Yahoo 'Axis' Browser Extension Launched For iOS, Desktop

Below is the demo of Yahoo Axis

AP  |  By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Posted: 05/23/2012 9:25 pm Updated: 05/24/2012 6:40 pm

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Joining the battle to redefine Internet search, Yahoo is taking aim with a new browser enhancement it calls "Axis."
It alters browsers made by other companies to display search results in a more convenient and visual format.

The troubled Internet company Yahoo Inc. released Axis in Apple's app store late Wednesday. That version will work only on Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The software also can be installed as a plug-in on most major browsers used on desktop computers and laptops. Apps for other mobile devices are in the works.
A device running Axis can display search results in a panorama of visual thumbnails that can be scrolled through above a Web page. It's a departure from search engines' traditional presentation of a list of staid Web links that require more navigation and guesswork.
"Searching through links has outlived its utility," said Shashi Seth, a Yahoo Inc. senior vice president. "Users are demanding more now because we are all short on time."
All the major search engines are adopting new formats intended to make it easier for users to find information without clicking through to page after page.

Two weeks ago, Microsoft Corp. previewed an upcoming change that will spread Bing's search results in three columns, including one devoted to personalized recommendations pulled from Facebook, Twitter and other social networking services.

Last week, Google unveiled a new search feature called a "Knowledge Graph" that seeks to provide more immediate answers by highlighting information from a database containing more than 500 million entries about people, places and other commonly requested things.
The biggest challenge facing Axis may be overcoming the perception that Yahoo stopped innovating in search when it joined forces with Microsoft and started relying on Bing.
"If it's good enough and cool enough, people will go out of their way to get it," predicted IDC analyst Karsten Weide.

Yahoo is counting on Axis to reverse its steadily declining share of the Internet's lucrative search market and bring it more traffic from among the growing number of smartphone and tablet users.

Its greatest appeal figures to be on mobile devices because users with the app installed can see their search results at the top of the screen just by flicking on whatever page is displayed. The relevant results appear in a ribbon of Web page snapshots, making it easier for users to find the right information.

Much like Google's Knowledge Graph, Axis draws its results from a custom-built index. Most of the data in the Axis index resides on Yahoo's own services. If Axis can't find answers there, it presents links from Bing's search index.

Yahoo has relied on Bing's technology since 2010 as part of a decade-long partnership formed to lure users away from Google. So far, most of Bing's gains have come at Yahoo's expense, but Yahoo was losing search traffic well before it began leaning on Bing.
Yahoo's share of the U.S. search market stood at 13.5 percent through April, down from nearly 25 percent five years ago, according to the research firm comScore Inc. Bing holds a 15.4 percent share, up from 9.4 percent five years ago when Microsoft operated a search engine under a different name and system. Google's share has climbed from 56 percent five years ago to more than 66 percent now.

Yahoo's alliance with Microsoft gives it the flexibility to offer unique search features, such as Axis, that Bing doesn't have. Getting people to use its search engine more frequently is important to Yahoo because it keeps 88 percent of the revenue generated from requests made on its service, but none when a query is entered directly on Bing.

The erosion in Yahoo's Internet market share has been a major factor in a financial malaise that has caused the company's stock to slump for years and contributed to the management turmoil that has taken Yahoo through four CEOs — including two interim leaders — during just the past nine months, when it was working on Axis.

Yahoo won't show ads next to Axis search results initially, but the company believes the visual format will be ideal for video commercials and graphical marketing.

In an effort to make Axis even more useful, Yahoo plans to store search activity on its servers so users can have access to their past activity on any computer or mobile device where they log in. Axis will accept the logins that people use on Google and Facebook, as well as Yahoo.
___
Online:
Axis plug-in for desktop computer browsers: http://axis.yahoo.com
Axis mobile app: http://www.iTunes.com/appstore

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/24/yahoo-axis-browser_n_1541206.html?ref=tw

Online Instant Messenger Programs

Posted by km. Filed in IM, Online Tools, Web2.0

There are various Instant Messager (IM) services available like AIM, GTalk, Yahoo, MSN, Skype etc. And if you use more than one IM network account, don`t you think it will be easy if you have a single instant messenger platform featuring most of IM services. Even handling multiple IM account problem have been solved by desktop IM apps. But the again, it’s not very connivance for those work on multiple computers or mobile devices.
So, online instant messengers will the best solutions, which it do not require plugins or installers. The best part of these online Instant messenger applications has a huge user base and some instant messenger services are handling millions of users. Presenting below is the list of top online instant messenger (IM) websites, which allows connect multiple IM services; hence you see and select the one, which suits you the most.

 

Best Instant Messenger Sites To Connect Multiple IM Networks

 

 

imo.im

Imo.im is an interesting IM website supporting multiple Instant messaging services. To be precise, it supports 12 instant messaging network services namely MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk, MySpace, Skype, Jabber, Hyves, Stream and Facebook. With imo.im, you do not need to sign up, you just have to login using anyone of these 12 clients. imo.im also allows you to chat via voice and video apart from text.
Meanwhile, imo.im allows grouping of buddies using lists and sorting by adding a star to buddies you talk often. Meanwhile, Imo.im offering a decent set of features like blocking or hiding from buddies, renaming buddy names, Skype integration, video and voice chat. Mobile phone icon right next to them indicates buddies chatting from a mobile phone.
Furthermore, Imo.im services also available on iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and Nokia mobile devices.
Visit Imo.im

 

Meebo Messenger

 

 

Meebo Messenger is one of my favorite instant messenger clients, the sole reason being its support for huge number of clients, nearly all available clients. It supports AIM, Yahoo, Facebook, Windows Live, MySpace, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, Are you interested etc. To be exact, Meebo supports 64 clients. However, most of these clients must be alien to most of the users and it also misses Skype. Meebo also supports sharing of files, Video/audio call, group chat and even playing of games.
Visit Meebo Messenger

 

Nimbuzz

 

 

Nimbuzz is a widely famous client available for most of the handsets as well. However, it also has web based IM service that support text messaging, voice & video chats, file sharing and group chats. It supports 12 instant messenger networks including Windows Live, Yahoo, Facebook, Google Talk, AIM, MySpace, ICQ, StudiVZ, SchulerVZ, Gadu-Gadu, Hyves and Skype.
The advantages of  NimBuzz Nimbuzz compares to other online IM services is their VoIP Calls,  Skype is supported out of the box, enabling users to make free or cheap VOIP calls.
Meanwhile, Nimbuzz IM services also support various mobile platforms like IOS and Android.
Visit NimBuzz

 

eBuddy

 

 

eBuddy is yet another multiple IM manager services which support 7 clients including MSN, Yahoo, GTalk, Facebook, ICQ and MySpace. This online instant messenger supports video and voice chat. The best part of this web based instant messenger is support IM loginbox widget by adding their instant messenger embedded code on your website and social network. This mean you can spice up your website and offer your friends or page visitors a fast and exciting way to get in touch with you and the rest of the world!
Meanwhile, ebuddy online IM services also have mobile IM apps for Apple and Android mobile devices. If you don’t want to install their mobile application, you can try out their  mobile web IM version.
Visit eBuddy – Web Based Instant Messenger

 

KoolIM

 

 

It has a simple interface supporting 7 IM clients namely AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Gtalk, ICQ, Gadu-Gadu and Xfire. Though it doesn`t offer the huge number of services what Meebo does, but you can easily send text messages and emotions with KoolIM. The best part of KoolIM is their services can works behind a firewall or proxy servers.
Meanwhile, you can chat either using the embedded client available right within the browser window or a pop up client that looks like a desktop instant messenger apps.
Visit KoolIM

 

ILoveIM

 

ILoveIM perhaps is the most simple online instant messenger app, which connect to MSN, AIM, ICQ, GTalk, Myspace, Facebook chat and Yahoo IM under one sides. It offers basic functions we expect from a desktop messenger app. The best part of ILoveIM is they enables you to be invisible right from from the sign up page. Plus more, all IM information and passwords are encrypted with a 1024 bit RSA key and is a participant of the TRUSTe Privacy Seal Program.

 

IM+

 

 

 

IM+ perhaps is an easy-to-use feature-rich IM client for mobile phones and web. IM+ Web Messenger allows you to log in and chat with contacts from MSN Live Messenger, Facebook, Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, MySpace, ICQ, Google Talk and Jabber. Meanwhile,  IM+ mobile app is available for iPhone/iPad, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Java and WebOS.
The best part of IM+ will be their IM+ account, which you can save your logins for each IM networks so you won’t need to set them up each time you open the service. Meanwhile, IM+ allows you to login in to several accounts of the same network simultaneously, thus, you may easily separate your professional and private chats on one page.
Visit IM+
How did you like the above mentioned online IM clients? Which one is your favourite? Do let us know your views.

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Related Headlines for Online Instant Messenger Sites That Connect Many IM Networks

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• CSpace – Free Most Secure IM Messenger
• Build Own Web Instant Messenger (IM) client application with iJab

Read more: Online Instant Messenger Sites http://www.techmixer.com/online-instant-messenger/#ixzz1w4JXl2mB

Three Best Websites To Get A University Education For Free

Another great article from the folks at www.makeusof.com

• May 23, 2012
  
• By Tina Sieber

The idea that you are never done learning has never been more true than today. The Internet has revolutionized the way we access information and knowledge – formerly a luxury accessible only to the rich and highly gifted – which is now freely available to anyone with Internet access.
Education and learning should be a lifelong process and the Internet is your chance to get a university level education for free, regardless of where you are in life. This article introduces you to the three best websites to get started.

Khan Academy

 

 

 

 

The Khan Academy is probably the most famous educational website out there. It was started in 2006 with the mission to provide “a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.” Meanwhile, the site provides over 3,000 videos on subjects from science to humanities, which have been delivered to millions of people. More than just videos, the site also offers short exercises to help students practice the knowledge they have acquired by watching the video material – all of it for free.

Coursera

 

 

 

Online education is spreading and the traditional institutions are taking note. Coursera has partnered with top US universities to provide some of their courses for free. The site offers lectures on computer science, healthcare, social sciences, and economics from universities like Princeton, Stanford or Berkeley.
Like the Khan Academy, they offer interactive exercises. Moreover, Coursera promises that you will join a global network of thousands of students, who you can depend on for feedback and support. Coursera takes you through full courses, which follow a schedule, meaning you have to sign up for them in advance.

If you enjoy Coursera and the Khan Academy, you may also enjoy one of these 6 Really Good Sites with FREE Video Lectures from Top US Colleges or 5 Great Sites with Free Video Lectures from Top Colleges.

 

 

Academic Earth

 

 

 

Similar to the Khan Academy, Academic Earth’s vision is to offer “a world-class education for everyone on earth“. The site offers free online classes and in-depth online learning through video lectures from university professors. Interestingly, Academic Earth has partnered with the same universities as Coursera and many more. In addition to Princeton, Stanford, and Berkeley, you will find video lectures from UCLA, Harvard, and Yale. Moreover, Academic Earth has partnered with the Khan Academy.



What makes Academic Earth unique is that you can sign up to earn an actual online degree. While this isn’t necessarily free (no definite information is available), it may at least be accessible to you regardless of where you live.
If you still haven’t learned enough, we have written about 8 MORE Knowledge Websites With Free Online Video Lectures, as well as 12 Great Free Video Tutorial Sites To Brush Up Your Tech Skills, and 5 Websites To Watch Educational Videos That Will Expand Your Mind. Would you like to take classes on your iPad, iPhone or iPod? Check out iTunes U, which we have recently reviewed here: Taking Free Classes & Courses At iTunes U.
Fans of YouTube, check out these articles:

• The Five Best Educational YouTube Channels
• 14+ YouTube Playlists To Watch & Learn Computer Programming Quickly
• The Best 2 Channels To Seriously Help You Visually Learn Complicated Math Concepts
  
  Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-best-websites-to-get-a-university-level-education-for-free/

Internet Explorer 11, A Game Changer

By Vygantas | May 21, 2012 | 9 Comments

Ever wondered what could possibly Internet Explorer 11 bring to the table? If the recent rumor is true, it will change the security game as we know.

According to Insideris, with the help of Kinect (probably Kinect 2 by the time it’s released) or a fingerprint reader, Microsoft will assign a unique ID for your finger (or face), which will be used as follows:

- If user is joining a new web site and it requires to choose a password, user touches a fingerprint reader (or smiles), unique password is generated and uploaded to Microsoft’s cloud (from what It seems, user does not actually see his password) and it’s pretty much done.
- When user wants to login, Internet Explorer 11 will detect that the password has already been generated for the following site, he touches a fingerprint reader and password is entered automatically.
Basically, it pretty much eliminates insecure passwords as all of them are generated automatically, they are stored in the cloud, user no longer has to remember complex combinations and Trojans can no longer steal login data, as user does not have to type it.
Win/Win?

Source: http://www.favbrowser.com/internet-explorer-11-a-game-changer/

The biggest changes in the release are the following:

• Do Not Track enabled by default – Sends a do not track header to websites by default to improve privacy
• Native Flash integration – This is the first release with a native integration of Adobe’s Flash technology
• Improved performance
• Improved standards support.
  

Firefox 13 - What's New

About a month ago I highlighted what Mozilla had in store for Firefox 13. The information back then were based on the aurora release channel, and information that Mozilla had posted at that time. Firefox 13 has now been moved to the beta channel where it will stay for the next six weeks before it will become the the stable version of the web browser replacing Firefox 12.

When you look at the changes in Firefox 13.0, you will notice that some that Mozilla aimed to release in the browser version were pushed further down the line, debuting in Firefox 14 or even later instead.

The most obvious change, or changes, are two new pages that Firefox users will come upon when they start the browser for the first time. First the new about:home start page  "about:home" featuring a Google search form and quick access to features and information such as bookmarks, the browsing history, downloads, or a button to the restore previous session.

The second change is the new blank tab page that Firefox users will notice when they open a blank tab in the browser. This page gets automatically populated with a speed dial feature that is displaying the nine most popular websites based on the user’s browsing history. Important websites can be pinned to make them permanently available on the page, and it is furthermore possible to use drag and drop to change the order of pages as well. Firefox users who do not want to use the new feature can disable it with a click on the hide the new tab page button.

One of the main development aims in recent versions of the browser was to improve the browser’s responsiveness and performance. A visible feature in this regard is the new tabs on demand feature when sessions are restored on startup. Firefox basically loads the active tab on startup, and not all of the tabs that had been open in the last browsing session. These websites are loaded when the user clicks on the tabs, which speeds up the start of the browser.

The developers have also made progress integrating a new restoration feature in the browser. First code parts were added to Firefox 12, and work continued in Firefox 13. If things go ahead as planned, Firefox users will be able to restore the browser if they notice crashes and other issues with it.

Firefox 13 is also the version of Firefox were a new smooth scrolling feature is integrated in for the first time. Mozilla originally aimed to release the feature in Firefox 12, but it had to be postponed one release. It is possible to modify the scrolling distance of the feature in the about:config of the browser. You need to filter for the parameter 
toolkit.scrollbox.verticalScrollDistance and change the default value of 3 to a higher value if you want the distance to increase, or a lower value if you want it to decrease. It is still possible to disable the feature in the Firefox options under Advanced > General > Use smooth scrolling.

Some features, like inline autocomplete won’t make it into Firefox 13. These features have been moved into Firefox 14 or 15 as of right now.
Have you had the chance to play around with Firefox 13 yet? If so, what is your impression of the browser?

Related Articles:

The New Firefox Home Page
Speed Dial Firefox Extension
Firefox 3.6.3 Lorentz Runs Plugins In Separate Processes
Firefox 9 Final Available, Get It Before Anyone Else
Firefox 14 To Get Click To Play Plugin Feature


Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2012/04/27/firefox-13-whats-new/

5 Other Sites To Buy/Sell Stuff Like Craigslist

• April 13, 2012
  
• By Matt Smith

Craiglist is an interesting part of the Internet’s legacy. Founded over 15 years ago, the site has steadfastly refused to change its minimalist design and easy-to-use posting system. Though perhaps no longer as popular as it was a decade ago, Craiglist remains a popular and successful site.
This success has spawned many imitators over the years, most of which failed before anyone knew they existed. Still, there are a few sites that serve a similar purpose.

Backpage.com

 

 

If you’re looking for a straight Craiglist clone, this is it. Backpage.com replicates much of what makes Craiglist great in the eyes of many – a basic design with a simple, (usually) free posting system. In fact, posting on this website is a lot easier than posting on Craigslist.
Backpage is not as popular as the site it imitates, but its following is surprisingly robust in some areas of the United States, particularly the southern states like Arizona and Texas. Some cities in Italy, Germany and a few other countries are supported, but there’s not much activity.

Oodle Marketplace

 

 

Oodle is both a Craigslist-a-like and an anti-Craiglist at the same time. The basic concept of posting online classifieds is the same, but it embraces Facebook to provide a more personal experience. You don’t have to use Facebook to post, but if you do so your profile will be accessible via Oodle.

There’s a lot of activity on Oodle. It’s not just good for buying and selling – it’s also great for finding nearby jobs in major metropolitan areas. This site seems to do a better job of providing geographically relevant results than many competitors and there is support for several countries besides the United States.
On the other hand, Oodle’s focus on social networking makes it a bit less intuitive for people looking to find items in a specific category. Some people will prefer this design, and others will find it frustrating.

Sell.com

 

 

Nearly as old as Craigslist, Sell.com is more focused than many other sites of this type. Rather than focusing on all potential classifieds – including personals, job ads and more – this site only focuses on buying and selling. This site also does not categorize classified by region automatically, though there is the option to enter your zip code.
Sell.com is quite basic and free to post on, though you can make your ads more visible on the site by paying money. The focus on buying and selling reduces the flexibility of this site, but it also frees up space on the page, providing room for thumbnail images of many items. You’ll also find eBay-like features such as seller ratings and a shopping cart.

Ebay Classifieds

 

 

This is eBay’s new attempt to rival Craigslist. It was known as Kijiji but has since been renamed to make sure everyone is aware that, yes, eBay is the owner. This site is a bit different from others because it was launched globally first and then re-purposed for the United States. Unfortunately, the international community seems to have been completely erased in this latest incarnation.
Ebay Classifieds is quite popular in a number of metro areas. It focuses on buying and selling but supports many other classifieds such as jobs, housing and more. The site’s design is cleaner and more attractive than other competitors, but still intuitive.

Geebo

 

 

Another Internet veteran, Geebo has never obtained the household name status of companies like Craigslist and eBay but has remained relevant for anyone who’s looking for an alternative. Like most classified sites, the design is simple, but like eBay Classifieds it is far more colorful and modern than Craigslist. Another similarity is this site’s focus on the United States.
Geebo uses the tagline “safe community classifieds” and claims to have a more personal atmosphere than the competition. The site’s blog does spend a lot of time bashing the competition for sketchy practices, but otherwise the site isn’t “safer” than anywhere else.
That doesn’t have much impact on buying and selling, however. If you just want to find a free chair or get rid of an old car, Geebo is excellent. It even offers thumbnail images and easy-to-use advanced filters.

Conclusion

There are a lot of sites like Craigslist, but these were picked because of their strong user communities. A classified site is not of much use if no one ever visits it.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-sites-craiglist-buy-sell-stuff/

Tweak Chrome Performance With Flags Options

Chrome has lots of experimental features that you can discover by typing ‘chrome:flags' (without quotes) into the address bar (also called the Omnibox). When you do this, you’ll see the message: ‘CarefuI, these experiments may bite’, and a warning. Google adds this warning to remind you that these features haven’t been officially released, and may sometimes contain small glitches, But we’ve tried out the following tips, and they all work fine. You wiII have to restart Chrome for the changes to start working.

Speed up page loading

After typing ‘chrome:flags’, find the ‘GPU compositing on all pages’ link. Enable this and restart Chrome. What you have just done is let your Central Processing Unit (CPU) offload the intensive tasks of loading multimedia files, such as videos that are embedded on web pages. Instead, your Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) will handle these files, which means pages will load much more quickly.

View sites that use HTML5

A little further down the list, you’ll find GPU Accelerated Canvas 2D. Enabling this means Chrome will be able to display pages that use the new HTML5 web standard, so you won’t have a problem viewing websites that use the latest web technology.

Get smoother scrolling

Smoother page scrolling, which you will have seen on smartphones and tablets, is another crucial part of HTML5. To make sure that the web pages you browse benefit from this, enable ‘Smooth Scrolling’, Like GPU Accelerated Canvas, this is another way to make sure you experience the latest advances in website technology when using Chrome.

Choose which pages block Flash

Scroll down to roughly half way until you see the option ‘Click to play. EnablLng this lets you choose which individual pages block Flash, rather than creating a blanket block across all sites. For example, if you’re on a page that contains any Flash video feeds, these will be blocked until you decide to click them to play the video.

Play retro games in Chrome

Next, find the ’chrome:flags’ feature named Native Client. Once you click Enable, Chrome will be able to run applications in the browser as if you had downloaded them to your Desktop. One of the benefits of this is that youll be able to play the fun retro games atNaCLBOX , which include Star Wars: TIE Fighter, Duke Nukem and Epic Pinball.

Source:  http://www.techstudy.net/2012/02/perform-tweaks-with-google-chromeflags.html

Protect Your Online Privacy: Lie

If you're not committing fraud, you're not required to give your correct name to Google or anyone else.

By Kevin Fogarty, ITworld    Mar 1, 2012 7:00 pm

Do you know what the worst thing is about Google's new no-privacy policy and attempt to collect data about everything you do online in one place no matter where you do it or on what site?
You have no choice but to go along with it, if you want to find the information you're looking for. Intrusiveness is one thing, intrusiveness to which it's impossible to say 'No' is another. Especially when Twitter and the other services you use online are being just as intrusive.

If you use the Internet at all it's very hard to avoid Google, either searching it directly or using it indirectly as the embedded search engine on someone else's site. And that doesn’t even include Google Apps, which is the only reason some people ever log in to Google.

Even those so offended by Google's decision to consolidate all the tracking data it keeps in Picasa, Gmail, Search and all its other services into a single package and appalled by its decision to sell that information, much of which customers didn' t know Google was saving, have no choice but to use Google some of the time.


Of course, they don't have to log in, so Google would be limited in the degree to which it could invade their privacy.

It wouldn't have their names and addresses, phone numbers and long-term search history.
It would just have one cookie that could identify the user's browser and associate that individual with a list of Web pages, search queries and other activities in which he or she has engaged while being tracked by Google (which is always).




In its own outreach plan to the media today, the day its new privacy invasions are set to start, Google spokespeople tried to spin the truth by making it seem less intrusive to be tracked less completely by Google than might otherwise be the case.

As if simply following you around all day long, taking surreptitious pictures, drawing maps of your wanderings and selling all that information about you to people eager to use it to manipulate and persuade you isn't bad enough to qualify as a stalker.

It is, but it's the Lite version of Google's efforts to track you.
There are bits of software, special settings on your browser and at Google you can use to minimize the amount of data Google tracks on you. Some work well, some don't, some are too much of a pain to worry about.

They'll all conceal different portions of your personal data, or erase it, or anonymize it to avoid identifying you, personally, with all the searches on SuperHotMoms.com or TickleYouWithAFeather.org.
They all require some extra work, some additional software running with your browser, some time spent changing the configuration of your browser so it automatically deletes all your tracking cookies every time you shut it down.

What can you do if you don't want to waste time on freeware or changing the setup of your browser in ways you may not understand?
You can lie.




Lie to Google. Lie to Yahoo and Bing and Facebook and Twitter and any other sites that not only want to track you but won't even do their most basic mob – showing you content – without taking down information you would indignantly refuse if you were asked by the corn-dog vendor at the carnival, clerk at the car-wash or zombie behind the counter at a convenience store that accepts only cash.

Just lie.

If you have to enter a name, enter a name that is not your own.

Every time a site pops up a window asking for your birthday, pick one that's not even in the same decade as yours (make sure you're still claiming to be over 21 so the site doesn't turn you away).
When a site asks you to open an account, use a differerent login name and address than you'd need to buy something. Tell Google you live in Seattle; tell Bing you live in San Jose. Tell Twitter you live on a different planet.

It won't save you from having all the searches you run or sites you visit tracked. It won't assign a different IP address to your browsing data to make you harder to find,
It won't erase any of your past history; it won't add any history that's less embarrassing.
What it will do is create a fictional, named persona to whom some of your searches and browsing can be attributed.

It will break up the global picture of all your activities online into smaller chunks so no single vendor has the whole picture of everything you do.

They don't have the right to demand that, anyway. They ask because they know you'll usually go along with it, not because you're obligated to tell them.
The only time you're obligated to tell the truth is when you're buying something and the credit-card has to be yours, or signing up for a service that depends on using your correct identity – at the DMV or your bank, for example.

Don't make all the names random. Make up a couple of fake personas and use them consistently so you don't waste time and get frustrated while filling out online forms. Just paste the answers in and get on with your business.
It's not a crime; it's not an ethical violation. It's not even particularly rude, considering how intimate, complete and unwanted a profile Google is building of you.
Protect yourself a little without hurting anyone; be someone else for a while.
I

f it confuses anyone trying to keep track of you online, it serves them right. No one has the right to follow you all the time without your consent. No one has the right to know everything you do. No one has the right to insist you always tell the truth when they're asking intrusive, manipulative questions without answers to which they won't give you the free service they promised when you hit their site in the first place.
And, with enough fake information in their databases, maybe Google and the rest of the identity-data thieves will tone down their own demands for information you wouldn't normally give your best friend, let alone a disembodied representation of the advertising world.
It's impossible to hurt the feelings of a web site.

For more computing news, visit ITworld. Story copyright © 2011 ITworld Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/251121/protect_your_online_privacy_lie.html

Your Privacy Kind of Sucks, Fix it Up This Weekend

From the folks at Lifehacker.com

Google released a new privacy policy this week, reminding us that the services and apps we use aren't free—we pay for them with our privacy. This weekend, take a look at your digital life and audit your privacy settings to keep your personal information as locked down as possible.

Why Your Privacy Matters

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It's really easy to just brush these things off as unimportant, and to a certain extent, sure: I don't care what kind of ads I'm being served. If they're tailored to me, all the better—it doesn't feel any more invasive. That said, you never really know what companies are going to do with the data you give them. Legally, they have to get your permission before they use it, but we're so quick to give permission without thinking these days that the law doesn't offer us much solace. Make sure you actually read the privacy policies when you can, and turn off any invasive features in the settings of your favorite apps (more on that later). For good, widespread protection, it's probably a good idea to turn on the "Do Not Track" options in your browser. You can also install a few extensions to help you out, not to mention use something like Collusion for Firefox to see who exactly is doing all this tracking as you browse around your favorite sites.

 

 

Tweak Your Favorite Web Services

 

We already talked this week about hiding your Google search history (and your YouTube search history), but they're far from the only web services looking to use your personal info. You should also check out our always up-to-date guide to managing your Facebook privacy, not to mention how to stop Facebook from tracking your every move elsewhere on the web. If you're a Google+ user, we've shown you how to get your privacy under control there, too.

The other problem you have with web services is that smaller web services like to link themselves to your Facebook, Twitter, Google, Dropbox, and other accounts—which gives them access to all your data on those services as well. MyPermissions is a great place to start cleaning those up. It doesn't require your login information or anything; it essentially links you to a page on Facebook, Twitter, Google, Dropbox, Flickr, and other services where you can manage what apps have permission to access your data on that service. If there are apps you don't use anymore, it's probably a good time to revoke their access to your data.

 

 

Lock Down Your Phone's Anti-Privacy Features

 

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Your phone is a better PC than your actual PC is, in part because it knows all about you—which, unfortunately, can also be a privacy concern. Luckily, while you can't always stop your phone carrier from tracking everything, you can at least stop the world from knowing your every move by turning off location tracking. Furthermore, if you're on an Android phone, you'll probably want to take a look at the permissions required by some of your favorite apps. If you're uncomfortable with the permissions they require, uninstall them. If you want an overview of the permissions you've given out, check out free app aSpotCat—it'll give you a detailed look at which apps are looking at what.

 

 

Keep Your Home Computer Safe from Prying Eyes

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All that is well and good, but big companies aren't the only ones out to get your personal information. Perhaps you have a particularly snoopy roommate (I'd lock your door) or an insecure significant other (I'd reassess that relationship) that wants to go looking at your computer without your knowledge. First, find out if someone's secretly been using your computer, and do some damage control from there. After that, make sure that even if they were to use your computer, they wouldn't be able to find what they're looking for. We've shared a bunch of ways to protect your privacy when you share your computer—willingly or unwillingly—and private browsing mode is always a good way to protect some of your web habits (helpfully automated with these extensions, of course). And, lastly, if you use an iPhone, here's how to turn off message previews and save yourself some embarrassment from people standing behind you.

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These are just a few things you can do this weekend to audit your privacy settings, though while you're at it, you might also want to check on your security too, as the two can often go hand in hand. Got any other good privacy tips we didn't share? Let us know about them in the comments.
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Source: http://lifehacker.com/5890117/your-privacy-kind-of-sucks-fix-it-up-this-weekend

Firefox 11 relieves add-on updating pain

Updated 02-04-12 - Considering this beta release comes right on the back of the release of version 10.0, it contains some pretty sizeable and notable changes. One the largest and probably most useful additions, is the inclusion of add-on synchronization. The new sync features offer the ability to mirror any add-on installations you may have across multiple desktop machines, whereas previously you would have to go through the whole process manually for each set up. Firefox is playing catch up a little bit, considering browsers such as Google Chrome have offered this enhanced sync ability for quite some time, but considering the implementation issues; Chrome has suffered and it will interesting to see if Firefox handles this feature in a more elegant manner.
The official Firefox beta 11 release notes contain a number of feature additions as well as fixes and updates to certain aspects of the browser and reads as follows:

• [NEW] Firefox can now migrate your Bookmarks, History and Cookies from Google Chrome.
• [NEW] With Sync Enabled, add-ons can now be synchronised across your computers.
• [NEW] The CSS text-size-adjust property is now supported.
• [HTML5] The outerHTML property is now supported on HTML elements.
• [HTML5] View source syntax highlighting now uses the HTML5 parser.
• [FIXED] Redesigned media controls for HTML5 video playback.
• [FIXED] Firefox notifications may not work properly with Growl 1.3 or later.

Users may have noted that in the Google Chrome browser, the update process occurs seamlessly in the background. This silent update feature will also now be included with Firefox on Windows. The somewhat annoying User Account Control, which seems to require permissions to do anything, will only need to be granted access one time only, meaning after the initial permission has been granted; updates will be handled seamlessly upon restart of the browser.
The latest beta version will also include support for web developers, allowing them to visualize a webpage in full three dimensional goodness using the page inspector 3D view which has been built in. If the machine being used is compatible with WebGL then viewing the page in 3D will offer a whole new perspective on web page structure and make up.
All in all, the new beta version of Firefox offers a mix of much needed features along with some important bug fixes and developer implementations. Visit the downloads page for Windows, Mac and Linux compatible versions, or, simply refer to the download links below to download Firefox 11 in standard English:

• Download Firefox 11 beta [Windows]
• Download Firefox 11 beta [Mac]
• Download Firefox 11 beta [Linux]

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Source: http://www.redmondpie.com/download-firefox-11-beta-for-windows-mac-linux/

 

 

Mozilla patches 8 vulnerabilities, delivers first enterprise edition

By Gregg Keizer,January 31, 2012 03:13 PM ET

Computerworld - Mozilla today patched eight vulnerabilities in Firefox as it shipped the latest iteration in its rapid release schedule.

Firefox 10, sixth in the line of updates that have been rolling off the development line every six weeks since mid-2011, fixed half a dozen flaws rated "critical," Mozilla's highest threat ranking, and another two labeled "high."
One of the notable vulnerabilities addressed in Firefox 10 could open users to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks because the browser did not properly run a security check when calling untrusted scripting objects, said Mozilla.
"The fix enables the Script Security Manager (SSM) to force security checks on all frame scripts," an accompanying advisory noted.

Mozilla also fixed several bugs that caused Firefox crashes, including one traced to a recent Java update that Apple shipped to users last year.
Although Mozilla touted several new features in Firefox 10 it thought were important to developers, the most noticeable change to users is the browser's ability to automatically mark nearly all add-ons as compatible with each upgrade.

Firefox users have complained about incompatible add-ons since Mozilla shifted to the faster release schedule last summer, as add-on developers have been slow to revamp their code or tag their extensions as suitable for the newest edition.
Mozilla began automatically marking add-ons as compatible back in March 2011 when it launched Firefox 4, but limited that move to extensions distributed through its own website;

Firefox 10 does the same for all add-ons, including those not available from Mozilla.
Automatic add-on compatibility marking is one component Mozilla has identified as necessary for a "silent update" mechanism to match that in Google Chrome, which upgrades itself without any user action.

Other pieces, however, are not ready: The final part of the service is now slated to appear in

Firefox 13, set to release in early June, or six weeks later than Mozilla's estimate when it shipped Firefox 9 last month.

Mozilla also released Firefox 3.6.26, the latest security update for the two-year-old browser, to patch five vulnerabilities, four of them critical.

Firefox 3.6 is closing on retirement: Mozilla has said it will stop shipping security updates for the browser after April 24.
To replace Firefox 3.6 -- which many enterprises retained when they balked at upgrading every six weeks -- the company also kicked off the first edition of Firefox ESR (extended support release).

Firefox 10 ESR will be supported with security updates through its 54-week lifespan, but its user interface and feature set will not change during that stretch. Mozilla will upgrade ESR users to a new edition starting Nov. 20, 2012.
Windows, Mac and Linux editions of Firefox 10 can be downloaded manually from Mozilla's site. People running Firefox 4 or later will be offered the upgrade through the browser's own update mechanism.
The next version of Firefox is scheduled to ship March 13.

Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at @gkeizer, on Google+ or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His e-mail address is gkeizer@computerworld.com.
See more articles by Gregg Keizer.

Source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223860/Firefox_10_relieves_add_on_updating_pain?source=rss_internet&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+computerworld%2Fs%2Ffeed%2Ftopic%2F211+%28Computerworld+Browsers+News%29

10 Best Hotel Search Engines

• February 1, 2012
  
• By Saikat Basu

Are you a last minute hotel booker or one who plans out trips months in advance? If you are a business traveller, chances are that you are the former. If you aren’t, then you are just the guy who could do with this article. Come to think of it, even if you are a business traveller who lives out of a suitcase, it would pay to keep these hotel search engines bookmarked because it could give you some room near your bottom-line.
Searching for the best hotel deals in town is one topic we have discussed at length on MUO. We still like to put out the information now and again because hotel search engines are essential traveller tools to be used before you pack your suitcase.
Here are ten of the best hotel search engines that fetch you the best deals when you travel.

Google Hotel Finder

We start with the usual suspects and Google with its experimental Google Hotel Finder is one for the top billing. Head over to our directory mention for a brief introduction. Google Hotel Finder could go from an experiment to a full-scale assault on the other hotel and travel websites out there because it brings in a few conveniences. For instance, you can compare hotel prices (the price slider is a big help) and put them in a shortlist and track them over time. Tracking is a big help when you want to grab the best deal in town. You can use filters and the Google map to search out hotels in a selected area; select them by travel time; and pick the ones which are near the urban hot spots.

Bing Travel – Rate Indicator

Bing Travel goes head to head (or is it the other way around) with Google Hotel Finder. The Rate Indicator here is a great help when you are trying to find whether the hotel tariff is a good deal or not. You can also do a historic search for specific dates. It is only available for 30 U.S. cities at present. The Rate Indicator shows yellow, green, and red legends on a Bing Map to indicate the ‘hotness’ of a deal.  The usual Bing Travel search engine though gives you a comparative search with Hotwire, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Expedia, and Priceline. These are few of the top notch travel and hotel websites.

Hotels.com

Hotels.com is one of the most comprehensive hotel booking websites around which covers 140,000 hotels worldwide. It is a one-window solution to all your search and booking needs. It gives you localized information plus great deals and rewards programs. Hotels.com claims that it gives you the cheapest rates and if you find anything cheaper they will match it. Hotels.com also does not charge cancellation fees. Download their free iPad, iPhone, Android app.

Laterooms

This is a Europe and U.K centric site which covers properties worldwide too. Laterooms lists a total of 33,000 properties. Sign-up to receive best deals by email or periodically visit the Special Offers section on the site. The hotel search engine uncovers deals like – Extra special discounts; Added value extras; Free hotel nights; and package deals when you stay for more than one night.

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is one of the most well-known search engines for travel and hotel deals. We mentioned it when we saw 5 Review Sites To Help You Find The Perfect Hotel and it certainly deserves another mention here. The site suggests reviews and advice on hotels, resorts, flights, vacation rentals, vacation packages, travel guides, and lots more. One of the features you might use most often is the filter that lets you sort the hotels by the amenities on offer.

Booking.com

Hotel search and booking websites are usually choc-a-bloc with information. I like the relatively uncluttered layout of this hotel search engine which is also aided by the large and clear fonts that are used. You can use the search engine to locate and hotel reservations.  Their tag line says – 187,784 hotels in 163 countries worldwide. So, that’s quite a sweep. Subscribe to the email newsletter for flash deals.

Hotels Combined

Hotels Combined and its hotel search engine too covers the world. The site says that its Verified Reviews (a trademarked service) accepts and quantifies reviews from verified, paying customers only. The hotel search engine compares prices across a bunch of hotel pricing sites. You can view the list when you search for the best hotel by destination.

Hotwire

The discount travel site negotiates the best hotel deals (along with other travel related ones) and presents them to you as Hotwire Hot Rates. You can also use the site’s Tripwatcher tool to watch out for price drops. The results are compared with other sites like Expedia, Kayak, Tripadvisor, and Orbitz. Check out the site’s Planning Tools section for a few more travel aids which help you plan your trip.

Venere

104.000 hotels and listing of other accommodation types in more than 130 countries makes this best hotel search engine holds its own against the best of its ilk. Also includes Bed and Breakfasts and vacation rentals. The site gives you a colorful map-based search tool for finding out the best hotel deal in town.

Roomkey

Six of the largest hotel companies in the world (Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group) collaborated to start up Roomkey.  The hotel search engine is specifically tailored for their clientele and aims to – offer travelers direct access to a broad network of hotels around the globe, provide accurate and comprehensive information, make it easy for travelers to discover what’s right for them. And in one word, the interface is superb.
These ten hotel search engines are at the forefront of the pack, and there are more of them. Most of the websites in the hotel search category are quite similar…offering a mix of hotel reservations, reviews, and great deals. Here are a few more you can throw into the mix:

• 6 Useful Last-Minute Booking Sites For Your Next Trip
• How To Find & Reserve Right Hotels From Your Android Phone
• 10 Sites For Budget Travel & Backpacking Trips Across The World
• The Best Travel Deals Sites To Save Cash On Your Next Vacation
• The 10 Best Free International Travel Guide Websites

Having a few of these hotel search engines bookmarked helps you to cross-check the best deals and plan your trip with low overheads. Where are you planning to travel to next? Do you use any of these hotel search engines, or do you depend on your travel agent?
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-hotel-search-engines-deals-travel/