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3/20/13

Facebook is testing the idea of supporting the use of hashtags in posts to the social network, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and other publications. Facebook has yet not made any comments about the reports. Hashtags, unique and often cryptic terms preceded by a hash mark ("#"), are specially tracked and aggregated on Twitter as they would presumably be on Facebook. Twitter shows which tags are trending, and clicking on a hashtag brings up other posts with the same tag.

A soaked phone or tablet has traditionally meant shelling out for a costly replacement. But new technology has moved beyond waterproof cases and "rugged" cell phones designed to withstand rough conditions. Devices highlighted at this year's Mobile World Congress and Consumer Electronics Show suggest the future is bright for phones and tablets that are both stylish and waterproof -- or at least water-resistant. The level of waterproofing is already incorporated in a few Sony smartphones such as the Acro S and Advance, and most recently with the Xperia Z.

Figuring out the future of online privacy                          2/29/13

 What level of privacy will we have online in the future? Public changes to privacy policies, like the ones that make news when Facebook or Google change their settings, are just a small part of the story. Companies that provide free services, such as search engines or social networks, have to strike the right balance between respecting their customers' privacy concerns and serving advertisers. For Web titans, the money still flows in from advertisers, not consumers. Facebook made $4.2 billion, or 84% of its revenue, from online advertising in 2012. Google saw $43.6 billion in advertising last year, accounting for almost 95% of the company's reve