google

One of the most sought-after downloads on the Internet is Google+, the new social network designed to rival Facebook. Now, online scammers are targeting the curious, sending out spam messages under the guise of fictitious Google+ invitations. ... "Insane Demand" for Google+ Service Google launched their social network just over a week ago in an invite-only testing phase (early members were encouraged to invite their friends to join), but new member additions were stopped the very next day due to an "insane demand" for the service. (Source: cio.com ) This obviously raised a few red flags for a ... (view more)

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are all reportedly bidding to buy out online video service, Hulu.com. But they all have different reasons for considering the move. For those who aren't aware of it, Hulu is one of the most popular legal video streaming ... services. It allows users in the US to see recent and archived programming from several major American networks and cable channels, with viewing available on computers, smartphones, tablets and directly on some TV sets. It had appeared Hulu was going to join several other tech companies over the next few years by cashing in through public share ... (view more)

The man who co-founded Google believes that just one in five of the company's employees still use Windows. Sergey Brin also described Windows as a fundamentally flawed operating system. Brin was promoting Chromebooks, the first range of machines ... that will ship with Google's Chrome operating system built-in. The system works on the basis that the user is always online, and is effectively a glorified version of the Chrome web browser with built-in links to online applications such as Google Docs. The theory is that the majority of computer users spend most of their computing time using their ... (view more)

A French security firm says it now knows how to hack its way into Google's Chrome browser. If the claim turns out to be true, it would represent a surprising weakness for a web browser considered by some to be the safest available. The hack report ... comes from France's Vupen, which says it was able to sidestep Chrome's defenses -- including the highly reputable sandbox design -- as well as Windows 7's built-in anti-exploit infrastructure. Report Stuns Security Experts The exploit is "one of the most sophisticated codes we have seen and created so far, as it bypasses all security features ... (view more)

Google is reportedly implementing a feature similar to the Facebook "Like" button and will incorporate it into their popular search engine. The new social search feature, called the "+1 Experiment," allows users to recommend a certain link or ... website to their family and friends. Google has big plans to compile all of the information concerning +1 activity in order to provide users with a more favorable experience when using their services. Users Encouraged to Join Experiment Participation in the +1 venture is not automatic, and those interested will have to take an extra minute or ... (view more)

Google is reportedly testing a streaming music service. It doesn't necessarily mean a public launch is imminent, however; the company would still have to reach an agreement with record labels, which may be complicated by the nature of the service. ... Google Music wouldn't be a download service in the same way as the iTunes store. Indeed, it's possible it wouldn't necessarily involve buying music at all. Streaming Music Across Devices a Possibility The idea is to provide a legal way for users to stream music from one device to another. While precise details are under wraps, it appears there would ... (view more)

To the surprise of many, Microsoft finished well in a recent World's Most Ethical Companies award list, recently unveiled by the Ethisphere Institute. Ethisphere is a think tank whose mandate is to improve standards for business ethics. It looked at ... 110 different companies, some being nominated by the Institute and others applying for nomination. A number of the firms included in the list are from the software industry, including Adobe, Microsoft, Symantec, Teradata Corp and Salesforce.com. Hitachi Data Systems was a winner in the computer hardware category, with other notable mentions ... (view more)

Security firm Symantec says it's found a new and very fake Google "security program" designed to install malware on Google Android smartphones. Called the Android Market Security Tool, the fake software is actually a repackaged Google-built tool ... with origins in the Far East. Symantec discovered the fake tool last Wednesday. It actually imitates a program of the same name released by Google last week and was found in Chinese markets not sanctioned by the search giant. (Source: symantec.com ) Fake Security Software a Clever Ploy by Malware Designers Symantec says it's all a very ... (view more)

For the third year in a row, Google's Chrome web browser has put in an impressive performance at the Pwn2Own hacking challenge. Indeed, after two days nobody had even attempted to breach the browser's security, despite an increased reward of $5,000. ... The contest involves hackers attempting to exploit security loopholes on the four major web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari) to win a $15,000 prize, along with the computer used for the challenge -- hence the contest name. Contestants are allowed to give judges a website address to visit, simulating the process of a web ... (view more)

Google has restored access to email for around 40,000 customers whose accounts were mistakenly wiped clean this past Sunday. It says the delay in sorting the problem was because it had to restore from a physical back-up. The problem began on Sunday ... afternoon when some customers found either they were unable to access their Gmail accounts, or that the accounts appeared as if they were open. That is to say, there were no messages whatsoever in the archive, except for a welcome message from Google. Google said it was working on the problem and noted that in cases where users were unable to log- ... (view more)