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Bogomil Shopov, a Bulgarian blogger and digital rights activist, bought 1.1 million Facebook names, user IDs and e-mails for the ridiculously low price of 5 dollars. Luckly for us, he was not trying to spam people, or use this info in a negative way. Instead he wanted to see how bad the facebook security really is. And it turns out to be really bad. According to the seller of the information, a Gigbucks user with the handle "mertem," the data was collected from Facebook applications."The information in this list has been collected through our Facebook apps and consists only of active Facebook users, mostly from the US, Canada, UK and Europe," reads the Gigbucks post. This can affect us a lot because there are a lot of teenager (our age) facebook users. If instead of person who was trying to prove a point was a spammer, the information that we have on facebook can be in danger.  Facebook is currently looking into the breach of user data but they haven't yet come to a resolution.

This post is about the windows phone market increasing in number of apps. In june 2012, the Windows Phone market was home to only 100 000 apps, and is now at 120 000 apps. This shows that although it is a small amount compared to Apple's 650 000 apps in June 2012, it is very rapidly growing and becoming a more recognized competitor. When people are asked what they do not like about windows phones in general, most say that the are too few apps on the market. This is quickly becoming less and less of an issue. This relates to portable computing because these days people use apps for everything. A larger selection of apps can be the deal breaker on choosing between an iPhone and a Windows Phone. By having a large amount of apps available to customers, you can make their lives easier by meeting more of their daily needs through phone applications. 

As a social generation, we use various online 'social networks' to connect with others and share information (e.g. photos, text, videos.) But has anyone ever considered integrating one of these networks into a scholastic environment? This is exactly what Assistant professor of education at Michigan State University, Christina Greenhow has found in a recent study. While most say that social networks like Twitter are poisoning the minds of our youth, destroying their grammar and face-to-face skills, Greenhow finds that using Twitter in her class has allowed for more engaged students proven to attain higher grades. By integrating Twitter into some of the class' exercises, Greenhow was able to contextualize the material into something the students could relate to, "The students get more engaged because they feel it is connected to something real, that it's not just learning for the sake of learning." Twitter; something bored students would initially hide from teachers in class is now seeing some valid and practical applications in the classroom. This article relates to the tag "eLifestyle" because teachers are constantly trying to integrate web-based teaching into their classrooms in this constantly evolving technological age. This relates to ICS20 because we are one of the classes in the school on the forefront of technology, integrating web services such as Codeacademy, Diigo and even Twitter to enhance our learning experience. This article is not meant to give students excuses to wander off to Twitter during class, but to show teachers the validity in using a web-based social network to improve their teaching methods in the classroom.

Love this post. I've been thinking about this stuff for a while, as in - how do I work twitter into class activity? Any ideas?

Facebook is a website that is used by many users around the world. It is used to see others profiles and keep in touch with all your friends. Facebook usually has many games you can play with your friends like battleship and farmville. But now Facebook is thinking of having full games on the website. They want games to be easily accessible to buy. They want to start with games like Magicka, Dead Rising2, Saints Row3, etc. I think it is a great idea for Facebook because they can make a lot of money if they put popular games on the web. I personally would not buy them off Facebook because I prefer video games on a ps3 or xbox. It relates to the course because you need to program these games on the web for people to buy. As well, its on a social networking site which makes the games get purchased more often. 

Research shows that the Steelseries Siberia v2/7h is the best headset. These aren't like your "sound whoring" headsets like turtle beaches, but these provide great audio and great for gaming as well

thats cool brah, are they expensive?

This site is about the top five headsets for you're computer or gaming system. They tell you the price of each headset, how good the audio is, and all of the little applications that it has. I thought that this article was interesting because I do a lot of online gaming and weather its starcraft or Call of Duty, I always like to be able to go the best audio and surround sound to get me really into the game. This is related to the course because its amazing. 

This article notifies readers that Google has boosted the speed and their browser's hardware acceleration with the launch of Google Chrome, version 18. Google paid more than $210,000 to outside researchers to identify and prevent a number of bugs, flaws, and hacking challenges from this past year so these same problems wouldn't be involved in this new update. This interests me because I am a Google Chrome user both at home and school and when I hear that another version is offered that speeds up Web applications, various software's such as Adobe Flash Player, games, internet, etc, I am more than pleased to get on my computer to update my browser to overall experience a better and more efficient use while on my computer that Google has to offer. But in my opinion, the most intriguing part of this article is how even with Google constantly updating and improving their web browser, Google Chrome, in the month of February, Google's browser is only third with 18.9% of users, next to Firefox with 20.9% of users, and in first, Microsoft Internet Explorer with more than half of users at 52.8%. People are least invested in Google's web browser and this largely adds to the reason to why they are constantly changing their Google Chrome design to attract but also to maintain their users. My thoughts are how I think it be interesting to see what Google has next up their sleeve because they have the money, technology, and resources to develop a browser that has enough features and limited problems to double and almost triple their amount of web users in hopefully the near future. 

This article explains that Microsoft's ever popular successful software application, Skype, is to hire 400 people in staff, to be able to expand it's presence in the UK and Europe. Skype has between 600-700 million users around the world, which comes close to Facebook's 850 million, and this video chat sensation is increasingly becoming more popular and interested by people of all ages using this newest form of technology for a variety of reasons. Skype has become a world wide hit and people of all ages are using in all places for various reasons from anywhere for travel or for just plain fun while communicating with friends. The fact that Skype is hiring more workers and staff members to expand their company just demonstrates how well and successful this software is doing, how far Microsoft's peer-to-peer network has become, and what Skype has for instore for us but also it's global effect on our world in the future. 

This article is interesting to me because it tells how scientists have discovered a way to decode DNA chips using biological computers. The DNA chips contain images/info that are "hidden" in the chips, so to say, and are not able to be seen unless they are decoded by these computers. I think that this would be helpful for many people (not only scientists) because it can be useful for keeping important information stored for personal use granted that they have the right equipment to decrypt the chips first.

Online courses are now being used by students in university. This allows them to study and complete work from their own home, but the question asked by most is if the online course investment is worth it, in terms of careers. Lou Adler, (a self proclaimed hiring expert) believes not so, because when you take an online course,classes require you presenting your skills to your employer. An online course is not the same as a sit down university course, because it does not provide you with the practical skills necessary. Someone taking an online course can still have an advantage over people who commute to university. e.g. submitting a project you did using your computer, easily, and using it in a job application. You can distinguish yourself from others, using computer generated projects, etc. Depending on what field you want to get into, online courses can be harmful or helpful.

Google has been keeping quiet about their latest tech, but a leak has hinted toward a google smart watch with certain features that will compel you to purchase the new wave of wearable tech. The google watch will allow you to get ambient notifications between your phone and watch through Blue tooth LE. This connectivity will allow you to awnser calls, and see who is texting you. The watch will take a "Pebble" like design, but it will have a less masculine plastic wristband instead. The watch though, will either be released with less features or fully released at a later date due to time constraints. In my opinion, wearable tech is interesting but I believe its still in a beta-phase due to the fact of limited battery life and actual applicable features in real life.

There is a now an IOS app that lets you fight in-justifiable parking tickets. This app is called fixed. Fixed is a service that will help you fight traffic tickets. You will be given a traffic ticket advocate to help fight for you, and give you your odds on winning your ticket. This service will charge you 25% the ticket if it becomes dismissed. I personally believe this app is genius. It is just another example of how simple applications will slowly help us in our every day lives.

Only a few months after the Samsung Galaxy Gear was released, Samsung has just announced that they well be releasing two new smart watches; the Galaxy Gear 2 and the Galaxy Gear 2 Neo. The watch comes packed with a 1.63 inch super AMOLED display and a 1GHz dual core processor. You will be able to track your health with fitness apps, control your TV with the watch-on application, answer phone calls, listen to music and many more feautures. I personally would get this because the new technology of smart watches interests me because you don't have to pull your phone out all the time to answer calls or to change the song you are listening too. Sooner or later we won't even need a phone to pair a smart watch too, all you will need is the watch.

Think you're privacy settings in your social network accounts work? Think again. hundreds of third party applications may have gained access to your Facebook account, some of them are ones you never knew you installed.. This is what Leslie Canteris was shocked about when Sisler high school in Winnipeg had an exercise about online privacy. These third party apps can take anything from your Facebook account. Many Canadian students don't understand how to protect their privacy. They don't want to be tracked, but have no clue to avoid it. in fact, kids spend more time changing their privacy settings on their social networks more than adults. People should not use their real names when playing online games, and come up with tough passwords that are hard for outsiders to crack. I applaud Sisler high school for teaching their students about social media privacy. I think that more high schools should talk to its students about this issue since social media is a huge part of many peoples daily lives.

Google is improving the security of their email application. Gmail is switching to https, and is looking at a more private future for its users. Sending messages over a secure https connection ensures no one can come in contact with a message. This now has become the default in all gmail practices. It is no longer an option like in 2010. In addition, emails sent will be encrypted, along with communication. This is the news that I actually liked hearing from google, most of the time it's them trying to steal our identities through google search and targeting ads towards us w/out permission.

AdBlock is tool that many of us know of, and would totally never use because it can take revenue from content creators *shifty eyes*. All of us hate annoying ads, whether they be prerolls on videos or pop ups, or less than appropriate advertisements on streaming and torrenting websites. Adblock is a wonderful creation that hides most of those, and is thusly loved by many. Recently Adblock has done another thing which will undoubtedly make its user base happy, the web application now also blocks trackers, malicious cookies and scripts. This can be extremely important to people who value their privacy as it helps to ensure that as little of your private data is being sold as possible. The issue of online privacy has been gaining traction over the past few years and especially sine the Snowden revelations. I personally commend Adblock for their goal to protect their users, I and many others care about privacy and make active decisions to stay anonymous (I, for instance, use encrypted search engines and web browsers that encrypt data). This decision by Adblock isn't a huge step forward in online protection and privacy, but it is a step, and that's important.

This article talks about a mobile app that is available on iOS and Android for Major League Baseball Players to help arrange contracts, look into profits and deal with the business side of their careers while on the go. By giving players devices to arrange better contracts or research notoriety administration on online networking, the MLBPA is trusting the application will make the business side of players' professions more transparent. This is great for baseball players because they can control their careers on their phones, and don't have to worry much about scams in their contracts. This app also shows the new evolution of careers and jobs, and how everything is becoming technology based.

The free VOIP calling application Tango for iphone has now been made compatible with PC. Now PC's can make free calls to smart phones such as the iphone and other android devices. Yet again the internet is a successful avenue for people to do whatever the hell they want.

As many of you know smart phones are all the rage today. But I really don't think that anyone really stops to think.... how are these devices produced? Well in September of this year one app developer tried to get this out to the world. This developer created an app entitled "Phone Story." This application shows the negative aspects and the abuse and hard labour many of the workers must go through, which many times ends dramatically. 

Google Wallet now lets you SingleTap that app. So what is Google wallet? Google wallet is basically merging your phone and your wallet, or credit card to be exact together. with the addition of SingleTap, Google wallet is now allowing you to both pay and redeem coupons at a given retailer, without having to print out paper coupons. Instead, the phone 'remembers' the offers you have saved and redeems them automatically. Also included is the ability to have a prepaid credit card which lets you load virtual money to use, in case your credit card is not natively supported by Wallet. It sounds like Google is trying to make an Octopus Card 2.0 or perhaps merging, no assimilating it into it's application. Currently however, it is not worth getting in my opinion, as its only supported on a Nexus S 4G and credit cards are pretty fast already, so i think it is a bit over rated and hyped up.

Voice control has been part of Android smartphone's since "the dawn of time," and then the superior Siri came along and the android voice control is becoming history.  However, an industrious team of folks from Dexetra.com, led by Narayan Babu, built a Siri-alike in just 8 hours during a hackathon, namely Iris[Siri backwards]) Iral allows you to search various subjects ranging from conversations to art.  "You can ask it "What is a fish?" and it will reply with a paragraph from Wikipedia focusing on our finned friends." Although initially created as a humorous idea, the application' worth was starting to show while they were designing it and the app itself will be available to the Android Market.