through which to purchase genuine phones is through an authorised dealer or reseller of a manufacturer, which in the Caribbean, normally is mobile network operators or service providers. However, there are usually a number of local vendors that also offer a broad range of mobile phones and accessories for sale.

Although some of those resellers might be reputable, returns and refund policies across the region are generally not as established as in developed countries. Hence it is critical to do your research and examine the device along the lines suggested above. The objective is to try to get the phone you want, and limit the possibility of unpleasant surprises when purchasing a new mobile or smartphone.

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World economies are still in the throes of recovering from the Global Financial Crisis that emerged in the latter half of 2008. In the Caribbean, the situation has been particularly acute for us, as our markets are inextricably linked to the weak economies of our key trading partners countries, such as the US, Canada, UK, Europe and our sister Caribbean countries. As a result, governments and businesses have had to do more with less, which has meant that across most sectors, extensive layoffs have occurred and business expansion/development has effectively ground to a halt.

One of the hardest hit sectors is technology/ICT. Thanks to technology, certain systems and efficiencies can be introduced, which allow now smaller (or even understaffed) organisations to continue to operate. However, like most industries, uncertainty over the recovery process has caused tech businesses to be conservative with hiring, at least into the foreseeable future. Hence those who are currently employed are often on tenterhooks about job security, and are finding their options for professional growth and development limited. On the other hand, those who are not currently employed are finding it difficult to get (or regain) a footing in the current market.

What can be done in the interim? Clearly those who have a job are in a better position than those who do not. Nevertheless, the following tips should help you to position yourself to capitalise on opportunities that come your way.

1. Continue to network. In an economic downturn, it is increasingly important to maintain and establish new contacts. There is stiffer competition for the few jobs available, but invariably, recruiters tend to prefer someone who has been referred, or has been recommended by persons they trust. Do seek out opportunities through which you can broaden your network of contacts. For example, consider

• joining professional associations, especially those that are locally based
• regularly attending seminars or workshops in your  field, and even
• joining professional networking sites such was LinkedIn.

2. Keep updating portfolio. This tip is particularly important for those who are unemployed, and have been for a number of months. As time passes, employers become increasingly wary of those who have been out of work for a while – they fear their skills are no longer current. Hence being able to intermittently update your work experience becomes critical. Although paying work in your field is desirable, do consider volunteer and pro bono opportunities, which could demonstrate your effort to continue to hone your skills and to remain relevant in your field.

3. Pursue temp/freelance opportunities. Coupled with the previous tip, freelance or temporary work could be a much-welcomed stopgap if you are unemployed, looking to make some extra income, or to broaden your experience. There are many options that could be explored. Locally, you could register with temping or employment agencies. For persons in the tech field, especially those who are programmers, application developers or technical writers, there are numerous websites that connect businesses with freelance contractors. Examples include Elance, oDesk, Sologig and hour.ly. Also, it is highlighted that numerous jobs are advertised on LinkedIn. Your contacts, along with the groups you have joined, could prove invaluable to connect you with those openings.

4. Develop new skills. Although the obvious focus is on getting a job, due to advancements that are constantly occurring in the tech industry, existing and prospective employees must make their continued professional development a priority. Since the industry so dynamic, it is critical to be proactive, and begin to understand

• the trends in your particular field
• what skills are being desired, and
• what positions might soon become vacant or be created for which you would like to be considered.

5. Start your own business. For those who are unemployed, it might be necessary to create your own work, albeit in the interim. Depending on the field, it might be possible to secure work over the Internet (see tip #3), which may considerably increase the number of opportunities that can be pursued. Nevertheless, and regardless of the business, it is important to do your research to understand, among other things,

• the market and the extent to which your proposed business is viable
• the equipment/materials needed and the costs that must be met
• possible niche areas that could be covered
• the effort (and commitment) required to make the business successful.

6. Try to keep busy and stay positive. In a difficult job market, it is easy to get discouraged, especially if the situation does not appear to be improving. However, the above tips should keep you busy and with a positive attitude you are more likely to be open to explore new and different opportunities that might arise.

Good luck!

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Monday, 15 August 2011

No double-cross intended by cable provider

Antigua & Barbuda – Since a deal was struck between Turner Broadcasting System Latin America, Inc (TBSLA) and Karib Cable giving them exclusive rights to broadcast TBSLA programming, the cable provider is speaking for the first time, saying they did not double-cross CTV with the July agreement… more

Jamaica looking for technology partners

Jamaica – Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, says the government of Jamaica is eager to partner with technology providers on major projects that will revolutionise the use of computer technology locally and increase productivity and value-added… more

Tourism Department adopts smartphone app

St. Thomas, USVI – My Virgin Islands, an application for smartphones first developed by St. Croix native Shomari Moorehead, has been adopted as the territory’s official app by the V.I. Tourism Department… more

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

Phone tap, e-mail snoops OK

Cayman Islands – New rules allow “any person employed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to intercept a message in relation to a matter or person” for the purposes of gathering intelligence… more

Ministers mum on cellphone tapping

Trinidad & Tobago – Both Minister of Communication Dr Suruj Rambachan and Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh on Sunday declined to comment on recent reports that the National Security Council, headed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had met with Digicel to get assistance in tapping cellphones… more

Wednesday, 17 August 2011

Cable Bahamas To Launch New Service

Bahamas – Cable Bahamas will introduce its brand new fixed line telephone service at the end of the month, marketing manager Dave Burrows told Tribune Business yesterday, stating that the company is confident its REVOICE offering would bring serious competition to the fixed line market…. more’

Phone tapping: Who has the oversight?

Cayman Islands – The motivation for and oversight of Cayman’s new telecommunications interception regulations – the rules that govern how and when police can monitor telephone, email and postal communications – is being questioned by the leader of the country’s opposition political party… more

LIME rolls out ‘FLIPtop’ plan to push Internet access

Jamaica – Telecommunications Company LIME yester-day rolled out a new plan aimed at increasing Internet penetration across the island, offering new customers a low-cost laptop with two-year residential Internet service packages… more

LIME Launches Low-Cost Laptop

Jamaica – Telecommunications firm LIME Jamaica has launched a low-cost laptop, available for customers who sign up for its Internet service, as part of its drive to increase Internet penetration in the island… more

Thursday, 18 August 2011

BTC Stock Sale To Boost Bahamas Exchange

Bahamas – The Bahamas’ Ministry of Finance has invited proposals from financial groups to advise the government on the sale of a 9% tranche of its shares in Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)… more

New call centre opens in Dominica

Dominica – Over 150 Dominicans are expected to gain employment in the coming months, as Wikibuli Communications Inc. commences operations on the island… more

Friday, 19 August 2011

Government reacts to CCJ ruling

Belize – The Belize government says its welcomes the decision by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to  grant special leave to the British Caribbean Bank Limited (BCBL) to appeal against part of the judgment of a lower court relating to the nationalization of the country’s sole telecommunication company… more

Digicel not ruling out investment in local landline service

Guyana – DIGICEL Chief Executive Officer Gregory Deane says the company is not ruling out post-liberalization investment in the country’s domestic landline telephone service though he says that the first order of business once the monopoly comes to an end would be to move to reduce the rates for overseas calls by providing competition in that area… more

LIME Jamaica posts losses of $1.3b for the first quarter

Jamaica – Integrated telecommunications services provider, LIME Jamaica, continues to rack up losses for the three months to June 30, 2011. Its Income Statement for the period under review, reveals that LIME Jamaica generated revenues of $4.609 billion which produced a loss of $1.3 billion dollars. This comes on the heels of the telecoms company posting a whopping loss of $3 billion for year end March 2010… more

Saturday, 20 August 2011

APUA illegally constructs cell towers

Antigua & Barbuda – A minister of government has identified the state- owned Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) as one of the main culprits engaged in unauthorized construction of cell phone towers and other telecommunications facilities… more

Sunday, 21 August 2011

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Thanks to the volume of information available online, the Internet is a key resource for many of us who must keep up to date on new developments in our areas of interest. However, this wealth of information can make information gathering extremely time consuming. We might need to visit numerous websites, sometimes daily, or several times a week, to ensure that we are up to date on any new developments that have occurred. However, are we aware of that using RSS could make that job considerably easier?

What is RSS?

Most popular feed icon

“RSS” which officially means RDF (Research Description Framework) Site Summary, but is more commonly referred to Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, is a format for sharing frequently updated work or web content, such as that generated by blogs and news-related sites. Although other formats do exist, such as Atom, RSS is the most widely used.  The document generated by RSS, which is called a feed or channel, usually provides either an excerpt or the full version of the initially published text, along with some basic information, such as the author and publication date.

To read an RSS feed, software – an RSS reader or aggregator ­– is required. RSS readers tend to be automatically included in mail software, such as Microsoft Outlook, Eudora and Mac Mail. However, for those who use webmail, free aggregators are available. There are numerous readers and aggregators to choose from, but some of the most popular ones are:

• Feed Demon
• Google Reader
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• MyYahoo

Note: It is important to select a reputable reader or aggregator, as it is indeed possible for those programmes to contain spyware or other malicious code.

When should RSS be used?

It makes sense for users to subscribe for RSS feeds for websites they should (or would like to) visit on regularly. The ultimate point of RSS is to receive timely updates and to save the user from having to do the search-and-collate-work. Further, depending on the reader or aggregator used (particularly desktop, as opposed to online readers) all feed items will be listed, stored and available for viewing at time convenient to the user.

So what’s in it for me?

For the user, RSS offered a number of advantages:

• Saves time. One of the most distinct benefits of using an RSS reader or aggregator is that it regularly checks all subscribed feeds and collates all updates. As a result, the user does not have to visit each website of interest and manually search for new content.
• Provides spam-free content. RSS does not support spam, and neither can it carry viruses or trojans. It therefore is a safer option than newsletters or emails for receiving updates. Additionally, the user does not have to provide any personal information – not even an email address – to subscribe for a particular feed.
• Increases productivity. This benefit is a natural consequence of not having to manually visit a site and search for updates. Additionally, depending on the reader or aggregator that is used, it may be possible to apply filters to the content collected, which further optimises the search and improves productivity.
• Easy to subscribe and unsubscribe. Regardless of the reader or aggregator, subscribing for an RSS feed is straightforward. Similarly, it is easy to unsubscribe from receiving a particular feed.
• Provides timely updates. RSS readers and aggregators regularly check for new posts on the subscribed feeds and automatically update themselves. As a result, subscribers receive information in a more timely fashion.

Possible disadvantages?

For the user, there are not necessarily many drawbacks from using RSS to collate information online. The most significant concern might be the fact that not all websites include an RSS facility, so it might still be necessary for users to visit those sites and conduct a manual search for new information, especially if other acceptable forms of notification are unavailable.

Additionally, since RSS feeds facilitate syndication, their contents can be easily copied or reproduced. Hence for persons who might need to provide references or citations for information used, e.g. in reports or other documentation, it can be difficult to discern the original source of an item delivered by RSS feed.

Final remarks

It is highlighted that through social media applications, such as Facebook and Twitter, users can receive real-time updates from their favourite websites. However, with both facilities (e.g.), there are no guarantees that all updates will be included in the user’s Facebook or Twitter newsfeed, where they can readily be seen. More importantly, since those feeds are constantly being updated, unless they are being checked frequently throughout the day (and night), it is possible that some notifications will be missed.

Finally, it is important to note that although RSS is indeed a time saving and extremely helpful resource, the user still has to read and/or sift through all of the information delivered by all of the feeds to which he/she is subscribed. As a result, a considerable amount of time can be spent reading updates. However, RSS does brings a wealth of information to the user’s fingertips, which in this day and age – in our information-driven business, societies and lives – can be a good thing.

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