Skype operating again

Skype, an Internet-based phone company, has corrected software problems so that service has been restored to the many of its 220 million customers who experienced problems over a three day period late last week.

The company declined to explain the cause of the error.

But most people are quite happy that service has been restored.

Google Maps street views expand

Google Maps has added four new cities to their Street View feature of Google Maps. There are now nine cities: San Francisco, New York City, Las Vegas, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Houston, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

The Street View allows the viewer to move virtually down city streets with the ability to pan 360 to take in the streetscape around you.

To access Google Maps Street View, visit Google Maps, click the "Street View" button then choose a city with the camera icon. Then zoom in and explore the streets.

Another social network maker

We posted information earlier about http://www.ning.com/ - a website where you can create your own social network.

We learned about another similar site called http://www.me.com/

NAR releases 2007 MLS Technology Survey

The National Association of Realtors released their 2007 REALTOR MLS Technology Survey. This survey showed strong interest in expanding MLS service territories, with 34% of the respondents favoring a statewide MLS. 53% preferred a market area or metro statistical area MLS.

About 63% of respondents said their MLS makes use of a RETS interface.

The survey is online at www.realtors.org/crt/2007mlssurvey

Printed word to digital text

IRISPen 6 is a portable OCR scanner. You use it by simply sliding the pen over the text source where the pen converts it and placed into a word processor. It recognizes 128 languages. The upgraded Translator version version even offers translations between eleven major languages.

Spotit OnBoard

A new offering is described at OnBoard's website (www.onboardllc.com) that offers to take the website visitor straight to the heart of why a neighborhood is desirable. Spotit leverages OnBoard's database of Nearby Spots.

There is limited information but you can read more at http://www.onboardllc.com/prod_SpotIt.html

More coming soon.