online

A report from the Associate Press reveals details of a telephone survey of 1,623 Internet users conducted between Nov. 30, 2006 and Dec. 30, 2006 by Pew Internet and American Life Project showing that more Americans are Googling themselves, their ... friends, co-workers and romantic interests. According to the report from Pew, 47 percent of U.S. adult Internet users have searched for information about themselves through Google or another search engine, more than doubling the 22 percent of users from the previous survey conducted in 2002. About 60 percent of Internet users aren't worried about the ... (view more)

Online retailers in Britain could be missing out on more than $5 billion worth of business because customers are concerned about security. The report's authors found that one in five people questioned do not shop online because they believe rogue ... web traders will not deliver goods, or are trying to commit fraud. The survey was carried out by GetSafeOnline.org, a site funded by the British government, Microsoft, eBay and the HSBC bank. GetSafeOnline.org's managing director Tony Neate said, "Being aware of the warning signs, and taking a few simple precautions, is all that's needed to shop with ... (view more)

Microsoft acquired Multimap on Wednesday, a leading provider of location-based services in Europe. The privately-owned British company is one of the United Kingdom's top 100 technology firms, and was an early pioneer in online mapping for the island ... country. According to the Times of London, the deal is worth $50 million dollars, half of which will go to Multimap's founder Sean Phelan. (Source: timesonline.co.uk ) The website is the second most popular online destination in its class in the UK, trailing Google Maps and leading Microsoft's Live Search Maps (which came in fifth). This is the ... (view more)

Adobe announced last Thursday that it was partnering with Yahoo! to bring ads to PDF (Portable Document Format). Through an opt-in service, publishers of PDF files can now have relevant text ads appear alongside their instruction manuals, stock ... reports, and press releases. After registering online with Adobe, businesses upload their documents for keyword analysis which matches advertisements with the file. "By partnering with Yahoo! on this innovative advertising service we are creating opportunities for publishers to build new businesses around unique content that previously was just given ... (view more)

Zoho has updated their online word processor Zoho Writer, allowing multiple users to work on the same document whether online or off. For example, a person in New York can now edit a document that was originally created in Paris without having to ... constantly exchange email attachments. All changes that were made offline can later be synched automatically when an Internet connection is found. (Source: tailrank.com ) Although it may seem like a relatively simple upgrade, the new offline feature is ideal for those who constantly find themselves on airplanes, trains, or other areas without ... (view more)

Marvel Publishing unveiled Digital Comics Unlimited on Tuesday, a subscriber-based program intended to put its vast collection of superhero stories online. The company dipped its toe into the digital waters by releasing 2,500 past issues featuring ... some of its most famous characters, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Captain America, and the Hulk. As an incentive, Marvel is currently offering 250 free samples on its website, with subscriptions to the entire catalog available for $9.99 a month, or $59.88 a year. (Source: nytimes.com ) The digitization is meant to attract a target ... (view more)

Continuing its merry jaunt down the road towards global assimilation, on November 6, 2007 Microsoft officially launched its new Windows Live Suite . More of an extension than an upgrade, the new version of Live attempts to combine all of the ... current-generation networking tools into one. For example, it includes a Flickr-like image sharing system (Windows Live Photo Gallery) and a Myspace-like networking system (Windows Live Spaces). Additionally, the new Live has extended security options for parents, and deeper integration with Windows Vista and other Microsoft applications. This seems like ... (view more)

Ebay, made famous for selling everything from Pez to Picasso, is planning to launch its very own social networking service and promises to offer even more customer-friendly features by the end of 2007. The service will be called "Neighborhoods" and ... encourages all users to post photographs, product reviews and miscellaneous shopping tips for others to peruse at their leisure. The service is intended to create a far more visual and interactive experience compared to the standard text-based discussion forums currently found on the eBay website. (Source: usatoday.com ) While the introduction of ... (view more)

Millions of people use free online software programs that deliver news, email and a host of other services on a daily basis. While these programs make information and communication easier than ever before, they are still limited in their use to only ... when the individual is online. (Source: techmeme.com ) That's all about to change! In an effort to test the limitations of the Internet once again, Google is attempting to make many free online applications, like their popular G-mail and spreadsheet programs, available offline for users who experience trouble connecting to the Internet. (Source: ... (view more)

Although it seems as if everyone was wrong about the Microsoft purchase of Yahoo, there have been a few other notable acquisitions online in the last few weeks. First, there was Google's incorporation of advertising firm DoubleClick, a move that ... should consolidate the big G's hegemonic presence on the web. Now, there's word that major television broadcaster CBS has soaked up Last.fm, a hugely popular Internet radio project. So, what is Last.fm? We all know CBS for its Dan Rathers, corny holiday made-for-TV movies, and CSI crime-o-ramas, but many web users may still be unfamiliar with Last.fm ... (view more)