Using Facebook & Twitter via Email

This post is dedicated to all the Facebook & Twitter addicts round the world (count me into that group bigtime) an’ especially people working with all the social networking websites blocked by websense at office.

There are better options than scribbling down in your mobile phone to access them, TheFriendMail and Tweetymail: the free email service that can be used to access them. I actually stumbled upon these two awesome websites by chance and I found them to be working perfectly from my office.

TheFriendmail: URL: http://thefriendmail.com/

To begin using it all one has to do is link up your Facebook account with TheFriendMail by logging in via their credentials (as used for Facebook ie, Username and Password). Once logged in (for the first time only) it will ask for the permission level that one might allow the application to access for further usage, they are of two types: a) High Permission b) Low Permission.

a) High Permission: Once selected one can do nearly anything—share links, photos, status updates, comments, send messages, "like" posts, view profiles, and even see news feed—all without ever leaving the email client. One just has to send an email to one of their designated email addresses, like status@thefriendmail.com, and it will post it for you. You can even schedule posts to go up at a certain time in the future, even Facebook does not support this feature yet.

b) Low permission: This version allows one to update their status, request for news feed and get notifications only.

Based on the permission levels one can control their access levels to the Facebook account so privacy is also controlled.

Best part is that the website is still in it’s BETA testing phase so creation of the account is free, my suggestion create your account now – you never know when it might start charging for it or even start the concept of “Invitation” only as was once there for Gmail.




Tweetymail: URL: http://tweetymail.com/

The Tweetmail kind of works the same way like TheFriendMail, one has to access the mail via their twitter access details and it’s ready to put forward all the tweets that comes in mind. To tweet, one just has to email as: tweet@tweetymail.com with the tweet as the body and it will post it for you. One can also request your timeline via email, send and receive direct messages, get notifications of mentions, and follow other users.

Tweetmail have two forms of usage: a) Paid service b) Free service

a) Paid Service gives features directly replying or retweeting posts you view from your email.

b) Free service takes in manual entry as "@" mention people to reply or use the old "RT @" format used for retweets.

Me being an avid Facebook user I did find the features to highly unique and very refreshing. The interface looks very similar and has been done on PHP same as Facebook so the experience level and enthusiasm to use it has been a great pleasure for me. Try it out and let me know if it bypasses all filter blocks at offices around the world, perhaps we finally have another reason to sit in our chair a bit longer.

Bluesnarfing and Protective Methodologies

Bluetooth has become an extremely popular data transfer technology nowadays, allowing users to carry out a wide array of activities, such as transferring files between a mobile handheld and a computer, streaming audio and voice calls, and much more. However, as any technology that has anything to do with the users' data, this one can also be subjected to malevolent breach attempts (hacking), the phenomenon being known as Bluesnarfing. (Most Dangerous among all the Bluetooth device hack's that exists).

Following are threats a person can face when his/her mobile phone gets bluesnarfed:

* The hacker can steal, delete contacts
* Hacker can extract personal files/pictures etc
* Your cell phone can be used for making calls and using internet at your expense
* The hacker my call or text your contacts to annoy them
* You mobile phone can be reset to default factory settings hence deleting your
personal settings
* Hacker can even access your calendar, clock, International Mobile Equipment
Identity (IMEI) number. IMEI number can be used to clone your cell phone so
that your messages are also routed to another number. Cloning is also
considered illegal.

Prevention Methodologies:

Normally people have an idea that the range for Bluetooth is limited to 10 meter so only a person near us can hack our device. This is a misconception. Bluetooth chips having a range of 100 meter are quite popular. So the hacker may not be near you. Here are a few tricks that will protect your mobile phone from getting hacked:

* First thing to be done once you have a bluetooth enbled mobile, is to change
the profile name of the device and make it a bit difficult one (alpha-numeric
with special characters are the best bet) this makes it a bit difficult to
identify in the first place.
* The best way is to turn off Bluetooth, if you need to share data you can use
internet or WiFi, both of them are quite common in cell phone world
* If must use Bluetooth, then choose hard to guess passkey. Mostly people use
abc, xyz, 123 all of them can be figured out easily. Don’t forget to turn off
the Bluetooth when you are done.
* Never accept an invitation from a device. There is no such thing as file
sharing or free music among strangers in the cell phone world.
* If possible, don’t keep your mobile phone in “visible” or “discoverable” mode

Plus there is a latest threat these days as even dropping 'Virus' in your mobile phone via the another hacking method called as "Bluebugging".

So my personal suggestion if you are a Symbian or a JAVA enabled mobile used get an antivirus asap into your device. Android mobiles are still a bit safer due to it's recentness into the market but they my guess would be the next frontier for hackers.

Plus a new threat area apart from your mobile and desktop/laptop is high end "Car-Infotainment systems" which supports bluetooth connectivity with your mobile and other bluetooth enabled devices. My suggestion once paired make the "New Device Discovery" disabled. As this is a new issue let us hope high end equipment companies like Harman Becker, JBL, Sony come up with a resolution soon.

Hope this helps a bit, so stay safe..stay off the frequency grid and you would be just fine.