Flight International reports (sorry, can’t find a link, but here are some similar stories from Thisislondon and New Electronics) that “BAE Systems and its research partners have completed initial tests with an in-cabin computer vision system intended to identify suspect behaviour by potential terrorists.” Seems the system involves cameras in the cabin with software that … Read more
Systems — especially warning systems — need to work perfectly, or not at all. Take Thailand’s new tsunami early warning system, which recently failed a trial because busy phone networks took hours to deliver vital SMS messages, while some some warnings sent by fax didn’t turn up at all, according to AFP. (More on the … Read more
I’m no great fan of big companies. They’re rarely innovative, their products are lousy, and unless you know how to get around them, they don’t like talking to customers. But some get it. Or at least, they used to. When I came out to Indonesia a second time, in 1998, I did two things. I got … Read more
My old colleague Nick Cumming-Bruce writes in today’s IHT on Thailand’s demand that prepaid cellphone users register before they get a SIM card as police continue on the trail of cellphone terrorists. Interesting piece: the basic idea is that you must hand over your name and address before getting a phone number as a measure … Read more
As I heard the name of my publication, The Asian Wall Street Journal, being mangled once again over an indifferent phone line by secretaries who could not, or chose not to, make out my English accent — variations today included Asia Watching Journal, Asia Movie General or my current favourite, Asian World Strip Journal – I … Read more