Thinking Tech

I was reading an issue of What’s Working in Credit and Collection Management . It's one of those red and black newsletters that they send you and then try to get you to pay $300 a year for the info. Actually, pretty good. I pay for the Marketing newsletter and get a trial of about 3-4 others a year....

Anyway, I noticed an article about depositing checks from your mobile phone. The article was linked to a USAA (bank) product that works with the iPhone. So I decided to google the concept of "depositing a check with a cell phone." Seems that the center of the technology is a product from Mitek systems. Also looks like not just the iPhone, but Blackberry and several others might be able to use this.

The reviews seemed concerned about having to do it over and over because the quality of the closeup picture from the iPhone, etc. is not that great. But it's a great concept. Links are below if you're interested.

http://www.remittancedirectory.com/docs/USAA081109.pdf - USAA product to deposit checks from an iPhone.
http://www.selfserviceworld.com/article.php?id=22194 – NCR’s version of the phone deposit technology.
http://www.miteksystems.com/ImageNet_PhotoVideo.asp - Mitek Systems seems to be the company with the main technology at the center of the phone deposit news.

I was meeting with a client the other day. One of the people in the meeting had deleted his Facebook account because he swore that the list of "Friend Suggestions" was coming from his email list. Facebook had hacked his Outlook phonebook!

I explained that Facebook uses his existing friends to suggest people he might know. By looking at friends of his friends, it's able to identify others he might know.

"Oh!" he said.

Duh!

Paranoia and conspiracy theories always amuse me!

Folks, the IRS doesn't send tax notices in email!

Notice of unreported income email scam (PHOTO)

Here's a great little article on how to create "strong" passwords. Strong passwords are those that are very difficult to guess or break by trial and error. This is a great technique for making them. One I've used for years...in concept.

The Art of Creating Strong Passwords -  MSN Tech & Gadgets - Security

Gee, how do you figure the IRS justifies it? Actually intending to enforce a rule and a deadline.

Folks have been using offshore (Swiss) accounts to hide money for years. Never mind the questions on the tax return, "Does this entity own interest in a foreign bank account?"

Earlier in the year, after getting the Swiss firm UBS to agree to release a number of names, the IRS decided to play nice. They gave folk with illegal bank accounts until October 15 to self report and avoid a host of possible penalties.

Now they actually intend to enforce the deadline! Imagine that!

I'm having real trouble feeling sorry for anyone caught in this.

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Web/20092159.htm