Small GPS devices help prosecutors win convictions

"The growing popularity of GPS systems — in cars, cell phones and other handheld devices — gives authorities another powerful tool to track suspects."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080828/ap_on_hi_te/gps_evidence;_ylt=AgFHij4gfUNxF8Zcg2j1S3QjtBAF

Detectives have begun using personal GPS systems to monitor where suspects were at the time of the crimes they are suspected for. This has been used to convict a number of people in murder, rape, missing-person, and arson crimes. "The GPS feature on a cell phone has already helped solve at least one crime. In 2006, police in Virginia Beach, Va., used the GPS on a homicide victim's cell phone to find the phone and her purse in a garbage can behind a home. The home was linked to the man who was eventually charged with killing her."

I feel this is a great tool for law enforcement to use to track criminals. I feel that any extra tool, like GPS, may deter criminals from attacking people, knowing that a hand-held GPS may b eon their victim. This device also comes in handy if an alibi is lying. A GPS doesn't lie. Although many people might think of this practice as an invasion of privacy, using a suspect's (or victim's) GPS is a fair tool that should be put to use in every law-enforcement department.

Dell's new low-cost PCs for emerging markets

As promised, Dell unveiled several new computers Wednesday made specifically for emerging PC markets like China and India.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10026957-92.html?tag=mncol;title

This article describes Dell's creation of inexpensive computers, so that they may be more easily available to citizens in countries who have not had the opportunity to own computers before.
"There are four new models in all under the Vostro line--two laptops and two desktops. The notebooks will start at $475, and the desktops at $440, and will be available in more than 20 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe."

I found this article particularly interesting due to the fact that "One Laptop, One Child" was mentioned in class, and this is another possibility to contribute to that program. Making technology available to more people than ever before will help to contribute to a globalized economy and greater information sharing. I look forward to see what new ideas come out of areas of the world that were never before

Japan's Mixi Tops Facebook and MySpace

The fast-growing site is the king of social networking among Japanese users, and it really rakes in the online ads
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/aug2008/gb20080826_228835.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories

Mixi is a social networking site, similar to Facebook and MySpace, based in Japan. Mixi users claim that it is "tailored for Japanese users, and that they do not even know Facebook and MySpace have Japanese-language sites. Mixi originally launched as eMercury in 2004, two years before MySpace. The secrets to its success include a "squeaky-clean" image and the target marketing opportunity for companies to target the exact groups that they are looking for.

I found this story interesting because many college students are members of social networking sites today. Also, being that Japan is so tech-savvy, I wanted to see what they were doing differently from our social networking sites. The answer is actually not much- Mixi is just much more popular because it began before our sites and it is catered particularly for the Japanese.