Internet

Linux: The Gold Standard of Code
May 16, 2013

There are few things more gratifying to those of us here in the Linux blogosphere than seeing the many and varied virtues of our favorite operating system get officially recognized. It happens with increasing regularity these days, of course -- after all, there are so very many virtues to consider -- but recently an example emerged that has been warming FOSS fans' hearts ever since.

The Digital Desires That Bank on Bitcoins
May 16, 2013

What's a Bitcoin? A Bitcoin is a form of digital currency whose creator called it "a peer-to-peer, electronic cash system." It is presently used where the parties to a transaction do not want to leave a digital trail, like credit card transactions, or any other trail for that matter. For this reason, the Bitcoin is presently mostly used for gambling, drug transactions, or speculation.

New Google APIs Target Play and Games
May 15, 2013

Google on Wednesday announced new APIs for Google Play services and gaming, new features for the Google Play Developer Console, and a new Android Integrated Developer Environment at the Google I/O 2013 Conference in San Francisco. Google Cloud Messaging, which pushes data from servers to Android apps, has been made part of Google Play services.

Microsoft May Pull the Plug on Xbox Points
May 15, 2013

Microsoft may cash in its Points virtual payment system. The company reportedly will discontinue Points in favor of a cash-based system that will accept credit and debit purchases, as well as gift cards purchased at retail outlets. Microsoft Points are the virtual currency for Xbox Live. Players purchase points, which can then be used to buy games and content.

Google Vows 'Radio Without Rules' With Streaming Music Service
May 15, 2013

Google on Wednesday unveiled Google Play Music All Access, a $9.99 per month subscription streaming music service that allows users to discover and curate music on the company's platform. The company announced All Access during the keynote of this year's I/O Developer's Conference, its annual gathering where it often publicly launches new hardware, software and product applications.

Microsoft Plans Meek Summer Update to WP8
May 15, 2013

It appears that Microsoft won't be rocking the Windows Phone 8 boat very much until 2014. Microsoft spread some crumbs Tuesday about an update to its mobile operating system coming this summer, and the offering is pretty mild. Another scheduled update for the fall is expected to deliver more of the same. The summer update is just a "momentum release," said Directions on Microsoft's Rob Sanfilippo.

German Court Orders Google to Clean Up Autocomplete
May 15, 2013

A federal court in Germany has told Google that it must remove offensive or defamatory suggestions from its autocomplete function when it receives a complaint. The case that prompted the ruling started with a German businessman who, upon culling through Google.de, found that he was associated with scientology and fraud.

BlackBerry's Bold Moves on Display at Conference
May 15, 2013

BlackBerry, which had 3 percent of the global smartphone market in Q1, according to Gartner, is taking bold steps to turn around its fortunes. The company announced those moves Tuesday at its BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, Fla. It will bring its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to the iOS and Android platforms later this year.

Google Tears Down the Storage Walls
May 14, 2013

Google has consolidated the storage allowances for its various products. It will now provide 15 GB of free storage space for use across Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. Before, Google gave users 10 GB for Gmail and 5 GB to be used for Drive and Google+ Photos. Google is also updating its Google Drive storage page with pie charts displaying how those 15 GB are being allocated.

ESPN May Give Its Wireless Users an Assist
May 13, 2013

ESPN is reportedly in talks with at least one wireless carrier to help subsidize data usage for customers who stream sports video content on their smartphones and tablets. News of the possible deal comes as more mobile device users are turning to their smartphones for data-intensive activities like playing games and watching videos.

Ubuntu Strikes Out on Its Own Again
May 13, 2013

If Canonical has shown anything over the past few years, it's that it's not afraid of doing things differently. Ever since the arrival of Unity in Ubuntu 10.10's netbook edition back in 2010, it's been clear the company is "marching to the beat of its own drum," as they say, with a growing focus on mobile and convergence. Well, last week brought yet another example of Canonical's independent-mindedness.

FCC Plan to Boost Inflight WiFi Takes Off With Turbulence
May 11, 2013

As more airlines begin to offer WiFi, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is proposing to increase the bandwidth available for inflight wireless broadband. The FCC is essentially basing its proposal on Qualcomm's submission to the government from July 2011. This raises the question of whether the FCC is perhaps too closely tied to one company in this area.

YouTube Tinkers With Subscription Model
May 10, 2013

YouTube unveiled a new subscription plan this week and announced that it will start allowing select channels to charge for monthly viewing plans. It's the first time the online video hub will charge for content. Channels including Jim Henson's TV will show episodes of Sesame Street for subscriptions starting at $2.99 per month.

Facebook's Road Trip May Include a Stop to Buy Waze
May 10, 2013

Rumors that Facebook is deep into the process of purchasing Waze -- maker of a mobile satellite navigation app that leverages crowdsourced mapping and traffic tips -- are making the rounds. Facebook has apparently signed the terms and is conducting due diligence after six months of negotiations.

A Changing Earth Is on Display in Google Timelapse
May 09, 2013

Time, Inc., together with Google, the U.S. Geological Survey and Carnegie Mellon University's Create Lab, on Thursday launched a website featuring timelapse animations depicting changes in Earth's surface from 1984 to 2012. The animations are based on satellite images collected as part of the Landsat program, conducted jointly by the USGS and NASA since 1972.

Klout Gives Bing Some Expert Advice
May 09, 2013

Content aggregation site Klout has expanded its partnership with Microsoft to provide Bing users with access to answers from Klout experts. The site, which pulls data from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, Blogger and other sources, rates an individual's influence, based on a 100-point scale. Klout seeks out those who have real clout -- that is, who are influential about certain topics.

Linux, Freedom and Cold Cash
May 09, 2013

Well it's spring storm season in many parts of the world, so it should come as no great surprise that we've had some storms here in the Linux blogosphere as well. The latest example? None other than an intriguing poll about paying for Linux. Could you, would you, do you pay for Linux? the poll asked. The question had barely hit the airwaves when the stampede began.

Twilio Lets Devs Build Contact Centers in the Cloud
May 09, 2013

Twilio last week rolled out capabilities that extend its communications API platform into the cloud contact center market. The new functionality is aimed at companies that want to migrate part or all of their traditional contact center operations to the cloud, or those that want to enhance existing traditional operations with a cloud-based component.

YouTube Trends Map Shows What You Like to Watch
May 08, 2013

YouTube viewers curious about what other users are watching across the country can now find out, thanks to a new feature from the streaming video site that displays data about what is being shared and viewed throughout the U.S. The new YouTube Trends Map, which made its debut this week, is an interactive graphic map of the country that displays which videos are the most popular.

Pre-Roll Ads Will Soon Know Where You've Shopped Online
May 08, 2013

Pre-roll video ads are about to get smarter, according to OwnerIQ, a digital advertising company that is adding targeting data based on consumer browser behavior to online video ads. The new targeting capabilities borrow from tactics developed for display advertising that try to zero in on a prequalified audience.