Two weeks ago I wrote an article about how Facebook was degrading due to all of the spam and junk filling up its pages in the form of useless applications. The sort of crap that the MySpace crowd love to use.

After writing that I received an email from a Facebook app developer:

I noticed that you wrote an article about Facebook and its rather “elite” origin. While it appears that you are still interested in Facebook and use it on a daily basis, I was wondering if you would write something up about our instant messaging Facebook application?

Imo.im has added yet another feature to Facebook. The imo.im instant messenger application allows Facebook users to instant message and video chat with friends on Facebook, AIM, Google Talk, MSN, and Yahoo. This application also enables the Facebook user to sign into multiple accounts. By clicking the “Link Accounts” button, on future visits imo.im will automatically sign you into all of your accounts.

You can find the Facebook application here: http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2562493844

Let us know if you have any questions or feedback at feedback@imo.im.

Thanks,
imo.im staff

Now, is it just me or has Ashley completely missed the point? Not only will I not be writing about his app or using it, I implore anyone and everyone to leave junk like this alone. Facebook is already full of enough garbage without more of this dross being added.

When I say no more to Facebook apps, that is NOT a public invite for developers to solicit reviews from me.

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I just received the following email from HSBC, only read carefully, because it’s not from them at all. It’s another one of those awful phising emails, but I love the really poor grammar which makes it obvious.

Please note that our system recently noted that your attemption of signing on to your account was failed while some errors occurred during the processing update of your online account you are having with our bank.

We sincerely hereby to notify you that you should kindly follow below link to Login to your online account for your security safety ensured by our financial institution.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure meant to help protect you and your account.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

If you choose to ignore our request, your account may leads to be temporarily suspended.

Naturally the link that appears to go HSBC doesn’t, it goes to an IP address that is a copy of their site. If you have the Netcraft toolbar installed on your Firefox it will jump in at this point and stop you, like this:

If however you use something a little less secure you may well find yourself giving the scamming bastards your bank login details.

The moral here, use Firefox, install the Netcraft toolbar and if your ‘official’ banking emails read like they have been written by a Nigerian with only the most basic grasp of English, it’s because they have.

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Since I left GAME in 2004 I’ve been out of the games industry circle, often blissfully unaware of such important dates as the release of GTA IV (April 29th btw) and other such vital games related information.

Thankfully I’ve stumbled upon (or rather had a hand in) the new video games news website Just Video Games.

The design is really sleak and sexy and it’s updated with the latest games related news and press releases. At least now I’ll know when stuff is coming out in advance without the benefit of those GAME bulletins coming round every week.

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