Cellphone Carriers Keep Personal Data Up to 7 Years, Report Says

"A document obtained by the ACLU shows for the first time how the four largest cellphone companies in the U.S. treat data about their subscribers' calls, text messages, Web surfing and approximate locations."

To Hover Over Schoolwork, Parents Go Online

"More public and private school systems are wiring up parent-accessible data-management systems that keep track of schoolwork, grades and attendance. There are opportunities for overuse."

Nielsen: Android Share of U.S. Smartphone Market Hits 43%

"The share of smartphones running Google's (GOOG) Android OS hit 43% in August, but of those who bought smartphones in the past 3 months, 56% bought Androids."

One in Three Texters Would Rather Text Than Talk

"Nearly three out of four Americans send text messages on the phone and among those who do, 31 percent prefer texting to talking, according to a study released Monday by the Pew Research Center."

Skype CEO: Our Goal Is to Connect 1 Million Classrooms

"What is perhaps Skype in the Classroom's most useful feature is a 'project' tab that helps teachers find partner classrooms for projects and ideas. One teacher, for instance, used the platform to coordinate a 'weather around the world' unit."

The iPad and Special Needs Students

"Districts that launched pilot programs last school year now are stepping up their iPad use for special-needs students after seeing results, some school officials say."

E-Book Readers Comparison Chart

E-Book Readers Comparison Chart

Twitter Now Has 100 Million Active Users

"More than 100 million users are 'active' and log onto Twitter daily, or about half its registered members, and a growing number are doing so from a plethora of mobile devices, Chief Executive Dick Costolo told reporters on Thursday."

Avoiding the Path to Obsolescence

Interesting American Libraries article

Global Cybercrimes Cost $114 Billion Annually: Symantec

"A study by Symantec Corp, the maker of Norton computer security software, estimates the cost of global cybercrimes at $114 billion annually."

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores

". . .to many education experts, something is not adding up — here and across the country. In a nutshell: schools are spending billions on technology, even as they cut budgets and lay off teachers, with little proof that this approach is improving basic learning."

What Will School Look Like in 10 Years?

"Computers, electronic whiteboards and other interactive technologies are fundamentally changing American education. That is the view of the experts whom The Times spoke with about what the classroom will look like 10 years from now."

America's Top 10 Least Secure Cities to be Online

"Conducted by the security firm AVG between Aug. 5 and Aug. 22, the survey polled 8,000 consumers in 35 U.S. cities who own an Internet-connected device and have Internet access at home."

Many U.S. Schools Adding iPads, Trimming Textbooks

"Apple officials say they know of more than 600 districts that have launched what are called 'one-to-one' programs, in which at least one classroom of students is getting iPads for each student to use throughout the school day."

Colleges Turn to Microsites to Attract Prospective Students

"Microsites are not new to higher ed Web strategy. But as the creeping aesthetics of the app world make traditional college websites appear tedious, some institutions have begun experimenting with more offbeat microsites to collect information from prospective students and alumni."

E-books' Popularity is Rewriting the Sales Story

"Random House, the USA's largest publisher, says more than 20% of U.S. revenue in the first half of this year were from digital sales. . .Eight of the top 20 titles on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list this week are e-books."