Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies.

As the internet services becoming more and more important in our daily life, many of the companies start using internet to communicate with its customers rather than still following the traditional way. One of the famous and new communication tools for the companies is corporate blogging. Corporate blogging is a communication tool key connects with the public – the customers, business partners, shareholders, creditors and suppliers – to increase awareness about what is going on for a particular company. Corporate blog is an aid to the company as it is published with the support of an organisation to reach its goals. Within the company, corporate blog act as a tool for collaboration and knowledge management among the employees whereas it servers as a communication tool outside the organization between the company and its potential customers and the important target groups.

In the real corporate world, many of the company started to use corporate blogging system. Example, Google not only using its corporate blogging system to effectively communicate with others to improve its employee relations, customer relation and business processes but also providing blog services – Google Apps (online collaboration suite) – for other companies. Many of the small and medium seized businesses use Google Apps as their communication tools within and outsite the company . It gives positive outsome to those company that implement Google Apps as it not help the company to save cost but also provide a better and greater flexibility in the daily operation functions.

Corporate blogging provides many advantages to the company such as it allows the company or the employees to directly communicate with others both within the company (among the employees in disseminate and explain strategy) and outside the company (sending necessary information to the customers, shareholders, creditors etc); low cost; giving opportunity for others answer in written form as well as publish pictures and most importantly, it is beneficial to the company if the corporate blogging system has a positive effect on the company’s reputation. However, everything has pros and cons. While company is using the corporate blogging, it causes some problems to the company. For instance, many corporate blogs do not look like corporate blog as the employees are not professional enough to use formal communication language in corporate blogging system as they include many of their unprofessional tones; time consuming, many of the employees still prefer to meet the customers directly as they have most to say to the customers but do not have time to type it out. Besides this, corporate blogging system is always a system that easy to start and hard to maintain as it need the company to update the blog from time to time. If company does not update it frequently, it will damages company reputation instead of enhancing its reputation.

As a conclusion, company must be able to handle the corporate blogging system well because the outcome of the system, either positive or negative outcome, is very much depends on how the company run the system.

Things to take note to prevent e-auction fraud when a consumer participating in an e-auction

Prevention methods of E-auction

User Identify verification- eBay uses the services of Equifax to verify user identities for a $ 5 fee. Verified eBay User, a voluntary program, encourage users to supply eBay with information for online verification. By offering their Social Security number, driver‘s license number, and date of birth, user can qualify for the highest level of verification on eBay.

Authentication Service- Product authentication is a way of determining whether an item is genuine and described appropriately. Authentication is a very difficult to perform because it relies on the expertise of the authentication. Because of their training and experience, expert can often detect counterfeits based on subtle details. However, two expert authentications may have different opinion about the authenticity of the same item eBay has links to companies that provide this specialized service.

Feedback Forum-The eBay allows registered buyers and sellers to build up their online trading reputation. It provides users with the ability to comment on their experience with other individuals.

Physical Inspection-Providing for a physical inspection can eliminate many problems. This is especially true collector’s item. When the seller and buyer are in the same vicinity, it is easy to arrange for such inspection. EBay offers inspection services on a regional basis, so buyer can arrange for nearby inspection.

Escrow Service-For item valued at more than $200 or when either the buyer or seller feels the need for additional security. eBay recommend escrow service. With an easy –to-access link to third party escrow service, both partners in a deal are protected. The buyers mail the payment to the escrow service, which verifies the payment and alerts the seller when everything checks out. At the point, the seller ships the goods to the buyer. After an agreed-upon inspection period, the buyer notifies the service, which then sends a check to the seller, eBay , Yahoo! , and other large online auction sites provide their own escrow services. For the detail on how service work for auction, see aunction.yahoo.com and ftc.gov

E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen’s adoption strategies.

E-Government is the use of information technology in to provide citizens and organizations with more convenient access to government information and services and to provide delivery of public services to citizens, business partners, and those working in the public sector. It helps to improve information flows and processes within government to improve the speed and quality of policy development, coordination and enforcement.

Current applications of e-Government in Malaysia
The examples of applications of E-Government in Malaysia are e-Filling, Renewing Road Tax and Driving License online, KWSP’s i-Akaun, E-Perolehan, e-Tanah, e-Consent, e-Local Government (e-PBT), e-Kehakiman and etc.

Common problems encountered by consumers
Security and privacy – consumer maybe worry about their private personal data and the tax return can see by others.
Language barrier - most of the government websites are using Bahasa Malaysia. So, this may be created problem since some users are more comfortable in using other language like English and Chinese.
Credibility – how accuracy of the e filing system? How to ensure that the system will not make the mistake?
Technological knowledge – some of the people may be do not have the technological knowledge. Thus, they do not know how to use the E Government application through internet.

Suggest ways to encourage more citizens to use the e-government applications
Government can organize some activities to introduce the e government application and teach the citizen how to use the E-Government application.
Eg: increase awareness through TV and radio advertisements, and organizing workshops at shopping malls.
Government should provide websites with multiple language versions.
Government should improve the security and privacy application of E-Government to make sure the data will not hack by the hacker.

Review a local e-commerce site

The Internet is a very powerful communication tool in trade. Business transactions conducted through the Internet i.e. e-commerce, are faster and more efficient because traders can reduce operational cost as well as transaction and delivery time. The unlimited expanse of the Internet can also help in widening strategic network among traders.

Blooming florist is one of the local company in Malaysia. Blooming florist has establish e-commerce site to do business transaction through internet. There are different types of product can be found in this website,(http://www.blooming.com.my/) such as flowers, basket arrangement, cookies, gifts, and etc.

The site design is attractive which can catch interest of the user, and the design and layout is user friendly because this site has category their products in systematic manner which the user can shop by the product or shop by occassion (include congratulation, happy birthday, new baby, wedding flowers and others.) The download speen is quite fast, because when click the icon, it will immediately appear the things on the screen.

The product search engine is available to enable user to search for the product they intended to find. Example, if the consumer want to buy Rose but don't know what type of Rose is nicer, he or she can use the search engine and just type Rose. Then several type of product with rose will appear.

The shoping chart is available on the top right in this site. It is a very good function for the consumer because when they find what product is interested, they can add it to the shopping chart. After shopping, they can choose the most favourable product they like and yet can make payment of transaction in a single or multiple receipt. The shopping card has display the quantity and unit price of the product. This enable to let the consumer know better about the item, price and quantity that have been choosen when shopping. With the use of the shopping chart provide, the consumer will be more easy when shop.

Blooming site has provide a good and user friendly cash-out features. The consumer neeed to fill in the information and the delivery information. There is a payment option, which consumer can pay by credit card, online banking or mobile payment. This feature is make more easy to the consumer. But the protection and security of the private information might be question.

As a conclusion, I opinion of this site is attractive and user friendly and more convinient for those people have no time to physically look for the product in Blooming Store.

A review on a post on Legal from My E-Commerce blog

Legal right issue always is the matter that is concerned by everyone in this world, both individuals and companies. Based on the post “TVB to protect its legal right in China” posted at My E-Commerce blog, TVB – the largest television station in Hong Kong – right is being infringed by the China certain website as the provide the video sharing facility.

Nowadays, internet is the necessary facility for the develop country. Many services are actually providing by internet facility, one of the main services is entertainment. Therefore, providing entertainment such as online game and online movie or series on the internet facility is not an action against the law. However, if this facility encroaches others people right, it can become a critical matter. In this case, when these certain websites provide the facility of series sharing, it’s actually encroaching on the TVB copyright. People no longer buy series from TVB but just watch the series from the website. When such matter happened, the party sufferer has the right to take legal action towards the aggrieved party. Whether what type of penalty will be taken against the aggrieved party will be decided by the court.

Once the court or authority body take disciplinary action against the offender, it not only teaches the offender a lesson but also warn them not to repeat what they had done earlier. On the other hand, it also gives warning to others people who plan to do the same things in an indirect way. With this, public will more concern about others legal right.

Electronic currency

For the definition is obtain from Wikipedia, the Electronic money (also known as e-money, electronic cash, electronic currency, digital money, digital cash or digital currency) refers to money or scrip which is exchanged only electronically. Typically, this involves use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and direct deposit are examples of electronic money. Also, it is a collective term for financial cryptography and technologies enabling it.

Electronic currency has been widely used throughout the world on an institutional level for more than two decades. Which is nearly all of the deposit currencies in the world’s banking systems are handled electronically though a series of computer network.

The example of the electronic currency company is PayLoadz, PayLoadz.com system is one of the e-micropayment products. PayLoadz, Inc. is located in the heart of New York City's Grammercy District at 23rd and Park Avenue. This close proximity to the legendary Silicon Alley gives us access to an impressive pool of talent, resources, and also reminds us of the lessons learned during the dot-com fallout. We are a new media development firm specializing in providing solutions for merchants and the community of developers. Founded in 1996 as a web development company Superfreaker Studios has grown to become one of the forefront developers utilizing Macromedia development products.It is service that sell software, eBooks, music, movies, digital art, manuals, articles, certificates, forms, files, and anything else that can be downloaded. Their automated service delivers your products to your customers instantly after payment. Our system operates using PayPal's online payment system and Google Checkout. Our sellers see an average 1,000% increase in sales using our service.

The application of pre-paid cash card for consumers

Nowadays, everyone is so familiar with those Maxis, Digi and Celcom prepaid card as the mobile phone is our daily needs. Yet, how many of us ever heard about prepaid cash card? The concept is basically the same, the only different is the use of mobile phone prepaid card is for us to make a call whereas the use of a prepaid cash card is for us to purchase products and services. A prepaid cash card looks no different with a normal credit card or debit card. Users need to pay a sum of money in advance to increase the amount in the prepaid cash card in order to purchase products and services in the future.

One of the examples of prepaid cash card that is widely used in Malaysia is “Touch’n Go”. Touch’n Go is widely used in Malaysia not just because it can handle all those small amount payment but also give a lot of convenience to its users as it canbe use in many places. Many of the working people owned a car with them, Touch’n Go become very useful when they need to pay the highway toll payment. For those who do not have a car with them, they need to travel by using the public transports, Touch’n Go come into picture in some public transport such as the electronic train and bas that provide Touch’n Go facility. Touch’n Go also provide some privileges to the customer if Touch’n Go is used at certain places, for example A&W, Burger King, Seven Eleven, Caltex and Dunkin Donuts.

Another example of prepaid cash card is the octopus cash card in Hong Kong. The application of this card is almost the same with Touch’n Go in Malaysia. It is used for all type of public transport in Hong Kong as well as the on street payment such as parking payment. Similar with Malaysia, it is also useful in small payment such as payment at convenience store, supermarkets and fast food restaurant.

Prepaid cash card also widely used at other country such as the Coinstar prepaid debit card in Canada, Advance Visa prepaid card in America, Just Cash Maestro prepaid card in West Yorkshire and ACE Cash Express prepaid card at United States.

In short, prepaid cash card can prevent user from over spending as the user can only spend the amount that has been preloaded in this cash, therefore no risk for the user to get themselves into debt as it has no credit or overdraft facility.

Mobile payment system in Malaysia: Its potential and consumers' adooption strategies

For the adoption from Wikipedia website, Mobile payment (also referred to as mobile web payment or WAP billing) is the collection of money from a consumer via a mobile device such as their mobile phone, SmartPhone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or other such device.
The mobile payment can be used to purchase any number of digital goods and physical goods. For example digital goods are ring tones, games, wallpaper for mobile phone and the booking cinema ticket and air ticket. Usually purchase digital good are through by SMS based transaction payments or mobile web payment (WAP).

In Malaysia, mobile payment is recently services developing fast. This service is effective providing customers with admission or money off vouchers which can be unique coded or designed to allow viral spread. The mobile channel can be effectively used as a self-funding and revenue generating medium. This service covers all mobile operators on Malaysia; it’s for prepaid and postpaid service billings.


For its potential, the customers no need to carry money or credit card to make transaction; it is by using their mobile phone to purchase the digital goods and booking cinema ticket and some. Such mobile service works on any mobile and it eliminates the hassle to queue up just to pay your electric bills. The mobile payment providers have a large market share to be grab on. This mobile payment system is still new and developing in Malaysia. It will continue to grow as consumer’s confidence on mobile payment increased.

For consumers’ adoption strategies, in Malaysia, most of the company will reward the consumer by giving gift at certain level of purchasing or giving redemption of reward. Beside that, some of the company will give extra credit to customers which are Hotlink user. With certain call and receive will accumulated the points to redeem air time or sms.

Selling fish online in Malaysia

Selling fish online in Malaysia

In Tanjung Dawai (Kedah state) have about 3,000 residents who are mostly involved in fishing or producing fish-based and seafood products. But the fishermen in Tanjung Dawai have some difference activities other then halieutics everyday. They are auctioning their catches through e-mail.

These pictures are showing what residences of Tanjung Dawai do and sell to survive thier lives.

Welcome all bidders from all over the world to place bids from 3pm to 7pm (Malaysia time). So far only attracted wholesalers from Penang and Kedah this is because of the system is still new.

Bidders who wish to own the fish he or she can states the price by e-mailing to this e-mail address pnktdawai@yahoo.com. After the bidder stated his or her price, the price will be flashed on the television sets for fishermen gathered at the auction hall. If there is a deal, then the bidders will be emailed. The bidders must register their name with the association (by calling 04-4572106) and a code number will be provided to participate in the bidding. In this case, the bidders must bear the transportation costs and the association would impose a 5% surcharge on the buyers.

The fishermen have to spend 3 days and nights at sea to maintain the volume. This is because of the 50% drop in catches causes by the tsunami in year 2004. Because of poor catches and high demand, the price of fish has gone up by between 20% and 25%.

Even the price of fish has increase but there is no effect to the association. The association had 1,204 members by today. They hope to create their own website one day. Kuala Kedah Fishermen’s Association Board of Directors chairman Abdul Hamid Bahari said the fishermen in Kuala Kedah would also go high-tech next year, after the association’s new complex in Keloncor was completed.

The system benefited the fishermen as they could get the best deal with their bidders!

Credit Card debts: Causes and Prevention

Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt.
Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. Debt accumulates and increases through interest and penalties when the consumer does not pay the company for the money he or she has spent.
The results of not paying this debt on time are that the company will charge a late payment penalty (generally in the US from $10 to $40) and report the late payment to credit rating agencies.
The late payment penalty itself increases the amount of debt the consumer has.
When a consumer has been late on a payment, it is possible that other creditors, even creditors the consumer was not late in paying, may increase the interest rates the consumer is paying.

Causes of credit card debt

Reduced income/same expenses
Always delay bringing expenses in line with a reduction in income as good reasons and let debt fill the gap.

Poor money management
A monthly spending plan is essential. Without one you have no idea where your money is going. You may be spending hundreds of dollars unnecessarily each month and end up having to charge purchases on which you should have spent that money.

Gambling
It is hard to stop gambling but loans are freely available. When a people start to gambling, the gamblers will not stop to gambling until need to create the credit card debt or make loan from the bank.

Medical expenses
The medical industry wants to get paid at the time service is rendered. They know that if they don’t, the chances of their getting paid drops. This is because more debt for you, less for them.

Saving too little
People always spend too much (unnecessary expenditures) instead of saving because they do not have any financial planning at all.

Financial illiteracy
Many people don't understand how money works and grows, how to save and invest for a necessary, or even why they should balance their checkbook. The schools don't teach it, your parents may not have explained on it.

Prevention of credit card debt

CREATE A CLEAR BUDGET
People have to create clear budget and stick on it that includes monthly bills, food, clothes, entertainment and miscellaneous expenses will prevent from overspending and fall under deeper debt load.

DEAL WITH CREDITORS
Address the problem to creditors to investigate whether they could give revised payment arrangement when having trouble to pay off debts because running away is not a good solution. If not, may refer to Fair Debt Collection Practices Act if the collection of money from creditors is not fair enough. Creditors may approve proposal and accept modified payment plan when hiring a good credit card debt consolidation companies.

SELF CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE
One of the best practices is to have a direct set up so that able to pay back the full amount each month and use in emergencies. Thus, self control and discipline to keep these cards in wallet and would not overspend.
If you think you have bad in self control you can tear up credit card applications when the credit card company sends you those application forms.

Starts to spend less from today and stay with well financial situation.

The application of 3rd party certification programme in Malaysia

The term “Third Party” is usually used in the connection with any relationship between two parties or entities to refer to some other person or entity with some involvement. In other words, third party certification agency is a reliable party to ensure public's welfare. Third party certification programme in Malaysia include Trustgate and VeriSign.

Trustgate, is a licensed Certification Authority in Malaysia since the year of 1999 to meet the growing need for secure open network communications. Trustgate provides both security solutions and leading trust services for different level of community. These include individuals, organisations, government and e-commerce service providers using digital certificates, digital signatures, encryption and decryption. With the vision of “To enable organizations to conduct their business securely over the internet, as much as what they have been enjoying in the physical world”, Trustgate work towards its vision and successfully become the leading service provider of internet utility company and be a world-class e-environment.

Follow by the VeriSign, is the world's leading internet Certification Authority. A trusted third party that authenticates, issues and manages digital certificates on the internet. VeriSign has the goal to create and operate transformational infrastructure that becomes indispensable to society. Verisign's innovators are non stop conducting technology and business research from time to time in order to further this goal and ensure it is achieved. VeriSign provides a critical layer of intelligence and security that enables key transactions, protects data and information to be safely delivered. VeriSign also provide the authentic site services. Authentic site is a web site which operates a secure server to secure the communications and encrypted transactions with site visitors through their browser connections. A company needs to submit documentation to VeriSign in order to become an Authentic site. VeriSign will then check and verify the company's right to use a specific company name and internet address. After the investigation is done and VeriSign is satisfy with it, VeriSign will issue that particular site a server digital ID as the site's unique identity card and can be viewed by visitors to the site. Besides that, VeriSign also come out with this VeriSign's Authenticode. It is a well known technology in the market which a lot of the people have already come across it. It is a technology that reassures that the downloaded plug-in into the browser has not been tampered since the original developer complied it.

As a conclusion, with the help of these trusted third party as the reliable agency, internet users feel more secured when they performing their internet activities.

A review on a post on internet security

Nowadays, because of advance in information technology, many people force to using the computer to perform their jobs. But some of the issue raise is that we have to secure our computer by attacking by virus. With the latest news, more than 1 million computer viruses in circulation now. This is a huge amount that we have to concern about. In China, 1 million computers were attacked by viruses. This is not the first time China's web user are experiencing problems recently. During last year Christmas holiday, Internet access was slowed down as the result of the earthquake at the Pacific Ocean. This indicate how dangerous id the viruses to spoiled. Beside that, Malaysia Government has approved RM43 million to set up an international centre which offer the world the best brains and facilities to help fight cyber security threats. The center is called International Multinational Partnership Against Cyber Terrorism (IMPACT). It will be based in Cyberjaya with leading names in the IT industry serving on its advisory board. This may increase the internet security for home user but also for organization. Not only for computer security being threat. Mobile devices can also be infected with mobile malicious software (malware). Currently, there are a few hundred mobile viruses as compared to hundreds of thousands of PC viruses. Although this figure is small but don't forget that there are more mobile phones in the world as compared to the PCs and laptops.

How to safeguard our personal and financial data?

Recently, the powerful of Internet has been increase day by day. In other words, we live in an increasingly online world. Although it increase in the use of Internet, it's increase the cyber criminal too. Identity theft has become one of the most frightening non-violent crimes of the 21st century and has become all too common So, it is important to safeguard our personal and financial data to access by unauthorized user to take advantage on those information.

The following are some suggestion to safeguard our personal and financial data:

1. Do not give and fill any personal or financial data through online
It is important not to do so because some website might be not a "true" website. It's happen especially intended "person" intend to steal your information such as phising which is common example that makes user get into trap. Phishing is the criminally fraudelent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. So, the users are advised not to give any information especially personal and financial. Example, any request by the online bank on the detail through internet, the users are recommended to get confirmation by the Bank and is more proper go to the Bank to fill up the detail.


2. Only Make Purchases On Trusted Sites
When deals seem too good to be true, they just may be - you might be paying as a victim of identity theft when you make purchases on websites that aren't secure. There are lots of small online retailers that don't have adequately secure payment systems. The best way to make sure that your information doesn't get intercepted is by simply sticking with trusted, well-known online retailers, or smaller sites that use reputable payment processors like PayPal or Google Checkout. Regardless of which site you use, you should always make sure to look for the padlock icon on the bottom of your browser to verify that the page is safe.

3. Having a proper antivirus and anti spyware and keep on updating
Antivirus and anti spyware shows a very important characteristic to protect your information and computer. It is used to prevent virus to attack the computer and anti spyware takes a preventative approach to spyware, focused on spyware’s main entry point, Web browser. So, the cracker cannot easily break into the system to access personal and financial information of the user. The antivirus and anti spyware's software needed to keep on updating to have more strong prevention on the latest trap on the time basis. Example of these software include AVG Antivirus and Antispyware, Ad-Aware Professional SE, SpywareBlaster,SpyBot - Search & Destroy, Norton AntiVirus, McAfee Anti-Spyware, and etc.

4. Choosing Passwords to Protect Personal and Financial Data
Users and recommeded to choose passwords that would be difficult for someone who knows you to guess. So, if a friend or coworker can not figure out your passwords, someone who does not know you probably will not be able to do so. It is important that never use personal information numbers for passwords. For example, telephone number, birth dates, identity card number, and etc. Beside that, passwords is advised to change occasionally. Athought this is time-consuming, but not as time consuming as recovering from identify theft. At the same time, do not repeat password. It is obvious that the same password should not be used for every file, website, server and system that you log im to, but many people still fall into this practice. If you use the same pasword for many financial and personal records, magine the damage you will incure if someone finds your password for one set of records. Use a different password for each account, website and so on.


The above might be some way to safeguard our personal and financial data. Thanks.

The Threat of Online Security: How safe is Your Data?

The Threat of Online Security
Innovative software, Web sites, and devices attract attention because they make communicating easier, accomplishing tasks faster, or being online more entertaining. But hackers generally follow to exploit the latest mass market. That’s why computer security researchers say some of our newest technical fascinations—iPhones, social networks, and Internet phone services, to name a few—could present tempting targets in 2008. Sellers of security technology have a financial stake in fanning computer users' fears, but it's useful to know where the bad guys might strike.

Wayward Web Sites
The new generation of sites generally referred to as Web 2.0 act more like traditional PC software: The sites are fast, responsive, and speed up page loading. That means browsers are working harder than ever to pull the data that keeps sites current. Couple that with market imperatives to keep pushing out new features to users, and the emerging Web could present a dangerous brew of software flaws that’s ripe for hackers to exploit.

Not So Social Networks
Social networks like MySpace (NWS) and Facebook have attracted tens of millions of members, and they store on their servers a trove of information about each one. The sheer size of those targets could make them tough for hackers to ignore. In October, 2005, a self-spreading worm took a day to infect 1 million MySpace users, defacing their profile pages. So far, problems on Facebook have mostly been the impaired of unsolicited biddings to join users’ networks. But more serious threats could be on the horizon, security researchers say.

A Target in Your Pocket
Sophisticated cell phones that boast lots of storage, Wi-Fi networking, and souped-up computing capacity offer lots of people the chance to use them as ersatz PCs. But all that data zapping forth from smart phones means cyber criminals are sniffing around for ways to crack into them. Phones with software from Symbian and Microsoft (MSFT) have already been attacked, and security researchers have demonstrated ways to hack into Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone. Google’s newly announced Android mobile-phone software could be next.

Bigger, Badder Botnets
One of the more insidious types of computer virus commandeers a user’s PC, gang pressing it into a network of “bots” that can spew spam, record users’ keystrokes to steal bank account numbers and passwords, or launch attacks against Web sites. Such botnets are getting bigger in size and harder to take down. Case in point: the “Storm Worm” virus that has infected tens of millions of machines this year.

Cybersquatters on the Campaign Trail
One of cyber crooks’ favorite ways to snare unsuspecting victims is to set up a phony Web site where users end up when they mistype a popular address. Remember Whitehouse.com? (The President's site is Whitehouse.gov.) As the Presidential election cycle heats up, so-called cybersquatters are ready to pounce. One has already posted ads to a fake site that’s one letter off from the address of Barack Obama’s official campaign site. In 2008, researchers say hackers could post malicious code or set up phony solicitations for campaign donations.

Virtual Worlds, Real Danger
Internet users are spending actual cash to outfit avatars, stockpile weapons, and decorate abodes in online virtual worlds such as Linden Labs’ Second Life and Blizzard Entertainment’s popular World of Warcraft game. So far, Second Life meddlers—so-called griefers—have only resorted to virtual vandalism. But they'd cause serious trouble if they find a way to pluck real cash from users’ accounts.


Your "Bank" is on Line
VoIP phones offer low-price long-distance calling and the ability to place calls from a PC address book in a snap. But the communications protocol used by many VoIP providers is vulnerable to attacks, and leaves holes that the bad guys can use to cloak their identities, security experts say. Worse, many Internet phone carriers haven’t turned on technology that can encrypt conversations over their systems. Most people don’t respond to those phony e-mails asking them to verify their bank account number. But what about a phone call that sounds like it’s coming from the fraud-prevention department? That kind of ruse could be harder to resist.


Hackers Go Pro
In the past few years, hackers have banded together and worked with organized crime to harvest the most valuable data exposed on the Internet. Next year could witness an even more complete merger between the computer and criminal undergrounds. Developers for hire and professional hacking kits are available through online markets. And criminals are on the lookout for intellectual property that resides on companies’ servers. In 2005 and 2006, hackers stole as many as 94 million credit- and debit-card numbers from the computers of retailer TJ Maxx (TJX). More efficient groups could make break-ins like that even more prevalent.

Security Tips (make your data secure)
Given the assortment of nasty behavior befouling the Internet, what's a PC user to do? BusinessWeek.com consulted the experts, who offered the following advice:
Don't give away any valuable or sensitive personal information on your MySpace or Facebook profile or within messages to other members of the network. And don't click on any links in social network messages from people you don't know.
No reputable company will ask for your password, account number, or other log-in information via e-mail or instant message.
Use one of the many antivirus, antispyware, and firewall programs on the market. Often, vendors offer all three functions in a single package. And many Internet service providers offer them free with your monthly subscription.
Upgrade your browser to the most current version. From Microsoft, that's Internet Explorer 7. Mozilla's Firefox is on version 2, as is Apple's Safari browser.
Pay attention to the messages from Windows that pop up on your screen, especially in the new Vista operating system. They often contain helpful security information that many users overlook.
Turn on Windows' automatic-update function to get Microsoft's regular security patches.

An example of phishing case and its prevention

i A new spoofed Citibank spam email is doing the rounds in an attempt to part unwitting victims from their credit card details, PIN number and email account details.Citibank has warned customers about a spam email scam that informed recipients their Citibank account would be suspended unless they accepted new terms and conditions. A link in the email directed them to a fake, but convincing, Citibank website that requested the customer's name and bank card details.Citibank took the unusual step of issuing a statement to all its customers saying: "Although the e-mail appears to come from Citibank regarding 'Your Checking Account at Citibank,' it does not, and Citibank is in no way involved in the distribution of this e-mail." But one silicon.com reader, Remo Cornali from Italy, has forwarded on a new fraudulent Citibank scam, which has begun to spread over the weekend.



It uses a new twist on the traditional 'phishing' technique of spamming thousands of users with a scam email that links people to a fake banking website to steal their personal and financial details. Instead, it says the person has received a payment of $217 via Citibank's online wire service, citi.com. One giveaway that all might not be as it seems, however, is the appalling spelling and grammar.In the email, it state that "Your email is not registred with us, you need to setup account with us and verify your identity. Please fill this form to be enrolled to citi.com service. Once you register, the money will appear in your citi's account balance in your overview page. You can withraw the outstanding balance to your credit or debt card's bank account."

As ever, there is a twist, and anyone foolish enough to enter their details can probably expect their card to cleaned out fairly swiftly and their email account used for further scams. Cornali said the server set up to collect the financial details is in South Korea.For the phshing case, the Citibank has been loss the trusthworthy and confident of the customer.Futhermore, the customer feel unsecure to save their money in the Citibank.


For the prevention, we have to verifying the authenticity and security of wed site, not shooping online while using an unencrypted or open wireless network, reviewing credit card and financial statement for unauthorised charges, securing computers before shopping online by keeping antivirus, antispam and firewall software up-to-date, never replying to-email or pop-up meassage from companies that ask for personal, financial or passward information.Last but not least,never follow ing direction asking you to reveal information or delete a fole that is received in e-mail or pop-up meassage from seeming trusted companies.

Identify and compare the revenue model for Google, amazon.com and eBay.

Every company has its own Business Model in helping the company to generate revenue from various ways in order to sustain in the future. Business model must specify two things which are the value proposition and revenue model. Value proposition is the benefits that a company can derive from using e-commerce. On the other hand, a revenue model is a description of different techniques used in a company on how that particular company will earn revenue. There are five common techniques which are usually used in the commercial world nowadays. These include sales, transaction fees, subscription fees, advertising fees and affiliate fees.

From what I had noticed from Google, Amazon and eBay’s website, I found that each of this website has its own way to generate income. Google, a search web with its search engine attracted many loyal web searchers by providing simple and easy usability web search services for its web searchers. The number of internet users is growing since the day Google had officially launched. Whenever the web searcher click on the result from the Google’s search results or Google content network, Google automatically earned affiliate fees either through a cost-per-click scheme or a cost-per-view scheme.

While being a company which its primary business activity is in the web search arena, Google also earn advertisement fees from the advertisement from those companies that wish to advertise their products to the public. After Google purchased a radio advertising company “dMarc” which provides an automated system for companies to advertise their products on the radio, its allowed Google to combined two main advertising media which are the internet and radio.

Besides, Google also earned other source of revenue such as the revenue from the web-based e-mail service which known as Gmail or Google Mail. It helps Google generate revenue by displaying links and advertisement that are tailored to the content of the e-mail messages displayed on screen.

Secondly, the eBay website, a website that provide an electronic market place for the sellers to list all items they wish to sell on internet and buyers to bid on items they interested based on the items listed by the sellers. Items posted by the sellers will be arranged based on its own category and buyers will browse through all the listed items.

Basically the services that eBay actually provided is the auction services and eBay earned its revenue from affiliate fees and transaction fees. eBay generate affiliate fees as the buyers click on the items posted by the sellers for auction purposed. Once the item is successfully sold, a final value fees will be charged against the seller’s final sale price. Usually it is ranges from 1.25% to 5% of the final sale price. The more the sellers sell his/her products, the more the eBay can earn this final value fees from the sellers. This is considered as part of the transaction fees.

Moreover, eBay generate its revenue from other source of income which are the insertion fee, additional listing options fee and final value fee. Insertion fee is a non-refundable fee. It is charged against the sellers once an item is listed on eBay. The amount of insertion fee charged is depending on the seller’s opening bid on the item. If the seller which to promote his/her item in a different way such as highlighting or bold the name of the listed item, an additional listing options will be charged against the seller.

Lastly, the Amazon website, a website that sell goods and products to its consumer by using an internet basis. It is most likely a supermarket, the only different is it held on the internet, the sellers and buyers will not be meeting each other and every transaction will be on computer and internet based. Since it is not much different with a supermarket, they way Amazon generates income also most likely a supermarket style.

Amazon earn its revenue in sales, once Amazon sells its goods and products, it earned revenue from what it had sold. Follow by the transaction fees, Amazon earned income on the variable basis, depending how many goods or products it had sold. The more the goods and products are being sold, the more income the Amazon earned. Besides these two ways, Amazon does advertise some of the companies’ advertisement. By dong so, Amazon manage to earned the advertising fees.

In short, Google, eBay and Amazon has their own ways in generating their revenue. The major different between Google, eBay and Amazon is on the services provided by each of the website. Google is a website that is totally different from eBay and Amazon because Google provide service for its users for searching the information which is globally available whereas eBay and Amazon only provide services for its users for searching items that are available in its database. Another major different between Google and others is Google do not provide places for business dealing such as making the sellers and buyers to meet up whereas eBay and Amazon major function is the selling and buying process.

By making comparison between eBay and Amazon, although both of these two websites providing a quite similar services but they are different. For eBay, it is a auction based where else for Amazon, it is a deal transaction based. Meaning to say, for eBay, the selling and buying process is between individual and individual. Individual posted items they wish to sell off and another individual buy for that particular item. For Amazon, the selling and buying process is between business/firm and individual. Firm sells the goods and products for a fixed price and whether or not to purchase the item is all depends on the consumers themselves.

As a conclusion, Google, eBay and Amazon run their business on different ways and having the different business line but the way they generate revenue more or less are the same, which fall back to the five common techniques, sales, transaction fees, subscription fees, advertising fees and affiliate fees.

E-commerce can Reduce Cycle Time, Improve Employees’ Empowerment and Facilitate Customer Support

E-commerce help in reduce cycle time:

Cycle time is the sum of time between a customer making an order and obtaining the goods or the time business take to complete transactions from beginning to the end.E-commerce can reduce cycle time because it processes all documents electronically and error-free, minimizing processing time and the number of staff required. With E-commerce, customers are able to place order and receive goods in a rapid time by eliminating the business process and intermediaries. For example. we can book ticket through sms for TGV cinema.It reduce the time which we need to queqe up. And it also can book for a amount we wanted, because some of the reason we have to watch a movie with a group of friends. Beside this, E-commerce also reduces labour time in document and mail preparation, telephone calling, data entry, overtime and supervision. It also provides managers more accurate data and improves the analysis of pricing change in order to maximize product availability by recognition of demand trends well. The uses of extranet greatly reduce cycle time .

Improve employee empowerment
With E-commerce, it can improve employee empowerment. Because by using the e-commerce, the employees can use the custemer complaint through the company wedsite. to increase the cuztomer sactisfaction and it can lead to maintain the company impression and gain profit from that.By the way,it is sucessful to unlocking the potential of employee and enable them to make decision by their own.The employee can fell more freedom and flixible to their own jods.Furthermore, they can take as a reponsibility to their own field and it can motivated the employee to perform well. Some of the company communicate their employee through intranet.Because of it, The manager of each deparment can place order easily and give some authority to their employees.

Customer support
With e-commerce, they also can provide some customer services like Frequently Ask Question(FAQ) to support the customers' understanding.This can lead to improve their quality of service by analysis the customer comments, suggentions and complaints.The company can improve their servive instantaneously and effectively.Not only for this, with E-commerce, the customer can shopping through the company wedsite.it can let the customer place a order or can search the detail of the product.By the way, customer also can customize their own product. For example nike and jaguar, it can lead to increase of customer sactisfaction and customer need's orientated.

The example of an E-commerce failure and its causes

The example of an E-commerce failure is Kozmo.com.Kozmo.com was founded in 1997 by two young Wall Street professionals,Joseph Park and Yong Kang. Park had been an analyst in the corporate finance division of blue-chip investment bank Goldman Sachs & Co. while Kang was an assistant vice president at Societe Generale in the media and communications group.
The company began as a service that delivered videos by bicycle messenger to Manhattan customers who ordered them online. The company boasted “from the Internet to your door in under an hour” and its attractive rates helped rapidly draw thousands of customers .The company is often referred to as an example of the dot-com excess.The documentary film e-Dreams (2001) portray the fate of the company.
Kozmo.com's aura helped it raise more than $250 million, but the company was unable to generate enough revenue to cover costs. In 1999, it had $3.5 million in revenue, compared to $26.4 million in net losses. Basic problems with its business model included offering a costly home-delivery service for free, even on very small orders on which it was impossible to turn a profit. Last-ditch efforts to boost orders and stop the delivery losses by charging $1.99 for orders under $30 helped, but couldn't deliver the company.

Mounting losses led to Park’s ouster in 2000. The new leadership couldn’t turns things around or pull off the long-delayed IPO. In April 2001 the company ran out of money, shut down operations and laid off its employees.

An example of E-commerce success and its causes

"Google", a well known World Wide Web by almost every people. Google is an America Public Coorporation. Goolge had begun in year 1996 by Larry Page, and was soon joined by Sergey Brin,

while they was the Ph.D. Student at Stanford University in California.

Recently, Google has growth become more famous in e-commerce. It is not easy to success in e-commerce nows a day is more competitive and not easy to survive. Why Google can success in E-commerce? There must be causes behind this success.

Google has created services and tools for the general public and business environment alike; including Web applications, advertising networks and solutions for businesses. Most of Google's revenue (aproximiately 99%) is derived from advertising programs. Google AdWords is currently used by thousands of businesses worldwide to gain new customers in a cost-effective way.

However, why search advertising works? Search advertising has finally realized the marketing potential of the Internet. AdWords uses keywords to precisely target ad delivery to web users seeking information about a particular product or service. The program is based on cost- per-click (CPC) pricing,so advertisers only pay when an ad is clicked on.

Google advertising can feed into your sales cycle in innumerable ways, enabling to achieve a wide range of objectives for both consumer and business-to-business marketing. A high-level list might include:
- Selling products and services online
- Generating targeted leads
- Testing marketing messages
- Increasing online registrations
- Driving downloads
- Distributing publications
- Promoting special events
- Educating buyers
- Gathering market data
- Building an email database

Why do people choose Google instead of some other search tool? Because Google delivers the information people want, quickly and accurately. With the industry's most advanced search technology, Google is the fastest and easiest way to locate relevant information on the Internet. Google's search index contains billions of web documents, and gets bigger and better all the time.

As a conclusion, in my opinion, why Google can success in E-commerce is because the name of Google is famous to every internet user. So, it consists very high potential market to promote the services and products because there are many viewer will view and use Google. As a result, Google can earn the advertisment fees because of the trusted name of "Google" and yet Google provide a good advertising plan and strategy to their customer. Therefore, Google success is a very good example of E-commerce success.

The History of E-commerce

History of E-commerce started from the invention of the very old concept of "sell and buy”, electricity, cables, computers, modems, and the Internet.

When the Internet was opened to commercial use, E-commerce became possible in 1991.

In the late 1970s the ability to use these technologies appeared and allowed business companies and organizations to send commercial documentation electronically.

It took about four years to develop the security protocols and DSL which allowed rapid access and a persistent connection to the Internet although the Internet began to advance in popularity among the general public in 1994.

In 2000 a great number of business companies in the United States and Western Europe represented their services in the World Wide Web.
The “brick and mortar” retailers recognized the advantages of electronic commerce and began to add such capabilities to their web sites since the dot-com collapse in 2000 led to unfortunate results and many of E-commerce companies disappeared.

The end of 2001, the largest form of E-commerce, had around $700 billion Business-to-Business (B2B) model in transactions.

End of 2007, E-commerce sales continued to grow and E-commerce sales accounted for 3.4 percent of total sales.

About myself

My name is Ng Inn Hong, or can call me Ivan as well, i'm the guy who in the picture.I’m from Taiping which is a “raining town” because it almost raining through the year, about my hobbies is to exercise and play pc game, and collect model car, jogging and play basketball is the best exercise for me. Because these exercise can release my stress and the best is to keep my body as well. Because I have been fat a lot since came to UTAR. But no matter how I try and try. The weight doesn’t decrease, very sad. By the way, I’m the person who likes to meet friends and will play some fool things in front of them. In the college, I have a group of member which I never have before. Because in the past I stay in KTAR, my group assignment member wont not work hard and concerned about the assignment. But, they are. During leisure time, we will go to travel around. For the top 5 website I visit the most is http://www.xunlei.com/ , http://www.topgear.com/ , http://www.baidu.com/ , http://www.hotmail.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/ .

For the http://www.xunlei.com/ I can download the latest movie, drama and some other show that I can not miss. And I can download which bring some memorable time to me .in this website, i can look for the funny show which can cheer up my life when i was down.

For me, I’m the person who like car very much. So I’ll go to http://www.topgear.com/ to search the latest information for car which will expand my knowledge to cars, for example the new technology for the car engine which are invented to save the fuel and efficiency and to keep our environment clean.

With the http://www.baidu.com/ this website can let me download the latest music or which I have been miss. Because listening to the music can let me to relax and refresh my mind. And I can download my favorite artists songs.

the hotmail mail box can allow me to check my mail which my friend to me, and keep contact with my friends with around the world.

For the youtube, I can watch some show or video clips which are funny and fantasticality. so for the last. i would like to say. internet make us life become easy.

self-introduction

My name is Emilia Ting Jue Yu. I am the female beside the guy inside the picture on the left hand site. I am a student in UTAR study in sungai long.

I come from Bintulu, Sarawak which is quite far from where I study now. My family members include my father, mother, brother, sister and I. My hobbies are sleeping and reading. I can sleep almost 14 hours per day. That is the reason why my friends always call me pig. (luckily my body not like a pig). Beside sleeping, i like to read novel, especially romance novel. This is the reason why cause my like to dream. Some people will think that dreaming is not realistic, but i believe that with a dream i will work more harder to achive it as it is my target in my future.

The website i always visit include http://www.xunlei.com/, http://www.yahoo.com/, http://www.friendster.com/w.friendster.com/, http://www.google.com/, http://www.utar.edu.my/and http://wble.utar.edu.my/

The website i visit most is xunlei. This website is mainly for downloading movie and drama. The latest movie and drama including Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, UK, USA, China, Thailand and others will be posted. This website also include some world news and entertainment news recently.

The second website that i most visit is . I used to look for the photo of my friends and reading their forward message. Some of the forward message which is funny or news, i will forward to my other friends too. So we can share information and fun together. By looking for their photoes, I can know how are they recently althought we can't meet always. This is also one way to keep in touch among my friends.

Next will be follow by yahoo.com. I use to use yahoo to check mail and search some information need especially when doing my assignment.

Follow by the UTAR website and the wble. Sometimes i will visit to wble to see whether any anoucement has been posted. Beside that, i will visit UTAR website especially when before and after the exam to check the exam timetable and the result after the examination.

Lastly i will only visit google for finding information when doing my assingnment.

That's all about me. Thanks.