Forbes Archive

  • Identity theft costs rise overall, while costs per victim decline

    Identity theft costs rise overall, while costs per victim decline

    Posted on February 10, 2010 | No Comments
    According to an article at Forbes, identity theft and related fraud were up considerably in 2009 with 11.2 million victims for an estimated cost of $54 billion U.S. dollars. In 2008, just under 10 million people were ripped off as a result of identify theft, for an estimated cost of $48 billion. Interestingly, the cost to individuals as a result of data breaches has declined from $498 in 2008 to only $373 in 2009. Who, then, is picking up the tab for identity theft incidents? Increasingly it's the financial institutions with whom we entrust our money.

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  • The PC is dead, long live the PC!

    The PC is dead, long live the PC!

    Posted on December 15, 2009 | No Comments
    If you've been paying any attention to computing technology for more than a couple of years, chances are strong that you've noticed some trends. The trade rags and industry analysts make their money predicting these trends -- or trying to, at any rate -- but it's pretty easy to see for yourself how many of these trends develop. The hot technology when I was a wee Desktop Technician was thin client computing. Dumb terminals on desks would connect to servers in the back room where all the actual computing would occur. To read the trade rags, you'd think my job security was in danger! Obviously thin client computing didn't completely change the face of computing in general. Nor will many of the other trends being predicted by industry experts.

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  • Give it a Ponder: OK, LG, you win this round

    Give it a Ponder: OK, LG, you win this round

    Posted on December 15, 2009 | No Comments
    LG is trying to get kids to think before they text. Instead of featuring a cartoon frog and his skateboarding friends, they’ve hired James Lipton and his beard to encourage kids to Give It A Ponder before they text. Well played, LG. Well played. The spots feature just about everything you could want in quirky advertising [...]

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  • HTC CEO says he could but won’t make HD2 an Android phone, has to take care of Windows Mobile

    HTC CEO says he could but won’t make HD2 an Android phone, has to take care of Windows Mobile

    Posted on October 29, 2009 | No Comments

    Filed under: , , ,

    In an interview given to Forbes, HTC CEO Peter Chou spoke pretty candidly about the widespread desire for an Android version of the HD2, and says the phone won't be finagled thusly. "Technically, we could make the HD2 an Android phone, but I have to take care of Windows Mobile," said Chou, after which we imagine popped in a stick of Juicy Fruit and didn't offer to share any with the rest of the class. Of course, this doesn't rule out a handset with similar specifications to the HD2, like the Dragon, matching DROID's push toward Android 2.0 and modern hardware, but it seems to imply that at least it won't be called "HD2," and probably won't look much like it either. Chou did admit that Windows Mobile innovation has been "a little slow" and that interest is declining, and says HTC is "working hard on these kinds of products to get excitement about Windows Mobile back." He didn't hold back on Google, however, saying that some of its actions can be "destructive" but that "we've worked with Microsoft for 13 years ... I also believe we can work with Google for a long time."

    [Via SlashGear]

    HTC CEO says he could but won't make HD2 an Android phone, has to take care of Windows Mobile originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Google developing free navigation app?

    Google developing free navigation app?

    Posted on October 27, 2009 | No Comments

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    We already know plenty of people who've eschewed traditional turn-by-turn GPS systems in favor of plotting it out for free on Google Maps, and now there's whispers that Mountain View is coming after the rest of the market with a free nav app. That's at least what nav services providers are saying to Forbes, who think El Goog is gearing up to release a free ad-supported navigation app after making moves to use its own US maps instead licensing data from Tele Atlas and putting ads on the iPhone Maps app. Obviously that would shake things up a ton -- and make Android devices a huge bargain -- but we'll see where this all leads over the next few months.

    [Via Fierce Mobile Content; thanks Elad]

    Google developing free navigation app? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia delays Comes With Music launch in the US

    Nokia delays Comes With Music launch in the US

    Posted on September 1, 2009 | No Comments
    Nokia's Comes With Music service has always intrigued us. For 1 year after you purchase your device, you get an all-you-can-eat pass for Nokia's catalog of over 5 million tracks. Alas, we've yet to get the opportunity to check it out - and it looks like we won't for a while.

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  • Cheating the App Store: PR firm has interns post positive reviews for clients [UPDATED]

    Cheating the App Store: PR firm has interns post positive reviews for clients [UPDATED]

    Posted on August 22, 2009 | No Comments
    When it comes to winning in the App Store, one PR firm has discovered a dynamite strategy: throw ethics out the window. Reverb Communications, a PR firm that represents dozens of game publishers and developers, has managed to find astounding success on Apple’s App Store for its clients. Among its various tactics? It hires a [...]

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  • Sweet, merciful Alan Thicke! The iPhone Bug will attack today!

    Sweet, merciful Alan Thicke! The iPhone Bug will attack today!

    Posted on July 30, 2009 | No Comments
    Put your iPhone in a lead box and step away from it, people. Someone is going to send you a text message with a square in it and then destroy your life a la that one movie with Will Smith in it when he goes into that warehouse and there's some dude in there inside a Faraday cage and he asks "Can they really do that?" or some permutation thereof and the guy in the cage says "Yes they can" or whatever and then they take over his bank account and Will Smith has to run around and solve like a mystery or something and it turns out it was the GOVERNMENT. Seriously!

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  • Flint, MI will hopefully soon get its own biogas facility

    Flint, MI will hopefully soon get its own biogas facility

    Posted on June 16, 2009 | No Comments
    There isn't a spot in the country that has been harder hit by the financial meltdown than Flint, MI. Forbes recently labeled Flint as the city that has the longest road to recovery too. It's bad in the birthplace of General Motors and the financial climate is bad there right now - really bad. I know this first hand. That's where I live. But the city might soon lead the nation with the country's first biogas plant. This plant will be built with the help of Swedish Biogas International and eventually help fuel the city's municipal vehicle fleet, which in turn should save the city millions of dollars. That is, if the plant ever gets built.

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