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Is it the highest form of flattery when someone copies you? It depends.  Last year, one of my competitors was copying my blog posts verbatim onto his site and taking credit for them.  While I finally convinced him to stop, I started wondering about this very issue.  What do you do when someone copies what you do?
The Web takes this issue to a much higher level.  Take Facebook.  A number of sites have copied the Facebook premise.  Examples include Company.com, DeHood, and ThisNext.
Of course, Facebook is not alone in the copy department. YouTube also has its admirers.  Take HowCast, Vimeo, and Break.com.
Netflix, the online video supersite is having to compete with Hulu and Blockbuster.
Larger companies have gotten around this issue by earning patents on the specific “magic” that makes their site special.  Then, when a copy-cat appears, they send their attack-lawyers to take them down.
What do you think of copy cat sites?  Hit reply and let me know!

People often ask me how hackers actually get access to banks, government installations, and other sensitive archives.  The answer often surprises them.  While Hollywood would have you believe all hackers sit behind computers in dark rooms, typing in complex codes to crack NORAD’s security, the truth is very different.  The most used weapon in a hacker’s arsenal is…the telephone.
You would be amazed how much information you can get out of a company simply by tricking the receptionist or unwitting employee.  If you are reading this article, you have been social engineered at some point.
As an example, business owners have often been called by “the copier people” wanting to verify the model number on their copier.  Soon after, the receptionist or office manager of that company gets a call saying “We just want to verify your toner order for your <model> copier.”
Most employees will assume a valid order was placed and “ok” the order.  The company is then charged three times the normal price for that toner.  That, my friends is social engineering.
Of course, social engineering can also be used for more nefarious purposes, like attaining social security numbers, credit cards, and other sensitive information.  Be careful.
Always identify anyone asking for this type of information.  As an added layer of security, you might also ask for a call-back number, hang up, and then call them back.  Most hackers will hang-up the second you ask for that number.

A friend of mine suggested I discuss the issues surrounding some recent moves by the huge Internet companies, specifically Google and Verizon. I was hesitant at first, because this subject can get very boring very quickly.

However, the principle involved, Net Neutrality, is such a key pillar of the Internet, the subject bears explaining.  Here’s an easy video that will get you up to speed.
Google and Verizon have been working behind closed doors on an Internet traffic agreement.

Keep in mind that Verizon is a big ISP (Internet Service Provider) and Google is a big Content Provider.  While no one knows exactly what was discussed, the rumor mills on the Internet have gone full-speed.

Some people worry that Google may give Verizon users FASTER access to its content if Verizon pays Google something.  Faster access can typically only work by SLOWING everyone else BUT Verizon customers down.  And that’s the rub.

But this scenario can be reversed:  Let’s say my ISP cuts a monetary deal with Yahoo so that the only search engine I can access is Yahoo.  In return, Yahoo pays something to my ISP.

Google and Verizon are quickly distancing themselves on this issue and claiming 100% support for Net Neutrality, but we’ll see…

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If I were to ask you which search engine you used, chances are, the answer would be “Google.” Yahoo would come in second and Bing would place third.

However, I am noticing some interesting trends occurring.  When search engines were put side-by-side and people were asked which search engine “looked” the best, the answer was clearly Bing.

If you’ve never been to Bing, check it out.  Every day, the background is an incredible photo.  If you mouse-over the photo, you will discover secret “links” to interesting information about the subject in the picture.

While the search results in Bing are still less relevant than Google, I’ve found myself drawn to the Bing site daily just to see the new photo.

A few months ago, Google noticed this same behaviour.  More and more people were checking out Bing.  So…..one day, Google changed its background to a pretty photo.  They received so many complaints from users, it was immediately removed.

However, next time you go to Google, and mouse-over the page, notice the little link that shows up in the bottom left corner.  If you have a Gmail account, you can choose a pretty background for all of your Google searches!

Is your Internet speed slow?  Are you getting the speed promised by your provider? Well, there are ways to find out, but they are not foolproof.  Before I started my company, I worked for an Internet Service Provider.  We got calls all the time from people claiming their “Internet was slow.”
So many factors can contribute to a slow Internet connection, so do not immediately blame your ISP.  First, how old is your computer?  Believe it or not, your computer may not be able to handle a high speed connection well. If your computer is over four years old, the weak link in the speed equation may be on your desk.
Second, if you have more than one computer hooked to your Internet connection (also called a network), the other computers may be hogging all of the bandwidth (amount of information that may flow between you and the Internet).
Finally, run a few tests.  I recommend testing your speed at SpeedTest.net and DSL Reports.  You will be measuring two things: upload speed and download speed.  Typically, your download speed will be much higher.  Write those numbers down and call your ISP.  Find out if that is close to what they promised you.  If not, there may be a problem and they can help you figure it out.

The iPhone 4 is an amazing device.  In my opinion, it is the best smartphone on the market today.  But will I buy one today?  Tomorrow?  Probably not.  I currently own an iPhone 3G.  My wife, believe it or not owns version “1″ of the iPhone!  They still work.  Despite the fact that both of us easily qualify for the cheaper contract rates with AT&T, we have no immediate plans to upgrade.  When we do, however, it will most likely be to the iPhone 4.
Many of my friends are “early adopters.”  These are people that are first in line when a new technology comes out.  In my opinion, these people are “beta testers” paying for the privilege.  I usually wait until version 1.1 or even version 2 before I dive in.  By then, 99% of the bugs have been fixed and the price is cheaper.
The feature I am most intrigued with on the iPHone 4 is the videoconferencing capability.  Keep in mind the limitations, though:  You can only use this feature when connected to WiFi.  In other words, it will not work on the road.  I can only imagine what would happen to the already overloaded AT&T network, if it was allowed “in the wild.” Once AT&T moves to a 4G network and beefs up its infrastructure, look for this capability no matter where you are!
I am also watching how people are using the HD video recording features.  The results are amazing.  You could almost justify buying an iPhone 4 as a replacement for your camcorder.  The new iPhone has many more features than I have room to list.  To see a great demonstration, check out the six minute Apple Video.