Google's clamp-down on pseudonyms and anonymous users has caught the attention of the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), it's been revealed, with the data rights watchdog looking into how the change in Google Profile policies has been handled. Although a spokesperson confirmed to The Register that no formal investigation has been undertaken, staff at the ICO are taking a preliminary look at ID policies on Google+ and other Google services.
Read The Full Story
- Solar Impulse: interviewing a man on an 18-hour solar-powered flight
- Chrome 27 brings desktop features to Android, we go hands-on
- Verizon invites Jennifer Lopez on stage for Viva Movil team-up
- Google Glass team talks hardware principles: Lightness, Simplicity, Scalability
- Google Glass creators talk “staring” and the social implications of wearables
- Xbox One vs Xbox 360: What’s Changed?
- Xbox One: Everything you need to know
‘Google Plus’ Stories
Facebook for Business launch highlights Google+ shortcomings
Facebook has taken advantage of Google's tardiness over business profiles on Google+ and launched its own Facebook for Business subsite. While not actually delivering any new features, Facebook for Business instead pulls together into a single place all of the social networking elements a brand might need to know to launch and run a fan page, including advice on dealing with customer feedback and how to create customized adverts.
Read The Full Story
Google+ Names: No Shirt, No Service
Google’s stance on users listing their real names on Google+ continues to cause headaches on the fledgling social networking site, with a spate of account deactivations this weekend as users with non-typical names or pseudonyms found their profiles locked. According to Google VP Vic Gundotra, in a discussion with Robert Scoble, the search giant’s current attitude toward names is to ensure “a positive tone gets set” such as “when a restaurant doesn’t allow people who aren’t wearing shirts to enter.” However, he also argues that it’s not solely about “real” names, and that pseudonym support is another Google+ feature in the pipeline.
Facebook for iPad app leaks
The Facebook for iPad app has been prematurely revealed, after the social network pushed out an updated version of its iPhone software that secretly contained code for the tablet. Using a new side-swiped left hand menu bar, the new app relies on a combination of HTML5 and native code, TechCrunch spotted, to allow access to a user's Wall, info, photos and friends, along with friend requests, Facebook Chat and Facebook Places.
Read The Full Story
SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – July 24, 2011
The much anticipated Mac OS X Lion touched down this past Wednesday along with revamped MacBook Airs, Mac Minis, and Cinema Displays. Apple’s on a winning streak with more than 1 million Lion copies sold in the first day and a record breaking third quarter earnings call. Intel and Microsoft also did quite well, but Nokia hugely disappointed. Other record setting numbers from Google and Spotify round out the week. Continue after the cut for the video and full roundup list.
Google+ Games Stream confirmed
Google’s help pages for Google+ have officially confirmed the upcoming Games Stream, a place where results from what will presumably be social-style gaming on the new network will be pulled together. ”If you’re looking for updates shared from games, check out your Games stream” the help article suggests, though currently the link it mentions leads to a 404 page.
Google+ hits 20m unique visitors; Social chief admits brand strategy was “a mistake”
Google+ could have already exceeded 20m unique visitors, new traffic estimates suggest, a quarter of which are based in the US. That's unprecedented growth, comScore suggests, with previous posterchild for rapid engagement, Twitter, taking several months to amass the same level of interest. However, Google's social chief Vic Gundotra has admitted that the way Google handed brand pages on Google+ was "probably a mistake"
Read The Full Story
Google+ Team Q&A Live Webcast Session Tonight at 5:45 PT with TCTV
It's that time again, just like it has been for the past couple of weeks, nonstop, that is a question and answer session with the Google team on their brand new social networking site Google+! I say it's been constant because if you're a member of Google+, you know, there's a basically non-stop stream of questions, answers, tips, and the like going through your main stream. What's going to happen tonight, courtesy of our good pals at TechCrunch, is an interview with Google's VP Product Bradley Horowitz and VP Social Vic Gundotra, two major superstars, and it'll be happening live starting at 5:45 Pacific Time, and you can watch it right here!
Read The Full Story
Google acquires Fridge: Groups for Google+ incoming
Google has acquired social networking site Fridge, a group coordination and photo sharing tool, and intends to integrate its functionality into Google+. Like the new Google system, Fridge allowed users to sort their friends and relationships into different groups, then share messages, photos, videos and event suggestions with them easily.
Google Is Shutting Down Google Labs And Some Experimental Projects
Opening a new chapter with the successful launch of Google+, it looks like the search giant is closing its doors on Google Labs, which has been behind a jumble of experimental projects over the years. This move was announced in a Google blog post explaining the decision as part of CEO Larry Page's promise to put "more wood behind fewer arrows," that is to refocus the company on its most important products.
Read The Full Story
Google+ For iPhone Now The Top Free App In iTunes
The Google+ for iPhone app was released yesterday and it's already hit the top of the list for the most popular free apps in the iTunes App Store. This is fascinating since Google+ is limited to the invite-only beta users currently on the network. That number was announced as 10 million last week during Google's earnings call, but is now estimated to be at 18 million.
Read The Full Story
Schmidt: Google was “left behind” on social
Google chairman Eric Schmidt has reiterated his regret that the search giant historically lacked focus on social networking, describing Google+ as “a partial answer” to Facebook. “Google should have worked on this earlier” Schmidt told CNN, “developing these identity services and ranking systems that go along with that. That would have made a big difference for the internet as a whole.” Meanwhile, Google+ is tipped to have come close to doubling its already impressive user figures in the space of a week.
REVIEWS
![JH Audio JH16 Pro with Freqphase Custom In-Ear Monitor Review [2013]](http://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/P2111170-sg-320x80.jpg)
- POPULAR STORIES THIS WEEK
- Xbox One release date "later this year"
- Big Xbox Dashboard update tipped to pave Xbox 720 transition
- Xbox 720 prototype secrets leak: TV, DVR, streaming, AR and more
- Verizon HTC One tipped for today's press event [UPDATE: Nope]
- Hisense Sero 7 Pro Tablet leaks to take on the Nexus 7
- Verizon HTC One speculation returns as DROID DNA offer arrives
- Xbox 720: what's to be expected at tomorrow's announcement
- Xbox One vs Xbox 360: What's Changed?
- RECENT COMMENTS
