Duck and Cover Just Can’t Catch Up

DUCK AND COVER

Come 2010, your next text message could be from the president.

Under a plan approved last week, the Federal Communications Commission is adding text messaging to the nation’s emergency alert system.

There would be three different alerts, each with a distinct sound or vibration. One would involve “imminent threats” such as hurricanes, tornadoes or shootings. One would be reserved for child abduction emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts. And the last would be a national alert from the president, likely for use involving a terrorist attack, natural disaster or war.

JUST CAN’T CATCH UP

Yahoo last week launched video capability on its popular photo- sharing site Flickr in yet another example of it playing catch-up with Google.

While Yahoo’s already behind in Internet search and ad sales, it does operate one of the Web’s largest video platforms. However, most of its video content comes from media outlets and outside professionals. Google’s YouTube is by far the largest video sharing site on the Net.

In February, 70 million people in the United States watched 2.9 billion video clips on YouTube, according to Nielsen Online. Fox Interactive Video, a distant second, showed 406 million clips to 21 million people. In third, Yahoo showed 245 million clips to 21 million people.

But Flickr’s loyal following should bolster its expansion into video. According to comScore Media Metrix, it attracted a worldwide audience of 42 million in February, up 53 percent in a year.

MATTEL STRIKES BACK

Fighting the unauthorized online copycat Sc rabulous, Mattel has begun offering a still buggy “Scrabble by Mattel” for use on Facebook.

The game is technically available only to players outside North America, though that relies on user honesty. Hasbro owns U.S. and Canadian rights, and Mattel has the rights for rest of the world.

Facebook Scrabble takes a long time to load, does not always update to show recent moves, and the words the game accepts do not reflect standard Scrabble dictionaries, or even the English language. There also is no way to challenge opponents’ moves.

A week ago, Scrabulous users outnumbered users of official Scrabble 3,000-to-1.

A BORING SUIT

Citing the violation of their privacy, Aaron and Christine Boring sued Google, over photos of their home on the Web site’s “Street View” feature.

The Google feature allows users to find street-level photos by clicking on a map. Google gathers the photos with vehicle-mounted cameras in major metro areas.

The residents of Franklin Park, a Pittsburgh suburb, say the pictures devalued their property and caused them mental suffering.

Google said the suit is without merit because it offers visible tools for property owners to remove images.

Google, however, is not the only Web site with a photo of the Borings’ property. The Allegheny County real estate Web site offers a photo, plus a detailed description of the home and the owner’s name, as it does for nearly every property in the county.

– Staff and wire reports Come 2010, your next text message could be from the president.

Under a plan approved last week, the Federal Communications Commission is adding text messaging to the nation’s emergency alert system.

There would be three different alerts, each with a distinct sound or vibration. One would involve “imminent threats” such as hurricanes, tornadoes or shootings. One would be reserved for child abduction emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts. And the last would be a national alert from the president, likely for use involving a terrorist attack, natural disaster or war. Yahoo last week launched video capability on its popular photo-sharing site Flickr in yet another example of it playing catch-up with Google.

While Yahoo’s already behind in Internet search and ad sales, it does operate one of the Web’s largest video platforms. However, most of its video content comes from media outlets and outside professionals. Google’s YouTube is by far the largest video sharing site on the Net.

In February, 70 million people in the United States watched 2.9 billion video clips on YouTube, according to Nielsen Online. Fox Interactive Video, a distant second, showed 406 million clips to 21 million people. In third, Yahoo showed 245 million clips to 21 million people.

But Flickr’s loyal following should bolster its expansion into video. According to comScore Media Metrix, it attracted a worldwide audience of 42 million in February, up 53 percent in a year.

Citing the violation of their privacy, Aaron and Christine Boring sued Google over photos of their home on the Web site’s “Street View” feature.

The Google feature allows users to find street-level photos by clicking on a map. Google gathers the photos with vehicle-mounted cameras in major metro areas.

The Borings, residents of Franklin Park, a Pittsburgh suburb, say the pictures devalued their property and caused them mental suffering.

Google said the suit is without merit because it clearly offers tools for property owners to remove images.

Google, however, is not the only Web site with a photo of the Borings’ property. The Allegheny County real estate Web site offers a photo, plus a detailed description of the home and the owner’s name, as it does for nearly every property in the county.

Fighting the unauthorized online copycat Scrabulous, Mattel has begun offering a still buggy “Scrabble by Mattel” for use on Facebook.

The game is technically available only to players outside North America, though that relies on user honesty. Hasbro owns U.S. and Canadian rights, and Mattel has the rights for rest of the world.

Facebook Scrabble takes a long time to load, does not always update to show recent moves, and the words the game accepts do not reflect standard Scrabble dictionaries, or even the English language. There also is no way to challenge opponents’ moves.

A week ago, Scrabulous users outnumbered users of official Scrabble 3,000-to-1.

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