http://www.cnet.com/8300-13908_1-59.html Sinobyte en-us Graham Webster follows the effects of technology on Chinese politics, the environment, and global affairs. Copyright 1995-2008 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:00 GMT Why Baidu outperforms Google in China http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9987095-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology The question of why Baidu continues to outperform Google in the world's largest internet user-base has fueled much discussion. I explore business practices and cultural factors that may have fueled this advantage in an article for China International Business this month.

But while Baidu leads now, there's a ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9987095-59.html Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:00 GMT Graham Webster Japan's main 'bullet train' route to introduce Wi-Fi http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9987073-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology The key railway artery in Japan, the Shinkansen or "bullet train" line between Tokyo and Osaka, will introduce Wi-Fi by March 2009, Japan Railways announced.

These trains are already incredibly comfortable, primarily because they are clean and quiet, and they usually deliver you to a key central location in each ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9987073-59.html Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:54:00 GMT Graham Webster One month before the Olympics, the dirtiest air in China is in Beijing http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9985221-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology Despite advertised measures to decrease pollution, as the one-month countdown to the Beijing Olympics approaches, the government's numbers rank Beijing as having the dirtiest air in China.

With a rating of 98, officially a "blue sky day" but only by two points, Beijing yesterday had the dirtiest air among ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9985221-59.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:44:00 GMT Graham Webster Firing automatic weapons from a Segway: good idea, or not? http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9984127-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology A Chinese news site features a picture of anti-terrorist forces on Segway-back. Is this totally nuts, or a really good idea?

The People's Armed Police during an anti-terrorism drill in Shandong Province.

(Credit: China Daily)
    Three questions in the Segway versus no Segway debate:
  1. These guys should be
...]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9984127-59.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:48:00 GMT Graham Webster Writing 'bass ackwards' to defeat censorship in China http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9982672-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology Some people whose posts may otherwise have been deleted by censors in China have taken to writing backwards in an effort to defeat keyword-searching authorities.

"Bloggers on forums such as Tianya.cn have taken to posting in formats that China's Internet censors, often employees of commercial Internet service providers, ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9982672-59.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:01:00 GMT Graham Webster Will iPhones via China Mobile be unlocked? http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9982653-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology Unlocked, semi-legal iPhones have proliferated in China since Apple failed to make a deal with a Chinese carrier. Now that AT&T will offer an expensive solution for those wanting iPhones in the United States on different carriers, will the unlocked market be...unlocked?

For $699, the new 16GB iPhone 3G will be available ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9982653-59.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:06:00 GMT Graham Webster iPhone talks with China Mobile now going smoothly http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9979932-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology After talks broke down earlier this year between Apple and China Mobile over the (non-pirated) introduction of the iPhone, Apple's concession to non-U.S. carriers that they don't need to share revenue has apparently restored progress with the world's largest carrier.

This comes as China's government ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9979932-59.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:17:00 GMT Graham Webster Olympics preview: Beijing's Internet censorship, surveillance http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9977927-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology Sinobyte commenters have raised two good questions about Internet freedom during the Olympics, set for August 8 to 28 in Beijing. I'm going to give the best kind of answer available for each: an educated guess.

I had written about "free Wi-Fi," which hasn't yet really started working, ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9977927-59.html Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:16:00 GMT Graham Webster Free Wi-Fi at Beijing Olympics? It's spotty so far http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9976925-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology

Anticipated wireless coverage areas in Beijing. If they work, they are advertised to be free until after the Olympics.

(Credit: Wicity via Sina)

Beijing Wicity is setting out to cover several key parts of Beijing with Wi-Fi access, and it is supposed to be free until after the Olympics, which ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9976925-59.html Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:23:00 GMT Graham Webster Hep B unrest looms as Chinese forum is blocked http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9976896-59.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Sinobyte:Chinaandtechnology Members of a hepatitis B support group in China, numbering about 300,000, lost their online forum in a Chinese crackdown on civil society. Now some say they may be forced into taking drastic measures, even during the Olympics.

In an unusually prominent threat of collective action in China, Lu ...

]]> http://www.cnet.com/8301-13908_1-9976896-59.html Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:50:00 GMT Graham Webster