When you go to your email account, how secure do you think your messages are?  Do you think you’re the only one to see that private email or facebook chat? As a result of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the American Civil Liberties Union disclosed to the public that the FBI believes it has the authority to open those emails, and at any time. The following is a short section of the FBI’s Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide.

18.7.1.3.4.3 (U) MAIL OPENINGS

(U) Mail in United States postal channels may be searched only pursuant to court order, or presidential authorization. United States Postal Service regulations governing such activities must be followed. A search of items that are being handled by individual couriers, or commercial courier companies, under circumstances in which there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, or have been sealed for deposit into postal channels, and that are discovered within properties or premises being searched, must be carried out according to unconsented FISA or FRCP Rule 41 physical search procedures.

18.7.1.3.4.4 (U) COMPELLED DISCLOSURE OF THE CONTENTS OF STORED WIRE OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

(U) Contents in "electronic storage" (e.g., unopened e-mail and voice mail) require a search warrant. See 18 U.S.c. § 2703(a). A distinction is made between the contents of communications that are in electronic storage (e.g., unopened e-mail) for less than 180 days and those in "electronic storage" for longer than 180 days, or those that are no longer in "electronic storage" (e.g., opened e-mail). In enacting the ECPA, Congress concluded that customers may not retain a "reasonable expectation of privacy" in information sent to network providers. However, the contents of an e-mail message that is unopened should nonetheless be protected by Fourth Amendment standards, similar to the contents of a regularly mailed letter. On the other hand, if the contents of an unopened message are kept beyond six months or stored on behalf oft he customer after the e-mail has been received or opened, it should he treated the same as a business record in the hands of a third party, such as an accountant or attorney. In that case, the government may subpoena the records from the third party without running afoul of either the Fourth or Fifth Amendment. If a search warrant is used, it may be served on the provider without notice to the customer or subscriber.

To summarize the above document, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the current law regarding government access to your online resources, requires that for UNOPENED emails a warrant must be issued to the recipient before access is granted to the FBI. However, if the email has ALREADY been opened or has been UNOPENED FOR 180 days, then the FBI merely needs a subpoena and does not need to inform the recipient.

And this issue does not only stand with the FBI. The IRS too last month was exposed as having a warrantless email access policy under ECPA. Before a Senate hearing, the acting commissioner of the IRS stated that the policy would be changed for email. And while that might bring a satisfying sigh to some, the fact remains that he said nothing of the other modes non-email data that he conveniently left out such as facebook chats, direct tweets, google drive files, dropbox files, etc.

In the changing world in which we live, the concept of privacy is becoming less of a right, and more of a commodity. So keep in mind everything you put or keep out there in the world wide web. While being among one of the most inviting places to go, it is also the most demanding place to exercise caution.

Well it doesn't take a crystal ball to foretell the future of desktops (unless it is a new Mac reveal, then I am in).

Over the past years, PC sales have dropped yet investors of companies like Windows, IBM, etc. have been holding their breath. This is when they need to exhale, actually when the first iPad came out is when they should of exhaled. The most recent IDC report demonstrates just how bad the PC market has been year by year.

14%. That is how much of a decline the report lists computer sales have dropped the past several years. 14%. I remember when retailers couldn't keep up with the market demand, even after consumers paid thousands of dollars for machines with several kilobytes of RAM in the 90s. Man...those...were...fast............times.

I think the fingers can be pointed in any direction. However, one of the key reasons I believe which played a huge role in this downward spiral is a consumer's need for mobility. As fast and as multi-tasked individuals are today there is little time for a stationary desktop. There is never time in society today to sit down in an uncomfortable chair and surf the internet hours on end when the alternative is to sit in a Lazy-Boy with my iPad and/or laptop, while watching TV with an ear bud in one ear. Mobility is a key motivator for a consumer when stuck in between a stationary desktop or the flexible option.

A second factor could be due to prices. Sure, a price of the most current iPad is much more expensive than a desktop, but the price of a new laptop is usually at or cheaper than a desktop. Unless it is something brand new with the newest OS and hardware, chances are the price of a product is going to go down as the product line ages. That is just a fact (sad fact for manufactures, good fact for you and I). If you were to ask what is the main drive for purchasing a certain tech product, it is due to the fact it was cheaper on the current day than it was just a week ago.

There are many other factors that lead into this downward trend, however in my view, mobility & prices are huge factors that cannot be ignored. Of course, desktop sales could swing back around, but as consumer market currently stands this 14% will continue to increase.

• Note: This guide was written Specifically for 10.7 (Lion), however it will also work for most other versions of OS X.

How to Connect Harding E-Mail to Mail App on OS X.

1. Go up the "The Apple" and Click on "System Preferences" 

2. Click on "Mail, Contacts, & Calendars

3. Click on the "Gmail" Icon

4. Enter your Name, Email (including the @harding.edu part), and Pipeline Password.  

  (you can Un-Check "Calendars" and "Chat" if you wish )

5. You're Finished! click on the Mail App and you're Good to go.

In many ways, technology has improved in a way that makes our lives much easier. This means, also, that in many ways we get out much less more than we used to, and therefore can get less exercise. However, there are many ways in which technology can actually aid us in our exercising needs, and a large variety of sports use different gadgets that can make your daily routine more efficient and satisfying. Here are just a few examples of the many gadgets that are out on the market right now.

Running/Walking:

Adidas Micoach Speed Cell - $70
This handy device easily clips onto your favorite pair of running shoes and records things such as running speed, acceleration, pace, and distance traveled for up to 8 hours. You can then attach it to your ipod/ipad and use an app to download and record your results.


Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered By TomTom with Sensor  - $170
A little more pricey, this watch enables users to measure speed, distance, time elapsed, pace, and calories burned. The GPS featured in this watch allows for continuous speed and distance data both indoors and outdoors. It can store data and beeps whenever you beat your best time to encourage motivation.

Swimming:

Swimovate Poolmate Swimming Computer - $95

This handy device allows for users to keep track of how many laps they have completed in the pool. It keeps track of how many laps have been completed, average strokes, distance, calories, efficiency, and real/elapsed time. The best part is that it is completely automated, so you don't even have to worry about pushing a button after every lap.

SportCount Combination Lap Counter - $30
This counter is great for keeping track of laps in both swimming and running. During your workout it provides your lap count and split times, and afterwards you can access your summary statistics including fastest, slowest, and average lap time. And while this device may not be completely automatic, it makes up for it with the low price.

Life:

Fitbit Flex - $100
The Fitbit Flex is one of my favorite new fitness gadgets that I have seen recently. Coming out soon, this device enables users to keep track of a variety of goals as they apply to the healthy lifestyle they desire. The Flex measures things such as steps taken, calories burned, hours slept and quality of sleep, water consumed, distance traveled, etc. All of this information is sent to your mobile device or internet, and you can use this to see how close you are to your goals and the total of your information. The dots on the wristband inform you how close you are to achieving your goals for the day. This device can be a huge motivational tool for creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

These few gadgets don't even scratch the surface on the huge variety of tools out there with the purpose of aiding you in creating a better lifestyle. In pretty much any capacity you can think of, technology has been created in order to help develop in any manner that you wish. And while some of these devices are a little pricey, they are still much more reasonable than hiring a personal trainer and can provide you with the quality of lifestyle you want.

Recently, Twitter unveiled it's Music app that allows users to find music based on who they follow.  This is just one of the many, many music services available in today's world. With so many options, which should you choose?

First, there is the classic iTunes, which just celebrated it's 10th birthday this past week.  iTunes changed the music scene by popularizing the digital download and allowing users to store their music on their iPod or iPhone and take it with them wherever they go.  iTunes is free for both Windows and Mac.

Streaming music has become a much more common thing, Pandora and Spotify have topped the streaming music charts.  Pandora allows user to pick a genre or artist and then plays similar artists based on the user's choice.  Spotify, on the other hand, allows users to pick the specific song or album they want to listen to, out of a library of over 16 million songs.  Both services are free with ad interruptions, but can be upgraded for a monthly fee that takes away the ads.

My personal favorite is an app called 8tracks.  It is an online service that is available in both the App store and the Google Play store.  8tracks allows users to create and upload their own mix tapes  which can then be searched for and listened to by other users.  8tracks offers a a mix for anything you can imagine wanting to listen to, and best of all it is absolutely free and there are no interruptions.

Among these, there are dozens of more options to choose from, each one different from the other.  So ask your friends what they use and look around for one to match what you want out of a music service! That way when you get ready to go on road trips, you'll have the music you want at your fingertips!

The 8x8 rule, in case you haven't heard it said quite like that, is the idea that you should try to drink about 8 oz. of water about 8 times a day.  This isn't quite "scientifically" fact, as your body needs far more if you are an extremely active person, and perhaps a little less if you are not quite as active.  Also, it doesn't have to be water, and it doesn't have to be in drink form - it just needs to be liquid of some sort.  These, and a plethora of other dietary and health considerations, make the 8x8 rule more of a guideline than a rule, anyway.

What, you say, does this have to do with technology?  I was wondering the same thing myself until I happened across news of a new product about to hit the market:

It's called the Jomi band.  It attaches to your water bottle and somehow keeps track of how much you drink.  Not only that, but it also comes complete with LED lights and sounds to make you feel guilty if you aren't drinking enough.  

"I think I can keep track of my own water intake by myself."  Yes, you may think you can, and I may think you can, but the creators of Jomi think differently.  And they aren't the only ones, as CamelBak offers this alternative (in conjunction with HyrdaCoach):

"Well, I trust CamelBak, so I guess I need a water intake-tracking device.  But why go with this Jomi band when I love CamelBak and only drink from their products anyway?"  I'm glad you asked!  Really there are a few things you should think of:  1) CamelBak makes a great product but you use only their products to drink from?!  Hmm.... obsessed much?!  2) They aren't to be trusted in everything, and I think in this case they might possibly just be trying to make money off of you.  3)  If you do decide your brain just cannot compute 8x8 on a regular basis, the Jomi bands are obviously superior.  

Why, you ask, are they superior?  Well, I'm not sure, actually.  It could be because they are white with cool blue lights. This necessarily means your water bottle will look sleek and feel like its from the future, and if your water bottle feels like it's from the future, it will try to make your water taste better for you.  It could also be because they aren't a name-brand so you can finally get off of the CamelBak bandwagon, should you so desire to be your own person.  However, they do have an even stranger, yet definitely determined-to-become-a-fad name, which means you could hop on its bandwagon before it's a bandwagon.  This will gain you hipster "street cred" with your friends, and you could start a new trend.  Or it could be because they have flashing lights and beeping noises which will embarrass you in public places and might just drive you to insanity. More likely, it will drive your roommate insane when you leave it in the room because you couldn't handle the noises anymore and didn't know how to turn them off.

"I'm not sure you've convinced me."  I haven't convinced myself either.  But if it tilts the balances for you, the Jomi band also syncs up to your mobile device.  What for, you ask?  I'm not entirely sure.  Then again, I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to do half the things they do on their mobile devices.  I say, get out and live a little!  Take a water bottle and go hiking, or ride a bike, or go for a run.  Or go over to a friend's room and play random games with water dares.  But if you're not into that sort of thing, then buy a Jomi band and drink a lot of water to make it happy.  Then tweet about it.

Out of all the apps for Android that I have used, this is by far the most intuitive and feature packed app that I have come across.  AirDroid is an app that allows you to control your Android device through your computer’s web browser.  It allows you to manage the files, call logs, send messages, and many other nifty little functions that make the Android experience that much better.

To start out, you will need to download the AirDroid app from the Google Play store.  The most important thing that you will need to be able to use this app is wifi.  Your device must be connected to the same wifi network that your computer is on in order for AirDroid to work.  Once you have the app loaded, open it.  In your web browser, go to web.airdroid.com and that site acts as a portal to your device.  You will come to this page:

You can start by either scanning the barcode with your device’s camera or you can type in the code that is provided when you startup Airdroid on your device.  Once you have been logged in, this screen will be presented:

This is the screen that allow you to do what AirDroid is capable of.  If you want to send a quick text message, go to messages and type the number or the name of the contact and type out the message and hit send to send the message.  This messaging function becomes very handy when you have to send out a huge group message.  One of the best parts about the messaging function is that when you receive a message a mini window bar will show up on the screen with that contact and the message that they sent.

Some other functions that I have used is the transferring of music, ringtones, photos, or any file to my device from my computer.  This app supports the management and transfer of those files and sends them to the right directories in order that you can play the music or view the photos as soon as you disconnect from AirDroid.

Some of the major benefits that I have seen with this app are that when I am connected, I don’t have to constantly keep looking at my phone to see if I have missed a message or if someone has called me.  It will alert me on the screen when those things happen so I can focus on my work instead of focusing on my phone.  Also, it is a whole lot easier to type on a computer keyboard instead of the device’s keyboard.  For just the ease of improved messaging this app is worth it just to check it out.  It’s a free app from the store and right now they are in the process of testing AirDroid 2.  If this is the first release, I can’t imagine seeing what improvements they make with AirDroid 2.