Everyone who grew up with newspapers also grew up with the maxim "Don't believe everything you read." Over the past week or two, we've seen a number of news stories in both mainstream media and across the Web (redistributing the mainstream media stories) recounting how a New Hampshire burglary ring supposedly used Facebook to identify people who were traveling and whose homes were unoccupied, then robbed them. The suggestion of those stories was false.

I'm a 100% Apple convert. Over the last few years, I ditched my PC in favor of a MacBook Pro, and generally every device I buy has that little Apple logo on the back. That being said, I feel I need to be critical of the new launch of iTunes and its integration of Ping (Apple's social music network), but only from the perspective of someone who wants to see it succeed. Consider it constructive criticism with a hint of gadgetry love.

All attention that consumers give to advertising comes at a cost. The easiest measure is how much time a consumer spends with advertising vs. the consumer's actual goal of content consumption. Just to get ahead of it, please don't tell me that some consumers like highly relevant or high quality advertising. Sure, the Old Spice Man is great, but is he so great that you'd like to stop watching the show you were immersed in to see the new advertisement? Don't be ridiculous.

We've all been subjected to the "fans and friends" outburst -- whether as an agency, a peer, or in casual cocktail conversation with self-made celebrities of the digital age. Sound familiar?: "We got 200 fans overnight." Or, "I'm doing really well. I have 1,000 friends and my page has 100 more fans than my competition." But, unless the marketer or celebrity can transform that passive attention into action, no one can be sure that fandom and friending count.

I often find myself having to join conference calls while on the go -- walking, driving or even while standing in lines. Most conference-call services require participants to dial an 800-number, followed by a passcode. That's reasonable, except when the pass codes are longer than six digits.

Yesterday, Google announced the formal launch of Google Instant, a new feature in its core search product that automatically provides real-time recommendations as you type the letters and words in your search query. Is this a big deal?

The next time you're walking down the street, take a moment to realize how much of your day is spent looking down. I realized this the other day when I was in a cab in San Francisco. It was a beautiful, hot (which is rare) day in SF and I didn't notice it for a few minutes because I was too busy looking down. I was engaged with the screen of my iPhone, checking email, checking Facebook, checking the digital status of my life -- and all the while, I was missing the moment. That's when I realized that the …

Marketers often struggle with the "elusive consumer" -- a term used to describe the increasing difficulty of targeting potential customers and capturing their diffusing attention. Now it's time to meet the "elusive worker."

I believe that we are at the beginning of a monumental battle for control of home entertainment by dozens of big companies across the tech, teleco, hardware, content and distribution landscape. Where will the battles be fought? Who will be the key combatants? Here are my thoughts:

The last few weeks have seen a lot of press surrounding the issues of privacy and consumer safety. It's a relatively cyclical discussion that seems to be raised every two to three years, but its gaining steam now that the government is getting more involved. I'm not one to talk politics, nor am I one to sit and here and tell you that everything is acceptable in regards to Internet standards for consumer privacy, but I do want to put some of this discussion in perspective.