Top Google Products

As you have read here and other places, Google is no longer just where you go to search the Internet. They are much more than that now and their successes have made them the darling of the stock market.

With that in mind, CNET has put together a review of Google's top 10 products, in their view anyway. I found it interesting reading, especially as their new products come on line faster than I can keep up. You might find it interesting also, so I highly recommend it for your perusal.

One thing that I found interesting was that they reviewed a new product called "Picasa Web Albums" (in beta) and they do mention in passing the parent "Picasa" program, but they don't list it in their top 10 products. A major oversite, in my humble opinion.

AT&T Changes Policy to Accomodate Spying on Americans

My Thanks to the San Jose Mercury News daily tech news summary for this this interesting report. It is presented exactly as written (italics and paragraph changes are mine). Draw your own conclusions as I have done.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accused of sharing of consumer records with federal investigative agencies without court-approved warrants, AT&T has retrofitted its privacy policy to allow it to do just that. "While your account information may be personal to you, these records constitute business records that are owned by AT&T," the company explains in a policy revision that will go into effect tomorrow. "As such, AT&T may disclose such records to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process."

That's quite a change from the language of the previous privacy policy which said nothing about customers' data being owned by AT&T. But not to worry, AT&T says these new adjustments are simply a "clarification" of existing policy. There's no connection between the updated policy and lawsuits claiming that it violated customers' privacy by participating in the government's domestic spying program.

The intention is "to make our policy much easier to read, with more common language and less legalese," spokesman Marc Bien said in an interview. "Our new privacy language does not expand access to user data for AT&T or anyone."

Tough to take him at his word, though, things being how they are (see "AT&T. Your world, delivered (to the Government)," "Big Mother," "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen," and "Big mother, redux"). It's simple coincidence that AT&T, on the eve of a hearing on charges that it assisted in the government's illegal spying on millions of Americans, changes its privacy policy to reserve the unqualified right to exploit the personal information of its customers in any way the company sees fit? Riiiiggggghhhhtttt.....(rolls eyes).

"They're obviously trying to avoid a hornet's nest of consumer-protection lawsuits," Chris Hoofnagle, a San Francisco privacy consultant and former senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told The San Francisco Chronicle. "They've written this new policy so broadly that they've given themselves maximum flexibility when it comes to disclosing customers' records."

Newest Version of Opera is Now Available

Opera Software has officially released the latest version of its popular browser software and it offers several improvements over its predecessors. Opera 9, which had been in beta since April, includes features designed to improve the efficiency of Web surfing, enhance security and allow users greater control over the content they view.

Opera 9 allows users to relaunch their browser where they last left off, as well as block advertisements on a site-specific basis. Other content-related features include widgets, or small Web programs, designed to help users organize their browsing preferences, play games or follow sports teams.

A security bar has also been added to Opera 9, a response to the prevalence of phishing scams and identity theft. The security bar aims to reduce users' encounters with phishing scams and also includes technology to strengthen blocking of pop-up advertisements. There is also a thumbnail feature, which enables users to mouse over an open tab to see a thumbnail preview of the page. Opera 9, which is offered as a free download, runs on a variety of platforms, from Windows to Mac to Linux. It also supports BitTorrent's file distribution technology.

To learn more and to download Opera 9, head over to the Opera Web site. I have always had an excellent opinion of Opera and it is certainly far better than any version of Internet Explorer...past, present, or future.

Europe May Show Us the Way

The 25 European Commission member countries and nine accession countries have all signed up for a plan that could make accessibility to the Internet mandatory. The 34 countries all signed an agreement in Riga, Latvia, last week, committing themselves to the "Internet for all" action plan, designed to ensure that the most Web-disadvantaged groups can get online.

The EC has now pledged to increase broadband coverage across the continent to 90 percent by 2010. Rural areas are still underserved, according to the Commission, with about 60 percent penetration. Urban areas fare better and are already at the 90 percent mark. The EC has also committed to putting new measures in place to increase people's skills in using computers and the Internet by 2010.

The question of accessibility for disabled people also looms large in the EC's plan for inclusion. The Commission is studying the possible introduction of mandatory accessibility standards in public procurement, to be brought in by 2010.

What makes this amazing is that this is 34 separate countries all coming together to agree on the importance of high speed communications, specifically the Internet, for the future of their countries.

We live in one country and we cannot make this happen. We seem to be controlled by politicians who put their own fund raising and political agendas ahead of the good of our country's future. Now you know a big reason why our place as the economic leader of the free world is quickly slipping away.

This lack of leadership and vision is not just at the federal level, but extends all the way down to our local areas. In some areas, leaders are working hard to provide high speed Internet to all their citizens, while in others, people with forward looking vision are in short supply.

Here in my own area of Grant County, Washington, we have a marvelous fiber optic system put in place by our Public Utility District...created by people with a vision for our future. These folks knew that because our County is largely a rural one, no communications corporation would spend a dime to help us out, leaving us in the communications stone age. They made it happen, albeit with some mistakes and errors in judgment along the way.

While the large urban areas of our county are pretty well connected via the system, the rural areas are unfinished because the people with vision have largely been replaced by people with no vision...Bean counters with no imagination or view of the future. These people seem to be on a mission to destroy our fiber system and stop all future development. They shut down the Network Operations Center that monitored the system and they have surplused all the video equipment to provide television alternatives, and of course they fired the vast majority of experts that understood and believed in the system. While these leaders claim they are not anti-fiber, their actions show just the opposite.

The good news for us is that Microsoft and Yahoo are moving into our area and forcing the PUD to continue fiber operations. To turn down their requests for continued fiber growth would be a political death knoll for the anti-fiber politicians who control the PUD Commission, although one commissioner did vote against a rate system to help bring these companies into our area.

Hopefully, the voters of our area will wake up and replace these bean counters over the next couple of years. If you are reading this and don't live in my county, I hope you will ask your leaders the hard questions about your area's communications plan for the future. And, maybe with luck, our federal government will follow the lead of the European Commission and make high speed Internet a mandate for all areas of our country.

It is just hard to believe that one great country like the U.S. can't do the same thing that 34 European countries just agreed to do. I fear for our future when we continue electing fools on a local, state and national level.

Securing your Wireless Network

Thanks to the good folks at "WINXP News" for this short, but interesting article on wireless networks. If you have one in your home or are thinking of installing one, you might find this of interest.
________________________________________________________

With wireless fast becoming the easiest and most economical way to set up a home network, we get lots of questions about how to make sure it's secure. Here are some tips for securing your wireless router/access point and computers with wireless adapters:

1. Change the defaults. Wireless routers and access points come with a preset administrator password and SSID (network name). These are usually the same for all routers/WAPs of that model, so it's common knowledge to tech savvy folks. A hacker can use that info to change your WAP settings or connect to your network.
2. Turn off SSID broadcasting. This makes your network visible to anyone in the area who has a wireless-equipped computer. Turning it off doesn't hide it from WLAN "sniffers" but it does keep casual browsers from knowing it's there.
3. Turn on MAC address filtering. This allows only computers whose MAC addresses have been entered by the WAP administrator to connect to the network. It's not foolproof since some hackers can spoof MAC addresses, but it provides a layer of security.
4. Assign static IP addresses to your wireless clients and turn off DHCP, so that unauthorized persons who try to connect won't automatically get an IP address.
5. Use encryption. And use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption instead of WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). For instructions on how to configure WPA in XP, see:
   http://www.wxpnews.com/9LH8QB/060620-WPA_XP
   
6. Turn the WAP off when you aren't using it. This will prevent "war drivers" from connecting to your network and using your Internet connection or accessing the computers on your network.
7. Limit signal strength. The typical range of an 802.11b/g wireless access point is about 300 feet. If you use a high gain antenna, that can be extended considerably. Only use such an antenna if you must, and if possible use a directional antenna that will only transmit in one direction. Test the signal strength to see how far it extends outside your house and grounds and adjust the positioning of your WAP and antenna to limit it.
8. If you're really worried about security, use 802.11a equipment instead of the more popular 802.11b and g. It transmits on a different frequency and can't be accessed with the built-in wireless adapters included in most new laptop computers. It also has a shorter distance range.

Google's New Challenge to Microsoft supremacy

The question is: Is Google challenging Microsoft's supremacy in the office arena? Could be. Just recently, Google launched a web-based spreadsheet program that allows users to simultaneously edit data while conducting an "in-document" chat. Google Spreadsheets supports the import and export of documents in the .xls format used in Excel and the .csv (comma-separated values) format. FYI...Although Microsoft has launched a Web-based office-style system, the spreadsheet portion of Microsoft Office is not on the Web yet.

The launch is further proof that Google is eyeing Microsoft's Office stronghold, but should Microsoft really be worried? In March, Google acquired Writely, a collaborative word processor that runs in a browser. The company hasn't made clear its plans for that product, and it remains in the beta stage of testing. Still, as the pieces come together, there's little doubt that Google is quietly providing Web-based versions of the Office applications upon which Microsoft has built an empire.

Is this new spreadsheet a serious challenge to Microsoft? Probably not. After all, the major users of spreadsheets are companies and organizations. And do you think they would store their spreadsheet data on a publicly-accessed server owned by a company that they have no contract with. Also, the Google spreadsheet does not have the in-depth capabilities contained in Excel, according to reviewers.

Google just keeps on innovating so it will be interesting to watch their growth in the office arena.

Flying with Wi-Fi

If you fly a lot on commercial airliners, you may welcome this news: In-flight Internet access may soon become a reality, thanks to a Colorado company that wants to offer Wi-fi service aloft.

AirCell has announced that it plans to use a newly acquired radio spectrum license to offer "affordable" broadband service aboard commercial airplanes. Formed in 1991, the company already sells satellite-based voice and data services to the general aviation sector, primarily the corporate jet set. The new wi-fi service would begin operations sometime early in 2007.

Just like cafe hot spots, AirCell's idea would let passengers link up any computer or handheld using the 802.11b or 802.11g wireless standards while in the air. The network would work by channeling communications from at least one miniature cell site, called a "picocell,"on the plane to special cell sites on the ground.

AirCell's plan would not conflict with a federal ban on in-flight cell phone use because the proposed network operates at a different frequency than that which could pose interference threats to aircraft navigational systems, according to a Federal Communications Commission official. But offering Wi-fi service also means that air travelers could use voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and applications like Skype to make voice calls, a development sure to make fellow travelers more than a little angry.

Frontier Airlines, which ranks 11th or 12th in size among carriers, is definitely considering a Wi-Fi network for its next phase of in-flight entertainment, but it would likely block VoIP conversations and continue to prohibit cell phone calls. At the moment, AirCell has no other takers in sight.

Precisely how much the company will charge consumers remains unclear. The company says it would aim for a price "well below what one has seen historically in these premium aviation services" in hopes of luring not only business travelers but also the general public.

Big Changes in My Professional Life

(Warning...the following is a shameless self promotion)

Surprise...I am opening a new photo studio and art gallery here in Ephrata. My business has expanded enough that the change was necessary. It has all come together very quickly as a good opportunity presented itself unexpectedly and I went for it.

My new place is located at 256 Basin St NW, next door to the Gourmet Kitchen Store and across the street from the Bamboo Shoot Chinese Restaurant and the Country Deli. I like the location and the park-like setting in front of the store...and I have a great landlord, Ed Forester.

There are two distinct aspects to my business. First, my photo studio is headquarters for my professional photography business which includes wedding and event photography, portraits, and commercial photography. It is also where I create my new digitial paintings for display (and sale) in art galleries and, of course, at art shows around the west coast.

The second part of the business is an art gallery. Here, I will not only display some of my own works, but also quality artworks of other reknown artists from around the country. In my travels, I have met and become friends with many great artists. I have spoken with several of the them and all have agreed to show their works in my gallery.

I plan to run the gallery (however small it may currently be) the same way other quality art galleries are run...by picking and choosing the works to be displayed and changing them out on a regular basis. There will be specific themes selected for each display as well as a featured artist. I am excited about all this and have big plans to help make it a sucess. I want this gallery to be a nice addition to the expanding cultural scene that is unfolding in our area.

When does all this take place? Actually, I have already moved in. All my photographic, printing, and production equipment is mostly in place, although I have as yet done nothing about the gallery. Balancing my current art show schedule with my studio/gallery hours will be tricky for a while, but I will be open on a regular basis, depending on my travel schedule. I will post my hours every week.

Next weekend is Ephrata's Sage 'n Sun event. While I will be gone on Thursday and Friday for our daughter Aimee's college graduation, I will return early Saturday morning and set up a tent in front of my studio/gallery in time for the big event. This will be my announcement to the folks here in the area that I am open for business. I hope you will stop by and say hello.

Searching for Alien Life Forms

Now, there are two ways in which you and your computer can help in the search for alien life from the comfort of your own home. The first way is to join the long-running SETI@home project that lets computer users sift through cosmic data for signs of intelligence. This project has been ongoing for several years and works by downloading and analyzing recorded data when you are not using your computer.

The second and newest method for finding aliens is the brainchild of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who announced plans to install hundreds of video surveillance cameras, equipped with night vision, along the border with Mexico. The cameras, to be located on the land of cooperating private property owners, will be in "very far reaches where it's hard to get to, where there are very few roads in but we know there is criminal activity, drug dealing and human trafficking," Perry said.

The camera feeds will be available on the Internet, where anyone with a computer will be able to put in a shift watching the scrub brush along the Rio Grande for illegal immigrants, with their fingers poised to dial the toll-free reporting number. The first cameras will begin operation in 30 days. Some will use wide-angle lenses, and all will be positioned so they won't reveal specific geographic landmarks.

The $5 million "virtual border watch program" is part of a much larger initiative he unveiled last week. The state will allocate another $20 million to expand "Operation Rio Grande," a program that began in February that sought to better coordinate local, state and federal agencies on the border, but also increased the presence of state law enforcement officers - among them DPS "strike" teams that quickly react to hot spots.

"I look at this as no different than the neighborhood watches that we've had in our communities for years and years," said Perry. Which makes you wonder what kind of neighborhood he lives in.

Feds Want to Keep Tabs of Our On-Line Activities

A Bush administration plan to keep tabs on Web users' surfing habits took a radical turn, worrying tech companies and Web surfers alike. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says he wants to require that Internet service providers to save records of their customers' online activities because it is necessary in the fight against terrorism. Gonzales and FBI Director Robert Mueller privately met with representatives of AOL, Comcast, Google, Microsoft and Verizon last week and said that Internet providers (and possibly even search engines) must retain data for two years to aid in antiterrorism prosecutions.

If the feds adopt the approach used by the European Union, Internet companies would be required to save logs showing the identities of e-mail and, perhaps, instant messaging correspondents in addition to data about which customer was assigned which Internet address.

If data retention becomes viewed primarily as an antiterrorism measure, recent legal and political spats could complicate the Justice Department's efforts to make it standard practice. Previously, Gonzales' had emphasized only how mandatory data retention would help thwart child exploitation. This expansion of the role of data retention has many companies and individuals expressing deep concern over legal issues and the right to privacy.

ISPs and telecommunications companies expressed concern about the feasibility of recording Americans' online activities.

"We have real reservations about data retention requirements because of the security and privacy risks attached to it," said Mark Uncapher, senior vice president of the Information Technology Association of America.

After recent reports that AT&T has opened its databases to the National Security Agency, Internet and telecommunications executives have become skittish about appearing to be cooperating too closely with the federal government's surveillance efforts.

The details of the Justice Department's proposal remain unclear at the present time. One possibility is requiring Internet providers to record the Internet addresses that their customers are temporarily assigned. A more extensive mandate would require them to keep track of the identities of Americans' e-mail and instant messaging correspondents and save the logs of Internet phone calls.

Expect to hear much more about this story in the very near future. Privacy and civil rights groups will be weighing in heavily on this issue, you can be sure. History is replete with examples of civil rights being reduced in the name of national security. But, at the same time, terrorism is a major threat to our country and our way of life and we do need the tools to not only go after terrorists after an act of terrorism, but to prevent possible future attacks before they happen. It is a difficult balancing act.

But, quite frankly, most proposals by the Bush Administration these days seem to set off my warning bells.