Facebook is Up to Some Naughty Shenanigans

All i can say is that this is bad. Datronacon brought this to my attention a short while ago, I then read it, and am passing it on to you. Just think about what you "like" on websites or on Facebook. This is a new ad feature that appears to remove alot of privacy and freedom from the user to pad the pockets of companies that would use this "service." They call these sponsored stories. Basically if you were to "like" something from a vendor the example in the article was Starbucks then an ad shows up as a sponsored story and on your wall as if you typed it yourself. You can say ADS CAN SUCK IT and the post will say Omnivox says ADS CAN SUCK IT at Starbucks. To add insult to injury if someone wrote something negative about a product (as it is free to do) the vendor can delete that "sponsored"story so they don't look bad. The user has NO control and this simply will not do.

Irina states, "The unit will give brand-related action such as a "like" or a check-in a lot more visibility on Facebook by adding them to an ad unit in addition to users' news feeds.

For example, if Starbucks buys a "sponsored story" ad, the status of a user's friends who check into or "like" Starbucks will run twice: once in the user's news feed, and again as a paid ad for Starbucks. Though clearly marked with the words "sponsored story," the ad -- which will includes a user's name, just like the news feed -- is not optional for Facebook users."

and

"The way that the product is today, a check-in post will show up in the ad feed exactly as the user wrote it. So if a user checks into Starbucks with a "I hate this place, but it's the only coffee around" then that's exactly what the "ad" turns out to be.

Facebook is aware of this possibility, because people will be people, and it has left a "flag" button for "inappropriate content." Advertisers that don't want to take the chance of having negative sponsored stories pop up about them can limit their buys to likes. "As a marketer, you can say that I'm only going to do 'like' stories, since there is no way to change that," said Facebook marketing lead Jim Squire. "So you can figure out which is the best option for your organization.""

Please follow the link to adage.com to read more. I feel this is important for everyone to see and understand.

Even an Android Needs Protection

You may not realize it but even mobile phones can become infected with malware. Smart phones run on an actual OS that is very similar to a desktop computer or laptop which makes them vulnerable to the same type of attacks. One such attack is currently happening in China with Android powered phones. There is a sophisticated Trojan that has botnet-like capabilities that is being called "Geinimi".

This Trojan is being grafted into legitimate applications and then distributed in a third-party Chinese app market for Androids. According to the mobile security company Lookout, this trojan has not been found in any applications in the official Google Android Market. Below are some tips from Lookout on how to stay safe.

• Only download applications from trusted sources, such as reputable application markets. Remember to look at the developer name, reviews, and star ratings.
• Always check the permissions an app requests. Use common sense to ensure that the permissions an app requests match the features the app provides.
• Be aware that unusual behavior on your phone could be a sign that your phone is infected. Unusual behaviors include: unknown applications being installed without your knowledge, SMS messages being automatically sent to unknown recipients, or phone calls automatically being placed without you initiating them.
• Download a mobile security app for your phone that scans every app you download. Lookout users automatically receive protection against this Trojan.

Trendnet AP Ups the Ante with 450Mbp/s Hotness

A couple of days ago I ran into this little gem at Engadget.com. They got their hands on a press release from Trendnet regarding the TEW-690AP. I believe the below quote speaks for itself.

TRENDnet® Launches First to Market 450Mbps Wireless Access Point

Trendnet (12/20/2010)

TORRANCE, Calif. –December 20, 2011–TRENDnet, a best-in-class wired and wireless networking hardware brand today announces the launch of the first to market 450Mbps Wireless N Access Point, model TEW-690AP, which supports Access Point, Wireless Distribution System (WDS), and Repeater mode functionality.

Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology with three spatial streams per antenna, generates a maximum theoretical wireless throughput of 450Mbps and exceptional wireless coverage.

A Gigabit Ethernet port maintains high performance wired connections. Advanced features include 4 SSIDs per wireless band, unique encryption for each SSID, WMM Quality of Service (QoS) data prioritization, WPA2-RADIUS encryption, and a convenient on/off power switch.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) integrates other WPS supported wireless adapters at the touch of a button. Gone are the days of entering complicated encryption codes; simply press the WPS button on the TEW-690AP, and then press the WPS button on a compatible wireless adapter-the devices automatically exchange information and connect.

"TRENDnet will be the first brand to bring a full portfolio of 450Mbps solutions to market," stated Zak Wood, Director of Global Marketing for TRENDnet. "Expect more first to market announcements in the coming New Year at CES."

The 450Mbps Wireless N Access Point, model TEW-690AP, comes with a three year limited warranty and is currently shipping to TRENDnet's online and retail partners.

The MSRP for the TEW-690AP is U.S. $ 199.99.

Change Your Internet Account Passwords

Lets be honest, no one uses "strong" passwords on personal Internet based resources. Following some basic rules to creating strong passwords can help keep your accounts safe. A recent post at Slashdot.org states that 26% of users use the same password for multiple important web based resources. Recently Gawker based websites were hacked by the Anonymous group associated with 4chan. If you had an account with Lifehacker or Gizmodo and used the same password for your email or banking site, then you may have a big problem.

Here are some simple guidelines for creating a strong password:

1. Use 8 characters with one capital, at least one number, and one special character. IE: Netw0rk!
2. Do not include personal information such as a name or address.
3. Do not use the same password on multiple resources such as email, social network, or bank website.
4. Try not to use the same password or variants when resetting the password on a web resource
5. If you have any suspicious activity on a resource be safe and change the password quickly. Also, if you share that password with other web based resources like mentioned above change them as well.

Steam Gears Up For the Holidays, Discounts 1000+ Games

Valve's Steam platform is an immensely popular way to deliver digital content to a PC. Using Steam is much like that of Xbox Live, but for the PC rather than the console. You get many of the same features, friends lists, voice chat, and online gaming. What sets Steam apart besides being geared for the PC is that their store prices are super competitive. Also, using Steam one can "gift" a title to a friend. The store is constantly putting titles on sale especially around the holidays and this Christmas is no different. Tomshardware.com reports that the Steam Holiday Sale is offering up to 80% off of selected games. Trust me it is easy to go a little crazy and gobble up more games than you can play at these prices.

The sale does have an interesting twist. Each day of the sale has a special bonus on one selected title. Valve says, "The twist: Players must qualify for the Holiday Bonus by owning another Steam game. For example, the first Holiday Bonus is Portal--save an extra 10-percent if you own Half-Life 2. If you already own the title, Steam will automatically detect this and offer you the 10-percent savings during check out."

So, follow the link to the Steam site to see what gaming goodness you can get your hands off. Remember it is the season of giving....so feel free to gift me something nice ;-).

Chrome for a Cause

The folks at Google are trying to save the world one Chrome tab at a time. I have always been impressed with the work at Google as they strive to make solutions to improve our daily lives, or just to show off what the human imagination can come up with. Recently they have earned my respect a second time. Today they posted the results for a project titled Chrome for a Cause.

Basically users could install an extension in their Chrome browser for Chrome for a Cause which would "donate" each opened tab to charity. Each person can choose which causes their tabs would support. At the end Google made a donation to the charities using the results of the Chrome for a Cause project. Mashable.com calls the project Innovative Charity and I could not agree more. One million dollars has been donated and allocated to the causes based on the results from the browser extension. Innovative Charity indeed.

Google went on to say at the end of their blog post that they are already thinking of more Chrome for a Cause projects in the future. Is this the future of charitable works?

Android Gets More Swype Love

Swype has become a verb associated with Android phones as a way to type that is not your traditional method. Since its appearance in 2009 Swype has made headlines as being a revolution to how we text or email on our Android phones. Even the world texting record was made on a Swype keyboard by Melissa Thompson, a 27 year old woman from Britain. The problem is that Swype was not made available for all Android platforms and had to be installed from hacks or ports that other more advanced users had created.

Swype allows the user to draw words across the keyboard without the requirement of lifting a finger. The keyboard then inserts the word you drew, if for some reason it is not able to get the correct word you would be greeted bya popup box with selections that closest match the drawn word. The system has been ported to other android phones such as my original DROID, but has not been developed to much, that is until today. An announcement was made that the Swype Beta has opened up on Swype.com. The sign up process is ridiculously simple. You register at the website they will automatically detect your screen size and send you an email with installation instructions. If there is a problem with the installation follow the step-by-step install details link.

I have been using the new Swype keyboard for a couple hours and based off my initial tests, I like it. The keyboard "feels" a little more responsive and more forgiving on errors. Also, the pop up menu for suggested words has been tweaked which I find easier to interface with. Before when I would tilt my phone for a landscape mode the keyboard would not display correctly which I assume was a resolution issue. At this current time I find the new Swype Beta improved from the previous version and not "nerfed" in any way.

*Note* If you already have Swype installed you will need to uninstall the old version before installing the new beta.