| Wheel and deal
The slogan, "Let the buyer beware," truly fits the Internet. Online merchandise often is sold without warranties or guarantees and the world's largest online shopping mall has no substitute for the helpful advice experts can give at a local retail store.But security measures are in place to reduce the odds of rip-offs, and people who spend a small fortune (that's me) at the shop down the street shouldn't feel guilty if they look online for a deal on the gear they need. Whether you fish, hunt, kayak, camp or devote time to any one of a thousand other pastimes, eBay has it. Heck, a co-worker just stopped by my desk to say her parents are selling their house on eBay.As an experiment for this story, I had a friend, Andy Sweet of Bloomington, use his eBay expertise to buy parts to build a bicycle with top-of-the-line Shimano Dura Ace components.
PayPal, E-payments Gain Online Ground
Burt Reynolds is an unlikely choice for the role of Santa's helper. That didn't stop computer-maker Dell (DELL) from casting the actor in a series of commercials aimed at the social networking set. In the videos, launched on Nov. 16, Reynolds encourages viewers to buy Dell products online as holiday gifts for friends and family. The star of Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run isn't the only surprising casting choice. Playing the part of payment collector is eBay's (EBAY) PayPal. Dell typically lets customers purchase computers with their Visa or MasterCard (MA) credit cards. But with this new service, all payments must go through a PayPal account. "People are moving to using different payment options, and looking at this one in particular opened up a lot of opportunities," says David Clifton, a spokesman for Dell's consumer group.
Infinite Loop
As true freedom looms for iPhone applications, some are observing that the device's appeal is surprisingly growing with businesses. That will receive a significant boost with the possibility for third parties to add business applications and flesh out the iPhone's Exchange support. February could bring a second rush of buyers from businesses looking to customize a batch of iPhones for their employees. The big question now is how much application-building power Apple plans to provide to developers. Considering how locked-down the iPhone has been since its US release in June, we can't say we would be too surprised if Apple is cautious, at least initially, with the first SDK. .
Tories take aim at identity thieves
The Conservative government will introduce legislation this fall aimed at catching identity thieves before they attack the bank accounts of Canadians. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said new amendments to the Criminal Code will punish identity theft, regardless of whether the stolen information is ever used for identity fraud. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Nicholson said stolen identity crimes cost Canadian individuals and businesses $2-billion a year. "I think it's a growing problem and we've got to get on it now because the technology people use to obtain information will only get better," he said. "We've got to get something on the books." The minister said the bill will close a gap in the law. Current offences are focused solely on the misuse of stolen identities through fraud, impersonation or forgery.
Feds Charge Investigator in HP Spying Scandal
A private investigator accused of illegally accessing a reporter's private phone records as part of the Hewlett-Packard boardroom spying scandal has been charged with federal identity theft and conspiracy charges. U.S. Attorney Kevin V. Ryan filed the charges on Wednesday in San Jose, Calif., federal court against Bryan Wagner. Is Your Paid Search Paying Off?Paid search spending is on the rise. Before you raise that cost-per-click, let�s determine if it�s working for you. Download this report to receive industry statistics, tips to optimize search initiatives and methods for measuring success. Get Your Free Report Today! .
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