Further to my post a few days ago on the benefits of Internet banking…

Are there security risks if I bank online? Well yes, and no.

New Zealand banks have recently admitted that they are open to attacks from the latest trojan technology - capable of getting past even the best two-factor authentication (a method that uses two forms of verification to confirm a customer’s identity). Some of the threats to you when you bank online are:

• Phishers: Fraudsters who obtain your personal details through a variety of means, such as sending you an email that appears to be from your bank and provides a link to a fake banking site.
• Trojans: Software programs which disguise themselves to look like an application on your computer.
• Viruses: Software programs which replicate themselves and can destroy valuable information on your hard drive.
• Worms: Self-replicating programs which spread from your computer to others connected to it.
• Scams: Job scams or other fraudulent means of convincing you to receive or send money via their bank account.

In defense of banks, they do put a lot of time and energy into ensuring your privacy and security is maintained. Your banking information is encrypted so that third parties cannot view your activity or access your information, and there are other online safety nets in place too.

You can help ensure your own Internet banking security:

• Take care when banking online in a public place: Make sure there is a padlock symbol in the lower right corner of your browser, never save your login details, and be sure to log out when you are finished. Also watch for shady characters lurking nearby.

• Protect your computer: Use virus protection software and install a firewall on your PC. Remember to download updates regularly too!

• Use a hard-to-guess password: Make sure you are the only one who knows your password and don’t disclose it to anyone! Banks will never ask for your password by phone or email, so ignore emails claiming to be from your bank asking for login confirmation.

• Beware of hoax emails: If you receive an email that appears to be from your bank or another financial institution, delete it immediately. Do not open any attachments and do not offer your personal information.

• Keep in touch with your bank: Notify your bank straight away if you notice unusual activity in your bank account or suspect someone else has used your password.

Stay safe with online banking security solutions and protection for your PC.

Image from Flickr.

Our personal health and fitness is one of our biggest concerns, so it’s no surprise that we look online for health information, advice, diagnosis, products, insurance, health shops and pharmacies… but what exactly are we looking for?

According to Hitwise, gatherers of online search data and statistics, the top 10 New Zealand health searches for December 2007 were:

1. movember
2. les mills
3. bmi
4. treasures
5. weight watchers
6. pubmed
7. southern cross
8. sparc
9. depression
10. auckland hospital

Viewing and analysing search data such as this can be hugely valuable in terms of creating content, targeting Web users and reading the minds of New Zealand searchers. We’ve got a lot of health issues on our minds, covering:

• Health fund raising - Taking part in the men’s health event of the year (the month formerly known as November)
• Health and fitness - Finding gyms, fitness centres and recreational pursuits
• Weight loss - Calculating Body Mass Index and signing up for Weight Watchers
• Health care - Sourcing private health care, hospitals and PubMed (an online medical information resource)
• Mental health - Depression, an all-too-common symptom of modern living?
• Baby nappies - The essential item for newborns and infants!

Not only is this kind of information useful, it’s also changeable throughout the year; in winter, for instance, ‘cold and flu’ searches will be big, as will any hot current events, such as immunization or bird flu. So, keep an eye on search data - it makes for a fascinating insight into the world of search.

Online banking is arguably the easiest, simplest, least-hassly, cheapest way to manage your money.

What’s so great about banking online? The benefits of Internet banking are many. Often, charges are lower for online accounts and Internet banking facilities are offered at no extra cost, making it a great option for individuals and businesses. Online banking services allow you to:

• Check your account balances and statements online
• Transfer funds between accounts
• View up to date account activity
• Manage your accounts from anywhere in the world
• Make bill payments online and set up automatic payments, direct credits or wage payments
• Get access to detailed information about your account

Who provides the best Internet banking? Compare the competition and find online banking options in the NZS.com directory. Check out online banking information for New Zealand banks:

• ASB Internet banking
• BNZ Internet banking
• Kiwibank Internet banking
• National Bank Internet banking
• Westpac Internet banking

Find these and other New Zealand banks in the NZS.com Directory.

As discussed in an earlier post on the emergence of digital ebooks, reading material no longer needs to be made from paper or even exist in hard copy - it can be 100% digital.

A Dymocks bookstore across the Tasman is trialling touch-screen kiosks, at which customers can download books to a USB stick, DVD or portable device such as an iPod. Dymocks even has their own ebook reader, the iLiad (a nifty electronic notebook and a clever name!). Demand for the ebook devices has been much higher than expected, a trend which bodes well for a digital revolution (or at least an evolution) in book reading.

Kiosks where shoppers can buy ebooks are planned for all Dymocks bookshops in New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong, although when this will happen is uncertain. In the meantime, browse New Zealand bookshops online for a great read.

Image from Flickr.

He was a downunder actor made good who was drawn to the bright lights of Hollywood and found fame as an A-list actor.

The sudden death of Australian actor Heath Ledger has come as a shock to his friends and family, and to the acting community who were inspired by his natural, understated talent.

The actor was found unconscious in his Soho apartment in New York city at 9:35am (NZT) yesterday. The cause of his death will be released in 10 - 14 days, but speculation has been fueled by the presence of prescription medication in the apartment.

This young, bright star had many powerful roles and successful blockbuster movies to his name, playing both support and lead roles in a diverse collection of films.

Of his film choices, Ledger said:

“I feel like I’m wasting time if I repeat myself. I can’t say I’m proud of my work. It’s the same with everything I do: the day I say ‘It’s good’ is the day I should start doing something else.”

• Candy (2006) - Playing a poet, Ledger’s character falls for an art student who is attracted to his bohemian lifestyle.
• Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Ledger famously played a gay cowboy in this poignant tale and was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar.
• Ned Kelly (2003) - A biopic following the life of a legendary outlaw, played by Ledger with support from Orlando Bloom.
• Monster’s Ball (2001) - Ledger played a supporting role in this Oscar-winning tale of racism and love.
• The Patriot (2000) - The young Aussie actor cemented his place in Hollywood with a role in this powerful tale of family loyalty and honour.
• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) - A modern take on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, in which Ledger plays an outsider with an infamous past.

Find these and other great DVD movies and movie theatres in the NZS.com Directory.

After confirmation that advertising on the Internet is a fast-growing phenomenon in New Zealand, a study from IAB New Zealand shows that Kiwis are putting most of their online marketing dollars into classified and display advertising.

Global search marketing trends
Internationally, search engine advertising and getting your website to the top of major search engines - such as Google - is the number one priority. Global statistics show search engine marketing has the majority share in online advertising:

Australia - 46%
United Kingdom - 57%
United States - 41%

Search advertising in New Zealand
Here - where the online marketplace is smaller and advertisers less Internet-focused - search marketing accounts for only 25% of our online advertising dollars. In contrast, classified ads and display advertising gobble up 44% and 31% of our online advertising spend.

Why the discrepancy?
The most likely cause is a lack of awareness in the field of Internet advertising, in both New Zealand’s business and advertising sectors. As an online market, New Zealand is still in the early stages of development when compared to other nations, but this doesn’t necessarily equal a weakness. From a ‘glass half full’ perspective, it means there is still a huge amount of opportunity for search marketing and optimisation in New Zealand. And interestingly, the cost of search advertising in the local market is about half that of international markets.

Stay tuned, as the fledgling New Zealand search market takes off…

The 15th World Buskers Festival kicks off today in Christchurch and continues until January 27th. Forty acts from ten countries, including New Zealand, will perform their various talents around the streets of the city.

When the busking festival started fifteen years ago, there were eight acts and two events which drew 8,000 people. Last year’s festival played host to more than forty national and international acts, staged in excess of 450 shows and drew 250,000 people into the central city.

This year’s festival boasts the largest contingent of circus, street and stage acts Christchurch has ever seen. There are
jugglers, comedians, contortionists, unicyclists, clowns, musicians, dancers, acrobats, living statues and aerialists.

With day time shows around the city, it’s great entertainment for families, with adult shows in the North Quad of the Arts Centre and at the Civic every night.

I always look forward to this time of year, as there are so many different acts appearing all over the central city as part of this busking festival. It’s the cheapest ten days of entertainment you will get!

New Zealand is a wonderful place to vacation, and scuba diving around our coastline is simply breath-taking. Our coastal waters offer some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world.

There are many wonderful New Zealand dive spots including the world renowned Poor Knight Islands and the Rainbow Warrior Wreck, plus closer to Auckland, Goat Island and Little Barrier Island. The South Island also offers the Marlborough Sounds and Milford Sounds as great diving destinations.

Diving courses are available through dive shops in most main centres. Open Water Scuba Certificate courses cost around $400-$500 and include twelve hours of theory and pool instruction, plus two sea dive evaluations. The two main certification types in New Zealand are PADI and SSI.

Scuba Diving can be relatively inexpensive to get into, with a basic diving equipment package starting from $2000 which would normally include the following: wetsuit, dive boots, fins, gloves, mask and snorkel, Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), regulator and gauge, and a tank. Most dive centres also give you the opportunity to hire gear when first starting out on a diving courses, which can go a long way towards helping you get into scuba diving in New Zealand.

Check out Dive New Zealand for some great diving resources and information on dive sites, diving tours and more.

Image from Flickr.

The death of Sir Edmund Hillary on January 11th is an event that has touched every New Zealander. As one of our greatest New Zealand heroes, Hillary was not only a Kiwi adventurer of the highest calibre, he was a compassionate and visionary person. In short, a truly admirable human being. Of himself, he said:

“In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander. I have modest abilities; I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed.”

Best remembered for conquering Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, Hillary’s achievement was one of the defining moments of the 20th century and an event that captured the imaginations of people around the globe. Following his achievement, Hillary committed his life and role as a famous New Zealander to helping others - adopting humanitarian and environmental causes, and directing his energy towards assisting Nepalese communities. Through the Himalayan Trust, Hillary helped to build over thirty schools, twelve medical clinics and two hospitals in Nepal, remaining active in fundraising and supervision of humanitarian projects for over four decades.

Life began humbly for this great man, who as a boy dreamed of a life as an adventurer. At the age of sixteen, he discovered a love of mountaineering and a natural strength and endurance that was a perfect match for this endeavour. Working as a beekeeper, Hillary had bigger dreams. Even before World War II, he told a friend: “Some day I’m going to climb Everest.” After an accident which saw him discharged from the Air Force, he went on to climb Mount Cook and several other peaks in the Southern Alps, eventually reaching the top of Everest in 1953 with Nepalese Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. Their achievement was announced on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation: Hillary was knighted, Tenzing was awarded the George medal, and the pair were celebrated as heroes around the world.

Hillary went on to lead an expedition across the Anatarctic to the South Pole, as well as undertaking further climbs in the Himalayas and leading a journey by jetboat up the river Ganges.

In his achievements and through his innate personal strengths, Sir Edmund Hillary was a figure of inspiration to us all.

Image from Flickr.

Now that you’ve got your new year’s resolutions sorted out, it’s time to make your predictions for Internet trends, developments and happenings in 2008. Surf the Web and you’ll find countless predictions - from top analysts to beginner bloggers, and anyone interested in the online world. Just some of the developments may be in…

Social networking
One of the biggest Internet news stories of 2007 was Facebook, whose social networking and profile site defined the shift towards a global networking community. During the coming year, established social networking sites will consolidate themselves, and new faces may emerge to compete (although any success is unlikely against the big players).

And if you’re one of the many people with profiles on several community sites - Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, LinkedIn, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube - you’ll benefit from the possible emergence of tools that will allow you to update all your online identities from one place. You’ll save time (no more social bookmarking nightmares!) and increase the efficiency of your social networking.

Search
Fundamental to the discovery and gathering of information online, Internet search is here to stay. Watch for major search engines adopting new algorithms, as well as offering solutions for a more personalised search experience through customisation of public search engine tools.

Advertising will also become increasingly integrated into the online search environment, as will search results in a wide range of visual media (note Google’s adoption of search results featuring images and online video clips). While Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will remain an essential part of marketing online, Google PageRank and link weighting are both expected to decrease in power, as part of a global trend to control spam and improve relevancy of results.

Video sharing and TV online
A key feature of the increasingly interactive online world has been the success of video sharing sites such as YouTube. In the year from late 2006 to late 2007, the number of users watching online videos grew by 45% - a trend which is expected to continue in 2008 with the higher speeds and increased adoption of broadband Internet.

Far from being the realm of amateur entertainment, this field has become a vehicle for music videos, lectures, alternative news sources, television and movie clips, and much, much more. Access to television online through Web based television channels and independent online TV programming will grow in 2008; watch for the first successful 100% online television show.

Online advertising
Advertising on the Internet can be subtle or obvious; whichever the case, it’s there in some form and is part of almost every user’s online experience. The coming year will see a continuation of recent growth in this field; as mentioned in an earlier post on Internet advertising, investment in online advertising space is growing rapidly, while spending in traditional advertising media is expected to showing a corresponding decrease.

We look forward to a year of exciting developments in the Web world!