The Wall Street Journal-20080128-Front - Forward- The Latest Buzz On---

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NEW SECURITY THREATS

CARLOS SOLARI

Alcatel-Lucent

Vice President, Security Strategy and Solutions

TV BUGS: Is there a virus in your television set? As the TV becomes just one more device connected to the Internet, Mr. Solari of Alcatel- Lucent says it is vulnerable to the same sorts of online threats as the family computer. So carriers are designing ways to build in security features to prevent these attacks.

BAD CONNECTIONS: Phones connected to the Internet are also vulnerable to cyber-criminals. One new threat involves pushing malicious software into a cellphone's operating system-which could, for instance, send an SMS message to a service that charges 10 cents for each message. Individual victims may not notice the tiny charge, but when added to millions of handsets, the ploy could add up to big bucks for thieves.

FLOODED NETWORKS: When revelers on New Year's Eve overwhelmed wireless networks with text messages, security experts took notice. The SMS network that got clogged is also used by emergency workers when phone systems go down. Experts worry that in an emergency the text messaging system could be congested, intentionally or unintentionally. They are working with device developers to ensure that communications systems can handle unexpected surges in traffic.

-- Sara Silver

OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT

BEN PEARSON

L.L. BEAN

Senior Product Manager, Sporting Goods

WE SEE YOU: You may know where you are. But do others? For some time, hikers, boaters and others have been able to pinpoint their own locations using Global Positioning System-enabled devices. Now, says L.L. Bean's Mr. Pearson, new consumer gear will share that information with friends, families or potential rescuers. The gadgets can transmit the locations for viewing on Web-based maps. Some use satellite data services so they'll work beyond the range of cellular networks.

CAMP POWER: You can forget the 20-mile extension cords. Campers who want to take more of their electric-powered gear with them can now get tents that are as wired as any RV. One product draws power from a 12- volt battery pack that can provide about 12 hours of electricity without recharging -- allowing campers to plug in lights, fans or VCRs.

GREEN MATTER: Nature lovers generally want to help the environment, and gear makers are responding with new designs and materials that either are made with recycled materials or can be easily recycled. Pants made from recycled nylon hit the market recently; nylon has been difficult to recycle, partly because of a scarcity of places that process it.

-- Kevin J. Delaney

CORPORATE TRAVEL

LORRAINE SILEO

PhoCusWright Inc.

Vice President, Research

WIRELESS CHECK-IN: Say goodbye to the paper boarding pass. Ms. Sileo, of consulting firm PhoCusWright, says travelers soon may have their boarding-card bar code beamed as a text message to their mobile phone; the code is then read by scanners at the gate. Late last year, the International Air Transport Association agreed to a global standard for the bar codes.

GOING GREEN: Do you want an aisle seat -- and lower carbon emissions? Travel services are offering consumers more information about which alternatives are greener than others. Booking sites feature calculators for comparing the expected "carbon loads" of, say, jets versus cars, and can recommend airlines, hotels and other travel services based on their green-worthiness.

TRAVEL 2.0: The corporate booking site is getting more user- friendly. Services like American Express Co.'s Axiom use "mashups" to enable travelers to find Zagat-rated restaurants, book airport parking, send packages by Fedex or arrange online Web conferences-all from a single site. Also, company travel-booking tools are likely to add traveler reviews, blogs and recommendations as a way to share inhouse travel experiences.

-- Michael Totty