The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro was online Friday, Jan. 22 at Noon ET to discuss his recent reviews and answer your personal tech questions.

Apple, Intel and Ericsson are among the technology giants that will vie with Google to buy a trove of patents from the bankrupt Canadian company.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion saw investors abandon the company in droves amid fresh concerns about its future.

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Connected

Quick Pitch: Get all your contacts and conversations in one place.

Genius Idea: CRM without the manual entry.

Effortless personal contact management has been the promise of countless web services for years — Etacts, Gist and Plaxo come to mind — and yet most of us still manually manage our disparate contact databases and address books, which is almost always a messy process.

Perhaps Connected can get us back on track. “The main goal of the product is to help you build, maintain and leverage your relationships,” says founder and CEO Sachin Rekhi.

The web- and mobile-friendly application hooks into nearly every social network, contact database and calendar repository on the web to automatically build out a comprehensive contact and company database, free of duplicate entries.

In Connected’s perspective, your contact database includes everyone you email via Gmail or Outlook, the people you’ve scheduled meetings with via Google Calendar, and the folks you call and text via Google Voice. It also extends to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Evernote and so forth, connecting the dots between communications — email, Twitter DMs, @mentions, Facebook messages, contacts tagged in Evernote notes et al. — across all these services to build a real-time conversation history for each contact.

Connected’s higher calling is to eliminate the manual contact entry that other services mandate and to help you better mange your professional network without the management.

“Really good sales people spend a lot of time managing and building their professional networks,” says Rekhi. “Connected is a next generation contact management solution that helps the rest of us be much more efficient.”

Even with its most basic features, Connected seems sexy; but we’ve barely scratched the surface of what the app can do. Connected will email you each morning, for instance, with a daily agenda that not only includes your appointments but any relevant social and/or news items on your contacts or their companies.

Connected comes with a rather substantial (at least for personal use) monthly financial commitment. You can access the produce free of charge for a 14 day trial period, but afterwards you’ll need to pay $9.99 per month to maintain access.

Still, we find Connected’s mission to remove the management piece from the personal CRM equation to be quite promising. The bootstrapped startup, first launched in February, has already processed five million contacts from its users and is seeing strong paid subscriber conversion rates, Rekhi says. In the future, he says, Connected will develop ways to help users share their contact records with groups.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, wakila

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

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In a division of labor that caught some investors by surprise, Ron Johnson, credited with revolutionizing the concept of the retail store while at Apple, won't oversee stores at J.C. Penney when he takes over as chief executive.

Movies distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment were removed from Netflix's on-demand Internet service Friday, a Netflix executive wrote in a blog post, adding that the absence was "temporary."

While New Zealand waits for its "three-strikes" act to kick in, the Irish are finding their version troublesome. It was set up in an agreement with the biggest ISP there, Eircom, and the music industry in 2009.

Will the Irish experience be mirrored in New Zealand? This is an excellent reminder and warning that presumed guilty upon accusation laws are not fair.

Thanks to @lawgeeknz for the EDRI-gram.

 

 

Irish "three strikes" system investigated by Data Protection Commissioner

15 June, 2011

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner is investigating the Eircom / music industry three strikes system, a report in the Sunday Times has revealed. According to the story by Mark Tighe, predictions that Eircom would end up falsely accusing innocent users have now proved correct, with over 300 users wrongfully being sent a "first strike" letter accusing them of sharing music.

Eircom have admitted to the mistakes, stating that "this was due to a software failure caused when the clocks went back last October". However, far from being a technical sounding "software failure", this appears to show up failings in relation to a very basic aspect of network management - i.e. making sure that the server clock reflects daylight savings time. As a result, it seems that users found themselves being accused on the basis of what somebody else did from the same IP address either an hour earlier or an hour later. Consequently, the users who were wrongfully accused should consider themselves lucky that this incompetence did not lead to their being accused of a serious crime - for example, being arrested and having their homes searched due to the wrong time being used (as has previously happened e.g. to a number of Indian users).

The significance of this case goes well beyond simple technical failings however, as the complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner has triggered a wider investigation of the legality of the entire three strikes system. According to the Sunday Times, "the DPC said it was investigating the complaint 'including whether the subject matter gives rise to any questions as to the proportionality of the graduated response system operated by Eircom and the music industry'."

This is unsurprising. When the Eircom / music industry three strikes settlement was being agreed, the Data Protection Commissioner identified significant data protection problems with it. These problems remain, notwithstanding the deeply flawed High Court judgement which permitted the parties to operate the system - a judgement which, for example, decided on the question of whether or not IP addresses are personal data without once considering the views of the Article 29 Working Party. The Data Protection Commissioner was not convinced by that judgement (it was problematic at least in part because the Commissioner was not represented - the only parties before the court had a vested interest in the system being implemented). However, until a concrete complaint arose no further action could be taken.

The complaint in this case has now triggered that action, and it seems likely that the Commissioner will reach a decision reflecting his previous views that using IP addresses to cut off customers' internet connections is disproportionate and does not constitute "fair use" of personal information. If so, the Commissioner has the power and indeed the duty to issue an enforcement notice which would prevent Eircom from using personal data for this purpose - an outcome which would derail the three strikes system unless Eircom successfully challenges that notice before the courts, or unless the music industry were to succeed in its campaign to secure legislation introducing three strikes into Irish law.

Eircom investigated after falsely accusing customers of piracy (5.05.2011)
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article642095.ece

Data Protection Commissioner investigating Eircom's "three strikes" system (11.06.2011)
http://www.tjmcintyre.com/2011/06/300-false-accusations-data-protectio...

(Contribution by TJ McIntyre - EDRi-member Digital Rights Ireland)

Elliott Spelman is an intern at WePay which allows you to collect payments online without the hassle. You can contact him at elliott.spelman@wepay.com.

Four years and three internships later, I’m a graduate of USC. Like a lot of people my age, I’ve become pretty comfortable with the fact that I don’t really know what I want to do in life. Every graduation speaker I’ve ever listened to, from Steve Ballmer to Mr. Gowen, my elementary school gym teacher, has urged the same advice: Do what you’re passionate about.

For people in my position, though, there seems to be a choice between doing a job you love and doing a job that’s available to you. We’re left with the question: If doing something rewarding is the ultimate goal, what if it takes some time to figure it out?

Just because I’m not on a prescribed career path doesn’t mean I’m not interested in anything. On the contrary, actually. My college resume is a veritable potpourri of potential professions. All three of my college internships were tied to personal interests (non-profits, travel, music). I majored in economics and creative writing. I pledged a fraternity and worked for the geography department one summer. And now I’m feeding my interests again, picking a summer internship at a tech startup in Silicon Valley over other full-time job offers.

People ask me all the time, with genuine concern in their faces: “Aren’t you worried about what happens at the end of the summer?” The honest answer is no. If I have to sacrifice my interests for the sake of long-term financial security at the age of 21, then in the words of professor Hubert J. Farnsworth: “I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.” Plus, if for some reason the job isn’t right, or if something else pops up, it’s only a three-month commitment.

Along the winding path toward a more permanent career, I’ve picked up a few pieces of wisdom for my fellow interns out there.

1. Understand How People See Your Generation

There’s a Youtube clip out there of a few anchors on Fox News talking about how Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood has ruined a generation of young people who now feel special. Entitlement, I’m afraid, is the knock on our generation.

How do you objectively measure something like that? I’ve been fired for it (“Your generation needs to learn that you do not give ultimatums to a superior”), and I’ve heard it muttered (“F*****g kids these days”), but basically, your job is to prove these people wrong. It doesn’t take much. Show that you are genuinely interested and engaged by the people around you. Learn how to be competent. Make your coworkers trust you, and make them look good.

2. Take Advantage of Your Generation’s Gifts

We are the first wave of people raised on the Internet. We stay connected. We rely on other people. We understand our constant access to infinite information and we adjust ourselves accordingly. Compared to those for whom the Internet is a struggle, we have the opportunity to be exponentially more productive in a fraction of the time.

My advice is to use the applications that best organize your mind — the ones that help you develop methods and routines that feel comfortable. When it comes to documents, I’m a Google Apps kind of guy. Some people prefer Dropbox or MobileMe.

Everyone our age should be able to find the answer to any basic question within a minute. Google and Wikipedia should be second nature. After all, part of the reason we’re seen as entitled is because we have access to a whole array of shortcuts that have never existed before. Use them to your advantage.

3. There’s a Reason for Professionalism

I’ve worked at an internship where everybody in the office ironed their pants every morning, and I’ve worked with people in flip-flops. Neither one is intrinsically better than the other. You have to understand that each place you work has its own corporate culture and in order to do well you have to adjust yourself to fit it.

If people are going to spend nine hours each day cramped together, they have to find ways to stay sane. Some bosses hand out beers at five, and some require their employees to wear a certain color tie. If you want peoples’ respect, you have to give in to it.

That’s basically what professionalism is: A code of behavior that greases the wheels and keeps everyone out of each other’s way. You shouldn’t feel like the code is a burden. If it starts to feel like you’re wearing a mask to work every day, don’t be afraid to question if the job is a good fit for you.

4. Enjoy the People You Work With

This is the single most underrated aspect of career decisions. Granted, it’s very difficult to know what the person hiring you will turn out to be like, but that’s where internships come in. Internships give you a taste of what kind of people get drawn to what kind of careers.

The fact is, even with the mask of professionalism, your coworkers rub off on you. You can’t avoid them. If you hate who you work with, it can be tough to convince yourself that what you are doing is worthwhile, even if you would normally enjoy it.

5. Use Your Education Wisely

Unless you studied accounting or architecture as an undergrad (and even if you did), there is a very small chance that your college education will come in particularly handy for your first job. There are, however, unexpected elements of your education that will be tremendously useful.

At my PR gig, I gave my boss an essay by Georg Simmel that I thought he might find interesting. Working at the tutoring center, I helped format databases of small donors with Excel formulas I’d learned in ECON317. And now, working for a tech company, I find myself blogging, pulling from all kinds of things I learned in creative writing workshops.

I guess my general piece of advice here would be to never assume it’s okay to stop learning. There is no direct correlation between your formal education and what you do after, so remember to always stay curious and flexible.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Tricia Wang 王圣捷, Simon King, and iStockphoto, H-Gall

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Oracle Corp. is seeking as much as $6.1 billion in damages in a patent- and copyright-infringement lawsuit against Google Inc. that claims the search-engine company’s Android software uses technology related to the Java programming language, according to court papers.

Apple Inc. has joined the bidders for a trove of patents from Nortel Networks Corp., the bankrupt maker of phone equipment, two people familiar with knowledge of the matter said.

A number of female U.S. House of Representatives members have expressed their support for the women who drove their cars on the streets of Saudi Arabia Friday, in an effort to defy the country’s ban on female drivers.

A few shows of encouragement for the Women2Drive campaign, which gained widespread publicity through social media sites, have appeared on Congresswomen’s Twitter accounts. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tweeted, “Beep beep and solidarity to the Saudi women & supporters challenging the driving ban!”

Pelosi was retweeted by Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), who also posted her own message: “I stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabian women participating in the #Women2Drive Campaign today.”

Rep. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), the first female physician in the U.S. Congress, sent this tweet: “In my doc practice some US men did everything to prevent wives driving. They couldn’t! Drive SA women Drive!”

A number of Congresswomen signed a public open letter, which declares solidarity with Manal al-Sherif — a key figure in the Saudi driving campaign who was arrested and jailed last month after posting a video of herself driving on YouTube. The letter tells al-Sherif, who was released after pledging not to drive: “Your efforts on behalf of Saudi women, who only wish to protect themselves, are inspiring and we wish to extend our heartfelt admiration and support.”

The letter ends with the politicians saying: “As members of Congress, we proudly stand in solidarity with you and all Saudi women you represent as you pursue your goals and wish to offer our support in helping to bolster your efforts to empower Saudi women. We look forward to following your progress.” The letter is signed by Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.).

This appears to be the first public show of support from U.S. politicians for the campaign. A Change.org petition asks Hillary Clinton to declare her public support, but it seems to have received no response from the State Dept.

Meanwhile, according to an email update from Change.org Human Rights Editor Benjamin Joffe-Walt, at least 45 women drove in Saudi Arabia on Friday. Several women, along with men who agree with the campaign, tweeted about the experience. Most women said they were not approached by police. One tweet from Saudi resident Heba Al Butairi, addressed to NPR’s Andy Carvin, reads: “Just 2 brief detentions (Riyadh-Makkah) followed by an immediate release. One ticket was issued though (Riyadh).”

Image courtesy of Flickr, Leader Nancy Pelosi

More Stories About Women2Drive

• Saudis Use Social Media To Document Campaign for Women’s Right To Drive
• Saudi Women Ready To Defy Driving Ban, Fueled by Social Media
• Saudi Woman Behind Social Media Driving Campaign Released From Detention
• Saudi Woman Arrested After Posting Online Clip of Herself Driving [VIDEO]

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Billionaire Philip Falcone’s LightSquared Inc. reached a 15-year deal with Sprint Nextel Corp. to share network expansion costs and equipment, and to provide high-speed wireless service to the phone company.

Somewhere between Crazy Britney and Sinead O’Connor, Lady Gaga has taken her place among bald (or bald-seeming) female performing artists.

This video of Gaga’s performance of “Hair” on the Paul O’Grady show features the singer sporting a cue ball-esque dome for the first two and a half minutes. Gaga, who is wearing a turquoise dress made of synthetic hair and sitting at a hair-covered piano, then dons a matching turquoise wig for the remainder of the performance.

The topic is making the rounds on Twitter and is quickly rising through the service’s trending topics.

No one’s sure whether the new look is a skin cap (likely) or an actually shaved head (still plausible, given the singer’s other antics), but the singer did say to the show’s host in a post-performance interview, “I have less hair.”

What do you think of the pop star’s new look?

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Your iPhone is there when you need it: whether you’re lost and looking up directions, trying to find a nearby restaurant, or just want to film your favorite band performing in concert. But enjoy that last experience while you can, because your phone may someday know to shut its camera down when used in venues for events like music and sports.

According to the Daily Mail (via Pitchfork), Apple is developing software for precisely that. The London Times uncovered this patent, filed in California 18 months ago.

The software would recognize when the iPhone’s camera was in use. Infra-red sensors installed at the venue would activate the software and disable the camera. Other functions would continue to work normally. The Daily Mail speculates that Apple may be trying to placate broadcasters who have purchased exclusive rights to events. This would also serve as a way to curb posting of copyright material online by users who do not hold the rights.

Could Apple charge users to record such events? If so, Apple will have figured out a way to monetize amateur filming in venues. The report does not indicate anything about still photography, so it is unclear whether the entire camera would be disabled or just the video function.

What do you think? Should Apple be able to decide whether or not you can record an event with your phone?

More About: apple, iphone, patent, video

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#webapp If you've been using Instagram, the popular filter-based photo capturing and sharing app for iOS, you're probably aware of its lack of a decent web interface. Webstagram provides exactly that. More »

Peanutweeter, the hilarious marriage of random funny tweets with Peanuts cartoons, was removed from Tumblr Friday, following a claim that the blog violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. See Also: Peanutweeter Brings Peanuts, Twitter Together With Hilarious Results A tweet from the @Peanutweeter account, sent just after noon PDT, claimed that the site had been taken offline following ...

Peanutweeter, the hilarious marriage of random funny tweets with Peanuts cartoons, was removed from Tumblr Friday, following a claim that the blog violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. See Also: Peanutweeter Brings Peanuts, Twitter Together With Hilarious Results A tweet from the @Peanutweeter account, sent just after noon PDT, claimed that the site had been taken offline following ...

A new mobile app startup hopes to help you connect with people nearby on Facebook — by cutting down on the friction of the friend request.

The startup, Friendthem, has just released its free iPhone app [iTunes Link] that is designed to let people see the Facebook users around them and then send a friend request immediately, or file the request away for later.

In other words, it’s easy to friend someone at a meeting or a party — or to pretend that you’ll do so later.

We spoke with Friendthem founder Richard Passer about the app and why he believes that the friend request deserves to be “elevated to its proper status as the gateway to all social networking connections.”

Whether you meet someone at a bar, in the park or at a conference, friending that person on Facebook or following them on Twitter or Foursquare is now a common social norm. But the process of actually finding and sending a friend request can be complicated, thanks to the sheer number of people on Facebook. Searching for a common name like “Jason Smith” can yield dozens of results. If a users hasn’t shared their photos with non-friends, or updated their location recently, tracking that person down can be difficult.

So people who want to connect on Facebook can use Friendthem as kind of a hybrid meeting place. You get to control what information about yourself is shared with others. You choose whether your name or photo is displayed. You can decide to show off your hometown, or not.

Other users that have Friendthem installed and are close by can then see you in the app, and choose to initiate a friend request now or later.

This video shows the app in action:

The app doesn’t require any sign-up — simply login using Facebook and then choose what information you want to make visible. For users that don’t want to be listed in certain areas — like at the office or on vacation — Friendthem lets users create geo-fences, or areas where they will be hidden from the app.

Friendthem is different from apps like Hashable or Bump because the focus is on building relationships within Facebook. If you share any mutual friends with someone nearby, Friendthem will let you know.

Still, will users download and install yet another social app? Passer was optimistic on this point. He believes that the utility of Friendthem will outweigh the hassle of another download. We’re not convinced that’s true, but the fact that three users were found within our city block while testing the app — which has had zero publicity so far — could prove him right.

The app is out for iPhone now and an Android version will be released in the next few weeks. A Windows Phone app is also in the works.

In the future, Passer will also look at developing apps that connect users to other Twitter or Foursquare followers. For now, however, his focus is on Facebook.

In an ideal world, Facebook would open up its mobile API in such a way that users could opt to use Friendthem from a standard Facebook app, and then just by having Facebook for iPhone or Android installed, Friendthem users could send requests.

For now, however, it’s an idea with promise. The “Friendthem Later” feature is particularly nice because it tags the location where the person was located with the request — great for those nights when you can’t remember who you met or where.

Sending a friend request in the app takes place using the standard Facebook mobile API. Users still have to send a message and confirm the request, so accidentally sending friend requests shouldn’t be a problem.

If Friendthem can gain a critical mass of users, we could see this being an app we would use every day.

What do you think about using location-aware technology to help aid in friend requests? Let us know in the comments.

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Billionaire Stephen Jarislowsky, one of Research In Motion Ltd.’s largest shareholders, added his name to the call for the BlackBerry smartphone maker to split the roles of chairman and chief executive officer.

#deals New to Lifehacker, Daily App Deals is a not-quite-quotidian compendium of noteworthy app price drops and discounts. More »