Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
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Yahoo Launches Fire Eagle, a Location<br />
Service for Users<br />
Why would you want to share your<br />
location with others, or with applications?<br />
It might seem that lett<strong>in</strong>g an Internet service<br />
know where you are might lead to a privacy<br />
issue. However, Google Mobile App on iPhone<br />
makes you realize just how important shar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
your location can be. For example, recently<br />
when I couldn’t f<strong>in</strong>d a book at the bookstore, I<br />
opened Google Mobile. The first th<strong>in</strong>g you are<br />
asked each time you open Google Mobile is<br />
if it can use your present location. Say<strong>in</strong>g yes,<br />
and do<strong>in</strong>g a search for libraries, will give you<br />
libraries that are closest to you, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g a map<br />
with directions, phone numbers and more. Yahoo’s<br />
new Fire Eagle will allow users to decide<br />
if they wish to share their locations on the web,<br />
or on smart phones that might user their service<br />
<strong>in</strong> the future. Why would you wish to share<br />
your location with others on the web? A blogger<br />
may wish to blog about local subjects and<br />
users search<strong>in</strong>g for local news would quickly<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d their blog at the top of their search list. For<br />
more <strong>in</strong>formation, visit<br />
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jRr-xoufrxvBbc0uGt7xsLgTS9jAD92HKED01<br />
iPhone Receives Compla<strong>in</strong>ts About 3G Connections<br />
Users across the nation and around the world are compla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g about the iPhone’s 3G Internet connection. Many have compla<strong>in</strong>ed that<br />
they lose connection, yet AT&T has claimed that the problem was not <strong>in</strong> their network but <strong>in</strong> a software glitch with<strong>in</strong> the iPhone. Apple<br />
released an update yesterday, so if you haven’t already, when you sync your iPhone, be prepared for a 15 m<strong>in</strong>ute wait while the new update<br />
downloads and <strong>in</strong>stalls. Personally <strong>in</strong> our area we have not noticed any problems with the 3G, and <strong>in</strong> a few cases where WiFi was available<br />
we found it slower than the 3G speed when watch<strong>in</strong>g a video on iTunes (for example). Some are skeptical that the recent upgrade will fix the<br />
problem, and some have suggested the iPhone 3G’s may be recalled if the problem cannot be resolved. For more <strong>in</strong>formation, visit<br />
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080819/D92LLK1G0.html<br />
New Trojan-Horse Malware Attachment to Flight Ticket Email<br />
There is a new scam hitt<strong>in</strong>g email boxes which could set up a malware program <strong>in</strong> your computer designed to steal your persona ID<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation and send it to crim<strong>in</strong>als <strong>in</strong> Russia. The email claims to be a confirmation from Delta (or other airl<strong>in</strong>es) and provide a user name,<br />
password, and <strong>in</strong>forms you that you have been charged for the ticket. The email also states they have attached a zip file which conta<strong>in</strong>s your <strong>in</strong>voice.<br />
Of course, if you didn’t purchase a ticket and don’t want your card charged, you will feel compelled to open the zip file to check if they<br />
really charged one of your accounts. However, if you do, you will have unleashed a malware program that is designed to steal your <strong>in</strong>formation.<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation, visit<br />
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9110883&<strong>in</strong>tsrc=hm_list<br />
Should Your Cell Phone Company Be Able to Charge You a Term<strong>in</strong>ation Fee?<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to one state judge <strong>in</strong> California, if a cell phone company charges you a fee for term<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g your contract, this<br />
practice violates state law. In this recent rul<strong>in</strong>g, Spr<strong>in</strong>t has been ordered to refund $18.3 million to customers they had charged,<br />
and to credit $54 million to other customers who had not paid the fee await<strong>in</strong>g this rul<strong>in</strong>g. Verizon had recently agreed to pay<br />
customers $21 million just before they were to go to trial <strong>in</strong> a similar <strong>in</strong>cident. One solution may be to have a decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g fee the<br />
longer the contract is carried. A lot of lobby<strong>in</strong>g is go<strong>in</strong>g on with the FCC to seek federal rul<strong>in</strong>gs to protect term<strong>in</strong>ation fees by<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Comput<strong>in</strong>g® Magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
August 2008<br />
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