Renew Driving Licence Online - Coming soon

Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) is currently planning to implement the online renewal of the driving licence for Malaysians. This project is expected to be launched next month.

Drivers will be able to renew their licence from the electronic kiosks located at the testing centers around the country, which eventually the system will be upgraded to home users. Credit card payment will be available and slips of the transaction will be issued. Renewed licence will be then sent to the driver via post.

Currently, there are two e-services offered by the JPJ namely, e-Daftar and e-Insurans.

One or two months prior to the expiry of the licence, reminders will be sent to the drivers. SMS alert will also in planning.

Source: The Star 21 March 2007


Personal Opinion:
My main concern will be on the duration for the driver to receive their renewed licence via post and the security related to this aspect. Is the postal services efficient to perform this task? Who to be blamed if the renewal is being conducted few months earlier than the expiry, but the delivery of the licence is delayed which past the expiry date? The current over-the counter services, although is long but it provide the drivers with immediate renewed licence on the spot. Is the postal services being secure to avoid the licence being stolen in the transit?

Buying clothes online that fit your measurement

Have you ever buy clothes online? If yes, do you manage to get the measurement accurately?

According to the Forrester Research, the Internet consulting firm, a total of US$ 9.6 billion worth of apparel was transacted over the Internet in 2006. However, none of the buyers tried the apparel on first before buying it. This resulted in almost 30% return on the apparel bought online due to incorrect measurement.

Screencapture of myShape.com

now, you can try myShape.com - a website where users can provide their basic body dimension and style preferences. Through this e-commerce business model, shoppers are able to purchase personalised clothing collection matched to they style and fit preferences and body dimensions. This helps to reduce the rate of return experienced by the online shoppers.

May be the guys with the big tummy can try this site too in order to get the right size of the preferred apparel.

Current, it does not provide any international shipping. I believe this e-commerce business model will be available soon for worldwide customers.

The NewYork Times has an interesting story on this. Click here to read.

Online Funeral Broadcasting - LIVE

With this novel idea and innovative e-commerce business model, friends and relatives from all over the world can now attend funeral services live from their location by watching live broadcasting of funeral services. Not believing it? Here the proof:

Screencapture from S. Clarke & Son Funeral Directors, UK.

S Clarke and Son Funeral Directors is undertaking this project for FREE in UK. The move allows mourners from across the world to watch the funeral service of friends and loved ones.

This e-commerce business model is suitable for:

• those who cannot to fly back to attend the funeral,
• too sick to fly back or travel,
• busy people who can't get the time off work

How its work:

• Networks of cameras and microphones were installed at the funeral homes in Bangor and Newtownards, UK.
• Password will be issued to the family members and friends to login to maintain privacy.

Read here for more information. (BBC News)

Microsoft vs Cybersquatters

Microsoft is currently pursuing hundreds of cases of cybersquatting in US plus a few in UK.

Domain names involved are such as:

• www.exbox.com,
• www.windowsexp.com,
• winowlivemessenger.com,
• mikerowesoft.com
• WindowsLiveTutorial.com
  

Some of these domain names are working on the basis of typo-privacy which targeted on the typo mistakes made by the Internet surfers.

Related links:

1. Microsoft expands cybersquatting fight (CNet News.com)
2. Microsoft hits "cybersquatters" (BBC News)
3. Microsoft pus cybersquatters on notice (CNet News.com)

Related posts on Domain Names disputes:

1. Domain Names Dispute: Gmail vs G-mail
2. China: Gmail vs Gmail.cn
3. YouTube.com vs Utube.com
4. Rooney scored back his domain name

Model of e-Tourism website

Screencapture of Tourism Malaysia (www.tourism.gov.my)

This website is being described as the e-Tourism model by United Nations Conference Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - Tourism Malaysia.

The website is described being a model with superb display of marketing information, graphics and designs for consumers and business travels.

Comments on Thailand's, Cambodia's and Vietnam's websites were also mentioned.
Read here for more.

Source: TheStar Online, 14th March 2007.

www.gov.my

This is Malaysian one stop e-Government portal. Its comprises of 395 online services of Malaysian ministries, departments and agencies.

Current applications include:

• obtain information on payments, applications, filing complaints and others
• dealing with authorities
• update postal addresses with Employees Provident Fund (EPF)
• apply for foreign workers with Immigration Department

Screencaptured of www.gov.my

Future applications:

• sending completed downloaded application forms online directly to the relevant authorities
• sms services

Video on Actual Example of G-Cash application in Philippine

This is a video on the actual use of mobile payment systems (G-Cash) in Philippine, an e-commece business model. Many thanks to John who send me this video link.




Read also:
1. G-Cash Mobile Payment Systems: The Philippine's Experience
2. MobileMoney and MM Wallet

Internet users: India, China and Russia Experience Highest Growth Rates

A study released by comScore Networks revealed the following interesting findings:

• There are 747 millions of Internet users worldwide.
• India, China and Russia experience the highest increase in 2006 with 33%, 21% and 20%.
• US has the largest Internet population - 153.4 million
• China has the 2nd largest Internet population - 86.8 million, followed by Japan at 53.7 million.
• Internet users outside of US is constituting 80%.
• Canada users spend 39.6 hours per month averagely, followed by Israel 37.4 hours and Korea 34 hours.

Related tables can be accessed here.

The rise of the identity theft

A study from the research firm Gartner suggested that there is a sharp increase of identity theft related incidents since 2003.

Facts:

• 15 millions Americans were identity theft victims in mid 2005 - mid2006.
• The average loss of a case of identity theft was US$ 3,257 (2006) and US$ 1,408 (2005).
• Only 61% of the loss fund was recovered in 2006.

Means of identity thefts:

• Internet auctions
• Non-regulated money transmittal systems
• Impersonate lottery contests
• Others.

Read more from here.

Spam - Firm ordered to pay £750

A firm in UK, Transcom Internet Services Ltd, is ordered by the Edinburgh's Sheriff Court to pay an Internet user, Mr Gordon Dick, a total of £750 plus £618.66 legal cost for sending unwanted marketing e-mails (spam mails). The chronological of the event can be read here.

Mr Dick won the case after Transcom failed to turn up at the court. However, Transcom denies that the firm is sending out any spam mails. Mr Dick has since established a website to advise others to sue the e-mail spamming firms at Scotch Spam.

Online Voting in Estonia

The world 1st national election featuring Internet voting was conducted in Estonia, a tiny ex-Soviet country located at the Northern Europe.

A total of 3.5% of registered voters or some 30,000 people casted their votes through the Internet-based polling system.

Electronic voting is gaining popularity throughout the world now. These are some examples of the electronic voting.

The main concern for e-voting will be the realiability and security of the Internet-based balloting systems in selecting the country's government.

Estonia is undergoing high-tech modernisation with high usage of online banking users as compared to the physical branches, universal availability of wireless connections in city cafes, parks and commuer trains.

The details of the e-voting process in Estonia is being discussed here.

National Museum to use RFID

National Museum of Malaysia will use RFID as part of its asset tracking management on its artifacts. The project will be completed by April this year. Some 1000 artifacts will tagged with RFID.

Source: TheStar Online InTech 1st March 2007