Apple iTunes: Ping privacy

Posted by kent on September 2nd, 2010

It's "Facebook meets Twitter meets iTunes," that's how Steve Jobs explained Ping, Apple's new social networking addition to iTunes. When Jobs announced Ping yesterday, he made a big point about how easy the privacy is to manage. Having covered Facebook privacy on this blog before, we were curious to see how Apple's Ping would avoid Facebook's pitfalls.

First, what is Ping? Ping is really a way for iTunes store customers to share their musical tastes with others as well as follow the activities of their favorite musicians (assuming their favorites are participating). If you join Ping your iTunes activity is displayed in your feed. People who follow you can, in Facebook fashion, view, like or comment on your purchases. Here's what a Ping profile looks like:

iTunes Ping Profile Page

As you can see, there's not much information revealed here. This is my Ping page, which I'm totally comfortable sharing here because it displays virtually nothing about me (my Facebook page, on the other hand has much more data, so it's private). I chose the music displayed in the upper right. My activity is displayed at the bottom. By the way, I "liked" Lady Gaga for demonstration purposes only. Only music is shown in your purchase feed. Podcast downloads and audiobooks do not show up, so rest assured that the self-help audio book you bought on bed-wetting will not show up along side your recent music purchases.

Ping will tell you when artists that you're following are touring near you, and there are Ticketmaster links so you can buy tickets. There's also a page where you can choose to say that you're going, creating a notification in your feed. If you want to keep this and the rest of your activity feed private, you'll want to edit your privacy settings. While you have to set these up while signing up, you can edit them at any time through your account settings (click on your email address in the upper right hand corner and enter your password when prompted).

iTunes Ping Privacy Page

These are the actual privacy settings, and they're not very deep. Essentially you're just choosing if other users can find you and view your activity and full profile, essentially whether or not you want to approve new followers. Choosing the "Don't Allow" option makes you fairly invisible, unless you review content on iTunes. If you do, your name and photo will show up by your review. Theses options are pretty all-or-nothing, which is the price you pay for simplicity.

So, while Jobs has made it very simple to control your visibility, you're not at risk of exposing very much. We can't even warn you not to broadcast your vacation plans because, well, you can't create status updates. So that's Ping privacy in a nut shell. Of course, you don't have to join Ping. By default, it's turned off.

Or is it? So far we've dealt with information viewable by users, but if you're an iTunes customer, know that Apple sees all your information, and will share it with partners for marketing reasons. There's no way to opt out of this, and it's probably not really that different from what other companies do.

Q: Do I have to leave my computer on for MagicJack to work?

Posted by kent on August 31st, 2010

The following is an actual user-submitted question:

Q: Do I have to leave my computer on for MagicJack to work?

A: Yes, you do. Alas, the MagicJack is not really magic at all (though it is a jack, so they're half right). While the MagicJack uses VoIP (Voice of Internet Protocol) technology, it's different from a service like Vonage. The MagicJack hooks into your computer's USB port and your phone. Your computer becomes the conduit for all your calling using the MagicJack software. If your computer is off, well, that's like turning off your cordless phone's base station. That's why we don't recommend MagicJack as a replacement for your home phone service.

Check out our VoIP and Other VoIP reviews for a full rundown on the technology that can save you money on your phone calls.

Exclusive Online-Only Trusted ID 10% Discount

Posted by tasha on August 30th, 2010

NextAdvisor.com has partnered with Trusted ID to offer an exclusive 10% discount on their identity theft protection service.  This is an online-only, limited time offer, and there is no coupon code required.  All you need to do is click on any Trusted ID link on our site.

Trusted ID is one of our top reviewed identity theft protection services.  They provide 3-bureau credit monitoring, scores and reports.  They also monitor the Internet and public records for any fraudulent use of your personal information.  Added to that is medical record protection, anti-spyware software, a $1,000,000 warranty and a number of other features.  Right now you can try Trusted ID for free and get a 10% discount with their 14-day free trial.

Does the Trusted ID family plan include my partner and myself? Also, does Trusted ID offer monitoring of public records and the Internet black market?

Posted by tasha on August 30th, 2010

Q.  Does the Trusted ID family plan include my partner and myself? Also, does Trusted ID offer monitoring of public records and the Internet black market?

A. The Trusted ID family plan includes all household members living at the same address, related or not.  So you and your partner are eligible, as long as you live together.  Trusted ID also provides monitoring of both public records and the Internet black market.  Public record databases are scanned to see if your personal information has been compromised (ie, credit cards or bank account numbers).  They monitor the Internet for any suspicious activity around personal information such as your SSN, bank accounts and credit cards.

In addition to all of this, Trusted ID provides 3-bureau credit monitoring, credit scores and credit reports.  See our complete review for more information about the Trusted ID identity theft protection plan.

I don't have a computer, is there a number I can call for a free credit report?

Posted by tasha on August 26th, 2010

Q:  I don't have a computer, is there a number I can call for a free credit report?

A: Yes, there is.  You can request your free annual credit report by phone or by mail, as well as online at annualcreditreport.com.  If you prefer to call, the number is 1-877-322-8228.  If you'd like to mail your request instead, you'll need to go to the annualcreditreport.com website, download the appropriate form, fill it out and then mail it in.

Although we think getting your free annual credit report is a useful tool, it doesn't give you an accurate picture of your credit history year round.  Your credit report can change at any time, even 5 minutes after you get your annual free credit report, and you won't know or be able to take steps to fix it.    Instead, we recommend subscribing to a credit monitoring service so you are fully aware of any changes that might affect your credit history and score.  You can even try out many of the services we review for free.  Trusted ID is one of our top reviewed credit monitoring services that offers a free trial.  You can sign up online or call them at 800-234-6611

Kaspersky 2011 reviewed by NextAdvisor

Posted by kent on August 24th, 2010

We've spent some time with Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, the first of our Internet security vendors to release an update. We installed it on two machines and ran scans, did some web surfing, and played around with its special features. The verdict? Check our review of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 to find out.

The great iTunes-PayPal hack that mightn't be a hack at all

Posted by kent on August 24th, 2010

Many iTunes customers are finding their PayPal accounts suddenly drained of cash due to unauthorized charges. No one knows the cause, but that doesn't stop people from guessing. Some blame Apple (because people love blaming Apple), some blame a Microsoft vulnerability, and some blame iTunes users themselves. We'll withhold judgment, but all are possibilities, and no matter if the fault lies with the big companies or the user, this incident demonstrates just how new technologies, and new forms of commerce, create new crimes.

Fortunately, consumers don't have to be victims. While you and I are not responsible for Apple's or Microsoft's security protocols there are things that we are responsible for:

1) Checking bank and credit card balances. Sign up for electronic alerts on from your bank. Many banks allow you to set a notification limit; if your account drops below a certain dollar amount they'll let you know via SMS or email.

2) Watching out for phishing scams. Hackers often use phony electronic alerts to phish passwords and other sensitive data from victims. Don't click on links in emails, and be sure to double-check the address of any website you visit before entering personal data.

3) Create complex passwords. Using the name of a loved one, or a predictable numerical combination like "1 2 3 4 5" is a big security risk. Use letters, numbers, and symbols to create something unique and hard to guess.

4) Keep your Internet security software up to date. If the last time you paid for Internet security software is over a year ago, chances are you're not getting the security updates necessary to keep your computer safe. If you're not using Internet security software at all, it's time to start.

5) Keep your computer up to date. Your computer requires maintenance, just like your car. Fortunately, software updates from Microsoft and Apple are free, so take advantage. These updates often patch serious security holes.

6) Invest in identity theft protection. An identity theft protection service can alert you to data theft and fraudulent activity related to your credit.

Q: I am interested in having Yahoo! host my website. I am currently using Homestead, or Intuit. Can you advise me?

Posted by kent on August 23rd, 2010

Q: I am interested in having yahoo host my website.  I am currently using Homestead, or Intuit. Can you advise me?

A: We think Yahoo! is a great choice for web hosting. If you're coming from Intuit, you'll be right at home with the interface. We were generally unimpressed with Intuit's web hosting, finding it expensive and lacking in features. Depending on the Intuit plan you've been on, you could save 50% on your hosting costs. Here are two things to keep in mind as you consider making the change:

1) Transferring your domain: If you keep your same domain, you'll have to move it over to Yahoo! Fortunately, Yahoo!'s phone-based customer service is pretty great, and they should be able to guide you through the process.

2) If you used one of Intuit's templates to design your site, you probably won't be able to move it over to Yahoo! Yahoo!'s site builder is very good, however, and we think you'll be pleased with your options there.

For more information on Yahoo! versus Intuit web hosting, check out our web hosting reviews and comparisons.

My daughter is 21 years old and attending college out of state. Can she be included along with myself and wife on a single identity theft family plan?

Posted by tasha on August 23rd, 2010

Q: My daughter is 21 years old and attending college out of state. Can she be included along with myself and wife on a single identity theft family plan?  Would there be additional costs or limitations?

A: Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your daughter will need to sign up for her own identity theft plan.  Due to her age (over 18) and where she'll be living (not at your address), we were not able to find any family plans that cover her.  Top-rated Trusted ID offers a family plan, but the plan only covers family members that live at the same address.  As your daughter will be living out of state, she would not be covered under this plan.  And because she's over 18, she isn't eligible for plans where you can "add on" a child for a discount.

The best solution in this situation would be to have your daughter sign up under her own individual plan.  Before she does so, she should check out our list of top-reviewed identity theft solutions.

The NextAdvisor guide to parental control software setup

Posted by kent on August 20th, 2010

Parental control software allows parents to monitor the Internet activity of their kids, set online time limits, as well as institute blocking policies for forbidden content. Not all parental control software is created equal, of course, and our rigorous review process really sorted the good from the bad. But even the best parental control software is useless if the computer is not set up correctly. Smart kids can get around the software if there are security holes. This guide aims to provide the basics that will help parents prepare their computers, no matter which software they choose.

1. Think About Passwords and Security Questions

Your parental control software is only as affective as your passwords and security questions. You'll need to come up with good passwords for both your parental control software and your Windows account. You can use the same password for both as long as it's good. What makes it good? It needs to be hard to guess, but easy to remember. If you're stuck for ideas, you can try a random password generator, though its results can be difficult to remember. Later, when you set up your parental control software, you'll need a security question, in case you forget the password. Make sure it's nothing your kid can guess or find out (be wary of biographical questions whose answers may be discoverable via Facebook, such as "High school mascot.").

2. Set Up Your Accounts

Armed with a good password, you're ready to set up your accounts. If your computer currently does not require you to log in, you don't have any accounts enabled. You can get to the "Manage Accounts" page by typing "User Accounts" in the Windows Start Menu. You need at least two accounts for parental control software to work its best:

A) Administrator account. We've called it "Parent" to make things easier, but it can be anything. You'll also set the password on this screen. If there is no password, you'll see an option to "Create a password." If there's already a password, it will say "Change the password."

B) Standard User account. We've called it "Kid" because it'll be easier to keep track for this demonstration. It should have a password too.

C) Additionally, you'll want to make sure the Guest account is either turned off, or has a password, so kids can't use that as a non-protected alternate account.

3. Make Sure "User Account Control" Is Enabled

Most Windows systems will already have this option turned on and configured, but make sure it is on your computer. You'll find this option at the bottom of the User Accounts control panel. The reason it's important to have User Account Control turned on is because it forces the system to ask for a password when new software is installed. This will prevent Regular Users from installing software that could be used to fool the parental control software. On Windows Vista it's a simple on/off switch, while on Windows 7 there are several settings (see here). We recommend "Always Notify."

4. Install and Setup Your Parental Control Software

When you install your parental control software you'll be able to choose which accounts you'll be monitoring and filtering content for . These should map directly to the accounts you've already set up. You probably don't want your own Administrator account to be monitored, but you probably do want to monitor the Regular User Account. If you haven't yet purchased parental control software, check out our comparison and reviews. We put six of the most popular products through rigorous tests to find the best.