Facebook site redesign with updated privacy settings and download data

There have long been user complaints about the amount of control a user has over one's Facebook account. It appears Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has listened and responded. Personally, I have been using Facebook for about two years and have accumulated over 1,400 "friends" through actual searches and requests by and for friends, various games, other applications... and the resultant "friends of friends". While there has been a "group" function, it has not been easy to use and rather time consuming to attempt to group individuals in various groups. It remains to be seen how effective these changes will be, and whether the Facebook user community will fully accept these changes, but if the changes actually accomplish great user control, I expect the changes to be extremely popular with heavy users. Of course, there will always be the naysayers who will find any "change" aberrant. I look forward to greater privacy and security control in these features...

CLDulawan

Zuckerberg

Facebook rolling out site redesign, download my data, and updated privacy settings
Today, Facebook held a press event where they detailed several new features the company will be rolling into their popular social networking site. As Facebook explains: “Until now, Facebook has made it easy to share with all of your friends or with everyone, but there hasn’t been a simple way to create and maintain a space for sharing with the small communities of people in your life, like your roommates, classmates, co-workers and family.” Facebook is launching a suite of tools that will allow you to better organize groups of friends and control what information is shared with those groups. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted, “there is no need for all my friends to know that I had a killer run this morning, so I made a running group.” The “groups” function will play a much more prominent roll in the Facebook experience and allow users to better manage shared content and smaller circles of friends. Next, the company revealed a feature that allows users to download all of their Facebook data locally to a computer.

Facebook will also launch an enhanced privacy dashboard that will make it easier for users to revoke authorized applications and show other security related information (e.g. when the last time your Facebook data was accessed by an application).

All this will be wrapped in a new, but familiar, site refresh. Facebook has several videos detailing the new features on their site; hit the read link to check them out.

Giving You More Control

Microsoft Sues Motorola Over Android Smartphones

     On Friday, Microsoft sued Motorola for allegedly infringing nine of the software titan's patents in its Droid mobile handsets, which are powered by Android.

            Motorola makes the popular Droid line of smartphones. In July, Motorola held 20 percent share of the U.S. market for smartphones, the third-largest, following LG (21 percent), and Samsung (23 percent), according to analytics firm comScore.

            "Microsoft filed an action today in the International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against Motorola for infringement of nine Microsoft patents by Motorola’s Android-based smartphones," Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft deputy general counsel, said in a blog post.

            The patents at issue relate to a range of functionality embodied in Motorola’s Android smartphone devices that are essential to the smartphone user experience, including synchronizing email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power.

             Microsoft also launched a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission. The commission has the power to ban imports of products if they're found to be infringing.

             Microsoft's suit requests treble damages, compensatory damages, and court costs, as well as a permanent injunction.

          

             In my opinion, Motorola should have consodered the consecuences of its actions before launching such kind of product. I believe the court will meet all the four recuirements of Microsoft concearning the Motorola case.

        Sources:
      http://www.enterprisemobiletoday.com/news/article.php/3906471/Microsoft-Sues-Motorola-Over-Android-Smartphones.htm

      http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20101002/tc_pcworld/microsoftsuesmotorolaoverandroidphones

      http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/10/microsoft-sues-motorola-over-android/

Microsoft's Potential New Money Maker

Recently, Microsoft Corporation has been struggling in its mobile phone market ever since their failed production of the Microsoft Kin, which was a phone that was taken off the market only after a few short months. However, CEO Steve Ballmer believes that this current problem is subject to change sooner than later. On October 11^th, 2010 Microsoft plans to publicize a new string of mobile telephones that will incorporate the Windows 7 software. Microsoft hopes that these new gadgets will become Apple’s iPhone 4 as well as Google’s Android number one competitors.

Microsoft is hoping that this new software will be the number one contributor to hopeful success. It has recently been reported that Microsoft Corporation is extremely excited to show off their new line of mobile phone software and are ready to profit in this market, as well as in their already successful computer sales. Microsoft has partnered with companies including HTC, Samsung, LG, as well as many other big names. This new software contains sophisticated upgrades, including pictures, games, music and video, marketplace, and of course the complete Office system. Ballmer claims that Microsoft will indeed profit without question due to the fact that Microsoft is under “new leadership, new software, a new way of working with handset partners” which will ultimately create a better and stronger market for the world as we know it.

All in all, Microsoft is eager to introduce its new software to the world in the coming week and is prepared for greater change in the mobile phone industry. I believe that Microsoft has room to prosper in this constant growing mobile market economy. I also think that Microsoft will do an excellent job at incorporating their software into this massive string of mobile phones.

Facebook vs. Google

"How Facebook Can Become Bigger in Five Years Than Google is Today" was an article title that I would never expect to see, hence why it quickly caught my attention. Today, Google has become such regular part of our lives, whether its for email, maps, class, blogs, etc. Google took the world by storm, and was even defined as a verb in 2006. Think about it, how often do you say, "Oh, let me Google that" ?

And then there is Facebook. That awful social networking cocaine that causes hours and hours of procrastination , drama, gossip, and connecting with friends and family. Its become a standard for employers, as a basic background check. Its become a way of finding long lost friends, family, or finding that "perfect someone". Its become a standard for advertisement, micro-blogging and searching.

So how do the two highest web destinations compete?

Search abilities, networking, and of course, money.

Caroline McCarthy, writer for CNet, describes the relationship between Google and Facebook in her article, and states:

Facebook dominates the social Web, and Google dominates everything else. Google wants to wrest a bit of control of social media from Facebook; Facebook plans to use the vast network of connections and communication channels it's built to more or less conquer the rest of the world. It's the case of a giant with a glaring Achilles heel versus a smaller, more nimble player with a finely-honed skill that can attack its competitor right where it hurts.

And that's exactly where Facebook is gaining strength, from it's vast network of connections and communication channels. Recently, Facebook formally launched Facebook Questions, a public question-answer site where users can ask questions and receive answers from any user. Similar to Yahoo! Answers, this provides internet users a organized channel of those odd questions that may be burning in your mind. Unlike Yahoo! Answers though, Facebook Questions do not appear in search engines, a bold move by Facebook. McCarthy states:

Among other things, Facebook's decision to keep otherwise public Questions to itself is a sort of posturing: It's telling search engines (e.g. Google) that with 500 million people using Facebook regularly, it doesn't need to rely on them for traffic referrals anymore. The Google training wheels are off. And Facebook Questions could be the feature that first makes the social-networking site a search-query destination in itself.

Facebook has also crawled its way to the top of people searches. Often, when you type a friend's name into a Google search, the initial results are Facebook pages. But Google has attempted to fight back with it's own social networking site. Google Buzz, intends to turn Gmail's millions of users into a personal social networking site where users can share personal information and communicate with each other. Google also reported that it had bought a social network start up Aardvark. Like David Rowan from The Times described it, "It was advancing its tanks even farther across Facebook's Lawn."

Adam Rifkin from TechCrunch gives a financial perspective on the battle:

Google’s 2010 revenues will be $28 billion, give or take a billion. The goal of this writeup is to illustrate the ways that Facebook’s annual revenues could grow from $2 billion to more than $30 billion in five years a diverse set of revenue streams that have one thing in common: people.

And the battle continues, place your bets.

Read more at:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20012839-36.html

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/04/21/facebook-vs-google-game-on/

http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/02/facebook-bigger-google/

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7028215.ece

Assessing the PlayBook's threat to the iPad

The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to release in the United States in early 2011, competing directly with Apple’s iPad. One of the biggest concerns with this new product entering the market is if it will be as good, if not better than, the Apple iPad. CNET News assesses PlayBook's threat to the Apple iPad. In the article it stated Research In Motion plans on impressive specs for the PlayBook which include “a 1GHz dual-core ARM processor, and multitasking based on RIM’s QNX technology.” This dual-core processor is expected to out-perform Apple’s current iPad, but questions whether or not Apple will have a dual-core iPad by the time the PlayBook is released.
The PlayBook is made specifically for multitasking, which could make it a very profitable product, especially with younger generations. The CEO of QNX Software Systems posted on Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog, discussing the QNX Neutrino architecture. The article also states that the PlayBook is capable of watching a movie in one window, and surfing the Web in another. The support of true multitasking would allow the PlayBook to “run multiple applications simultaneously, while delivering very high performance.”
This new product has caught a lot of attention, specifically because it is competing directly with Apple’s iPad, which has also caught a lot of attention for its innovation and technological aspects. The BlackBerry PlayBook is said to have even more impressive specs as listed in an article written on Engadget.com, which evaluates new technology and gadgets.
Another aspect of the introduction of the PlayBook is its position in the medical community. The iPad grabbed a lot of attention in the medical community with its release and apps designed specifically for the medical industry. Can BlackBerry PlayBook Supersede iPad in Healthcare Industry? This article argues that the PlayBook will be easier to integrate as many health organizations are already equipped with BlackBerry devices. It also requires no new software and no new security or data plan, which are all advantages for RIM. Some medical apps for the PlayBook were also shown. For example, there is an app where orthopedic surgeons can design new knee replacements for patients on their BlackBerry or PlayBook.
Not only do BlackBerry’s PlayBook plan on surpassing iPad’s current technical specs, but they also have caught a lot of attention from the public, as well as from the medical community, which will pose a major threat to Apple’s iPad. I am interested to see how well the PlayBook does upon release and how Apple responds.

Nintendo 3DS: Is it 3-D gaming's savior?

Nintendo announced this week that its much-anticipated 3DS handheld will arrive in Japan on February 26, 2011, for around $300, with a U.S. debut to follow in March. That's about three months too late for the holiday shopping season and later than some had predicted. But even more notable is the gadget's potential to actually make 3-D gaming a household staple.Unlike 3-D games for the PlayStation 3 or those utilizing NVIDIA's 3-D Vision technology, which adds three-dimensional special effects to PC titles, software for the Nintendo 3DS doesn't require the use of cumbersome stereoscopic glasses.Fans also don't have to pay for expensive hardware upgrades such as a 3-D TV or custom graphics cards. Both are major hurdles that have thus far kept players from hopping on the 3-D bandwagon en masse, and game makers from following in large numbers. Original 3-D games also should be more readily available, at least in the near future, for the 3DS than those for desktop or living room units.Popular franchises including "Resident Evil, "Metal Gear Solid" and "Sonic the Hedgehog" are all slated for upcoming 3-D appearances, with publishers such as Activision, Namco and UbiSoft committed to developing for the gadget. The device is better suited to the briefer, more mobile gaming experiences that define current gaming trends and appears better poised to satisfy both casual and hardcore video game fans than its competitors. Additional support for 3-D TV shows and films should further buoy the Nintendo 3DS' popularity as a portable entertainment device. The gadget also offers the benefit of on-demand game updates and downloads via Wi-Fi connection. More extras, such as the option to use the device as a camera, convert friends' photos into personalized virtual avatars and wirelessly communicate with other Nintendo 3DS machines, should only add to its usefulness and versatility.On the downside, the portable console's graphical enhancements, which resemble pop-up storybook cutouts, aren't as technically advanced as what you'll get from set-top systems. But they can be adjusted to suit individual preferences. A broad selection of supporting titles ranging from "Nintendogs + Cats" to "Kid Icarus" and "Mario Kart" also promises to appeal to all ages more than rival units, which target diehard gaming fans and early adopters.Everyday expectations also play to the 3DS' advantage, because players naturally anticipate smaller and/or less complex gaming experiences on handheld devices. This makes supporting games easier and more affordable to build for the unit, giving designers a leg up on 3-D game development. Instead of forcing manufacturers to push the technical bar to justify pricey living room upgrades, the Nintendo 3DS offers creators a platform to experiment. In this way, it offers simpler, more natural transitions between 2-D and 3-D adventures. Early feedback from gaming critics is promising. Nintendo's knack for making new technology engaging and user-friendly is evidenced by the success of systems like the motion-sensing Wii. If the 3DS proves half as eye-catching and intuitive, and even a fraction of the promised games materialize, rivals should be worried. Rather than be televised, the 3-D revolution may quietly unfold in your pocket instead.

Watch the video here.

Sources:

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-01/tech/nintendo.3ds.steinberg_1_game-makers-3-d-game-development-kid-icarus?_s=PM:TECH

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202259/nintendo-3ds-portable-game-system-specs-revealed

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/09/22/nintendo-3ds-specs-more-proof-smartphone-gaming-is-better/

Global Bank Accounts Hacked Online

According to the Wall Street Journal, Atleast $3 Million was stolen from U.S bank accounts last may by online hackers. Over 100 people have been arrested in relation to these cybercrimes, which they used computer viruses to steal bank account information and steal money from unsuspecting people. The U.S prosecution figured out that these criminals were using malicious software called a "Zeus Trojan, disguised in seemingly benign email. When the email recipient clicks on a link or attachment in the email, the virus monitors the victim's computer activity to grab user names and passwords." After gaining access to all the users accounts, the hackers then used mules to transfer the money into bank accounts over seas, or to pull out cash from ATM's. The banks hit by this scam include: J.P Morgan, Chase, Ally Financial inc, and PNC Financial services. According to court documents, the amount stolen from each victim was $10,000, and the mules were given anywhere between 8-10% of that.

This hacking scheme is not only prevalent in the U.S, but the U.K and Ukraine as well. Over $9.5 million was recently hacked and stolen in the U.K using the same Zeus Trojan software. In these cases around 20 people have been arrested so far, and officials are looking for more suspects.

In total, more than 80 people have been charged with these crimes in the U.S, thier charges include: conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, to possess false identification documents, to commit money laundering and false use of a passport. The state charges include grand larceny and identity theft.

"The modern high-tech bank heist, does not require a gun," said Mr. Bharara, the Manhattan U.S. attorney. "It requires only the Internet and ingenuity."

To watch a news report and learn more about this, Watch This.