Google’s and Apple’s plans to increase mobile ad revenues could have Facebook singing the blues. Larry Page’s recent announcement that Google expects to generate $2.5 billion annually, likely has Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg steaming, says BNET’s Jim Edwards. Could this be part of a larger plan to lock Facebook out of the mobile game? READ MORE
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and the biggest threat facing Google is … well, Google itself, actually. That’s according to company co-founder and current CEO Larry Page. READ MORE
The U.S. Department of Justice has a lot of questions for tech companies these days. This time, it’s taking a second look at Google’s proposed $12.5 billion takeover of Motorola Mobility, which could delay the purchase. The acquisition would give the company access to valuable Motorola’s patents. And as the patent wars heat up, it’s a delay Google can ill afford. READ MORE
When it comes to the issue of privacy, recent attention has been focused on social networking sites—particularly on Facebook and Google. But consumers often overlook one other potential source of privacy breach: mobile phone records. READ MORE
It was only a matter of time… Facebook, in a turn to the political, has formed a political action committee (PAC). The PAC, says a Facebook spokesperson, will “give employees a way to make their voices heard in the political process” by supporting candidates who share the company’s goals. READ MORE
The next big thing for the consumer web could come from something you might not guess. According to VentureBeat, services like RapGenius and TuneWiki are spearheading a new way of publishing and making money from song lyrics. Apparently, they’re one of the most popular things people search for on the Web. READ MORE
Facebook, Google and Apple use facial recognition to automatically recognize people in photos and the technology is increasingly being used in other ways, such as in billboards that target ads based on who’s walking by. But is this technology good, or bad? Is it an invasion of privacy, or is it something consumers can benefit from? READ MORE
Google will soon attach its +1 button to web and mobile display advertisements. The feature will begin to appear on ads in early October, the company has said. The company may be wagering that Google+, which has not caught on as an alternative to Facebook, may draw in some new members by catering to brands. READ MORE
The press and public reaction to many high profile hacks–think Sony, or the Pentagon–is that the breaches are embarrassments at best or setbacks at worst. But hacks can have grievous real-world consequences for companies, as Dutch certificate authority DigiNotar proved this week when it filed for bankruptcy after finding itself unable to recover from the consequences of a massive hack it suffered this summer. READ MORE
If you’ve been on Google.com today you may just possibly have noticed a gigantic blue arrow that drew itself across your screen and pointed ever-so-subtly to the Google+ link on the black bar across the top of the page. That’s Google’s unassuming way of telling the world that you no longer need an invitation to join G+–everyone everywhere is welcome, so come on in. READ MORE
