All About Mobile Viruses

<P> </P><br /><P>Modern technology advances and so are the viruses for smart phones and mobile phones with internet connectivity. Mobile viruses are like human viruses. It can spread by close contact to a specific host. It can also spread in the same way as computer viruses. Mobile viruses can be transferred through infected files or programs.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Some mobile device has Bluetooth. It is a product of modern technology that transfers data. This is done between different devices through photo sending from cell phone to printer and or address transferring from your Windows mobile phone to computers.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Mobile phones evolve. Their purpose was originally to make people talk to each other while moving. Now they are considered as multi-media devices. It can replace items in the future like:</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o game console <BR>o messaging terminals <BR>o credit cards <BR>o digital cameras <BR>o TV and others</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Cell phones that are merely enabled for talking and SMS are not at risk with viruses. Those that are enabled to handle data or have Bluetooth are susceptible to viruses. Bluetooth technology has few risks so it needs to be manipulated properly. Once virus is installed or received, it will start to look for other Bluetooth devices to infect. Within a 30 feet radius, an enabled Bluetooth mobile device can be infected by another.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>How do viruses multiply?</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Infected MMS messages will be sent by a virus. It will then proliferate to every listed numbers in your phone memory.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>What harm virus can do to your phone?</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o The virus can delete or alter all the contact details and calendar entries in your mobile phone. <BR></P><br /><P>o It can crash, delete or lock up your phone applications. <BR></P><br /><P>o The virus will appear as pornographic item, free download, or mobile games. <BR></P><br /><P>o The virus will appear as text messages disguised as friend message's subject line.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Knowingly or unknowingly, the user installs the virus through transferring. Sometimes the virus disguise as a desirable application. It installs the bug without your knowing. It can cause trouble and cash losses, too.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>How to avoid mobile viruses?</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o Do not enable Bluetooth when not needed. <BR></P><br /><P>o Accept only file that you know when your Bluetooth is on. <BR></P><br /><P>o Say "No" for unknown file. <BR></P><br /><P>o Download materials that are not scanned from sharing network must be avoided. <BR></P><br /><P>o Delete the infected application program. <BR></P><br /><P>o Avoid installing unknown applications. <BR></P><br /><P>o Download only from official websites.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Ways to avoid mobile viruses</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>1. Network Security</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>There are mobile versions of anti-virus products that can be used. These are from industry leaders. It includes:</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o Norton Smartphone Security for Pocket PC <BR></P><br /><P>o F-Secure Mobile Antivirus and <BR></P><br /><P>o Trend Micro Mobile Security-It can protect Windows mobile, Pocket PC, Symbian and Smart phone users <BR></P><br /><P>o Airscanner Anti-virus-It can protect mobile devices and Pocket PC from Trojans <BR></P><br /><P>o Commander Mobile Anti-virus- protects Symbian smart phones</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>2. Blocking Thieves</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>An important defense to block thieves of data is to enable the password lock. It can be found in the native system setting of PDA.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>3. Privacy and Data Protection</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>To keep your files confidential, password managers and data encryption can help you. Encryption applications are:</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o Ilium Software's eWallet Professional for Windows Mobile <BR></P><br /><P>o Smartphone and <BR></P><br /><P>o Palm with 256-bit RC4 encryption</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>A password for lockbox program will be required each time information is to be accessed. It includes bank account, car details, credit cards, and the like. Well-known viruses are:</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>o Cabir <BR></P><br /><P>o Duts <BR></P><br /><P>o Skull <BR></P><br /><P>o CommWarrior</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Viruses and Malware will remain as long as 3G phones are here. Improvement of the productivity levels of mobile devices will expose them more to virus infections. The solution is to implement security measures inside the device such as data encryption and anti-virus software applications.</P>

All About Mobile Viruses

  Modern technology advances and so are the viruses for smart phones and mobile phones with internet connectivity. Mobile viruses are like h...

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All You Need to Know About Latest Cell Phone Ringtones

<br /> <p>Ringtones are essentially sounds that come out from a mobile phone for alerting the owner about an incoming call. These sounds have been dutifully alerting the user unfailing since its day of birth even though the sound changed for the better. Present day ringtones are instrumental in identifying the character, likes and dislikes as well as personality of the owner of the cell phone. The facilities to personalized and customized ringtones have made them a hugely demanded item in the internet and also a commercial success.</p><p>The initial ringtones were the monophonic ringtones, which usually were imitations of land line telephones. The next generation, polyphonic tones are an improvement on this because of its ability to play up to sixteen sounds at one time. This type is still in use. As technology developed, cell phones with the ability to play real music and sounds came into being. Along with this, ring tones based on music tracks and other recordings also reared its head. These tones, called the real tones are sometimes even referred to as true tones or master tones. Lately, new additions like the name tones and video alert tones have also entered the scene. The real tones are music files based on MP3 or WMA formats. The name tone speaks out the name of the user (pre-loaded of course) along with an MP3 song, and video alert tones show a video clip along with an MP3 file.</p><p>The customer is the king these days. Millions of phone melodies are available over different sources now. There are songs for every age groups and cultures. This has drawn in most people to enjoy the exhilerating experience in ringtones. The resultant phenomenal increase in the sales volumes   have made the business of selling called tones a huge success.</p><p>But most people prefer to download melodies from the internet due to the large levels of choices available and the ease of operation. They are cheaper or sometimes absolutely free of cost.</p><p>Some of us who do not want ready made music for their cell phones can take heart from another fact. These days, a lot of softwares for creating and developing tones are available in the internet. </p><p>However, caution needs to be exercised while going for downloaded melodies from the internet. Some sites offering free or cheap songs have hidden agendas in their charter, like hacking into the personal data, bank accounts and credit card PIN number. This can cause considerable grief and difficulties to anyone who fails into their net. Another thing one would be ever cautions against is the existence of viruses and trojens. There are many websites offering non-original, pirated songs under the garb of ringtones, which is a highly unethical and illegal act, as it infringes the copy right acts prevalent in most countries. This practice needs to be checked forthright, because it hurts the ringtone business in the short term forcing many genuine music track companies to quit the field, diminishing the level of choice for the customer in the long term.</p><p>The immense popularity and craze generated by the mellifluous and soothing ringtones has formed a colossal industry, which, business watchers aver will one day leave behind even the mobile phone business. The user is going to be the king here.</p><p>All high end cell phones have inbuilt facilities for accessing and surfing the net directly to download ringtones. This is an added advantage as it cuts out the need for connecting devices like USB cable or blue tooth and the computer. However, as most models do not have this facility, a user needs to download the required melodies by the help of a personal computer. Once downloaded, the music can be transferred to the cell phone by means of data cables or a particular device called blue tooth dongle. But this is not a problem because cell phone companies provide data cables and required software to ensure compatibility of the cell phone with a computer at the time of purchase itself.</p><p>While this is the present state of ringtones and ringtone industry, customers can expect even better times with ringtone companies competing amongst them to offer value added products. Advancement of technologies will also play its part here.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

All You Need to Know About Latest Cell Phone Ringtones

Ringtones are essentially sounds that come out from a mobile phone for alerting the owner about an incoming call. These sounds have been ...

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Twelve Key Questions You Need to Ask About Your Computer Security for Your Home or Business

<br /> <p>Security technology is only a part of an overall security plan. If you own a small business or a home-based business, or if you've been tasked with implementing security at your organization, developing a comprehensive security plan should be a very important part of your overall security strategy. Get the information you need to get started on the right track! In the computer/internet security game, the best move is one of Prevention! Prevention! Prevention!</p><p><b> With that in mind, here are the twelve questions you need to be asking, or, at least, be thinking about if you're serious about preventing or stopping security risks, threats, and attacks:</b></p><p>1. Do I have a solid security policy or strategy?</p><p>If you don't, begin immediately to get sample security plans, policies, and best practices for your business and/or home.</p><p>2. Where would I go for key information and news on keeping your information private? <br /><br>Search the internet for managed security services. Ask if they provide a free computer test to assess your pc's level of vulnerability. Ask if they provide the latest tips to keep your privacy and protect your personal information and that of your business. Or simply - ask me.</p><p>3. Does my disaster recovery plan include redundant back-up and data recovery systems?<br /><br>Understand what a good data back up system is and how to best recover from a disaster.</p><p>4. Do I know how to create safe passwords?</p><p>Learn how to write virtually un-crackable passwords.</p><p>5. How do I train my employees or family members to be secure?</p><p>Get all leading research on what to teach about security.</p><p>6. What do I do if my employees are my biggest security risk?</p><p>Learn all about social engineering and insider hacking.</p><p>7. What or who is a hacker?</p><p>A person who uses and/or creates software technology to break into the computers of individuals, businesses, government, and organizations for personal gain is known as a hacker. Often after he, she, or they hack into a computer, they can control it secretly by remote, making it a "zombie computer".</p><p>8. How does he (or she or they) break into home and business computers?</p><p>If they don't have the break-in software, they can buy it off the black market, or create it, themselves. With this technology, they use their malicious software to look for holes in the computers of their targeted victims.</p><p>9. To what extent might my home or business computers be vulnerable to hackers, hacker's tools, viruses, etc.?</p><p>You will never know unless you take the time to test your computer to see what holes are open, by what back doors (up to 65,000 portals) are malware entering your computer.</p><p>10. What is "drive-by hacking"?</p><p>Because wireless Internet access points have become popular for homes and businesses, home and business computers have now become a major target for hackers. In this new phenomenon, called "dive-by hacking", hackers simply take their laptop computers in their cars and drive through business parks or residential neighborhoods remotely scanning for open wireless networks.</p><p>11. Would I know if someone tries to hack into my computer?</p><p>Depending on the security measures you have on your computer and the sophistication of the hacker's software program, you might or might not be aware. Using keylogging programs, these cybercriminals can secretly see and record every keystroke you enter on your computer, thereby gaining access to all your private and personal information.</p><p>12. I have all the security measures, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall I need. Can I still be hit by hackers and other pc-disabling attacks, risks, and threats?</p><p>Again, depending on the security measures you have on your computer and the sophistication of the hacker's software program, your computer or computers might or might not be compromised. <b>Remember:</b> Cybercriminals are superintelligent criminals! They somehow always seem to stay one step ahead of authorities and anti-cybercriminal software.</p><p>Obviously if you have to ask these questions, then you need to take immediate steps to plug the holes and cover the gaps.</p><p><b>So, here are some steps you can take immediately to implement, increase, or improve your present security measures:</b></p><p>* Learn all you can about hackers and the tools and methods they use to invade your privacy and cause problems. Subscribe to a comprehensive source of Internet security research, news and information for small and mid-sized businesses and organizations, or other professionals, that want to increase their level of security and build on their current technologies and efforts.</p><p>* Take advantage of the research already done. Get access to information about the leading topics in the security field, including hackers and hacker tools, viruses, data back up, writing good passwords, government and legal issues, protecting from insider hacking - and more.</p><p>* Stay current with important security news developments. Work with a managed security firm that maintains an entire library of the most beneficial news articles, white papers and other links that you can use to maintain an excellent awareness of cyber-security issues on an ongoing basis.</p><p>* Need help creating a security plan for your organization or business? Take advantage of professional security consulting and training both by telephone consulting or on-site visits. Get vulnerability assessments, employees training, security implementation, and much more.</p><p>Because cyberpredators and other cybercriminals are becoming smarter and more sophisticated in their operations, they are real threats to your personal security and privacy. Your money, your computer, your family, and your business are all at risk.</p><p><b>These cybercriminals leave you with three choices :</b></p><p>1. Do nothing and hope their attacks, risks, and threats don't occur on your computer.</p><p>2. Do research and get training to protect yourself, your family, and your business.</p><p>3. Get professional help to lockdown your system from all their attacks, risks, and threats.</p><p><b>Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!</p><p>© MMVII, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, The Internet Safety Advocate and Educator</b></p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Twelve Key Questions You Need to Ask About Your Computer Security for Your Home or Business

Security technology is only a part of an overall security plan. If you own a small business or a home-based business, or if you've be...

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20 things we'd change about OpenOffice.org

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20142/LXF142.feature2.integration-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>OpenOffice.org is a huge lumbering beast. </P><br /><P><br /><P>Don't get us wrong, we like it in principle and the practice is steadily getting better, but there's still room for improvement.</P><br /><P>Here are 20 things we'd change about it to make it better.</P><br /><P><STRONG>01. Improve the loading speed </STRONG></P><br /><P>This is almost a standing joke, but OpenOffice.org does take a while to load. It isn't a big issue when you're spending a fair amount of time on one document, but the delay is annoying when you just want to open an email attachment or make a quick change. </P><br /><P><STRONG>02. Learn to celebrate its differences </STRONG></P><br /><P>An alternative program doesn't have to look like its competitors. For instance, Firefox is used as an alternative to Internet Explorer even though, or perhaps because, it doesn't look and feel like Microsoft's browser. OpenOffice.org could follow this example and promote itself as a genuine competitor to Word – one that's better because it's proud to be different, instead of following Microsoft's lead so closely. </P><br /><P><STRONG>03. Implement grammar checking </STRONG></P><br /><P>It's inconceivable for a word processor to be released without a spellchecker these days, so why is it that OpenOffice.org is still unable to check for even the most basic of grammatical errors in our text? It's not about getting the software to write for you – a check is really helpful when your brain outruns your fingers. </P><br /><P><STRONG>04. More modular loading </STRONG></P><br /><P>Part of the problem with OpenOffice.org's loading speed is that it tries to load too much. If you load a document for word processing, you probably won't need all of the features provided and you certainly don't want them all immediately. What's more, it's highly unlikely you'll need other office components at the same time, so why waste time and resources loading so much up front? </P><br /><P><STRONG>05. The name</STRONG> </P><br /><P>It may be a little unfair to criticise this now, but the name is rather geeky. Yes, we know the developers would rather have called it Open Office, but that name was already trademarked in a few countries. We also accept that we're stuck with it for now, but a little more effort early on could have resulted in a better moniker (and we don't mean LibreOffice). </P><br /><P><STRONG>06. Give OOo better competition </STRONG></P><br /><P>This may sound odd, but OpenOffice.org really needs some strong competition. Nothing focuses developers on improving their product like another one doing the job better. For instance, KOffice answers so many of the criticisms levelled at OpenOffice.org, but it's just not as good at the core tasks. If it were, it would be a real wake-up call for OpenOffice.org.</P><br /><P><STRONG>07. PDF importing </STRONG></P><br /><P>OpenOffice.org boasts a PDF-importing extension, but all it does is import a PDF page as a single image into Draw. Note to developers: if you're going to claim your program has PDF importing capabilities, please do try to make them more useful. Even simple editing and re-exporting as a PDF would be a big step forward, especially when you need to complete PDF forms. </P><br /><P><STRONG>08. The overall image</STRONG></P><br /><P>What is OpenOffice.org? Is it an office suite for people who are too cheap to buy a 'proper' one from Microsoft? Or is it a powerful set of programs in its own right? It should be seen as the latter, but too many people view it only as a second-rate alternative that's justified by the price alone. This needs to be improved, even though changing people's perceptions isn't easy. </P><br /><P><STRONG>09. Faster loading speeds </STRONG></P><br /><P>Did we mention this already? It seems that one or two users are bothered by OpenOffice.org's lengthy startup times, so maybe someone could have a look? Incidentally, a built-from-source installation on Gentoo gets going noticeably faster than the pre-built binaries from OpenOffice.org, so eking out more speed is possible. </P><br /><P><STRONG>10. Integration </STRONG></P><br /><P>Desktop integration is improving, but an OpenOffice.org window can still look like an interloper on your beautifully homogeneous desktop. We reckon OpenOffice.org is still generally better than the native alternatives on either of the main desktops – it just needs to look more like it belongs. </P><br /><P><STRONG>11. Building from source </STRONG></P><br /><P>Yes, binaries are available, but this is an open source project, so we should be able to compile the source. Yet building OpenOffice.org from source can be a tricky process, one that can progress for a couple of hours and then fail because the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. Sure, it's much faster than it used to be, but the fragility of the build process makes us a little nervous about the end result. </P><br /><P><STRONG>12. Cross-application cut and paste </STRONG></P><br /><P>Why can't we select some cells on Calc and then paste the contents into Writer as text? It's another curious omission from OOo's feature list. Crazy as it may sound, though, we don't always want an OLE object embedded in a letter; sometimes we just want a table of numbers that can be edited after pasting. </P><br /><P><STRONG>13. Keep it simple</STRONG></P><br /><P>It seems that if there are two ways of doing something, OpenOffice.org always goes for the most complex. OK, so the most complex is often also the most flexible, but this is supposed to be productivity software. The fastest, easiest option is often the most productive. At least give the user a choice in these cases, eh? </P><br /><P><STRONG>14. More extensions </STRONG></P><br /><P>One of the strengths of Firefox, another beacon of the open source community, is that there are thousands of extensions available for it. OpenOffice.org comes with just three and less than 150 are available for downloading from the project's website. That's a shame, because a greater set of useful extensions would give OpenOffice.org a real edge over the competition. </P><br /><P><STRONG>15. Improve macro recording </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Macros" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20142/LXF142.feature2.macros-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Computers are supposed to make life easier by automating repetitive tasks, which is what macros help you do. So why is recording and using macros such a fiddly and error-prone process? A Record and a Playback button on the toolbar should be all that's needed for simple macro use, complementing the more complex usage that's currently supported. </P><br /><P><STRONG>16. Fix some bugs </STRONG></P><br /><P>OpenOffice.org's issue tracker (does calling them issues instead of bugs make them seem like less of a problem?) currently has around 14,500 open defect reports. Many of these are small problems, but that's still a lot of bugs – sorry, issues. What's more, there are also 9,500 feature and enhancement requests. </P><br /><P><STRONG>17. Pop-up help </STRONG></P><br /><P>What OpenOffice.org really needs to succeed in the modern office environment is an irritating animated character that pops up from time to time with tangentially helpful advice or annoying questions. If there's one thing we have learned in the 21st century, it's that true productivity isn't possible without such a character. Why else would companies prefer to spend thousands on Microsoft Office instead of OpenOffice.org? </P><br /><P><STRONG>18. Better extension management </STRONG></P><br /><P>Simply making extensions possible, or even available to the user, is not enough. OpenOffice.org needs a decent extension manager where we can browse, search and install extensions from the range available, not just a dialog that asks for an extension file. </P><br /><P><STRONG>19. Not everything </STRONG></P><br /><P>Before you get the idea that this is a heartless tirade against OpenOffice.org, there's a lot we wouldn't change about the suite. Frustrations in bad software are easy to cope with – simply switch to a better program – but when the software is basically good, the annoyances are amplified. Recent versions have been much improved, but there's still a long way to go. </P><br /><P><STRONG>20. Faster loading </STRONG></P><br /><P>We've probably mentioned this before, but it's so easy to lose your train of thought while waiting for the program to load. This change really is a must.<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~4/FjESgiOMQ6g" width="1"> </P><br /><P><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/FjESgiOMQ6g/story01.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Article</A></P>

20 things we'd change about OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org is a huge lumbering beast. Don't get us wrong, we like it in principle and the practice is steadily getting better, but t...

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Xbox chief: 2011 is all about the Kinect

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Kinect%20Xbox%20360/DSCF3752-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Microsoft's Stephen McGill has insisted that 2011 will be the Xbox 360's year of the Kinect. </P><br /><P>The Xbox chief believes that, despite a 'brilliant' line up of games for the 360, it will be the motion controller Kinect add-on that defines 2011. </P><br /><P>"As for the future, we've got a brilliant line-up for 2011 but it's ultimately all about Kinect," <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=281686">McGill told CVG</A>. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Blow people's minds</STRONG></P><br /><P>" Kinect is going to blow people's minds. They're [already] buying it, but we've got a line-up of Kinect games that will blow people away."</P><br /><P>Microsoft was aiming to sell 5 million Kinects by the end of 2011, with reviewers conceding that several underwhelming launch titles did not detract too heavily from the potential of the device. </P><br /><P>TechRadar's <a href="">Kinect review</A> suggested that the Kinect was turning the Xbox 360 into a much more rounded console.</P><br /><P>Many major developers will unleash their offerings for the Kinect next year, and hopes are high that the motion and voice controller will begin to show just why Microsoft is so excited about the device.</P><br /><P>Via <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=281686">CVG</A></P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A></P>

Xbox chief: 2011 is all about the Kinect

Microsoft's Stephen McGill has insisted that 2011 will be the Xbox 360's year of the Kinect. The Xbox chief believes that, despite a...

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Xbox chief: 2011 is all about the Kinect

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Kinect%20Xbox%20360/DSCF3752-200-200.jpg"></P> <br /><P>Microsoft's Stephen McGill has insisted that 2011 will be the Xbox 360's year of the Kinect. </P><br /><P>The Xbox chief believes that, despite a 'brilliant' line up of games for the 360, it will be the motion controller Kinect add-on that defines 2011. </P><br /><P>"As for the future, we've got a brilliant line-up for 2011 but it's ultimately all about Kinect," <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=281686">McGill told CVG</A>. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Blow people's minds</STRONG></P><br /><P>" Kinect is going to blow people's minds. They're [already] buying it, but we've got a line-up of Kinect games that will blow people away."</P><br /><P>Microsoft was aiming to sell 5 million Kinects by the end of 2011, with reviewers conceding that several underwhelming launch titles did not detract too heavily from the potential of the device. </P><br /><P>Many major developers will unleash their offerings for the Kinect next year, and hopes are high that the motion and voice controller will begin to show just why Microsoft is so excited about the device.</P><br /><P>Via <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=281686">CVG</A></P>

Xbox chief: 2011 is all about the Kinect

Microsoft's Stephen McGill has insisted that 2011 will be the Xbox 360's year of the Kinect. The Xbox chief believes that, despite ...

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Answered questions about Apple's North Carolina data center

<DIV class=separator style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLittMTuVvlqaavKPrvN-2TfaQ29cuNIstWGHm4VzUG5fNPCrsyiTeXx_4JXPFTbwR3QbSNlX9q_OEPXKJlxNZOA2UYuH8__UimmXa6PmrPxJBuCGxcgwvR_sH7q5DQ92G96Kjb0qYaA/s1600/ncdatacenter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLittMTuVvlqaavKPrvN-2TfaQ29cuNIstWGHm4VzUG5fNPCrsyiTeXx_4JXPFTbwR3QbSNlX9q_OEPXKJlxNZOA2UYuH8__UimmXa6PmrPxJBuCGxcgwvR_sH7q5DQ92G96Kjb0qYaA/s1600/ncdatacenter.jpg"></A></DIV>Much conjecture has come of the Death Star that Apple is building in North Carolina. Some suspect it will power a future streaming version of iTunes or a major update to MobileMe. The folks at Data Center Knowledge have combined the rumors with their own knowledge about these things into a single, unofficial Apple Data Center FAQ. <BR><BR>Among their findings is the center's size. In a word, it's huge. At 505,000 square feet, it's one of the world's largest data centers. A property assessment from Catawba County revealed that the central server area is enclosed by 262,328 square feet of space. Apple has also reportedly purchased 75 acres of land across the street from the main building, according to "local officials," though what Apple will do with that plot of land is unknown. <BR><BR>What's inside? The FAQ has a few educated guesses, based on recent Apple job postings. For instance, they note that Apple says that its "...data center environment consists of MacOS X, IBM/AIX, Linux and SUN/Solaris systems." Also, recent listings call for candidates who are familiar with storage systems using IBM, NetApp and Data Domain, and data warehousing systems from Teradata.<BR><BR>There's much more, so go over and check it out. In the meantime, we'll have to wait before we realize the power of a fully armed and operational data center.

Answered questions about Apple's North Carolina data center

Much conjecture has come of the Death Star that Apple is building in North Carolina. Some suspect it will power a future streaming version o...

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About Silverlight Hosting

Developers can create dynamic websites and applications with interactive elements to engage visitors when using Microsoft's Silverlight. However, the website itself requires a Silverlight-compatible host to be accessible on <a href="">the Internet</A>.<br /><P></P>Silverlight hosting is Web hosting that supports Microsoft's Silverlight technology. This tool allows users to create interactive websites with features such as streaming video for example on the Netflix website where Silverlight is used to stream video content. Because Silverlight is a plug-in for Microsoft's .NET Framework, Silverlight hosting must be on a Web server that uses Windows as its operating system. This also offers the option to use other Windows technologies, such as Active Server Pages or Visual Basic to create a website. Aside from Silverlight support, these Web hosts offer features such as file transfer protocol support so that users can access and add new content to their websites more quickly and efficiently than using a browser. In addition to this, Silverlight hosts offer plans with varying disk space and bandwidths options so that customers who use Silverlight can choose the plan that best fits their needs and budgets. Silverlight hosts include ASP Host Central and CrystalTech, both offer shared hosting where the user's files are on a sever with other users' files. Silverlight developers who need more resources may consider dedicated server hosting from SoftLayer or MaximumASP.

About Silverlight Hosting

Developers can create dynamic websites and applications with interactive elements to engage visitors when using Microsoft's Silverlight....

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What They Aren't Telling You About The eSlate (Electronic Voting)

<P><SPAN class=long_text lang=en id=result_box><SPAN title=""><STRONG>Part 1:</STRONG><BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN title=""><STRONG>What they are telling you about the eSlate<BR></STRONG><BR></SPAN><SPAN title="">To a close eSlate & VOTER eVoting and not getting all things.<BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN title="">There were, in great abundance the rights of vulnerabilities belongs by reason of access to the proper system of rumors of the past and the fullness of a crime eSlate system.<BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN title="">I am and made an 20 according to the years information technology. </SPAN><SPAN title="">I may almost 10 years old, the sum of experience has amply acts of the process from the credit card fraud, daring the empire Juvenile literature.</SPAN></SPAN></P><br /><P><B>Is there really anything to be concerned about regarding the Hart InterCivic eSlate system?</B></P><br /><P>According to several information technology publications that specialize in security, Hart InterCivic is testing its own equipment and refuses to participate in third-party peer-reviewed security testing to validate its claims.</P><br /><P>In a recent article in Computer World magazine, Marc L. Songini wrote: <BR><br /><BLOCKQUOTE>"... That's about whether the verification and validation processes these machines go through are woefully inadequate or not. The e-voting companies aren't volunteering their systems for independent audits and analysis."<br /><P></P><br /><P>Is the security in e-voting up to the standards that business executives would demand in their applications? "No way." "Definitely not." "Five years ago, yes, but in the current climate, no." "These guys are betting their critical business processes on software." "They need to consider who might do harm to that system." "This level of rigor isn't applied to e-voting systems."</P></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><P></P><br /><P>I contacted Hart InterCivic and spoke with Gary Gandy, the sales representative for Texas and Fort Bend County, about some of the issues that have been raised about the company's systems.</P><br /><P>What efforts have been made to provide affordable printers for the eSlate systems?</P><br /><P>Gary Gandy responded: "The printers are currently available," adding, "several other states already require a paper trail by law."</P><br /><P>A paper trail in Texas is an issue that has to be addressed by the secretary of state. Legislation was previously drafted but never went anywhere. Because Texas does not require the paper trail, the printers can not be purchased. The state of Texas has also failed to require the latest version of eSlate software that will allow for printing and better security.</P><br /><P>Gerry Birnberg, Harris County Democratic Party Chairman, stated "I also do not understand the point about counties not being able to purchase Hart printers. While they are not required to do so at the present time, there is no legal prohibition against their doing so if they want to and if Hart InterCivic's is willing to sell them to them. A county can use systems which provide voter verifiable paper trails if it wants to, even though the Texas Legislature has not yet required that it do so."</P><br /><P>Convention Strategy Chair John Behrman of Harris County stated "Hart's VVPAT (voter verifiable paper trail) 'solution' only works with its v6 software, which is neither available nor certified for use in Texas. In any case, no elected official from either party has challenged any of Hart's commercial misrepresentations or monopolistic practices. Hart is the darling of Democratic elected officials who have, simply, no understanding whatsoever of the technical or economic dimensions of procuring, using, maintaining, depreciating, or replacing engineered goods."</P><br /><P>How much would the printers cost?</P><br /><P>Mr. Gandy did not know off the top of his head but stated approximately $1,000 to $1,200 each.</P><br /><P>What other efforts are there to allow for independent audits and recounts?</P><br /><P>Gandy stated "Harris County has previously done this. We would have to talk to Harris County about how that recount was performed."</P><br /><P>Birnberg stated "From my perspective, there is, effectively, no such thing as a recount of electronic voting machine tallies not accompanied by a voter verifiable paper trail. It amounts to no more than asking the machine to regurgitate the figures it previously spit out, but there is no way to check or 'recount' the accuracy of the tally at that point - without a paper trail."</P><br /><P>Behrman stated In the two most recent instances of probable cause to investigate first-degree felony vote-tampering in Harris County, the technique of "recovering" cast vote records that were corrupt or unreadable at the Central Counting Station also removed the possibility of forensically examining those records as originally recorded. If the votes had not been tampered <BR>with before, they had been after county officials hastily "recovered" them.</P><br /><P>Behrman went on to state "In any case, without VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail), there simply is nothing of an original nature to recount. What you see vanishes the moment you press the red button unless you take a camera into the voting booth - a crime in Texas. "</P><br /><P>Birnberg stressed the importance that the "Jimmy Carter/Jim Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform specifically recommended retrofitting electronic machines with printers and requiring them on all electronic machines in the future. Also, this is not that partisan an issue - the platform of the Republican Party of Texas specifically calls for a prohibition on all electronic voting machines and systems which do not include a voter verifiable paper trail."</P><br /><P>What has been done to resolve some of the issues seen in 2004?</P><br /><P>The problems of reliability with entire daisy chains of systems freezing when one system hangs:</P><br /><P>According to Gary Gandy "This is possible but interruption would be brief. Just remove the offending node, reset the system (reboot), the interruption should be very slight and brief, a few minutes at most."</P><br /><P>Malfunctions that deprived voters of their votes:</P><br /><P>According to Gary Gandy, "this is not possible; the voter enters an access code (PIN). If the unit malfunctions and a reset is required the system automatically prints what nodes (eSlates) are attached by serial number and lists 'aborted access codes,' then the person could re-vote." These interrupted votes are called "Spoiled Ballots." The voting judges are fully trained on this issue and the process to allow re-votes. The system is real-time and all activity is recorded. If a voter has a spoiled ballot they need only compare their access code with the automatic print out after a reset to be allowed to vote.</P><br /><P>Has the eSlate been through any independent third-party security testing?</P><br /><P>Gary Gandy answered this question "yes." This was done by Symantec @stake Consulting Services and a copy of the report can be downloaded from Hart InterCivic. The consulting started in the fall of 2003 and according to the report itself it is dated as being published on Dec. 7, 2004.</P><br /><P>Unfortunately, back in 2004, many of the issues and concerns about security and paper trails were too difficult to implement by the November elections. Some of the concerns allegedly appear to have become reality in that election.</P><br /><P>While those concerns appear to have been true in 2004 why are we in 2006 where the same concerns still exist? Hart InterCivic has had two years to develop solutions to the problems and some progress has been made. If concerns about paper trails and auditing are still valid, where are those solutions today?</P><br /><P>In my conversation with Gary Gandy, I learned the responsibility lies with the Texas Legislature and the Texas Secretary of State. They failed Texas voters in getting legislation passed that would require a paper trail. Without validating the Version 6 of the eSlate and proper legislation, Hart InterCivic can not sell their solution in Texas.</P><br /><P>In the executive summary section of the report it is noted "Symantec @stake consultants advised Hart in making significant changes to the latest version of the eSlate system code and the Hart development process." In the overview documentation it is stated "The media attention and conflicting expert commentary make the task of securing a DRE voting system particularly challenging."</P><br /><P>The security is challenging, not impossible. The report cites some excellent examples of high-level recommended security practices. If these practices are in fact in place it would seem to be a good process. The problem I see with the report is that they were engaged by Hart InterCivic a year before the reported problems back in 2003. The problems were reported about six weeks before the report was published.</P><br /><P>The report is also centered around security design in the development phase of the software. When it comes to security testing, Symantec basically recommended self-testing and internal processes.</P><br /><P>This security testing is in fact not a report on testing results, nor is it a documented testing procedure. This report reveals that there is no independent third-party testing of the products for security vulnerabilities, nor does it recommend independent third-party testing.</P><br /><P>The "About Hart InterCivic" section on the last page of the report sounds far too much like marketing. The report states, "Hart InterCivic's name stands for exceptional expertise, absolute accessibility, and trusted transactions. Hart InterCivic is a leader in providing products and services that help redefine the relationship between state and local governments and the citizens they serve."</P><br /><P>For information on how all of this applies to Fort Bend County, read this question-and-answer session with county Elections Administrator Steve Raborn.</P><br /><P>Steve Raborn has provided a highly detailed document that provides information about security procedures in Fort Bend County.</P><br /><P><B>What is the final tally?</B></P><br /><P>E-voting is the way of the future. Therefore it is essential to have a system that can be audited by a paper trail. Americans have the right to vote and the government has the responsibility to provide a system that allows for everyone to vote, can be audited and allows for recounts that are separate from the electronic system.</P><br /><P>According to Marc L. Songini "There should be much more severe security-testing requirements. The key is, you need to raise awareness that these vulnerabilities do exist and can be exploited, and you need a way of measuring security."</P><br /><P>Based on my conversation with Raborn and others, the Fort Bend County Office of Elections is doing the best job that it possibly can with what equipment it has and the laws and rules that it has to operate under.</P><br /><P>The fact is that the secretary of state and our Texas Legislature have failed us in not passing legislation requiring a VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail). As long as these requirements do not exist, a lot of the vulnerabilities of the electronic voting system will remain in place with no method for proving or disproving the validity of the system.</P><br /><P>The legislature must pass a bill requiring a VVPAT for elections, and require independent third-party security testing of eVoting systems that passes an independent peer-reviewed security testing procedure that evolves with the technology. The state of Texas has failed to approve Version 6 of the eSlate softwhere, which supports printers and is more secure; without that approval no county in Texas can purchase the latest version of eSlate.</P><br /><P>Hart InterCivic has a good testing process on paper. It is strictly a high-level internal process with no outside or independent validation of these processes. This is like the fox writing the security procedure for the hen house. The procedure is nice, but is without an independent <BR>third party audit to validate that those procedures in fact work and the results can be measured.</P><br /><P>Until Hart InterCivic volunteers its equipment for independent testing, no one will ever know if the eSlate system is in fact secure. Until there are changes in the testing procedures and our state representatives take care of our voting concerns, no one can claim for certain what votes were in fact cast.</P><br /><P><B>Part 2:</B></P><br /><P><STRONG>Steve Raborn Answers Questions About Fort Bend County's E-voting System</STRONG></P><br /><P>Fort Bend County Election Administrator Steve Raborn participated in a recent question-and-answer interview about the county's eSlate voting system, with Prescott Small, a Stafford information technology professional.</P><br /><P>Q: Have you heard of some of the complaints that occurred in Travis and Harris Counties?</P><br /><P>A: Vaguely aware of some of the issues reported but not fluent in them. The machines are specifically designed so that ballots could not be lost.</P><br /><P>Q: Does your office train polling place operators on how to handle "Spoiled ballots" in the event of a malfunction?</P><br /><P>A: We prefer to call them Cancelled booths. Spoiled ballots are a legally defined term. Reasons for canceled booths are wrong precinct or wrong party (primary) . As long as the ballot is not cast the booth can be canceled.</P><br /><P>Q: What is the current version of the software of the eSlate voting system that Fort Bend County has?</P><br /><P>A: Fort Bend County uses System Version 3.3.</P><br /><P>Q: Could you tell me some about why Fort bend has to use the eSlate voting system we currently have and not the version 6 that is currently available?</P><br /><P>A: Any time a new version is released the system needs to be certified on a national level. Texas typically will not certify before a version is certified on a national level. The new versions can not be used until the state of Texas approves them. Til then it is illegal.</P><br /><P>Q: Are you aware that sversion 6 supports printers and allows for a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail?</P><br /><P>A: Yes.</P><br /><P>Q: Do you personally have any concerns about the systems?</P><br /><P>A: I have no concerns about security, accuracy or reliability. There is room from improvement for the ease of use in setup at the polling place, since a lot of the polling judges are not as comfortable with computer equipment and set-up as some other people. The serial port plugs also can be a problem because pins can get bent requiring repairs or replacement, and can cause <BR>delays in getting a polling opened.</P><br /><P>Q: Do you have any further comments you would like to share?</P><br /><P>A: Even though versions of the eSlate system are currently available that allow for VVPAT, the state of Texas would not be able to legally use such a system. Even if we had the paper trail today, those pieces of paper could not be used in a recount because Texas law would not allow for it. The laws of the state of Texas has to change before any type of paper trail could be allowed.</P><br /><P>Overall satisfaction with the product is high. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being excellent, Steve Raborn rates the eSlate system an 8.5.</P><br /><P>Steve Raborn's county has in place a system for monitoring progress and reliability in the eSlate system. They log every call regarding the eSlate system and categorize them. They have reviews of the calls, analyze what went well and what could be done better. They implement those changes and then repeat the monitoring process the next time, Raborn said.</P><br /><P>The measurement of their success is that they saw a significant decrease in call volume this last primary because of the changes they made and enhancements in the training for the setup of the systems.</P><br /><P><B>Part 3:</B></P><br /><P><STRONG>Comments on recent Articles in the News regarding "problems" with eSlate:</STRONG></P><br /><P>Recently there was more news that is current and challenges the credibility and reliability of the eSlate system from Hart InterCivic as well as other eVoting systems.</P><br /><P>As published on March 9th in the Star Telegram from Fort Worth, TX:</P><br /><P><br /><BLOCKQUOTE>An undetected computer glitch in Tarrant County led to inflated election returns in Tuesday's primaries but did not alter the outcome of any local race, elections and county officials said Wednesday.<br /><P></P><br /><P>The error caused Tarrant County to report as many as 100,000 votes in both primaries that never were cast, dropping the local turnout from a possible record high of about 158,103 voters to about 58,000.</P><br /><P>Because the errors added votes equally for each candidate, the glitch did not change the outcome of Tarrant County races but narrowed the margin of victory in some statewide races. In the close Republican primary race for Texas Supreme Court, for example, incumbent Don Willett edged past former Justice Steve Smith by only about 1 percentage point with the corrected vote tallies.</P><br /><P>Also according to John Covell, a vice president with Hart InterCivic:</P><br /><P>The problem stemmed from a programming error by Hart InterCivic, which manufactured the equipment and wrote the software for the local voting system. The system is designed to combine electronic early voting results and totals from paper ballots on Election Day.</P><br /><P>The error caused the computer to compound the previous vote totals each time the election totals were updated throughout the night, rather than keep a simple running total, officials said.</P><br /><P>"The system did what we told it to do," said John Covell, a vice president with Hart. "We told it incorrectly." The program was designed specifically for Tarrant County, and no other counties reported similar problems, elections officials said.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><P></P><br /><P>How do we know those votes that were tallied were as the voter intended?</P><br /><P><B>What definitive proof is there? </B></P><br /><P>Granted Fort Bend County uses a different system than Tarrant County and the outcome was "not affected." This clearly shows that Hart InterCivic's software is not full proof.</P><br /><P>This issue isn't only about Fort Bend County and eSlate. These problems exist all over the United States and with all of the eVoting equipment manufacturers. There are hundreds of reported incidents across the United States, including reports of successfully hacked systems.</P><br /><P>When the votes exist solely as 1's and 0's inside the hardware of a computer system how can an audit be valid?</P><br /><P>If the system repeatedly gives the same results that does not validate the intent of the voter, it only validates what is inside that system.</P><br /><P>Let's use a 5 pound box of apples analogy:</P><br /><P>You have a Box labeled as being 5 pounds of apples. So you count the apples and come out with 25 apples. I can not be certain that I have 5 pounds of apples without a scale. The count is irrelevant without a proper means of validating the intent. In this scenario the intent was to have 5 pounds of apples in the box. The count of what is in the box is irrelevant because we do not have an external method of validating that the intent of 5 pounds was met and recounting has no value</P><br /><P>These problems have occurred over and over while Hart InterCivic states that the machines are designed to not allow for errors. Yet we have a specific example where errors have occurred because the machines are "designed to work this way."</P><br /><P>...The conventional wisdom was all wrong," said Wagner, a member of the panel that reviewed the Diebold machines. "It was possible to subvert the memory card without detection."</P><br /><P>No one can not decisively prove voter intent.</P><br /><P>My biggest concern is If we have a situation where there is one big error at the wrong place and wrong time causing major negative affects in an election it could completely destroy voter confidence in electronic voting.</P><br /><P>The public trust is earned very slowly over time, yet that trust can be completely forfeit overnight. All that the voters demand is confidence in the electoral system. If the Voters loose confidence it will take many years to earn that trust back</P><br /><P>As long as these reports of over-votes, lost votes and such continue to arise people are going to be concerned. While I definitely have some doubts in the quality of programming of the equipment I do not have any major concerns about the hardware, other than what Steve had previously pointed out about the cable connections and ease of use in setup and break down.</P><br /><P>The integrity of the software is what is at the "heart" of the issue.</P><br /><P>Until there is a state mandated VVPAT and independent 3rd party auditing of the equipment and the software then voter confidence will not be very high and could be subject to continuous decline.</P><br /><P>With this additional knowledge I have even less confidence in the Hart InterCivic system. They have sold the State of Texas millions of dollars worth of equipment, our tax dollars. They admit it is buggy and yet we can not get the software updated because the legislature has to approve it and certify it first. So most counties are operating with software that is years out of date.</P><br /><P>This incident is just more proof that we need a VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail).</P><br /><P>To answer Steve Raborn's question: Who are "They"?</P><br /><P>That would be Hart InterCivic (and other EVoting companies), the Secretary of State, the Mass Media, the Texas State Legislature.</P><br /><P>One of the bigger problems seems to be that people don't ask the questions that need to be answered.</P><br /><P><SPAN class=long_text lang=en id=result_box><SPAN title="">The first time that the article I have written to more than the sense of a personal quest, what is going on in the eVoting eSlate and the holy vessels. </SPAN><SPAN title="">Indeed, on several occasions I have heard several times in another and the reasons or rather hear what they are perversely, is the nature of these things, and to err is denied the stories and people of the approach it irritates us to vote for the sake of the errors of eSlate computer.<BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN title="">Nothing could possibly be in one chapter the information I can not validate that the data and very fully with. </SPAN><SPAN title="" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">I have received over me research this matter in the context of abode with Information Technology to a certain half of life.</SPAN></SPAN></P>

What They Aren't Telling You About The eSlate (Electronic Voting)

Part 1: What they are telling you about the eSlate To a close eSlate & VOTER eVoting and not getting all things. There were, in great ab...

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You Too Can Design the Home Office You Have Only Dreamed About

<P>Setting up a home office is one of the most important tasks you will face when you make the decision to work from your own home. Your home office can be a corner of your kitchen or living room or, if space permits, a former spare bedroom.</P><br /><P>Size is less important that functionality. When deciding on where to set up the nerve center of your business, there are some factors you need to consider.</P><br /><P><B>Is There Enough Lighting Available?</B></P><br /><P>Proper lighting is extremely important. Spending hours at a time in a dimly lit workspace can create eyestrain that, after long periods of time, this could lead to serious problems with your vision.</P><br /><P><B>Electrical Outlets Should Be Considered</B></P><br /><P>You want to take into consideration electrical outlets available for the equipment that you will be using day-to-day. At the very least, today's modern home office has a light, computer, telephone, answering machine, monitor, scanner, printer and speakers (optional but still nice to have). You may also add a radio/CD/MP3 player that will need to be powered. Make sure you have enough electrical outlets to power your home office adequately so that you do not have play plug switch on equipment.</P><br /><P><B>Is the area well ventilated and dust free?</B></P><br /><P>All of that computer equipment needs to "breath" to remain cool and functioning properly. If you have ever, "fried" a computer you know how important it is to keep the fan clean and dust free.</P><br /><P><B>Telephone Access Is another Consideration</B></P><br /><P>In addition to having a telephone handy for business purposes, you will also require telephone access for your modem. You may also consider a separate telephone line for your business. It is much easier to track your telephone business expenses for tax purposes if you have a separate phone line.</P><br /><P>As well, if you are on dialup Internet access, you will need two phone lines so that your clients have access to you during business hours and can leave messages while you are away. If you have teenagers in the house, it is a definite that you will need a separate telephone line that is only in your home office or they may never get through. For a few extra dollars, you will have peace of mind in this area.</P><br /><P><B></P><br /><P>Have You Considered Internet Access?</B></P><br /><P>Most modern home offices will have a decent Internet connection - DSL or Broadband. Gone are the days when dialup access was sufficient, and while it can still be done, most home office business have a fast Internet connection. You may be already DSL-ready and only need to call your telephone company to get it started.</P><br /><P>If you already have a broadband connection, make sure you have access to the cable connection where you are located. If you choose to go with a wireless connection to your broadband access, be sure and secure and encrypt it with WPA encryption and not WEP. WEP encryption was hacked about 10 years ago, and if you are doing secure transactions online, spring for a wireless modem/router with the latest encryption available. Better still, you might want to stick with straight cabling for faster speed and safety.</P><br /><P>If you take advantage of a nearby WiFi hotspot where you can go wireless, be sure and avoid making purchases or conducting unencrypted transactions while wireless on a public wireless connection. If you go wireless at home, make sure you have encrypted your connection and you should be just fine. With all of these decisions made, you will have the basics for starting the setup of your home office organization.</P><br /><P>Get <a href="">articles of latest new technology</A> for your <a href="">home office</A> from people who know. Top writers covering the world of web business, education, technology and more for your busy life today and tomorrow.</P><br /><P>If your <a href="">home office</A> is not with the times, then you need to get articles on the latest new technology at the site dedicated to the modern business and tech world SwitchSystems.</P><br /><P>KC Kudra is Webmaster for eWritingPad, a published author, an SEO expert in the field of directories and parent of four boys. The writing bug first hit as a teenager writing short stories and poetry. You can often find him giving design ideas and writing content for various websites. The Internet gives an outlet to so many writers to get their writing out to an audience of like-minded people and really expands your world.</P><br /><P>KC helps his wife with technical aspects of website design and SEO for her website business and is a contributor of articles, and content writing. KC is a modern day Renaissance man with an overwhelming desire to excel at whatever he dose and to do it with passion. His real love is cooking and recipe making for her recipe websites and he loves making new dishes for their four young sons.</P>

You Too Can Design the Home Office You Have Only Dreamed About

Setting up a home office is one of the most important tasks you will face when you make the decision to work from your own home. Your home o...

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Ranting About Computer Security

<br /> <p>Security. Wow. This is a diverse topic. So, in the spirit of this being a rant, I'll simply rant about security for a while.</p><p>Where to begin...</p><p>Hackers.</p><p>We've all seen the stories on the news, about "hackers" breaking into bank accounts, "hackers" stealing passwords, "hackers" stalking people and stealing their identities. We're told that hackers are these evil individuals who just want to wreak havoc, steal things and hurt people. Not true.</p><p>You don't really need to worry about hackers randomly attacking your computer and stealing your identity. It doesn't work like that. The only thing you need to do to stop people stealing data like bank and credit card numbers is to not be stupid. Most "hackers" get your account numbers via a method known in the computing world as phishing. Many of us have heard that, in ads about anti virus software and in letters from banks, but what exactly is phishing? Say it. It sounds an awful lot like "fishing", which is almost exactly what it is. They throw down a line and see who bites. For example, they might send out an email to a bunch of email addresses they acquired pretending to be a bank asking for your bank details. They might send out a million emails, and only thirty people are stupid enough to bite. Regardless, if they get the right details from these thirty people, and are then able to steal $20,000 from each one, that's $600,000 right there already. Of course, it's not as simple as all that, but that's the general gist of how it works.</p><p>And for the record, phishers aren't hackers. Phishing doesn't require any sort of hacking, just cunning and convincing.</p><p>How about viruses?</p><p>Here's how you go about preventing viruses and other malware from infecting your system:</p><p>Step one: Get a decent anti-virus.</p><p>Step two: Don't be stupid.</p><p>OK, what about PC security? I'm talking physical, stopping people going on your computer and copying files, changing things, that sort of stuff. Well, you can password protect your computer for on start up, so that someone can't just come to your computer, turn it on and do what they want, you can lock it when you leave it, meaning people have to type in a password when they want to use it and it's already on. Or, you can be a bit more complex.</p><p>Some laptops these days (and for several years, actually) have fingerprinting, biometric software installed, meaning you have to scan your finger to gain access.</p><p>There's also such thing as facial recognition these days. It's not as simple as one might think, and is still in it's infancy, but it's a fantastic software. It'll scan your face from the webcam, and if it's someone who's had their "biometric profile" put into the software, the computer will unlock.</p><p>Security is incredibly important these days, but you can't go wrong by following this one rule:</p><p>Don't be stupid.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>For more information like this, and more, visit <a href="http://www.goodtogreatcomputing.com" target="_new">http://www.goodtogreatcomputing.com</a></p> <br />

Ranting About Computer Security

Security. Wow. This is a diverse topic. So, in the spirit of this being a rant, I'll simply rant about security for a while. Where to...

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The Truth About Online Credit Card Applications

<br /> <p>We have all been the victims of junk mail and e-mail. If you look at the junk mail that we receive each and everyday, you will probably find out that about 30% of the junk mail/e-mail that we receive are credit card offers. Credit card companies are master of their domain - direct marketing. But in the past few years, the financial industry is using technology to attract and retain more customers. Credit companies are no exception here as they have created Internet marketing channels to acquire customers online.</p><p>Now more than ever consumers are using the Internet to apply for credit cards online. Online credit applications are easier to fill out, and some of them offer you instant approval, making the whole process faster and more convenient.</p><p>A lot of consumers are not too fond of online credit card applications. The main reason is their discomfort in giving out the personal information online. Everyday you hear a lot about theft identity, phishing, hacking incidents. No wonder many folks are terrified of touching online applications. But applying online shouldn't be scary. Theft identity happens when folks are not careful with their information. But if you are cautious with your private information, you would do just fine online. Here are a few ways you can make applying online more secure for yourself:</p><p>o <strong>Be careful about e-mail</strong>: you should avoid clicking on e-mail links at all cost. There have been many incidents where people have clicked on an email link just to be redirected to a fake page. In addition, most PC and Mac viruses spread via e-mail links. But if the offer that you have gotten to you is too compelling, make sure you verify who the sender is. You can do so by right clicking on the link and viewing the destination URL. If the link is not going directly to [card_issuer].com, then you not click on it.</p><p>o <strong>Be careful about comparison sites</strong>: many folks apply for credit cards on online comparison sites. Make sure you do not share your information on those sites. You should only enter your information in a credit card application that is hosted by a card issuer.</p><p>o <strong>Increase Your Browser's security setting</strong>: most modern browsers (Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Flock) protect you against phishing attacks. They also allow you to have a tighter security setting when surfing the World Wide Web. It's always better to be a bit cautious when applying for a credit card online. You should also use firewalls and antivirus software to protect yourself against key-loggers and other malicious files.</p><p>The Internet is a wonderful tool that allows all of us to get things done quickly and in a more convenient fashion. But there is a price to be paid for folks who are not careful with their private information. So do yourself a favor and protect yourself at all time. If you do that, there is no reason for you not to use online credit card applications.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>Intellicreditcards.com is a credit card ranking system that ranks credit cards automatically based on numerous factors. Review the latest <a href="http://www.intellicreditcards.com/" target="_new">credit-card rankings</a> on <a href="http://www.intellicreditcards.com/" target="_new">http://www.intellicreditcards.com/</a></p> <br />

The Truth About Online Credit Card Applications

We have all been the victims of junk mail and e-mail. If you look at the junk mail that we receive each and everyday, you will probably f...

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Know Everything About Information Security

<br /> <p>Information Security means to give protection to the confidential materials of any organization and to restrict the availability of all information, be it the electronic, print or other types.</p><p>Everyone will agree to the fact that information assets are critical to any business and paramount to the survival of any organization in today's global market. As there has been a rise in the cyber crimes, such as hacking, data thefts, data losses and virus attacks in the networking and software related jobs, the need of information security is growing by leaps and bounds.</p><p><b>Components of Information Security</b></p><p>Typically information security comprises of five components, such as:</p><p><b>1. Confidentiality</b></p><p>Information security ensures that information is shared only among authorized persons, within or outside the organization. Breaches of confidentiality happen due to improper handling of data through printing, copying, e-mailing or creating documents, etc.</p><p><b>2. Integrity</b></p><p>With proper information security, there is also the assurance of the information being authentic and complete. The term 'integrity' is regarded as the indicators of information security or lack of it. The integrity of data is not just restricted towards the correctness of data but it also verifies whether the data can be trusted and relied upon.</p><p><b>3. Availability</b></p><p>In information security, the person in charge of it makes sure that the systems can be accessed by authorized people whenever needed. It helps in delivering, storing and processing data in a responsible manner.</p><p><b>4. Accountability</b></p><p>Since there are different departments in an organization, confidential information needs to be protected and secured with utmost care. Most organizations build a culture of confidence in their employees, and all employees, particularly in senior and responsible positions understand that internal information and data is not to be shared or divulged to unauthorized persons. Some organizations also have specific departments where the people are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the assets and confidential data .</p><p><b>5. Audit-ability</b></p><p>This component of information security has got two parts. Firstly, any system must be able to backtrack as that one can determine the positioning of the system during any emergency. Secondly, with auditing it becomes sure that the systems have all the necessary documented requirements.</p><p><b>Role of Information Security in Indian IT market</b></p><p>Over the past few decades, the information technology industry has placed India amongst the fastest growing IT exporters IT-Enabled Services (ITES) providers in the world.</p><p>According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Software and Services Company (NASSCOM), the Indian IT software and services sector showed a growth of 31.4 percent during 2005-06, and by 2010, it is believed that the IT and ITES sector will touch US$ 60 billion in exports. Looking at the phenomenal growth in IT jobs, the need of information security and network security experts is growing everyday in India.</p><p>According to market estimates, the IT Security market is worth $100 billion today and India itself is facing a shortage of over 1,88,000 security professionals. Recognizing the growing need for information security management, reputed IT training institutions are providing regular and distance learning courses in information security training and <a href="http://www.appinonline.com/information-security.php" rel="nofollow" target="_new">network security training</a></p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>Mandira Kumar is working in a reputed IT firm in India. She is also an amateur writer and his write-ups mainly focus on the importance of <a href="http://www.appinonline.com/degree-program-1.php" target="_new">information security training</a> and network security training.</p> <br />

Know Everything About Information Security

Information Security means to give protection to the confidential materials of any organization and to restrict the availability of all i...

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Great Movies About Computers

<br /> <p>Plenty of great movies about computers have come out since these smart machines began playing such a huge role in humans' lives. Filmmakers have created fictional, factual and documentary-style movies about artificial intelligence, gaming, hacking, online communications, programming, viruses, web sites and other subjects relating to computers. Even films about war and supernatural themes have focused on computers. The following list includes some of the great movies about computers with a brief description of what they are about:</p><p><b>AI:</b> As the name implies, this is the story of a future world where Artificial Intelligence is possible, and a childlike android has been programmed to love.</p><p><b>Hackers:</b> A 1990s film starring a young Angelina Jolie, depicting a young group of hip hackers and all the trouble they get into during a corporate extortion conspiracy.</p><p><b>The Terminator Series:</b> About a cyborg (half man, half computer) who comes back in time to kill Sarah Conner.</p><p><b>The Matrix Series:</b> The story of a future world where computers have taken over and are using humans for power, keeping our minds tapped into a virtual world to distract us from the grim reality that our bodies are all part of an elaborate feeding system.</p><p><b>Office Space:</b> The group of software programmers and IT guys in this cult classic devise a plan to use a computer virus to get one over on the company they work for. <b>Short Circuit:</b> The story of a walking, talking robot (named Johnny 5) with a heart; he can be your friend!</p><p><b>Star Trek (First Contact, Generations, Insurrection, Nemesis):</b> All of these Star Trek and Star Trek Next Generation films include themes of artificial intelligence and computer technologies that were not possible at the time of their making.</p><p><b>Tron:</b> This early 1980s movie was one of the first to use computer graphics; the complex story includes themes of hacking, software programming, gaming and more. You've Got Mail: This modern love story is all about meeting and getting to know your romantic match online.</p><p>These aren't the only movies about computers that have made an impact on our box offices and our society, but these are definitely some of the greatest.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>Find more interesting information about computer please visit <b>ComputerSchoolsU.com</b>. Visit site and find detailed information about <a href="http://www.computerschoolsu.com/" target="_new">top computer schools</a> and best <a href="http://www.computerschoolsu.com/" target="_new">computer science degree</a> courses at ComputerSchoolsU.com. Choose the best computer school for you and start your path to a rewarding career now.</p> <br />

Great Movies About Computers

Plenty of great movies about computers have come out since these smart machines began playing such a huge role in humans' lives. Film...

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How to Find Information About Domain Names

<P>Open a Web browser window and navigate to the "Whois Search" page on the InterNIC website.</P><P>Enter the name of the domain you want to find information about in the "Whois" field, without including the "http://www." prefix.</P><P>Select "Domain" from the adjacent list of options.</P><P>Click the "Submit" button. Information about the site's registrar, name servers, status, creation date, expiration date and updated date appear on the following page if the domain has been registered. If the domain's owner has not chosen to hide his or her contact information, this data will appear on the following page as well.</P><P>Open a Web browser window and navigate to the "WHOIS Lookup" page on the DomainTools.com website.</P><P>Enter the name of the domain you want to find information about in the "Enter a Domain or IP Address" field, without including the "http://www." prefix.</P><P>Click the "Lookup" button. Information about the site's registrar, name servers, status, creation date, expiration date and updated date appear on the following page if the domain has been registered. If the domain's owner has not chosen to hide his or her contact information, this data will appear on the following page as well.</P><P>Open a Web browser window and navigate to the home page of the Whois.net website.</P><P>Enter the name of the domain you want to find information about in the "WHOIS Lookup" field, without including the "http://www." prefix.</P><P>Click the "Go!" button. Information about the site's registrar, name servers, status, creation date, expiration date and updated date appear on the following page if the domain has been registered. If the domain's owner has not chosen to hide his or her contact information, this data will appear on the following page as well.</P>

How to Find Information About Domain Names

Open a Web browser window and navigate to the "Whois Search" page on the InterNIC website. Enter the name of the domain you want ...

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All You Need to Know About Latest Cell Phone Ringtones

<br /> <p>Ringtones are essentially sounds that come out from a mobile phone for alerting the owner about an incoming call. These sounds have been dutifully alerting the user unfailing since its day of birth even though the sound changed for the better. Present day ringtones are instrumental in identifying the character, likes and dislikes as well as personality of the owner of the cell phone. The facilities to personalized and customized ringtones have made them a hugely demanded item in the internet and also a commercial success.</p><p>The initial ringtones were the monophonic ringtones, which usually were imitations of land line telephones. The next generation, polyphonic tones are an improvement on this because of its ability to play up to sixteen sounds at one time. This type is still in use. As technology developed, cell phones with the ability to play real music and sounds came into being. Along with this, ring tones based on music tracks and other recordings also reared its head. These tones, called the real tones are sometimes even referred to as true tones or master tones. Lately, new additions like the name tones and video alert tones have also entered the scene. The real tones are music files based on MP3 or WMA formats. The name tone speaks out the name of the user (pre-loaded of course) along with an MP3 song, and video alert tones show a video clip along with an MP3 file.</p><p>The customer is the king these days. Millions of phone melodies are available over different sources now. There are songs for every age groups and cultures. This has drawn in most people to enjoy the exhilerating experience in ringtones. The resultant phenomenal increase in the sales volumes   have made the business of selling called tones a huge success.</p><p>But most people prefer to download melodies from the internet due to the large levels of choices available and the ease of operation. They are cheaper or sometimes absolutely free of cost.</p><p>Some of us who do not want ready made music for their cell phones can take heart from another fact. These days, a lot of softwares for creating and developing tones are available in the internet. </p><p>However, caution needs to be exercised while going for downloaded melodies from the internet. Some sites offering free or cheap songs have hidden agendas in their charter, like hacking into the personal data, bank accounts and credit card PIN number. This can cause considerable grief and difficulties to anyone who fails into their net. Another thing one would be ever cautions against is the existence of viruses and trojens. There are many websites offering non-original, pirated songs under the garb of ringtones, which is a highly unethical and illegal act, as it infringes the copy right acts prevalent in most countries. This practice needs to be checked forthright, because it hurts the ringtone business in the short term forcing many genuine music track companies to quit the field, diminishing the level of choice for the customer in the long term.</p><p>The immense popularity and craze generated by the mellifluous and soothing ringtones has formed a colossal industry, which, business watchers aver will one day leave behind even the mobile phone business. The user is going to be the king here.</p><p>All high end cell phones have inbuilt facilities for accessing and surfing the net directly to download ringtones. This is an added advantage as it cuts out the need for connecting devices like USB cable or blue tooth and the computer. However, as most models do not have this facility, a user needs to download the required melodies by the help of a personal computer. Once downloaded, the music can be transferred to the cell phone by means of data cables or a particular device called blue tooth dongle. But this is not a problem because cell phone companies provide data cables and required software to ensure compatibility of the cell phone with a computer at the time of purchase itself.</p><p>While this is the present state of ringtones and ringtone industry, customers can expect even better times with ringtone companies competing amongst them to offer value added products. Advancement of technologies will also play its part here.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>If you want to know more about Mobile <a href="http://www.flycell.com" target="_new">Ringtone</a> then feel free to visit <a href="http://www.flycell.com" target="_new">Ring Tone</a>.</p> <br />

All You Need to Know About Latest Cell Phone Ringtones

Ringtones are essentially sounds that come out from a mobile phone for alerting the owner about an incoming call. These sounds have been ...

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Official NoAdware Review - Truth Revealed About NoAdware!

<br /> <p>The web is one of the main passages of these threats. When you download certain files on free sites, almost 80% of the files that you have acquired on web have adware and virus that are enclosed in it. We sometimes rely on our anti-virus protection but how sure are you that it can protect you from these threats. Time is fast changing. New generations of computers and other technologies evolves rapidly. That is also similar to virus and adware wherein there can be also updated versions. Learn more about NoAdware review!</p><p>The NoAdware review of the software will aid you to detect and remove all the problems you are experiencing in your computer. There are few symptoms and indications that you can observed if your computer is infected with adware and spyware. Your computer might be infected if:</p><p>? Your computer speed is not stable. It is accepting low packets data wherein the speed is affected.<br /><br>? Error opening of other files.<br /><br>? Your homepage is changing every now and then<br /><br>? Your computer always not responding when using web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and other browsers such as client feeders.<br /><br>? Pop-up bombardments<br /><br>? Unwanted tool bar plug-ins</p><p>If you experience these glitches and problems on your computer, definitely you are infected with spywares and adware. The adware and spyware are very rampant on mp3 file download, movie clips and surfing to porn sites. Usually, when you scan your computer you cannot detect them because they self-extract in your system. It means that they duplicate one of your files wherein you may not suspect them that it is a spyware file.</p><p>When it infiltrates your system, your total privacy could be exposed. It can hack your system files and saved account files. Always be aware that the risks of spywares and adware very probable to any untrusted sites which you should take extra pre-cautions to avoid these problems to happen to you. Read more details about the NoAdware review software to find out more facts and truth behind it!</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>The <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/official-noadware-review" target="_new">NOADWARE review</a> is giving you all the information about the software on how it can help your computer to avoid these threats. Upgrade your computer's protection shield now!</p><p>Learn more about the <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/official-noadware-review" target="_new">reviews of NOADWARE</a> software by visiting the official website and reading more facts and information about the software.</p> <br />

Official NoAdware Review - Truth Revealed About NoAdware!

The web is one of the main passages of these threats. When you download certain files on free sites, almost 80% of the files that you hav...

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The Real Deal About Identity Theft

<br /> <p>This part would still discuss the many facts about identity theft and a couple of guides will also be provided to help prevent individual consumers from becoming victims of the fastest growing identity theft crime in the United States.</p><p><b>1. The internet perpetuated identity theft.</b></p><p>Technology played a lot of part in the perpetuation of identity theft. The internet made a lot of things possible for every individual. It has afforded flexibility, accessibility and mobility to most of its consumers which made internet a common household name. Online shopping, online banking, e-commerce-everything is now internet or electronically available.</p><p>Since more and more transactions are being done online, it cannot be helped when you have to give out your personal information. For instance, in making online purchases, you need to give out your credit card number to secure the purchase. After doing so, you need to give out your name and address for the delivery of your merchandise. This information, when they fell in malicious hands, can be used by other people for their own financial and material rewards.</p><p><b>2. Despite the many security programs that are developed, identity theft is still growing.</b></p><p>Installing good and reliable anti-virus programs cannot prevent identity theft but it can seriously make you less attractive to identity thieves because it can protect your computer system from intruder attacks. Then again, that does not guarantee that you will never be a victim of identity theft. For one reason, identity thieves do not only access your computer for your personal information. They can also get this from your mailbox, trash bins and even from your school or university.</p><p><b>3. Identity thieves are also computer hackers.</b></p><p>With the advent of technology and the internet, most identity thieves have now channeled their energy into accessing personal information that are exchanged online since these are done randomly and millions of transactions transpire everyday. The identity thieves train themselves to be computer hackers or they seek the help of computer hackers, either way, there is no doubt that identity thieves have now taken a different face. This is a new one as it can only be used online.</p><p><b>4. Connecting to a public Wi-Fi hot spot zone can make you prone to identity theft.</b></p><p>If you think, as an internet user, that hot spots are great ideas as they offer free unlimited internet access to individuals like you, then do not discount the fact that computer hackers are also ecstatic about the idea. Not because they can go online for free but because they can easily hack the wireless network and see what everyone is doing in their computer. Most wi-fi hot spots are have no passwords or any form of security for their networks, which makes it more prone to computer hacking.</p><p>If you are fond of connecting to wi-fi hot spots, think again. Or if ever you do, do not perform any confidential transactions online. Only do so when you are using a secure network like in your home or in your office.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>Tina L. Douglas is a skilled writer from California. With numerous experiences in the field of writing for several financial institutions, she is greatly qualified across a variety of economic issues. Her notable pieces of writing involve <a href="http://5identitytheftprotection.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_new">identity theft</a>.</p> <br />

The Real Deal About Identity Theft

This part would still discuss the many facts about identity theft and a couple of guides will also be provided to help prevent individual...

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Identity Theft Expert - Americans Overwhelmingly Concerned About Credit Card Fraud

<br /> <p>A recent study conducted by the Unisys Corporation shows that identity theft as it pertains to credit card fraud is Americans' number one concern.</p><p>When people ask me, "How do I protect myself from credit card fraud?" I tell them, "Cancel the card, or never use it." Because that's the only way.</p><p>Personal security (as it pertains to violence) and national security have always been a concern. However, this new study shows that people are more concerned with fraud, and the risk of having their savings depleted by scammers. Not so hard to believe, what with the number of data breaches, and the Madoffs of the world fleecing their unsuspecting investors.</p><p>75% of Americans feel that the recession has increased their chances of being victimized by criminal hackers and thieves. Most are also concerned their "private" information on a corporate or bank network may be compromised.</p><p>FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center's 2008 Annual Report determined that online fraud increased by 33.1% last year. Dollar losses resulting from online fraud increased to $265 million.</p><p>Overall, these concerns are valid, due to flaws in the system of issuing credit that facilitate new account fraud. Furthermore, account takeover requires nothing more than access to credit card numbers, which are available in hacked databases or susceptible every time you hand your card over to a gas station attendant.</p><p>Viruses in spam or phishing emails continue to plague consumers and as scammers get more sophisticated, the chances of getting hooked increase.</p><p>Banks and business will continue to feel the pressure as criminals target their clients' data.</p><p>Credit card skimming at ATMs and gas pumps makes it impossible to protect yourself when you could essentially be handing your digits over to a criminal.</p><p>Skimming is one of the financial industry's fastest-growing crimes, according to the U.S. Secret Service. The worldwide ATM Industry Association reports over $1 billion in annual global losses from credit card fraud and electronic crime associated with ATMs.</p><p>Marite Ferrero, a blogger with Finextra, adds, "In Europe, the points of compromise are everywhere: ATM, gas pumps, parking, DVD rentals, movie tickets, food kiosks, tolls, buying metro tickets, and the list goes on... Because of chip and pin implementation, the proliferation of stand-alone terminals that accept chip and pin has provided a profitable playground for fraudsters."</p><p>While the card holder is generally only responsible for the first $50.00 in losses, which is often waived by a "zero liability policy," card holders who don't pay attention to their statements often let these charges pass and eat them.</p><p>There are many technologies available to secure credit cards, such as "smart cards" and "chip and pin." However, due to the nature of a credit card transaction, once the data leaves the card, it's up for grabs. Whatever card security their may have been is now gone.</p><p>Check your credit and banking statements carefully. Scrutinize every charge and refute any unauthorized charges within 30-60 days. Call your bank or credit card company immediately if you see any fraudulent activity.</p><p>Invest in identity theft protection. Credit freezes or fraud alerts help prevent new account fraud. Protect your PC with McAfee, or other Internet security software.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>I'm excited to work with uni-ball in 2009 in a partnership to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips for protecting yourself. Check out <a href="http://www.uniball-na.com" target="_new">http://www.uniball-na.com</a> for more information. Robert Siciliano <a href="http://www.IDTheftSecurity.com" target="_new">http://www.IDTheftSecurity.com</a></p> <br />

Identity Theft Expert - Americans Overwhelmingly Concerned About Credit Card Fraud

A recent study conducted by the Unisys Corporation shows that identity theft as it pertains to credit card fraud is Americans' number...

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Google uses Twitter to tease about Android 2.3 Gingerbread

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Google/Google-gingerbread-image-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Google has hinted that its Android 2.3 Gingerbread update is near release, with a rather delicious tweet.</P><br /><P>The official Twitter account for Google's mobile arm – unsurprisingly called <a href="http://twitter.com/#/GoogleMobile/status/3174327650361344">@GoogleMobile</A> – tweeted an image of a whole load of Android gingerbread men, saying: "Our cafes are baking something sweet".</P><br /><P>And, well, that's it. But it is a rather big tease that the update is on its way.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Shake 'n' bake</STRONG></P><br /><P>It was thought that Gingerbread would come <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumour-android-gingerbread-arriving-next-week-906144">early November</A>, but it is now thought that the update will be shown off at the <a href="http://www.web2summit.com/web2010">Web 2.0 Summit</A>, which is due to begin 15-17 November.</P><br /><P>The conference features a keynote from Eric Schmidt and we are hoping he will show off some of the new features of Gingerbread... while dressed as a massive gingerbread man.</P><br /><P>We've got a feeling only one of the two things we are hoping for will come true, though.</P><br /><P>Although Google has been extremely quiet on what the Android 2.3 release will bring – we do know that there will be something of a graphical overhaul and VoIP integration.</P><br /><P>Interestingly, Mark Zuckerberg will also be at the Web 2.0 Summit, which should be interesting considering <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/google-escalates-facebook-war-of-words-907771">Google and Facebook</A> have had something of a war of words recently.</P>

Google uses Twitter to tease about Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Google has hinted that its Android 2.3 Gingerbread update is near release, with a rather delicious tweet. The official Twitter account for G...

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