Your Banking App May Be Putting Your Money At Risk

With several recent high profile data breaches making big headlines more and more consumers are questioning the security of not only the retailers they use but the websites they shop and apps the use on their mobile device. We often fall victim to a false sense of security believing that official apps are more secure than they really are. Security is undoubtedly very important in every app, of course, but if there is one group of mobile apps that we tend to believe should be secure more secure than any others we use it would probably mobile banking apps. 

Earlier this month security researcher Ariel Sanchez of IOActive published a rather shocking report that indicates that 90% of mobile banking apps from top banks around the world may have serious security vulnerabilities that could potentially compromise sensitive user data. Ariel Sanchez took a close hard look at mobile banking apps for the iPhone and iPad from 40 of the 60 top banks in the world and discovered serious security flaws in almost all of them. Here is a small sampling of his discoveries:

• “A few apps (less than 20%) did not have Position Independent Executable (PIE) and Stack Smashing Protection enabled. This could help to mitigate the risk of memory corruption attacks.”
• “40% of the audited apps did not validate the authenticity of SSL certificates presented. This makes them susceptible to Man in The Middle (MiTM) attacks.”
• “50% of the apps are vulnerable to JavaScript injections via insecure UIWebView implementations. In some cases, the native iOS functionality was exposed, allowing actions such as sending SMS or emails from the victim’s device.”
• “90% [of the apps] contained several non-SSL links throughout the application. This allows an attacker to intercept the traffic and inject arbitrary JavaScript/HTML code in an attempt to create a fake login prompt or similar scam.”

This incredibly troubling study should open the eyes of the consumer as it lifts the veil on that false sense of security that we all have. The research brings to light a few very serious problems for the banking industry — and for consumers that utilize these apps — that will only become more severe over time as mobile banking app usage grows. Sanchez notes in his report that the various security vulnerabilities he identified could allow malicious hackers to intercept sensitive data, install malware or even seize control of a victim’s device handing over full account access and control.

“Home banking apps that have been adapted for mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, have created a significant security challenge for worldwide financial firms,” Sanchez stated in his conclusion. “As this research shows, financial industries should increase the security standards they use for their mobile home banking solutions.”

Intel To Dish Out $1.3 Million To Inventors Who 'Make It Wearable'

Intel is making a major leap into the 'wearable computing' market and they are looking for developers to help them make it happen. In his CES keynote address, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich issued a challenge to the smartest and most creative minds to participate in the Intel "Make It Wearable" challenge (PDF).

Intel will award $1.3 million in cash awards to winners and will connect contenders with industry luminaries to help realize their ideas. Winners will create wearable devices that will help computing evolve to become ever more personal and connected. The inventors are encouraged to consider areas of importance for the proliferation of wearable devices and ubiquitous computing, such as meaningful usages, aesthetics, battery life, security and privacy.

 Guidelines for submissions are as follows:

• The challenge will begin in summer 2014 and is open to individuals in selected countries to submit ideas via a website (makeit.intel.com) for new wearable products. 
• Winners will be announced by January 2015 
• The grand prize winner will receive US$500,000. The second and third place winners will receive $200,000 and S$100,000, respectively.
• The ten finalists will receive $50,000 to help get their ideas off the ground Each will be provided with more than 70 hours of intensive mentoring over two months
•  The product must be based on Intel technology and be a sensor or computing device that is attached, embedded or worn on the body. 
• Categories include fashion, wellness, social, education, environment, security and healthcare. 
• Judges and mentors will be luminaries in various fields related to wearables such as technology, entrepreneurship and design. 

Visit makeit.intel.com for more details, additional eligibility requirements and official rules, to be posted before submission opening.

Holiday Gift Guide: Fellowes Powershred 73Ci Review

Still looking for those end of the year gifts, or perhaps a little extra something to start the New Year with some safety and security. Earlier this month we introduced our readers to the new Fellowes Powershred 73Ci. Here are our thoughts and opinions after putting the cross cut shredder through its paces.

Here are some of the features:

• 100% Jam Proof System that eliminates paper jams and powers through tough jobs
• Proprietary Energy Savings System which maximizes shredder energy savings 100% of the time – both in use and out of use
• Capacitive touch screen controls
• Heavy-duty Cross-Cut blades that destroy a single sheet of paper into 397 particles, making it nearly impossible to piece back together yet tough enough to cut through credit cards, paper clips, staples, and CD/DVDs

The first thing you'll notice after grabbing and opening the box is that this shredder is a monster. Thanks to its heavy-duty motor it carries a little more weight than you'd really expect. Don't let that stop you though, it comes equipped with wheeled waste bin that allows you to easily maneuver the machine around the office and makes waste collecting a snap. Inside the box are the shredder, waste bin, machine oil for the gears, four metal swivel casters (which will need to be attached), recyclable bags, and an instruction manual with basic usage details.

The setup is pretty straight forward. Start by attaching the casters, which fit snugly onto the bottom of the bin, and snap in so there’s no need tool. Of course, you can also leave the wheels off, but as mentioned this thing is rather heavy so the casters make it easier to maneuver.

Once the casters and bin are in place, hoist the beefy top onto the bin and that is it, you are now ready to shred. Just flip the power switch on the back and plug the unit into any AC outlet. The front touch panel comes alive as blue LEDs show off the power button, forward and reverse keys. To start shredding, all you have to do is just insert some paper straight in and let go. This thing is rather powerful and can chew through stacks of paper in no time.

In our testing we tested the claims that it could shred up to twelve sheets of paper, we even tossed a few DVDs and Credit Cards at it. The motor seems to have a couple stages, when shredding a light load is seems to run slow and quiet and then a second stage kicks in when shredding heavier loads. Running a DVD through doesn't seem to slow it down at all. Though we did noticed a bit of a slow when processing several sheets of fairly dense paper, but it never jammed up.

The Powershred 73Ci is equipped with SafeSense Technology, which stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening. However, the intake area has a sloped recession and is rather deep, so it seems really unlikely that the feature would ever be put to the test, even by a child.

My final thoughts and opinion

Keeping personal information safe these days is a must! We see reports almost daily about how prevalent ID Theft is. For anyone looking to step up their protect, either at home or at the office Powershred 73Ci is a powerful option. I personally like the fact that I can shred optical disks and Credit Cards with a breeze. I know in my own life I've all to often forgot how much personal information or pictures a DVD might contain. So adding that extra level of protection is a necessity for me these days.


The 73Ci is available at office superstores and their online counterparts for a suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information on keeping your personal identification secure this holiday season be sure to follow @FellowesInc and hashtag #IDSafetySeason


This post was created in partnership with Fellowes. All opinions are my own.

Microsoft Offering 12 Months of Premium Skype Features For Free

In celebration of this month's launch of the Skype Collaboration Project Microsoft is running a new promotion that is will offer Skype users free group calls, free group screen sharing, no advertising and access to live customer support, for free. All of these features are typically reserved for premium account holders but by singing up now you can get them free for 12 months.

The Skype Collaboration Project, was launched as an online destination that focuses on the intersection between technology and creative industries. The projects goal is to shine a spotlight on creative talent, including celebrated British fashion designer Victoria Beckham. With The Skype Collaboration Project, Skype wants to inspire emerging creative talent in four ways:

• Using technology to bring innovative ideas and products to life
•  Channeling passion and entrepreneurial spirit into success
• Shaping inspiration into reality through the power of collaboration
• Exhibiting the incredible craft from artisans around the globe
• As part of the project, The Skype Conversation Series, will offer students, fashion fans and creatives exclusive access to the innovators, experts and fashion insiders at the heart of industry.

To signup for the 12 month offering simply visit the Skype Collaboration offer page, enter a valid email address, yes it must be a valid email as they will send a code to your inbox, and you are done. The offer must be redeemed on or before 30th April 2014 and commences on the redemption date. Skype account required and subscription may only be redeemed in respect of one Skype account. Skype's Terms of Use apply. To redeem your code, click here.

Google Zeitgeist 2013 Report

As the year draws to an end, Google this week has revealed its top 10 global trending searches of 2013. Sprinkled amongst the top searches are two rather surprising terms (when compared to the rest of the searches). Apple's iPhone 5S, which made it to the number 3 spot and Samsung's Galaxy S4 which made it to number 8.

Technology aside, the rest of Google's top 10 global trending searches for 2013 has both sad and bright parts. The first two places belong to people who have passed away recently: Nelson Mandela, former South African president, Nobel Peace Prize winner and social activist, and Paul Walker, the actor who gained international fame thanks to his role in the Fast and the Furious series.

The 13th annual Google Zeitgeist lists, which were released on Tuesday, are meant to provide a “sign of the times” as a barometer of global interests on the Internet’s largest search engine.

Here are some of the top results:

Top Trending Searches 2013

1. Paul Walker
2. Boston Marathon Bombing
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Cory Monteith
5. iPhone 5s
6. Government Shutdown
7. James Gandolfini
8. Harlem Shake
9. Royal Baby
10. Adrian Peterson

Trending People 2013

1. Paul Walker
2. Cory Monteith
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Aaron Hernandez
5. Adrian Peterson
6. Miley Cyrus
7. James Gandolfini
8. Paula Deen
9. Mindy McCready
10. Trayvon Martin

U.S. Trending Events 2013

1. Boston Marathon
2. Government Shutdown
3. VMAs
4. Moore, Oklahoma Tornado
5. Royal Baby
6. Zimmerman Trial
7. Typhoon Haiyan
8. New Pope
9. Syria Conflict
10. Mayweather vs. Canelo

Trending TV Shows 2013

1. Breaking Bad
2. Game of Thrones
3. Orange Is the New Black
4. Scandal
. House of Cards
6. Downton Abbey
7. Suits
8. NCIS
9. Dexter
10. New Girl

Most-Searched TV Shows 2013

1. Breaking Bad
2. Duck Dynasty
3. Big Bang Theory
4. Good Morning America
5. South Park
6. True Blood
7. Big Brother 15
8. New Girl
9. Castle
10. Attack on Titan


For more on this years list checkout the Official Google Blog.

SteamOS Beta Now Available For Download

Valve’s new SteamOS software is now available to download for consumers and manufacturers, but Valve has issued the warnign that this new operating system is an early beta release only suitable for those that are very experienced with Linux and are comfortable with testing true beta software. Valve has flicked the switch on the availability of SteamOS for the benefit of the 300 beta testers who are receiving their units this weekend.

Initially designed to allow users to run PC based Steam games on their television sets the new SteamOS also features a basic Linux based desktop mode that can run regular Linux applications. The hardware requirements for this 1.0 release are a 64-bit Intel/AMD CPU, 4GB or more of memory, 500GB+ hard disk space, UEFI boot support, at least one USB port for installation and Nvidia-based graphics.

The software is not meant to be instlled on a main PC, and for now is not meant to be used in a dual boot situation as the current installation procedure will erase everything currently on your machine. The installer weighs in at a hefty 960MB and you can get at it through the links in the Steam Database announcement. If you are brave enough to test it out I'd suggestion reading the ArsTechnica walkthrough on installing the OS to your system.

The Linux-based SteamOS was unveiled to the world back in September, with Valve promising an operating system for the TV and the living room. Steam Machines packaged together with the fully finished SteamOS are due to go on sale at some point during 2014. For more details checkout the Official SteamOS Site and Official SteamOS FAQ

MetLife Seeking To Become A Technology Leader With New Tech Hub In North Carolina's Research Triangle

Earlier this year, MetLife, Inc., a leading global life insurance and employee benefits company, announced that it is breaking ground in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area for a new best-in-class global technology hub.

Located in Cary, N.C., the new hub will house the infrastructure that enables MetLife to deliver world-class service to its customers. MetLife’s entry into the Research Triangle area, coupled with its new U.S. retail headquarters in Charlotte, represents a $125.5 million investment in North Carolina. This is on top of the $1.2 billion in insurance funds that MetLife has invested in North Carolina housing, agriculture, commercial real estate, health care and utilities.

The opening of MetLife's new campus in Cary, North Carolina means a lot of new job growth and opportunity for Raleigh. They are currently breaking on a state of the art campus that is slated to open in 2015. MetLife intends to create 2,600 jobs with the new technology solutions center, which will provide one of the largest jobs creation institutions in North Carolina's recent history. Over the coming months more than 1,000 positions will open across various functions including engineering, development, app maintenance, IT risk and security and tech support.

MetLife is targeting LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold certification or higher for the state-of-the-art workplace, which will feature an environment designed to facilitate collaboration and innovation. The campus will consist of 427,000 square feet in two 213,500 square foot office buildings with structured parking. The buildings will be situated on 26.5 acres fronting the 520-acre Lake Crabtree, which is adjacent to I-40 and the nearby Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In addition, the campus will feature sprawling outside space including a great lawn, amphitheater, patio and places to engage in activities such as basketball and volleyball.

For more information about MetLife GTO, including job opportunities, visit www.metlifegto.com and be sure to follow MetLife GTO viaTwitter @ML_TechandOps

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Metlife GTO. This could include MetLife Global Technology and Operations group providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Keep Personal Information Safe This Holiday Season With The Fellowes Powershred 73Ci Cross Cut Shredder

The holiday season is here and the last thing most of us want to do is worry about our personal and financial information slipping into the wrong hands. Often times in the rush to get shopping done, presents wrapped or taking care of the other details we overlook one important item. Those pesky credit card receipts, bills and other materials that identity thieve would love to get their hands on.

According to Javelin Strategy & Research, there was one incident of ID fraud every three seconds in 2012. The holiday season is an especially dangerous time of year for this crime as consumers are distracted and sharing their confidential information frequently. One of the best ways to avoid such hazards is to shred your personal documents, statements and other bills.

But what do you do with those other personal items such as those left over photo CD/DVDs you might have made, or those expired credit cards? Did you know with the right shredder you can shred those as well?

For those geeks out there looking for that perfect shredder to add to their #HolidayGiftGuides checkout the Fellowes Powershred 73Ci Cross Cut Shredder. This beast of a machine is packed with features that are perfect for the gadget loving geek, home office user or just about anyone that is looking to make sure all their personal information is safely shredded.


Features include: 100% Jam Proof System that eliminates paper jams and powers through tough jobs, SafeSense Technology which automatically stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening and Heavy-duty Cross-Cut blades that destroy a up to 12 sheets of paper into 397 particles or cut through credit cards, paper clips, staples, and CD/DVD.

The 73Ci is available at office superstores and their online counterparts for a suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information on keep your personal identification secure this holiday season be sure to follows @FellowesInc and hashtag #IDSafetySeason


This post was created in partnership with Fellowes. All opinions are my own.

Microsoft Warns: Xbox One Backwards Compatability Hoax Will Brick Your Systems

We've all heard the old adage, "If it sounds too good to be true it usually is." Well it appears that rings true in the case of a forum post that has been making big promises about Microsoft’s Xbox One. The post details an option that allows users gain backwards compatibility (capable of playing Xbox 360 games) by going into the system and enabling developer tools.

Micrsoft has warned that this, hack or hoax as it now appears, simply isn’t true, and playing around with those tools could render your system bricked.

Microsft’s Larry “Major Nelson” Hyrb tweets:

“To be clear there is no way to make your Xbox One backwards compatible & performing steps to attempt this could make your console inoperable.”

Neither the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4 are backwards-compatible and cannot be used to play previous generation games, no matter how much tweaking or reconfiguring you might attempt. The six-step tutorial passed around Facebook and Twitter actually opens the Developer Mode of the Xbox One and fixes it in a constant reboot cycle.

The origin of the prank isn’t clear, but the tutorial image proudly announces that “Xbox 360 games will now be playable on your console.” Microsoft intionally left the deloper options open so that anyone with the desire to become a developer can eventually be granted access to the developer tools on Microsoft’s new games console. Once the feature is ready to go live Microsoft will allow delopers the option to turn their current consoles into a developer unit without paying out extra for hardware — all that will be required when the feature goes live is a license fee and authorization code.

NORAD Santa Tracker Now Online, Now Offers 3D and Touch Support

With Christmas right around the corner it is that time of year gain when the North American Aerospace Defense Command (“NORAD”)launches their famous Santa Tacker. A website which allows children around the world to tack Santa's journey around the globe. Since 1955, children of all ages have tracked his route with the help of NORAD’s radar, satellites and jet fighters. This year, Microsoft has lent a hand to make the experience the most magical yet, putting a fresh spin on the time-honored tradition with the launch of the new www.NORADSanta.org website.

The new website now offers children more than just a way to track Santa on Dec. 24. It lets you immerse yourself in the holiday throughout the month of December. With a nostalgic, 3D Claymation look and feel, the new site features a recreation of Santa’s village that you can explore to discover new games daily, music, videos and more.

The new site is fully touch-enabled, which makes for a truly immersive experience, if you are using a touch device. On Dec. 24, a touch-enabled 3-D globe will light up as Santa begins his journey worldwide. With a modern browser you will be able to spin the globe with a swipe of a finger and pinch and zoom to get an in-depth look at Santa’s stops.Whether you’re mapping Santa’s route in a browser on a computer or in an app, you’ll see beautiful, high-fidelity images. Bing Maps is the canvas on which Santa’s journey is plotted. 

Amazon Appstore Offering Free Android Games This Weekend

As part of the company's Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend promotion, Amazon has announced that its Appstore for Android will be giving away a selection of top Android games this weekend. The "Ultimate Game Collection" promotion which runs from today, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 1 will include free paid versions of Sonic the Hedgehog, Angry Birds Space Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run and Fruit Ninja. Here's a breakdown of the sales on Amazon.com:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run (was $3.99)
• Battle Bears Fortress (was $1.99)
• Quell (was $0.99)
• Angry Birds Space HD (Kindle Tablet Edition) (was $2.99)
• Bloons TD 5 (was $2.99)
• Sonic The Hedgehog (was $2.99)
• Hambo (was $0.99)
• Angry Birds Space (Ad-Free) (was $0.99)
• Fruit Ninja (was $0.99)

In addition to the Ultimate Game Collection, Amazon will continue to offer their free app of the day as well as several other hot deals through Cyber-Monday.

FBI Reminds Holiday Shoppers To Beware Of Online Scams

With holiday shopping in full swing and many of you out there looking online for the best deals possible, the FBI has issued a series of reminders to online shoppers to beware of scams and to use their common sense when making purchases, visiting websites and opening emails.

“ Scammers use many techniques to fool potential victims, including fraudulent auction sales, reshipping merchandise purchased with a stolen credit card, sale of fraudulent or stolen gift cards through auction sites at discounted prices, and phishing e-mails advertising brand name merchandise for bargain prices or e-mails promoting the sale of merchandise that ends up being a counterfeit product,” the FBI states.

Here are some tips the FBI has shared that you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Always run a virus scan on attachment before opening.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• Always compare the link in the e-mail to the web address link you are directed to and determine if they match.
• Log on directly to the official website for the business identified in the e-mail, instead of "linking" to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.
• Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify that the e-mail is genuine.
• If you are requested to act quickly or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act impulsively.
• If you receive a request for personal information from a business or financial institution, always look up the main contact information for the requesting company on an independent source (phone book, trusted Internet directory, legitimate billing statement, etc.) and use that contact information to verify the legitimacy of the request.
• Remember if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

To receive the latest information about cyber scams, please go to the FBI website and sign up for e-mail alerts by clicking the envelope in the upper right corner of the page. If you have received a scam e-mail, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

Have A Faulty Xbox One? Get A Free Game From Microsoft

Microsoft has already acknowledged that a small portion Xbox One's have a potential problem with the game console's disk drive which causes a 'grinding' sounds when disks are loaded. Anyone affected with the issue will not only have their consoles replaced, but they can get a free game once they’ve reported the error.

“The issue is affecting a very small number of Xbox One customers,” Microsoft told CNET. “We’re working directly with those affected to get a replacement console to them as soon as possible through our advance exchange program. Rest assured, we are taking care of our customers.”

You can get your hands on Forza Motorsport 5, Dead Rising, Ryse or Zoo Tycoon if your console’s disc drive is making unhealthy noises and refusing to play any games. Once you’ve reported the issue to Microsoft, you should get your replacement Xbox One within a matter of days. The free game can be downloaded digitally (and played without using the disc drive).

Microsoft also has promised that affected buyers won't have to wait too long for a replacement.

"Customers have the option for us to send a replacement console right away without waiting until they have returned their old one," Microsoft said. "This means a customer only has to wait a matter of days, rather than weeks to get back up and running."

Microsoft didn't indicate exactly how many people are included in a "very small number."

For those looking to take advantage of the offer, head to the Xbox website, contact @XboxSupport on Twitter or just shout “Xbox Help” at your black box to get assistance from Microsoft.

Update: If your Xbox One is completely unplayable, crash-prone, or suffers from Internet connection or Kinect-related issues, you are not eligible for a free launch title game, Microsoft has confirmed. Because Microsoft is issuing the free game titles as digital copies only the owners of unusable Xbox One units will not be eligible because they cannot play games at all -- let alone download them. "The digital download is only for the folks having issues with their disc drive because we want to ensure our advance exchange customers can stay in the game," a Microsoft representative confirmed.

Google Glass Explorer Program Now Open To Everyone With $1500

Google Glass seems to be the hottest topic in tech these days. The exclusive Explorer program has built a lot of hype and anticipation despite only allowing certain developers, contest winners, and VIPs to the program. Now that privilege of paying $1,500 for a beta version of the hardware is being rolled out to more and more individuals. Just last month, existing Explorers were given the ability to invite three friends to purchase their own set of Glass and now Google is opening the door a little wider allowing anyone to join the waiting list.

As the potential release of Google Glass nears, it appears as though Google is looking to really broaden its beta test. The compnay has very quietly rolled out a page that will allow any US resident willing to plop down the $1500 entrance fee a chance at getting their hands on a pair.

The Glass Explorer Program
The Explorer Program launched earlier this year and is designed for people who want to get involved early and help shape the future of Glass. We’re expanding The Explorer Program little by little, and experimenting with different ways of bringing new Explorers into the program.

If you’re a US resident and are interested in joining, you can sign up here and we’ll let you know if a spot opens up - please note that, while we'd like to invite everyone, we can't guarantee invites right now.

In addition to the open enrollment Google has also announced the addiiton of several new music features for Google Glass. According to their +Google posting the company plans to roll out the new features over the next few weeks. There will be a new voice command option (“Okay Glass, listen to”) so you can access your tracks from +Google Play Music, including the millions of songs on All Access. Also, if you say "Okay Google, what song is this?" the Sound Search feature will analyze a song playing within earshot, and give you the name and artist along with an image of the CD cover.

Alongside the new music offerings will be the introduction of a set of $85 stereo earbuds designed specifically for Glass. They’re lightweight and uniquely engineered to deliver crisp, full-range audio while still letting you hear your surroundings. For the fashionistas out there there will be an option of customizing your buds with five interchangeable color caps.


Want to join the list? Then fill out the Google form here.

Samsung Looks To Inspire People With "Launching People" Campaing

Technology has certainly inspired people to new heights over the years. We've blasted off to the moon, dove deeper into the oceans than ever before and even sent rovers to Mars. With today's advanced technology we can soar to even higher heights and Samsung wants to empower people to do so. Samsung Electronics announced its global “Launching People” campaign, a project committed to unleashing the dreams, passions and potential of individuals around the world with brilliant ideas and technology.

The “Launching People” campaign identifies and invests in the potential of inspiring individuals across the globe. Together with Samsung’s support and access to advanced technology, this potential can be actualized. “We believe that technology only begins to have meaning when you put it in the hands of a human being and when this technology collides with people’s potential, amazing things can happen” said Sue Shim, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung. “Over the next year, we’ll work with people all over the world on new and exciting projects that launch people’s potential with the assistance of technology, helping people not only explore personal passions, but also inspire others.”

Starting with the launch from France in June of 2013, Samsung’s “Launching People” campaign will turn consumers’ dreams, passions and potential into reality in 13 regions in Europe, Latin America and Middle East in 2013, and expects to expand the campaign further in 2014. Samsung will focus on providing consumers the chance to realize their potential by teaming them up with renowned mentors, startup funding and products to help them on their journey.

Samsung will activate programs across the globe over the coming months. Through real consumer stories, Samsung will spread the word about “Launching People” on Samsung.com and across all social media channels, including Facebook and YouTube – promising to invest in not only technology, but in the potential of people everywhere with dreams and passions. For more information on the campaign, visit www.samsung.com/LaunchingPeople.

Aamazon Tax Law Invalidated In New York

The Illinois Supreme Court had decided that a state law requiring online retailers, like Amazon, to collect sales tax if they have in-state Web affiliates violates federal tax regulations putting a discriminatory tax on digital sales. According to the Associated Press the court voted 6-1 to determine that the Illinois' 2011 "Main Street Fairness Act" was superseded by the federal law, which prohibits imposing a tax on "electronic commerce" and obligates collection that's not required of transactions by other means, such as print or television.

Illinois is one of several states that has imposed taxation on click-through-link or what is being called the "Amazon Tax". A legal regulation which required out-of-state retailers to collect state taxes on annual sales of more than $10,000 that involve in-state "affiliates," or website operators and bloggers, that draw consumers to the retailers' sites in exchange for a cut of each sale. Justice Anne Burke, writing for the court's majority, questioned whether there was any substantial difference between out-of-state businesses reaching Illinois consumers through a click-through-nexus approach or through other direct marketing approaches that aren't being taxed.

In her decision Burke wrote, "The click-through link makes it easier for the customer to reach the out-of-state retailer. But the link is not different in kind from advertising using promotional codes that appear, for example, in Illinois newspapers or Illinois radio broadcasts." Justice Lloyd Karmeier dissented, saying the federal law does not apply because the state statute doesn't "impose any new taxes or increase any existing taxes," but rather changes the definition of who's obligated to collect them.

The fight is far from over. The Illinois Department of Revenue, said it's considering asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. Amazon.com did just that in August, when it sought a review of the New York Court of Appeals' March ruling upholding the law there. The Empire State was among the first to argue that a business with "affiliates" within its borders gives the company a physical presence there — a must if a state hopes to collect taxes from it, according to a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Amazon ended its affiliates program in several states including, California, New York and Illinois when the laws were originally adopted bypassing the some of the state requirements.

Facebook and Google Privacy Changes, What You Need To Know!

Earlier this week both Facebook and Google made several changes that will great impact your online ID and privacy. Google by way of a terms of service (TOS) change, and Facebook by means of removing a feature that once allowed users to block who can search their name when using Facebook's search bar.

Google's Shared Endorsements Can Use Your Name And Photos

Through an update to the search giants TOS Google can now share your photos and name if at some point in the past you gave a product or service a +1 on Google plus. The company revealed the changes to its Terms of Service on Friday highlighting the changes. The most important one is that Google clarified how your profile name and photo might appear in "Google products," including display ads. For customers that aren't currently 'opted out' of Google the old Google +1 Personalization settings you will now by default be opted into Shared Endorsements. Which means Google will have full use of your name, profile photo, and a personal endorsement that may appear in Google ads.

For users wishing to opt out you can do so through the Shared Endorsements settings on your Google profile. Google has also pointed users to its Ad Settings tool, for more granular control over what ads you see.

Facebook Search No Longer Blocks Search By Name

Facebook has confirmed it will be removing the "Who can look up your Timeline by name?" feature which was once used to block a users name from the site's search results. As a result any user can now be searched for using Facebook's search bar. In the blog post announcing the move Facebook also mentions the need for users wanting to keep personal details private need to keep an eye on post visibility settings. The new graph search will make more posts more visible making post privacy setting more important to users rather than search visibility.

In the coming weeks, people who are sharing posts publicly on Facebook will soon see a notice reminding them that those posts can be seen by anyone, including people they may not know. The notice reminds people how to change the audience for each post.

To quickly control who can find posts you shared in the past, visit the privacy settings page. With one click, you can limit the audience of posts you’ve shared in the past. This means any posts that were previously shared with Friends of Friends or Public will now be shared just to Friends.

Should These Changes Concern Me?

Anytime your personal privacy is involved you should be greatly concerned. The information collected and now shared via social media sites can be used against you in numerous ways. Either from people looking to do you personal harm, hackers looking to gain access to personal information to send privatized attacks or gain access to your identity or personal accounts, or just businesses looking to exploit the information they receive.

By and large these companies are over stepping their usage of your personal information for their own gains. As evidence of the recent lawsuit Facebook settled for the company's Sponsored Stories, to the tune of $20 million. Google amongst others have been on the end of a growing amount of Federal Trade Commission scrutiny. Clearly someone is taking notice out there and you should too!

Adobe Confirms Data On 2.9 million Customers Stolen In Hack

Adobe Systems confirmed on Thursday that hackers had breached several severs and databases accessing source code to the companies more popular software such as Adobe Acrobat. During the breach the hackers were also able to gain access to full user data, including credit card information on about 2.9 million customers accounts.

Adobe Chief Security Officer Brad Arkin said the company had been investigating the breach since its discovery two weeks ago and that it had no evidence of any attacks based on the theft. "Based on our findings to date, we are not aware of any specific increased risk to customers as a result of this incident," Arkin wrote on an Adobe blog.

Arkin said hackers also took information on 2.9 million Adobe customers, including their names, user identification numbers and encrypted passwords and payment card numbers.

Adobe has said it will be taking the following steps to ensure customers are aware of the attack and to prevent any further intrusions:

• As a precaution, Adobe will be resetting relevant customer passwords to help prevent unauthorized access to Adobe ID accounts. If your user ID and password were involved, you will receive an email notification from us with information on how to change your password. It is also recommended that you change your passwords on any website where you may have used the same user ID and password.

• The company is in the process of notifying customers whose credit or debit card information we believe to be involved in the incident. If your information was involved, you will receive a notification letter directly from Adobe with additional information on steps you can take to help protect yourself against potential misuse of personal information about you. Adobe is also offering customers, whose credit or debit card information was involved, the option of enrolling in a one-year complimentary credit monitoring membership where available.

• The company has worked to notify the banks processing customer payments for Adobe, so that they can work with the payment card companies and card-issuing banks to help protect customers’ accounts.

• Federal law enforcement has been contacted and the company is working closely with them assisting in their investigation.

What the Adobe Hack means to you!

Despite their steps to keep customers safe, this level of security breach should be a major concern for all those that may be impacted. We strongly suggest that anyone that has worked with Adobe's sites in the past immediately change their log-in information. Secondly anyone that has a credit card that could be on file with the company, whether you are contacted directly from Adobe or not, should be diligently monitoring their statements and transactions for any possible misuse. Third, and this can't be stated enough, be on the lookout for fake Adobe emails with malicious links. Often times hackers unassociated with the original breach will use news headlines to create phishing attacks. Sending legitimate looking emails to unsuspecting users trying to dupe them into visiting fake sites with malicious code. Always check those links, emails sources ect and never share any personal information once you are there.

Samsung Lays Best Buy Acquisition Rumors To Rest

Earlier this week rumors surfaced that Samsung may be looking to further its partnership with Best Buy. Perhaps going so far as acquiring a major stake in the company. Today Samsung has laid all those rumors to rest with a blog posting on their Samsung Tomorrow Blog.

The rumors and speculation followed a Korea Times report (which now appears to be offline) Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong said that he “recently met with senior executives at Best Buy and discussed pending business issues.” Analyst firm HMC Securities quickly jumped to conclusions and claimed this includes a proposed investment deal, since it claims Samsung “has been considering increasing subsidies paid to BestBuy.”

Samsung shot that suggestion down in a brief post on its blog:

In the past few days, there have been reports that 'Samsung is considering to acquire stakes in Best Buy'. Please take note that these rumors are not true. There have been no talks whatsoever regarding stock acquisition of either company.

While it now appears that the acquisition rumors may have been false the question still stands as to what the two companies may have been in talks over. Back in April of this year Samsung announced a relationship with Best Buy that resulted in Samsung Experience Shops being installed in over 1,400 Best Buy stores. The newest speculation is leaning towards the two companies looking to build upon that relationship potentially adding in Samsung based shops for other Samsung products such as appliances, TVs, or more.

Samsung 's HomeSync Media Center Set To Debut October 6th for $299

Samsung's HomeSync, which we got our first glimpse of at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, is finally making its way to the US market starting October 6th. The media hub/cloud storage device is a Jelly Bean-powered box that allows you to turn any HDMI equipped television into a "Smart TV" capable of syncing, sharing and streaming content from either the web or a mobile device directly to your TV.

Equipped with 1TB of storage the Samsung HomeSync is more media server than a simple media center. The device can be remotely accessed by Samsung Galaxy devices equipped with Samsung Link, the company's program for connecting and sharing content remotely via network access. That includes the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 8, the 2014 edition of the Galaxy Note 10.1, and Galaxy Camera.

Users with compatible Galaxy devices can store, sync, and stream content directly from their mobile devices to their TVs while at home or on the go. It allows customers to use their Galaxy devices as remote controls to browse content on their TV, and users can mirror the HomeSync screen directly on their Galaxy devices. HomeSync will also feature support for wired or wireless mouse and keyboard, for standalone use as well as easier access to Web browsing, YouTube, apps, games and social networking.

HomeSync will start selling in the US for $299 on Sunday at Best Buy, Amazon and several other retailers. As part of its Galaxy Perks, Samsung said, users can register their HomeSync systems and get $50 to spend on movies and TV shows through Samsung Media Hub.

More details on Samsung's HomeSync