For the Record Podcast

Privacy expert 'disappointed' by iPhone tracking (podcast)

Researchers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden said Wednesday that they had found what appears to be a previously undisclosed file on iPhones that reveals where the phone has been. According to the pair, such tracking began with iOS 4, and the information is not only on the phone but also on any computer synchronized with the phone. They explained their findings in a blog post on O'Reilly Radar and in a video that's posted on YouTube.

Allan and Warden created a Mac OS X application that lets users view their own location data displayed on a map. I'more

Aurasma brings static objects and images to life (podcast)

Imagine aiming a smartphone or a tablet at a cereal box and, instead of seeing the static image printed on the box, you see an animated feature appear as if it's playing on the front of the box. The same technology could be used to turn a picture in a printed newspaper into a video or--if pointed toward a product--it could launch a game featuring animated characters interacting with that product.

That's the aim of a new technology being introduced by Autonomy, the London-based company best known for its enterprise software.

Aurasma, which is a core technology designed more

Is there really 'Facebook depression?' (podcast)

With the exception of the section on "Facebook depression," a report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics has some excellent advice for parents of social media users.

Clinical Report: The Impact of Social Media on Children (PDF) starts out with data showing that teen and pre-teen use of social media has "increased dramatically" over the last five years, as has use of cell phones and texting. It also points out that "because of their limited capacity for self-regulation and susceptibility to peer pressure, children and adolescents are at some risk as they navigate and experiment with social media."more

Color CEO pictures world of shared photos (Podcast)

As Caroline McCarthy reported in her post about the new app, Color is a provocative iPhone and Android application that lets users share photos with anyone around them. Unlike Facebook, Flickr, and other services that allow you to share pictures, Color has practically no privacy settings. As founder Bill Nguyen said in our podcast interview (scroll down to listen), "there's no password, there's no profile, there's no friending...the moment you come into contact with another person that has the Color app, you'll start to see them. You'll see their pictures; you'll see their more

Ripple effect of Japan disasters on consumer electronics (podcast)

While most Japanese wafer fabrication plants ("fabs") are located in the southern part of the country, hundreds of miles from the epicenter, at least one manufacturer is still shut down after last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, according to Jim Handy, an analyst with semiconductor market research firm Objective Analysis. Some Japanese technology companies have curtailed operations.

But even plants in other parts of the country can be affected by rattling and, of course power glitches. "These are very sensitive plants because they are using extremely advanced optics to lay down lines as small as 25 nanometers, that's

ScreenRetriever helps monitor kids' online activity (podcast)

When my kids were teens, my wife and I would occasionally walk into the room when they were on the Internet. We wouldn't stand there for long, but we would glance at the screen to make sure what they were doing was appropriate. The rule was that they had to use a computer in a public area of the house with the door open. We didn't spy on them, but we did check in now and then.

Now there's a software program that will let you do the same thing but from a different part of the more

Media group concerned about Apple subscription service (podcast)

On Tuesday, Apple announced a subscription service to allow magazines, newspapers, and other content providers to charge for content via Apple's App store. Apple will keep 30 percent of the revenue and will only pass on subscribers' personal information (name, e-mail address, and ZIP code) if the customer specifically allows it. By default, only Apple will have access to that information.

On the following day, Google announced a rival service called Google One Pass which would take only 10 percent of the revenue and allow publishers to retain control over user data.

While happy about these potential sources of more

Report: E-mail declines, but e-commerce up (podcast)

ComScore's 2010 U.S. Digital Year in Review is out and shows that teens spent 59 percent less time using Web-based e-mail than they did in 2009. Usage is down for every age group except 55- to 64-year-olds, where it's up by 22 percent, and 65-plus, where it increased by 28 percent. The survey also found a healthy increase in online spending, with total U.S. e-commerce climbing by 9 percent over 2009 to $227.6 billion in 2010. And, for the first time, Cyber Monday (November 29th) sales exceeded $1 billion, according to the report.

Other trends

Fire dept. has an iPhone app for citizen CPR (podcast)

"Biology gives us about 10 minutes to survive if our heart stops beating," said Richard Price, chief of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. "We have a goal or arriving within seven minutes which is pretty close to that 10 minutes...We need to suspend time and that's what CPR does."

The district, which is located about 35 miles east of San Francisco, is updating an app called "Fire Department," which will now be used to alert CPR-trained citizens in the event of a nearby cardiac emergency. The idea, according to Price, is to extend the reach of more

Intuit's GoPayment service offering incentives (podcast)

Intuit is looking to increase its presence in the mobile payment market by offering a free credit card reader for smartphones and eliminating monthly fees. The offer extends to people who sign up by mid-February. The service, called GoPayment, was launched in 2009.

Intuit is best known for its Quicken personal finance software, TurboTax tax preparation software and service, and QuickBooks for small business, With this free offer, Intuit is squaring off against Square which also offers a free credit card swiper and no monthly fees. Both Intuit and Square do charge transaction fees which, for most users, start around