The 8525 (and the previous Cingular 8125) provide decent messaging capabilities, both with SMS text messaging as well as full blow POP email access.

However, some irritating quirks and limitations exist in the internal Windows Mobile Outlook software - which can cause baffling error message pop ups and strange behavior. Below are some quick fixes and tips to tame the Mobile Outlook beast within the 8525 mobile pocket PC device.

Cingular forces their Xpress mail personal email service and software. You really don't need it, the 8525 smart phone has the Windows Mobile operating system which includes the Windows Mobile Outlook email client. The Cingular Xpressmail setup is very easy to setup however, so if one is a techno-phone it may be the preferred option.

After completing the options setup for the mail account, your 8525 device will ask if you want to download mail. SAY NO! If you have other mail accounts, set them up now, always saying NO to download new mail after each is complete.

There is some weird problem with the Windows Mobile Outlook software, the settings that you have entered have not actually taken effect yet. Press and HOLD the power button till the phone grumbles about being shut down - say YES. Wait a few seconds till it finally dozes off. Then use the stylus and poke the reboot button (the little hole next to the USB) and wait for the Cingular 8525 to restart.

To save time and headaches later, ensure you (or anyone else) select the correct format (POP or IMAP) and select a short and meaningful name for each connection (instead of the default POP3) - since these two options CANNOT BE CHANGED AFTERWARDS. Enter the login name and password and check the STORE box, or it will drive you crazy later.

Before you can pick up mail - yet another bug has to be squashed in the 8525 email Outlook client. Send an email to yourself on your desktop PC. If no mail is found the first time, mobile Outlook will constantly give "Messages could not be downloaded" errors. Finally, go to Messaging on your Cingular 8525 mobile PDA device and tap MENU, tap SEND RECEIVE MAIL on the pocket PC. With any luck, your initial test email will be picked up. Repeat for all mail accounts setup on the 8525 phone. Once you can receive email, try sending an email outbound.

If you get mail errors, go into the OPTIONS and tap the mail account, ensure all settings and passwords are correct, then save, power off, reboot and try again. It will eventually work, so be patient with it!

Spyware is the latest trend in marketing tracking and identity/data theft software that sneaks onto your machine with other 'free' programs, such as Gator, Bonzai Buddy, Kazaa etc. Call it what they may, but to us it may as well be just another vius. Sadly, regular antivirus software does not detect them. While this may be a great concept, the downside is that the advertising companies also install additional tracking software on your system, which is continuously "calling home", using your Internet connection and reports statistical data to the "mothership". While according to the privacy policies of the companies, there will be no sensitive or identifying data collected from your system and you (or they) shall remain anonymous, it still remains the fact, that you have a "live" server sitting on your PC that is sending information about you and your surfing habits, as well as your personal information (such as accounts, passwords, credit card numbers) to a remote location for use in stealing from you.

While legitimate adware companies will disclose the nature of data that is collected and transmitted in their privacy statement (linked from our database), there is almost no way for the user to actually control what data is being sent. The fact is that the technology is in theory capable of sending much more than just banner statistics - and this is why many people feel uncomfortable with the idea.

Spyware can slow down your computer or Net surfing because it continually delivers pop-up ads. Some are not written well, so they can conflict with existing programs, cause computers to crash or otherwise use computing resources inefficiently.

On the other hand.Millions of people are using advertising supported "spyware" products and could not care less about the privacy hype, in fact some "Spyware" programs are among the most popular downloads on the Internet.

First, you must think about how you might have gotten the programs in the first place. Did you download and install file-sharing or other free software?

Then likely, you got spyware as part of the deal. It's a bargain you made when you installed the free software by clicking "yes" to accepting legal language you probably didn't bother to read. Buried in the legalese often is disclosure of such ad products. But there are trickier ways spyware sneaks onto your computer.

If your Web browser's security settings are low, you might have gotten it simply by visiting a Web site. Perhaps you mistyped a domain name and got a search engine you never heard of, one that surreptitiously placed the spyware on your computer.

Pop-up messages that claim to help your computer run better are sometimes fronts for getting you to accept spyware installations.

Even though the name may indicate so, Spyware is not an illegal type of software in any way - although the eventual theft of your identity and/or money will be a crime. However there are certain issues that a privacy oriented user may object to and therefore prefer not to use the product. This usually involves the tracking and sending of data and statistics via a server installed on the user's PC and the use of your Internet connection in the background.

How can I stop it?

Spyware can be tricky to find and remove, you should invest in a good and reputable spyware removal software package.

Once you've removed all the errant programs, do a scan every so often in case new spyware has sneaked in since then. Just make sure you update the lists first, as spyware makers are constantly finding newer ways to get to you.