Whoops! 

I ORDERED A Handspring Treo 270 last week. I even paid extra for fast shipping, hoping to get my new toy in about a week. But then something strange happened. 

I received an e-mail from customer_care@handspring.com saying the company had found a defect in some of the displays and that my order would be delayed for two or three weeks. Then I got three failed e-mail attempts to "recall" the message -- which, of course, you can't do via POP3 e-mail. And finally -- the crowning achievement -- I received a message that was identical to the first in every respect, except for the addition of two Excel document e-mail attachments. 

The first attachment was called treo90_270_orders_exported.xls, and contained the order  numbers, first and last names of 215 customers -- including Yours Truly -- as well as our phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The second attachment was named treo90_270_orders_pending_exported.xls and contained all the same information for 40 more people. Everyone in both spreadsheets got both attachments. With that information, anyone on either list could log in as me and cancel or change my order, including, presumably, the address to which my long-awaited gadget is to be sent. The lists could be sold to spammers, to Handspring competitors, etc., or could be posted on some disreputable newsgroup. Credit card information was not made available. 

Obviously somebody screwed up.  

My first reaction was to write a story for MikesList.com. It's not every day that an easy scoop lands in your lap. But, alas, it was not to be: c|net beat me to it. 

I've been the recipient of many, many "see-mails" like this over the past five years -- collisions of spam and accidental privacy invasion. In each of the other cases, however, the error was made by some public relations person while mass-mailing members of the media. They typically intend to put all the names in the BCC field, but accidentally put them in the CC field. Angry flame mails are returned. Apologies are sent. Etc.

I'm especially surprised that a company like Handspring could let something like this happen. I mean, these geniuses design and build spectacularly sophisticated hardware like the 270, but they can't stop someone in their customer service organization from mass-mailing personal customer data. 

It seems to me that somebody ought to create a software application that blocks outgoing messages with more than three people in the TO: or CC: fields, and prevents outgoing attachments. Such software could be installed on all the PCs of PR flaks and customer service reps, and problems like this could be prevented.

Has YOUR privacy been compromised by "see-mail"? If so, tell me about it!

Your Atari On Linux

A small company called Retrosystem will custom-build for you a brand new old computer. They'll take an Amiga 1000, Atari 2600 or Nintendo Entertainment System console and "supercharge" it using their patented system. The old computer will run Windows or Linux software at blistering speeds using state-of-the-art, 2002 components -- AND play all the games and applications that ran on the original hardware. 

You Mean It Doesn't Do 'The Robot'?

The Japanese company ATUKO has developed and now sells a dancing robot called ASTAR-NO1. The robot is almost three feet high, runs on a 566MHz RISC processor and even supports Firewire and USB. It can dance disco, funk, rock, hip-hop and even break-dance. It actually listens to the music, and dances based solely on what it hears -- and by it's programming. You can plug it into a PC or Mac, and, using proprietary "SUPERSTAR" software, generate some new dance movies. Counter- intuitively, ASTAR-NO1 has not been pre-programmed to do "The Robot." The company plans to sell 50 units for $15,000 each.

Shameless Pitch for Money

Feeling generous? Seize the moment and toss some money my way! I run Mike's List very cheaply, but I still lose money on it (great business model, eh?). Support ad-free, spam-free, subscription-fee-free content by making a contribution. (Thanks to those of you who opened your wallets last week!)

Proof You Can Buy Anything on the Web

Here's a disgusting way to solve that nagging egg-yolk separation problem: The Peter Petrie Egg Separator.  Simply crack an egg into the cup, and the egg white runs out Peter's nose. Available only on the Web for $11.99. 

Think you can find ugly furniture on the web? Oh, yes. 

Shameless Self-Promotion

Craig Crossman's Computer America features Mike's List content on every show (and I join Craig live on the first broadcast Sunday of every month). You can hear Computer America on your local Business TalkRadio station or over the Internet each Sunday from 1pm to 3pm Silicon Valley Time. Don't miss Computer America.

Follow-Up

Last week I linked to the Classic Comic Book Ad web site, and mentioned ads for Sea Monkeys. If you've always wondered where Sea Monkeys come from, but were too embarrassed to ask your parents, this web site gives you straight answers from the Father of Sea Monkeys (so to speak). 

Have you seen additional coverage of a Mike's List item? Let me know! 

Gotta-Get-It Gadgets

Finally, a laptop bag with a useful feature. The new $79.99 Kensington Liberator laptop case has all the standard features of a regular bag, plus a secret "junk drawer" hidden in the bottom for all that random stuff that inevitably accumulates during travel. 

Have you seen an amazing new toy? Let me know! 

Wacky Web Sites

Do you have an unhealthy relationship with gadgets, computers and other technology? If so, here's a web site for you called Digital Porn. It's packed with raw, uncensored pictures of hardware, software, and those sexy dorks who pioneered Silicon Valley. 

Remember when a calculator watch was the coolest thing you could possibly wear to science class? A web site called Nerd Watch Museum commemorates the miniaturized technology that finished off the slide rule. 

Shoot-It.Org gives you a gun and lets you shoot at any picture on your computer. Simply load a photo and fire away. 

The break-dancing fad ended 20 years ago, but it's never too late to learn. 

The Daily Mainichi newspaper built a site to commemorate the many exciting flavors of ice cream available in Japan. Forget vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. This collection includes fish, squid, octopus, fried eggplant, crab, shrimp, eel, chicken wing, cactus and -- for you connoisseurs -- ox tongue ice cream. 

It should be clear by now that there's a web site out there for every interest. Here's one for rocket-powered model car enthusiasts. 

If you thought Grand Theft Auto was a violent driving game, you haven't played Pedestrian Killer. 

 If you see a really crazy web site: Let me know! 

Last Week's Mystery Pic

No, it's not a new obscene gesture, piano sleeves, temperature controlled sweater, combination cell-phone-and-hand-warmer or even a gadget that gives you impressive Karate skills without training, as suggested by some readers. It is, as one of you observed, one "butt ugly sweater," but that's not the right answer either. 

Another answer that was both true and wrong was this: 

"Looks definitely like a fine example of 'Homo Sapiens Sapiens,' the dominating species of Sol 3, a.k.a. Earth, in the Milky Way Galaxy. The picture shows a grown-up female with facial details that betray 'Asian' origin. The fist gesture demonstrated with top-left appendage, and a ferocious-looking facial grin bearing double row of sharp teeth, though at first frightening, may be peaceful after all, since the author of the picture lived (hopefully) whole and un-eaten to publish his encounter images..."

<Sigh!>

In fact, it's a picture of a Japanese model demonstrating a "wearable electronics" prototype sweater in Tokyo on July 19. The German company Infineon Technologies unveiled to the Japanese press this "washable MP3 player." MP3 clothes should be on the market within three years. 

Congratulations to Merlin Zener for being first with the right answer!

 Have you seen an amazing, hard-to-identify picture? Let me know!

Mystery Pic o' the Week

What is it? Send YOUR guess to mysterypic@mikeslist.com. If you're first with the right answer, I'll print your name in the next issue of Mike's List!