Internet speed drops while adoption speed soars. Too many newborns stealing my bandwidth. I say, the next time you think about skipping birth control, think about how frustrating it is waiting for Hulu to load.

Read more HERE.

Another Success Story

I use this blog a lot to voice my concerns on technology and the implications it can have on creative license. Well, just when I think EVERY news story is filled with doom and gloom, I come across something like THIS.

 Eric Migicovsky was just an exchange student who enjoyed cycling. He asked himself a very simple question: "Why can't I see who's calling me on my wrist?" This month, Eric's special watch that syncs with android technology hits the market. That's right -- for all of you extreme cyclists out there, you can finally answer all of your phone calls when cruising and losing weight. Imagine your next board meeting via blue tooth while you enjoy the sheer beauty that is the Pacific Coast highway. All possible, and easy, thanks to Migicovsky's "Pebble."

Mistake? Nah... just too good to pass up

Google had previously said that the unencrypted information in collected from unknowing bystanders during its mapping service was a 'mistake'. However, a recent report by the FCC concluded that the company KNOWINGLY collected the information. Why? Because it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up! If you were in charge of mapping the face of the planet, while simultaneously being able to study and chart human behavior and tendencies, wouldn't you figure out a way to profit off of this information? Facebook already links your 'Likes' and Interests to advertisement banners. Google just went a step further and pried into  people's private information for a glimpse at untapped demographic analysis.

Read more about Google getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar HERE.

Hotmail not feeling so hot

Are you waiting on a crucial email and about to smash your laptop because, for whatever reason, the password you use for EVERYTHING isn't logging you in? Take a breathe. It's not your fault. Some hackers out there have offered to hack Hotmail accounts for as little as $20 a pop. Their technique centers on a bug in the system concerning users resetting their passwords. With over 350 million active users, Hotmail is the world's largest email provider. Luckily, Microsoft has developed a quick fix for the bug in the system. So I hope you've refrained from smashing that laptop.

A Nobody: Part VII

My congested neighbor Dave's telling me about his recently upgraded backyard. “Whole thing’s wireless now. Unlimited bandwidth.  Cable TV. ”  And the way he exhales -- it’s not quite a sigh, but it’s smug.  Self-felicitating.  Proof that the average American male -- which I believe my neighbor Dave to be, as he’s of average build and average height and average likability -- has smothered his inner cowboy to death.  No more Marlboro Man atop the horse, smoking a cigarette while banging your girlfriend and drinking Jack Daniels, straight. He's been thrown from his steed and paralyzed.  Then the nurses hid his cigarettes. The doctors drank his booze.  Ass-deep in a bedpan, our wild man watches the world replace him with apprehensive young boys.  Sue-happy clock-punchers.  The kind who post to FaceSpace every five seconds and take pride in backyard cable.

You know you're in trouble when, as a company, you're fighting as many fronts as America's military.  Read more about Google causing a storm in Europe HERE.

Kaspersky: Hey, Apple! Welcome to Microsoft’s world, it’s full of malware | TechBlog | a Chron.com blog

Vault Revolution's religious about security. It's about time the big boys follow suit. Read more HERE.

Google: the bully who won't stop shaking you upside down for every last cent of your lunch money

Recently, online storage facilities have been trending like crazy. Dropbox, iCloud, SkyDrive -- that's just to name a few. It's convenient because we've all been there -- our hard drive crashes, and every important document, every precious picture, is lost to ones and zeros forever. Online storage allows you to access your files anywhere in the world. But... did you read the fine print on the Terms of Service you so readily agreed to?

Google’s privacy policy claims it won’t use your files to do anything other than “provide, maintain, protect and improve [its services]," but if a file is set to "public," then it's fair game for Google to use in commercials. That means your photos could end up on TV as Google promotes their drowning Google+ services.

Read more HERE.

Wireless information. Bah! With everyone's head in 'the Cloud' it's easy lose track of the little things. Like your social security number. Bank password...

If God turns out to be some pimply faced teenager siting at his heavenly computer playing the ultimate version of the SIMS, what happens when he hits CNTRL, ALT, DEL?

Apple may have infringed on some of Motorola's patents for 3G technology, prompting grandmothers and grandfathers across the country to ask: "What the heck is a 'G'?"

Read more HERE.

How YouTube cured boredom

Let's stop pretending we don't all do the same thing- roam YouTube aimlessly while riding the bus, when we should be doing our homework. It cures boredom, temporarily at least. It stimulates us with laughter, causes us to nod our heads in rhythm with a killer song. Youtube's made it easier than ever before for unknowns to get discovered. Every basement and garage band with an iPhone can record their sound and upload it for the whole world to see. The only thing is... Be very careful with the fine print. Anything you upload to YouTube becomes Youtube's property. So for all you young artists out there, make sure you protect your original lyrics and sheet music. Because its too easy for the Big record labels to pay someone minimum wage to peruse YouTube all day. Heck- we've already agreed we do it for free! So before you hear your band's big hit on the radio being butchered by some wanna be celebrity rocker, sure up your computer's security, and keep on rockin!

Be on the look out for photos from my latest photo shoot...

Think Identity Theft is Difficult? Think Again.

Over 18 billion incidents of identity theft were reported last year, a majority of them in the form of fraudulent bank accounts. Hackers don't even needs your social security number anymore to attach their name to your account, or open a joint-account in your name. If they can get a hold of your mother's maiden name. Your first pet's name. The name of the city you were born in. b

Do these questions sound familiar? They should. They're the seemingly insignificant ones you answer when you set your online banking password, or any other password for that matter -- just in case you forget that overly complex series of upper case letters, numbers and asterisks, right?

But what happens when someone gets into your unencrypted wireless network, and sneaks a peak at your online activity? They might catch you answering these questions, and once they have that information, it's to the bank!

Make the safe and secure choice. Protect your private information. I went with Vault Revolution HERE..  Affordable at less than $20. To me, especially after hearing nothing but bad news in this Google Mapping debacle, I'm glad I did. Saved me the anxiety -- and that's priceless. Unless you ask a psychiatrist. They'll probably tell you it's $100 an hour.

Overheard a little girl ask her mother: "Mommy, why is the sky blue?"

The mother responded without taking her eyes off her iPad. "Ask Google."

If you give a mouse a cookie... The government will try to find a way to get a few crumbs. Loved this article: http://www.marketingtechblog.com/cispa/#dsq-form-area We have to keep the Internet free yet safe. Personal responsibility has alot to do with it, not more legislation.

Looks like its gearing up to be a hot summer in Los Angeles, but that's not the only thing to look forward to. In July, the FBI is planning on shutting off Internet access to thousands of infected P.C.s in an attempt to quell group of Internet hackers. Be careful...your next key stroke could be your last.

Facebook may be struggling with privacy concerns, but at least they're opening themselves up to the public. Facebook, the other day, re-opened comments on their government page, affording hundreds of thousands of Facebook users the opportunity to weigh in on the situation. Some offered scathing stories while others offered solutions. Still... Don't you kind of wish the American government would act the same way sometimes? In an increasingly transparent world, where EVERYONE feels obligated to share their every waking thought, why can't we expect the same from our government? Imagine opening an online forum to really address and gauge public opinion- this is what the Greeks would have done, no? And they founded democracy! Sure, with the immature people looming in cyber space, I'm sure that government forum would quickly delve into racial slurs and R.I.P Michael Jackson comments... But still. Maybe one day we'll figure out how to maximize the web's potential. Until then, fingers crossed Anonymous doesnt screw everything up...

It's easy to download free music. It's easy to surf Torrent for movies instead of paying to go to the theatres and shell fifteen dollars for bottomless popcorn. But hear me out... Downloading someone's intellectual propterty illegally is immoral. It's easy- no one's arguing that. But is taking an unnecessary risk, leaving yourself susceptible to Trojan viruses, allowing some government agency somewhere to track your illegal activity (some students have actually gotten kicked out of Ivy League schools for downloading music...) is it worth saving a dollar? It's just money! You can put a price on a song, but you can't put a price on integrity. So do the right thing and download/upload your music legally. Let's be honest... You've been lucky up until now. Your computer might not have a virus despite all of your illegal downloads. But don't discount tomorrow. There will always be some hacker out there trying to figure out a way to screw over the people who play by the rules. They'll get you eventually...

Is your Mac still running slow?

650,000 Macs are still hijacked. Turns our these flashback warnings aren't working after all... 

Big time punishment for google

So yesterday, the US government hit Google with a staggering fine for their flagrant breach in public security... $25,000. That's right... $25,000... Or the amount that Google will earn by the time I finish writing this. Can you believe it? After illegally acquiring people's passwords and private information with their mapping vehicles, Google gets a little more than slap on the wrist. It might also be nice to know what developers are responsible for this MAJOR blunder...but Google has refused to release those names. So if you happen to be one of the thousands affected by hackers, thank Google for making this risky digital world that much riskier.

Watch out for those Google-mobiles!

One of my recent posts was about privacy concerns with Google's mapping service. Well, unfortunately... It gets worse. Not only have some of their cars picked up embarrassing images of people in shorts that are too short, bending over at the wrong moment, but they've been illegally acquiring unencrypted information from wireless routers.

Now, if your computer has ample security, then there 's no need to stick your head out the window every time you see one of those white hybrids cruising down the road with their five-foot cameras. Just make sure you have clothes on. Or at least close the blinds...

IKEA has decided to start building furniture with TV's built in! Now you never have to worry about losing the remote between the cushions anymore. Just worry about whether or not IKEA gave you all the pieces you need to actually build the thing.

Be careful where you pull over to take that late-night, post-Del Taco urination break! You might just get caught by one of Google Earth's Eavesdropping vehicles! Read more HERE.

I love reading the L.A. Times. Whenever I think they can't top the most ridiculous story... it just keeps getting better.

A Nobody: Part VI

This redhead I’ve just met urges me to “rethink” my recently deactivated FaceSpace account.  She rattles her empty coffee cup and walks towards the recycling cans.  “I read somewhere that 75% of married couples meet through FaceSpace now,” she says.  “All thanks to that new compatibility exam.  Why play guessing games when it comes to the rest of your life?”
 Her CrackBerry rings with a new message and, as if it were a reflex, her thumbs jump to the corresponding buttons. As she walks by, headed, I’m sure, for the doors, I reach out and take her hand and ask, “What if I told you I did take that exam?” She stops.  Looks up from her phone. “What if I told you I actually fell in love with the woman they matched me with?  After a parade of failed relationships, and everything I’ve been saying - me - in love with someone named xoCharlotteJ25.
Red has her eyes locked on mine for the first time all evening.  During our entire conversation she had been too stimulated, too distracted. Always checking her phone.  Her inbox.  Catching glimpses of my face only in between page loads. But now I’m the center her attention.  Even as a blue light flickers in her ear- begging answer me answer me with every blink of an incoming call- her autumn eyes never stray. “Go on,” she whispers.
I finish my coffee- a large, Non-Fat Half-Skinny 1% Soy Extra Hot Split Quad Shot Latte with Whip.  The Day’s special.  
“Her picture was stunningly beautiful,” I recall.  “Midnight black hair draped over her these delicate, smooth shoulders.  She was posing in pajamas for what looked like a web cam, but even so, I could tell she was the kind of natural beauty who didn’t need much maintenance.  And when I scanned her profile, imagine how amazed I was to find that we appreciated all the same music.  The same books and hobbies, too. “FaceSpace was right, I’m thinking.  She’s perfect.
“Before I know it the two of us are messaging each other back and forth like we’d known each other for years and within weeks, I feel it, you know- really feel it.  Love.
“That’s when I decide I have to see her.  In person, to profess my love like Romeo.  Except this Juliet lives on the opposite side of the country.
“So one weekend I print out a plane ticket without mentioning anything, and a few hours later I’m standing on xoCharlotteJ25’s doorstep.  Flowers in hand.  Combing my fingers through my hair like a nervous teenager before prom. “Knock, knock,” I say, mimicking with my fist.
“Counting the seconds for her to answer the door, I’m starting to worry that I might’ve overlooked the chance of her simply not being home. But then I hear footsteps, clomping down the stairs.” The moment rushes back and I cringe, thinking of me, that day and-
"–And? ” blurts the redheaded, listening intently.  “Then what?”
“Then I met my soul mate,” I tell her.  “A 300-lb Spanish guy with a mustache.”
Red doesn’t offer much in terms of comfort.  She doesn’t need to.  Instead, she stuffs her CrackBerry into her purse, removes the FoolTooth widget from her ear and stuffs that in her purse, too.  “Let’s get out of here,” she smiles.

Is Your Data in Limbo?

Ok... let's be honest. A show of hands -- how many of you use the computer for illegal downloading?

For shame!

Check out this article about Megauploader: your data might be up for grabs...

If you're like me and have file security software, then that article might not worry you. If not, you might want to reconsider uploading that new movie you've been really wanting to see. (Cough: Hunger Games)

I ordered food online today. It got me thinking about how all monetary transactions seem to be heading towards digitalization. I can't remember the last bill I paid with cash. The last time I bought at a store with cash. (Though to be fair, I do prefer to do my shopping online...) A few of the taco trucks around Los Angles ONLY take cash, but most are now outfitted with credit card machines or, at the very least, the iPhone attachments.

There are some definite benefits to digital money. There's a record of everything, for one. But keeping a record... means someone can break in and take a peak at that record. You'd be surprised how fast some of these people can get your bank account info or social security number. 

R.I.P. Jack Tramiel, a pioneer in the field of computer technology. He passed today at the age of 83.

Tramiel was behind the Commodore, a prominent piece of computer equipment in the 1970's and 80's. In fact, it was the very first computer to sell 1 million units, and even quadrupled the sales of the Apple II, igniting the market for the personal computer.

Tramiel, like Steve Jobs and other innovative CEO's, did whatever it took to introduce new products at the lowest price possible.  He accomplished this by slashing costs, hiring top talent, appealing to the mass-market , and monopolizing chip suppliers.

Unfortunately, some of today's companies cross an ethical line in the name of competitiveness. Labor issues have plagued Apple these past few months. News is just now breaking about Russia's abuse of worker rights, too.

Here's hoping there are more respectable showmen like Jack Tramiel out there...

Anonymous strikes again!

I'm starting to sound like a broken record here... but check out this article on anonymous' latest hack. Read more HERE.

I've spoken to a few people recently, some of whom think what Anonymous 'stands for' is right. They want freedom of the internet, some say. Transparency in government. Etc. Etc. But the way Anonymous is going about is... well, infringing upon freedom is no way of fight for it. That's what terrorists do.

Google is developing glasses that allow you to access the web and emails -- all without ever having to sit down at a computer! Imagine that... 

I know I say it a lot, but each day, this science fiction-like world we live in grows wider and wider. Soon we'll have hover cars and automatic lace-up sneakers, I'm sure.

But, has anyone considered the downsides of internet capable sunglasses? You thought people with their heads down on BlackBerrys were bad -- you haven't seen anything yet! People bumping into walls while Facebooking. Could make for some interesting Youtube videos though...

Apple Battles Back

OK, so for all of you Mac owners out there who've been reading my blog and thinking: "Viruses and file security don't worry me, because I have a Mac...."

Not so fast. On Thursday, Apple  reported that about 550,000 computers have been infected with a Trojan virus. Read more HERE.

Just goes to show you -- it doesn't matter how expensive your equipment is if you don't have the right software protecting it.

Who knew the Internet could change the way we enjoy stand-up comedy? Aziz Ansari from 'Parks and Recreation' makes me laugh harder than most comics out there today. That's why I was so happy to hear his next stand-up special is going to be broadcast over the internet, and for only $5! Wow...

Imagine, never having to be in the same state as your favorite performers ever again. Never having to sit through another awkward family Thanksgiving again. Everything will be through computer screens or Skype. We're not too far away...

Want to check out Aziz's stand-up special? Click HERE.

A Nobody: Part V

I almost don’t follow through.            

 ‘Just in case- are you sure you want to erase profile name?’             

Yes.  No.             

My cursor teeters on the former.  

Yes- I want to deactivate my FaceSpace account.  I want to, yet can scarcely depict a world without it.  Then succumbing to power much higher than myself-  

Click. 

The screen goes blank.  An automated message welcomes me back anytime, should my 21st century persona ever decide to resurrect himself.

Wi-Fi and You

American Wi-Fi has to step up its game.

I've been to countries across the world and I can easily say that the wireless internet works better and faster in Russia than it does in my home in Los Angeles. Why is this? Because people keep buying internet for their homes! They stick with the traditional plan -- cable, internet and phone all wrapped into one neat, tidy little package. But what happens to Jacks-of-all-trades? Well as any good King can tell you, they flail out. Why perform a number of average tasks when you can excel in one?

So frustrated Mommies and Daddies and Post-Grads and Skype-fiends end up trekking down to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, where they have Wi-Fi that works!

Sure, the idea of information floating around cyberspace might be intimidating to some... heck, it scares me a little bit. But, as I'm sure it's become clear, wireless internet is the way of the future. 

A Nobody: Part IV

A hundred and one questions on a five-scale rating to reveal your soul mate.  How cleanly do you consider yourself?  Three.  How important is religion in your life?  One.  Do you like to make people laugh?
I can hear a few of them laughing in the coffee shop.  Fellow caffeine addicts gossiping about my severance from their social clique.
‘No FaceSpace?’  Chirp, chirp.  ‘…hates people?’  Chirp, chirp.
The computer asks me if I enjoy social situations, or if I consider myself more of an introvert.  Five for social butterfly.  One for wallflower.
I type: ‘depends on how much I’ve had to drink,’ except it doesn’t show up anywhere on screen.  There’s no space for a sense of humor.
Three, I select.
Then, ‘how important is health to you?’
Halfway through page six of 16 I realize there aren’t any questions on physical appearance.  Just my level of outdoorsmanship.  How often I exercise and how ‘frugal’ I consider myself.
“What's ‘frugal’?” I wonder aloud.  Opening another window on my monitor, I type - f∙r∙u∙g∙a∙l- into a little white box and up sprouts 1,457,301,002 related links.
Biting into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had bought pre-packaged from the counter, I forget about my test and all the nosy people.
To heck with online dating through FaceSpace.

To all my loyal fans out there:

Make sure you check out the Vault Revolution website for some fantastic deals on file security software. You can download up to 1000 locks for as little as $19.99 HERE.

I hope you don't work for a company with an I.T. department like these...

The new program, called Mobile Fusion, allows companies to "manage a mixed environment of devices in the most secure, simple, and COST EFFICIENT manner possible." (key words are in CAPITALS) Read more about the story HERE.

The problem with this strategy, however, is that it opens the door for Trojan viruses to hop from device to device with such ease you'd think the Spartans had frequent flyer miles. So if your company has an I.T. department, talk to them about the measures they're taking to protect your personal information. Otherwise, that next office-wide memo you open might just be your last...

Protect what's yours!

Even sharks eat each other in the womb. It's survival of the fittest out there in the business world, and with the emergence of computer technology over the past few decades, surviving is getting harder and harder.

Check out the story about the battle going on right now between Facebook and Yahoo HERE.

So, if multi-BILLION dollar companies have to put up a fight, where does that leave the rest of us? I don't know about you, but I'm double checking that all of my new music is locked on my hard drive, right away.

Anyone else waiting for an apology?

Global Payments, a company that processes credit, debit, and gift card transactions between a number of merchants, banks, and consumers, let 1.5 MILLION credit card numbers get out into the open after an attack on their system. Global Payments, however, has yet to show even the slightest bit of remorse. Instead of saying sorry, they've simply blamed the situation on a faulty security system. Does anyone take responsibilities for their actions anymore? See also: Exxon Mobil. 

Read more about the credit card debacle HERE.

A Nobody: Part III

I have enough trouble keeping track of my own memories, let alone other people’s.

I’m updated about KateMaySHOWERS and her recent breakup.  BigBubba69’s bar code tattoo.  His political views. Slowly, these new memories replace my own.

            It’s all just too much to remember, some doctors have warned; except their warnings have been reduced to ten second TV advertisements, lost in a generation of digital recording and fast forwarding.

            So when TinMan52 uploads a series of pictures from ComicCon on  FaceSpace, my mind flushes little league baseball. 

            The brain is just an organ, capable of storing only so much.

            “You need more storage,” says the Geek Squad member trying to educate me.  His fingers run ramped over my computer’s keyboard.  “Your unit’s running slower than normal because the memory’s all clogged up.  I suggest going through the CPU when you get a chance.  Delete anything unnecessary from the-”

            And I scoff, “Unnecessary.  It all seems a bit unnecessary to me.”

            “Maybe.  But without this wonderful machine… where would we be?”