advice

The 404 351: Where we decode our paychecks with the Jill of all trades

It's no surprise that Jeff, Wilson, and Justin don't know jack about the economic financial crisis, so we invite CBS MoneyWatch.com's Editor-at-Large Jill Schlesinger on the show to break it all down. She preps us with tips on what young people can do to secure a stable future and she gives us three very important ways to keep the money we earn.

First of all, be sure to have six months of living expenses in the bank. If you don't have a steady, stable job like a tenured teaching position, a three-month rainy day fund in the bank will do you some good, if, God-forbid, something happened. Second, pay off your debt. Sounds obvious, but most Americans haven't saved a dime since the '90s.

Last thing she says is to take advantage of your company's 401k. Yes, your parents retirement and pension funds might be gone, but if you're like us, in our 20s and barely employed, you should throw money into your 401k. If you want, Wilson will manage your 404k--if you want a negative return on your investment.

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to show off all of your submissions for our logo contest, but let's face it: some things are more important than logos. But rest assured that we're going to go over ALL of them on tomorrow's show, not to mention a huge "Calls from the Public" to make up for today. Keep sending in your submissions to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com--they've all been amazing. We've gotten so many that we're EXTENDING the contest to next week! Don't forget: all submissions should include a JPG/PNG as well as a high-res file. Thanks all!

EPISODE 351 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

LG phones, Bluetooth headsets: Ask the Editors

Welcome to my new Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and their accessories, such as Bluetooth headsets, battery packs, and more. I get plenty of questions e-mailed me to me about these subjects, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might even solicit answers from you readers as well if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

P.S. I was thinking of calling the column The 411. What do you think?

Let's begin!:

Q: I would like to know whether I can get an LG CU500V unlocked phone from any Web site or it's just restricted to the AT&T mobile services? As of now I can only find LG CU500 unlocked phones from Amazon for $99, but it has a older software version unlike LG CU500V. Is it worth the price in today's date. Since its a bit outdated? What about music quality? What about headphones and charger or it's available in the box? What about the warranty cover for such Internet purchases? I am currently located in India, Mumbai (Asia Pacific). Please help. -- Shaikh, via e-mail… Read more

Cool waveform bracelets--advice you can wear

The picture you see here is a bracelet modeled after the waveform of someone saying "I believe in you." Made by a group called The Sound Advice Project, it is a way for parents to record a message, which is then custom-made into a piece of jewelry as a gift to a teenage child. The purpose is for the child to always have a visual reminder of the advice.

Though primarily an effort against teen drug abuse (thus the focus on parent-child advice), the geeky-cool nature of this bracelet is undeniable. Check out the official site, where you … Read more

The 404 129: Where Natali is dressed like a school marm

Back by insanely popular demand, Natali Del Conte guest stars on today's pretty heartfelt show. Well, we start it off pretty naughty with a couple of stories about highly offensive T-shirt graphics and Mini-Me's "secret" videotape, but then Jeff's buddy Zach calls in with a heartbreaking story and we dish out advice on how to sustain a long-term relationship. E-mail or call and tell us your opinion! EPISODE 129 Download today's podcast

Explaining Centrino

One of Intel's most successful marketing pitches has been "Centrino", a name well understood as denoting a notebook with solid, desirable features.

But what is it? Most people only have a general grasp of what exactly goes on inside a computer, and Intel doesn't have time to give the full story in a commercial. The common perception, even among general computer-store employees, is that 'Centrino' is a processor (it does not help that Intel calls it 'processor technology').

However, Centrino is a platform, a combination of different pieces of hardware (yes, including a processor) that are … Read more

Integrated or Dedicated Graphics?

Humans are a visually-oriented species. The most important form of output a computer has is the monitor you're reading this on. But, just as important is the hardware which controls the images that display on that screen.

In the world of laptops, there are always a number of compromises that must be made to try and make it as useful and as portable as possible.

There are two general approaches to handling graphics hardware in computers today. You can have separate, or 'dedicated', hardware that does all the graphics processing for the system, or it can be built (or '… Read more

Legal Suicide for Web 2.0 start-ups: A beginner's guide

I got an email from Fred von Lohmann of the Electronic Frontier Foundation yesterday. It began, "Half the companies you blog about have copyright or privacy legal issues simmering just under the surface. Since most of them are thinly capitalized, when they get into trouble, they're likely to call EFF for legal advice. Several already have."

I called von Lohmann right away, since I've had a nagging feeling for months that too many of the interesting products I've been seeing were legally shaky. So I talked with him to come up with this list: 9 Fun Ways Web 2.0 Startups Can Commit Legal Suicide.

For more information than can fit in a blog post, you might want to check out the EFF's upcoming Compliance Bootcamp on Oct. 10 in Mountain View. I told von Lohmann I'd link to the event in exchange for this preview.

1. Ignoring the rules of Safe Harbor Many media sharing sites, like SimplifyMedia, exist in a narrow legal framework carved out of the DMCA. But you can't take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions of the DMCA if you don't register as a "copyright agent." All that's required is filling out a form and paying an $80 fee. You can't get protection without registering. As von Lohmann said, "The difference between you and Napster might be this form."

2. Ignoring the Terms of Service chain This applies to sites that collect or aggregate data--like Mint, which collects its users' financial information. The sites where the data are coming from may have terms of service that prohibit their users from sharing them with third parties. Sites that collect this information may be seen as encouraging breech of contract, which is a legal exposure.

3. Falling for a sob story If you're collecting personal information from or about people, there will be other people who want it. They may call up your company and give someone there a convincing story to get it. If your team falls for this "pretexting," or social engineering, users can sue you for exposing their information.

… Read more

Can Bitwine succeed where Google Answers failed?

At last night's NY Tech Meetup, one of the New York Web start-ups showcased was BitWine, a networking service based on providing paid advice; or, as exec Alon Cohen put it, "a market for knowledge." A Web user may come to BitWine looking for advice that ranges from how to train for a marathon to how to pitch a new company to investors; experts in all subjects may come to BitWine to find a way to cash in on their esoteric and not-so-esoteric knowledge. The site was established about a year ago and launched in full about … Read more