Dear Friend,
Check out last month's issue if you missed -
> How scammers could kill Loyalty Programs
> How the Windows world could get messy soon
> Are optical discs really dead

If you like this newsletter maybe your friends or colleagues would too - just click above to post it on Facebook or send off a copy by email.

Have a great holiday season -  Gary

Online security - a growing threat
The more we go online, the more threats we face. Big businesses spend millions of dollars to avoid problems but consumers or users - whatever you call "us" - are under increasing attack from all directions - whether it's the "grandma I'm stranded in Canada scam" or the "click now to collect your free gift certificate" we're being bombarded from all sides.

This subject can be very intimidating and it requires serious work to maintain security and privacy online. But if you've been hacked or know someone who has suffered real trauma from one of these threats, maybe it is time to get serious. This article on The Wonder of Tech Blog is a good place to start.

Self Driving Cars - Are they the next big thing?
Google has been testing them for years; Tesla and other companies are increasingly automating the experience of getting from here to there. This could be a clash of titans - in the Old Timers corner it's GM and Ford and just entering the ring for Silicon Valley are Google and Apple.

Here's your chance to weigh in and share your concerns and thoughts. I've created another of my famous one-question surveys so click here to tell us what you think of this latest "big thing". Even if you think the whole idea is stupid - especially if you think the whole thing is stupid - take a minute to say what you think. After you've answered the survey, click here to see a pretty impressive demonstration of what may be just around the corner - or over the hill.

Uber - Prices may vary - a lot
We have recently become Uber fans since there was no alternative except a taxi for local transportation on several occasions. Taxi service has been unpredictable during my many years of travel and now Uber usually receives rave reviews. Like most things though this hottest craze is not as straightforward as it seems. Check out this recent article that dives into the service and its complex pricing model in particular. (And I know there are a lot of business/labor issues surrounding this and other similar staffing models - a story for another time.)