Pairing Your Cell with Bluetooth? Beware!
California is the latest state to make you a criminal if you talk on your mobile handset while driving. (Personally, I think that using a cell phone within 15 feet of another human should be actionable, but that's neither here nor there.) Naturally the sales of hands-free Bluetooth devices are soaring. According to Elinor Mills' recent column in CNet News, however, Bluetooth users may be asking for trouble. Any device that can "discover" another Bluetooth device can also send unsolicited messages, compromise or corrupt data, and do things that could lead to extra fees. Your phone can even get infected with a virus! To protect against these risks, Mills advised Bluetooth owners to disable the technology when it's not being used, disable unnecessary features at all times and switch the device to "hidden" mode while in use.