Facebook Privacy

I've switched from Myspace to Facebook because I was unhappy with the privacy controls there, and I've been told that Facebook lets you control this much better. Would you please go over the Facebook privacy settings and recommend which ones I should focus on?"

Privacy Options In Facebook

The amount of privacy control on Facebook is amazing. And the settings on which you need to focus are really up to you. But here's a rundown on the privacy options that you can twiddle to make sure you're sharing only the personal information as you want to share, with the people that you choose. To get started, login to your Facebook profile, and click the privacy link at the top right part of the Facebook window, and decide what you're comfortable allowing others to view.

On the Privacy Overview page, you have the option of controlling who can see your profile, your findability on Facebook and other search engines, and how much of your Facebook activity will be public. As you change the options, you'll see that the little bar graphs on the right will change, giving you a quick visual indication of the privacy strength of each setting.

Edit Your Facebook Privacy Settings

Click Edit Settings next to Profile and you can control who can sees your profile (or various portions of it), by selecting something along the spectrum of the inclusive "All my networks and all my friends" or "Only my friends" to the more private "Only me" or "No one" options. The same applies to your status, videos, photos, friends list, and your wall comments. You also have fine control over your contact information, including your address, phone, website and e-mail address. Remember that if you opt to leave that wide open, plan on getting some unwanted emails. If you want others to know what Applications you are running, this page is also where you make that choice. Press Save down at the bottom of the page when you're done, and you'll be returned to the Privacy Overview page.

When it comes to Search on Facebook, you control who can find you and what appears in your listing. In addition, you have the option of being listed by external search engines, good if you want others to freely Google you, not good if you would prefer to keep on the quiet side of the Internet. Finally, once someone has found you, you can choose what they can figuratively do with you, such as send you a picture, poke you, send you a message, or view your other friends. Watch that last one if you have a nosy boss, friend or neighbor.

When I first discovered Facebook, I found it unnerving that every time I checked in, a Newsfeed let everyone know what I was doing on Facebook. I didn’t think I wanted to be quite that demonstrative, so that was the first box that I un-checked. You can also control just how much your actions show up in your friends’ news feeds. Although the feeds will never divulge information you have marked as private, they do let your entire network know what events you attended, free gifts you have received, groups you belong to, etc.

You can also Block those pesky former college roommates that you didn’t like back then, much less want to put up with now. This is also very handy if you met someone online that turned out to be a mega-loser. You can select a Limited Profile, again a good thing if you tend to go online during office hours. Oh, and remember that when you get a friend request from someone else, you can choose right then if you want that person to view your full profile, or just the limited profile.

There so much that you can control, if you're not sure at first what you want to release, unclick all your options, set your limit to "Only Me" and gradually add what is best for you. If you have kids using Facebook, it's a good idea to fill these in together so that you can advise them of privacy concerns. Since the family unit typically spends more time these days on a computer rather than a dinner table, Facebook might be your own version of family unity.

What is Bluetooth?

This is the age of wireless devices. Information is relevant only if it is accessible anywhere and everywhere. From phones to computers, every device is aiming at becoming wireless and providing more accessibility to the users. Read on to learn how Bluetooth technology is making wireless connections at home, at the office, and on the go...

How Does Bluetooth Work?

Bluetooth enables two devices, usually within a short range, to connect to each other without cables or wires. The obvious advantage of Bluetooth technology is that it reduces the clutter of wires! But it also enables people to be in contact with each other and carry on with their work even when they are on the move. Bluetooth technology can be applied to a wide range of devices in areas like medicine, software, and mobile communications. Bluetooth is simple to install, easy to use, and can be used in number of devices such as digital cameras, mobile laptops, phones, printers, PCs, and video game consoles over a globally unlicensed, secure, short-range radio frequency.

Two Bluetooth enabled devices can communicate with each other using low power radio waves, and to eliminate interfering with other Bluetooth enabled devices, the signal is kept extremely weak. When two Bluetooth enabled devices come within the range of each another, they automatically form a network between themselves and start communicating with each other. Usually, a Bluetooth device can connect to another Bluetooth device only when it comes within a 10 meter radius (about 30 feet) of that device. Within this range, a Bluetooth enabled device can simultaneously connect with up to 8 devices. But to avoid cluttering, Bluetooth uses a technology called spread-spectrum frequency hopping, which does not allow more than one device to transmit on the same frequency at the same time.

Where is Bluetooth Used?

In practical usage, bluetooth enables wireless communication between a headset and a mobile phone, or a mouse and the computer. Bluetooth-enabled PDAs can wirelessly sync up to a desktop, and in automobiles the technology can be used to enable a GPS or cell phone to "broadcast" audio to your car speakers. The technology is also being used in game controllers, digital cameras and medical monitoring devices.

The term "toothing" refers to the process of discovering other nearby Bluetooth enabled devices. A few years back, a hoax perpetrated the notion that toothing was being widely used to arrange random sexual encounters on trains and subways. And in a classic case of "Life imitates Art and then Art gets even" there are now bluetooth dating devices available -- and one was referenced in a "CSI Miami" television episode featuring a cop who gets his badge stolen in the midst of a bluetooth-enabled rendezvous.

Security in Bluetooth

While receiving or transferring data, security is a concern in any device that uses wireless connection. The automatic connection of Bluetooth devices enables people to send you data without your permission. To avoid this misuse, almost all the Bluetooth enabled devices carry an option that asks the users whether they wish to grant access to another Bluetooth enabled device that is trying to gain access to the user's device. The user can establish a list of trusted devices that can automatically gain access to his device. Other devices have to ask permission before they are granted access.

Bluetooth Health Concerns

Since Bluetooth uses the microwave radio frequency spectrum to establish communication with other devices, there are concerns about the effect of these frequencies on health. But studies have confirmed that the microwave frequency emitted by Bluetooth devices is within the permissible range and they do not cause any damage to the human tissues. Also, the microwave frequency emitted by Bluetooth devices is much lower than that of the mobile devices. All these factors make Bluetooth devices a safe and convenient device to use. (See Cell Phones Cause Cancer?  for a related story.)

Bluetooth devices are becoming an integral part of our lifestyles and they will be used in many of the devices of the future. Do you have comments about Bluetooth? Post your thoughts below...

Cell Phones Cause Cancer?

Are you concerned about the risk of getting cancer from long-term cell phone usage? Finally, some scientific studies assessing the link between cell phones and cancer have been conducted. The results are in, and I for one was surprised...

Cell Phones and Cancer: No Evidence

A study published today by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute should put chronic cell phone users at ease. Researchers in Denmark studied 420,000 cell phone users whose cases were followed for up to 21 years. The study focused on both men and women who began using cellular telephone service between 1982 and 1995, and followed them through 2002 for signs of cancer. The bottom line:

"We found no evidence for an association between tumor risk and cellular telephone use among either short-term or long-term users."

Researchers took advantage of the fact that Denmark maintains a national cancer registry, and correlated that to cell phone subscriber records. Statistically, they expected to find 15,000 incidences of cancer (brain tumors, acoustic neuromas, leukemias, etc.) in the group, but the number turned out to be less -- only 14,249 indicents of cancer were noted in the group.

Just to clarify, I don't mean to say they expected to find 15,000 cancers related to cell phones... I'm saying that based on medical stats they knew that in ANY group of 400,000 people, they could expect to find that many cases of cancer. If there was a definitive link between cell phones and cancer, you'd expect the numbers for this group, comprised ONLY of cell phone users, to be much higher.

But contrary to the widely-held suspicion that cell phone usage causes cancer, this study indicates a lower rate of cancer among long-term cell phone users. The study also found no link between the side of the head on which brain cancers occurred and the side on which the cellular phone was used. If you want more details on the study, you can see the facts and figures for yourself.

Other Cell Phone Studies Concur

Just in case you're inclined to dismiss this study because it was conducted in Denmark, consider the fact that other studies conducted elsewhere have drawn the same conclusion.

• Dr. Joshua Muscat, of the American Health Foundation in Valhalla NY, reported in the April 2002 issue of Neurology that use of cellular telephones does not appear to increase the risk of acoustic neuromas or benign tumors. His study focused on brain cancer patients in New York, Providence and Boston.

• Another study conducted by Dr. Peter Inskip looked at 782 hospital patients in Phoenix, Arizona, Boston and Pittsburgh. His findings, published in the January 2001 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine do not support the claim that use of cellular telephones causes brain tumors.

• The Food and Drug Administration did a study in 2000 on the possible  negative health effects from the low levels of electromagnetic energy emitted by mobile phones and found that the current scientific evidence did not support such a link. The FDA report cited experts who said that even if a cell phone's antenna is right up against the skull, the six-tenths of a watt of power emitted couldn't possibly affect human health. John E. Moulder, a Ph.D. cancer researcher and professor of radiation oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin is quoted as saying that biological effects from mobile phones are "somewhere between impossible and implausible."



Have You Tried the Caveat?



Even though these studies seem to clearly debunk the "cell phone cancer" theory, it's interesting that several of the researchers mentioned that ongoing research is needed to make sure the results hold true for those who use cell phones for 10 years or more.

It makes sense to me to minimize cell phone use, and exposure to the radio waves they emit, just to be on the safe side. I find that cell phone technology still has not advanced to the point where a clear, uninterrupted conversation is possible, even when there is a strong signal. So if I have a choice, I'll pick up a conventional phone with a land line any time. If you must spend countless hours on a cell phone, consider using a headset to place more distance between the antenna and your brain.

Got comments about cell phones and health risks? Post your thoughts below...

Hubs, Switches and Routers

Many people wonder what the difference is between a networking hub, switch, and router. Some people don't know and don't want to know. But if you need to know, here is what you need to know...

Hub, Switch, Router - What's the Difference?

Hubs, switches, and routers are all electronic black boxes that let you connect computers and other devices in a network. In classic hardwired networking, each type of black box has two or more cable connectors into which you plug wires that physically connect devices. The wires can be of different types: Ethernet, serial, USB, etc. But Ethernet is by far the most common cable. The hub, switch, or router allows devices connected to it to communicate with one another in a network. This type of networking allows for files and folders to be shared by multiple computers, and also allows the sharing of printers and other devices.

The difference between hubs, switches, and routers lies in how much they control such communication.

A hub does not exert much control. It just accepts whatever data any device sends into it and broadcasts that data to every other device connected to it. A hub is simple and easy to set up for a small peer-to-peer network, or local area network (LAN). But a hub generates a lot of unnecessary data "chatter". Computer A may not need to know what computer B is sending to computer C, but the hub tells it anyway.

A switch is a little smarter than a hub. It "knows" which devices are connected to which ports. It keeps track of the addresses of all devices and delivers to each device only data that is addressed to it. This smart addressing cuts down on network traffic and increases the speed at which data is delivered to where it needs to be. Switches are intelligent but still fairly simple. They don't slow down data flow by "thinking" too much.

What is a Router?

Routers are the most complex of the three networking devices. A router includes the local networking features of a hub or switch, plus the ability to manage a connection to the Internet. A router is essentially a full-blown computer in its own right, programmable and complex in its firmware or operating system. A router can manipulate and change data, not just receive and send it.

This intelligence gives routers the ability to run firewalls, for example, which "hide" one or more devices from others on the network. Firewalls based in routers are primary lines of defense against bad guys out there on the Internet. If the bad guy can't find your computer behind a firewall then he can't hack his way into it. Firewall protection is just one example of what routers can do. The ability to act as a Network Address Translator (NAT) , a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and a Domain Name Service (DNS) server are other features that you can explore on your own. Some routers even have wireless access points built into them.

Typically, routers are used on the "edge" of a home or office network, connecting it to the great wide word via the Internet or a private Wide Area Network (WAN). In fact, you may see the label "WAN" on the port on the back of your router; that's where you plug in the cable that connects the router to the Internet.

In summary, a hub is a simple device that can connect computers or devices on a network, a switch is a smart hub with the ability to route network traffic more efficiently, and a router does all that plus manages connections to multiple networks and the Internet.

Got something to say about networking equipment? Post your comment or question below...

Nigerian Scammers

Have you gotten a message from someone claiming to be a representative of the Nigerian government, promising a multi-million dollar reward for your help in transferring a huge sum of money? Are you soon to be rich, filthy rich -- or could this be a scam

The 419 Scam

Sorry to dash your hopes for a share of the ill-gotten booty, but the letter below (and many variations on the theme) is a well-known scam that pre-dates the Internet. But unfortunately, alarming numbers of people are taking the bait in what has been dubbed "The 419 Scam".

FROM THE DESK OF MR. JOHN EBERE -- NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION -- PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL 

Dear friend, Having consulted with my colleagues and based on the information Gathered from the Nigerian Chambers Of Commerce And Industry, I have the privilege to request your assistance to transfer the sum of (45,500,000.00) FORTY-FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS, into your accounts.

The above sum resulted from an over-invoiced contract, executed, Commissioned and paid for about three years ago by a foreign contractor. This action was however intentional and since then the fund has been in a suspense account at The Central Bank Of Nigeria Apex Bank. We are now ready to transfer the fund overseas and that is where you come in.


The total sum will be shared as follows: 60% for us, 35% for you and 5% for local and international expenses incidental to the transfer. The transfer is risk free on both sides.


When a potential victim reponds to the scammer, they are asked for their bank account and other personal information. The fraudster then tries to establish credibility by providing documents bearing Nigerian government letterhead. But invariably a "problem" arises. The victim is then pressured or threatened to provide one or more large sums of money to save the venture. According to the U.S. Treasury, this scam grosses hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and in a few cases scam victims have been killed.


To learn more about the Nigerian 419 Scam, check out this link. I think you'll also enjoy the very funny Annual Nigerian EMail Conference parody.


Got something to say about those wacky Nigerian scammers?

Post your comments below...

Consolidate Email Accounts

I have three email accounts, and it's a nuisance to check each one. I also have trouble keeping my address books in sync, and when I'm looking for a certain message, I have to check in three places. Is there an easy way to consolidate all my email accounts in one place?"

How to Move All Email and Contacts Into One Account

I understand your dilemma. For various reasons, people often end up with multiple email accounts on several hosts: Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc. It gets confusing and hard to keep track of. It also takes a lot of time to check for new mail on all the services.

The good news is that it is possible to consolidate all those email accounts into one, without losing anything stored on the other services.

You'll probably want to keep all your email accounts active and receiving mail, at least for a while. Those addresses are out there and if people don't know your new address, they have no other way to reach you. But you want mail sent to Yahoo, AOL, etc., to be forwarded to your One Address. That way, you only need to log onto one place, saving lots of time. Simple is better.

I chose Google's Gmail for my One Address. It's reliable. The gmail.com name is a respected brand widely used by both personal and business users. Gmail is searchable in many useful ways, and its spam filter is highly effective. Best of all, Gmail now lets you consolidate all your other email accounts very easily.
You could just logon to all your email accounts, and send a change of address message to everyone in your address books. And you should do that, but it won't really help you consolidate everything without a lot of extra effort.

Of course you want to import to your One Address all your email contacts from the other services, AND your old email saved on those services. Gmail lets you do all that with a few simple steps.

Using Gmail's Import Feature

After logging into Gmail, in the upper right corner, click on Settings, then click the "Accounts and Import" tab. Next, click on "Import Mail and Contacts" and just follow directions. One by one, you will enter the email address and password for each of your other accounts.

You'll be given the option to import contacts and old mail; import new mail arriving at the old address for 30 days; and to add the old mail address to the imported mail as a tag to tell you where it came from. Click "Start Import" and go do the same for your other email accounts.

Google advises you that the import process may take several hours, even up to two days, before you start seeing imported mail. In actual practice, I started receiving imported old mail within minutes. Your experience may vary. But importing goes on without you, you don't even have to be logged on to Gmail.

Be forewarned that you will be inundated with "new" mail at your One Address during the import process. This is a good opportunity to review and delete old mail you really don't need, and keep the keepers. Since Gmail has a "filters" function, you may want to set up a rule that routes mail from each old account into a specified subfolder, rather than have everything pile up in your main Inbox.

From here on, you have only one webmail site to bookmark, and just one username and password to remember. Email checking will go much faster with only one account to check. And you'll have all your contacts and messages in one place.

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Send Large Files By Email

When you need to send a file to someone, attaching it to an email is the simplest and most intuitive method for sender and receiver. But there are limits on the size of file attachments. If you want to send a really big file via email you need an intermediary. Here's how….

How to Send a Large File

Okay, let's clarify one possible misconception at the outset... These "large file emails" don't actually include the file you want to send. Instead, you upload your file to an online dropbox, and then enter the recipient's email address and (optionally) a message to the recipient. The recipient gets an email containing a URL he/she can click on to download the file through a Web browser.

Ease-of-use is one benefit of this technique. Almost everyone is well accustomed to downloading files by clicking on a URL. But relatively few people are used to FTP file transfers, which can lead to much confusion, delays, and aggravation on both sides.

Security is another advantage of sending large files via an intermediary dropbox Web site. Email and its attachments can be intercepted and read, unless encrypted with Pretty Good Privacy or some other cumbersome method. Intermediary sites such as DropSend.com, and Dropbox.com receive uploads and deliver downloads using the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Web protocol, and password protection can be assigned to files.

Intermediary sites limit the exposure of your sensitive large files too. If you use Webmail and save copies of all mail you send, a copy of your file remains on the Webmail server indefinitely. But services such as SendThisFile.com, and the others mentioned above can delete your file once it's been downloaded by the recipient. Alternatively, your file can remain online until it's been downloaded a specified number of times or until a specified expiration date.
Delivery verification is another benefit. A third-party service provides a record of when a file you uploaded was downloaded, and the email address or other user ID of the downloader. Some services offer a "dropbox" Web page where people can upload files to you. You receive an email notification when a file is awaiting your download. Customized email templates with your company logo, colors, etc., can be designed to go with every large file you send.

Most large-file transfer services offer free trials with 500 MB to 2 GB file size limits. Regular users who need to send larger files pay anywhere from $10 to $50 a month, depending on their size and frequency needs.
Some intermediaries employ Bittorrent technology to provide faster downloads. Large files are distributed among multiple Bittorrent servers and parts of the file are downloaded simultaneously by the user's Bittorrent client, which then stitches the parts together into a copy of the original file. This is the same sort of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing technology that millions of people use to trade music, videos, and software. But this is a legal use of Bittorrent.

Sending large files through an intermediary Web site is a technique used by many video production companies; architectural and engineering design firms; law firms; government agencies; and many other types of entities that deal with large files. For the occasional user, it can be very handy to send a couple of gigabytes via one of these services.
Have you used a dropbox service to send a large file by email? Post your comment or question below...