Worm in the Apple iPad

Despite the iPad not yet being officially released in our little ‘pore yet, apparently Singaporeans are one of the most iPad-crazy countries in the world, judging by data from auction website eBay. (see here)

Image via CrunchBase

Apple said that it will release the iPad in July for another nine markets, including Singapore, however, after much fanfare, to tell you the truth (though I still love the iPhone) Im getting sick of the whole Apple = gawd routine.

Lets check in on the grass roots indicator on iPad:

Technometry friend who has played with the Ipad says: no expandable storage, no go.
Work colleague who has also got her hands on them says; just like a big iphone, – can play Angry Birds on bigger screen, but thats about it

Did a search on features that suck on the iphone, and all that came up were marketing articles that touted that the iphone was actually the best thing since sliced bread.

Till I play with one, I gonna be very skeptical, just like I am about the whole Apple 4g lost phone scenario.

Online Legal Research Resources – Part 3

This is part 3 (of 4) of a informal article written for the LAWASIA conference in Kuala Lumpur, 2008 (amended for context). Its a quick snapshot of the different types of Online Legal Research resources that are available in the Malaysian and Singaporean legal landscape.

Blogs – of which law-related ones are conveniently referred to as “Blawgs”– are easily-created web pages that allow people to share their thoughts or content quickly. The benefit to blogs is that they give an alternative view to traditional media on the hot areas in law and the news. Over the last five years, blogs have proliferated and have exerted a growing influence on societal thought and opinion. It is important to note that the political climate and level of censure play a large role in the proliferation (or lack thereof) of blogs and openly expressed thought.

Other sources of legal information (specifically legal news) are typically available through local news websites in Malaysia (e.g. The Star Online and Malaysiakini), Singapore (e.g. The Straits Times, The Business Times, Today) and the Asia Pacific region (Channel News Asia). However, it is difficult to sift through the large pool of current news and events to extract the legal news.

The entry of the new Singapore-specific legal news and events website singaporelawwatch.sg (SLW) is an exciting development. SLW is an online legal news service which solves the issue of needing to surf and filter through information for Singapore-specific legal content. SLW aggregates legal news from many Singapore sources (TODAY, The Straits Times, The Business Times and Lianhe Zaobao) and displays it in an easy-to-digest format. It gives an overview of the most recent developments in Singapore law and practice: users can find not only the latest law-related Headline News, they can also access Supreme Court Judgments, updates to legislation, notices, directions, commentaries from Singapore law firms, Continuing Legal Education events and publications, and even notes written by the Justice Law Clerks of the Supreme Court on points of law raised in recent judgments. Best of all, the website and the service are completely free and can be subscribed to by email and RSS (Really Simple Syndication, a method of pushing out electronic content with little effort)…

Article to be continued…

Online Legal Research Resources – Part 2

This is part 2 (of 4) of a informal article written for the LAWASIA conference in Kuala Lumpur, 2008 (amended for context). Its a quick snapshot of the different types of Online Legal Research resources that are available in the Malaysian and Singaporean legal landscape.

Free Online Resources

Search Engines

The ubiquitous search engine is the first choice in any basic trawl for information. Search engines are able to give a snapshot of relevant sites, news, general details and principles. However, to get effective results, the technical limits of the search engine that is being used must be understood, as well as the context of the terms that are being searched for and also how the ranking and grouping of results takes place. For example, a search engine may not compile information or types of content from relevant jurisdictions or key sources, or may incorrectly give a low relevancy rank to a relevant website thereby relegating it to the third or fourth page. The user may never have the opportunity to access a relevant site, unless they are doggedly determined. Google has become synonymous with search engines, and with good reason. Its complicated algorithms and page rank analysis allow it to consistently display relevant and real results. Google was an internet leader in identifying the different silos and types of information online and making it easy for the user to sift through the type of content they wished to find. As such, Google has fostered a growing suite of specific services.One service is Google Books, which is a tool that searches the full text of books that have been scanned and stored in its digital database. A preview or snippet of the book is displayed based on the keywords the user has searched.

Besides Google, there are many other types of search engines which can cater more specifically to a user’s needs. Rednano.sg is a good case study. Red Nano searches over web content, and also the archives of The Straits Times (a leading Singapore newspaper) which are not accessible to other search engines. Immediately, the Singapore user is privy to search results that are more likely to be relevant. In addition, the results that are displayed are grouped firstly into findings from Singapore sources, and then into results gathered from the rest of the world. Another type of search is provided by Technorati.com which searches blogs and the other forms of independent, user-generated content (videos, photos etc) known as “citizen media”.

Article to be continued

Online Legal Research Resources – Part 1

This is part 1 (of 4) of a informal article written for the LAWASIA conference in Kuala Lumpur, 2008 (amended for context). Its a quick snapshot of the different types of Online Legal Research resources that are available in the Malaysian and Singaporean legal landscape. It is essential for law firms to have access to up-to-date and relevant information resources.

Traditionally hardcopy texts were the only resource of choice for the legal practitioner or paralegal. However, the processes required in the production and dissemination of a publication from author to printer and finally to lawyer’s desk is lengthy and time-consuming. The effort to keep hardcopy texts up to date, to note-up and file becomes largely redundant when compared to the advantages of internet and database technology.

Why spend days waiting for the latest updates or even hours in libraries searching for and retrieving books when information can be either updated or retrieved almost instantaneously with the input of a search term or case name?

However, many small and medium law firms typically do not have the time to survey the latest available or affordable online resources, let alone implement them. The use of effective online resources can translate into more efficient time and knowledge management and better performance in meeting the demands of day-to day-practice. It is a matter of identifying and prioritising the use of such online resources.

The Information Super Highway…are we there yet?

“Online Resources” can be defined as electronically-transmitted information. This definition is broad and for the purposes of this article encapsulates legal information of all types from traditional primary resources such as case law and legislation to awareness, such as legal news, continuing legal education and knowledge sharing such as online forums and blogs. The electronic and almost instantaneous nature of online resources is its defining aspect, and the ability to connect and transfer information is typically illustrated by the literal seconds it takes to send an email across town, between countries or around the world. The Internet was first characterised by modem and dial-up connections almost two decades ago, but the dot.com surge in the nineties and the subsequent leaps in technology (cable and broadband) and usage over the last five years has made the use of the Internet “de rigueur” in most first world countries and modern legal practices globally. As always, it is a matter of time before penetration becomes complete, but is South East Asia there, yet? The recognition of the importance of a nation being “wired” to the Internet is underscored by initiatives currently underway by the Governments of Malaysia and Singapore. For example “MyICMS 886”, Malaysia’s IT plan targets to have a broadband and communications infrastructure in key areas in place by 2010. Similarly, Singapore’s Next Generation National Broadband Network (Next Gen NBN) initiative (awarded recently) will implement a passive internet infrastructure throughout Singapore by 2012. Currently, there is already a functional technical

infrastructure in key regions of Malaysia such as the Klang Valley and the Iskandar Development Region. In Singapore, in addition to an extensive telecommunications infrastructure, free wireless access is available throughout Singapore’s many public areas with high human traffic such as the Central Business District, downtown shopping belts (like Orchard Road), and HDB Town Centres. The Internet is here, so how does a legal practice take advantage? There is a macrocosm of legal information on the World Wide Web, that is freely available to any one with an internet connection. However, the primary problem is navigating through the information….”

Article to be continued.

BOOK GIVEAWAYS!

Yes, Technometry readers, the book giveaway is still alive and kicking!

Image by ruminatrix via Flickr

Im aching to give away a free copy, completely new and pristine of:

• Critical Cyber Culture Studies; edited by David Silver and Adrienne Massanari, New York University Press
• River of Gods by well known sci-fi writer, Ian McDonald

If you are keen to have these books and reside in Singapore AND have the time to retrieve it from me, drop me an email (kingDOTavatarATgmailDOTcom) or leave a comment below to tell me why you deserve it. I’ll pick the best email and put the response on technometry. I’ll let you know when this giveaway has been “given”.

Image by tankgrrl via Flickr

Image via Wikipedia