The downside of computers controlling your car.

There’s no way around that. With required emissions controls, safety controls and the desire for creature comforts, I suppose we’ve forced manufacturers to computer-control many aspects of our cars: the engine, transmission, brakes, traction control, radio, navigation etc .

But, what about bugs? What about crashes?

If you run Windows or Mac OS, you’ve undoubtedly locked up your computer at some point and had to reboot. Everyone has. We reboot and live with it. Why did it lock up? Why did it crash? Faulty programming, most likely. While we could get real boring here, let’s just say that something didn’t go the way the programmer intended it to.

These bugs are typically no more than an annoyance. Companies release updates and patches and fix the errors in their programming. I can live with that.

But, what happens when there’s a programming error in your car’s computer? It HAS to happen at some point, on some level, right? Has GM, or Toyota or Ford really managed to hire the only programmers in the world that write error-free code? Sure, they have quality controls designed to eliminate errors , but, so don’t Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and McAfee.

Car computer software isn’t as “involved” as Windows, and they don’t have to manage the “experience” of the Mac, but they DO have to tell your car to go when you hit the gas. They have to tell your tires not to lock up when you’re sliding on ice. They have to tell your power steering how much help to give you when you make a sudden avoidance turn.

It is interesting (maybe scary?) to think of what could happen as car computers control more and more of your vehicle’s operation. Could a software bug force a lockup of the car if you hit the volume-up button on the radio while turning left with the car going exactly 28 MPH? Maybe.

Lookup Technology Seed on Facebook – become a fan for more insights!

Have an IT question? Email questions@tseed.com – we’re happy to help!

Kurt Simione is the owner of Technology Seed, LLC (www.TSeed.com). We provide IT Support, Business Phone System Support and Website Design to businesses across the country. 603-537-2700.

Ask Technology Seed: Common sense identification of false emails.

As a parent, I received an email this week from the Superintendent of Schools about fake emails that had been sent by someone pretending to be him. The fake emails contained false information.

There are steps that the school district could take to make the legitimacy of their emails easier to confirm, however there are also some common sense steps that we can all take to protect ourselves from the bad guys online.

The fake emails in question came from a yahoo.com address. That’s the first sign that something is wrong. You may not remember that the legitimate emails normally come from noreply@alertnow.com, but a red flag should go up when an email comes from yahoo.com. Most legitimate businesses and educational institutions will not use yahoo.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com or any other free email service. The chances of an institution larger than a few people using a free email service are slim.

Content. Always question the content of an email if it doesn’t “feel” right. Look for proper grammar and proper spelling. The hacking types are often from other countries and their English is usually poor. If the email isn’t well-written, question it.

Google it! Google the email address the message came from. A search for windhamnh@yahoo.com comes up with nothing mildly related to school. However, searching for noreply@alertnow.com (the real email address) yields hundreds of hits relating to schools.

Lookup Technology Seed on Facebook – become a fan for more insights!

Have an IT question? Email questions@tseed.com – we’re happy to help!

Kurt Simione is the owner of Technology Seed, LLC (www.TSeed.com). We provide IT Support, Business Phone System Support and Website Design to businesses across the country. 603-537-2700.

Online anonymity is a thing of the past! Amazing search technologies are being developed.

Online anonymity is a thing of the past! Amazing search technologies are being developed. Article

US Military Warms up to Social Media

US Military begins to allow access to Social Media and YouTube sites. Article

1 BILLION iPhone App Downloads!

1 BILLION iPhone App Downloads! 1 billion in only 9 months . . . . its popularity can't be ignored! Apple did it right. Article

Tracking people-movement via cell phones.

Tracking people-movement via cell phones. Information that's waiting to be abused? Article

This printer uses no ink, no toner and no paper.

This printer uses no ink, no toner and no paper. Pricey, but interesting concept for business. Article

Spying on students at home!

Spying on students at home! School-issued laptops have " . . . webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools' administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families." Article

Tweet your way to an insurance claim!

I like this quote "Seriously, would you put an advert in the local paper saying ‘I’m leaving my house tomorrow at 10am and won’t be back for 3 hours’ or such like?" Article

Do you enjoy a good finger pointing lawsuit? This one's a doozey!

Do you enjoy a good finger pointing lawsuit? This one's a doozey! Who's at fault here? The bank (for their lax policies), the customer (for emailing their username and password to a criminal) or the criminals for stealing the money. Article

Where does Microsoft make its money? Hint: Windows and Office are here to stay.

Where does Microsoft make its money? Hint: Windows and Office are here to stay. Article

Interesting look at how we recruit hackers to help prevent hacking.

Interesting look at how we recruit hackers to help prevent hacking. Article

If you lose your USB memory stick, does valuable information fall into the wrong hands?

If you lose your USB memory stick, does valuable information fall into the wrong hands? Here's a cheap way to password protect it. Article.

The FBI wants to keep records of every website you've visit for 2 years.

The FBI wants to keep records of every website you've visit for 2 years. Does anyone else find this trend disturbing??? Do they keep records of every store you've visited? Every coffee you've purchased? Every movie you've watched? Every book you've read to your kids? Article

Charge your phone from free WiFi hotspots without plugging in.

Charge your phone from free WiFi hotspots without plugging in. Article

Jury duty? No iPhone.

Jury duty? No iPhone. Article

73% of people use their online banking passwords on other sites.

73% of people use their online banking passwords on other sites. How about we all join the 27% club? Article

Facebook is the best . . . . way to catch a virus.

Article

Free antivirus: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials

Will Facebook, Twitter and Email affect your child's grammer? The teachers out there ought to love this one!

Will Facebook, Twitter and Email affect your child's grammer? The teachers out there ought to love this one! Article

Technology and your car! (Toyota's Woes)

Here's are the highlights: 1) Auto makers "are at a point now where their ability to design is outpacing their ability to verify. . ." 2) "As car electronics increase in number, problems are increasing disproportionally." Article

Will people pay for online news?

Newsday.com spent $4M to redesign their website into a "pay-for-news" site in October 2009. Three months later . . . . 35 people have paid. Article.

Balancing the iPad

Potential iPad-lovers: with all the "Holy Grail" news articles out there about this thing, I thought it wise to ground ourselves. Do you know what DRM is? Without getting too boring (did that already happen??) it's Apple's way of telling you what you can and can't run on your iPad. Do you want a computer that will only... run programs that Apple says you can run? Hmm. Netbooks, which these are being compared to, can run any program that will run on Windows. Not just the programs that Microsoft wants you to run. To me, that's better. We'll see how the rest of the world feels. The iPad is NOT a full blown computer. It's a big iPhone. Really, it is.

Personalized News

Personalized News may be where the industry is heading - giving you JUST the news that YOU want. Consider: Does reading just the news that you want make you ignorant about everything else? Check it out . . .

How easily could a website identify your computer?

How unique is your setup? How easily could a website identify your computer? This site will tell you by gathering information about you that any website could easily gather.

iPhone app allows you to remote control your Windows Desktop

http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8778&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HelpNetSecurity+%28Help+Net+Security%29

Text Messaging Viewed as Key for Health Care Information Distribution - Technology For Change

http://www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/Technology-For-Change/Text-Messaging-Viewed-as-Key-for-Health-Care-Information-Distribution/?kc=rss

SEO Project - Nel-TechLabs

TSeed is undergoing a major SEO campaign for www.Nel-TechLabs.com.

Will you pay for online news? The NY Times hopes so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/business/media/21times.html

Cut your electricity bill via your cell phone.

Cut your electricity bill via your cell phone. I suspect that the days of controlling all household appliances and utilities via your smart phone are soon to be within reach of many of us.

Ribbon Cutting for American Kenpo Academy

Technology Seed welcomes the American Kenpo Academy into the park. Congratulations!