DID YOU HEAR?
Having trouble with your golf game? Tired of searching in your pockets for that pencilyou can never seem to find when it's time to write down your score? Karrier Communications(Cameron Park, N.C.) looks to bring its latest technology to the links with the recentrelease of IntelliGolf 4.0. Some of the features of IntelliGolf 4.0 enable: automated golfscoring, calculating your approximate handicap, a Desktop Wizard that makes managingcourse information easier, downloading courses from the Internet, capturing roundstatistics to help to improve your game, and presenting historical round averages. Thisscorecard software is available for use on 3Com's Palm-connected organizers and Palm-sizePCs powered by the Microsoft Window CE operating system. Two versions of IntelliGolf areavailable: the Par edition, $29.95; and the Birdie edition, $39.95.
Newspaper sales might have decreased over the last 15 years, but that doesnt meanInternet users dont know where to go for information. Preliminary results of anonline usage survey from the Newspaper Association of America show that more than half ofInternet users looking for news online turn to newspaper Web sites. The study, whichsurveyed online users in the top 50 U.S. markets, found that 51 percent of those who usean online service, the Internet or World Wide Web to get world or national news said theyread or looked at an online newspaper in the past six months. Among those seeking localnews online, 54 percent turn to online newspapers, and 46 percent use online newspapers toget information about upcoming events.
Y2K might strike fear into computer users hearts in Western societies, but theInternational Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said recently these users are morevulnerable to technological sabotages from hackers and terrorists than to the millenniumcomputer bug. While methods to solve Y2K problems were well in hand, the report saidexisting security products did not provide enough protection and that malicious attackswere certain to be mounted in the future. IISS also said other vulnerabilities were not aswell publicized or understood and that to protect Western societies against cyber-attackwill require a big effort by industry and governments, "of the kind and size nowbeing directed at known Y2K vulnerabilities."
If its too good to be true, it probably is. Apparently, 233 online investorsdidnt understand that when they invested between $10,000 and $50,000 on an Internetinvestment hoax site. Since April 1, the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions(ASIC), has been running the April Fools hoax, promising investors they will reap athreefold return on their money. Despite having nothing legitimate to back up its claimsof high-return, low-risk investment, Millennium Bug Insurance -- the Y2K bug insurance"company" behind the site -- attracted 10,000 visitors and 1,212 e-mail requestsfor more information. In all, the hoax netted $4 million. On May 4, ASIC went public withits hoax, hoping to educate the Australian public about the dangers of online investingand make sure they do some basic safety checks.