Bayraider

Protection with Paypal

Since it began, eBay has gone frmo strength to strength, looking at the ways it runs itself and, more importantly, helps you the shopper. Some people are put off by the whole eBay thing thanks to Paypal, because, by and large, they don't know what it is.

Well, Paypal is almost like any other payment and seemingly only exists so it makes it easier for eBay to take their hosting cut from the seller. However, another bonus is the protection it offers you.

If you'd like to find out more about Paypal protection in the UK, then click here.

More independent film-makers seeking executive producers on eBay

Following on from my earlier story on 'Twisted: A Balloonamentary', Bayraider's manly brother blog Brandish has a longer piece on that, and five other film-makers using eBay to raise funds for their new projects. They include a psychological thriller, a short film about a dysfunctional family of art thieves, and best of all, an explosive action film directed by a stuntman called Igor Breakenback. I'm not sure that's his real name. Anyway, read the piece by clicking here.

FIFA Gets The Arse With eBay

According to this article in the Guardian, FIFA has been exerting strong pressure on eBay UK to take down auctions selling tickets to matches at this summer's World Cup. Indeed, a new law came into force at the weekend banning the unauthorised resale of any World Cup tickets - something eBay has co-operated with. But given that corporate sponsors are trousering nearly 500,000 match tickets for the tournament, we can't help thinking whether FIFA hasn't noticed exactly why so many actual fans have been reduced to paying over the odds for tickets online. Just a thought.

Shiny Media Launches The Googly cricket blog

Attention all sports fans. The Googly, Shiny Media's latest sports blog, has just gone public. Being the clever souls that we are, we've launched it just in time for England's first Test against India so you can find out all about just how badly it's going for England already.

Edited by Will Luke, creator of The Corridor of Uncertainty cricket blog, with regular contributions from sports writer extraordinaire, Gideon Haigh, The Googly is just the place for a bit of cricket chat during your break for lunch or tea.

This is Shiny Media's second foray into the world of sports bloggery, the first one being our rugby blog, Scrumbag. So if you're that way inclined, you can now get your daily fix of sporting news, reviews and gossip in handy bitesize chunks.

The Googly
Scrumbag

On The Hunt

We’re going to hear lots about mobile auctions in the year ahead – not least because there are clear benefits to being able to make bids and receive auction alerts on your phone. The latest announcement is from new British auction site Hunt For It, which is launching on March 1st with the bold ambition of taking on eBay.

Its main innovation is the ability to bid for any item by sending a text message from your phone. And if you’re a seller, and someone bids via text for your item, you get a 5p cut of the SMS proceeds. As a buyer, you can also register to get text alerts – the site gives the oh-so-zeitgeist example of ‘Ordinary Boys concert tickets’.

It’s certainly intriguing, and on the non-mobile side Hunt For It claim to be taking less commission on sales than eBay and other rivals, as well as offering free item listing. Register with the site during the first two weeks, and you automatically enter a compo which includes prizes like a guitar signed by Oasis, and hundreds of iPods and PSPs. Nice.

What's New From Shiny?

What's happening at some of our other top blogs this weekend?

TV Scoop : Moron and On and On, Ricky Go To Hollywood, Baker-like Phone

Tech Digest: Nyxem virus fails to bite, Nokia 6270 arrives in the UK, JVC's new HD-ready LCD TVs

HDTV: First HD movies on Telewest next week, Telewest HD arrives, Sony debuts a HD desktop PC

Propellerhead (Computer Help): Top Tip - Control Web Access, Renumbering Digital Photographs, Top Tip - Bill Needs You! IE7 Beta Test

Games Digest: Datel’s 4GB Xbox 360 HDD, Pre-order PS3 games, Videogames up for Great British Design awards

Corrie Blog : Weekly Sneak Preview, February 5-10, That Don’t Impress-a Me Much, Shoot the Script-Writer!

eBay On Your Phone

UK mobile operator O2 has announced that eBay is now available on O2's i-mode service, which launched before Christmas in the UK. If you've got a compatible handset, you can now use it to bid on items from more than 13,000 categories, and view all the info from your My eBay page of the website. Cool. Accessing auction sites from your phone makes perfect sense to us - especially when you're winning an auction, there's only half an hour left, and you have to get on a train / pretend to be working / visit your grandparents.

What's New From Shiny?

What's happening at some of our other top blogs this weekend?

TV Scoop : Review: Tony Blair Rock Star, Billie gets another job, Webwatch: The Marsh!!!

Tech Digest: iSee video recorder for the iPod, Orange launch the Snow-Mobile, Wi-Fi struggling to catch on in UK

HDTV: Sony to bring Blu-ray to the UK this year - probably, BBC to show World Cup in HD (probably), Discovery joins Sky's HD package

Propellerhead (Computer Help): Top tip - space exploration, External drive woes - any chance of recovery?, Top tip - quick exit from Word

Games Digest: PS3 for March 2007 say analysts, Scottish police tackle crime with PlayStations, Finalists for games "Oscars" announced

Corrie Blog : Sneak Preview - Sunday 22 January, Fly My Pretty, Fly, Freaky Phantom on Set

Hack Attack

Cor, it can be a dangerous life being an eBay user. According to Greenview Data, eBayers selling stuff are being targeted by crafty cyber criminals who are sending them fraudulent auction enquiry emails, which direct them to a fake eBay site. There, if they input their username and password, their details are nicked and used for no-doubt nefarious purposes. Apparently the technique is called 'spear phishing'. Clever, that. Now, Greenview Data may have a slightly vested interest here - the company makes spam prevention software - but if you're an eBay seller, it's worth being on your guard.

Post-Christmas Bargains

Hello peeps. After several days eating your own bodyweight in increasingly-stale turkey, and drinking any liquor you can lay your hands on, you're ready for a new fitness regime a spot of eBay surfing. And praise be, lots of people are offloading unwanted gifts, which aren't necessarily socks and male grooming products. So head here for a full list, which includes this intriguing auction for an unopened gift.