Depositing a check via the iPhone's camera

It is not widely known amongst consumers, but a law called "Check 21" went into effect October 28, 2004. This law essentially eliminates the use of paper checks between banking institutions - all checks are now scanned and turned into images which allow faster processing and exchange of checking info. It also means that consumers can now scan their own checks and upload them for processing, assuming your bank supports the feature.

Hat tip to @RobFay for discovering an article about a bank taking Check 21 to its next logical step. They are allowing customers to upload checks by taking a picture with their iPhone camera! This was impractical with the camera on the original iPhone, but the iPhone 3GS's 3.2 megapixel camera is more than up for the task! And supposedly a Blackberry app is on the way, as well.

Keep an eye out. Mobile technology like this will be transforming the way you bank before you know it!

How effective is your sunblock?

My grandmother died of skin cancer when I was 4, so my parents have drilled into my mind from an early age that wearing sunblock during the summer months is non-negotiable. And I have always been a major nag to my friends to make sure they were wearing some too. I have been happy to see the SPF ratings available going up, to offer more and more protection. However, a recent study may suggest many sunblocks are ineffective or even harmful and so far it appears the FDA has been unwilling or unable to act.

The EWG analysis suggested that nearly half of the products contained ingredients known to become inactive in strong sunlight...Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some could disrupt hormone systems, several are strongly linked to allergic reactions, and others may build up in the body or the environment. FDA has not established rigorous safety standards for sunscreen ingredients that fully examines these effects.

It appears, from my reading, that wearing sunscreens - even the bad ones - is still preferable to wearing none. But depending on what you buy, you may find yourself far less protected than you had thought. If you are interested, there is a list of the best and worst sunscreens for your examination.

All of eBay and PayPal's contact info

If you've ever had a problem with eBay or Paypal, you know how hard they can be to reach and especially to get ahold of a real live human being. At least of one that is not in the call center in India. Well, now The Consumerist and ScrewPaypal.Com have put together a page of all the contact info you could possibly want for these two companies. Call, fax, e-mail, or carrier pigeon. This link will tell you how.

The Problem With Security Companies

Wired has an interesting piece on the problem with security companies. The author compares buying security software and hardware to buying a used car, referencing American economist George Akerlof's paper, "The Market for 'Lemons'". Basically, when the seller knows a lot more about the industry / product than the seller, the seller has to look at varying factors, many of which are inaccurate, to make the "best" choice. Because of this, it is the cheapest products or the best marketed products and not the best products that stay available on the market. I know that I have found this when trying to find anti-spyware software for Windows. The best I can do is Google "Top 10" and "anti-spyware" and see what comes up.