Short-range radio waves will allow cars to communicate with each other and traffic signals. How will short-range radios keep you safer on the road? If you and another driver on a crash course towards each other, both drivers will be alerted. If testing goes well, you may see this safe technology in a car near you within the next ten years. Read more about vehicle-to-vehicle communication here.

Jack Dorsey, chairman of the social networking phenomenon Twitter, is trying to make it easier for small businesses to take a big step into the digital age in 2010. In the past, making payments using a credit card has been easy, but receiving credit card payments has been decidedly more difficult. Dorsey has set out to change this through a new device called Square. Set to debut in the coming months, Square is a mobile payment service that will allow users to accept credit card payments from customers using their mobile phone. This hardware could prove to be a truly novel idea, since it will allow businesses or individuals to accept credit card payments for goods and services rendered. Square is also unique because it will offer users the rare luxuries of mobility and affordability. The device itself is small, and will attach to the phone via the phone’s built-in audio jack. Only the person receiving payment will need to have an account with Square, so users will be able to accept credit card payments from any willing customer.  To make a payment, the credit card is swiped through the reader and the buyer is prompted to provide a signature on the phone’s touch screen. This will complete the transaction; however, the buyer will also have the option to receive a receipt via e-mail or text message.  As a security measure, absolutely no information (including the buyer’s e-mail address or signature) will be stored on the user’s phone. The buyer’s payment information is instead sent to Square’s secure servers, where the transaction is carried out, thus making it impossible for the user to access any private information from the buyer.  

The Square definitely has the potential to transform how some small businesses work, and could even make stationary credit card machines a thing of the past. The company has yet to reveal any specifics regarding account prices; however, it has been confirmed that there will be different levels of payment for individuals who rarely use the system and for businesses that will use it more frequently.  The device will be compatible with the Iphone (or Ipod Touch), Android, and the Blackberry; but, users will also be able to use Square on their personal computers.

1. Mint.com – Mint is a free online money management tool that is quickly gaining recognition as one of the best ways to keep track of your finances. With a security statement that will settle the nerves of even the most apprehensive user, Mint.com proves to be easy to use, easy to navigate, and easy to understand. Using information gathered from your previously existing online records, Mint analyzes all of your available information and compiles it into manageable charts and graphs. This system helps you visualize and become familiar with your spending trends, as well as create budgets for monthly purchases. You cannot put a price on knowledge, and Mint.com doesn’t try to. The site keeps you in the know at absolutely no cost to you.
2. Quicken –If you’re worried about the credibility of your money management tools, have no fear, Quicken is tried and true. This software comes with everything you will need to organize your personal finances; and, if you have been keeping your financial records in a format such as an Excel spreadsheet or Word document, Quicken may actually be your best bet. Online financial planning sites are still largely limited to your online banking records and thus cannot incorporate any past history you may have recorded in other programs. Quicken is able to assess all of your available information to help you save money and set realistic financial goals.
3. Buxfer.com – This is a fantastic tool for managing your money both at home and on the go. Buxfer provides financial planning services online, as well as through a useful app for your Iphone or Ipod Touch. If the best things in life are free, then what is better for a tight budget than a free app that helps you manage it? Buxfer’s app allows you to stay on track of your spending around the clock, even when you’re not near a computer. Buxfer also provides special services that help the site stand out amidst competitors; for example, it gives you the option to create groups, which makes it easier for users to organize payments with family members, roommates, or friends. It also gives you the option to update and track your spending using your Twitter account.
4. Wesabe.com–  Wesabe is different because it blends online financial budgeting with social networking. The social aspect of the site allows users to interact with each other via discussion boards and merchant approval ratings. The amount of shared information available on Wesabe, combined with its helpful online budgeting tools, provides users with all the information needed to make responsible spending decisions. This open communication allows and encourages users to exchange budgeting or money-saving tips with each other. The “tip” section of the site also gives you personalized advice on what to buy based on your past transactions and credit score.
5. Save Benjis – Save Benjis is an app for your Iphone or Ipod Touch that can help anyone become a supremely successful bargain shopper. This app is a great tool for saving money because it allows users to automatically compare sale prices on the go. Using the Iphone’s built-in camera as a scanner, users can scan the barcode of an item and Save Benjis automatically compares the price of that item with what other stores charge for it. This app will also work with the Ipod Touch, where users will simply need to manually type in the product name or number to retrieve competitor prices. Save Benjis is a great tool to help you make sure that you’re always getting the best deal, with very little effort on your part.

Here is a list of area grocery stores set to house the kiosks (but keep in mind these locations could change): http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/5944310.php

An important thing to remember when dealing with your new privacy settings is this: Everyone really does mean everyone. Literally, any person with Internet access can see this information. These new settings have also made it easier for your profile to be found using search engines such as Bing and Google. If you are uncomfortable with either of these modifications, they can be adjusted in your privacy settings.  Unfortunately, there are some pieces of information that are now permanently  publically available as a result of Facebook’s new policy. This public information includes:

• Your Name
• Your Profile Picture
• Current City
• Gender
• Network
• Your Friends List
• The Pages You are a “Fan” of

This information can now be seen by everyone who comes across your profile, even if they are not on your friends list.

Facebook has also made it easier for app developers and advertisers to utilize information on your profile. Now, whenever your friend adds an app, the app developers can gain access to your information, even if you don’t use apps. These changes have definitely agitated Facebook users who prefer to use the site as a social networking tool, as opposed to a means for self-promotion.

Although this new policy may seem disagreeable, the changes aren’t all bad. In a more popular move, Facebook now allows users to define the privacy of your Facebook content on a post by post basis. The site has also eliminated  regional networks. You take the good, you take the bad, I suppose.

If you need further help making adjustments to the privacy of your profile, here is a link to Facebook’s guide to privacy:  http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

Philadelphia Recycling Rewards is a partnership between the Philadelphia Streets Department and RecycleBank, which allows residents to earn points for the amount they recycle. Residents will obtain a special sticker to place on their recycling bins, which is scanned at the time of collection. From there, points are automatically added to your account based on how much your community has recycled.

Points can be redeemed through RecycleBank for discounts, gift cards, or charitable contributions at hundreds of local and national merchants and non-profit agencies. The program will begin in some neighborhoods in early 2010, and by July the entire city will be participating.

Click here to see when your neighborhood will begin the program.

There is one problem though- it seems that many links still revert back to the old design, meaning that the transition is far from complete. In any case it’s good to see that SEPTA is taking a step (or, baby steps) in the right direction, and we look forward to future improvements. Check out the site at www.septa.org, and tell us your opinion in the comments below!