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It seems that even Facebook has limits.  A new app was released this week called Breakup Notifier, which allows you to track friends that are in relationships so when their status changes, you can swoop in. Facebook is currently blocking this third-party application, despite 3.7 million users in the first three days that it was available. The official statement from Facebook is that they are “looking into it.”

Nothing says friendship like stalking your friend and then trying to pursue them while they are still picking up the pieces of their last relationship.

What do you think? Creepy or cool?

Did you know that since 1/1/2010, the United States Department of Transportation has released new guidelines for the packaging and transportation of batteries for recycling?

These new guidelines include:

• Taping all battery terminals with non-reactive tape or placing each battery in a non-reactive plastic bag

• Use only non-reactive plastic containers to house batteries for storage and transportation

• Only chemically compatible batteries should be packaged together, and cannot be mixed with other batteries.

• No cracked or damaged batteries

• Properly identifying the container as containing batteries

To read the full document from the DOT, click here.

After years of preparation, NASA’s Stardust-NExT space craft will fly approximately 124 miles within comet Tempel 1 tonight, around 11:40 p.m

Find out about NASA’s Stardust NExT mission, its goals and its Valentine’s Day 2011 rendezvous with comet Tempel 1.

Since Google has brought awareness to this, 2-step verification is popping up everywhere. Some banks are doing this now and Facebook is starting to as well.  It’s the next step to make sure your private online life stays private.

For those of you who hate passwords, you’ll need to get past that somehow.  Sadder news for you still, you will only continue to have more passwords to remember.  A word of caution – don’t use the same password for all of your accounts. Think of all the other things in life that you don’t/wouldn’t reuse, maintain that same sensibility for your passwords.

Read more about Google’s Two-Step Verification for Enhanced Security

New information shows that Windows OS use is dropping usage due to SmartPhones and other mobile devices.

I think about Microsoft Windows OS as this complicated animal, which it is, but because I don’t have the ability to modify the Droid OS, I don’t even think about it. I know it exists, but I don’t have the need to tinker.

Many different Operating Systems now exist, in addition to Microsoft Windows and Mobile Windows; Iphone/ipad, Kindle, Droid, Nook, Nintendo DS – any mobile device that can surf the web.

For more information, check out this article from Network World: Windows On The Verge of Dropping…

Our friends over at the Lutz Museum held their annual Groundhog Day celebration yesterday. Lucky for all of us suffering in New England, Molly the Connecticut Groundhog is predicting an early Spring!

According to this article, 57% of businesses do not have a proper disaster recovery plan, I encourage you to start thinking about putting this on your to-do list for 2011.

Here are some interesting facts from our clients:

• 90% of our clients are backing their data up remotely, through some sort of automatic backup tool

• 98% of our clients are able to restore their computers entirely after a crash, regardless of PC type

Read the full article here: 57% SMBs Have No Disaster Recovery Plan (Informationweek)

November 29th, 1972 – The birthday of Pong, the first popular video game was released in original, arcade format. One of the original Atari founders, Nolan Bushnell created Pong after playing an electronic table tennis game at a trade show, ushering in a new era of gaming.

Did you know that a recent study found computer keyboards in the office have more bacteria than toilets and bathroom door knobs?

If you eat lunch at your desk or make the unfortunate choice not to wash your hands thoroughly throughout the day, you are contributing to the problem!

Be sure to shake crumbs off your keyboard, wipe down the surfaces with a damp cloth and follow up with alcohol wipes, at least once a month.

You can also click here to read Dr. Oz’s tips on how to stay cold-free this winter.

Do you have an old PC that you need to discard? Holding onto an old piece of equipment because you aren’t sure what to do with it?

Here are 11 Uses for Old/Unwanted Computers, courtesy of Webestigate.com, including:

• Donating it to a local school

• Give it to a relative to use for a child

• Use it as a dedicated game server

For the entire article, click here – 11 Uses for an Old PC

If you would like to recycle your old and unwanted technology equipment, please contact Now IT Works for more information about e-cycling.