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Needing a low-profile outlet to post its call to arms, an Islamic extremist group took over an Alaskan high school student’s web page last week. For the past year, the group’s site has been forced to switch locations frequently in order to avoid detection. About 1,000 people logged onto the site of Homer teen Garrett Johnson’s www.homerak.net after it was commandeered a week ago. Johnson didn’t check the site for a few days and only found out about the hack when reporters began calling to ask questions. All the Arabic had been removed by the time Johnson logged on again last week. The teen first became suspicious when two Saudi Arabians registered to participate in his site’s chat room, which exists to discuss Homer high school events and activities. The hacks on the site recommended that Iraqi civilians draw U.S. soldiers into combat with the hope that higher casualty rates would turn American public opinion against the war.
Like, of course: Cell phones rule among young
Young adults are the fastest-growing group of mobile phone subscribers and also the most prolific talkers. A new study from Telephia found that adults ages 18-24 are 60 percent more likely to be new cell subscribers this year than any other age group. Telephia, along with Harris Interactive, also found that these young users talk more than any other group. Thirty-five percent of 18-24s made more than 500 minutes’ worth of wireless phone calls per month; only 20 percent of all users talked that much. Sixty-two percent of 18-24s make or receive five or more wireless calls per day, compared to 37 percent of all users. Short text messaging services are also more popular with young adults (35 percent) than overall users (20 percent).
Segway sales just aren't scooting fast enough
The Segway Human Transporter has not inspired the revolution promised two years ago, when the super-secret invention was hailed as the next big thing in transportation. The devices have been available to individuals for five months, but online sales have been far from brisk. About 200 companies have purchased one or more Transporters. Several analysts confirm that sales of the 83-pound scooter have been slower than expected. So far, it has been relegated mainly to novelty status. A few amusement parks have the devices as attractions, and mail carriers in several cities tested them. Several Segway higher-ups have left the company in the past six months, further fueling speculation that the company is disappointed with sales. The Transporter debuted on Amazon last November at a price of $4,950. Segway plans to introduce a cheaper model sometime in the future.
More Europeans handle money matters online
Online banking is increasing in popularity abroad. Nearly 60 million Europeans will use online banking services in 2003, three times the number who used them just three years ago, according to a new study from Datamonitor. The firm predicted that by 2007, 84 million Europeans will conduct at least some banking online. Though the internet is still behind branches and call centers in customer usage, it has become a strong supplement to offline use. Scandinavians are the most likely online bankers. Usage is growing at a rate of 37 percent per year. In America, to contrast, Bank of America reports about 5 million online customers, an almost 2 million increase versus the previous year.
April 1, 2003© 2003 Media Life
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