How secure is your Smartphone?

Technology's security is always a problem. Besides the government's track, we are not safe regrading on our personal information. Everything happened online will be recorded and it's hard to find a way to skip the tracking and information steal. As Apple release its new iPad Air, have you ever think that when you check your back account or shopping online, your PIN number will be recorded?

According to the tech news I found today, researchers have found a way to figure out what personal identification number, or PIN, someone is typing into their smart phone by using the device's built-in cameras and microphones to secretly record them.

Our life is becoming so easy with our smartphones, but easy sometimes means dangerous. It handing an increasing amount of sensitive and personal financial information, including banking account, payment apps, online transfers, and other full-featured mobile wallets, such as Apple's passbook. Maybe this convenience create opportunities for cybercriminals.

So what should we do to protect ourself? Security researchers have warned that criminals could use other phone sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope to puzzle out what someone is typing. Apps or electronic wallets like Trustzone take control of and disable all the available sensors when entering a secure mode. Another suggestion includes randomizing where the numbers appear on the screen.

Tweet a coffee, how good is that?

Internet marketing is magic because it can be used in countless ways. Few days ago,Starbucks announced that they are now offering gifts cards that can be sent via Twitter. Starbucks said customers right now can "tweet a coffee" to their friends so long as if they have accounts on both Twitter and Starbucks.

How does it work? The coffee chain said customers can Tweet a $5 gift card that the recipient can redeem by either printing it out or showing it to a Starbucks barista on a mobile device.Starbucks said it hopes customers will develop the habit of "spontaneously" eGifting each other.The Starbucks venture is probably similar to Square Cash, the app created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey that allows you to email money to a friend or family member just by including the amount in the subject line.

With the cooperation with Twitter, Starbucks might be the first retailer to do this in e-commerce industry. After initialing the gift cards, Starbucks move it into gift cards app so that customers can use their smartphone to pay their coffee, and now customers can use only a tweet to grab a cup of coffee. I really like this idea and Starbucks really make this brand not only the coffee, but a life style. Sharing and gifting make people get closer and life convenience. The business is more like a sweet spot.

DNT, YES OR NO?

Does Not Track right now is popular and introduced by almost all the web browser companies. But does it really work? How many people really care and use it in their computer? How do those online advertisers flight with it?

Do Not Track means we do not want our online records or visit history be tracked or recorded. Many web browsers have introduced this function, such as IE, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. As described in the article of privacy activists face off with the online ad industry, congress introduced the Do Not Track Online Act on 2011, which inspired by the success of the national Do Not Call registry. But the truth is in the nearly two years since the legislation was introduced, not much has changed. While there might be broad agreement about how Do Not Track should be implemented, there is no consensus on what those who receive the header should (not) be required to do.

Personally I have heard about the DNT function, but I have never used it before. Right now I am using Explorer and Chrome on my laptop I do not use DNT on both of them. Yes I might sometimes feel those ads are creepy or ignoring, but I do not feel they are disturbing my life. Sometimes I even want to see some ads so that I know what those companies would recommend to me their new products. Those ads let me feel that I am on the track and I know all the new technologies which will make my life easier. I do not mind they recommend me things I might interest in because I have shopped on their websites before, but if they remember my web surfing record that will be too much. So right now even I have known more about the DNT, I still do not want to install it on either of my web browsers.