Why you should monitor your kids online activities

The situation is getting desperate. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the University of New Hampshire did a recent study that found that 1 in 5 children who regularly use the Internet have been solicited for sex in the past year.

But get this: The same study found 1 in 4 children report being exposed to photos of people having sex, even though about 1/3 of households reported using “Internet blocking software.”

That’s the problem. That’s why keystroke monitoring programs like PC Tattletale have been developed. It’s one of a whole bunch of programs that let parents know just what their kids are doing online. But what I like about this application is it records any and all software programs run, web sites visited, instant messages exchanged and while doing so, does not interfere with normal browsing & won’t slow down your PC like so many other monitoring software programs.

This program offers a VCR-like control & playback function that makes it as simple as clicking the “PLAY” button to watch EVERYTHING your child did when they were online. And if you are away, it can even send you copies of your child’s emails in real time so you’ll know what’s going on even if you’re at the office.

You can try it for free. If you want to buy. It’s $49.

ADV: To check out PC Tattletale, click here

Don’t sweat early change to DST

To listen to some of the online hype, you’d think the cyberspace sky is falling come March 11 when Daylight Savings Time kicks in three weeks earlier than normal in an effort to save energy costs by maximizing daylight hours. Doomsayers are predicting massive problems because most computers have their internal clocks programmed for the old DST date.

Fear not. Apple and Microsoft have sent down new fixes for their operating systems but even if you don’t get it, the worst possible effect is you may be an hour late to an appointment if you rely on your computer. To fix this minor glitch is as easy as downloading that automatic fix.

Microsoft has a detailed section of information on dealing with this simple little hiccup at www.microsoft.com/dst2007. To get the software patch for an automatic update, go to http://update.microsoft.com. For Mac users, Apple has a list of all updates at www.apple.com/support/downloads

Adv: Click Here for info on how to make sure your Windows registry is working properly

Smart Shopper gizmo recognizes your voice

My NBC-TV piece this week is about the SmartShopper Grocery List Organizer. It attaches by a magnet to your refridgerator and recognizes your voice to compile shopping lists. It retails for $149.

Making money from home by taking surveys

The claims are pretty astounding: Making from $5 to $75 by taking online surveys and participating in product testing focus groups. The surveys are generally intended to get your honest opinions on various topics, such as what kind of products you buy, why you choose one product over another, what you think of certain products and how much they cost, how much you spend on various products, etc.

Remember envelope stuffing? This appears to be the high tech work-from-home successor. Thousands are participating in it. I’ve never tried it and I’m sure it’s not going to get you rich quickly. But I looked at the offering of a company called Survey Scout and it sounded like a great way to pick up a few extra bucks without a lot of work. Another suvey company is called PaidSurvey.

Surveys are generally made up of anywhere from 20-50 questions, sometimes multiple choice and sometimes with space for you to add your personal comments, etc. In general, the more time it is expected to take to complete the survey, the more you will be compensated. Some take only 5 minutes, say the companies.

Interesting.

ADV:Click Here for info on Surveys

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Reality TV meets YouTube

It was inevitable. A new site called Dare Junkies has just gone live, capitalizing on greed, social networking, the online video craze and the tendency of people to make fools out of themselves and others.

It all works with a dare, or challenge. The site urges people to pick a challenge from the reader-submitted Challenge List. Challenge yourself or somebody else. Shoot it. Post it. Then over the next month, members will vote on it. The 10 most popular challenge videos will split a $5000 cash prize..

There’s some pretty bizarre stuff already out there, as I point out on my NBC-TV “High Tech Talk” segment this week.

Ad: Make money at home by completing surveys - Click Here for info!
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Why I’m quitting SunRocket

I’ve written before about my many problems with SunRocket - the VoIP provider. But after two years now of sporadic service, I finally sent in my cancellation notice today. Here’s the response:

Thank you for contacting SunRocket Member Services. We value your business and your feedback. Currently, we are experiencing higher than normal email volume. An agent will be contacting you within 48 hours.

48 hours!!! That is so beyond unacceptable that it’s enough to make me laugh and yet another reason why I can not recommend this service.