Posts Tagged ‘smartphone’
Monday, October 19th, 2015
by Dennis Powell, e-Management
Are you more focused on your online or social media world than your in-person communications and interactions? (Photo Credit: blog.doctoroz.com)
Let’s keep it real. Many of us are addicted to e-mail, social media, and all things Internet. If you think you are not obsessed with online technology, think about what life would be like if wireless networks went down and you had to live without your tablets (iPad, Google, Windows, Samsung, etc.) or mobile phones (Android, Blackberry, iPhone, etc.) for a few days. *add horror show music here* 
Sure Internet-enabled technology has its benefits, including quick access to family members, lower cost for long distance communications; portable music, literature, and movies; and instant access to information about virtually any topic. Nevertheless, there are drawbacks. The online world may lead some of us to experience feelings of depression or anxiety. Then there is the fact that everything on the Internet is essentially traceable—leaving users vulnerable to online spies, con artists, or predators.
Tips to Unplug from the Internet, Apps, Games, or Social Media
The capacity for others to see our most intimate online communications is a little too “Big Brother” for my taste. Add to that, online communications can be extremely demanding on your time. So, I got to thinking. Are there ways people can unplug to become better connected to old fashion human interaction? Are they tricks to protect users from Internet surveillance or online predators? So I pulled together this short tip list.
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Try logging off for a weekend: Personally, Monday through Friday is the time I am most connected via mobile phone, text messaging, social media, and the Internet for work and personal use. During the weekends, I have essentially put in place an online moratorium. As a result, my weekends are free from various Internet interruptions and I can spend time with people who are dearest to me. In addition, I discourage the use of tech devices with the exception of the occasional camera phone when I am with my family and friends.
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Try blocking off time away from the Internet, online games, and mobile devices: Think about it, many parents limit their children’s access to television as a way to provide balance in their kids’ lives. Try using the same concept when it comes to your mobile devices and online communications (texting, social media, games, apps). If a weekend is too long for you to be offline, consider establishing a weekly or bi-monthly family and friend’s night out. Turn off the phones and Internet devices and keep them in “airplane” mode so that you are disconnected from the web, and can now focus on meaningful connections with loved ones.
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Learn how to protect your online privacy: ZDNet, an online tech resource, offered up several lines of protection from online spies including getting rid of social media altogether, turning off all GPS-tracking apps, and quit texting. These recommendations may seem draconian; but these simply activities will reduce how much private information you place on the Internet, making you less vulnerable to spies and hackers.
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Create a plan to limit one’s time online: A recent study by Anxiety UK, revealed more than 50% of people surveyed by the organization said they saw their lives change negatively with their increasing online interactions. As it turns out, too much online interaction may lead to online fights; may promote the perception that the user is less capable, attractive, or appealing than others online; and may lead to forms of anxiety. These are compelling reason to limit one’s online time. Try blocking off time for online communications and setting an alarm, which notifies you of when it’s time to “unplug.”
All about Balance
It’s kind of scary when you think about how connected we are to Internet-enabled communications and the impact it can have on our emotions and our very existence. Still, online communication is clearly an enjoyable experience for many of us. So, (1) What tips do you have to maintain a healthy online/offline balance? (2) Does online communication make us more social or anti-social? (3) What are some of the things about mobile devices and their users that drive you crazy?
Tags: Android, , apps, Dennis Powell, , gaming, , iPad, iPhone, Nokia, Ola Sage, Samsung, smartphone, Social Media, tablet, unplugging
Posted in Entertainment, Family, Social Media | 19 Comments »
Five-Finger Discount?
Tuesday, January 6th, 2015
By Dennis Powell, e-Management
More than 3 million smartphones were stolen in 2013 according to Consumer Reports. What are you doing to protect your mobile devices?
Check the Urban Dictionary and you’ll find the phrase “5-finger discount.” The term refers to how stealing requires only one hand or five fingers. Not protecting your smartphone (Windows Phone, iPhone, Android, Blackberry etc.) is essentially allowing cyber predators and real-life thugs to steal your personal information or even your identity. Well, we can all agree that’s not good for anyone. So, we’ve pulled together these…
Five Tips for Protecting Your Smartphone to Counter the 5-Finger Discount
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Curb Your App-etite: Apps can be practical, useful, fun, and convenient. But apps from shady sources can open you and your phone up to enormous risks. Word of advice from the FCC Smartphone Security Checker is to install apps from “trusted sources” only and be sure to “research” before downloading to determine the legitimacy of the app and app maker. An inability to curb your “app-etite” can lead to malicious software, viruses, stolen information, or a non-functioning smartphone. You’ve been warned!
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Install Anti-Virus Software: Apps, games, and other fun downloads are popular with most smartphones users. But it is also important to download at least one antivirus app for added protection. If you are an Android user, check out for reviews of security apps. If you’re an iPhone fan, Security Today has a great article, which lists apps designed to safeguard your favorite iPhone or tablet.
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Make Sure Your Smartphone Opens for Only You: HealthIT.gov offers a few tips for protecting your smartphone. One tip seems like a no brainer: Securing your smartphone by using some method of authentication. Yet, Consumer Reports National Research Center’s 2014 Annual State of the Net Survey shows that only 36% of all smartphone owners use a password, personal identification number, or some other authentication processes to verify the mobile phone user’s identity. Authentication is a simple precaution which locks out potential offline and online threats by requesting a password or some other form of authentication. We strongly recommend it for protection!
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Turn It Off: offers common sense tips for protecting your phone on its website. One that may surprise you is turning off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® when you aren’t using either. Sophisticated hackers can easily connect to your smartphone and steal sensitive information through these connections.
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Insure It: The CTIA-The Wireless Association® recommends that smartphone users consider insuring their mobile devices. Many wireless providers offer affordable insurance plans directly or through a third party vendor. An insurance plan could mean a free replacement of your phone if it is loss or even damaged. Are you clueless when it comes to anything insurance? Well, check out Suzanne Kantra’s Techlicious about how to go about choosing the best plan for you.
More Tips…
There are certainly more than five ways to protect yourself from theft and cyber breaches. For instance, many smartphone users install tracking apps and software that disables phones when devices go missing. (1) What tips have worked for you in protecting your smartphone investment? (2) How easy is it for others to access your mobile phone? (3) What would you do if your smartphone suddenly disappeared?
Tags: apps, CTIA, CyberRx, cybersecurity, data breach, Dennis Powell, Digital Trends, , Hackers, Ola Sage, Security Today, smartphone, wireless
Posted in Information Security, Internet/Intranet, Lifestyle, Social Media | 27 Comments »
Hackers aren’t the only ones playing “War Games” at your expense.
Thursday, May 31st, 2012
By Dennis Powell, e-Management
When I was a kid, many of the boys in my neighborhood dreamed of becoming a computer hacker. True story. Why would we want to become hackers? Because we were kids and anything computer-related and that also outsmarted adults was just plain cool. My friends and I loved the Oscar-nominated 1983 film War Games, where Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) stars as a young hacker who taps into government computers systems. Fast forward to present and the world is full of hackers from my generation—some ethical (like the trusted cyber security professionals employed by e-Management) and perhaps many more unethical (those who tap into the computer devices and networks illegally and maliciously).
Did you know that social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are the No. 1 choice for hackers according to the 2009 Web Hacking Incident Database (WHID) Annual Report? Do you know if you’ve been hacked?
Since many of us are wired to computers such as electronic car keys, building access cards, smartphones, and portal digital media players, more and more people are becoming easy targets for hackers looking to play “war games” at our expense. But hackers are only one aspect of security in the computer age. Corporations may also be extracting information about us without our knowing. So, we’ve put together a list of how to protect yourself from unethical hackers and businesses looking to gain access to your information.
Don’t Fall for Chain Letters, Urban Legends, and Hoaxes. If you ever received electronic messages, chances are you’ve come across Internet hoaxes, chain letters, or urban legends comprised of fantastic, sensational stories designed to get you to forward it to your friends/family. In some cases, these phony messages trick you into giving up important information about yourself and even connect you to a malicious website that could easily download malware and other threats to your favorite devices. To defend yourself from these menaces, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), a part of the Department of Homeland Security, recommends you verify contents of a chain letter before you click on links or even forward it to your network of family and friends. It is also recommended you use search engines to verify the authenticity of such online messages.
Remember Strong Passwords Are Good for Us! You’ve probably heard this a million times already and I don’t feel guilty telling you this again because it’s important! Use strong passwords to protect your information and devices. Use passwords to gain access to your smartphones (Android, iPhone, etc.), tablets, notebooks, and desktops. Strong passwords include upper and lowercase letters, numerals, and special characters (like #, $, or %). Whenever possible, passwords should be at least 6 characters long. Remember to use different passwords for different accounts and devices.
Install Trusted Security Applications (Apps)/Software. Install trusted applications designed to protect your devices from predators. For computers, always keep your anti-viral and security software such as Norton or McAfee suites updated. For mobile devices, e-Week.com lists a number of applications designed to protect your Apple smart devices from hackers. A few apps listed include the Intego VirusBarrier; Lookout Mobile Security; McAfee WaveSecure iOS Edition; GadgetTrak; and Firewall iP among others. These apps may protect iOS devices when they are lost or stolen, secure personal data scan Websites and detect malware-infected files. Android and Blackberry users may search their app stores for comparable security apps.
Avoid Downloading Every App to Your Favorite Device. Smartphones and tablets have made “apps” the biggest craze since videogames hit the arcades and home. Many of us have become addicted to apps! In fact, the average smartphone has 41 apps according to Nielsen data. Even though they are convenient, some apps are collecting information about you to which you may object. A recent article in the New Observer discussed North Carolina State University researchers who revealed many developers of free apps are earning money from interested parties who want the information apps are getting from your smartphone including your whereabouts. Android Authority.com points to the laidback submission policies of app stores so some applications may in fact carry malware. While Google has addressed this issue with the introduction of Bouncer to protect Android devices, the site recommends that before downloading apps, users should only use established online stores like the Android market or the Apple app store. Additionally, users should carefully review comments regarding the app from other users and be sure to read what permissions and information specific apps are requesting.
Last but not least, have fun safely!
The new information age has led to wonderful convenience (meal planners, traffic alerts, movie, music, etc.) and fun activities (online games, instant messaging, etc). What other safe practices did we overlook? How do you protect yourself and your family against marketers and hackers? Have any of your accounts or devices ever been hacked? How did that you change your approach to security?
Tags: Android, app, Dennis Powel, DHS, , hacker, hoax, internet, iPhone, Ola Sage, password, smartphone, US-CERT
Posted in Information Security, Lifestyle, Social Media, Uncategorized | 35 Comments »
Hooked On Apps
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
By Dennis Powell, e-Management
A couple of years ago Apple (with its flagship iPhone devices) launched TV and radio ads to persuade people, who swore they’d never buy a smart phone, that they could not in fact live without the devices. Out of those commercials, the pop culture expression “There’s an app for that” was born. Other smart phone providers using the rivals Android platforms quickly followed Apple’s lead. Given that smart phone penetration in North America was a little more than 60% at the end of 2011, I’d say that smart phone providers were very successful in getting people to become hopelessly addicted to the applications, or apps, which live on the ever popular smart phones.
Smart phones allow you to listen to music, read books, check the stock market, get directions, and find new ways to cook. No wonder so many of us are hooked on apps.
I became a “smart phone addict” once I had to replace my older Android with a new Samsung Galaxy II with a larger screen, bold colors, and longer battery life. Since three of out of every five mobile phone users own smart phones like the iPhone, Android, or Microsoft based devices, I decided to pull together a list of apps that can get you hooked.
Drum roll…Here are my picks for six kinds of app that you must have:
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Apps to protect against bad guys: Android users who are prone to misplacing things will love the AntiDroidTheft app. Features include special e-mail alerts when your phone’s SIM (subscriber identification module) card has been removed. It also allows you to track your phone online using GPS or mobile technology. You can even activate your camera remotely to take photos. So bad guys beware.
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Apps for foodies: Do you like delectable cuisines? You might want to check out the Digital Recipe Sidekick (DRS) in the Android marketplace. The app allows you to import all recipes from Allrecipes.com directly to your smart phone or Android device. There you can add your own recipes to your phone and edit existing recipes. But the app is more interactive than that, it also acts as a “GPS” and actually reads the instructions while you cook. iPhone foodies might want to try the Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner app that boasts more than 40,000 recipes! Great thing about this app is its “Shake for Ideas” feature. How does it work? Whenever you are indecisive about what you want to cook or eat, simply shake your phone or touch “spin” and voila, it serves you up a random selection of dining ideas! Bon appetite.
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Apps for shopaholics: QR Code readers are must haves for “your inner smart consumer.” Basically, QR codes are those strange looking rectangular, two-dimensional bar code that stores information about products and companies such as addresses and websites. When the app is installed you can use your smart phone camera to scan the barcodes. QR codes can store a lot more information that the barcodes most of us are accustomed to seeing. Why are QR code apps a must have? Well, mainly because more and more companies are using them in their marketing in magazines and online. In the past, you had to write down the information or rely on your memory; QR codes make it a cinch. Just snap your camera and all of the information you’ll need will be stored on your phone.
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Apps for the literature enthusiasts: e-Book apps are great for those who love to read and want to leave the bulky books at home rather than on public transportation, during flights, or on vacation. iPhone has several apps such as B&N e-Reader, Kobo, and Kindle to name a few. Android e-readers include Google Books.
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Apps for music lovers: If you were to ask me what’s the best thing since slide bread, I’d probably tell you music apps. My favorite is Pandora® Internet radio. First of all, it’s free! Next, the app allows you to stream your favorite music from the web to your smart phone for free. It allows you to personalize your play list so you only listen to the music you love! I cannot get enough of my jazz, Motown, and classic rock channels!
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Apps for sports junkies: Sports fans will love sports apps such as Android’s College Hoops Radio or the iPhone’s College Basketball Radio Live, which allow you to listen to your favorite sports team events live! If “hoops” isn’t your thing, you can always follow your favorite athletes and sports team on the go with ESPN Radio app. In addition to regular ESPN content, users will have access to more than 35 different ESPN Radio podcasts.
So, yes there really is an app for everyone!
There are apps that can tell you how much to eat; where there are speed traps; and even how to dump someone. There’s probably an app to help curb my new smart phone dependence. But why would I want that? Besides, I cannot be the only apps junky out there. What are you favorite apps? How have apps helped you in your day to day activities? On the other hand, are apps and the app-crazed people annoying? I want to hear from you. Let’s chat…because there’s an app for that too!
Tags: Android, apps, Dennis Powell, , ESPN, , GPS, iPhone, Kindle, Ola Sage, Pandora, QR code, smartphone
Posted in Gadgets, Internet/Intranet, Lifestyle, Social Media, Uncategorized | 26 Comments »
iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android. Oh My!
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
By Dennis Powell, e-Management
Before I purchased my Android smartphone, I could live definitely without smartphones. Today, not sure so much. What would I do without my movie show time app, my GoogleMap app, GPS, YouTube, Gmail, touch screen…and you know I could go on; but, I will spare you my app-obsession.
What would happen to your personal data if you lost your mobile phone?
Whether you like it or not, smartphones are everywhere. The fascination with these convenient devices isn’t limited to my fixation. Remember the long lines for the release of the iPhone 4? Not surprising if you consider CommScore’s most recent estimates that more than 234 million Americans (ages 13 and older) are mobile subscribers. Among that number, more than 42.7 million people own smartphones.
Meet the Jetsons
Smartphones such as the iPhone, Android, Palm, or BlackBerry offer 21st Century convenience reminiscent of the classic TV show, The Jetsons. (Personally, I have never seen this show since I just celebrated my 21st birthday again for the 20th time. ) But seriously, as a kid growing up, I never thought I would be able to use a futuristic device to get or store phone numbers, birthdays, or find my way to the closest dry cleaner or novelty shop in a city I have never visited. And yet, here we are—a future not much different from the videophones of The Jetsons.
Technology is great. Right? And, no one doubts if smartphones are good for us. But, if used improperly, they can easily become liabilities. Here are a few security tips that should keep you and your organizations safe from smartphone predators.
Don’t Lose It
A few months ago, I lost my mobile phone and I totally lost my mind. I panicked because so much of my life was housed in the phone. Lucky for me it was in the seat of my best friend’s SUV. Plus, I didn’t have sensitive data connecting me to work or home. Personally, I avoid having my social security number, credit card digits, notes regarding passwords, or financial data on my mobile device. Along with those best practices, be sure to back up data on your home computer, authorized and approved work computer, or in the cloud (online data storage services)—just in case you’re “unlucky” like me when it comes to mobiles devices. (Click here to read a link to Gizmodo that provides easy ways to back up your smartphone).
Keep in Mind Passwords Are Your BFF
So let’s say you are “unlucky” and lose your phone. What then? Well, you may be better protected if you have a password in place that allows access to your device’s information. Seriously, passwords are your best friends forever (BFF). Some smartphones use alphanumeric codes to grant access to users. Others, such as touch screen devices, may require patterns to unlock smartphones. Be sure to have a strong password or code to gain access to your phone. For alphanumeric best practices, check out Doug Pitcher’s blog posting that addresses creating strong passwords.
There’s a Scam for That!
All of the security issues you have with your laptop and/or desktop are relevant when it comes to your BFF…oops, I mean your smartphone. And while there are fun commercials claiming that “there’s an app for that,” buyer beware. If you plan to download apps, be sure to use the same caution you would with your personal computers. Specifically, avoid unfamiliar third party apps—especially the free ones from anonymous developers. These rogue apps could be spyware or malware that have the power to steal valuable personal information or even hack into your work network. Similarly, avoid clicking links included in text messages to unknown sites, or coming from strange sources. The Internet is loaded with con artists trying to take over your identity or steal your organization’s or company’s intellectual property, secrets, or workers. And yes, there truly is a scam app for that!
Have Your Smartphone Validated by Your Office Security/IT Team
Even company and government agencies are trying to figure out how to secure their sensitive data with smartphones, which are essentially minicomputers connected to IP networks. To reduce the risk of compromising your work network, be sure to have your smartphone approved by your organization if you plan to access its network. At the very least, you should use secure connections (e.g., VPN) to access company resources. Ask your security/IT team about using encryption technology to safeguard sensitive, confidential, or proprietary data.
Don’t Even Think About Jailbreaking
Some iPhone users aren’t happy with their exclusive mobile carrier. (True story.) So, they “jailbreak” or hack their own phones in order to take advantage of another mobile network. Unless you are a credentialed cyber security professional, jailbreaking may open your smartphone up to serious security issues. We advise you to find another smartphone that works on your network of choice. Hacking your phone is “not a good look.”
Time for you to chime in…
We want to hear from you. Have you ever lost your smartphone? If so, how did it affect you? Are smartphones overpriced toys? What smartphone is the best for security? Why? Do you have any smartphone security tips you would like to share?
Feel free to comment and/or share this blog thread with your social networks (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Google, MySpace, LinkedIn).
Tags: Android, app, Blackberry, cloud computing, CommScore, cybersecurity, , gadget, , iPhone, jailbreaking, malware, mobile, Palm, password, Phishing, scam, security, sensitive data, smartphone, Social networking, spyware, tech, The Jetsons, tips,
Posted in Corporate, Entertainment, Gadgets, Government, Information Security, Internet/Intranet, IT Infrastructure, Lifestyle, Risk Management, Social Media, Uncategorized | 17 Comments »
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