I have just installed a brand new Wifi net, to test my superfast 54Mbps 802.11g D-Link AccessPoint (and related desktop and laptop adapters). Now I am finally ready to move to the new house (code name: Grotta 2.0, Cave 2.0; I will write more about the moving later this month).

And I am so excited that I need to write more about Wifi and HotSpots. A list of Free Wifi HotSpots in Milan? Why not. Let's start.

• Bitage Free Wifi. Bitage is the first to bring this service to Italy. You just need to register and give your mobile number in order to connect to Bitage hotspots. All locations are in Milan, with the exception of a couple of restaurants in Rome.
  
• Free Wifi restaurant and cafe list, via MilanoTonight. Very accurate and updated.
• Free Hotspot directory, via FreeHotspot.com.

Note. My new superfast HotSpot is protected and not free. But if you ask or if you are my guest...

Posted by giusec in Milano, mon amour, Web & Tecnology at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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introducing the new iPhone (from MacRumors.com), uploaded by giusec.

Posted by giusec in Web & Tecnology at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Here we go, finally. In less than one hour, Steve Jobs will start his keynote at MacWorld 2007. These are the blogs providing speech and entire event live coverage.

• MacRumors.com
• UNEASYsilence
• Engadget
• The MacObserver.com
  
• MacScoop.com

And all others. Italians: let's not forget "our" Luca!

Update: the iPhone has just been presented! For first pics, see here.

Posted by giusec in Web & Tecnology at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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How a good day starts, uploaded by giusec.

First, Firefox 2.0. Great. Few seconds and puf! Installed. Second, IE 7. Well, still installing. In fact:

1. The (automatic upgrade) first installation crashes. No way to recover.
   
2. So I decide to go with a manual installation; I open my Firefox (IE no longer works) and I start;
   
3. I have to go through a WGA Plugin installation, first;
   
4. Then through a "Genuine Windows Validation";
5. Follows a generation of the validation code;
6. Once I validate my system, I start the download;
7. I install IE for the second time (and it validates the system again).

It's now 15 minutes installing core components. Let's see. How a good day starts.

• Update: after 45 min still crashes. I will switch back to the old version. If I will be able to find it.
• 2nd Update. It's 4pm and I'm still struggling with the damned IE7. 
• 3rd update. It's 5pm now. I found a great turnaround to switch back to a standalone version of IE6. Thanks to tech-recipes.
  

Posted by giusec in Web & Tecnology at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Web-Trend-Map, uploaded by giusec.

InformationArchitects publish the Internet Predictions for 2007. Exec summary:

1. Apple keeps its iPod monopoly and increases its OS 5% market share to 5.1%
2. Google scores against Microsoft and Yahoo due to its massive marketing data advantage
3. Blogs bloom, and prepare for the 2008 election
4. Social networks become a place where members make money
5. Newspapers open up
6. Big ad investments start streaming in
7. New Internet focused ad agencies open up
8. Viruses and spam become an even bigger hassle
9. Yet Digital ID initiates a major change that makes the web more reliable, user and investor friendly
10. All in all 2007 is a preparation for the big infolution in 2008 

The full post is here, via IA.

Posted by giusec in Blogging, Web & Tecnology at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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I am not always a Microsoft fan. I often criticize Microsoft people, marketing and products, products, products. But this time buzz generated because of the latest Vista launch is risking to focus on the wrong side. I will try to make a long story short.

A few days before Christmas, Edelman - the lead PR agency for the launch of Vista and one of the biggest of the world - emailed a number of influential US bloggers to ask them if they’d like to receive an Acer Ferrari notebook computer pre-loaded with Vista OS. Bloggers started posting about the invitation they received; some have already received the computer and blogged their first impressions/opinions.

Some blogs start now criticize Microsoft and Edelman with accusations of bribery. Others write that is an awesome idea. Confusion starts to take hold as some bloggers report that Microsoft is asking for the computers back.

Now, the question here is: is sending out laptops ethical? Yes, it is. That’s Elderman PR job. Their job is in fact to get the product (Vista) and company they represent (Microsoft) in front of as many influentials as possible (bloggers, in our case). Is giving the PCs away ethical? Well, why not. But this is not the right question, I think. Is ethical getting a PC and not disclosing? This is the real question.

To know more: Laughing Squid, Long Zheng, notgartner, Crunchnotes, Whatsnextblog (1 and 2), Neville Hobson, Robert Scoble.

Posted by giusec in Marketing, ergo sum, Web & Tecnology at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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Microsoft is now facing an early crisis of confidence in the quality of its Windows Vista operating system. The browser flaw is particularly troubling because it potentially means that Web users could become infected with malicious software simply by visiting a booby-trapped site.

Here, via Wired and here via NYT Tech. 

Posted by giusec in Web & Tecnology at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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comScore Networks conducted a research over blog penetration among web readers. It seems that - guess what? - Italians read blogs less that all other Westerners do, with the exception of Germans. In fact:

Among the eight countries examined in the study, Canada saw the highest penetration of visitors to blogs, with 58 percent of all internet users visiting the category in October 2006. Half (51 percent) of all internet users in Spain also visited blogs.

And:

Of the selected countries, only Germany (26 percent) and Italy (31 percent) had a lower penetration of internet visitors to the blogs category than the United States (36 percent).

Here the full research and tables. 

Posted by giusec in Blogging, Web & Tecnology at 12:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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If you like stats - better, if you like webstats - this site is for you: Compete. Also, Bill Gross and his company run a very interesting blog. It shows examples of what you can do with Compete.com. Like comparisons. Or business cases. Take the Southwest example. Interesting, isn't it?

Posted by giusec in Blogging, Web & Tecnology at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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