In yet another failure to take that left toin on Albuquerque, the AOL Thought Police gathered and published 10 million queries from 657,426 AOL users.

Unique numbers identify the searchers, but since many of the surfers ego searched and ran their own social security numbers some identities are easy to piece together.

The massive privacy breach is irretrievable as the data is already bit-torrented outside of AOL’s control.

Zoli’s Blog revealed the disaster on Aug 6, the day it occurred. Elliot Back did some quick egreps to find approximately 200 social security numbers. Researchers identified and outed at least one formerly-anonymous AOL user. Since AOL is now a re-branding of Google search marketers are using the data to refine AdSense ventures (ring tone, ring tones, ring tones for cell phone, ring tones for cell phones, ring tones garth brooks…).

I found several dozen references to “suicide” and “murder.” Presumably these terms correlate with the fact that the searchers are AOL subscribers.

 

 

Sadly, we received no entries for our July video contest, and now it is August. So this month I’ve decided to make it a bit easier. Send us your best digital photos, and at the end of the month we’ll vote on the best one.

The Rules:

1. All photos must be taken with a digital camera.

2. Subject matter is up to you - no requirements.

3. All entries should be posted in the contest thread on the V7 Forums.

4. A maximum of 10 entries per person are allowed. So choose your photos wisely.

5. Contest ends 12:00am EST on September 1st.

The winner will receive a brand-new geek tshirt of their choosing, as well as some random prizes of my choosing. The contest is pretty open-ended, so have fun and show me what you’ve got.

AOL had made further annoucements today that could help transform the company from a dinosaur dial-up provider to a modern day internet empire. AOL nnouced today that they will begin offering free VoIP service through the AIM instant messaging client, and are expected to soon launch a rival to the ever-popular MySpace. The VoIP service, dubbed “AOL Phoneline” is a move that could potentially be worth millions.

AIM currently dominates chat, capturing nearly 50% of the market. While VoIP will be free for computer to computer calls, AOL is hoping that many of them will pay the $14.95 free to use the VoIP service with landline and mobile phones.

At the service’s launch, each user will be given a phone number that can be handed out to friends and family. Skype offers similar capabilities, but chargers users $4 for a phone number. Another unique feature of the AOL Phoneline service is the ability to be notified on your cell phone if a call is received on your home computer.

Although a definitive launch date has not yet been announced, the AOL Phoneline could launch by the end of May.

Also rumoured to be launching later this month at AOL is a full-scale social networking service that will give AIM users their own customizable blog pages. The name of this service is AOL Pages. Stay tuned for more info.

AOL members in select US markets will soon be able to access the AOL service through a high-speed wireless connection for as low as $25.90.  Clearwire is partnering with AOL to provide AOL users access to their WiMax network in select cities in Florida and California.

Subscribers will now be able to access AOL and the internet anywhere within the Clearwire coverage area.  AOL says the service requires only a small modem to connect.

AOL hopes that this service will attract new and existing customers, as their dial-up base continues to erode.

Joe Redling, President of AOL’s access business, said wireless broadband is “a promising feature for new customer segments.”

The service, dubbed “AOL High Speed - Powered by Clearwire”, will initially be available in Daytona Beach, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla., Modesto, Ca., and Stockton, Ca.