You can run....but you can't hide.

One of the main things I value is my privacy. What is scary is the thought that privacy is almost non-existent now. Chances are if you have a smart phone, it is very easy to track where you are via the phone's GPS. Newer iPhones and iPads have technology that time stamp the location of their owners. The records can be found, unencrypted, on the owners personal computer. Feels like big brother is watching you right? This information can be made public. Imagine, something is keeping tabs on you. It could even be used against you in the workplace, your personal life, or even in court. The real question we must keep in mind is whether technology is moving too fast for us to keep up with it and when is enough enough? As privacy policies change rapidly, confusing the readers so they'll just accept them, we are being lured into a trap where nothing we do is ever private. Anything we say or do on the web is public and never goes away. The internet is not pencil, it's permanent ink on indestructible paper. It is the cockroach of species. Once it's online, it's done. We may believe we are anonymous online, but that's never the case.

Schemin' Apple(s)

Apple is facing a federal class-action lawsuit claiming that it is complicit in a scheme to get kids to buy things within apps (such as level-ups and game credits). These level ups and game credits are being promoted in games that are promoted to kids as being free. The reason this is so successful is because of how addictive the games are and how currency that can be bought with real money can help you advance in the game rather quickly. The Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into the matter. Apple has started to add warnings to games about in-app charges, but that's only half the battle. Parents need to control what their kids are doing online. They can't wait until the charges show up on a credit card bill to know what their kids have been up to. In this case I believe that Apple should not be held accountable. Many other companies use the "game credits" and "level-ups" tactics to try to get people to spend money on their games. It is simply a matter of parents controlling their children and not allowing them access to a credit card when they're online.

Other websites can be addictive as well. Personal experience....I was addicted to Ebay for a while. When I turned sixteen my parents gave me my own card with access to some of my accounts. I took this as an opportunity to do a bit of online shopping. It got to the point where I had spent a large amount of money on seemingly worthless items. Was it ebay's fault? NO. It was mine. I did not use my card properly and my parents had given me too much freedom with it before I was ready. That's why I believe Apple is not to blame. You can't always put the blame on a big corporation for something that is your fault as a parent.

Honeycomb: Sweet Competition for Apple

      For a while now Apple has ruled over the technology kingdom. With it's infamous iPhone, iMacs being used in schools and MacBooks being the most popular computer among students, it is hard to see where other companies can compete. Google has decided to challenge Apple's iPad. Powered by Android technology, it too has a lot of cool apps. It has a 3D visual rendering system, updated video and music capabilities, as well as a home screen that allows widgets. Widgets provide real-time information that are convenient for the users (they don't have to open an app to know what's going on). The notifications aren't as distracting as the ones the iPad has, which makes the Honeycomb more user-friendly.
     Will Android technology beat Apple? Google has been a strong competitor and Apple has been slow to release the next big thing. Maybe it's just our society's blase attitude. We are never impressed unless something is truly innovative. Personally, I will not be purchasing an iPad or a Honeycomb. There will be always be something newer and more cutting edge, so it seems like a waste of money to me. Laptops serve the same purpose as these tablets. Need I remind us all of the netbook craze? They're just smaller laptops with less memory space...and internet can be reached from other devices. Mindless waste of money? I think so. Our society encourages competition, after all one company making all our gadgets just would not be right. So I leave you with this: Who's the new king in our technology kingdom?