Today’s sources: The Guardian, Computing, ComputerWeekly

Computing – Analysis: Social networking gets down to business – Sooraj Shah
Big technology vendors such as IBM and Microsoft are increasingly offering social networking products that aim to help companies integrate the benefits of social media into existing business software.

Guardian – Tech giants agree to new privacy rules – Charles Arthur
Mobile apps will have to disclose how private data will be used before download under new agreement
CRN – BSA calls for worldwide overhaul of data protection laws – Caroline Donnelly
Anti-piracy body claims country-by-country differences in data protection laws could hamper cloud growth
Computer Weekly – Education system failing to meet needs of UK employers – Kayleigh Bateman
Over half of UK workers (52%) think the education system is failing to meet the needs of employers, according to research.
Marketing Weekly – Benchmark your social media – Lucy Handley
An exclusive report on how brands can put a value on their digital activity in 2012.

Today’s sources: V3, The Guardian, CRN, ComputerWeekly

V3 – Microsoft shoots down talk of Office for iOS – Shaun Nichols
Microsoft has formally denied a report that the company is developing an iOS version its Office productivity suite.

The Paypers – UK: Payments Council, VocaLink team up for m-payments platform
The UK Payments Council, an organisation of financial institutions that sets strategy for UK payment mechanisms, is building a central database that will allow customers to link their mobile phone number to their account details, irrespective of their financial services provider.

Guardian – Facebook’s nudity and violence guidelines are laid bare – Charles Arthur
Nipples are rude but crushed limbs are OK – a document leak has revealed the social network’s attitudes to sex and violence

CRN – Lynch urges HP partners to spearhead IT ‘revolution’ – Doug Woodburn
Autonomy founder claims HP’s channel is uniquely placed to profit as emphasis shifts from data to meaning

Computer Weekly – Mobile malware on the rise – Karl Flinders
The number of new malware releases slowed during the final three months of 2011, but was higher than expected for the year.

Today’s sources: The Guardian, Computing, CRN, ComputerWeekly

Computing – The Entertainer rolls out multichannel retail systems – Andrew Charlesworth
Toy retailer The Entertainer is overhauling its retail systems to integrate e-commerce, physical stores and supply chain.

Guardian – The Pirate Bay could be blocked in UK – Josh Halliday
Filesharing site unlawfully shares copyrighted music, says UK high court

CRN – DDoS heavyweight Arbor enters channel – Doug Woodburn
DDoS mitigation vendor signs Exclusive Networks after launching its first offering targeted at enterprise datacentre

Computer Weekly – Is the ICO’s focus on public sector about to change? – Warwick Ashford
The Information Commissioner’s Office has submitted a business case to the government for extending its powers to carry out compulsory audits. Does this mean the ICO is finally planning to tackle data protection failures in the private sector with the same vigour as it has in the public sector?

Marketing Weekly – Eurostar launches live ad platform – Rosie Baker
Eurostar is launching a “live” advertising platform in a move to integrate social media and consumers’ conversations into its mainstream advertising.

Today’s sources: Internet Retailing, The Guardian, ComputerWeekly

Internet Retailing – Smallest UK businesses behind on ecommerce – Chloe Rigby
UK micro businesses lag behind their European counterparts in their use of ecommerce, a new study has found.

Guardian – Acta criticised after thousands protest in Europe – Charles Arthur and agencies
Anti-counterfeiting treaty lacks balance, says European Parliament president, but publishers call for calm and reasoned assessment while thousands brave cold to march

Computer Weekly – Police requested Oyster card data 22,000 times – Karl Flinders
The Metropolitan Police (Met)  has requested to see data on Oyster cards 22,000 times since 2008.

Today’s sources: The Guardian, CRN, ComputerWeekly

Guardian – FBI releases files on Steve Jobs: he was ‘a deceptive individual’ – Dominic Rushe
Documents depict the Apple founder as a complex person of both ‘integrity’ and ‘suspect’ moral character
CRN – IBM unveils new UK channel chief – Sara Yirrell
Richard Potts takes over from Jacqui Davey, who is taking on a strategic European sales role at Big Blue
Computer Weekly – Cabinet Office asks public for open standards definition – Kathleen Hall
The Cabinet Office is launching a consultation to provide a definition of open standards.

Today’s sources: The Guardian, CRN, ComputerWeekly, Marketing Week
Guardian – Google introduces Chrome for phone – Juliette Garside
Search giant to replace web browser in Android smartphones with revamped version named after its Chrome desktop product

CRN – Gartner: Everything stacked against UK PC market in 2012 – Sam Trendall
Q4 figures paint a sorry picture, with HP, Dell and Acer all stuck in the doldrums

Computer Weekly – Medway NHS cuts costs with virtualisation project – Karl Flinders
Medway NHS Foundation Trust is to reduce its costs and carbon footprint by virtualising a blade server environment.

Marketing Weekly – Edward Norton stars in LG Prada phone campaign – Lara O’Reilly
LG has dialled up Fight Club actor Edward Norton to star in a campaign to promote its latest Prada-branded phone.

Today’s sources: V3, CRN, ComputerWeekly, Marketing Week

CRN – Fujitsu bears margin gift for over-achievers – Doug Woodburn
Vendor unveils eight per cent Primergy discount to help VARs target this quarter’s public sector feeding frenzy

Computer Weekly – Government IT subject to heaviest spending cuts, says NAO – Kathleen Hall
Government IT and other back office functions have so far taken the brunt of spending cuts, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Marketing Week – O2 expands reward scheme to rugby fans – Sebastian Joseph
O2 will offer customers tickets to watch the England Rugby team at Twickenham, as part of an extension of its long-standing sponsorship deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

V3 - Attackers taking aim at retail and food chains – Shaun Nichols
A uniform infrastructure and predictable behaviours are making corporate retail and restaurant chains popular targets for cybercriminals.

Computing - Wellcome Trust CIO extols the virtues of tablets – Sooraj Shah
The CIO of worldwide biomedical charity Wellcome Trust, Mark Bramwell, has revealed that the organisation has put 130 iPads in circulation across its workforce to eradicate logistical problems that its committees had in dealing with several hundred papers.

Internet Retailing - The pros – and cons – of mobile payments – Paul Skeldon
Ahead of his panel slot at Internet Retailing Expo in the Mobile and Social Conference, Gabriel Hopkins, Head of eCommerce Products, WorldPay, looks at the main issues that retailers face when implementing a mobile payments channel, as well as the key areas to focus on to help take full advantage of consumer demands for m-commerce

Today’s sources: The Guardian, Computing, ComputerWeekly, Marketing Week, CRN

Guardian – Facebook prepares for risks and rewards in its future – Paul Harris in New York
Site’s share offer will create new billionaires and millionaires – but analysts worry about its capacity for growth and many users fear for their privacy

CRN – Microsoft hits out at Google’s privacy proposals – Caroline Donnelly
Software giant urges users concerned by Google’s privacy policy changes to take another look at its products

Computer Weekly – Innovation and optimisation top UK’s 2012 IT agenda, survey shows – Warwick Ashford
2012 will be a year of change and smarter working, with IT departments focused on improving processes and finding “new ways of doing things”, a survey of 170 UK businesses reveals.

Marketing Weekly – BT: ‘Marketers need to have love affair with customer services’ – Russell Parsons
Marketers need to embark on a “love affair” with their customer service counterparts or risk failing their brands, according to BT’s service chief.

Computing - John Lewis launches bring-your-own tablets policy for senior staff – Stuart Sumner
Retailer John Lewis has enabled the use of staff-owned tablet devices among senior management and is looking to offer apps for employees to use in the course of their jobs.

Today’s sources: The Guardian, ComputerWeekly, CRN, V3

Guardian – Facebook’s market listing is imminent – but does it have Google’s potential? – Juliette Garside
The world’s leading social site is expected to sell off a 10% stake for up to $10bn – implying an overall value of $100bn

Computer Weekly – Proposed EC data protection rules help cloud adoption – Warwick Ashford
The proposed new European Union data protection regulation will support the adoption of cloud computing, says European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes.

CRN – Fujitsu feels full force of floods in Q3 financials – Sara Yirrell
Thai floods and sluggish demand take their toll as the vendor revises its projections downwards for Q4

V3 – IBM extends mobile security operation with Endpoint Manager update – Shaun Nichols
IBM has given word of a platform update and corporate acquisition which will both aim to boost its mobile management and security operations.

Today’s sources: Computing, V3, The Guardian, ComputerWeekly

Guardian – Are we living in a post-PC and a post-Mac world? – Jean-Louis Gassée
Apple posted its Q4 earnings last week and reports of its imminent demise have been greatly exaggerated

Computer Weekly – Kent fire brigade cuts data duplication in records with CRM technology – Kathleen Hall
Kent Fire and Rescue Services (KFRS) has signed a deal for a risk-management system to cut data duplication from its records.

CRN – UK fraud levels hit record high – Sara Yirrel
KPMG warns firms to be on their guard as punishing economic conditions encourage fraudsters to take more risks

V3 – WordPress targeted in malware attack – Shaun Nichols
Researchers are warning users to be cautious and publishers to watch their blogs following an outbreak of attacks targeting the WordPress publishing platform. 

Computing - Liverpool NHS Trusts seek IT service provider in deal worth £31.5m – Derek du Preez
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust (LWFT) and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (AHFT) are looking for a partner to provide all their ICT services for at least the next seven years.