Tech: IT Easy - Privacy is the cost of 'free'

Today, March 1, Google implemented a major change to their privacy policy. In effect, the company merged over 60 separate privacy policies across its various properties into one mega policy. With this single privacy policy tied to your user profile, Google can refine your search results and better target ads to you.

Doesn't sound so sinister does it? Yet, we have reason to take note, be cautious and maybe, be a little bit scared.

Google is huge. It's not just Google Search and GMail. Google has also integrated Calendar and Contacts, YouTube, Picasa, Wallet, Maps, Latitude, Chrome and Google Docs. All your information across all of these sites, and others, is now fodder for Google to vet, identify key words and sell data to advertisers. Your name, email address and personal content, like credit card numbers, will remain private. But your 'aggregated data', including your browsing history, cookies, IP address, machine model, search history and other details about your habits, will be up for sale by Google.

Have an Android phone? Your location, your number and possibly your contacts will become part of that accessible data. Google, third-party advertisers or the government, pending a court order, can access your 'aggregated data'. And, let's not even think about hackers.

Read the full column

Tech: IT Easy - 'Touchy' and Cheap

Yup, AlCatel. I know you know the name. They make great modems and wireless routers. But they barely break the list of top 10 mobile-phone manufacturers. With the new One Touch 890, they are looking to change our perception of their brand.

The phone is cute, small and fashionable. But none of that speaks to what it can (or cannot do). The biggest, most notable feature is the Push WiFi. The handset will automatically alert you when you are in a WiFi Hotspot. If open, like the Flow Unplugged Hotspots, you can then get your data fix over the Internet, rather than a sometimes pricey and sometimes slow mobile network. Hmm. Considering Alcatel is known for their wireless routers, this is a really logical feature.

Outside of the Push WiFi, the OT 890 is an Android-powered mobile phone. What that means is that the whole suite of Google apps work really well on the phone. Google Maps and Latitude are great! I can't tell you how many times I have been lost, searched maps and got turn-by-turn directions to where I needed to go. And yes, it does work in Jamaica for free!

Google Talk, GMail, YouTube and the Android Market all open and operate smoothly on this palm-sized phone, that is clearly more than a phone.

Speaking of phones, if you're like me, you use your 'phone' less to make phone calls and more to network socially. Update your Facebook status, post to Twitter and keep up on all the feeds on the small-but-capable touch screen.

Read the full article.