Stories by James A. Martin

In Pictures: 12 shocking social media horror stories

There are right ways for companies to use social media, and there are wrong ways. These 12 horror stories, spotlighted by a set of digital marketing professionals, are perfect examples of what organizations should never (ever) do on social sites.

The 3 best iOS and Android apps of winter 2014

If you're an iPhone or iPad user, you probably know that iOS app icons dance around when you tap and hold a finger on them to move or remove one. They do a little jig, hoping to entertain you and thereby save themselves from deletion.

Fitbit's updated iOS app doesn't go the distance

Fitbit recently strengthened its iOS app with a new "MobileRun" feature for tracking exercise in real-time via GPS. It's a step in the right direction (bad pun intended) -- but not enough to help Fitbit catch up to RunKeeper or other workout tracking apps. (Fitbit's Android update is said to be coming soon.)

Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bags

Some words seem destined to go together, like "Marco" and "Polo," "Uma" and "Oprah," "rock" and "lobster." Until recently, however, I would never have thought to conjoin the words "checkpoint" and "friendly." But these days, the two seemingly disparate words are locked in a brazen embrace, showing up all over the media and the Internet, in relation to new laptop bags.

More eBay cautionary tales

Often, when the words eBay fraud are spoken, they're accompanied by an accusatory finger pointing to the seller. But as I described in [[xref: http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1757362137|Selling Your Laptop on eBay]] buyers are quite capable of trying to pull a fast one, too. (My column detailed two different fraudulent attempts to purchase my Sony Vaio laptop on eBay.)