The Internet is Not Just for the 20-Something

73-year-old Man Takes on Ebay with a 1920's Style Live Auction and Auctions off $100 Bills

It may seem like a crazy idea, but at 73 years old Donald Karr is taking on Internet giants like Ebay by starting a live auction site where users pick up paddles, listen to
auctioneers cry out and find out immediately if they have won. To prove it isn't a crazy idea, Karr will be auctioning off $100 bills everyday so users can get acquainted with the how-to's of his live auction.

Contrasting the young entrepreneurs who have found success on the Internet, like the developers of Facebook and MySpace Karr is proving that the internet is for everyone. Karr, a retired antique and jewelry dealer, recently launched his 24-hour a day, old-fashioned, live internet auction called Blackwells Live Auction.com. www.BlackwellsLiveAuction.com

Skype launches cell phone

The popular internet phone service Skype has released its own cell phone, which can be used to make calls over the internet.

Dubbed the Skypephone, the device is the result of a collaboration between Skype and the mobile company 3. As well as being able to make VoIP calls, Skypephone will also be able to be used to make normal cell phone calls and access the internet. Michael van Swaaji, acting chief executive at Skype, is quoted in the Telegraph as saying: "Skype has now taken a giant step forward in the mobile arena.

"It takes an innovative operator like 3 to challenge traditional thinking and offer the kind of product other operators are still shying away from." Meanwhile, eBay recently stated that when it acquired Skype in 2005 for $2.6 billion it paid too much. Because Skype earnings that were forecast have yet to materialize, Skype will only take charge of $1.43 billion of the money.

Hacker hits eBay

The popular internet auction site eBay has been broken into by a hacker who has locked some members out of the site.

Only a "very small" number of members were affected by the break-in, eBay has insisted. The news site AuctionBytes was the first to report the incident. Last month a hacker broke into the site and stole personal information about eBay users and posted it on a forum. Of this most recent incident, Nichola Sharpe, a spokeswoman for eBay, was quoted by PC World as saying: "We were able to block the fraudster quickly before any permanent damage had been done.

"At no point did the fraudster get any access to financial information or other sensitive information." She maintained that rather than hacking into the eBay website itself, the hacker responsible broke into "externally visible servers".

The site is involved in an "ongoing battle" against those trying to compromise its security, Ms Sharpe continued.

Permanent ban on Internet taxes urged by eBay

The internet auction giant eBay has urged Congress to pass a permanent ban on Internet taxes. Without such a ban, fewer businesses will want to sell their goods and services over the Internet, eBay warned. Congress enacted a temporary ban on Internet taxes in 1998, which was renewed again in 2004. However, that ends on November 1st this year.

Brian Bieron, eBay's senior director of federal government relations, told the Associated Press: "More importantly, fewer consumers will use the internet. "And, for the small businesses using the internet, that means fewer sales and less opportunity to compete with the mega retailers." The Internet is a "lifeline" for many of these smaller businesses, Mr Bieron added.

Last month a trio of US senators also called on Congress to pass a permanent ban on Internet taxes. Among them was Arizona senator John McCain, who is bidding to be the Republican presidential nominee.