Posts Tagged ‘Internet’

Privacy in the World of Smart Phones

June 23rd, 2010

Smart phones are not the tools of a big brother conspiracy (well, they could be, but they are not), but that does not mean that nobody is watching. With the average camera on a basic smart phone being a 3.15 mega pixel snapper, people have the right to worry about being filmed or having photos being taken of them without their permission.

The worry stems from the fact that anyone can record videos and images using mobile phones. And since most people are already armed with the technology, it makes for a terrible inconvenience. Simply going out in an unflattering outfit could lead to someone taking an image of you and uploading it to one or several of the thousands of joke sites on the internet that make fun of people wearing unflattering outfits (yes, you no longer need to be a celebrity to have your fashion sense bashed).

While being worried about strangers is one thing, friends and family are even worse culprits, as they will stubbornly, and outright refuse to obey the “I do not want pictures taken of me” request. The worst part is when they upload the images on Facebook where it will be open for everyone to see. And if the embarrassment was not bad enough, these people are usually the very individuals who would actually tag you in the image.

It is not surprising that most people now have worries about having candid images being shot –more importantly, being uploaded. As these images often have people in unflattering and otherwise, very awkward moments. Some women intentionally pass up attending large social functions such as weddings just to be free of the worry.

The saddest part about this whole thing is that there is nothing that anyone can really do –if there was, the next generation would never have to worry about having a family photo book full of really embarrassing images.

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Countdown to the Holidays: More on WP7

June 22nd, 2010

Microsoft is pushing the advertisements and announcements regarding their new operating system further into the limelight. With the OS initially announced as early as February, keeping that raging fire of interest burning for almost a full year was bound to be tough, and in the credit of Microsoft’s press team, they seem to be doing well.

While it is still several months away from the holiday season (or October, as rumored to be the time when the first WP7 devices will be available), much time has passed since the Mobile World Congress and Steve Ballmer’s presentation. But until now, many people are still excited about the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform and what it will bring to the many smart phone users all over the world.

The new operating system is geared more towards casual users than enterprise clients –which are what the older Windows Mobile systems were all about. This new OS brings plenty of focus to live updates, social networking and connectivity. The device has customizable widget-like boxes called tiles which can be fitted with specific contacts or web pages and other content that allows a user to determine what is important and should be available in the front page.

Social networking is made easy as the handset allows users to update multiple social networking sites (like Facebook and Windows Live) at the same time with a single tap of the touch screen. Media such as photos and music can be uploaded to the internet by way of an instant commend menu which is available in the media library screen.

Microsoft’s search engine Bing will be accessible from anywhere in the device, allowing users to make use of the various search functions to get relevant information such as maps for address and similar data. Zune and Xbox Live will also be part of the services offered in the new OS.

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How Mobile Technology is Affecting Children

June 15th, 2010

According to some experts, children should not be exposed to computers until the age of 9 or older. It is a pretty tough suggestion, considering how nearly impossible the task would be, but this is one of the answers that was given with regards to helping curb the growing number of children with psychological and social problems brought by their dependence on computers and technology.

And while the computer is easy to keep from a child, the smart phone is a different issue. Many parents now find it difficult to not let their child have a mobile phone, and more often than not, it is a smart phone. Children tend to prefer devices that would allow them to access the same resources and networks that their peers at school have –which means that handing a child a basic GSM device will not be sufficient.

It is a double edged sword; giving a child a mobile phone could potentially make the child addicted or reliant on social networking as opposed to making real friends. Refuse to give a child a smart phone and the child will be alienated and ostracized by their friends who are all playing with their mobile handsets.

What many experts fail to realize is that despite the conundrum, there is already a working solution system, and all it takes is for people to realize that it is accessible: good parenting. Parents have long failed to incorporate new technology such as social networking and the internet as part of a person’s growth. Whether we like it or not, it is, and it should be introduced to a child properly.

Keeping children away from technology is never the answer. There is nothing bad about the internet, computers, smart phones, social networking, games and other such resources, it is up to parents to properly teach and prepare their children for the technology of today.

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The Green Approach to Mobile Phone Technology

June 11th, 2010

It is hard to deny that mobile phones –especially smart phones, are some of the most convenient electronic devices ever to be made. These handsets allows users to make calls and messages instantly to friends and family, it can access the internet, provide entertainment through music and videos, be used as a camera and more. Our society is now heavily reliant on the use of mobile phone technology.

As one might expect, this convenience comes with a price. Aside from the usual retail tags and monthly tariffs, our society gets billed with a huge carbon load –which the environment pays for.

This is why there is now a growing need for people to be more aware and responsible for their carbon footprint. And starting with changing one’s mobile phone habits is a great first step.

What people should realize is that as end users and consumers, society has the ability to dictate and decide what companies will manufacture and sell. By choosing to support eco-friendly companies and by buying green products –manufacturers can be swayed to change their approach. Nokia and Sony Ericsson have been heavily promoting their green-solutions internally with reduced packaging and better choices of raw materials. Choosing to buy handsets made out of recycled plastics will encourage other companies to do the same.

It does not end with choosing a phone either. Users have the responsibility to ensure that devices are used wisely. A smart phone can consume about a metric ton of carbon in a single year (energy wise), so ensuring that a battery charge is spent properly, and avoiding over-charging are also important steps.

Lastly, support your local recycling drives. Many companies such as Orange UK hold phone recycling programs in order to encourage people to dispose of their handsets wisely –more often than not, they also offer incentives to people who recycle.

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Facebook: You Cannot Please Everyone

May 4th, 2010

For those of you who have been out of the news loop, here is the current state of things; many people are starting to blame Facebook for the paedophiles and stalkers that use the social networking site in order to assault and harass their victims. The problem has been escalated with a recent murder of a 17 year old girl who was lured by her killer through the online networking site.

For anyone who knows better, Facebook is obviously not to blame. The real responsibility rests on the shoulders of parents who need to be able to properly educate, discipline and inform their children of the dangers and realities of the world and what can be done when encountering their problems.

But since people would rather a social networking company take the blame and responsibility of keeping children safe online (children, who are not allowed to sign up for an account unless they are under the guidance of their parents or guardians), then it has left Facebook with very little choice but to further find ways to improve their already existing help and support network.

The big call from the police and many people is that Facebook should be installing a “panic button” which would serve as a deterrent. First off, deterrents can only do so much. Buying a visible burglar alarm in your house will not prepare children for confrontation, education does.

And second, promoters of the panic button are trying to say that they understand internet and website design better than Facebook and that there is a need for the panic button. Have these people forgotten that Facebook is the most successful social networking site in the world? If Facebook says that a panic button will not work, it won’t, period.

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Spies Step Down for Tech Savvy Agents

March 30th, 2010

Determining how much of our lives have become dependent on technology and the internet is pretty easy. Each day we see people typing away new Tweets on their smart phones. Doctors know consider the reality of psychological problems caused by dependency to internet usage. Many people conduct their day to day businesses and transactions online. Simply put, we have become a society that is entirely dependent on the internet in order to fully function.

The same goes for business, schools and yes, even the government intelligence agency. In fact, most especially for the intelligence agency; with majority of today’s news and information hitting the internet before anywhere else, it has become common place for people to use SMS, Twitter and even blogs in order to coordinate and organize. Sadly, not everyone is well versed with interacting with the online world. Older spies are being left behind by their lack of familiarity with social nuances such as Facebook and micro blogging.

According to the director-general of MI5, Jonathan Evans; some of their agents do not have the skills that are needed by the agency in the coming future.

Unlike businesses that focus mainly on being able to generate profits, intelligence agencies such as MI5 cannot afford to be left behind the times dues to their personnel. As such, it comes as to no surprise that they will be letting go of several personnel. The news regarding this matter has quickly disseminated due to the nature of the event.

The MI5, or military intelligence section 5, is one of Britain’s key agencies in terms of handling national security and counter-intelligence operations. They work closely with MI6, the GCHQ and the Defence Intelligence Staff in handling many important matters.

Learn more about the MI5 letting go of older agents at the Telegraph UK.

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Rights to Internet: Do We Need Them?

March 11th, 2010

For now, internet access is something much like owning a telephone line. It is a service that is there, available, if you can pay for it and if an operator is willing to provide it in your area.

However, with the growing reliance of human society on the internet, the difference between people who have net access and the people who don’t is slowly getting bigger and bigger. Many are already saying that they would be unable to function without internet access. Others believe that they would be unable to relate to their family and friends if they are unable to use their social networking accounts. Many people are afflicted with some bizarre social disorder that compels them to go online and update their Facebook status or Tweet a message for every minor event that they encounter in life.

Talks about turning internet access into a right have been around for quite some time. But with the recent growth spurt of internet access thanks to the prevalence of smart phones, net books, WiFi and 3G networks, the number of people online has grown; making the argument much more significant.

But despite the many reasons being considered for turning net access into a right, the fact that the government would be enforcing that right would also mean that the government would have to facilitate and regularize internet content.

Free speech is one thing, but the level of interactivity on the internet is on such a difference scale that if it is considered to be a fundamental right and is made accessible to many people, it would certainly call for some level of moderation and administration to be made acceptable –a sanction many current users of the internet would find restricting and discouraging.

Get to read more about the discussion on the right to access the internet at the Telegraph UK.

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