Money Management Made Easy

When I'm not grooming my polo ponies or watching the help tidy my yacht, I find it relaxing to examine my finances. Oh, there was a time when I was like you. No servants, no exotic sports car collection, no top hat. But then I discovered Mint, a free financial management website.

At first glance, it might not appear much different than the online checking services offered by your personal bank. But astute first glances are what separate those of us who roll cigars with hundred dollar bills from those of you who roll cigarettes with strips of worn newspaper.

After entering your checking account credentials—note that Mint uses the same security measures as most banks, keeping your account secure—the site lists your check register and balance. It also allows you to enter each of your credit cards, and your mortgage, and your car loans and personal loans and student loans and credit lines and 401k and investment portfolios, among other accounts. It even lets you list PayPal. The result is an unfettered view of your financial status with intuitive charts and graphs.

But that is only a small part of Mint's magic. It analyzes your expenditures and breaks them down by category. (That is to say, when it sees McDonalds on your Visa, it automatically files it under Fast Food. When it sees La Truffe Sauvage, it files it under Dining. In this respect, it's also casting judgment on your palette.) It paints a complete portrait, to the penny, of your purchases across accounts and through time, and does so with no user involvement.

The upshot of this is an immediate means of financial self-evaluation that is always up to date. It allows the user to set financial goals based on accurate numbers, and make careful decisions about which corners to cut, and where. In a down economy, belt tightening is a way of life. Mint not only tells you where to tighten the belt, but handles the buckle for you, as well.

It is especially useful when used in conjunction with a pen-and-paper check register. Whenever an underhanded ATM fee or other nebulous service charge is deducted from your account, it fires an immediate email or text message alert, helping achieve that ever-elusive checkbook that's accurate to the penny. It also sends alerts for payments due and interest rate changes, and offers warnings whenever your account falls below a predefined threshold. In this respect, Mint takes the fear out of finances, and helps even the laziest or most fiscally clueless take charge of his or her account.

When I'm at the vacation house in Prague—or is it Paris? These days, it's hard to keep up with my sprawling real estate—I like the freedom that a web-based financial management suite brings. Since the dawn of personal computing, we've been tethered to desktop software and the possibility of crashed hard drives and data loss. Those days are no more. Microsoft Money? So last year. (No, really, it's last year; Microsoft has discontinued the program.) Quicken, too, has seen the light and released an online competitor for Mint, but does not allow data imports from the desktop version, removing its only potential edge.

On-the-go, Mint is accessible through an iPhone app. (I carry around my iPhone in my smoking jacket, when I don't feel like delegating telephone duties to my personal assistant.) The app is nicely featured, offering full account overviews, as well as cash flow and budget reports.

I didn't always wear a monocle or have a swimming pool filled with cash. But with Mint as my guide, I've been able to cope with the recession and make wise choices with my money. Now you'll have to excuse me. My helicopter is fueled and primed to get me to the airport where my private jet awaits. The coral reefs of Bora Bora aren't going to snorkel themselves.

Mint Software, Inc. (http://www.mint.com)

They’re Out To Get You: Preventing Spyware, Viruses On Your Computer

by D.B. Grady


You're not paranoid. They're out to get you.

You probably have spyware on your computer. There's a good chance you've got a virus or two. Your personal files are likely insecure, and your hard drive might be shared for the entire world to see. In real world terms, you've not only left your car unlocked, you've left the windows down, the doors open, the engine running, and a sign on the dashboard reading FREE CAR.

If you are infected, you will probably need to visit a local computer repair shop. Malicious software is notoriously difficult to remove, and the wrong combination of deleted files can often result in a computer that doubles as a boat anchor, doorstop, or shooting range target. If your computer is in proper working order, however, there are a few practices you can implement that will keep you both protected and secure.

Windows Update (sometimes, in its more expansive mode, called Microsoft Update) is a utility built into Windows that keeps your computer up to date. As bugs and security vulnerabilities are discovered, and new features are added, Microsoft releases patches and service packs free for download. Windows Update automates the installation process, checking the files of your operating system against a central repository at Microsoft, and applying the newest versions.

This may be the most critical part of your computer housekeeping routine, as an out-of-date operating system is as secure as an ATM card with its password written on it. Windows Update can be found under the Start menu, in the Programs folder, or oftentimes in the system tray (bottom-right of the screen, next to the clock) as a yellow shield pleading with you to "click here to install updates."

Every Windows-based computer needs antivirus software. Popular programs include McAfee Total Protection ($34.98/year), Norton Antivirus ($39.99/year), and Trend Micro Antivirus ($39.95/year). Free alternatives include AVG Free and Avast Home Edition. Upon installation, allow the antivirus to download and apply the most current virus definitions, and run a full system scan.

Once your computer is protected, like Windows Update, make it a priority to update your antivirus software regularly. (Note that virus protection software can often be acquired for free though public libraries, colleges, government agencies, and the military. Check their websites for more information.)

Spyware is often the easiest malicious software to install and the hardest to delete. It often appears in friendly, apparently helpful website popup ads warning that, "Antivirus 2009 has detected 32 threats on your computer! Would you like to remove them?" Clicking either yes or no results in the same thing: an infected computer. Unless you are computer savvy, the safest course of action when faced with such prompts is to exit your web browser entirely.

Two of the most effective and anti-spyware utilities on the market are Spybot and Windows Defender. Both programs are free, and in both cases, the installation and maintenance procedures are similar to those of antivirus software. Upon setup, allow the programs to update, and run a full system scan. Update the spyware definitions regularly.

While an updated operating system, strong virus-protection, and a spyware monitor are crucial to safe computing, they will not do the job on their own. It is up to you to adopt smart practices to keep your computer secure. This means never opening email attachments from people you don't know. It means carefully reading the screen whenever an unexpected window is prompted. (Blindly clicking "Next" is a recipe for disaster.)

It also means avoiding the more unsavory areas of the Internet—most notably file-sharing sites such as Kazaa and Limewire. In addition to the legal ramifications of downloading copyrighted music and software, every illicit file runs the risk of bringing with it malicious software.

It's a dangerous web out there. If it seems like "they" are out to get you, it's because they are. Thankfully, safe computing doesn’t require an advanced degree. All it takes is a little discipline and a couple of free programs.

Software referenced in this article:
McAfee Total Protection: http://www.mcafee.com ($34.98/year)
Norton Antivirus: http://www.symantec.com/norton ($39.99/year)
Trend Micro Antivirus: http://us.trendmicro.com/us/home/home-user ($39.95/year)
AVG Free: http://free.avg.com (Free for personal use)
Avast Home Edition: http://www.avast.com (Free for personal use)
Spybot: http://www.safer-networking.org (Free)
Windows Defender: http://www.microsoft.com/defender (Free)

Which Computer Should I Buy?

By D.B. Grady



"I'm thinking of buying a laptop computer. Which one do you recommend?" None. Seriously, think of the headaches that come with a computer. Viruses. Spyware. Twitter. Do you really want to do that to yourself? Wouldn't you rather spend a thousand bucks on a nice cruise to the Bahamas? I've never seen a spiral notebook crash or one of those big, green ledger-books blue-screen just after adding an entire quarter of sales figures.

But if you're absolutely determined to get a computer—think hard about those sandy beaches and umbrella drinks, though—there are fewer factors in choosing a system than you might think. While this may be the opposite of what you've heard from others, don't worry about RAM or CPUs or hard drives or anything else measured in bytes or hertz.

There are only three questions you should be concerned with:
1. Mac or PC?
2. Is the computer "comfortable?"
3. How much can I afford?

Buying a Mac used to be a big deal, akin to changing religions or moving to Canada. There were separate stores, separate software, separate peripheral supports, separate user paradigms—the decision was nontrivial, and unless one worked in video or graphics design (where the Mac has always excelled) it was rare that the hassle warranted the investment.

The Internet and Apple's remarkable marketing and engineering efforts have changed this. The Internet is the Internet, whether one owns a bottom-shelf eMachine or a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro. Email is email.

The web is the web. Macs have the benefit of being impervious to viruses or spyware, which is a bonus, but a well-protected PC is just as safe. As for program availability, all of the major players in the software business support both platforms, including Microsoft Office, Firefox, Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat, iTunes, Skype, and Picasa, to name a few.

Because Macs use Intel processors, they also have the luxury of supporting Windows XP, Windows Vista, and the upcoming Windows 7 by way of dual booting—that is, selecting on startup whether to boot into Mac OS or Windows—or through free emulation software such as VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org). With regard to peripherals, from printers to external hard drives, if it works on a PC, it works on a Mac.

The real question, though, is "How does it feel?" Unless one purchases an extraordinarily expensive system in the thousands of dollars, or a second-hand pawnshop special, there is little difference from one computer to the next. A thousand dollar Dell, a thousand dollar HP, and a thousand dollar Mac have the pretty much the same horsepower under the hood. (In the case of Dell and HP, they even have the same outsourced telephone technical support staffs that employ so many in Third World countries.)

The best way to choose a computer is to visit an electronics store and play with the demo models. Is the screen bright enough, or is it too bright? How does the keyboard feel? Are the keys awkwardly placed? Is the track pad well positioned? Is the computer too small for aging eyes, or too large to lug to class every day?

Hold the computer to gauge its weight and test its durability. One doesn't need an advanced degree in electrical engineering to know whether a computer feels cheap or not.

Just as the average mid-sized sedan buyer isn't particularly concerned with torque or engine liter displacement, neither should the average computer buyer worry much about whether the central processing unit runs at 2.2GHz or 2.4GHz. Faster is always better, but in the context of playing Freecell and chatting with Aunt Thelma in Des Moines, the difference is negligible.

Indeed, that very reasoning has led to a new variety of portable computer known as the netbook. Purchased for as little as $200, netbooks are designed primarily for online use. As general computer activity moves from the desktop to the Internet, many users find there is little reason to invest in "big iron" computers at all.

The exception to this is gaming, of course. Some high school students might sooner die than accept anything less than a computer that dims the lights when it's powered on. But with the money saved by purchasing a less expensive system, one can buy an XBox 360 and enjoy hassle-free gaming.

In the end, it all comes down to price. Buy the most comfortable computer you can afford, and buy locally, if possible. The least expensive MacBook is $999, and worth every penny. But if the thousand-dollar HP is more to your liking, get it.

Whether you've budgeted two thousand dollars or two hundred dollars, there is something out there for you. Oftentimes, local mom-and-pop computer shops have staggering bargains on second-hand laptops, and personal support that doesn't require an interpreter or a passport.

No longer the intimidating beasts they once were, purchasing a computer should not be a worrisome experience requiring years of expertise. Go with your gut and a handle on your checkbook, and you'll do just fine.
But really, think about taking that vacation. On the islands, the only blue screens you'll see are in the sky and on the sea.

Review of the New Apple iPhone 3GS

By D.B. Grady



When Apple unveiled the original iPhone in 2007, I was one of the thousands standing in line, eager to be among its first adopters. This type of thinking is why so much of my lunch money was stolen in grade school. In 2008, when Apple released its successor device, I was in a different line, at the hospital, selling plasma. The original iPhone cost $599 dollars, and I was still paying it off.

But with my blood replenished and my contract up for renewal, I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to the new iPhone 3GS. Wooed by the promise of unbridled digital horsepower and a video camera, I fished out my credit card and did my part to stimulate the economy.

The iPhone 3GS improves upon the first and second-generation models in a few key areas. The most obvious is speed. It's a snappy device, capable of rendering even the most graphically intensive and overly designed website in seconds. Applications load much faster, and grind through data with greater efficiency.

The camera resolution has been bumped to 3 megapixels, and sports an innovative touchscreen auto-focus. More impressive is the video recording feature. Users can record high quality video, edit it, and upload it directly to YouTube, no computer required.

This was the feature that brought me over. Sadly, like every father who eagerly shelled out for a camcorder in the late 80s, I quickly discovered that I do nothing worth video recording. If ever I spot a UFO or Bigfoot, though, I've got just the phone for the job. Or tornadoes—this is my chance to make the evening news. And with the iPhone's bundled weather application, I'll know exactly when to expect flying cows and houses.

There is also an integrated compass, enabling developers like Tom Tom and Garmin to write iPhone-specific GPS car navigation systems. Until such software is released, though, the compass makes it a lot easier to shoot an azimuth and earn that Boy Scout merit badge. Just for the record, my house faces south. I didn't know that before I got this phone. Can one really put a price on such useful information?

Gamers especially will be pleased with the iPhone 3GS. With its faster CPU, boosted memory and 3D graphics accelerator chip, mobile gaming has a new contender. John Carmack, renowned programmer and founder of Id Software (makers of the Doom and Quake series) calls the iPhone more powerful than "a Nintendo DS and PSP combined."

If there is fault with AT&T's new flagship phone, it's AT&T. The iPhone 3GS supports the blisteringly fast 7.2 megabit-per-second HSPDA network. That's the network AT&T has yet to roll out. The iPhone 3GS offers MMS picture messaging. AT&T does not. The iPhone 3GS offers out-of-the-box computer tethering, enabling laptops to be online, everywhere, all the time.

Guess which telecom giant doesn't support this feature? (Hint: it starts with an A and ends with two Ts.) I do not claim to be a business expert, but if I ran a telephone empire, and my most valued and sought-after product offered a slew of new and exciting features, I might consider investing a few dollars to actually support those features.

AT&T is essentially selling a Ferrari, wheels not included. (Though the company promises these features will come in due course.) Still, with the exclusivity deal between Apple and AT&T rumored to end next year, users might soon be asked to choose between the two companies. Considering Apple's notoriously loyal fan base, and AT&T's general and unrelenting villainy, the executives at Verizon must already be pricing new yachts and Gulfstream jets.

If your phone contract is up and you're looking to buy, you will not be disappointed with the iPhone 3GS. The staggering list of features, the elegant design, and its battery's heroic lifespan make it worth the upgrade. And at $199 (with a 2-year contract), it is cost-competitive.

But what about next year, when another iPhone is released? This year we got a compass and a camcorder. Next year I fully expect a retractable chainsaw and electric toothbrush. I'm not worried about the price. I'm out of plasma, but I've got two kidneys. For Apple's latest toy, I'm sure I could get along fine with just one.
Apple iPhone 3GS (http://apple.com/iphone)

Rekindling The Publishing Industry

By D.B. Grady

Have a technology-related question, or advice for other users? Email me at tech@timessw.com

The publishing industry is doomed. The publishing industry is saved. Those are the dissonant themes running throughout most coverage of the book business since the recession's start. The naysayers have a strong argument. In 2009, publishers HarperCollins and Random House axed multiple imprints. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt cut entire divisions, and put an unprecedented freeze on manuscript acquisitions. Big box booksellers Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million have posted quarterly losses, and Borders faces bankruptcy. Independent bookstores have not fared much better, with reports every day of venerable locals closing their doors. Executives, editors, authors and dealers have found themselves on the business end of the sharpened blade of an overstretched industry in a failing economy.

And then there is Amazon.com. With earnings robust and growth continuing, it is indisputable that they are weathering the storm. And through its strong position in a weak market, they are in the unique position of reordering an entire industry. The most audacious and exciting weapon in Amazon's arsenal is an electronic book called the Kindle.

E-books have been around for a long time. In 2000, Microsoft marketed a product called Reader, geared for desktop computers and existing personal digital assistants. Sony has long offered a tablet device, also called Reader, and lesser-known companies have put out competing products. But for all the technical capabilities, engineering achievements, and publishing partnerships built around and into these devices, none have gained traction in the cultural zeitgeist. Serious readers love books – not just the words within, but the objects themselves – and e-books have always felt like imposters.

Amazon is not a hardware company. Nor would many consider it a software company. Rather, it was built from the ground up as a book company, and that may be the reason the Kindle is succeeding where others have failed.

To see the device is to love the device. The Kindle is the size of a DVD case, and only slightly heavier. Taking a cue from Apple's minimalist designs, it is austere but for a small keyboard and buttons for navigation. It is intuitive. One need not possess a computer science degree to operate the Kindle. Indeed, Amazon diverged from its competitors by limiting the device in its capabilities, focusing instead on one thing, and doing it very well: displaying books to be read.

The e-ink technology of the Kindle screen is its tipping point. It is the reason that printed-and-bound books are destined to go the way of papyrus scrolls and chiseled stone tablets. With detail so fine and print so exact, it is hard to believe that the screen is digital at all. Unlike staring into a computer monitor or iPhone, the display is not backlit, and consequently, is not harsh on the eyes. Quite simply, reading a book on a Kindle feels like reading a book. After a few pages, the device seems to melt away until only the words remain, and the reader is no more aware that he or she is staring into technology than he or she might ponder the manufacture of a paperback novel.

On the Kindle, all books are created equal. Forest-slashing Stephen King tomes are no heavier than Ian Fleming pulps. The text-size of books can be increased or decreased, enabling every book to be a large-print edition. And through Text-to-Speech technology, the device can read books aloud, making every book an audio book.

The only up-front drawback is the price. The Amazon Kindle starts at $359. This is mitigated by the lower price of most e-books, which generally peak at $9.99, including new releases of even the hottest authors. And no trip to the bookstore is required. Utilizing the Sprint network, the Kindle is always online, everywhere, for free, allowing books to be purchased on the go, and appearing on the device instantaneously, no cables or computers required.

In the same way the iPod revitalized music and the iPhone rejuvenated mobile phones, the Amazon Kindle is rewriting the written word. If it reaches ubiquity, it may well have the biggest impact on reading since Johannes Gutenberg. And if that's the case, in this time of uncertainty, the publishing industry can consider itself saved.

Twitter: The Global Cocktail Party

by D.B. Grady

Have a technology-related question, or advice for other users? Email me at tech@timessw.com

The first tweet is the hardest. Twitter might be the social network du jour, attracting everyone from Karl Rove to Shaquille O'Neal, but it can be intimidating to a new user. What does one make of the three million messages posted daily, and where does a new user fit in the global conversation?
For the uninitiated, Twitter is the web service founded in 2006 that asks a simple question: "What are you doing?" Users have 140 characters – the upper limit of a mobile phone text message – to answer. And answer it they have. Sports fans comment on the action as it happens. American Idol viewers offer snap judgments of performances. Political junkies disseminate information and offer opinion before the headlines are even written. Discussions once confined to living rooms and cocktail parties now have global reach and global influence.

Twitter bridges the gap between Facebook and blogging. Where Facebook brings together friends through personal connections, Twitter works to connect strangers through ideas. Other users follow you based on your tweets, as Twitter updates are called. You, in turn, have the option of following those users whose tweets interest you.

Blogging is the ideal medium for expansive discourse, but slightly lumbering a beast to share a single thought or interesting link. Twitter, however, thrives on the brief, the hot news item or cool website.

Businesses ignore Twitter at their peril. Because Twitter operates at the speed of thought, it doesn't take long for a botched car rental in Des Moines or a rude airline representative in Memphis to blossom into a national complaint-fest.

In response, many large businesses have established a Twitter presence, and respond on the spot to irate customers. This presence also gives lumbering corporations a human face, and demonstrates a public, proactive customer service that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive or ineffective.

Similarly, Twitter is a powerful weapon for directing traffic to websites and special deals. Everyone from the New York Times to the Times of Southwest Louisiana post breaking news and highlight recent editorials. Jazzy Bird Coffee, a gourmet espresso company out of Baton Rouge recently joined Twitter as part of a marketing strategy to build brand recognition as it expands into other states. "I've been amazed at the number of unsolicited tweets," says Shari LeBlanc, the company's co-founder.

Because it is an open network, a cottage industry of software has arisen around Twitter. Twitter Job Search (http://www.twitterjobsearch.com) does just what one might expect. Based upon search criteria, it lists newly available jobs tweeted by companies. TwitterFon (http://www.twitterfon.net/) is a free program that integrates Twitter into the iPhone. And if you'd like to add pictures to your tweets, TwitPic (http://www.twitpic.com) can help.

Like any other online community, there is a social etiquette that should be respected. Excessive self-promotion is considered offensive, and a good way to lose audience. Because Twitter is, at its best, a freewheeling discussion, using your account as a megaphone is poor form. The best way to build friendships is to reply to others, and to acknowledge those who reply to you. Similarly, when followed, take time to check out the other user's profile. If they seem interesting, follow them in return.

A visit to Shaquille O'Neal's house is likely to result in a restraining order. Phone calls will, at best, be unreturned. But he's on Twitter and is fond of talking with fans. Send him a message, and you might be surprised by what you get back.

Yes, that first tweet is the hardest. But the best way to learn is to log in and have fun; you've already got two friends waiting. The Times of Southwest Louisiana can be found at www.twitter.com/TimesSWLA. I can be reached at www.twitter.com/dbgrady. We're looking forward to meeting you.

Have a technology-related question, or advice for other users? Email me at tech@timessw.com

Million Dollar Password

by D.B. Grady

Have a technology-related question, or advice for other users? Email me at tech@timessw.com

When they come for your money, they won't break into the bank. Online identity thieves are too smart for that. They're gambling that you use the same password for every website. Why attempt a break-in on a guarded, highly encrypted financial site when they can steal your password from the fly-fishing forum you frequent?

Passwords are the great annoyance of the Internet. (Well, one of the great annoyances. I still can't get the "peanut butter jelly time" song out of my head.) Major players in the web industry have attempted to unify logins through such initiatives as OpenID and Passport, but have fallen short in the kind of ubiquity required for such programs to succeed. In the meantime, users are forced to remember countless credentials for a never-ending array of sites. As a result, they have fallen into dangerous practices.

A few simple security guidelines can go a long way toward a safer Internet experience. The first, most important rule is: never repeat a password. Your bank and email and Amazon accounts should have unique and varied passwords that cannot be guessed by personal knowledge. (That is to say, if you are a dog breeder, "puppy1" is a bad idea.) Passwords should be changed regularly, and should always increase in complexity, with greater creativity than adding the trailing digit plus 1. A strong password utilizes case, numerals and punctuation. There are 101 keys on a standard keyboard. Use them. "Madden-09" is an improvement on "football," but "09(mAddeN" is even better).

Never give your password to anyone for any reason, ever. A common online scam involves third parties claiming to be with technical support, emailing users and asking for their log-in information. Assorted reasons are given. Sometimes it is to "verify accounts." Sometimes it is to "renew subscriptions." But the reasons are always a lie, and the results are always the same. Once they've got your password, they've got your identity.

There are several programs and websites designed to help you track multiple passwords. Passpack is a free online credential manager that utilizes a government-approved encryption algorithm for maximum security. Because it is web-based, it can be accessed anywhere (Passpack: http://www.passpack.com).

Roboform is an automated tracker that installs to a computer or thumb drive, and remembers passwords as you type them. In addition, it will generate a strong password if you're stumped, and fill in password fields automatically when a site is revisited. Stored information is protected with encryption up to 256-bits, which would take a hacker the better part of two centuries to crack by brute force. Because it can be installed to a USB thumb drive, it can be taken with you and used on any Windows-based computer. Roboform costs $29.95, with a 30-day free trial (Roboform: http://www.roboform.com).

Mobile phones are an excellent place for password storage and management, provided the data is encrypted. iPhone users can take advantage of mSecure, a native application that stores not only passwords but also credit card, banking information and even clothing sizes. Data can be traversed with the iPhone's trademark "swipes," or sorted and searched by site and type. MSecure is available on the iTunes App Store, and runs $2.99 (mSecure: http://www.msevensoftware.com/msecure.html). SplashID offers Blackberry, Palm, and Windows Mobile users an application that provides all of the features of mSecure, as well as password generation. A companion desktop client allows for easy data entry and synchronization. SplashID costs $29.95, with a 30-day free trial (SplashID: http://www.splashdata.com/splashid).

Identity thieves want your money, and they know how to get it. Until unified credentialing services like OpenID proliferate across the web, it's up to you to stay one step ahead of the game. Strong, varied passwords of mixed case and special characters go a long way, so long as you keep the passwords secret. And because nobody should suffer alone, it's peanut butter jelly time! (http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/banana)

Have a technology-related question, or advice for other users? Email me at tech@timessw.com