Magazine Knows Where You Live
If you subscribe to Reason magazine, in June you received an issue whose front cover included a satellite photo of your home, along with your name in large print next to the caption: They Know Where You Are! In the magazine's feature article on databases and the storage of your private information, the writer discusses the pros and cons of having your personal information readily available on the Internet. From supermarket discount cards to which governments protect which information, from opt-in laws to the Privacy Act, this article covers many aspects of the privacy versus convenience argument.

Fingerprints May Prevent File Sharing
The Recording Industry Association of America is considering using fingerprint technology on wireless MP3 players to prevent people from sharing downloaded music. How useful is this technology? See the related article, Gummi bears defeat fingerprint sensors.

Europe to Give Passenger Info to U.S.
Though the European Parliament disagreed, the European Commission has agreed to provide the United States with passenger information of those entering the U.S. by airplane. The only thing standing in the way of the U.S. getting this information now is the cost of transferring it.

Consumers File Suit Against Cell Phone "Locking"
On Monday the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights filed suit against T-Mobile, Cingular, and AT&T Wireless. The issue was cell phone "locking", or installing software on cell phones to prevent consumers from switching cell phone providers. If a cell phone user switches their service, the phone becomes inoperable and the customer must buy a new phone. The cell phone companies say this practice is meant to subsidize handset cost and that the FCC has agreed to this practice is legal and promotes competition.

Wireless Technology Used to Herd Cattle
Electrical shocks and sounds coming from an invisible, movable fence could be the future for cow herders. A group of roboticists from the University of New Hampshire are testing the use of GPS systems and wireless networking to allow a farmer to herd his cattle from his laptop. The virtual fence would allow farmers to change the locations of cow grazing areas, and possibly monitor cows' health by using a combination of cow collars and herding techniques.

Credit Card Scam Has Buyers Unknowingly Stealing Merchandise
In a recent online scam, people who won Ebay auctions received merchandise directly from amazon.com. The amazon items were posted on Ebay by a person or group who had stolen credit card numbers. When someone won the auction, the scammers purchased the item as a gift from amazon.com using a stolen credit card and got cash from the auction winner. The auctions were generally one day long and the text of the auction was taken directly from amazon's site. Police have not yet found the culprits.

Pop-Ups Still Prevail
The number of pop-up ads has more than doubled in recent years, even though an estimated 30 percent of the Internet's users have pop-up blocking software installed on their PCs. Microsoft will be adding pop-up blocking to Internet Explorer in a coming Windows XP update, though critics believe programmers will still find workarounds. Pop-up ads generate more click-throughs than any other type of Internet ad, according to DoubleClick, an online marketing company.

How to Use Voice over IP (VoIP)

You may have heard of VoIP but haven't yet had the chance to use it. Or you may have used it (have you ever used NetMeeting?) and didn't realize it.

While the technology is a cheaper way to make phone calls (especially internationally), the quality won't beat that of your home or even your cell phone. The quality is improving but still has some catching up to do. And though VoIP has generally been used by corporations, it's slowly becoming more accessible to the general public.

You can use VoIP to call between two computers, or you can use it for calling between a computer and a mobile or other landline phone. To call between PCs, try NetMeeting, Net2Phone, or DialPad. To call from a PC to a phone, try Dialpad, < href="http://www.go2call.com/">Go2Call, Net2Phone, or iConnectHere. You'll need a headset with a microphone; you can try using your computer's built-in microphone but you'll probably notice a difference in quality.

Open Windows Explorer to a Different Default Directory
When you open Windows Explorer (by choosing the Window key and "E" simultaneously or by choosing Start, all Programs, Accessories, Windows Explorer), you can change the directory that appears by default. If you choose Start, all Programs, Accessories, and then right-click on Windows Explorer and choose Properties, you can modify the "Target" directory. To go to your C: drive, type simply C:\ in the Target box and choose OK. You can also enter a shortcut key on this screen, telling Windows the character or combination of characters you want to type to automatically open Windows Explorer. You can even change the icon or specify that you always want Explorer to open up in full-screen mode.

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If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this newsletter, email suzanne@surfsecret.com.