Released on = November 8, 2006, 7:58 pm

Press Release Author = By Diane T. Creston

Industry = Electronics

Press Release Summary = What you don\'t know about cell phones and PDAs could present
privacy problems. Once you hit delete, things are not really deleted and that
includes text messages, credit card numbers, etc.

Press Release Body = The vast majority of cell phones and PDAs contain personal and
sometimes proprietary information. Some users password protect devices and some
don\'t. Going back to the days of my first cell phone, I did password protect it.
Seemed like a good idea, but it became a pain every time I had to go through the
drill. So, after the annoyance got to me, I got rid of the protection. Not smart.

You\'ve erased it...and it\'s gone. Right? Creston states, \"The hard drive on your
computer is just like the one on your cell phone or PDA. So, when dealing with
unwanted files and info, you delete it and it\'s gone. Right? Hmmm...maybe not.\" At
some point, you might want and/or need a new device. What to do with the old one so
as to not add to the toxic mess in the landfills.

So Fast Track your Privacy, OR ELSE. Gone, but not forgotten. Try, gone, but
salvageable. Probably not what you wanted to hear unless you really need that file.
Bottom line...salvaging data from discarded devices is a slam dunk with the right
tech guru on a mission.

In fact, for those of a curious nature, (perhaps even that bright little one of
yours who takes after mommy or daddy) there are even free Internet tools along with
commercial tools to resurrect date. And, we\'re looking at a very small tool with
minimal code. When you delete a file, all you\'re doing is changing the index of the
file or the file pointers. Since phone and PDA data is stored in flash memory, it\'s
still there even if the battery is removed or drained.

The only way to delete it is to use a \"hard reset\" so that it reverts to the
original factory settings. By the way, this is not something that you can do
yourself since each manufacturer has a different procedure. Given the fact that
private chat logs (really messy in case of a divorce, or sensitive business
dealings), business e-mails, marketing plans, passwords and credit card numbers
should not be easily accessible, password protect.

I don\'t recommend placing credit card info into any of these devices and you may not
agree. How hard is it to take the cards from your wallet, or purse and use the info?
How much of what you place in memory do you really need? One last comforting
thought, 90 percent of discarded cell phones and PDAs contain sensitive material.

About the author:
Diane T. Creston, spokesperson for MilitaryHomeLink, is a noted marketing expert for
SMB, Fortune 500 and IT companies with over 20 years of consulting experience.

Web Site = http://www.militaryhomelink.com

Contact Details = Diane T. Creston, spokesperson for MilitaryHomeLink.com
crestonassoc@aol.com