google

Some of the world's biggest technology companies say they're not happy about revelations involving the National Security Agency (NSA) and data collection. The firms are forming a united front in a quest to create greater transparency around this ... kind of surveillance. Last week whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the National Security Agency had been using a controversial surveillance program known as PRISM to spy on users of major Internet programs and services. This included users of products provided by Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube, Skype, America Online, and Apple. ... (view more)

It appears the European Union feels Google's suggestions for settling complaints it engaged in anti-competitive behavior don't go far enough. The search giant had promised to change the way it orders search results, but this wasn't enough for the ... groups that brought up the complaints. The EU recently carried out a lengthy investigation into complaints that Google exploited its dominance of the search market to increase advertising revenue. It's a claim Google denies. Google was accused of deliberately favoring sites it owned when determining search rankings. In the United States, Google was ... (view more)

Google is yet again under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This time the probe, which is still at a very early stage, involves the firm's advertising practices. The investigation hasn't been officially announced, but sources have ... told both Reuters and Bloomberg that it is under way. (Source: reuters.com ) This investigation centers on Google's advertising network. Specifically, the focus is on the way it accepts advertisements and then places ads on websites that sell space. Google offers its index of web content to find the site where the ad is most likely to generate ... (view more)

Google Translate for Android 2.7 Google Translate for Android gives you access to more than sixty different languages. It allows you to quickly and easily translate words and phrases on your favorite Android device. You can also speak a word or ... phrase and hear a proper translation. http://google.com AkelPad 4.8.3 This open source editor for plain text is small, fast, and easy to use. Features include preview, multi-level undo, fast search and replace, multiple language modules, plugins support, and column text selection. Download this program via Sourceforge. http://akelpad.sourceforge.net ... (view more)

Looking for more storage space in the cloud? Then look to Google Drive, which now offers 15 gigabytes (GB) for free. Until now, Google has been offering users of its Google Drive cloud storage service 5GB for free. However, the company now says it ... will combine its Google Drive service with Gmail and Google+ Photos and give users access to 15GB free storage. Google Drive director of product management Clay Bavor says that consumers will no longer have to stress about freeing up space for more files. "Use Your Storage The Way You Want" "With this new combined storage space, you won't ... (view more)

Google has failed to overturn a Russian ban on a YouTube video that allegedly offers tips on how to commit suicide. Google insists the clip actually offers advice on how to properly apply make up. The clip was taken down by Google last November ... after receiving an order from Russia's Federal Consumer Protection Service (FCPS). It was among the first takedowns under a new law that gives the government the right to block any websites deemed harmful to children. Blacklisted pages can include any sites that promote drug use or suicide. Officials said those guidelines certainly applied to the ... (view more)

Google Earth 7.1.1 Google Earth takes you on a virtual journey of any location on the planet. It allows users to carefully explore three-dimensional landmarks, including buildings and natural formations. Find and explore your favorite restaurants, ... theaters, museums and other attractions. http://www.google.com TaskUnifier 3.2.3 This program will help you become more productive. It's a simple but effective open-source task management program that allows you to carefully plan out your tasks. Using this program you can back up your tasks and synchronize your tasks across multiple platforms. http ... (view more)

Google has agreed to make significant changes to the way it displays search results. The move is designed to ward off sanctions from European officials. For some time the European Commission has been carrying out an investigation of Google's ... operations. The goal of that investigation has been to determine whether or not Google's dominance of the search market harms competition. The commission says it identified four main ways in which Google's behavior might breach regulations. The most important involves claims that Google intentionally lists sites and services that it owns higher up in the ... (view more)

Apple has admitted to retaining private personal data collected by services Siri and Dictation for a period of 18 months. The disclosure came after one civil liberties group complained that Apple is not doing enough to inform its customers of their ... privacy rights. In response, Apple has revealed the kind of customer information that is collected and stored. In a recent interview, Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller explained how her company performs their data collection. Siri (available on iOS devices) and Dictation (available on both iOS and OS X devices) send speech-to-text messages wirelessly ... (view more)

If you're an Android user, take note: security experts have discovered more than thirty applications on Google Play that contain malicious software known as BadNews. BadNews is just that: when installed on smartphones -- like Samsung's Galaxy phone ... or the LG Optimus -- the software racks up charges by repeatedly sending expensive text messages. BadNews is also very hard to detect: according to security experts, it can remain dormant on a device for weeks without affecting performance. Two to Nine Million Downloads So Far It's not clear how many apps containing the BadNews have been downloaded ... (view more)