iPad Accessories: How Green is the Vers Bamboo iPad Case? - reposted by Andre DI Cioccio

What is it about the iPad? Or is it just Apple products in general? The more I look, the more tree hugging, stargazing, planet saving, eco-friendly products I find. I am pleasantly surprised, being a born-again hippy myself… The latest offering is a Bamboo Case made by Versaudio. It is not quite available as I write, but its release date is just around the corner. But just how green is this latest eco-case? I had a look at Ver’s environmental credentials to find out.

Just because something is made of wood doesn’t mean that it’s suddenly an eco-product. Hardwoods are long-growth trees and need proper management, certain trees are endangered, wood maybe used but the production process may be super-polluting. There is also the question of material sourcing: it’s no good having fantastic production methods from sustainable forests if you ship your wood half way across the world. Having read the marketing blurb for the Vers Bamboo Case, I was initially sceptical. I wondered whether they were just trying to jump onto the eco bandwagon. I’m happy to say I was wrong.

According the www.versaudio.com, Vers’ website, wood comes from: “locally sourced and managed plantations near [their] factory; any trees that are harvested are replanted”. What I found very impressive is their admission that “no product is truly ‘green’. Any manufactured product requires energy and resources to produce, transport and operate through out their entire life cycle”. This balanced and honest view certainly convinced me that their environmental credentials were sound.

The case is made from a mixture of solid hardwoods and bamboo, with an optional wooden prop so the case can double as a stand. It is beautifully finished in a durable UV and moisture resistant lacquer and would be great as a picture frame using the iPad’s photo apps. The case is top loading with the snug scratch resistant lining protecting your iPad from damage. There are openings for the power switch, the 30 pin port and volume control. Unfortunately it lacks an opening for the charger, which I think is a real oversight. The workmanship is first class with a 4mm thickness of wood giving the case a really solid feel. The case is reinforced with steel for extra strength and durability.

This delightful case will soon be available via the Vers website. Its advertised price is $79.99.

iPad News: iPad’s Popularity Makes it a Solid Promotional Tool - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Open up a magazine or turn on your television, and you see the iPad everywhere. Whether it be television commercials on major networks in primetime, or a full page ad in Sports Illustrated, Apple has the iPad in your face. With this omnipresent status, many companies are looking to capitalize off the iPad’s popularity to bring themselves more business. Where is this happening, and why?

Traffic is a huge part of any business. The more customers that come your way, the higher probability you have of becoming successful. For this reason corporations hire marketing firms, have in-house marketing teams, and other tools at their disposal to increase traffic. Promotions are one excellent way to achieve traffic. By building off another product’s reputation, one can add extra incentives for customers to use their service or buy their product.

Take the online merchant known as Paypal, for example. Pretty much any person who has done a transaction online knows about Paypal. It is one of the most preferred methods for safe online transactions, and has been around for a good bit. Paypal doesn’t necessarily need a ton of help in getting their name out to the public, but they are still running promotions to do so. If you visit the Paypal.com homepage, you will see a promotional ad that says you can win either $1,000 or an iPad if you sign up with the company to send money. They are offering iPads to five different new customers each week while the promotion runs. Essentially, they are playing off the iPad’s popularity and freshness with the hopes that it will be that extra push to get people to sign up for their service. A person who may have been on the fence about using Paypal, but who really wants an iPad, may decide that they will finally sign up not only to use the service and all it has to offer, but also with the chance that they could win the iPad they always wanted.

Another example of a company using the iPad as a promotional tool is Fox 29 news, based in South Florida. This news station, one of the largest in the area, has been running ads on their television station stating how viewers could win an iPad. What do they have to do to win one? They have to watch the channel’s 10 p.m. news and wait for the cue to call in. The lucky caller who is in the right place at the right time will then win the iPad. By giving this incentive, the station can gain some viewers, as those hoping to win the iPad prize will have to view the news in order to do so. In turn, this increases the channel’s ratings.

Those were just a couple of examples of how many are using the iPad’s popularity as an avenue to increase their own businesses. It is definitely a clever way to market, and as the iPad’s popularity continues to win the hearts and minds of the public, many more companies are likely to follow suit in using the device as a marketing tool.

Do Facebook's New Privacy Settings Really Protect Your Privacy? - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Do Facebook's New Privacy Settings Really Protect Your Privacy? Chris Crum | Staff Writer As Long as Users Are Comfortable, Facebook and Businesses Will Benefit Facebook has introduced its latest changes to privacy settings, to appease disgruntled users who have been somewhere within the range of mildly irritated to outraged over the previous incarnation. The company is getting numerous pats on the back, or at least "that's more like it" responses from people for the most part (there are some who still aren't satisfied). Do you like the latest approach Facebook is taking to privacy? Tell us what you think. While the settings do address the main concerns that have been so widely discussed and publicized since the launch of Facebook's Open Graph/instant personalization initiative, no privacy settings are truly going to protect people's privacy on Facebook - and that's not Facebook's fault. I would blame a combination of human nature and technology. If you're worried about privacy and how it is related to Facebook, it really doesn't matter how many times Facebook adjusts its privacy settings. The fact of the matter is that there is no more privacy, unless you don't interact with people whatsoever. This applies whether you have a Facebook account or not. That really makes no difference if someone whips out their phone and takes a picture of you. With most modern phones, all they have to do is tap a button to send it right to Facebook for all of their friends to see. Did you say or do something embarrassing at a party? Witnesses can easily become instant broadcasters, and there's a good chance that some of their Facebook friends know you.

Did you casually mention something to a friend? Anything? They may mention it in a status update and instantly let all of their friends know about it. Whether or not they did this with any malicious intent is irrelevant. It happens. Human contact in general is a threat to your privacy. If you say or do anything that you truly want kept private, you better keep it to yourself or let people know you don't want others to know about it (and hope that they care).

Facebook is really just an extension of the web itself, when it comes to privacy. The same rules apply to YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, blogs, or any other platforms where users can communicate to the public (or even to a closed network). The privacy issues that exist now have existed the entire time the web has been around. It's only the pace of sharing, which has accelerated. Years ago, someone could have easily created a website about you if they knew how to create a website at all. Status updates and blog posts are just easier. Smartphones make them almost like a reflex for some people - and the smartphone market continues to grow rapidly.

Mark Zuckerberg has taken a lot of flack over the privacy concerns that have arisen around Facebook of late, as well as his own stance on privacy in general, but no matter how much Facebook or any other social networking entity on the web tweaks its privacy, your privacy will never truly be ensured - unless you hide from society completely.

There are pros and cons to the manner in which technology evolves (and continues to do so). Regardless of your stance on privacy, it's pretty clear that things aren't going to be slowing down anytime soon, and a decreased sense of privacy is simply a side effect. Who's getting excited about Facebook readying location features? Facebook Privacy and Business

Apart from the grand scheme of things, Facebook's new settings should make some users more comfortable, and the more comfortable Facebook users are the better off Facebook and anyone who considers it a significant part of their business strategy will be. "What these privacy advocates don't get is that Facebook, like Google, isn't free," says SeeWhy Founder Charles Nicholls, who has written about the subject. "It's a massive service that needs to be paid for, and that service is going to be funded by a multi-billion dollar advertising business, just as Google is. This is the price you pay for using a 'free' service. Facebook 'Like' is central to this strategy and equally important for ecommerce." Many (myself included) have speculated that Facebook's Open Graph could lead to the company launching an AdSense-like product down the line, with the ability to target users all over the web based on their personal interests. It could be very powerful. Mark Zuckerberg's response to the notion that any of the company's recent moves are geared toward advertising (via VentureBeat): There is also this idea going around that if people share information openly that we can use it better for ad targeting. But advertisers don't get any information from the system. We don't give your information to them. We target all the ads ourselves. And it doesn't matter who you're sharing with, whether it's your friends or the public. It doesn't affect the ads at all.

Does that change anything? Couldn't an AdSense-like product still work without the advertisers getting personal information from users and letting Facebook do the targetintg?

Regardless of whether or not such an ad network is ever actually released, e-commerce businesses have a lot to gain from Facebook's Open Graph. "From an ecommerce point of view, what's not to like here?" asks Nicholls. "It's now really easy for your visitors to share what they like on your website with their friends, without so much as a login. The ease of use and simplicity of the 'Like' button makes it a sure-fire hit, as long as users can get comfortable with privacy." Comfort or no comfort from users, the Open Graph is definitely a hit with businesses, and judging from all the "liking", "recommending", etc. going on around the web, privacy may really not be as big of a concern among general users as it has been made out to be in the media.

Third Office for Mac 2011 Beta Reveals New Icons, Splash Screens, and More - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Microsoft is continuing to push forward with work on Office for Mac 2011, issuing a third beta release of the productivity suite in advance of a final release scheduled for launch around the end of the year. With Office 2011's features and functionality becoming firmed up, Microsoft has begun putting more effort into some of the finishing touches that offer some obvious visual changes.


Some of those changes included in the latest beta version are new icons and splash screens for the Office applications, as well as minor tweaks to several toolbar and ribbon icons. Application interfaces otherwise appear largely the same as in earlier beta versions, although Microsoft is undoubtedly continuing to refine its flagship productivity suite with functionality fixes and enhancements.


We'll keep our eyes peeled for information on more substantial functional changes included in the latest beta as testers put it through its paces.

Possible Introduction of Safari Extensions at WWDC? - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

DaringFireball's John Gruber appears to have slyly hinted that Apple may be planning to open the door to browser extensions on Safari at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) early next month. Gruber's comments come in the form of an apparent random musing that appears as part of a post on Google Chrome for Mac and Linux advancing out of the beta channel carrying support for thousands of extensions.

The other big thing that's missing (compared to both Chrome and Firefox) is a proper extension API. If only Apple had an imminent developer conference where they could unveil such a thing.

As is common with Gruber's hints, the tidbit is phrased more as a "what if" statement than an outright declaration that we should expect such an announcement, but it seems reasonable to guess that he may have some inside knowledge of Apple's work in this area.

Browser extensions are software add-ons designed to offer new functionality beyond that offered in the basic browser package or alter the way tasks are handled or content displayed. Application programming interfaces (APIs) for browser extensions provide a means for third-party developers to create their own add-ons, opening the door to significant modification of browsers' capabilities.

Apple has in the past used WWDC has a stage for Safari-related announcements. In 2007, the company announced the first beta versions of Safari 3, extending the browser onto Windows for the first time. A year later, as part of its early ramping of developer previews of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the company began seeding beta versions of Safari 4 during WWDC. And in 2009, Apple officially brought Safari 4 out of beta at the conference.

Apple Seeds Build 10F58 of Mac OS X 10.6.4 to Developers - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Just a week after the last seed, Apple has delivered another new version of Mac OS X 10.6.4, designated Build 10F58, to developers. The build is the fifth to be seeded to developers since late April.

Like the last build, Apple lists no known issues with the new version and asks developers to focus their testing on Graphics Drivers, SMB, USB, Voice Over, and VPN. Those familiar with the new build note that Apple has not documented in the seed notes any additional changes since the previous build.

It is unknown when we can expect a public release of Mac OS X 10.6.4, as Apple's development schedule is unpredictable, although the fact that the new build offers no major documented changes and again contains no known issues suggests that Apple may be wrapping up work on the fourth maintenance update for Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Apple Again Facing Antitrust Inquiry Over Digital Music - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

In an apparent replay of a 2006 investigation into possible price fixing in the digital music industry dominated by Apple's iTunes Store, The New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Department of Justice is in the early stages of another antitrust inquiry focused on digital music sales.

The Justice Department is examining Apple's tactics in the market for digital music, and its staff members have talked to major music labels and Internet music companies, according to several people briefed on the conversations.

The antitrust inquiry is in the early stages, these people say, and the conversations have revolved broadly around the dynamics of selling music online.

In particular, the inquiry is said to be looking at claims that Apple has been pressuring music labels over their participating in Amazon's "Daily Deal" program in its MP3 download store.

The report notes Apple's dominant position in the U.S. digital download market, where it holds 69% market share. In overall U.S. music sales, Apple leads the pack with 26.7% of the market, more than double its closest competitor.

The new inquiry from the Department of Justice is the latest of a number of recent incidents involving Apple and regulatory authorities. The Department of Justice last year reportedly began looking into an informal agreement between Apple and Google not to poach each others' employees, while in recent weeks Apple has been revealed to be the subject of an Adobe-requested inquiry over its ban on Flash-to-iPhone compilers and additional scrutiny

VMWare Releases 3.1 Fusion Update - 35% Faster App Performance, 5X Faster 3D Graphics - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

New in 3.1: Support up to 8-cores (Up from 4)
VMWare has just launched the latest update to their popular virtualization program for the Mac. VMWare Fusion allows users to run Windows applications alongside Mac OS X applications on their Intel Macs. Version 3.1 represents a major update with a focus on performance. According to VMWare, the new version is 35% faster overall than the previous 3.0 release with 3D graphics seeing up to 5X speed boosts.

Take advantage of faster than ever end-to-end performance and improved 3D graphics. Greatly improved Windows Aero performance and OpenGL 2.1 support for Windows Vista and Windows 7 delivers up to 5X better 3D graphics performance. Experience faster application launching, more seamless scrolling, quicker resume from suspend, and better overall disk performance. Additional improvements to make your experience more simple and “Mac-like” include support for overlapping Unity windows in Exposé and Dock Exposé, as well as the new “USB EasyConnect” feature to easily assign USB devices to your PC or Mac.

A full list of new features can be found VMWare's site. The 3.1 update is free for existing 3.0 customers. Customers with an earlier version of VMWare Fusion can upgrade for$39.99 while the price for brand new customers is $79.99. A free demo is also available.

Apple 'Independently Evaluating' Foxconn's Response to Suicides at Manufacturing Plant - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Bloomberg reports that Apple has made its first public statement since a series of suicides at manufacturing partner Foxconn's sprawling manufacturing facility in China began gaining public notice, expressing sadness at the events and promising that it is "independently evaluating" Foxconn's response while also continuing its facility inspections summarized in its annual supplier responsibility progress report.

"We're in direct contact with Foxconn senior management and we believe they are taking this matter very seriously," said Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesman. "A team from Apple is independently evaluating the steps they are taking to address these tragic events and we will continue our ongoing inspections of the facilities where our products are made."

Apple is "saddened and upset by the recent suicides at Foxconn," he said.

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai, has been a key manufacturing partner for Apple for many years and notably produces the company's iPhone and iPad models for worldwide distribution.

According to today's report, there have been nine suicides and two attempted suicides at Foxconn's Chinese facility so far this year. The events come after Foxconn receivedconsiderable publicity last year when an employee who reportedly lost a next-generation prototype iPhone also committed suicide.

Foxconn's manufacturing complex in Longhua, China reportedly employs approximately 400,000 people, leading some observers to suggest that the number of suicides experienced at the facility this year is not out of the ordinary considering suicide rates in the general population in that country. Still, general concern over quality of life issues for employees who live and work at Foxconn's facility, as well as for other companies in other locations in China, has led to an outcry over whether companies are treating their employees in an ethical manner.

For its part, Foxconn denies that its facilities should be classified as sweatshops and notes that it has hired dozens of counselors and established other resources to assist its employees. The company has also moved to open its factory to the media in an attempt to provide a glimpse into working conditions on its assembly lines.

Google Announces Google TV for Fall 2010 Launch - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

As suggested in a report yesterday, Google has announced Google TV, a new offering set to roll out in the fall of this year designed to integrate the television and Web experience.

Google TV is a new experience for television that combines the TV that you already know with the freedom and power of the Internet. With Google Chrome built in, you can access all of your favorite websites and easily move between television and the web. This opens up your TV from a few hundred channels to millions of channels of entertainment across TV and the web. Your television is also no longer confined to showing just video. With the entire Internet in your living room, your TV becomes more than a TV -- it can be a photo slideshow viewer, a gaming console, a music player and much more.

Built on Chrome and Android, Google is opening up the Google TV platform to developers to allow them to create new applications. In addition, existing Android applications not requiring phone capabilities will be able to run directly on the Google TV platform.

From a hardware perspective, Google has partnered with Intel, which is providing its Atom processor to power the Google TV offerings. Google TV will initially be offered as a standalone box from Logitech, as well as integrated directly into Sony TVs and Blu-ray players. Google has also partnered with Best Buy for distribution and with DISH Network to provide one-click integration between Google TV and the satellite provider's DVR offerings.

Google TV has been seen as a significant competitor to Apple's set-top box known as Apple TV. Apple has long regarded Apple TV as a "hobby", offering a somewhat limited feature set serving as a hub for music, video, and photo content, as well as access to the company's iTunes Store.

Jobs Responds to Google's WebM Video Standard Announcement as Patent Questions Begin to Surface - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

With Google's announcement earlier this week that it is releasing a new open source, royalty-free video format known as "WebM" to compete with the Apple-backed H.264 standard, observers have wondered what Apple's response will be. Google's inclusion of several other prominent industry players including Mozilla and Opera has suggested that Apple may find itself under pressure to adopt the standard as it gains traction.

The Register reports that one of its readers emailed Apple CEO Steve Jobs to ask about his thoughts on Google's announcement of WebM, which utilizes the VP8 video codec acquired by Google when it purchased On2 Technologies earlier this year.

Jobs reportedly simply responded by sending a link to a lengthy and technical blog post from an independent developer working on an open source x264 project for encoding video in the H.264 format preferred by Apple. In short, developer Jason Garrett-Glaser calls VP8/WebM "a mess" and "not ready for primetime", with Google even having declared the standard "final" despite a number of flaws already discovered in it. In addition, while appearing to be a significant upgrade over the Theora format previously preferred by Mozilla and Opera, the new format on the whole does not seem to be any better than H.264.

Larger questions, however, are arising over the patent picture with respect to VP8/WebM. One of the format's main selling points for Google has been the fact that it is open source and royalty-free. This is in contrast to H.264, for which a group of patent holders (in which Apple plays a small part) oversees licensing and royalties for encoder/decoder manufacturers and content providers. While end users are currently not subject to royalty payments for the H.264 format, there is some concern that such fees could be implemented in 2016 after the current licensing agreement term expires.

Garrett-Glaser raises the issue in his piece about whether VP8/WebM can stand up to any patent tests, as it seems to carry a significant amount of similarity to H.264. Consequently, he calls into question whether Google can truly offer a royalty-free format with it. Digital Daily's John Paczkowski also dug into the issue a bit further and shares comments from Larry Horn, CEO of MPEG LA, the body that oversees the patent pools behind H.264 and other standards.

JP: Let me ask you this: Are you creating a patent pool license for VP8 and WebM? Have you been approached about creating one?

Larry Horn: Yes, in view of the marketplace uncertainties regarding patent licensing needs for such technologies, there have been expressions of interest from the market urging us to facilitate formation of licenses that would address the market's need for a convenient one-stop marketplace alternative to negotiating separate licenses with individual patent holders in accessing essential patent rights for VP8 as well as other codecs, and we are looking into the prospects of doing so.

Horn's comments suggest that VP8/WebM may become subject to similar licensing and royalty terms as H.264 once certain patent holders come together to assert ownership over aspects of the standard, negating one of the primary selling points of the standard. For its part, however, Google maintains that it has thoroughly vetted the standard and is confident in its ability to offer it as an open source and royalty-free option.

FTC Won't Block Google-AdMob Merger, Cites Apple's iAd as Competitive Factor - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced that it has closed its investigation of the proposed acquisition of mobile advertising firm AdMob by Google. The FTC had been seen as likely to oppose the move over antitrust issues, but cited Apple's recent announcement of its own iAd mobile ad service as a significant factor in the decision to not take action against the Google-AdMob proposal.

In a statement issued today, the Commission said that although the combination of the two leading mobile advertising networks raised serious antitrust issues, the agency's concerns ultimately were overshadowed by recent developments in the market, most notably a move by Apple Computer Inc. - the maker of the iPhone - to launch its own, competing mobile ad network. In addition, a number of firms appear to be developing or acquiring smartphone platforms to better compete against Apple's iPhone and Google's Android, and these firms would have a strong incentive to facilitate competition among mobile advertising networks.

"As a result of Apple's entry (into the market), AdMob's success to date on the iPhone platform is unlikely to be an accurate predictor of AdMob's competitive significance going forward, whether AdMob is owned by Google or not," the Commission's statement explains.

Apple had reportedly been considering its own acquisition of AdMob before Google swooped in to snap up the leading ad company. Apple in turn acquired Quattro Wireless to assist in developing its iAd platform. Google's poaching of AdMob from under Apple's nose has also reportedly led Apple to become more serious about its corporate acquisition strategies in recent months.

Full details of the FTC decision on the Google-AdMob situation can be found in a set of PDF documents on the commission's site:

- Statement of the Commission
- Closing Letter to Google
- Closing Letter to AdMob

More White Next-Generation iPhone Parts Surface as Renderings Gain Publicity - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

iPhone repair site uBreakiFix earlier this week claimed to have received next-generation iPhone front panels in both white and black. The parts appear similar if not identical to the ones that surfaced at about the same time on a Chinese e-commerce site.


Interestingly, the white front panels from both sources show a physical feature located above the earpiece. uBreakiFix suggests that the feature is the iPhone's proximity sensor, although current iPhone models' proximity sensors are hidden under the glass and nearly invisible unless viewed under bright light. More curiously, neither the black front panel parts from these sources or the prototype next-generation iPhones that surfaced over the past month or so seem to share this physical feature.


Black front panel parts obtained by iPhone repair site iResQ in early February do, however, show a similar physical feature in that location, further muddling the situation.

Meanwhile, with this week's appearance of white front panels, observers have been interested in seeing what such a next-generation iPhone would look like fully assembled. While Apple has offered white versions of certain iPhone models since the introduction of the iPhone 3G in 2008, the color has been limited to the back side of the device's body.


White next-generation iPhone rendering from Seraphan
One set of renderings has been gaining publicity over the past couple of days in light of the possibility of an all-white model. The renderings were first posted as part of a setfrom user "Seraphan" at Italian site iSpazio. Notably, the renderings were published on April 23rd, well before claims of an all-white iPhone surfaced, but they are based on the next-generation iPhone protoype design that surfaced just days prior to their publication.

Is playable Pac-Man getting Google's home page banned? - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Is Google's playable Pac-Man logo contravening companies' corporate policies against employees playing games?

(Credit: Google)

There's no question it's happening: All over the place today, you can be sure that people are heading on over to Google's home page and discovering that instead of the normal multicolored Google logo, there's a fully playable version of Pac-Man sitting there, beckoning them.

This, of course, is to commemorate tomorrow's 30th anniversary of Pac-Man. And no doubt, a lot of people are having a lot of fun with this. Google is so sure of that that it is planning on keeping the Pac-Man logo--known in company terms as a "doodle"--on the home page for 48 hours, rather than taking it down at the end of the day as it usually does with its special logos.

But one wonders just how disruptive the iconic sounds of Pac-Man are going to be in offices all across the country and the world. After all, it takes just microseconds to recognize the tune. More to the point, how much productivity is being lost today as people sit at their computers, mesmerized by the game when all they really wanted to do was a Google search?

Indeed, is this mass Pac-Man playing going to contravene corporate policy?

Consider this e-mail, which I received a few minutes ago from Emir Shabashvili, a network manager in the Miami-Dade County (Florida) department of property appraisal:

I am [a] computer manager here at Miami-Dade County. Today I [started] receiving calls from users. They were concerned with [the] unusual behavior of [the] Google home page--many of them have Google as [their] home page, along with the County page. [We're used] to Google celebrating this and that and placing some pictures on the home page, but today it was the annoying sound of [Pac-Man]. Recreational games are banned by county regulations, so I had no choice but [to] delete Google as one of [the] home page tabs on users' PCs. I wonder how many Google home pages disappeared today all over the globe?

Shabashvili raises a good point. Then again, I wonder how many of the thousands of people in his shoes in companies everywhere are too busy playing Pac-Man today to get to the task of banning the Google home page for violating corporate policy?

If the Google Pac-Man logo has produced any issues in your company--either a situation like the one described above, or maybe where everyone is gathered around the CEO's desk playing non-stop, or anything in-between--please post your experience in comments.

Facebook working on 'simple' privacy settings - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

news analysis After one of the most tumultuous months in its young history, Facebook is planning to announce features intended to offer its hundreds of millions of users simpler privacy choices.

The last few weeks have not been kind to the Internet's second most popular Web site, which has been pilloried by privacy activists and slammed by some members of Congress. The flap has spawned clever interactive graphicsshowing how Facebook has gradually exposed more user data, tools to fix your privacy settings, and reports of internal discord among employees who may fear that the negative attention would jeopardize a lucrative public stock offering.

A Facebook spokesman on Friday confirmed that the changes will arrive "shortly," without elaborating. "The messages we've received are pretty clear," Andrew Noyes said. "Users appreciate having precise and comprehensive controls, but want them to be simpler and easier to use. They also like the new programs we have rolled out, but want simple and easy ways to opt out of sharing personal information with applications and Web sites."

While the recent focus on Facebook started with its announcements in late April at the F8 developers conference, which included deeper connections with partner Web sites, concerns have been building for a long time. There was the outcry over the now-defunct Beacon advertising program, CEO Mark Zuckerberg's remarks last December about pushing users to disclose more, and brief eruptions, including Thursday's disclosure of Facebook sharing some data with advertisers, in possible violation of its privacy policy.

No wonder you're starting to see tips--including a CNET FAQ we published earlier Friday--on how to irrevocably delete your Facebook account. (Yes, there's even a Facebook group.)

The new controls, which could arrive as early as next week, will feature simpler and easier-to-use controls for users who care about them, while continuing to offer granular controls for those who want them as well, a company source said. No doubt The New York Times will redraw its helpful road map to Facebook's privacy options.

When the generally laissez-faire Economist writes an article saying regulators may be able to "justly" target Facebook, and The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan warns that "when we lose our privacy, we lose some of our humanity," these are signs that Zuckerberg has lost the zeitgeist. So is the flood of money to the ephemeral idea of Diaspora. (Time magazine's cover story featuring an interview with Zuckerberg, on the other hand, was far more flattering.)

Some of these news clippings almost appear to have been copied and pasted from The Onion, which has been covering the issue in its own way. There was the Facebook phishing scam that snared a board member and asecurity hole that leaked some private messages. Then there's the October release of "The Social Network," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake, which appears to be using a different name to keep the lawyers at bay.

Facebook sent some user data to advertisers - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Facebook's privacy policy promises, in no uncertain terms, that it doesn't "share your information with advertisers without your consent." Only "non-personally identifiable" data, it says, are shared.

But the social-networking site confirmed late Thursday that it has, at least in some circumstances, sent the user name of a Facebook member to its advertising partners. That can be used to glean a person's name, interests, and list of friends.

A Facebook spokesman told CNET that the apparent privacy leak has been fixed.

News of this data sharing, which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday evening, could prove embarrassing to the social-networking site, which is already on the defensive after Washington politicians have beencalling for regulatory action on privacy grounds and over a dozen advocacy groups have charged that Facebook engages in "unfair and deceptive" business practices.

Facebook's admission also may conflict with its previous statements. In a blog post last month, a company official wrote: "We don't share your information with advertisers unless you tell us to...Any assertion to the contrary is false. Period."

"We were recently made aware of one case where if a user takes a specific route on the site, advertisers may see that they clicked on their own profile and then clicked on an ad," the Facebook spokesman said on Thursday. "We fixed this case as soon as we heard about it. In addition, we have been working on ways to no longer include user IDs in Referer: URLs."

Browsers typically send a Web site, in what's called a Referer: field, the location of the page you last visited. This lets Web operators know where their visitors are coming from, and it's viewed as a perfectly normal and commonplace practice.

How to reset an Apple TV

Summary

If you experience a blank screen, or if your Apple TV becomes unresponsive, a reset should correct the issue.

Products Affected

Apple TV

To reset your Apple TV using your remote control, press and hold Menu and Menu down/scroll for 6 seconds.

Note: If you do not have your Apple TV remote, you can also reset your Apple TV by unplugging the device from the power source for thirty seconds.

Very Useful Tool - Baby Shoe Size Chart

This is extremely useful.

Use this link to check out some comparison tables for baby shoe sizes.

http://www.andredicioccio.info/babyshoesizechart/babyshoesizechart.html

Rumored PSP2 handheld has exciting specs - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

Fans of the Sony PSP handheld have likely been disappointed by the lack of new innovation with the system over the past few years, including the flop that is the PSPGo.

If VG247 is correct, however, the still unofficial PSP2 sequel should have some pretty exciting specs, and will hopefully boost Sony's lagging handheld sales.

The site, citing British sources, says the console will not be revealed at the upcoming E3 event, but it will be launched this year, with a 2011 release date.

The handheld has a touch-screen, but will keep physical buttons as well. It has two cameras, one forward-facing for video conferencing and the other, as standard, on the back.

Sources add the console could be Wi-Fi and 3G supportive, which would be a first for the handheld series. UMD will likely be removed totally, just like on the PSPGo.

Perhaps more importantly, the processor is "f***ing powerful" and will use a four-core Cell CPU.

MySpace takes aim at Facebook, simplifies privacy settings - reposted by Andre Di Cioccio

MySpace has taken steps this week to combat Facebook, the behemoth social networking site plagued by criticism over its privacy settings.

The once-extremely-popular site will simplify its own privacy settings over the coming weeks, giving users the "option to select one privacy setting for all information in their profiles, which often include a user's name, birthday, interests and photos."

Profiles can be made public to everyone, MySpace friends only, or MySpace users over 18 only.

Previously, the settings for different sections of their profile were scattered, including the separate controls for privacy on their photos, comments and friend's lists.

Taking a jab at Facebook's recent plights, MySpace Co-President Mike Jones says: "Given all the noise in the industry, we want to get out and state a clear position so that our users understand that we take privacy very seriously."