From the Sacramento Bee

According to Julian’s study, published online in July by the Journal of Applied Microbiology, the risks of transmitting pathogens from glass surfaces to a person’s skin are relatively high.

"If you put virus on a surface, like an iPhone, about 30 percent of it will get on your fingertips," Julian said. In turn, "a fair amount of it may go from your fingers to your eyes, mouth or nose," the most likely routes of infection.

Of course, no one can be sure how many people have gotten sick from sharing touch-screen electronics. But the devices add to the growing list of so-called fomites – frequently handled objects – that can spread pathogens such as the flu virus.

Handrails, elevator buttons, computer keyboards, automatic teller machines – remember Mom’s advice about dirty money – certainly all have the potential of spreading disease.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/14/3103164/talk-about-going-viral-touch-screen.html#ixzz12kAKg2Px

Last month we posted instructions to get a cell phone working after it got wet.

About two days later, I walk downstairs from my office, to see my wife, in from the pool, plugging in her cell phone and saying “I can’t tell you what I just did”

Wish she had. The phone had been dropped in the pool without a coating (see the video) and the worst idea was plugging it in and turning it on.

I was just a few seconds late in saving that phone (but did get in a nice lecture about reading my blog).

As soon as I can, I’m coating my pool side electronic with Golden Shellback

Microsoft Browser Poll could be heaven for hackers

Hackers find a way to get into every corner of the internet and Microsoft’s antitrust-busting ‘Browser Poll’, due to launch in Europe next week, could be no different.

Computer security firm Sophos has issued a warning that hackers could exploit the scheme to trick users with fake browser choice screens.

Microsoft’s scheme was introduced to appease the European Commission which was investigating Microsoft’s ‘unfair advantage’ in the browser market due to Internet Explorer being bundled with Windows. Set to launch gradually roll out across Europe from next week onwards, the scheme will give Windows users the opportunity to choose from 12 different browsers (see screenshots here).

This goes in the don’t try this at home pile for sure.

Not an endorsement

.. but very much fun

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Be careful with that laptop on your lap.

Laptop catches fire

Maybe we need asbestos pants as an assecorie

Laptop-Battery Fire Burns 2 South Korean Firms – WSJ.com: “SEOUL, South Korea — A battery fire in a single South Korean notebook computer hit share prices at the two LG companies that made the products, casting new light on the public’s perception of the industry’s struggles with batteries and how to power mobile-communications products.

The fire broke out Tuesday in a computer made by LG Electronics Co., which was running on a battery made by LG Chem Ltd. LG Electronics and LG Chem said an outside, independent company will investigate. ‘After we know what caused the incident, we can come up with follow-up actions,’ said Tracey Park, a spokeswoman for LG Chem”