Inevitably, when you enter a key word in a search engine online, you’ll find plenty of ads that match your results. Now, InventHelp’s Invention Girl has learned that sometime soon this kind of behavioral targeting could be influenced by your web browser searches.

Some internet search providers (ISPs) are tossing around the idea of installing software on their internet lines that scrutinizes their customers’ surfing habits. This method, sometimes called deep-packet inspection, utilizes packets of data (including what you search for, the length of time you spend on a website, and what you click on) to track your online movements.

By pairing with online advertising companies like NebuAd, ISPs can inspect these packets of data and target advertising based on your profile. Their argument is that consumers benefit from more relevant ads, while privacy advocates claim that more lucrative advertising is the ISP’s real motivation.

Privacy advocates are asking Congress to make all behavioral targeting opt-in—Google, your ISP, or any other company wouldn’t be able to track on your online actions without asking for your permission first. ISPs and web companies, by contrast, are preparing a huge lobbying effort to stop any legislation barring their behavioral targeting plan.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl values her privacy, but my web searches are no secret. In fact, you can read about most everything I search for on the web here on the InventHelp blog!

Last week, InventHelp’s Invention Girl started getting some very strange emails. Disguised to look like news alerts from major broadcasters like CNN and MSNBC, the emails featured the news company’s logo in the body followed by a link to a tabloid-style headline.

I wondered if I had signed up for some news alerts and forgot about them. But, knowing what I know about spam, I opted to delete the emails rather than click on the links. Turns out that this was a great choice! The links resolved to overseas websites that were booby-trapped with malicious software (and your favorite gadget diva would have been in big trouble had she infected her InventHelp work computer!).

Spammers are working harder than ever to trick consumers into stumbling onto their dangerous websites. The CNN campaign saw 250 million spam messages sent in one intense 24-hour period, according to spam-fighting firm MX Logic Inc.

If you find a message like this in your inbox, InventHelp’s Invention Girl urges you to delete them right away! We at InventHelp don’t want to see your computers become infected – that means you won’t be able to join us on the blog for a while!

Do you tend to browse the web for the latest headlines? Or do you have a favorite anchor on the nightly news? Perhaps you even have a subscription for the daily newspaper. InventHelp’s Invention Girl leans toward option A (the wild and wonderful web) when I need an information fix.

Most Americans, as it turns out, are still getting their news from the television. Fewer Americans are reading newspapers and more are turning to the internet. It’s not surprising to learn that younger folks make up the majority of internet news proponents, and that older individuals tend to prefer TV or the paper.

Among those who get their news from TV, fewer are watching the local evening news and more are opting for cable news sources like CNN or Fox News Channel. The group that relies most on the Internet for news is the smallest, at 13 percent of those polled. Of the internet-savvy group (of which InventHelp’s Invention Girl is a member!), 80 percent have a college education and they are twice as likely to read an online newspaper than a printed version.

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. It polled 3,615 adults 18 years or older by telephone between April 30 and June 1, and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

Be it by folding the paper, surfing the web or flipping on the nightly news, InventHelp’s Invention Girl will do whatever it takes to stay up to date on the latest in technology and inventions!

InventHelp’s Invention Girl is a huge fan of the Carnegie Library system in Pittsburgh, where InventHelp headquarters are located. I love popping over to my local branch for the latest “gadget-fiction” novels, popular CDs and movies on DVD. And, being able to keep my checkouts for weeks without a late fee sure beats the video store.

Now, some libraries are boosting their technology offerings with an ever-expanding list of digital books, music, and movies that can be downloaded to a computer or an MP3 player. A program in Phoenix, Ariz. (where, by the way, InventHelp has a local office) has proven to be wildly popular – and other big-city libraries are taking notice.

First, you need to be a member of the library, which involves filling out an application and providing ID. Plus, you’ll need internet access and downloadable software like Adobe Digital Editions, the Mobipocket Reader or the OverDrive Media Console. Next comes the fun part – browsing your library’s media selections, adding your choices to your basket and clicking “download.”

After a period of time (usually about one to three weeks), the title simply disappears from your computer, meaning that you don’t have to travel back and forth to pick up and drop off your selections. Best of all, it’s free!

InventHelp and Invention Girl are pleased to see community libraries embracing digital technology. And if there’s one thing the innovators, do-it-yourselfers and technophiles of the world love, it’s easy access to the information tools that make ideas a reality!

If you’re like InventHelp’s Invention Girl, getting routed through 10 different phone menus by an annoying, robotic voice just to get to customer service makes you want to tear your hair out. Companies want these automatons to handle everything from catalog orders to complex billing questions.

Now, it looks like this concept is slithering its way into retail stores as well. Forget helpful, human service – the future of customer service may be in videoconference kiosks.

As the economy takes a downturn, stores are scrambling for ways to cuts costs. Hiring knowledgeable employees can be difficult, so retailers are hoping that these video kiosks will provide better customer support at a lower cost.

Two examples of companies that provide video support include Live Agent and Live Expert. “Everybody who goes into a retail store today and walks away frustrated that they could not get their questions answered can get the help they need,” said Chris Woods, chief technology officer of ClairVista (Live Expert’s maker), in an interview with MSNBC.

If retail companies plan to move in this direction, they owe it to their customer base to hire compassionate, intelligent operators with a good grasp of English. But, a live support staff is always going to have an advantage of a cold monitor and keyboard. Plenty of customers out there are uncomfortable with seeking help via technology and retailers could suffer financial consequences by neglecting them.

Rather than thinking about what’s best for the company, the company should think about what’s best for the customer.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl didn’t grow up in a very tech-savvy home. I used a rotary phone (yes, the kind with the big, plastic circle with cut-outs for each number) until I was well into my teens. We didn’t have touch-tone dialing or call waiting until I was a senior in high school.

Now that I’m all grown up, I’m part of a new generation that’s opted to ditch the land line in favor of all cellular service. The decision just comes down to brass tax – I didn’t like paying two phone bills (that’s why I use my office phone at InventHelp as much as possible – lol!). A home phone seemed more like a discretionary item than a necessarily utility.

This trend is putting quite a dent into the profits of landline providers, with industry analysts blaming the U.S. economic downturn. But even the housing foreclosure crisis has made a featured blame-game guest appearance. It makes sense when you think about it – when people have to move and budget, a home phone more often than not doesn’t make the cut.

Plus, with a work, home and cell-phone number, it can be a hassle to juggle 3+ phone numbers. Now, when someone asks the best number to reach InventHelp’s Invention Girl, I don’t have to stare at them blankly while I mentally chart my availability. One number for one person is one idea I can deal with!

Recently, when two of Invention Girl’s tech-loving friends at InventHelp were planning a trip to New York City, they stumbled upon a Craigslist ad that offered a great deal on a week’s stay in a prime apartment in the city. Rather than book an expensive hotel, they decided to check into the apartment option.

They spoke with the seller over the phone and by email, and verified that he accepted payment through PayPal rather than cash only. Convinced the offer was legit, they sent the seller a deposit. After flying from InventHelp’s hometown of Pittsburgh, they finally landed in New York and got to the apartment.

“Scam and Fraud!” blared the sign on the front door. “Apartment 3 is NOT FOR RENT! Do Not Ring Other Doorbells. Contact the Authorities.”

Online shopping and direct-sell sites are very tempting, but this example proves that it’s not always without risk. Even savvy shoppers aren’t immune to online scams. As for my techie InventHelp friends, they never got their money back. On the bright side, they did find a good deal on a room in a swanky hotel.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl has found some great deals on Craigslist, but I always keep in mind that it’s a rogue shopping experience. I always recommend getting more info, a photo and/or references before you give out any personal information. Plus, I always make sure I have another gadget guru with me before going anywhere (or inviting anyone over) to check out an item.

If you want to avoid this stress altogether, shop only at online companies that have clear, easy-to-find refund information. Look for companies that have cash refunds or credits. You can even test the customer service department by calling or emailing with a question, and see how long it takes them to get back to you.

It is a jungle out there in the online shopping world, but with an extra dose of caution it can be a rewarding experience.

While InventHelp’s Invention Girl has heard her share of stories about tech-savvy seniors, there are still quite a few folks in their golden years who are simply uncomfortable with cell phones.

But, the idea of personal security and accessibility appeals who seniors who are trying to maintain their independence. Jitterbug® is hoping to bridge this gap by offering an easy-to-use, limited-function cell phone designed with senior-friendly features.

First, the large, backlit buttons make dialing easier, and a powerful speaker transmits sound effectively. Models range from a super-basic OneTouch (it has only 911, the Jitterbug operator and one number that they’ll personalize for you) to a more conventional-style cell phone (the design was created by Samsung).

The only drawback is that Jitterbug works only on its own network, which doesn’t have the reach of major networks like Sprint or Verizon. And, if you happen to be into text messaging, picture mail or any modern cell phone features, then Jitterbug might be a little rudimentary for you.

A basic plan starts around $20 per month, making it more affordable than most conventional cellular plan options (InventHelp’s Invention Girl is embarrassed to tell you how much her cell phone bill is each month!). For anyone who wants a simple, cheap way to keep in touch only as needed, this is a good option. But if you can surf the web while sending a text at the same speed as your grandkids, think bigger!

These days, a cell phone contract lasts longer than plenty of Hollywood marriages. Thanks to a widespread practice of charging customers huge fees for canceling the contract early, it’s unappealing to drop your current cell phone company for a new one if you’re dissatisfied. (Trust me, this InventHelp employee knows from experience.)

InventHelp’s Invention Girl has learned that this practice is under the legal microscope. In a significant ruling, a judge in California has decided that the practice of charging consumers for early termination of their contract illegal and violates state law.

The verdict orders Sprint Nextel to pay customers $18.2 million in reimbursements and bars Sprint from trying to collect another $54.7 million from 2 million Californians who canceled their contracts but refused or neglected to pay the termination fee.

Certainly, the legal battle isn’t over (it’s a guarantee that the cell companies will appeal), but it’s clear the industry’s once-solid policy of long-term, nearly irrefutable contracts is shaken up.

While some unhappy customers will celebrate the ruling, its overall effect may hurt customers in the long run. Those epic contracts bring in cash that allows cellular companies to keep the costs of tech goodies like iPhones down. Plus, the FCC may step in and assume responsibility for a nationwide contract-cancellation policy. For those who move around a lot, imagine trying to keep 50 different contract laws straight!

InventHelp’s Invention Girl will call, er, keep you updated on the latest on this verdict.

Despite what your grade-school English teacher may have told you, grammar isn’t all that important. At least, it isn’t important when it comes to finding a great deal online.

InventHelp’s Invention Girl has discovered a tool for finding hidden discounts on popular sales sites like eBay and Craigslist. Although most consumers may not be aware of it, many sellers frequently misspell key words in their listings, making them nearly impossible to find.

To tap into this potential pool of savings, consumers can visit TypoBuddy.com. After selecting a location, the user types in a key word to search (or customers can choose from a list of popular searches). The tool automatically searches for common misspellings and present the results as one-click searches.

The site itself is easy to navigate, and it has a bare-bones appearance that’s similar to Google. And to show that they’re not all business, TypoBuddy even has section for consumers to share the funniest misspellings that they uncover.

So, if you’re looking for an espresso maker, the tool will include in your search commonly misspelled derivatives (like “expresso”). Truth be told – your favorite InventHelp employee has been guilty of this misspelling. This makes me wonder what deals I could be missing out there. I’m off to search for Nintendo Wii accessories. Happy bargain hunting!