Free WiFi Software - MobilityPass EasyWiFi Connection Manager

Free EasyWiFi Connection Manager

You will need some information on hand before you can connect to the internet via a WiFi hotspot. You will need to know the SSID, channel mode, the WEP or WPA key to access the hotspot. Don´t worry though as this information is normally provided by the ISP when the service is purchased.

Or you can download free for a limited time,

the MobilityPass EasyWiFi Connection Manager

and gain access to 140,000+ WiFi hotspots around the world

easily and effortlessly, with just a few clicks.

Another thing many WiFi providers may not tell you about is the security issues of WiFi connections. Your software or wireless card may have found a hotspot, but is it safe?

WiFi Security

The problem is that any person on the hotspot or any person with the ability to connect to the hotspot has access to your personal information sent over the network. A hotspot, by definition, is a wireless local area network or (WLAN), and the same rules of file sharing and remote access apply to them.

Having a firewall installed on the user's computer or wireless internet device is a must but, this only protects the information contained behind the firewall and not what is sent over the internet network.

When connecting in a hotspot, make sure that it is a legitimate hotspot. Nowadays, any person with a small amount of networking knowledge can set up a wireless network, give it a name and make it look like a recognized Wifi company hotspot.

Beware Free WiFi Hotspots

Free WiFI hotspots have minimal features (as it is free, the services offered is the most basic type), and typically will not include encryption and security. That´s fine if you are just surfing the net looking at general things such as the news, but if you want to access sensitive information or confidential details such as bank statements; a paid secured connection, complete with passwords and security codes, is well worth the investment.

Another drawback of free WiFi hotspots is the range. These public or free hotspots will have a limitation on their coverage range and will confine you to a particular location or building.

Secure WiFi Connection

MobilityPass® offers a hotspot access program that gives users a secure hotspot access point from a variety of places such as airports, hotels and trains. With more than 140,000 hotspots worldwide in over 110 countries, no user will put their privacy at risk when using MobilityPass.

Along with security and privacy, there is only a small connection fee, and you pay only for the data transmitted. There are no monthly payments and no contracts need to be signed; you will only pay for the data transmitted.

Inside the secure membership area, you will have access to a whole range of global roaming services, but for WiFi, the most important one is VPN.

VPN or Virtual Private Network is like having your information travel through a fortified and protected tunnel so that no one can see or access the information being sent.

Activate this function in a WiFi hotspot when accessing sensitive data and your information will be secure and protected.

More WiFi Security Measures

Here are a few more WiFi security measures you may want to take:

1. Always turn off file sharing when in a hotspot location.

2. Your files in shared and public folders can be viewed and are easily accessible in hotspot locations. Unscrupulous data thieves can use or steal them; or worse yet, upload a virus.

3. If the Wi-Fi antenna is not being used it should be turned off. Hackers can use a peer to peer connection to find registry data and passwords while a user is not even online or close to a hotspot.

   In effect, the user's computer becomes a hotspot that can be accessed via another computer's wireless connection. Paid hotspot providers, such as MobilityPass®, are the best and safest solution to protecting a user's personal and private information.

Download Your Free MobilityPass EasyWiFi Connection Manager Today

and connect with VPN to ensure safety and privacy*

* The VPN service is a paid service.

Broadband Internet Access with MiFi

All these telecommunication devices like iPhones, blackberries, iPads and netbooks are great, but lugging them, and all the connection accessories, around the globe is less great.

Plus it still does not solve your connection problems. You have the latest devices, but they are of no use if you cannot connect to the internet, or you connect with a lot of hassle.

Novatel has this great little gadget that's going to say goodbye to all your connection woes : the MiFi intelligent mobile hotspot device.

So what is this MiFi?

Well, it is a little device that is slightly smaller than a pack of cards and slightly bigger than a credit card - 62mm x 98mm x 15.3mm to be precise and weighs only 81 grams. It will fit neatly into any trouser pocket, handbag or carrier case.

But don't let its size fool you. This wireless broadband internet access device packs a big punch when it comes to connectivity.

You can connect up to 5 devices. So if you have a netbook, a blackberry and an iPhone, the Mifi will connect you with one SIM card. Or if you are traveling in a group - the MiFi will connect up to 5 different devices, again with the same single SIM card.

Let's say you are traveling with three colleagues, you can connect your smartphone and your laptop and your three colleagues can also connect their laptops, making it 5 connections. This makes a handy virtual office on the move and all on one SIM card.

The MiFi has made global travel so much easier for professionals and businessmen alike. Charity organizations, journalists, roaming doctors and mobile businessmen are all discovering the virtues of having a MiFi.

Now having a MiFi is only part of the puzzle to global roaming. Your broadband internet access with MiFi still has to be affordable and reasonable, and that means finding the right SIM card services.

MobilityPass has an unlocked MiFi 2352 and a 3G mobile broadband international data SIM bundle that is well worth looking at. The 3G data SIM not only works with your MiFi, it also works with any unlocked device such as iPhone (up to 3GS), netbooks, blackberry, smartphone, M2M and more. If you have an iPad or an iPhone 4GS, there is a micro 3G data SIM available.

The rates are what's interesting too. Just two rates divided into zone A and zone B. Zone A is US$0.189/100kb and zone B is US$1.89/100kb. Go here to check which zone your country or countries fall into.

On top of that, with purchase you get to download free the WiFi EasyConnect Manager which will connect you in more than 110 countries to 140,000 WiFi hotspots. There is only one rate of US$0.32/minute worldwide.

So you save using WiFi to download or upload large files (as it is billed per minute regardless of file sizes), and 3G broadband if you want to stay on the internet for long periods of time (as it is billed according to each 100kb). A connection charge of US$0.87 applies each time you connect.

You also get a free membership where all your billing is centralized in one area, plus you get to check your spending on a daily basis as usage is deducted live.

Cost control has never been easier.

So head on over to Mobility Pass and get your MiFi 2352 and 3G mobile broadband international data SIM card bundle. You will be glad you did.

Text Message Broadcasting

4.1 trillion text messages were sent in 2008. It can only be more now, which goes to show the power of text message broadcasting.

The mobile phone, whether it is an iphone or a smartphone or any other cell phone, is becoming indispensable. Short messages are the way to go and it is even more true for businesses.

Mobility Pass has just revamped their website and their text message broadcasting rates are looking very reasonable.

Inside their free membership area (when you purchase a service or product), you can send SMS messages in bulk and it is two way, which means the receiving party can reply.

So if you are a restaurant and have a great promotion like a free drink or a buy one get one free offer for a certain night, you can send text messages out to tell your customers about your great promotion. Those who are interested may SMS back to book a table, or just drop by to take advantage of your offer.

Now I am not saying you will always get great responses, or that your business will sky rocket over night, but it is a very targeted way of reaching your client base.

So go to the Mobility Pass's website and check out the SMS rates. I am sure you will find creative ways to use it!

China Says No Limits on Use of Google's Android

By Joe McDonald

China tried Wednesday to assure mobile phone companies using Google's Android operating system that they won't be hurt by a dispute over Web censorship, saying the technology will be allowed if it complies with regulations.

Google Inc. postponed the launch of its own smart phone in China following its Jan. 12 announcement that it will no longer censor search results. Others also are developing Android-based phones and could be hurt if Beijing tries to penalize Google by barring its use.

"As long as it fulfills Chinese laws and regulations and has good communication with telecom operators, I think its application should not have restrictions," said Zhu Hongren, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, at a regular news briefing when asked whether Beijing would permit use of Android.

The comments reflect the conflicting pressures on the communist government, which insists on controlling information but needs foreign companies like Google to help achieve its goal of making China a technology leader.

The operating system is one of a mobile phone's most basic elements and changing it after products already have been launched would be costly, said Ted Dean, managing director of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing research firm.

"There's a pretty significant upfront investment in developing a phone on one operating system," Dean said. "So you don't want to change course on so basic a system as what operating system it works on."

In a fresh blast of invective, the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily accused Google on Wednesday of being a tool of Washington's "Internet hegemony."

After seeing its strength eroded by the global crisis, Washington "is shifting its strategic focus from the military to the Internet," the newspaper said. "It is against this backdrop that Google becomes a tool of the country's Internet hegemony."

Google is in sensitive talks with the government, trying to keep an important Beijing development center, a lucrative advertising sales team and access to China's booming market for its fledgling mobile phone business.

A Google spokesman, Jessica Powell, declined Wednesday to comment on the status of talks or confirm whether top managers from the company's Mountain View, California, headquarters were in Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to bring up the issue of Internet freedom when she meets with China's foreign minister Thursday on the sidelines of an international conference on Afghanistan in London.

"She will reiterate her call that she made in her speech about wanting a transparent inquiry with transparent results," a senior State Department official said on condition of anonymity to preview the meeting.

Last week, Clinton criticized China's Internet censorship and called on Beijing to investigate cyberattacks against Google.

China is the world's most populous mobile phone market and any restrictions on Google might hamper its effort to expand into mobile. The country has more than 700 million accounts and strong demand for advanced services.

State-owned China Mobile Ltd., the world's biggest phone company by subscribers, is developing its own smart phone, the OPhone, which uses a system that has Android as its foundation.

The involvement of such a major state company, a key player in Beijing's technology development plans, could add to pressure on authorities to contain the commercial consequences of the Google dispute.

Zhu gave no indication of the possible fate of Google's own phone, planned with local carrier China Unicom Ltd.

Dell Inc., Motorola Inc. and Samsung Electronics Corp. also plan to sell Android-based phones in China.

Google allows use of Android for free, which might boost costs for manufacturers and phone carriers if they switch systems, Dean said.

Microsoft Inc., Nokia Corp. and others charge royalties for their mobile operating systems.

"It's a significant enough share of the price of a phone that it changes the economies of the smart phone business if you're paying someone else for the operating system," Dean said.

Obama Seeks an End to Business Cell-Phone Tax

By Stephen Ohlemacher

Ever make a personal call on your company cell phone? Did you record the value of that call as taxable income, as required by law?

Join the club, but don't worry. President Barack Obama will propose repealing the widely ignored requirement as part of his 2011 budget plan, a Treasury Department official said Saturday.

The administration made a similar proposal in June, and it was well received in Congress. Lawmakers, however, became preoccupied by the health care debate for much of the year and a lot of their work on tax law was delayed.

Obama is scheduled to release his proposed tax and spending plan on Monday. If the cell phone tax is repealed this year, taxpayers would be off the hook for all of 2010, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the budget had not yet been released.

A 1989 law says that personal use of a company cell phone should be taxed like other fringe benefits, such as a company car. The law, however, was passed when cell phones were referred to as car phones and were considered a luxury. Today, workers increasingly use company-issued mobile devices for texting, e-mailing and browsing the Internet -- sometimes for work, sometimes for personal use.

Last summer, the Internal Revenue Service issued a request for comments on ways to improve compliance with the tax, and there was such a backlash that the administration proposed repealing it.

At the time, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said the tax was "poorly understood by taxpayers" and acknowledged it was difficult to enforce consistently.

Some employers have faced big tax bills after failing to comply with the law.

In 2008, the IRS audited two University of California branches, in Los Angeles and San Diego. As part of a settlement, UCLA paid a tax assessment of $238,474 and San Diego paid $186,471.

Tech Showdown: Smartphones vs. Netbooks

By Jay Dougherty

The recent launch of Google's Nexus One may have injected new life into the smartphone wars. But a battle that's just as compelling is the one between smartphones and netbooks themselves. Both appeal to those who want maximum portability in a device that allows them to stay connected wherever they roam, and both are potentially attractive to those who currently have neither. But before ever getting to the question of which smartphone or which netbook to buy, many have to decide whether a netbook or a smartphone makes more sense for their needs.

It's not an easy decision to make -- especially since both smartphones and netbooks help you accomplish many of the same tasks, and they're both typically fighting for the attention of consumers that can afford one but not both. Here's a rundown of where the netbook versus smartphone battle stands.

Portability

There's no contest here: the smartphone wins by a hefty margin. While netbooks are the thinnest, lightest form of notebook computer that you can purchase today -- many can be carried as easily as a small stack of papers -- they are still computers, which means you'll be tempted to haul a power supply and perhaps some accessories, which will only add to the bulk. Smartphones, by comparison, will slip neatly into your pocket. Portability is often the main reason why people get tipped toward the smartphone in the smartphone/netbook debate.

Battery Life

Here the nod goes to netbooks. Today, the best netbooks can squeeze nine hours of continuous use out of a single battery charge -- long enough for those who use the device sporadically to go an entire week without recharging. Smartphone users, by contrast, must constantly keep an eye on remaining battery life.

Although smartphones might advertise as many as 14 hours of standby time, standing by is usually not what smartphones are doing. Heavy data use, Wi-Fi use, mp3 playing, and other activities can knock down real-world battery life to just a few hours. And things get much worse if the weather is cold. It's not uncommon for your average smartphone user to have a charger at home, one in the car, and one in the office -- by necessity, not choice.

Connectivity

Smartphones are usually the easier way to get and stay connected while on the road, since they typically are sold by cell phone carriers with both a phone and wireless data plan. So with a smartphone, you'll be on some carrier's network. Network coverage will be your primary concern, and there you'll need to consult local studies to find out which carrier provides the broadest and best coverage for the areas you need. Pay special attention to network coverage abroad if you'll be traveling out of the country on a regular basis.

Netbooks can provide the same degree of hassle-free connectivity, but you'll probably need to look for -- and purchase -- a separate wireless data plan from your local cell provider. That's because while netbooks are designed for Internet connectivity out of the box, manufacturers do not assume that everyone who purchases a netbook will want or need a wireless data plan. Some will simply want to use their netbooks at home through their wireless router. Chances are good, though, that wherever you buy a netbook today you can also easily add on a wireless data plan.

Usability

If you're looking for a portable device that approximates the experience you have when using your desktop or full-size notebook computer, you'll find it with netbooks. But that doesn't mean that smartphones lose the usability battle outright. In fact, if you haven't used the keyboard -- or touch screen -- on a smartphone lately, you're probably in for a pleasant surprise.

You've no doubt seen legions of people "tapping" on their smartphones around you. You can bet that they're not tapping in agony. In fact, after some initial adjustment, you're likely to find that smartphone keyboards and keyboard shortcuts allow you to be surprisingly productive.

Web Browsing

There's no doubt that browsing the web is easier on a netbook. While a growing number of web pages are designed to be viewed easily on a smartphone -- those ending with the .mobi extension are made for "mobile" devices such as smartphones -- most smartphone users have to employ tricks such as panning and zooming when viewing conventional web sites. A number of applications are being developed that reformat certain types of web sites for smartphone users. Tapatalk, for instance, is available for iPhone and soon other smartphone users who want to browse and respond to posts on web forums. But the fact that such applications exist is testament to the problems that smartphone users have in browsing the web. Advantage: netbook.

Office Applications

If you're looking for the ability to use typical office applications in an ultra-portable package, then netbooks win out in this category. You won't be tempted to work on complex spreadsheets on a smartphone, although there are spreadsheet-like applications available for most. With netbooks, though, you can fire up just about any traditional application that runs under Windows or another operating system, although you may still be hampered by the very small screens and limited horsepower of the processors used to power today's netbooks.

If e-mail is your primary need while on the road, a smartphone -- especially one from BlackBerry -- will prove very satisfactory, however, and will make more sense than a netbook because of its portability.

Cost

Here the advantage would seem initially to go to netbooks, but the cost factor is highly dependent upon how you intend to use your smartphone or netbook.

In terms of device acquisition, both smartphones and netbooks cost about the same. But with smartphones you will want not only a cell phone plan but also a data plan. Total cost of ownership over a two-year period -- generally the length of the contract you will sign with a carrier -- can easily cost more than a high-end desktop computer.

Netbooks can be substantially less expensive over the same period of time, particularly if you do not purchase a wireless data plan that allows you to roam as you can with a smartphone. If you do purchase such a plan -- which is really what you'll want to make the netbook work as intended -- then cost of ownership approaches that of a smartphone.

Bottom Line

Your decision about whether to choose a smartphone or a netbook should come not from tallying the scores in the categories above but by knowing the strengths of each device and weighing those against your own priorities. If you'll be using a netbook primarily to catch up on e-mail, then a smartphone is probably the better choice, even if you're concerned that a smartphone's keyboard won't be comfortable enough. If you need maximum computing flexibility in a very portable package, then a netbook very likely makes more sense than a smartphone, despite the wide range of applications available to smartphone users today. In the end, before you invest in either of these devices, you can avoid a potentially costly mistake by getting some extended hands-on experience with both.

Will Business Users Buy Into the iPad Without Multitasking?

By Jennifer LeClaire

As with many new Apple products, once the initial hubbub dies down there remains a single question: Is it ready for the business market? It didn't take long for analysts to start trying to answer that question as it relates to the yet-to-be-released iPad.

Of course, Apple is positioning the iPad as a business-appropriate device, complete with its Microsoft Office-compatible iWork productivity suite and the iPad's VGA output that sets the stage for business presentations. There's also support for Microsoft Exchange and the device was designed with security in mind.

All that being true, some, like Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT are skeptical. He describes the iPad as a sort of Swiss Army tablet that only allows users to open one blade at a time. That, he said, puts Apple at a disadvantage in the traditional tablet market of doctors and other mobile professionals.

"While the company should be commended on the iPad's lightness and form factor -- it easily qualifies as yet another company product design triumph -- the keyboard, docking station, and peripherals required to make the iPad a more truly useful business productivity tool undermine its vaunted form and portability," King said.

The Missing Features

Some of the iPad's strategic shortcomings, as King called them, include the GSM microSIM cards and the lack of multitasking capabilities. The multitasking issue may be the iPad's biggest flaw because it prevents the device from fully qualifying as a notebook replacement.

"At heart, Apple's new device is designed more for the passive consumption of digital content than its active creation. That does not mean the iPad will only be used for web-based entertainment. People write novels on cell phones and smartphones are quickly becoming increasingly powerful handheld computers," King said. "But traditional notebooks and even netbooks remain far better tools for conducting serious business and performing key work tasks."

What's more, King said, companies are beginning to worry about how easy access to social networking and other online distractions is affecting employee productivity. How likely is it that those organizations will invest in a device designed specifically for those sorts of activities? Not very, King said.

Techno-Hip Exec Appeal

Still, analysts believe there are a few business scenarios where the iPad could provide value. King sees it as a stylish and highly portable tool for making presentations. It also works well as a means for regular business travelers to catch up on simple e-mail, read documents and e-books, and perform other tasks made easier by the iPad's larger format.

"We also believe that, like the iPhone, if companies initially resist the iPad's charms, next-generation devices will almost assuredly include additional business-friendly features," King said. "In fact, it would hardly be surprising if Apple attempts to address especially vociferous complaints during the two months until the iPad becomes commercially available."

Of course, it's likely that Apple will encourage its App Store developer partners to build some business tools and applications for the iPad. King won't be surprised to see "digital cognoscenti" and "techno-hip executives" toting an iPad, and that could cause the device to catch on in business circles.

MobilityPass Compass

MobilityPass is a Global "Swiss Army Knife" . MobilityPass' communication software combines a free internet phone with the ability to send text messages, faxes, and instant messages, at affordable rates. MobilityPass also encrypts and unifies all services so know you can rely on the fact that all of your information is safe and secure.

INQ Plans New Android Smartphone

by Sascha Segan

INQ, makers of the "Facebook phone," plan to put out a heavily customized Android-based smartphone in 2010, INQ CEO Frank Meehan said in an exclusive interview with PCMag.com Thursday.

"We came to the conclusion that aside from licensing Palm [WebOS], which is a fairly difficult thing to do, Android was really most suited for our plans with touch-screen devices," he said.

While INQ hasn't cracked the U.S. market yet, their phones have a lot of buzz overseas. The company, a spinoff from international megacarrier Hutchinson, makes low-cost feature phones, which tightly integrate with Facebook, Skype, Twitter, and other social networks.

INQ already has a strong strategy for what Meehan calls "the sub-$49 and under market in the U.S.," and they plan to introduce phones here next year. They turned to Android as part of their next move, into "the $79-99-199 on two-year-contract range," which they see as dominated by low-cost smartphones in the future.

A New Kind of Droid

INQ looked at several smartphone OS options before turning to Android, Meehan said. Windows Mobile was too hard to customize properly. LiMo wasn't stable enough yet. Licensing Palm's WebOS seemed like too much of a trial. And Android has a strong, enthusiastic developer community who are just looking for someone to put their house in order, Meehan said.

The company's version of Android might not look a lot like the Android you see on the T-Mobile G1, Meehan said. Android allows manufacturers to customize it heavily, though nobody's done that yet outside China.

That means changing even core Android applications like the phone book, to enable INQ's signature social-networking integration.

"You just make a new set of APIs available, and you link. We're working with some developers already in the Android world to enhance it. They can see what the iPhone is, and they would love to be coding for something like that," Meehan said.

Android Market also needs help, which may mean a new face for the 7,000-app store, or starting an entirely new store, Meehan said.

"We're examining lots of different options, but we've got to fix that marketplace issue," he said. "Google has to improve it, or if they don't, someone's got to improve it for them."

Of course, once you start really reworking Android, you run into the danger of "forking" the code - making your version of Android so different that it can't work with Google's own updates.

"The holy grail is enough compatibility with Google so it doesn't incur too many costs, but certainly shakes up the contact list," he said.

Since INQ comes out of the wireless carrier world, they can speak carriers' language too, Meehan said, helping the carriers offer affordable smartphones with compelling services that don't treat carriers as dumb pipes. That's going to help them in the US market, he said.

"We can beat Nokia and Sony Ericsson and Motorola at this ... we're small, we're nimble, and we're fast," Meehan said.

3G Networks - The Need for Speed

The 3G networks that are available today are providing users with a faster connection and transfer speeds than ever seen before. 3G is a term which refers to cell phone technology. It actually stands for "third generation." As the name implies, it was preceded by two earlier versions. The first generation was developed at the start of the 1980s when the commercial cellular networks were created. Since cell phones did not even exist at this point in time, not many people have ever heard about 1G.

The second generation came about in the 1990s when cell phones became available. At this point, a North American mobile operator adopted a system called Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Many operators in other parts of the world decided upon a different approach with something called Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). This system is still around today and is the main reason European and Asian phones are so differently designed than North American ones. They use different algorithms to achieve the same effect: multiple cell phone calls can be made on the same radio frequency without disrupting one another.

As data transfer rates continued to increase, 2G morphed into 2.5G. Older service standards converged and improved, higher standards continued to be released. Network evolutions and improvements in data transmission rates led to what today is known as 3G. What that means to you as a consumer is superior voice quality, higher data transfer speeds, video and multimedia capabilities and improved roaming. The fastest 2G phones had the capacity to download a three-minute song in about eight minutes. The 3G phones which are available and on demand now can download that same three-minute song in 15 seconds. 3G phones are so advanced in speed they are practically little laptops that can support video conferencing or streaming from the web, faxing messages and quickly open e-mail attachments.

The fourth generation is in development for a decade or more and is almost coming about now, but it is not yet a standard item. Each upgrade in technology has required advancements that allowed new features to become available on cell phones. Phones from just a few years ago can simply not be compared with the newest phones right now. As technology continues to progress, we can be sure we will be getting more advanced abilities out of our cell phones. To view more extensive information about 3G phones and networks that are available, please visit http://www.mobilitypass.com/ to get more details. Your new phone is waiting for you!

Microsoft warns of IE bug used in Chinese attacks on Google

by Emil Protalinski

Microsoft has issued Security Advisory (979352) after its own investigations into the highly-organized hacking attack in late December, the one that Google earlier this week insinuated came from China, led the software giant to conclude that a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in Internet Explorer was used by the perpetrators.

"The company has determined that Internet Explorer was one of the vectors used in targeted and sophisticated attacks targeted against Google and other corporate networks," a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars. "Microsoft continues to work with Google, other industry partners and authorities to actively investigate this issue. To date, Microsoft has not seen widespread customer impact, rather only targeted and limited attacks exploiting IE6."

While Microsoft says it is only aware of limited, active attacks attempting to use this vulnerability in IE6, and has not seen attacks against other versions of IE, the vulnerability is not limited to version 6, according to the security advisory. Internet Explorer 5.01 on Windows 2000 SP4 is not affected, but IE6 on Windows 2000 SP4, as well as IE6, IE7 and IE8 on supported editions of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 are all affected.

"The vulnerability exists as an invalid pointer reference within Internet Explorer," the advisory reads. "It is possible under certain conditions for the invalid pointer to be accessed after an object is deleted. In a specially-crafted attack, in attempting to access a freed object, Internet Explorer can be caused to allow remote code execution."

Microsoft did not give any workarounds for the flaw in the security advisory, but it did list five mitigating factors:

• Protected Mode in IE7 on Windows Vista limits the impact of the vulnerability.
• In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a webpage that is used to exploit this vulnerability or do so via a webpage that accepts or hosts user-provided content or advertisements. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to visit these websites and would have to convince them to do so, which is typically achieved via an e-mail or instant message.
• By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. This mode sets the security level for the Internet zone to High and so is a mitigating factor for websites that you have not added to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone.
• An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less affected than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• By default, all supported versions of Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Mail open HTML e-mail messages in the Restricted sites zone, which should mitigate attacks trying to exploit this vulnerability by preventing Active Scripting and ActiveX controls from being used. However, if a user clicks a link in an e-mail message, the user could still be vulnerable to exploitation of this vulnerability through the Web-based attack scenario.

Microsoft says it will continue to monitor the situation and will either post a patch on Patch Tuesday or will release an out-of-cycle security update.

source: http://arstechnica.com/business/

Advantage For Embassy And Foreign Staff

Because working for the government can be demanding, you can exceed expectations by providing yourself with MobilityPass, the best way to establish a wireless Internet connection in real time.

Constant access to the Internet is essential for economic growth and global competitiveness. High tech distance learning, public safety and e-governance require a high speed and constant Internet access for universal networks. Embassy and foreign diplomats and staff who are on vacation are required to have Internet connection to be able to keep track of their work, such as Visa's connected to consulate work, especially because they have to keep contact with people internationally.

With the use of a laptop, you will be able to establish a high speed Internet connection. This has brought a revolution to wireless connection, making it accessible to many. You can go anywhere on the road at any given time, equip yourself with your laptop and MobilityPass which you can place in a handy bag, and you're good to go.

Cost, Convenience and Advantages

MobilityPass is advantageous with the Internet connection that it provides even in places where Internet connection is less feasible or is non-existent. This is accessed through a 3G network that gives total mobility as opposed to WIFI wherein you have to be close to a hotspot in order to connect to the Internet. It allows you to be connected wherever you are, whenever you want to.

The cost is relatively similar when compared to DSL, although a cable line is a bit cheaper. The potentials, however, are a little more different. For instance, you cannot bring a cable line to the park, where you can work and spend time with your family at the same time, whereas you can always use the MobilityPass anywhere, even at home. This gives workers who are always on the go the perfect way to establish a mobile Internet connection that fits well with the nature of their living.

You can easily connect to the Internet using the computer or laptop just as long as the computer has a means of connection for the MobilityPass (such as USB port). Broadband Internet based calls have also been made available today. Foreign staffs and workers use this kind of communication for a faster way to communicate with people, especially those who are connected with the kind of job that they have.

There are no busy signals or dropped connection when you are trying to go online. Working online will be accessible, easy and enjoyable with the MobilityPass. It takes a few seconds instead of a few minutes just to make a stable connection. With the MobilityPass, it is easier to share files or documentations, talk to people using VOIP, or simply stream a video that you have to see. Nothing is more convenient than having MobilityPass with you, wherever you go.

The best thing about this speedy and reliable international roaming Internet connection is that it does not create a hole in your pocket. You will find that it is more convenient and affordable than WIFI hotel rates when you are traveling. Having your own MobilityPass allows you to have your own Internet connection without competing with a bunch of other people just to get a decent speed. You are also ensured that your files are safe. Sharing a single connection with other people can create certain problems that you wouldn't want to happen.

MSI's 10-inch Tegra/Android tablet coming this year for $500

By Ryan Paul

Following Apple's unveiling of the long-awaited iPad yesterday, hardware vendor MSI has revealed that its upcoming Android tablet, which was first shown at CES this year, will debut in the second half of 2010 for $500.

The MSI tablet is built on NVIDIA's Tegra SoC and has a ten-inch touchscreen display. If reports about Apple's A4 are accurate, Tegra's Cortex A9 should put the MSI tablet on equal footing with the iPad in raw computing power.

Based on information about the current prototype, it's clear that the company has been working on some customizations for the Android software platform to adapt it to the larger tablet form factor. It's not yet clear, however, if Android is really well-suited to the higher-resolution display. Key functionality like the onscreen keyboard will have to be adjusted, for one. It's unlikely that an Android-based computing experience will be able to rival the refinement of Apple's user interface, but Android does offer a number of critical advantages, like full support for multitasking, that will give the MSI a solid chance in the market.

In related news, Michael Dell says that his company's 5-inch Android tablet will be ready in "in a few months" and will sell for just over $1,000. It has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 5MP camera, WiFi and 3G connectivity, and Android 1.6. At more than twice the price of the MSI tablet and the iPad, the 5-inch device seems like it might be tough to sell without a carrier subsidy.

DOT Bans Texting by Truckers, Bus Drivers

By: Roy Mark

The U.S. Department of Transportation banned texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses Jan. 26, effective immediately. Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road.

"Our regulations will help prevent unsafe activity within the cab," FMSCA Administrator Anne Ferro said in a statement. "We want to make it crystal clear to operators and their employers that texting while driving is the type of unsafe activity that these regulations are intended to prohibit."

According to the FMCSA, drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers. Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving, the FMCSA is also working on additional regulatory measures that will be announced in the coming months.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the months ahead DOT will propose additional legal remedies and develop tools that will allow federal authorities to coordinate with the law enforcement community, safety advocates, researchers and others to find new ways to raise awareness and bring an end to the dangers posed by distracted driving.

"This guidance is effective immediately. It applies to interstate truck drivers. It also applies generally to commercial bus or van drivers who carry more than eight passengers," LaHood said. "To put this dangerous behavior in perspective, researchers at Virginia Tech found that truck drivers who send text messages on a cell phone are about 23 times more likely to get into some type of crash or near-miss than drivers who keep their eyes on the road."

Google' s Brave New Approach to China

by Dan Costa

Lines have been drawn, lines have been crossed, and now there is no way Google can ethically continue to operate Google.cn under the "laws" set down by the Chinese government. For that matter, Microsoft and Yahoo had better start doing some soul-searching of their own, or prepare to yield much more than just the moral high-ground.

For Google.cn to succeed, either Google needed to accept the Chinese government's control of its core business, or that government had to allow Google to deliver the world's knowledge to its citizens. Google played along for a while, but recent events show that even the tempting lure of a billion new consumers isn't worth playing the role of the Chinese government's toady.

This isn't something that I take joy in. I was hopeful that as international technology companies began to operate inside China, there would be an exchange of ideas and a growing tolerance on the part of the government. Instead, an army of government censors—by some estimates 30,000 of them—continue to redact the Web with the forced cooperation of Microsoft, Yahoo, and until this week, Google.

It is important to look at what exactly prompted Google's public withdrawal. It wasn't just the standard censorship that all companies must accept to operate in country. Google was used to that. No, it was the discovery of a "highly sophisticated and targeted attack on [its] corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property." Since Google's announcement, representatives from Adobe said their company was attacked in a similar fashion, most likely through a zero-day attack that exploited an Internet Explorer vulnerability.

No one will say this was a government-sponsored or condoned attack, but the hackers were after more than just intellectual property. They wanted to spy on Chinese dissidents. David Drummond, Google's SVP, corporate development and chief legal officer, wrote in a post, "We have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists."

After a little more digging, Google found that dozens of human rights advocates across the world have had their accounts accessed by third parties. Now, who would want to spy on human rights activists that frequently criticize the Chinese government?

The Chinese government's priority here is to control its population at any cost. As Wang Chen, China's director of the State Council Information Office, said in a question-and-answer session with reporters, after Google's announcement, "Effective guidance of public opinion on the Internet is an important way of protecting the security of online information."

If Apple Ends AT&T's iPhone Exclusivity, Everyone Wins

by Brian Heater

Amid the flurry of speculation surrounding the rumored Apple tablet, it's hard to imagine the company spending much time on anything else during this coming Wednesday's press conference in San Francisco. But customarily, Apple CEO Steve Jobs makes a slew of announcements at such events.

While nothing that the company reveals tomorrow is likely to come close to the impact of the new gadget, whatever it is, that's set to take center stage, one possible piece of news could produce some industry shockwaves of its own: Rumors are starting to fly that Jobs will also use the event as occasion to announce the end of AT&T's two-and-a-half year stranglehold on the iPhone. These conjectures, it seems, are at least tangentially related to speculation that Apple has partnered with Verizon to provide data for the new tablet. Should that in fact materialize, it seems only logical that the company would extend the partnership to its most prized property.

After all, the weakest link in the iPhone chain has long been AT&T. The company's infrastructure is just not set up to handle the sort of data that iPhone owners require. For all of the phone's successes, it has largely crippled the carrier in major cities. In New York City, the dropped-call rate is reportedly somewhere in the neighborhood of 33 percent.

Opening up the phone to the nation's other largest carrier would ultimately benefit everyone involved. Verizon gets the most popular phone around, and Apple sells units to consumers who have always wanted an iPhone but had been scared off by the AT&T horror stories. And AT&T itself relieves a bit of the congestion that comes with being the only carrier in the country to offer the iPhone—and hopefully gains back some of the good faith lost by irritated subscribers.

Verizon, for its part, seems ready to support the iPhone. According to a number of reports that cropped up around the time of the first's iPhone's release, the carrier turned down the opportunity to offer the handset. Verizon has experienced something of a smartphone renaissance as of late, however: The once infamously crippled carrier now offers two Droids and two webOS devices. The iPhone would round out Verizon's selection nicely, really cementing the company's position as a premier smartphone provider.

Apple set a precedent for this possibility when it opened up the handset in the U.K., breaking O2's exclusivity on the device in that country. First Orange and then Vodafone were confirmed as carriers in September of last year. An exec at Orange, interestingly, reportedly "confirmed" the existence of an Apple tablet during an interview with the French press earlier this month—a charge that Orange was quick to rebuke. Perhaps Apple has been offering the iPhone as part of a package deal, in its attempts to recruit carriers for its latest device.

Whatever actually happens on Wednesday, one thing seems for sure: AT&T's lock on the iPhone can't last forever. The carrier has already had the sole rights to the device in the States for more than two years. The sooner the iPhone is allowed to spread its wings, the better.

FCC Asks Carriers for Details on ETFs

By Mark Hachman

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday sent letters to the four major carriers, plus Google, asking for more details on early termination fees (ETFs).

The letters, authored by Federal Communications Commission Consumer Bureau Chief Joel Gurin and Wireless Bureau Chief Ruth Milkman, were sent to AT&T, Google, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. In it were a list of a dozen questions asking for more details on the ETFs, how they were communicated to consumers, and how the fees themselves were calculated.

"We recognize that wireless carriers may have various rationales for ETFs," the letters read. "At the same time, these fees are substantial (and in some cases are increasing) and have an important impact on consumers' ability to switch carriers. We therefore believe it is essential that consumers fully understand what they are signing up for—both in the short term and over the life of the contract—when they accept a service plan with an early termination fee."

Although ETFs are a facet of almost all cell-phone contracts, the rise of subsidized smartphones and the subsequent fees for canceling service have brought them under the FCC's scrutiny. Verizon, for example, recently raised its advanced-smartphone ETF fee to $350, defending its action as one that would benefit customers. It later dropped older phones from the plan.

Google, meanwhile, tacked on an "equipment recovery fee" of $550 for its Nexus One that it will market, along with T-Mobile. The $550 is more than the unlocked version of the phone.

"The purpose of this letter is to gather information about whether customers are adequately informed about Google's Equipment Recovery Fee in connection with its offering of the Nexus One to customers who agree to a two-year contract with T-Mobile," the FCC said in its letter to Google. "Because consumers are required to pay this Fee if they terminate their contracts early (within 120 days of purchase in this case), we regard the Fee as an Early Termination Fee ("ETF").

The FCC asked for responses to be sent no later than Feb. 23.

The questions the FCC asked are:

1. Do your ETFs apply to all service plans or only some? If so, which ones?
2. What is the amount of the ETF for each service plan where ETFs apply? If there are different ETFs for different plans, what is the rationale for those differences?
3. How much of a discount on handset purchase is given in return for a consumer accepting an ETF? Does the amount of the discount differ by device, and if so, how?
4. Does the ETF itself vary by device (e.g., higher ETFs for advanced devices)? If higher ETFs apply to a certain class of devices, exactly how is that class defined?
5. Is it possible for consumers to buy a handset from you at full price to avoid an ETF? If this is possible, can consumers buy unsubsidized handsets online, as well as at brick-and-mortar stores?
6. Do monthly service rates and terms differ: (1) between customers who assume a term commitment and accept an ETF, and those who don't, and (2) between customers who purchase an unsubsidized device (either from your company or a third party), and those who purchase a subsidized device? If so, how do they differ, and what is the rationale for the difference? Can customers easily determine the impacts of their decisions and their rates and terms?
7. Are ETFs prorated so that the customer's liability decreases over time? If so, what is the exact schedule by which they are prorated?
8. If a customer renews his or her contract without buying a new handset, does his or her monthly service fee change in any way?
9. How long is the trial period during which consumers can cancel their service without an ETF penalty? If they cancel, can they return the handset? If they return it, will they receive a full refund, no refund, or a refund minus a restocking and/or refurbishing fee?
10. When do consumers receive their first bill under your service plans? How does the trial period relate, if at all, to receipt of the first bill?
11. Are there consumer fees or charges in addition to ETFs if consumers buy handsets and/or service plans from online phone dealers, such as Amazon, LetsTalk, and Simplexity (d/b/a Wirefly), or from a service provider, if a customer does not complete the contract term? If so, what are they, and what are their levels, terms, and conditions? Do the fees or charges affect the ETFs and if so, how?
12. Press reports and public statements from wireless companies have attributed ETFs to several different factors. What is the rationale for your ETF(s), and how specifically do the structure and level of those ETF(s) relate to that rationale?

Kill Your Phone Remotely

Many of today's most popular smartphones can be erased remotely if they are lost or stolen. Here's how to do it.

by Jamie Lendino

A handset may be valuable, but it's easily replaced. The data on it, however, is often much more important. Cell phones carry all kinds of personal and business information these days, and preventing it from getting into the wrong hands is key.

While a stray personal address book won't matter much to an unsavory type who finds a lost iPhone—they'd much rather just sell the phone—cached online banking passwords, corporate documents and VPN access are better off kept secure. That's why many of today's smartphones support a mobile kill switch, also called "remote wipe" capability. Remote wipe lets a device owner or IT support engineer remotely erase the handheld's data in case it's lost or stolen.

All of the major smartphone platforms have some kind of remote erase capability. There are several ways of doing it, such as installing apps on the handset, using a management console on the IT side, or signing up for a cloud-based service. Here's a rundown of what's out there for each platform. No matter which smartphone OS you or your employees use, you're bound to find something that can help put your mind at rest.

Though it varies by kill switch and platform, remote wipes aren't fail safe. If someone finds the phone before the remote wipe occurs—which could happen if the battery dies, or there's no signal to receive the command—a thief or corporate spy could disable the network connections and then hack into the device (the procedures would depend on the particular phone). Your best insurance is to flip the kill switch quickly, the same way you would call your credit card company the moment you noticed the card was missing.

Note: By "kill switch" we mean remote wipe capability; this is not to be confused with the "kill switch" found in iPhone OS and Android 1.5 that lets Apple and Google delete mobile apps they no longer approve of on existing handsets.

Apple iPhone
Apple's $99-per-year MobileMe service offers Mac users the ability to push e-mail, contacts, and calendar entries to the iPhone (among other things). But one key feature, first announced in March and later introduced with iPhone OS 3.0, lets MobileMe users perform a remote wipe on a lost or stolen iPhone. It's found under Account -> Find My iPhone -> Remote Wipe. It can also display a message on the phone's screen, like "please call Jamie at 718-555-1212 if found."

Palm Pre
All Palm Pre owners set up a Palm Profile when first activating their new devices. The Palm Profile lets users back up settings, receive over-the-air updates, or—ta da—remotely erase a lost or stolen handset. To begin, head to palm.com/palmprofile, enter your profile e-mail address and password, and click Erase Device (for more information on this, read Palm's detailed instructions). In addition, Palm's Exchange ActiveSync implementation in webOS 1.1 now supports Remote Wipe, which lets IT administrations do the same thing for centrally managed Pres.

BlackBerry OS
Any BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) handset can be erased remotely via the Erase Data and Disable Handheld IT administration command over the wireless network. IT admins can also specify if the handset should revert to factory default settings or retain the IT policy it had before. Individual users with BIS can install Roblock for BlackBerry 2.0, a $9.95 app that remote locks or wipes devices, offers GPS tracking, and recovers lost contacts.

Android OS
SMobile Anti-Theft for Android is a $19.95 app that features GPS locate and remote wipe functions for the T-Mobile G1, T-Mobile myTouch 3G, or any other Android-powered smartphone. The app can erase both the handset and any SD card data. The $29.95 Security Shield for Android also protects against viruses and other malware, but that's not much of a concern in the U.S. (at least at the time of this writing).

Windows Mobile
Microsoft's new My Phone Windows Mobile service, currently in beta, lets users locate lost handhelds via GPS and erase their data remotely. It also backs up contacts, photos, text messages, and calendar entries to Microsoft's storage cloud. My Phone (Beta) works with any Windows Mobile 6.0 handheld.

Microsoft Exchange Server can handle the same task for enterprise devices, along with Absolute Software's Computrace Mobile, which can manage enterprise devices running Windows Mobile or BlackBerry and issue remote wipe commands.

source: www.pcmag.com

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MobilityPass announces New Internet Locator

MobilityPass has launched the internet access locater that can help you connect to a Wi-Fi connection, anytime, anywhere. This is the age of internet. No matter if you are a big industrialist or a high school student, imagining a life without internet is very hard to imagine. When computer was first introduced in offices, it created a big change in the way people communicated. But at that time, the internet speed was abysmal and it used to take several minutes to just connect to the internet via dial up connections which used to hang up our telephone lines and had a mind of their own about staying connected.

Needless to say, a change was in the offing. People needed a more reliable and faster internet and thus, broadband and Wi-Fi connections were introduced. The availability of cheaper and faster internet brought it out of the office and helped it become a part of our daily life; both personal and professionals.

Today, we can access internet where and whenever we want. The Wi-Fi connectors have ended the need to connect the computer with the any device as we can now surf wirelessly. Needless to say, the technologically conscious people are looking for faster and newer devices to get connected.

MobilityPass have introduced this new product in the market to tap in the ever growing demand for Wi-Fi finders. The representative of the company claims that the device can find internet connection in more than 9,000,000 locations around the world. The device not only searches Wi-Fi hotspots but can also lookout for Dial up connections, ISDN, Toll Free and wireless broadband connections quickly.

And that's not all. You can also search according to the country and city you are in. A list of nearest access points will pop up on your screen along with a details and map of the location. Thus, no matter whether you are in your own country or in some foreign land, you wont have any difficulty in finding your nearest internet hot spot.

The company has made sure that only safe and verified connections are provided on the list of access points. This is extremely important for the safety of the users. After all, you don't want to become a victim of identity theft in a foreign land due to a viral internet connection.

This locator is perfect for business and frequent travelers as it can also locate Dial up or free connections. Since not every country has 3G or Wi-Fi networks, this option can prove to be very helpful.

MobilityPass provides instant access to all those access point with only one worldwide account and login. This means that you don't have to go on and run from pillar to post to get internet connection on your computer started.

MobilityPass has come up with a very useful device. Travelers or people who love to use internet outdoors can really use this device.

For more info: Wifi Finder

Advantages for Businesses

There are many advantages to using SIM cards, and when you are working overseas, you are going to quickly find that communication is your biggest concern, and your biggest worry. When you are working overseas, on any business, you want to be sure that you have your mobile and cellular communication up and running, and that it is easy to make sure that you can communicate. Therefore, what you want to be sure you are doing is finding a SIM network that is going to help you with your global, international, and corporate life.

With the Mobilitypass SIM system, you will be able to have a pay as you go, easy to use network that is going to give you a chance to get all of your mobile communication done easily and quickly. With the right SIM system, you aren't going to have to worry about making sure that you have a monthly bill that is going to work, or making sure that you have the right funds to make it happen. When you are looking at the SIM cards, you'll find that they are much easier to use, and that you are going to be much happier using them as well.

The Mobilitypass has been around since 1999, and is serving more than 160 countries, currently. When you have opened yourself to the possibility of using the MobilityPass to make sure that you have global internet and cell phone access, you join hundreds of thousands of people who use the SIM card system to make sure that they are happy with the cellular advantages that they have found. For you, this can be only the beginning.

When you use the SIM card, you are going to have free incoming roaming calls in more than 75 countries, and you will be able to have low rates on outgoing calls to more than 223 countries. This means that you are going to be able save more than 50-80% on your cell phone bill while you are abroad, an amazing savings that you'll be proud of for many years to come.

There are so many other advantages to having and using a SIM Mobilitypass as well. You are going to be able to take advantage of a chance to really get calls and make calls at low rates, and no matter where you are or what you are doing, you'll be able to find ways to make calls and get them back, very cheaply. You are also going to be able to take advantage of the fact that it is a pay as you go system, which means that you can pay as you go, and that you don't have to commit to anything long term. There are no monthly fees, no set up fees, and nothing else that will distract you from getting the lowest and best rate possible for yourself when it comes to the phone calls that you are making. The SIM MobilityPass is one of the best choices you can make.

New technology speeds donations for Haiti relief efforts

By Susan Kinzie

New and easier ways to contribute have helped propel donations for Haiti earthquake relief efforts despite a weak economy, according to officials at a number of aid organizations, some of whom marveled at the volume of donations tweeted and texted from cellphones.

On Thursday, the American Red Cross had received more than $35 million since Tuesday night's earthquake, a record for the organization in a 48-hour period, an official said. That included more than $5 million through text messages, an amount that eclipsed the previous total for a campaign using that technology.

"I think it's an incredible story," said Rachel Wolff of World Vision, which had raised several million dollars. "It's unprecedented giving in a recession."

Other aid agencies said that they were not expecting to match the outpouring of contributions that followed large-scale disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but that they were pleased with the volume so far. Some said that the number of gifts was higher but that the amounts were smaller, perhaps because of the economy or because charities have made it easy to give small donations of $5 or $10.

Although it's too early to do more than estimate the dollar amounts, aid officials agreed that for a variety of reasons -- including the extent of the devastation, the depth of poverty in Haiti before the earthquake, the proximity of the country to the United States and the large number of Haitians with family members who live here -- Americans have responded with swift generosity.

"You would not have any idea that we're in this economy," said Stephanie Kurzina, a vice president at Oxfam America.

The totals do not include the $100 million committed by the World Bank and another $100 million pledged by the United States.

In the first five days after Katrina and the tsunami, more than $200 million was donated to victims of each disaster, said Patrick Rooney, executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Within a year, a total of nearly $2 billion was donated to tsunami victims, and $6.5 billion was given for Gulf Coast hurricane victims.

Gifts have come in a variety of forms -- huge checks, micro-donations, new ideas and old shoes. A 12-year-old Alexandria girl pooled the $19 that she, her younger brother and a neighbor had saved from raking leaves and donated it to earthquake relief. Ted Turner gave $1 million through his foundation. The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation is giving $500,000 to the Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund.

In the past two days, 11,0000 people have joined Oxfam America, an organization that fights poverty and famine worldwide.

New technology has made giving easier than ever. Hundreds of thousands of people have donated by text-messaging. By texting a code word such as "Haiti" to a designated number, people can donate $5 or $10 that will be added to their phone bills.

A big chunk of GlobalGiving's donations came though Twitter. Oxfam America officials were surprised by the volume of money it received through Facebook.

Celebrities including Ashton Kutcher, Lenny Kravitz, Oprah Winfrey and Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, urged people to give, with messages that spread through social networking sites.

The viral pace of donations via text showed no signs of slowing Thursday, said Jim Manis, chief executive of Mobile Giving Foundation, which announced that more than $4.5 million had been raised by that means alone as of Thursday evening.

Haitian American musician Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti Foundation, for example, was receiving 10,000 texts an hour. Large organizations such as the William J. Clinton Foundation were launching text campaigns late in the day.

The more traditional ways of helping continued, too. People wrote checks, boxed up rations in basements and passed collection baskets at churches. American Eagle flew the first of several 30,000-pound shipments of supplies including water, food, soap and diapers, and its parent company, AMR Corp., encouraged customers to give to the American Red Cross by offering frequent-flier miles. A hip-hop event at a P Street lounge turned into a Haiti benefit.

The FBI and some watchdog groups warned donors to be careful of potential scams. Web sites popped up overnight, and false text-messaging codes proliferated. Web sites such as Charity Navigator offered lists of organizations with low overhead costs and a proven commitment to Haiti.

Officials at several relief agencies expressed concern that, despite the short-term blitz of texts and tweets, once the immediate crisis has passed, the state of the U.S. economy will prevent donors from continuing to give.

"Haiti, even in the best of times, is in really dire shape. The needs, both short-term and long-term, are huge," said Jeremy Barnicle of Mercy Corps. "Will there be the will, long term, to rebuild?"

Torn Between 2 Phones: Nexus One vs. iPhone

By NICK BILTON

To switch or not to switch, that is the question. Google’s announcement of its Nexus One smartphone happened over a week ago and I’m still receiving lots of Tweets and e-mail from readers asking the same question: Should they give up their iPhone for the Nexus One?

Some people with iPhones, frustrated by AT&T’s inadequate service and the high monthly cost, are wondering if an alternative has finally arrived. Does the Nexus One offer the feature list that Apple has led them to expect?

I’m on the fence myself, even though I never thought I’d be interested in anything but the iPhone. From my experience using the Nexus One, and from talking to people who have made the shift, it’s not necessarily about the differences between the iPhone and the Nexus One. The phones are extremely similar in design and general feel. Instead, the decision can be made based on the software services you use on your desktop or in the browser.

Chad Dickerson, chief technology officer of Etsy, received a pre-launch Nexus One from Google three weeks ago. He says Google’s phone feels connected to certain services on the Web in a way the iPhone doesn’t. “Compared to the iPhone, the Google phone feels like it’s part of the Internet to me,” he said. “If you live in a Google world, you have that world in your pocket in a way that’s cleaner and more connected than the iPhone.”

The same thing applies to the iPhone. If you’re a MobileMe, iPhoto, iTunes or Safari user, the iPhone connects effortlessly to your pictures, contacts, bookmarks and music. But if you use other services, you sometimes need to find software workarounds to get access to your content.

In comparison, with the Nexus One, if you use GMail, Google Calendar or Picasa, Google’s online photo storage software, the phone connects effortlessly to these services and automatically syncs with a single log-in on the phone.

The phones work perfectly with their respective software, but both of them don’t make an effort to play nice with other services.

Tim O’Reilly, founder and chief executive of O’Reilly Media, also took the leap to the Nexus One and discussed his thinking in a recent blog post on O’Reilly Radar. Mr. O’Reilly wrote: “Gmail is so good on the phone that I can, for the first time, imagine being totally without my laptop.” But he also added that trying to get music onto the phone had been extremely frustrating.

Mr. O’Reilly said in an interview that there was a clear divide between these two phones that felt like a war taking place between Apple and Google. He said it reminded him of the early battles with Microsoft and desktop operating systems. “If you’re a primary user of these platforms you get a great experience,” he said. “If you’re a heavy Google user on the Nexus One it’s great, but if not you’re on another device, you become a second-class citizen.”

Ultimately, Mr. O’Reilly said he made the switch because he found the wireless service to be less expensive. And he liked that Google’s Android platform was more open to developers than Apple’s iPhone ecosystem.

Steve Wozniak, a co-founder of Apple, also has a crush on the Nexus One, as he explained on an NBC show this week. Mr. Wozniak said the Nexus One was his “latest” favorite gadget. (It should be noted that Mr. Wozniak later pointed out that he still has “two iPhones.”)

So those who are still wondering about the Nexus One should think about the software services they rely on, and explore how easily they integrate with their current phone. Then decide from there. Of course, there’s also the customer service factor to consider.

Top 5 Smartphone development of 2009

As smartphones further paved their place in the enterprises, Apple, RIM Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and Google Android are eying for the spotlight. In the last quarter, Gartner said that Smartphone sales had surpassed 41 million units, a 12.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Today, Smartphones have become a compulsory gadget for corporate users. They are not only revolutionizing the mobile handset market, but also changing the way we use PCs. The reason behind the success of the Smartphones is increased interest in social networking with Facebook and Twitter, which demand high speed internet and connectivity features.

In 2009, all the major mobile vendors update its range to increase their revenue and market share. Here, the feature discusses the biggest stories in the Smartphone industry.

1. Google Android platform and Google Phone

Google Android is an open source mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel launched back in 2007. The platform targets mobile devices in large, but now it seems that various PC vendors are working on Android based netbooks and tablets. Recently, it is reported that the Android OS claimed 27% share in the market, whereas iPhone OS reported 55% share in the Smartphone market in US for November month.

Various Smartphones based on the platform is already available in the market like HTC G1, HTC Droid Eris, Motorola Droid, Samsung Galaxy, GW620 Eve, etc. Meanwhile, Google has been working on Android based Smartphone, called “Nexus One”, which will be available in January and will pose challenge Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s Blackberry.

2. Apple updates its iPhone

In June, Apple launched the iPhone 3GS, with a boosted processor, better camera, more storage space, and a digital compass. The new Smartphone is more evolutionary up gradation than the revolutionary improvement to the hardware. The new iPhone 3GS has a number of new features which will certainly impress the corporate world like hardware encryption and support for ActiveSync policies. The new device fixed various anomalies of its predecessors and incorporated features like copy and paste, universal search, voice memos, and remote wiping.

3. Microsoft Windows mobile 6.5 OS

Microsoft launched a minor upgrade of its Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system in October for next generation of Smartphones, called Windows Mobile 6.5. The new software features a new UI and a richer browsing experience having new services like My Phone, which allows to synchronization of text messages, photos, video, contacts and more to the Web; and Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Meanwhile, the company has been working on its new platform called Windows Mobile 7, codenamed “Photon”, which is a major upgrade planned for release in June 2010.

4. PC vendors join the Smartphone race

After the recent success of Smartphones and the take part in the pie, major PC vendors like Dell, Acer, HP, etc join the race with their handsets. In November, HP had announced its new iPAQ Glisten, a feature-rich 3G world Smartphone that meets the increasing demands of modern mobile professionals. In the same month, Dell Computers launched its Android-based Dell Mini 3 smartphone. Acer had introduced neoTouch, which is a new addition to its growing line of Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets, based on 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU.

5. Mobile App Market

According to latest research, mobile applications market will reach $9 billion by 2011. Apple has dominated the space with over 2 billion download and therefore other vendors are also entering in the field. However, the new apps will pose increased difficulty for developers.

source: http://journalismenterprise.com