I was fortunate to attend Fortune Magazine’s Brainstorm Conference in Aspen, Colorado, this past week. It’s a premiere tech industry gathering and was an amazing three days filled with many big ideas from some of the world’s top tech thinkers. But I was also reminded of some core ideas that we in technology need to keep top of mind

First, Hans Vestberg, CEO of Ericsson, reminded us that although we may think and plan in a 4G world, much of the world is a 2G world at best. While some carriers look to shut down those services here in the United States, it’s still the modus operandi for many other countries.

That was combined with another insight from an amazing session with Michael Wolf, managing director of Activate, who stressed that there are 1 billion people in the world that continue to live on less than one dollar a day – a staggering thought – which brought the bigger issue into sharp focus.

I know that as technology people we are always thinking ahead about the products and services we can provide based on latest technology – which will hopefully help people leapfrog their circumstances. But maybe sometimes it is equally valuable to think about the world around us and how to best help out the everyday situation.

I’d like to think we can live up to this quote by Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Centre for Global Development, speaking generally about the Internet: “This technology wasn’t developed as a development tool yet has become one of the greatest vehicles for change.”

I’m certain that technology can be a great tool for development and I think that’s something that we can all focus on. Technology is great, and of course that is what we do. But the key is to apply it in the right way. That’s what I’m dedicated to.

For me, another highlight of the conference was a great ethics discussion with General Stanley McChrystal, Intuit CEO, Brad Smith and Twitter Chief Legal Counsel Vijaya Gadde. The topic was: “Should Internet Companies be Ruled by Laws, or Ethics”? They talked about how to build an ethical culture in the work place and the difference and understanding of what might be legal but may not be ethical. It was a really relevant discussion.

Smith said, “The law sets the floor.” He said technology provides many ethical issues, and, obviously, how technology has often evolved beyond legal boundaries, and that presents a challenge to a forward-thinking CEOs. McChrystal said:  “The interesting conversations begin when decisions involve things that are legal but not necessarily ethical.”  Indeed.

With the Facebook “Mood Manipulation” study debacle (that I wrote about recently here) fresh in mind, this is at the heart of a greater debate in technology on what’s legal and ethical. And this is indeed the territory ahead.

As a security and privacy company, we’re committed to the ethical side of this equation.

On a final note, there was an interview with Satya Nadella, the new CEO of Microsoft by Walter Isaacson, CEO of The Aspen Institute (co-presenter and host of its own great event each year in this amazing venue).  It was timely moment with a leader who is facing a daunting layoff of 18,000 employees in the next year, in a move described as a way to simplify the way the company works. Nadella was asked what he does to relax: cooking and poetry (TS Elliott and Urdu poetry).

In the larger scheme of things at this big picture conference, I was reminded that it is the small and not so small things in life that are so important. Freedom, Friends, Family.

The White House recently released an interesting research report, The Labor Force Participation Rate Since 2007: Policies and Implications. You can find it here.

It has some interesting things to say and some implications for the future. I’ll quote one part of it:

“In 2008, the U.S. economy collided with two historic forces. The first force was the Great Recession, the most severe economic crisis in a generation. While the economy has recovered considerably over the last five years, there is little doubt that more work remains to address some of the challenges left in the wake of the Great Recession. The turmoil of 2008 inflicted tremendous pain on millions of families, overshadowing the fact that 2008 also marked a unique milestone in U.S. economic history. That year, the first baby boomers (those born in 1946) turned 62 and became eligible for Social Security early retirement benefits.”

So it seems the government has noticed that Boomers are retiring and at greater numbers than realized, with a bigger impact on the economy than was also realized.

What isn’t noted is that this is also a group that is remaining vital, working longer, with many volunteering and doing many things that don’t necessarily reflect in direct workforce numbers…such as spending money in leisure time.

I should point out there are arguments about this and that the entire labor participation debate is complex. For one, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor argues that the fact of Boomers retiring is a myth. You can read her views here. She states that labor participation rates for those aged over 55 have been rising steadily.

But for those who are looking ahead to a day when they want to and/or can retire, there are numerous tools out there that can help plan for retirement. Here are a few.

AARP Retirement Calculator

The AARP Retirement Calculator was developed for single people, married couples and domestic partners who are currently working and planning for retirement. Although it’s pretty boilerplate, this is a great place to begin. Plus, not only does it calculate whether you’re on track for retirement, it also provides some solutions if you are off track or not where you want to be.

iMaximize Social Security

The iMaximize Social Security calculator was developed to help anyone at or nearing retirement age figure out the best strategy for maximizing Social Security benefits. It’s tailored to you individually, and factors in everything from your marital status to your life expectancy. You can then receive various reports, some more extensive than others. Like with AARP’s, you’ll also get various strategies.

Military Retirement

This is a great app for those of us who served or serve in the military. The Military Retirement app is designed for military personnel from all branches of military services contemplating retirement. Users enter personal information and the app calculates retirement pay based on rank, length of service, and many other factors specific to the military life. Users can put in various retirement dates and are shown multiple scenarios to determine what the best retirement option might be.

Of course, apps can only do so much. And these are just three of the many that are out there. But I do think they can be helpful, and a good place to start. If knowledge is power, these apps will help with the knowledge part.

Some of you may have read the headline for this post and thought I’ve gotten it reversed. After all, aren’t Millennials the experts in social media? Shouldn’t they be the ones teaching us?

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are the first to come of age with cable TV, the Internet and cell phones, so technology (and social media) is essentially wired into their DNA. In fact, when asked what makes their generation unique, Nielsen Research found that Y’ers ranked “Technology Use” first (24%), followed by “Music/Pop Culture” (11%) and “Liberal/Tolerant” (7%). In contrast, Boomers ranked “Work Ethic” as the most defining characteristic of their generation.

While it’s true that the Millennials (aged 18-36) are the generation that came of age with social media, there is something to be said for life experience. Just because a generation has grown up with a technology (in this case, social media) doesn’t mean that they automatically know how to use it correctly. Etiquette is something learned.

All of us know someone from Generation Y, either as a relative, a friend, or a co-worker. As Millennials are entering the workforce in droves — in the biggest surge since our generation — and try and find the footing in the work world, I think that experiences we’ve learned in and out of the workplace are worth sharing with the younger generation.

Here are some thoughts:

Think before you hit send, or, in this case, post.

This, of course, was a lesson many of us learned the hard way after sending a hasty or poorly worded email. But the lesson is even more important now and can be broadened to apply to all social media. Many companies now don’t pay for a full background check, but instead check online profiles as an initial screening. I’d recommend that as part of a job search, the Gen Y candidate review their security settings and also delete any controversial statements and pictures. Also, Millennials can Google themselves, sure, but check other search sites such as Bing. Removing content once it has been published online is rarely easy. Prevention is the best cure.

Once they’re hired, they’re under even more scrutiny as their tweets and comments can reflect on their company. We’ve all heard of cases where people have fired after tweeting inappropriate comments.

Don’t vent your frustrations on social media

I’m trying not to overly generalize, but a generation raised on texting across the room may not be the best at interpersonal communication. It’s good advice to let Gen Y know that work problems need to be talked about in a reasonable way with managers. It’s never a good idea to criticize other employees or clients in an online format.

Work is for Work

According to Salary.com’s annual Wasting Time at Work survey, the most frequently visited personal website at work is — no surprise here — Facebook.  But visiting Twitter, Instagram or other accounts, unless they are part of the company’s social media team, should be limited to approved breaks, such as lunch. Many people have lost their jobs when their workplace postings have come to light.

Trust people as you get to know them

This is true in and out of the workplace but it’s a basic concept that Millennials need to understand. For example, a study conducted by social media software service Bazaarvoice, in partnership with The Center for Generational Kinetics and Kelton Research, found that 51 percent of Millennials contemplating a purchase are more likely to be influenced by input from strangers—in the form of user-generated content, anonymous reviews, and the like—over recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. Of course, the percentage of Boomers who felt this way was much lower.  Trust shouldn’t be given lightly, but it is incredibly important in a fulfilling life to have trustworthy colleagues and, of course, life partners.

Learn to disconnect

OK, this is one that we all need to be mindful of!  But I’m always amazed when I go to a sporting event or a concert and see people of ALL ages constantly on their smartphones. To me it seems like half-living an experience. Fortunately, “digital Sabbaths” are becoming more popular and there is even a National Day of Unplugging. I see room for hope.

Our generation has had our own struggles in the workforce, especially for women and minorities. The challenges for this next generation may seem less compelling or clear-cut, but they exist. We should give the benefit of our experience when we can.

The “selfie” trend – of taking self-portraits with our digital devices and sharing via social media – may have just crossed a line.

Reports are circulating about “selfie addiction.” The poster boy for this has been a young Englishman, Daniel Bowman, who at one point took 200 pictures of himself a day, tried to commit suicide when he couldn’t take the perfect picture, and was diagnosed with various forms of disorders, one of them being obsessive-compulsive disorder.  So it’s really not a laughing matter.

The obsession with selfies may just be a passing trend, but it is also one more sign of the broader seductive power of social media.

In 2012, scientists and researchers in Norway at the University of Bergen developed a psychological scale for symptoms of addiction to Facebook. Called the  Facebook Addiction Scale, it listed six basic criteria, where items were scored on the following scale: (1) Very rarely, (2) Rarely, (3) Sometimes, (4) Often, and (5) Very often.

Here are their criteria:

▪     You spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook or plan use of Facebook.

▪     You feel an urge to use Facebook more and more.

▪     You use Facebook in order to forget about personal problems.

▪     You have tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success.

▪     You become restless or troubled if you are prohibited from using Facebook.

▪     You use Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies

Scoring “often” or “very often” in 4 of the 6 items suggest one is addicted to Facebook.

The symptoms of this addiction resemble those of drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and chemical substance addiction. It’s fairly easy to just do a search and replace on the term “Facebook” and insert “selfie” or other social media activities – from Pinterest to Twitter – to gauge if one might have a problem… My guess is a lot more people than we think might qualify.

A noteworthy finding by the Bergen researchers in the Facebook study was that the addiction was related to extraversion. The research also indicated that women were more at risk of developing Facebook addiction, probably due to the social nature.

A new Pew Research Center survey finds that Millennials are more inclined to post selfies on a social media site (55%) vs. all Americans (25%) who have shared a selfie on a photo-sharing or social networking site.

So, the trend in selfie obsession is particularly concerning for parents of teens – who worry their kids have little perception of privacy and may share too much and do so inappropriately…

A recent ABC News Good Morning America report on the topic gave some good advice to parents on addressing selfies, or any other form of compulsion or obsession they might observe in their kids:  monitor, investigate and intervene – if necessary.

Our online activities and lives can be creative, fun and harmless. It all boils down to knowledge – being informed and educating our kids on the basics can go a long way. That truly is our best defense.

I’ll close with a plug here for the AVG ebook Guide For Parents to help parents navigate the world of selfies, social media and Internet security.

I recently ran into Joe (not his real name), a former tech industry colleague and friend who had transitioned his career from tech sales to a second successful career in head hunting about a decade ago. Now, he’s facing an “early” retirement in a few months, and contemplating his next act.

What does he plan to do next?  He’s clearly not ready to really retire. “Career coaching” was his answer – and I think a good one, as it’s a logical extension of his previous career path.

An article I came across recently an MSN Money on “10 new careers after age 50” ranked career coaching as one of it’s top choices.  A few of the other suggestions included financial advisor, ghostwriter, tour guide, and (one I’m intrigued by) private investigator – all of which seem to me to be logical extensions to existing careers or rich new turf, on which to embark with the skills amassed in a previous career.

All of the suggestions shared this in common: they take advantage of experience, wisdom, people skills, and emotional intelligence. The article also pointed out these are some of the many qualities older people bring to the table that often make them uniquely suited (as in Joe’s case) to their new career paths.

Many of us want to work longer, and stay involved in the outside world of work – whether it’s for financial necessity, or to stay mentally engaged. I think this is especially true for Boomers, because many of us define ourselves by our work, and the jobs that we do. I also think that as we age, we can make a relatively smooth transition to second (or third, or more) acts.

I’ve got five tips for all of us contemplating next acts:

Tip #1. Do what you want to do

Whether the reality is that you have to work due to retirement plan losses or just because you want to, you should do something that you really want to do!

If you are in a position to pursue a passion or hobby as an entrepreneur, so much the better. According to The Boomer Report by MBO Partners’ Independent Workforce Index, Boomers enjoy independence because they like being challenged and motivated (61%), making an impact (56%) and being their own boss (60%). Further, for Boomers, flexibility (79%) and doing what they like (77%) are more important than money.

And if you don’t have to make a paycheck: volunteer! Try to find something that is rewarding and fun.

Tip #2. Use your experience

Experience is the one tool we have that can’t be outsourced, and something that simply can’t be taught, but instead learned over time.  Don’t downplay the skills you’ve accumulated. That’s the whole point of my opening story. So much of our experience and many of the skills we develop are extensible and transferable!

Tip #3. Teach

Whether you are still in the workplace and in a mentor position, or retired, younger students and peers are crying out for advice. In particular, many community colleges are looking for instructors who have real-life work experience. Many community colleges will fast-track you for a teaching degree if you have a bachelor’s.

Tip #4. Use your contacts

I think we may tend to downplay or overlook how many great contacts we’ve made over a lifetime of work and service. If you are thinking about a career change, reach out to someone who knows and trusts you. Who knows… he, or she, may visualize something for you that you’ve never even considered! If you are on LinkedIn, use your connections – and their connections. It can be a great place to start.

Tip #5. Use all the available resources

I’ve blogged on this a number of times but there are great resources out there for those contemplating second acts.  Looking for the best jobs and employers, and help with prep for job hunting (resumes, etc.) for 50+, go to  AARP.org. For those thinking about entrepreneurship, as I’ve mentioned before, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and it has a special section devoted to Boomers. America’s Small Business Development Center Network is another great place to go; this network provides free, face-to-face counseling to help you start, run and grow a business.

It was author F. Scott Fitzgerald who famously said that there were no second acts in American lives, even though he had many second acts himself (from jazz age author to Hollywood screenwriter, for example.) I think as we age and remain vital and engaged, we’re still redefining work and our place in it. It’s an exciting place to be—let’s make the most of it.

This week, Judith Bitterli shares her thoughts on what ingredients she is looking for in a winner when judging the finalists of The Pitch – the UK’s biggest small business competition. AVG is the 2014 headline sponsor.

Follow Judith Bitterli on Twitter for more business tips.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a Boomer looking for a new job, your digital profile is very important. I just blogged on social media, and how it can affect your career, but now let’s take a closer look, based on our own research.

Did you know that 34% of potential employers find information that causes them not to hire a candidate?

On the plus side, 29% found something positive to motivate them to hire a candidate, whether it was a good reference or something harder to define, like good communication skills.

Here’s five tips on how to get into that 29%:

Search yourself

As I’ve said before, go beyond Google, to Bing and other sites. If you know what information about you is out there on the web, you may get a better understanding of what potential employers might find. While removing anything unwanted is certainly not easy, there are steps you can take to try and remove any entries about you.

Alt delete

Delete anything that you might have found hilarious on a Friday night. The task of cleaning up your online profile will be made a lot easier if you don’t have to go through dozens of embarassing photos taken while out with friends.

Think back to the past

Look through your search results for dormant blog profiles, article posts and message board posts you’ve forgotten about. It may be best to delete old, inactive accounts that clutter up your search results. If you don’t control the sites contact the editors or admins to remove the content.

Be consistent

Make sure all your online profiles add up to the person you want to be reviewed and considered. This even comes down to having a good, professional photo of yourself on your various sites. You don’t have to turn all your social media into “work” accounts, but try and make sure that you’re putting your best foot forward.

Go private

Systematically go through your different social accounts adjusting privacy settings and limiting any sensitive information you’re giving up. Decide which social network posts you want to be public or private (although assume anything could end up in the public domain).

You can find out much more advice with our free ebook, Creating A Personal Profile That Works.

I hope that all you golf fans out there got to see the thrilling finale of yesterday’s PGA tournament, the fourth and final major of the year.

It was during one of the earlier rain delays that once again there was an interesting intersection between technology and security, with a security lesson thrown in for good measure. It starred the eventual winner, the young Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. McIlroy was in the clubhouse waiting to resume play when cameras accidentally caught his iPhone passcode.

It was the same password as his birthday, which is something that all of us in the security industry recommend against. Yes, I know, with so many passwords needed these days…everything from email to banking to Amazon, it’s easy to just pick one password and one easy to remember. But birthdays, or your kids’ birthdays, are some of the most common passwords and make it easier for cybercriminals to guess. And multiple passwords for all your different accounts, while a hassle, make you safer.

Why? Because hackers know that most people use one password, and so if they can gain access to one of your accounts, they can access many more.

Learn how to create a strong password

So how to manage those passwords? There are password secure management programs. Two of the leading ones are Roboform (www.roboform.com) and LastPass (www.lastpass.com). They are fully encrypted secure sites that remember those multiple, hopefully complicated passwords for you. You then create a master passcode to log in (and that should be a complicated one that you do remember!). Both make the entire process of logging in a no-brainer by filling in the user ID and password for you – you don’t even need to know what they are. Here at AVG we have AVG Vault, a highly advanced mobile security app for hiding, encrypting, storing and syncing your most private data, from passcodes to PINS to photos.

So, there’s your golf lesson. Don’t use your birthday as a passcode and don’t use 12345!

In the meantime, our story ends happily, as Rory tweeted:

He went on to win the tournament.

Image Courtesy of news.com.au

Three million. That’s the number of smartphones stolen in 2013, according to Consumer Reports. It’s also double the number it projected from the previous year.

It also translates to one in three robberies involving a smartphone, according to the FCC, which defines a robbery by its nature as a violent crime.

Beyond the threat of harm, with so much vital information stored on phones these days, from photos to phone numbers to passcodes, this is a great area of security concern.

The alarming trend prompted New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco’s District Attorney George Gascon to form the Secure Our Smartphones (S.O.S.) initiative for “kill switch” technology in all new smartphones. Just this past week, on Aug. 7, a bill requiring that all smartphones sold in California contain a “kill-switch” that allows users to disable them if stolen was approved by the California Assembly. The California bill mandates that all smartphones contain software that will allow the user to remotely wipe the phone of personal data and lock it so it cannot be used unless an unlocking code is entered. The software will need to be on all phones manufactured after July 1, 2015, and sold in the state.

A kill switch is not really a switch but a preloaded ability to dismantle a stolen phone. It disables the phone and yet allows the GPS to track the phone. So it essentially has no more value to a thief and can be used to track him.

Regarding smartphones and theft, there is real money involved here. For example, a new survey by William Duckworth, a business professor at Creighton University, estimates that we spend $580 million for stolen phones each year and that we pay another $4.8 billion for phone insurance from wireless carriers. Moreover, he estimates that kill switch implementation would save consumers more than $3 billion annually. That’s a lot of money, even from a Dr. Duckworth.

So, the kill switch is coming. And it does seem to be very effective in deterring theft, as the S.O.S study concluded in a report after Apple enabled its Activation Switch (essentially a kill switch). The report reads in part:

“Preliminary statistics following Apple’s adoption of Activation Lock—the first kill switch commercially available in the United States—appear to validate the kill switch as an effective tool to deter smartphone crime. The report releases new crime statistics indicating that in the first five months of 2014, shortly after Apple introduced Activation Lock, the theft of Apple devices fell by 17 percent in New York City, while thefts of Samsung products increased by 51 percent compared to the same time period in the previous year.”

You can read the full report here.

This proves two things: thieves aren’t as dumb as portrayed on TV, and that the kill switch works.

To date, Apple is the only phone manufacturer to implement a kill switch. At AVG, smartphone security is a core part of our business. We are committed to supporting the kill switch. We’ve introduced our own Anti-theft software for Android, including tracking technology and the ability to lock and wipe your device.

It’s interesting to note that surveys suggest that many users today aren’t using even the simplest protective measure, like a screen lock with a four-digit-pin.

We’ve written on this subject before, but here are six basic tips for safe smartphone security and the protection of your data:

• Set a passcode security PIN.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Consider that your phone is as important an instrument as your computer. Don’t leave it on a table or in the outside pocket of your purse. Especially on vacation, if you’re taking pictures, make sure you are aware.
• Download apps from secure providers.
• Use security software, including anti-virus software.
• Encrypt any sensitive data. Your cell phone provider can provide you with these tools.
• Turn off Bluetooth when not in use.

This whole wave of smartphone thefts is no longer under the radar and is now registering as a major crime problem.  So mind your phone – be safe, be aware, and be secure.

A recent study by iStrategy Labs, among others, shows a seismic shift in the demographics of Facebook’s users. From January 2011 through the beginning of this year, there was a 25% drop in the number of users between the ages 13 and 17, while there was a massive 80% + uptick in users with an age of 55 and above, according to the study.

While Facebook still reigns as the leading social media app, other studies back up the assertion that younger users have now moved on to services such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Pinterest. Anecdotal evidence suggests the younger set are moving away from Facebook as it loses its once-trendy appeal and in order to use platforms their parents and grandparents aren’t using, for reasons ranging from privacy to snobbishness (if Grandma’s on it, I’m off it!). For the first time, according to a semi-annual survey by Piper Jaffray, teens now consider Instagram (the selfie platform of choice) the most important social network on the Internet.

Meanwhile, Boomers are using Facebook for any number of reasons, ranging from finding lost friends and relatives to staying in touch with alumni groups and their community. I think the last adoption hurdle for Boomers was a perception many originally had that Facebook was a waste of time – but found it is now so much a part of everyone’s life, that you’re missing out if you’re not on it.

I have a friend, Mary, who recently joined Facebook as she turned 70 and was retiring. She decided she now had the time to explore what all the hubbub was about – and the source for many family goings-on that she was always the last to hear. Now, she’s truly enjoying the frequent updates and pictures from and about her family—especially grandchildren who live far away—and re-connecting with long lost cousins and childhood friends. (Although, she also has already unfriended a daughter-in-law who over shares!) We all have these stories.

So, what are the implications for this phenomenon (besides the fact that it was really smart for Facebook to buy Instagram two years ago)? Well, I think it’s further proof that Boomers are not technology-averse, when we understand the benefits it can bring. And there are future content and design implications for social media sites and app makers  – with Boomers as a new and important market to be considered.

Meanwhile, for those Boomers just joining up, welcome! And take a look at our eBook – “Baby Boomer’s Facebook Guide.”

And here are a few privacy and security tips for any new social media user:

• Beware of posting anything private or confidential – because it won’t be once it’s posted.
• Know your privacy settings and adjust them to suit your needs. For example, controls vary from the “Everyone” level (anyone can see your post) to friends and family, to custom, where you can select an audience of your choice.
• Think before you post. A spur of the moment comment will live on…and on and on.
• Don’t share anything about friends and family (stories or photos) that they wouldn’t want to share. Better yet, ask them first. I’ve blogged about this before (see my Grandsharenting blog).
• By the same token, don’t over share. Keep your posts brief. Long posts about the minutiae of your daily life will likely find you lonely on Facebook (Like Mary’s daughter-in-law!).

It’s wonderful that Facebook is helping many Boomers expand their social horizons, from staying in touch with far-flung family to finding old friends. But we all need to remember it’s a tool to use wisely!

As has been widely reported, Silicon Valley tech companies who recently released diversity numbers show there to be a continuing and staggering lack of diversity in our industry. Apple revealed that 7 out of 10 employees are male and 55% are white. Google and Facebook have approximately the same self-reported diversity figures.

Here at AVG we have a 28% female contribution to our staff. Interestingly enough, the latest (ISC)2 workforce study, published in spring 2013,  shows that the information security industry reports only 10% of its professionals are female.

I’ve had a long career in technology. I’ve been very fortunate in both the people I’ve worked with and the dynamic companies I’ve been involved in.  Mine has been a rewarding career.

But what I’d like to write about today is this startling absence of women in technology. This is a problem for both women and for the tech industry: women bring many skill sets to the tech table, but are often, self-selected or otherwise, excluded from the technology field. I’m not just talking about the lack of CEOs, although that’s certainly the case. It runs down the line, from the boardroom to coders to analysts and marketers.

I speak from experience, because I’ve found myself still being one of the few, if not only females at conference tables and in executive suites.

It is heartening to see some of our tech giants finally acknowledging the issue and trying to diversify. In June, for instance, Google announced a program to get more women into tech. It announced a $50 million fund to encourage girls to take up computer science in college and other grants and programs.  The “Made with Code” campaign is in partnership with Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that runs summer coding schools for girls, and The Clinton Foundation, whose No Ceilings project aims to promote full participation by girls and women in all aspects of society.  You can read about it here.

These leading tech companies realize they need women. They need an employee base that reflects the adopters and purchasers of their products and services. That’s one basic rule for a company’s success: look like your customer! And women are increasingly the early adopters of tech, in virtually every category, as demonstrated in a recent study by Intel’s Genevieve Bell. Tech companies overall also have a major employee shortage and obviously women could help fill that gap.

There remains an indisputable gap between the number of male and female employees in technology and we need more women working at tech companies to close that gap, for the health of the industry as well as society.

But let’s face it, there is always going to be a perception that women will start a family and leave the workplace. This was made painfully clear just recently, when, as reported in the Huffington Post, Toronto editor and coder Lyndsay Kirkham live-tweeted alleged sexist remarks about women in the workplace, made by two men and a woman whom she identified as IBM executives that she sat next to at a restaurant. Kirkham claims the execs made statements regarding why they don’t hire women. “Apparently IBM doesn’t like hiring young women because they are just going to get themselves pregnant again and again and again,” she tweeted.

As professional women, many of us have worked hard to change this perception. Nevertheless this perception is one more roadblock to our success.

Our problem is institutional, cultural and one that has grave implications not only for women but also for the tech industry.

I’ve applied to speak on the topic “Boardroom or Baby” at next year’s SXSW Summit. You can support me and continue to raise awareness for the issue by going here to vote for my presentation! This isn’t just a women’s issue. It is an issue for anyone with daughters, nieces, mothers and women who are or want to be in the workplace. This issue impacts society and ultimately the success of tech long term.

Vote for Judith’s Session at SXSW 2015

“You’ll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.”

–Julia Child

All across the nation, parents are breathing sighs of relief as their children head back to school.

But how about ourselves? As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a strong believer in lifelong learning. It keeps us focused, interested, and engaged. It helps our communities. And whether you want to teach or learn, there’s a place for you, either in person or online.

While I have the greatest respect for traditional universities and our wonderful community colleges, there are so many resources available online today that make it easy to stay active and engaged in learning. Back in the early 2000s when I started an early online learning company that did classes for consumers on all sorts of topics sponsored by major brands – we were a bit ahead of our time. Now technologies –specifically video applications- have evolved so much to support and make online classes truly visual, interactive and engaging.

Though we juggle our work, projects, kids and other commitments and it can be crazy, many of the online courses are self-paced, making them more manageable.  And BTW, a report by the U.S. Department of Education has found that classes with online learning (either solely or as a component) on average produce stronger student learning outcomes than do classes with solely face-to-face instruction – especially among older learners.

Here are some of the best distance learning apps and sites that I’ve come across. These can be used whether you want to share your knowledge or want to learn…or, ideally, both! Here are five I recommend, with a bonus thrown in for good measure!

Canvas

Canvas is an open source platform for online collaboration that’s designed to be easy to use. It’s free and used by more than 800 colleges and universities. A sampling of courses shows a wide range of diverse material from “The Great Depression to the War on Terror,” a history course presented by a Seattle Central Community College Professor, to “Parenting in the Digital Age,” a course by the director of technology from an Indiana school district. These self-paced courses include video lectures, discussion forums, group work and more. Canvas’ motto is Keep Learning, something I think we can all agree with!

Coursera

The Coursera online portal also hosts classes from major universities around the country and the world, basically providing a way for you to learn at your own pace or audit classes from the comfort of your desktop. It currently boasts 9 million students, 737 courses and 110 partners, with both free and paid courses. In its specialization area you can take a group of courses, for example, to earn a Cybersecurity Certificate from the University of Maryland (for a fee). They also offer financial aid, by the way!

ePals

ePals says it’s “where learners connect”. It maintains a community of collaborative classrooms engaged in cross-cultural exchanges, project sharing and language education. It’s a sharing site that offers a way for groups of students around the world to be matched up and paired with other classrooms, and allows teachers to create their own projects or collaborate on others. It’s all about learning through experience.  I think this site is what the future is going to look like…at its best: People all over the world sharing knowledge together.

edX

edX is one of the leading sites for accessing free, open online courses. Harvard and MIT founded this platform, and offers classes from those amazing institutions, as well as classes from a growing list of partners. One course coming this week that caught my eye is UT Austin’s course on “Ideas of the Twentieth Century.”

iTunes U

Apple’s site and app for online and connected learning, iTunes U provides thousands of audio and video courses on-demand and the world’s largest catalog of free education content. You can access learning and presentations from many top schools and universities worldwide, including Stanford, Harvard, MIT and more.

And now for the bonus…

Don’t have time to commit to a class this fall? There’s an awesome YouTube presentation featuring Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clark and Stephen Hawking here about “God, The Universe, and Everything Else.” Now that’s education in less than an hour.

Happy back to school, everyone!

You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman.

–Jane Galvin Lewis

Yesterday while I was observing Labor Day, the day set aside to celebrate the social and economic advancement of the American worker in the U.S.— it provided some time to reflect and consider the topic of women in the workforce and specifically pay parity.

What if I gave you 77 cents for every dollar you earned? Would you feel fairly compensated? Unfortunately, that’s generally the wages the average working woman makes as opposed to her male counterparts.

The 77 cents for every dollar? That’s a generalization that averages in all jobs across the board.  The good news is that the tech industry is more progressive. Pay parity, according to various surveys, is equal in our industry as long as the job titles are the same.

Of course, the catch is that women aren’t as likely to have the top titles. (For a more in-depth look at this you can go to one survey at Dice.)

Nevertheless, I believe tech is a great place for women and has a rich tradition, from Ada Lovelace to Admiral Grace Hopper. When I began in tech, role models were few.  Today, if you look around today, there are a number of role models for women starting out: Marissa Mayer, Sheryl Sandberg, and Susan Wojcicki, to name a few. But the playing field is still far from level.

Where and how can we level the playing field?

Maybe online? As reported in a survey by freelance job site Elance, women in technology are finding more opportunities online than on-site. According to their survey of 7,000 global independent professionals, 80% of respondents also said they’re optimistic about the future of high-tech professions for women even though a majority still sees a lag in pay equality and encouragement from parents and/or teachers.

Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance, noted,  “Online work provides an attractive avenue to neutralize gender discrimination around the world and create flexible professional opportunities not available in traditional job markets.”

That’s one solution. I think another has got to be education. Basically, education is a great lever to pay parity.  And, backing programs such as Girls Who Code is a great way to get young women engaged in technology.

Mentoring is also another great avenue. It’s something I’m proud to say I use to measure my success as well.

I hope to share more of my thoughts and experiences at SWXS this coming year as a featured speaker on the topic “Boardroom or Baby.” You can support me and continue to raise awareness for the issue by going here to vote for my presentation.  Voting closes Friday, Sept. 5^th – so go check out the SXSW PanelPicker and vote today!

Many celebrities got an unpleasant shock this past weekend. You may have heard that up to 100 celebrities – film stars, etc. – had nude photos hacked and leaked on renegade Web site 4chan.org. Many of the photos were apparently genuine.

Now that the FBI is investigating how these photos were hacked and posted, it’s an unfortunate reminder of the difficulties of maintaining our privacy in this digital age.

I won’t name the celebrities involved, but it’s safe to say it’s a huge invasion of privacy. Some experts are theorizing that the hacker or hackers exploited weaknesses in Apple’s iCloud platform. Apple is now investigating, according to reports and released this statement. Here’s an excerpt: “After more than 40 hours of investigation, we have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet. None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud or Find my iPhone. We are continuing to work with law enforcement to help identify the criminals involved.”

As a major player in the data security business, we think that this is just a reminder to everyone that when data goes digital, there are security risks involved. It’s a hard lesson.

As British actress Emma Watson (who was not targeted in the hacking) wrote on Twitter: “Even worse than seeing women’s privacy violated on social media is reading the accompanying comments that show such a lack of empathy.”

Protecting yourself

How to protect yourself, even when you’re not a celebrity? Here are some tips, which we’ve stressed before but can’t stress enough:

• Create difficult passwords. Besides the speculation that iCloud was the victim, it has been suggested the hacker or hackers exploited each of the 100+ accounts’ passwords. As I’ve mentioned before, don’t use your birthday, and create multiple passwords for multiple accounts!
• Consider switching off automatic Cloud photo sharing and backups/Photo Stream. This is a convenience tradeoff. To turn off automatic iCloud sharing, go into your Settings, then iCloud, then scroll down to photos and slide the option to Off.
• Use encryption. Here I will proudly put in a plug for our own mobile phone encryption software, which protects your data against intrusion by encrypting your documents. This is a must for anyone storing private personal or important business intelligence on their phones.
• Think about using a USB drive. If you want to share personal information or photos with a specific person, just use a USB.

As celebrities, Apple, and the FBI come to grips with this specific hacking instance, it’s important to realize everyone’s information is at stake these days – celebrity or not –

And an excellent reminder that we need to actively protect ours.

Image courtesy of ITV.com

Amid the extravaganza of the Apple Watch and iPhone product launch this week, Apple also unveiled Apple Pay – a new mobile digital payment system, which is being touted by some as death for the “plastic” credit card.

By registering your MasterCard, Visa, and American Express cards to your Apple Pay wallet through iTunes, you will be able to use your Apple devices (the newly announced iPhone 6 and forthcoming iWatch) to make easy and secure mobile payments to merchants.

The payment system uses a one-time transaction-specific dynamic security code –meaning your actual credit card number never gets transferred to the merchant and reduces the chance of fraud. You can hear immediate analysis from our Tony Anscombe on Bloomberg TV here.

Lots of information around implementation remains to be seen. However, the Apple pay system does boast early support by major credit card companies and banks.

Apple is using short-range radio waves technology known as NFC (near-field communication), in both its smartwatch and the new iPhones in support of the application. NFC has been a feature in many other smartphones (including by Google) but has failed to take hold to date. Market researcher Gartner estimated NFC was used for just 2% of total mobile payments last year, though expected to nearly double to $8.2 billion this year. Up until now, analysts say banks couldn’t see a business case for NFC instead of simply issuing their own smart cards.

Smart cards aka EMV cards (an acronym for Europay MasterCard and Visa) are revamped credit cards with microchips that store your data on the card. This approach also limits the retailer from holding your data; data resides on your card and the embedded microprocessor chip encrypts transaction data differently for each purchase.

The catch with the chip cards, until now, is that most retailers don’t have the technology for them yet…But that is also expected to change quickly. Walmart is already there.  Major retailers like Target and Home Depot have announced plans to roll out the EMV payment systems. I just received replacement Amex card with the EMV technology.

(BTW, in other related news, Home Depot revealed this week that its payment systems had been hacked, possibly compromising customer data over its 2,000+ outlets in the U.S and Canada. This is potentially a bigger data breach than the one that unfortunately befell Target last December.)

There is also added incentive for EMV adoption: in October 2015, new standards will go into effect, changing how liability falls between credit-card issuers and retailers. While EMV compliance won’t be mandatory, liability for fraud will fall on the party that hasn’t upgraded their systems. You can read more about EMV and the upcoming so-called “liability shift” here.

In the meantime, what can you as a consumer do to keep your credit data safe?

Here are a few recommendations:

• Report lost cards or discrepancies immediately.
• Review your account often.
• Keep your receipts, and match them against your credit card statement.
• Shred your statements.

And what if you are a business owner? You should familiarize yourself with EMV, and the upcoming standards, and if possible, look to upgrading to a credit-card machine that is EMV capable.  (You can also take AVG’s data security Health Check to make sure you are on top of your responsibilities in the case of any data compromises.)

We in the industry are working to evolve data security and make it better.  In the meantime, as a consumer, an owner or an operator, stay alert and protect yourself.

One thing is for certain, we are on the verge of a whole new era of credit card security risks.

****

On a separate note: Congratulations to Megan Smith on her appointment as the US  CTO. Bravo!

This September, Apple will start shipping the new iPhone 6 devices. There are apparently record numbers of pre-orders, and you may be one of the millions.

If you’re thinking of getting rid of your current smartphone and upgrading— whether it’s for a new iPhone, Android or Amazon Fire Phone—you’re not alone. Every few years, smartphone users turn to newer models for more functions and better features.

Part exchange

If you are ready to upgrade, many carriers offer the opportunity to exchange your old phone for credit. This can help take the sting out of some expensive handset or contract costs. You should contact your service provider to see if they have a scheme and they should be able to tell you up front what rate they can give you on your old device.

Selling online

If you would rather sell your device, there are a number of sites and tools that you can use to ensure you get a fair price and a safe transaction. Here are some tips for those of you looking to sell your old device online:

• Act quickly. Smartphones depreciate in value with time. For example, Usell.com, one such smartphone vendor, calculates the following: One week after a new iPhone launch, old iPhones lose about 5% in value; two weeks after launch, old iPhones depreciate about 12%. By weeks three and four, old phones are worth about 20% less.

• Other sites also encourage you to act fast. For example, online behemoth eBay is offering an added incentive for turning your older model around. It’s offering a $100 coupon to you if your smartphone doesn’t sell by Oct. 24.

• Make sure you price it right. Many sites will use algorithms to advise you on the going price range. It’s very similar to sites that advise you what to pay for a car.  For example, to mention eBay again, it will suggest what price to pick depending on make, model, year, packaging, etc. Glyde compares the amount you can sell it for on its site against prices on Apple and Amazon, among others.

Donating

Consider donating. Your contribution can be deducted from your income tax to the extent allowed by law. One national nonprofit that is worthy of these donations is Cell Phones for Soldiers. It takes your phone, then re-sells it and turns that money into calling cards for the troops.  It’s an impressive organization: Since 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided more than 210 million minutes of free talk time and currently it mails approximately 3,200 calling cards each week.

There are many other nonprofits that would love your phone too. Even if you’re not upgrading,  you may have an older cell phone lying around. Chances are you do. One survey by ecoATM estimates 60% of American households have an older phone lying around. Nonprofits would love to take these off your hands.

Keep, gift or recycle

Of course, there is no concrete reason why you need to sell or give your phone to charity when keeping it as a backup could be very useful. Parents especially might enjoy giving their device to a child who is nagging for an “upgrade”. If you aren’t thinking of keeping your phone as a backup, use these tips to get the best value in regenerating and recycling your phone. Anything is better than your phone ending up in a landfill…You can read some pretty stunning information about e-waste here.

Clean up your device

Whatever you decide to do, make sure your smartphone is cleaned before you do sell or give it to anyone. I can’t stress this enough! Remember that your mobile device is a vast bank of your personal data, contacts, saved passwords and web history. Handing it over to a stranger or even a friend could result in a loss of your privacy. Check out this blog post by Tony Anscombe for how to safely recycle your old technology.

Enjoy your new phone, and make the most of your older model.

More than three quarters (77%) of Americans aged 65 and older are now using cellphones. While they lag the general population (91%+), it is a significant increase over two years ago, according to recently released studies conducted by the Pew Research Center.  But a much smaller group (only 18%) of this demographic has made the leap to a smartphone. The older the person, the research suggests, the less likely they have been to make the move to a smartphone.

In support of the findings, many of the seniors that I know tend to own older model cellphones that are either a) turned off, or b) not carried at all or used only under special circumstances (for travel and at insistence of family on special occasions), and c) are not used for more than actual phone calls.

But this is changing fast.

Seniors are showing a larger appetite for and are finding more value in larger format devices like tablets and e-readers. The Pew survey found 27% of seniors now own a tablet, e-reader or both (and that’s more than the public average).

Smartphone adoption should continue among seniors as new devices like the new Samsung Galaxy, Amazon Fire and Apple iPhone 6 continue to get larger and become easier to read and manipulate. In fact, the researchers at Deloitte predict that people 55+  (that would include Boomers through seniors) will experience the fastest growth in smartphone adoption in 2014, with 45-50% predicted to own a smartphone by the end of 2014.

Financial considerations for many seniors (especially those on fixed incomes) and confusion about carrier plans have no doubt led to a lag in smartphone adoption. But needing assistance to learn how to use the new devices and associated apps is one of the largest concerns by seniors (77%) in adopting smartphone technology, according to Pew.

This should be a concern to us in the technology industry. Shouldn’t we be making technology that is inherently simple to adopt? Shouldn’t we be designing apps for that –and, more specifically, with seniors in mind?

AARP thinks so. The organization just introduced a new tablet the RealPad aimed at this market. (I’ll cover this in more detail in my next column.)

During the recent national AARP event in San Diego, where AVG participated, we were concerned to learn that about one-third of the seniors we spoke to admitted that they use no security software on their smartphone or tablet devices. That suggests there is a lot of work to be done to help educate this audience on how to stay safe online.

Security of data is a primary issue when dealing with a smartphone or any smart connected devices – whether it involves sharing photos on social media, emailing or banking. Once online, Pew and others have found that the senior demographic is rapidly embracing social media (46%). In the brief survey of those who stopped by our booth on technology usage (we’ll share more details on this later), email was the most popular online application for the group, followed by banking.

Here are some simple tips for smartphone users to make data safer – applicable to everyone:

• Screen lock the phone. Setting your smartphone to require a PIN code or password for access after an inactive period is a relatively easy way to keep your data safe.
• Apply operating system updates. Often when our device prompts us to install an update, many of us simply ignore it. We shouldn’t. Many updates carry security-related improvements so update whenever you can.
• Think twice before connecting your smartphone to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, because just as with a PC, this kind of shared, unsecured connection can leave activity and data vulnerable to eavesdropping and theft.
• Beware of text message spam. Just like a web page or an email, text messages can be used for mischief. Especially if your device doesn’t have security software, links hidden in text messages can lead to malicious sites, unwanted apps and sometimes even expensive phone bills.
• Which brings us back to security software!  Use it! Malware writers see the vast mobile market as a great opportunity to make some quick profit. In a world where your smartphones probably carries more of your sensitive personal information that your home PC, it’s a good idea to use some basic protection.

I am very excited that more seniors are embracing smartphones and tablets.  They are great tools to keep connected with family and friends, be active and engaged.  Now, we in the tech industry must catch up with them and provide the tools to make it more useful and enjoyable!

In my last blog, I discussed the current disconnect —or lag—with some seniors, especially older ones, when it comes to smartphone adoption.

As research by Pew and others has suggested, the reasons many older people have lagged in adoption of smartphones seems rooted in the footprint of the device, i.e. size of the user interface and thus ease of reading, viewing and manipulation.  This is evident in the rapid adoption of larger devices  like tablets and e-readers – by this demographic.

In recognition of the stumbling blocks for some seniors, earlier this month AARP launched its new RealPad tablet. The $189 device, produced in partnership with Intel, includes larger text and icons. But it also smartly packages all-hour tech support and video tutorials – tools designed expressly for seniors. And it comes preloaded with an AARP app, eBook reader, email (Gmail), photo sharing, video chat, games, tools and other features like a retirement and health calculators. Additional apps will be available on Google Play.

It’s basically a tablet—about the size of an iPad mini—that runs Google Android 4.4 with a custom app launcher featuring large icons.  AARP says the tablet is designed for anyone who is apprehensive about using tablets and embracing technology and going digital.

AARP specifically targets 70-million 50+-age group, who haven’t adopted tablet technology. But I think the sweet spot for this product really isn’t most Boomers, but older seniors – the generation born before 1946. As we’ve discussed before, many Boomers are plenty tech savvy – and I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention that some seniors I’ve come across are plenty tech savvy…but not all.

OK, so why should you consider it for or recommend it to the seniors in your life? I like the design concept and larger icons and readability, but more than that, I like the addition of its one-click RealQuick Fix troubleshooting feature and 24/7-tech support. (Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX also offers 24/7 support).

In terms of security, AARP has also made a smart move: It allows, among other free downloads, “Protecting Yourself Online for Dummies.” As it says, “Don’t let news about Internet risks deter you from taking full advantage of its benefits.”

My previous post had some of our own safety suggestions for seniors. I’m not clear on AARP’s entire security offering. We at AVG offer strong security apps on the Android platform, check out our Google Play page.

Is the RealPad the right choice for everyone over the age of 50? Probably not. But it was designed with an older adult in mind who needs a little extra care – and I applaud that.

I agree with AARP, there’s just too much value in the digital world for seniors to be shut off.  Tablets and larger format smartphones can really enrich their lives. In addition to providing grandparents with a digital photo album of their grandkids and a social platform to stay connected with family and friends, it’s a ready-made platform and market for important things like health monitoring and management apps. RealPad is a great step in the right direction to address that need.

We should all be interested in addressing the needs of this market. After all, we are all likely to be seniors someday.

“Bring your own device” has become increasingly common in the workplace as employees use their own tablets and phones for work-related activities, and their own laptops from home or the local Starbucks. Increasingly the lines are blurred with regards to privacy and questions of data ownership.

A recently passed California law has perhaps shown the way that the future holds. Little commented on when passed in August, this law has real-world implications and may have many ramifications with regard to privacy, security and data. (See ruling here: http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B247160.PDF

In Colin Cochran v. Schwan’s Home Service, Inc., the California Court of Appeals in August reversed a Superior Court in Los Angeles County and ruled that “when employees must use their personal cell phones for work-related calls, Labor Code section 2802 requires the employer to reimburse them.”

The Order points out the purpose of the California Statute is “to prevent employers from passing their operating expenses on to their employees.” Specifically, it notes the following:

Pursuant to section 2802, subdivision (a), “an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer.”

The key question in the case was this:

Does an employer always have to reimburse an employee for the reasonable expense of the mandatory use of a personal cell phone, or is the reimbursement obligation limited to the situation in which the employee incurred an extra expense that he or she would not have otherwise incurred absent the job?

The Court’s answer was “that reimbursement is always required. Otherwise, the employer would receive a windfall because it would be passing its operating expenses onto the employee.” The Court ruled as follows:

Thus, to be in compliance with section 2802, the employer must pay some reasonable percentage of the employee’s cell phone bill. Because of the differences in cell phone plans and [work]-related scenarios, the calculation of reimbursement must be left to the trial court and parties in each particular case.

Time of course will tell how the expenses of purchase, maintenance and usage of employee-owned tablets, laptops, and home computers used for business are impacted by courts that follow the ruling in this case.

The court’s opinion is limited to reimbursement under California law. It doesn’t specifically mention privacy. I’d hate to speculate on any legal matter, but one can naturally wonder that if an employer must now pay for certain usage of devices, then is that employer entitled to all the information on that device?

To put it plainly, if the employer is paying for your tablet, does the employer get to look at all your emails and contact information?  Who owns the data and intellectual copyright?

These questions no doubt will be settled as more cases come to court.  But we’ve seen that when it comes to technology, legal precedent often lags behind technology.

In the meantime, it’s essential for businesses to have clear agreements, notices and policies, including a BYOD policy.  See AVG’s eBook on BYOD for a good overview on the benefits, issues, risks and how to better protect your company’s data in the BYOD world.

About 36% of U.S. taxpayers e-Filed and prepared their taxes themselves last year. With only a short time to go before the April 15 deadline, the IRS last month reported almost a 6% increase in home E-filing for the 2013 tax year. Thanks to the variety and ease of software products – boxed and increasingly more cloud-based options— e-Filing our taxes is now mainstream.

There are many great tax products out there for e-Filing in both free and premium versions. You can find expert reviews for the top products/services for 2014 online at PC Mag.com.  There also are many other sources to get good advice and suggestions for tax help online. Just always consider and vet the source. One site that has a lot of good information is AARP, which has developed a portal of news and information specifically around taxes for boomers and seniors at http://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/.

Beyond tax-specific products, a multitude of apps have come on the market to help you get more organized and prepared so that, well, next year doesn’t turn into a nightmare of finding receipts, organizing them, and trying to read faded ink on a receipt.

Here are a few interesting apps to consider that I’ve come across:

Expensify’s free mobile app for Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows, allows you to capture deductible expenses like car mileage, meals and entertainment and other expenses when you travel for business.  It’s SmartScan feature captures receipt images to help eliminate the paper bits. Expensify also can consolidate wandering and hard-to-find receipts and attachments from across web sources (your inbox, Dropbox, GoogleApps, Evernote, etc.). This app is available in free and premium versions.

Then there is Slice, a clever receipt and package tracking web and mobile app for Android and iPhone that scans your email – Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo and AOL— for receipts. It finds and stores them and gives you an overview of your entire purchase history. Slice is available in mobile and tablet versions and is a free download.

GasCubby is an app that keeps track of mileage and all of your car related expenses: gas price, number of gallons, oil changes, tire rotations, etc. It even reminds you when your car is due for maintenance! Your records can be easily exported for tax purposes (in Excel format) and it can keep records for multiple vehicles at once. The app is available for iPhone for $1.99.

iDonatedIt can help all of us giving though slightly disorganized boomers. It’s an easy-to-use app that lets you track all of your non-cash charitable contributions. It tracks the date of donation, items donated, charity you donated to, and the fair market values of your contributions. It even allows you to attach a picture of the donated item to your record. What could be simpler? The app is $2.99 and available for iPhone users only.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that storing sensitive personal information on your mobile device does have its risks. I’d recommend using an app such as AVG Vault which helps you store data such as credit card details, web site logins and pictures in a safe, encrypted way. You never have to worry about your data falling into the wrong hands.

You can download AVG Vault for free from the Google Play Store.

As you can see, there are a lot of good digital resources out there to help make our lives easier for this – or next – tax season. In the meantime, here’s to many happy returns!