Man of Steel on Google Play and Apple App Store

The official mobile game of the new movie from the Superman franchise Man of Steel is now available on both Google Play and App store. If you feel like playing the role of one of our favorite superhero, then do check this out.

From the first look, it pretty much resembles Infinity Blade with all the combat thing and impressive graphics. It’s actually the standard of this type of mobile games, but I will help a lot if they did add something little different for us to look forward to. Throughout the missions, there will be instances where you will face the boss of the stage, upgrade your powers, and unlock various suits.You’ll be fighting aliens to be able to meet your ultimate opponent, Zod.

The Man of Steel mobile game is available on Google Play for $4.99 which somewhat high for this kind of game. You can download it here. For iOS users, you can buy the regular game for $2.99 while the HD version costs $4.99. Download it here.

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It's official: Google confirms acquisition of Waze

 

Following weeks of speculation, it would appear that Google has plans to purchase Waze after all, a service that makes use of information from people’s smartphones to develop real-time traffic data. The search giant will reportedly acquire the Israeli-based company for $1.3 billion, providing it with a valuable asset that should help them to keep competitors Apple and Facebook at bay.

This is not the first time a Waze buyout has been proposed. Last May, Forbes wrote that Facebook was interested in purchasing Waze to the tune of $1 billion. Sales talks continued up until just a few weeks ago, where disagreements over the location of the company’s headquarters caused the deal to fold. The big problem was that Waze wanted to stay in Israel, while Facebook insisted on relocating the company to California.

In hopes of appeasing Waze’s CEO, Noam Bardin, Google has promised to keep the corporation in Israel for a minimum of three years. Over this time span, Waze will also remain an independent company and its brand image will stay separate from that of Google.

That being said, analysts speculate that Google will start to integrate Waze’s navigation service into their own product offerings following the 2016 deadline.

So why the sudden interest in Waze? Not only does Google want to add one of the premier navigation services to their fleet, but they want to prevent Facebook from becoming a serious threat.

Ha’aretz, an Israeli news source, added, “Google’s interest in Waze stems principally from its aim of blocking Facebook growth. The search company operates its own navigation service that competes head on with Waze. It has invested heavily in its system, including the ambitious Google Street View database of images and satellite images.”

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Cable providers pay to prevent streaming TV; Time Warner responds: Duh

Time Warner Cable, like others in the pay-TV industry, has been essentially paying off content partners to prevent web-based streaming, Bloomberg reports. Incentives to lock-out content providers from streaming their properties online include monetary bonuses and threats to drop programming. Deals brokered between TWC and its partners are largely private, but some of their details were leaked to Bloomberg by anonymous inside sources.

"Exclusivities and windows are extremely common in the entertainment industry," said NY-based TWC spokeswoman Maureen Huff in response to Bloomberg's report. "It’s absurd to suggest that, in today’s highly competitive video marketplace, obtaining some level of exclusivity is anticompetitive."

Admittedly, deals peppered with stipulations of exclusivity aren't exactly a new thing. With more than 300 deals under its belt though, TWC makes no bones about its feelings toward would-be online disruptors.

Huff added, "In fact, the amount and scope of exclusivity and windowing in Time Warner Cable’s arrangements with programmers pales by comparison to that found between other players in the entertainment ecosystem."

In a nutshell: we do it, but others do it more.

Other companies, like Charter and AT&T, are also guilty of similar practices. AT&T is purportedly paying less to content providers who simultaneously provide online streaming while Charter claims to use such incentives and penalties to protect its cable-based "ecosystem".

If you're thinking deals like these are to blame for the poor state of TV streaming though, AllThingsD reports that may not necessarily be the case. Citing TWC as an example, its executive sources claim the company doesn't have those types of arrangements with the biggest players in the industry, names which include the likes of Viacom, Discovery and NBC. Hugely successful media companies have tons of bargaining power and often aren't so short-sighted to lock themselves into a no-streaming deal.

Rather, TV streaming outfits like Apple TV, Google TV and possibly even Intel have difficulty striking bargains because purchasing content to stream online is identical to the process used by cable companies: they must spend large sums of money on inflexible channel bundles -- a practice which the industry uses to subsidize its least popular properties with its most desirable ones. Even worse, since tech companies generally don't have much clout with big media, they often times wind up paying more than companies like Comcast and TWC for the same content.

{Source: TechSpot]

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Google patents Project Glass design

16 May 2012 Last updated at 13:19 Images from the patents show different versions of the technology Search giant Google has patented the design of its augmented-reality glasses, known as Project Glass.

Three patents for a "wearable display device" with characteristics of the much-talked about futuristic glasses were submitted last autumn.

The patents reference such functions as displaying data in front of the wearer's eyes and playing audio.

In April, Google revealed details of its research into the glasses and showed a demo video of a prototype.

The patents show images of different versions of augmented reality glasses, some with lenses and some without.

Cyborg eye

Google is working on the project in its research lab, Google X.

The prototypes are currently being tested by the firm's executives, including Sergey Brin and Vic Gundotra.

The demo video showed science fiction-like glasses equipped with a microphone and partly transparent tiny screen right above the user's right eye.

The glasses are said to have many functions of a smartphone

Besides displaying information about the wearer's surroundings, the glasses were shown to be used to communicate with other people, browse the web, listen to music and also take photos.

Similar tech

There are other firms researching the augmented-reality eyewear.

For instance, Oakley is currently developing similar glasses targeted at athletes and other sportsmen and women.

A number of companies had attempted to pioneer the concept as well, but did not get very far because their versions required users to carry separate battery equipment, as analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe told the BBC in an earlier interview.

"There are huge opportunities for tailored advertising with augmented reality systems - especially if they have in-built GPS location tracking," Chris Green said.

"The monetisation opportunities would be enormous - but there are still big issues involved with shrinking the technology and making the computer that receives and processes the data truly portable."

View the original article here

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Jury out in Google Oracle dispute

16 May 2012 Last updated at 15:33 The trial is one of the biggest claims for damages in the history of the technology industry A California jury has retired to consider claims that Google has violated patents belonging to software developer Oracle.

Google is accused of using the Java programming language in its Android mobile operating system unlawfully.

The internet search giant maintains Android was built "from scratch".

Last week the jury ruled that Google had infringed Oracle's copyright but could not agree on whether Google's actions constituted "fair use".

As an open-source programming language, Java can be used, free of charge, by companies wanting to build tools and applications.

'Reckless path'

Crucially, the case focuses not on using the Java programming language itself, but rather the use of 37 application programming interfaces (APIs) which help developers create software on the platform.

In closing arguments over the patent dispute, Oracle attorney Michael Jacobs accused Google of embarking on a "reckless path to patent infringement" when developing Android.

Google attorney Robert Van Nest said there was no inclination the search giant had infringed the patents until Oracle threatened litigation.

"There's not a single document, not an email," Mr Van Nest said.

Oracle is seeking $1bn (£630m) in damages for copyright infringement, while any potential settlement for the separate claim of patent violation is expected to be much less.

Prior to the case being brought to trial, Google offered to pay $2.8m (£1.75m) in damages on the two patents remaining in the case, covering the period during 2011 in which they were used.

For future use, Google offered to pay 0.5% of Android's revenue on one of the patents until its expiry in December this year.

Google also proposed giving Oracle 0.015% of revenues for use of a second patent which is valid until April 2018.

Oracle rejected both offers, court filings said.

View the original article here

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Google makes search 'more human'

16 May 2012 Last updated at 21:05 The Knowledge Graph groups results by context for the first time, Google said Google has revamped its search engine in an attempt to offer instant answers to search questions.

A new function, the Knowledge Graph, will make the site's algorithms act "more human", the site said in a blog post.

The feature will at first be available to US-based users, but will be rolled out globally in due course.

It follows similar efforts by rival Bing to provide added search content beyond the typical list of links.

Microsoft's search engine launched its "snapshot" column last week as part of a wider site redesign.

Google's senior vice president of engineering Amit Singhal explained that, until now, the search engine was only able match keywords, rather than understand context.

Mr Singhal said the words "Taj Mahal" could mean different things to different people.

"You might think of one of the world's most beautiful monuments, or a Grammy Award-winning musician, or possibly even a casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Or, depending on when you last ate, the nearest Indian restaurant," he said.

Key information

Google said the Knowledge Graph has been programmed to use around 3.5 billion different attributes to organise results meaning it can now group results according to those various alternative interpretations.

For some searches, such as on prominent people, Google will automatically pull up a summary box with key information on that topic.

The next step, Mr Singhal said, is to look at how the site can answer more complex questions, such as "What are the 10 deepest lakes in Africa?"

In doing so the search engine would need to draw on multiple sources and factor in many different criteria.

This kind of computational, intelligent search is currently pioneered by the likes of Wolfram Alpha - a site which gathers verified data, such as from the World Health Organization, to provide statistical results.

It has long been a technological goal to produce search engines that could react entirely naturally to human-like queries.

One such effort includes the somewhat iconic search engine Ask Jeeves, where users can ask a stereotypically English butler for help.

View the original article here

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Rise in Google removal requests

26 October 2011 Last updated at 11:58 GMT The rise in UK content removal requests outpaced many other European countries Google said it experienced a 71% jump in UK government and court requests to remove content from its web search, YouTube and other services.

The figure relates to the period between January and June this year compared to the previous six months.

The search site said it received 65 requests for a total of 333 items to be removed over the period.

The US company said it fully or partially complied with 82% of the demands.

Google said six of the requests related to videos on its YouTube site that raised national security concerns. Twelve were court orders linked to defamation, privacy and other issues.

The data was released as part of the firm's latest Transparency Report, which it publishes twice a year.

"As the report shows, we don't simply censor on request, we ensure there is a case for removal," said company spokesman Stephen Rosenthal.

Worldwide requests

The rise in the rate of UK requests outpaced many other countries.

Germany made 118 requests, a 6% rise over the previous period; France made nine demands, a 61% fall; and the US made 92 requests, a 70% rise.

"The government takes the threat of online extremist or hate content very seriously," said a Home Office spokesman.

"Where unlawful content is hosted in the United Kingdom, the police have the power to seek its removal and where hosted overseas, we work closely with our international partners to effect its removal."

Elsewhere, Google said it rejected a request to remove 236 communities and profiles from its Orkut social network in India after complaints that they were critical of a local politician.

However, it did restrict users in Turkey from being able to see material about the private lives of political officials. It also restricted access to 225 YouTube videos which allegedly insulted Thailand's monarchy, an illegal act under local laws.

View the original article here

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Google to put South Sudan on map

22 September 2011 Last updated at 15:33 GMT Google has recognised the newly independent nation of South Sudan by including it on Google Maps.

The online separation from Sudan followed a campaign by 1,600 members of the group Change.org, calling for the new nation to be marked on web maps.

But South Sudan is still missing from Yahoo!, Microsoft and National Geographic maps.

It became independent in July this year, following decades of conflict in which some two million people died.

Six weeks after his home country gained independence, John Tanza Mabusu, a journalist from South Sudan living in Washington, launched a petition on Change.org.

It called on online mapping services to update their maps to include the new nation.

"The inclusion of South Sudan will give the people of that new nation pride and a sense of belonging, as citizens of a sovereign nation on the map," said Mabusu.

"I'm hoping that now that Google has officially recognised South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit."

He said: "The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It's time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up."

Change.org says it is the world's fastest-growing platform for social change, with more than 400,000 new members a month.

View the original article here

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Google to put South Sudan on map

22 September 2011 Last updated at 15:33 GMT Google has recognised the newly independent nation of South Sudan by including it on Google Maps.

The online separation from Sudan followed a campaign by 1,600 members of the group Change.org, calling for the new nation to be marked on web maps.

But South Sudan is still missing from Yahoo!, Microsoft and National Geographic maps.

It became independent in July this year, following decades of conflict in which some two million people died.

Six weeks after his home country gained independence, John Tanza Mabusu, a journalist from South Sudan living in Washington, launched a petition on Change.org.

It called on online mapping services to update their maps to include the new nation.

"The inclusion of South Sudan will give the people of that new nation pride and a sense of belonging, as citizens of a sovereign nation on the map," said Mabusu.

"I'm hoping that now that Google has officially recognised South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit."

He said: "The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It's time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up."

Change.org says it is the world's fastest-growing platform for social change, with more than 400,000 new members a month.

View the original article here

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Google Nexus Prime is very real; and made by Samsung

This little conversation about the Google Nexus Prime I had yesterday with a telco guy was actually made in passing. We were all talking about the iPhone 5 and the slew of tablets that was announced in IFA last week and the topic just popped up.

I can’t really remember the exact words but here’s how it went (roughly):

YugaTech: “I think the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is going to be a fierce challenger to the iPad. I believe it will even force Apple to make their own 7-inch iPad too.”

Telco guy: “You know what’s even more cool? The Nexus Prime.

YugaTech: “Wait! What? You personally saw one?”

Telco guy: “Yup, it was shown to me. Really liked it a lot I didn’t even want to give it back.”

YugaTech: “No way! So, is it made by Samsung?”

Telco guy: “Yup! And it runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich too.”

YugaTech: “Damn! Samsung’s got a back to back with Google on the Nexus phone.”

Other telco guys on the table: “Wait, what’s that? Ateneo got back-to-back?”

And the conversation drifted off to many other topics.

First mention of the Google Nexus Prime was sometime back in June with BGR reported it.

View the original article here

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3 Tools for Backing Up Your Google Docs

I haven’t used Microsoft Office in months because I now only use Google Docs for my document needs. It’s convenient because I can access my documents anywhere I go and it’s easy for me to share my work with friends, classmates, and clients. Unfortunately, whether I’m on my laptop or iPad, there needs to be an Internet connection in order for me to access my documents. So what happens if I’m in a place with no Internet connection? It becomes a problem because there’s just no way to access my documents.

This is where a tool for backing up your documents for offline use really comes in handy. Whether there is an Internet connection or not, your documents are still accessible. Therefore, these 3 tools listed are great productivity boosters and make Google Apps the obvious choice for creating creating and saving documents of all kinds.

This is what I’m currently using and I feel that it does the job extremely well. Memeo Connect lets you bring your documents to your desktop (Windows, Mac), iPad, and iPhone/iPod Touch for online or offline use. It not only syncs your documents to your own GDrive, but it also lets you upload and edit your documents (you’ll need Google Apps Premier Edition Account for editing privileges). “The Memeo GDrive looks and acts like a physical drive on your computer and is integrated with your local file system” (kind of like Dropbox).

Price – $9.00 per user, per year

With GDocsDrive you can access your Google Docs on your Windows desktop pretty much like a virtual drive. You can also upload any types of files and folders via drag and drop. Sharing files and folders is easy can can be done with individuals, Google groups, Google app domains, or on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. All file types are supported and you’ll also be able to search through your files and convert them to Windows file formats (ie. Microsoft office documents).

Price – $19.99 USD for one license with unlimited future upgrades

Cyberduck is a very unique, open source tool for Windows and Mac that supports FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, cloud files, Google Docs, and Amazon S3. One of its many features is the ability to connect your Google Docs account to back up and access your documents. It also lets you share documents by defining access permissions (read or write) for individuals, Google groups, Google app domains, or the public. You can also export and edit your files if you have a Google Apps Premier Account. Because of its many other uses, this is a tool definitely worth checking out.

Price – free

While you can’t sync your Google Docs for offline use with Jilicloud, it’s a great way to browse and access your documents online along with all of your other favorite Web services. “Jolicloud is a cloud desktop that makes it easy to manage everything you care about in the cloud.” It also has its own OS, which makes it a great alternative to Chrome OS.

A few features:

Organize your entire collection of apps in a beautiful cloud desktopAdd more than 1,000+ apps from the Jolicloud App CenterCreate your own apps in secondsAccess and preview your Dropbox filesDiscover and add new apps your friends recommend

Price – free

What’s your favorite tool for backing up or accessing your Google Docs? Do you use a third party tool or just simply use the Google Docs website?

View the original article here

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Your Google+ posts will appear in Gmail soon

Google is working on further integrating Google+ within its other services. One of the first steps it's taking in order to do that involves showing recent Google+ posts within Gmail.

Mark Striebeck/Google

According to Gmail engineering manager Mark Striebeck, a "Gmail people widget" will begin appearing when you view emails from individuals who happen to be sharing posts with you on Google+. That widget will show you their most recent Google+ posts — or at least the most recent posts which were shared with you or a Circle you're in.

This new feature is going to be rolled out to users gradually, so don't fret if you're not seeing it just yet.

Related stories:

Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.

View the original article here

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How to start a Google+ Hangout on YouTube

YouTube

The option to start a Google+ Hangout now appears in the bottom of the "Share" menu on YouTube videos.

A Google+ Hangout — a video chat with up to ten participants — can be a great way to watch YouTube videos together with friends who are spread across the world. But what if you don't feel like heading to the Google+ website every time you want to start a chat like that? Can you kick things off directly from a YouTube clip?

Sure!

As TechCrunch reports, YouTube has added an extra button to the "Share" menu which pops up underneath video clips — a "Start a Google+ Hangout" button. All you have to do is give that shiny new button a click and select which of your Circles you want to share the Hangout with.

Just try to avoid tricking your friends into watching too many videos of Rick Astley using this method. I suspect they might get tired of it rather quickly.

Related stories:

Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.

View the original article here

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Pre-caffeine tech: Google gigs, enthralled owls!

Our pre-caffeine roundup is a collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning. Here's everything that you need to know before taking that first sip of coffee today: 

There's plenty of uncertainty regarding the location and condition of Col. Moammar Gadhafi right now, but the information that is available has been summarized in a clever animated video.

Google Maps changed the Libyan location previously known as "Green Square"  to "Martyr's Square"on its popular online mapping service.

Google is also working on further integrating Google+ within its other services — so expect to see recent Google+ posts in your Gmail soon.

But there's more bad news for Android smartphone owners — a new variant of a scary data-harvesting Trojan has beenfound in Google's official Android app market.

Also, college kids don't know how to Google, says Science.

Meanwhile, Twitter is rolling out a new feature "user galleries" right now -- a neat and organized way to view the last 100 photos you or another user tweeted — all in one place.

Both Twitter and Facebook did record-breaking gangbusters in July.

Apple suppliers are manufacturing a lower-priced version of its hot-selling iPhone 4 with a smaller 8 gigabyte flash drive, according to ins.

A disgruntled WikiLeaks employee permanently deleted a bunch of secrets.

A bridesmaid attended wedding ... via an iPad. Classy.

In closing, please give a hand to the winners of BuzzFeed's Enthralled Owl Caption Contest.

Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.

View the original article here

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How to start a Google+ Hangout on YouTube

YouTube

The option to start a Google+ Hangout now appears in the bottom of the "Share" menu on YouTube videos.

A Google+ Hangout — a video chat with up to ten participants — can be a great way to watch YouTube videos together with friends who are spread across the world. But what if you don't feel like heading to the Google+ website every time you want to start a chat like that? Can you kick things off directly from a YouTube clip?

Sure!

As TechCrunch reports, YouTube has added an extra button to the "Share" menu which pops up underneath video clips — a "Start a Google+ Hangout" button. All you have to do is give that shiny new button a click and select which of your Circles you want to share the Hangout with.

Just try to avoid tricking your friends into watching too many videos of Rick Astley using this method. I suspect they might get tired of it rather quickly.

Related stories:

Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.

View the original article here

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Google beefs up Android armament (week in review)

Filed Under:

While beefing up protection for its Android mobile operating system, Google this week made a deal that puts it into the handset business.

Google has agreed to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, giving the search giant valuable wireless intellectual property and simultaneously lending stability to and shaking up the Android world.

With Motorola, Google gets a treasure trove of patents to defend itself and its partners against a rising tide of legal opposition. Over the past few months, major technology players such as Apple and Oracle have sued either Google or its partners in an attempt to slow down their competitors and extract licensing fees.
•  Google just bought itself patent protection

Even though Google said Motorola will continue to run as a separate unit, the deal puts Google in the awkward position of competing against many of its partners. Google is backtracking from its vow not to get into the handset business, adding a new potent competitive threat to a field that is already crowded.
•  Regulatory scrutiny likely for Google-Motorola

When the dust settles over the acquisition, consumers may be the big winners. While, Google has traditionally taken an open approach to the mobile market, making Android free and available to any hardware maker, Apple's strategy of controlling the operating system and building the mobile hardware has given it greater vertical integration. The deal gives Google its own hardware, which could pave the way for the company to create an end-to-end mobile experience akin to what Apple has done with its iOS devices.
•  Five possible responses to Google-Motorola
•  Motorola shareholder sues, says $12.5 billion not enough
•  Complete coverage: Google's $12.5 billion hookup with Motorola Mobility

More headlines

Hewlett-Packard says it will discontinue its WebOS operations, including its TouchPad tablet, as the company cuts its outlook for the next two quarters.
•  What HP's PC spin-off plans mean for you
•  WebOS goes down in quiet death Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky includes the much-rumored feature in a blog identifying the teams working on the next version of Microsoft's operating system.
•  Windows 8 build locked down to prevent leaks?
•  Windows 8 prerelease launching in coming months Database of San Francisco-area transit police accounts, with e-mail addresses and passwords, appears online as a protest to cell phone service disruptions.
•  FCC reviewing SF subway cell shutdown
•  Anonymous defaces BART site, leaks user data
•  SF subway closes stations during Anonymous protest The latest rumors floating about the next version of Apple's smartphone say that it will hit the streets on October 7, with preorders to begin September 30.
•  China Mobile confirms talks with Jobs for iPhone Filing in The Netherlands seeks a ban on importation and sales of Galaxy smartphones and tablets, as well as a stock recall within 14 days, according to a Dutch publication.
•  Samsung Galaxy Tab ban lifted in Europe
•  Is Apple's case against Samsung based on shaky evidence?
•  HTC sues Apple, again A purported issue that had Google+ invites not showing up on Facebook users' news feeds has sparked some subtle suggesting by Google executives that Facebook's trying to muzzle the growth of its new social network.
•  U.K. men get 4-year sentences for Facebook riot posts
•  Brit arrested in water fight planned via Facebook, BlackBerry
•  Facebook: Ceglia contract an 'outright fabrication' Attacks against Facebook and other social networks are on the rise, though users are becoming more diligent about protecting themselves, according to a new survey.
•  Android malware masquerading as Google+ app Some casual measuring of Apple's floor plans for its campus reboot have found that it's slightly larger than another quite famous, uniquely shaped building.
•  New details of Apple's campus: Really 21st century?

Also of note
•  IBM says new chip mimics the human brain
•  Google launches music discovery site
•  Software can tell if you're mean and ugly

If you have a question or comment for Steven Musil, you can submit it here. However, because our editors and writers receive hundreds of requests, we cannot tell you when you may receive a response.

Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven.

Your destination for the latest news on enterprise-level information technology, from chip research and server design to software issues including programming, open source, and patents.

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Google+ officially no longer cool

Like any edgy neighborhood homesteaded by hipsters, Google+ is now being gentrified by the "Kids and Cabernet" crowd, according to Experian Hitwise. 

The Internet analyst firm found that "prosperous, middle-aged married couples living child-focused lives in affluent suburbs" make up one of the fastest-growing demographics on the search giant's nacent social network. This "Kids and Cabernet" demographic, as it's described by Hitwise, makes up 2.9 percent of Google+ visits. Sounds small, sure. But consider, that same demographic makes up only .7 percent visits to Facebook.

Meanwhile, as the young upwardly mobile breeders move in, traffic from the Google+ demographic of early adopters — single professionals and college students — has dropped significantly. Which is expected. "It's not uncommon for innovators to trial new services online and in some cases abandon those services when they lose interest," writes Hitwise analyst Bill Tancer.

The Google+ difference is, it's just happening really quickly. "In just over six weeks, we’ve moved from innovators to early adopters to early mainstream users visiting the new social network," Tancer points out.

It's as if a bunch of broke MFAs move into Brooklyn, and six weeks later they're gone and now there's a bunch of Manhattan (i.e. Facebook) ex-pats pushing baby strollers to the brand new Starbucks. You'll get evicted if the landlord finds out you're not using your real name, but hey. At least the rent is the same.

via Experian Hitwise

More on Google+:

 Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.

View the original article here

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Google+ app works on iPad now ... kinda

Google+

As soon as the Google+ app became available for the iPhone, folks started pleading for iPad support to be added. Well, it's here now — along with iPod Touch optimization— but it might not be what everyone was hoping for.

The change came when the official Google+ app found in the Apple App Store became a universal app — meaning that it can now run on various iOS devices. At that point, iPod Touch and iPad users were finally granted access to what their iPhone-carrying friends have been enjoying for a while. The iPad users got the short end of the stick though: The iPad version of the Google+ app is basically just a scaled up version of the iPhone app — it doesn't feel optimized for the tablet's large display.

That pesky issue aside though, the Google+ app has definitely improved since we first saw it. A lot of the stability issues which initially plagued us have disappeared and the app appears to run more smoothly. 

Related stories:

Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too

View the original article here

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Google self-driving car crash caused by human

Jalopnik

As further evidence that we should welcome our robot overlords, it turns out the first self-driving car accident in robo history was caused by a human driver.

The competency of robo drivers came in to question over the weekend after Jalopnik posted a photo of a fender bender sent in by a tipster.

"This photo of what looks like a minor case of Prius-on-Prius vehicular violence may actually be a piece of automotive history," the automotive blog reported. Jalopnik identifed the collision-causing car in the photo — snapped near Google's Mountain View campus in California — by "the roof equipment that's smaller than a typical Google Streetview."

The historic moment passed quickly however, along with any opportunity for robot rebellion hysteria, when Google stated that the car was not in auto-mode at the time of the fender bender. "Safety is our top priority," Google told Business Insider. "One of our goals is to prevent fender-benders like this one, which occurred while a person was manually driving the car."

If only Google's self-driving cars came equipped with the "magical software" Google exec Vic Gundotra credits (in that one Mercedes commercial) with preventing a collision when he became distracted while driving his S63 AMG Sedan.

Indeed, the Google Prius damaged not one — but three — other cars in a chain reaction more confusing than Google+. One of the victims —a woman in a Honda Accord, described a "a huge screeching noise," to NBC Bay Area news, which delineated the accident:  "Google's Prius struck another Prius, which then struck her Honda Accord that her brother was driving. That Accord then struck another Honda Accord, and the second Accord hit a separate, non-Google-owned Prius."

No word yet on what caused the accident —beyond human error — but Google Spokesman Jay Nanacarrow pointed out to NBC Bay Area, that since Google's self-driving prototypes hit the road last year, "the cars have traveled 160,000 miles autonomously without incident."

This — and the fact that robot cars don't text — didn't stop the jokes at Jalopnik. "This is precisely why we're worried about self-driving cars," quipped the car blog. "Perhaps the complicated set of lasers and imaging systems that Google chief autonomous car researcher Sebastian Thrun called 'the perfect driving mechanism' thought it was just looking at its shadow."

More on Google robo-cars:

Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+. 

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Google Buys Daily Deals Aggregator Dealmap

Despite a flood of new entrants, the daily deals category is still red-hot, as evidenced by Google’s purchase of deals aggregator Dealmap. The acquisition was confirmed Monday; the terms were not disclosed.

Formed in May 2010, Dealmap claims about 2 million users who check in to get access to deals from 450 sources that are organized by location. Users who log in via the website or mobile apps find deals in their area.

“We believe Google provides the ideal platform to help us accelerate our growth and fulfill our mission,” says Dealmap’s blog. “We’re passionate about helping people save money while having great local experiences, and in Google we’ve found the perfect partner that shares this passion, as well as our vision and strategy.”

The purchase comes after Google’s $6 billion bid for Groupon was famously rebuffed last December. By the next month, though, Google was in the process of rolling out its own Groupon competitor, Google Offers, which is now live in New York; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco and Oakland, California. The service will also be available soon in Boston, Austin, Denver, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, simonmconico

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