Is this a blagger that I see before me?
Thoughts, opinions, interesting snippets and gossip from ZDNet UK's news editor
Friday 24 November 2006, 4:44 PM
M&S tops High Street web ranking
Hats off to Marks and Spencer, which has scooped the title of the UK's most user-friendly Web site.
With Christmas really rather close now, e-commerce sites need to have sorted out their usability. M&S scored highly for navigation, product display, the checkout process and search capability -- as measured by web usability consultancy Webcredible.
IMRG also turned up some startling examples of user-unfriendliness, from big names whose web strategy apparently involves driving customers away.
Top Shop was slammed for not providing a search function, while the Clinton Cards website lets users add products to their basket without revealing how much they cost.
We wouldn't stand for this on the high street, and it's a safe bet that this year's Christmas e-shoppers won't tolerate it online either.
Thursday 23 November 2006, 4:35 PM
Pie-eating championship goes slimline
Corking story here, about changes made to the World Pie Eating Challenge [which is rapidly replacing The Ashes as my favourite sporting competition]. The organisers are reacting to concerns about obesity by changing the rules. Now, rather than trying to scoff as many pies as possible in three minutes, contestants must simply devour a single pie at breakneck speed.
"It will make for an exciting sporting spectacle, whilst also doffing its cap to government-inspired guidelines on obesity," said Tony Callaghan, whose bar will host the Challenge.
With vegetarian pies on the menu for the first time, traditionalists are concerned that this prestigious competition is losing its way.
Standards will still be rigourously enforced, though. The sport's rules dictate that competition meat and potato pies need to have a diameter of 12cm and a depth of 3.5cm when cooked.
No word, though, on the diameter of the contestants.
Perhaps technology PRs should try hosting some pie-eating. I'd fancy our chances. If you can down a pint in 3.5 seconds, how hard can a pie be?
Friday 17 November 2006, 11:04 AM
Is your boss a secret Bond?
Nice piece over on silicon.com about the rise in popularity of high-tech gadgets in the business world.
"Bug-detectors disguised as fountain pens, keyboards that can secretly record everything typed on them and clock radios with hidden cameras - devices once only of interest to spies are now being bought by company chiefs that fear they are being spied on," reports Steve Ranger.
I imagine, though, that some top managers might struggle with this technology. Can your CEO be trusted with a gun disguised as a PDA stylus, or might he accidentally take out half the sales team with one motivational gesture? Clearly, techies are going to have to play the role of Q, otherwise there'll be mayhem.
Tuesday 14 November 2006, 1:08 PM
This isn't just RFID.....
Marks and Spencer is pushing on with the rollout of RFID tagging. It confirmed on Tuesday that it will start using RFID tags in another 80 UK stores from next spring, having run trials in 42 outlets.
The tags will be used on items where there are a wide range of different sizes, such as men's suits and women's trousers and skirts.
An M&S spokeswoman told our colleagues on silicon.com that it could be rolled out to other clothing types from autumn 2007.
RFID can help retailers to run an efficient supply chain, but M&S may also encounter a backlash. In the US, CASPIAN has protested about companies such as Wal-Mart, which has been trialling RFID for some time.
Friday 10 November 2006, 3:30 PM
NTL's TV ambitions spark hilarity
British newspapers have been having plenty of fun at NTL's expense (yes, again), after the cable operator dislosed it was considering a tie-up with ITV.
Jeremy Warner of The Indie captured the situation best, pointing out that the two companies had plenty in common - "both are in a management, structural and strategic mess".
Over at The Guardian, Julia Finch cut straight to the point. "What on earth is NTL thinking of? The ink is barely dry on the cable company's merger with rival Telewest in March and its takeover of Virgin Mobile in the summer and yet here it is cosying up to ITV. The only possible conclusion is that NTL hopes to obfuscate its appalling record in customer service and its inability to take on Sky by focusing minds on yet another deal."
Interestingly, Stephen Carter is tipped to be the new ITV chief executive. He recently left the chief exec's chair at Ofcom, having previously run NTL. But surely that puts him in a great position to see the flaws in lumbering NTL with even more debt, and a whole load more challenges.....
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