Witnessed a crime in Troup County? There’s an app for that

Have a crime tip for authorities in Troup County? There’s now an app for that.

The Troup County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday launched a mobile phone application that allows users to upload tips and photos anonymously, listen to Crime Stoppers podcasts, receive alerts and traffic advisories and share YouTube videos with friends.

“This is something that’s been a long time coming,” Sgt. Chad Mann said, adding the app appears to be the first of its kind. “It’s just another way for people to be our eyes and ears.”

The free application was made available for download in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market. Mann said the app cost less than $5,000 to develop, a price he said was well worth the potential benefits.

“The immediacy is there,” Mann said. “We have so much out there and so many things going on with social networking that we needed to tie that all together, especially seeing the growing market with mobile phones.”

The app comes at a time when law enforcement agencies here and around the country are creating Facebook and Twitter accounts, seeking to take advantage of the growing popularity of social networking sites and mobile phones. As of December, about 31 percent of mobile consumers in the U.S. owned smartphones, according to Nielsen, which expects that number to increase to more than 50 percent by the end of the year.

“What’s important about the app has less to do with this specific app than the emerging trend in mobile use,” said Emmett Murphy of 3 Click Media, the Washington, D.C., firm that developed the Troup County app. “Mobile devices have become the real emerging market, and within a very short period of time, most of us will be getting information on a mobile phone.”

Ben Halpert, an Atlanta author and expert on social networks, said he expects Troup County residents to make good use of the app.

“People want to be part of the community, and when they use a social networking application, it makes them feel like they’re part of something bigger,” Halpert said. “And it’s always nice to help out law enforcement.”

iPhone anti-malware stuck in state of denial -
Not needed, says Apple. Won't run, say developers

The blaze of publicity that accompanied the release of the first iPhone worms this month has sparked interest in selling anti-malware products for the device. However no such security products currently exist and Apple shows little inclination in licensing any that do get developed.

Antivirus products for Symbian smartphones have been available for years, but not one antivirus product is available for the iPhone, from any vendor. Releasing such tools would require the help of Apple, which tightly controls what applications are licensed to run on the devices via its successful AppStore marketplace.

Malicious Intent

"Hi. Welcome to the Apple Store. Can I help you?" says the Apple Specialist in a calm yet monotone voice.

"Yes, I am looking to purchase anti-virus software for my MacBook Pro," I reply.

"Hmm, I don't think we sell that here," he says in the same neutral voice.

"According to the Apple website you do carry it in the store," I assert.

I’m about to undergo breast-augmentation surgery.
I’m also a bit of a privacy nut. Can I ask my doctor
not to put my implants’ serial numbers in my medical records?

Ah, a potential Skinemax classic: An ordinary woman gets her boobs enlarged and the next thing you know she’s being chased by Russians, the Mob, and sunglass-wearing thugs from some obscure branch of the Department of Agriculture.

We’d definitely stay up extra late to watch that flick, but if that’s the kind of scenario you’re worried about, the news is bad: Federal law compels implant manufacturers to keep tabs on their wares, and doctors are forbidden from interfering with that requirement.

The Fallacy of Identity Theft

I hate the term "identity theft."

As far as I know, no one can steal my identity. Even if my bank account number, my credit card number and all my passwords are stolen, I am fairly confident that I will still be me and the thief will be a different person.

Yes, the criminal will be masquerading as me. But anyone who knows me – my husband, my children, my colleagues, my doorman, my employer – will not be fooled. If "I" was actually stolen, I believe that would be called a kidnapping.

The entities that would be fooled by a masquerader are ones that don't really know me: my bank, my credit card company, places where I do online or offline shopping. Maybe they should have done a better job figuring out who I was before parting with my money or their goods.