Stories by Brennon Slattery

Happy Birthday, Google! Five Reasons I Can't Live Without You

Google turned 11 yesterday, and it's hard to believe Google is <i>only</i> 11. Long ago it became its own verb, replacing "to search for" with its ubiquitous moniker, and permanently etched itself into Internet culture. Now, with its many offshoots, Google is no longer just a quick and easy alternative to, say, Yahoo search or AOL Web crawling, but rather, an institution.

Lonely? Why not buy some Facebook friends

Are you totally reprehensible and feeling lonely? Or maybe you're just a struggling business looking for some instant online companionship? The firm <a href="http://usocial.net/">Usocial</a> has the answer for you -- buy Facebook friends and fans.

Wikipedia changes editing policy

The innovative online encyclopedia Wikipedia is growing up, and with its growth comes a massive change to how it operates. Back in its early days, Wikipedia could be edited by anyone. Then it nixed the concept of anonymous edits and required authentication. Now contributors can write what they want, but if editing certain articles, the changes must be verified by an experienced volunteer before publication.

iPhone virus: What you need to know

The iPhone's security flaws were laid bare at the Black Hat Conference in Las Vegas yesterday, and now the smartphone-clutching public has boiled itself into a frenzy. But how serious is this supposed iPhone virus, and what can be done to protect your iPhone from infection? Here is what we know, and why you probably shouldn't worry.

iPod cameras: coming soon?

Rumors have swirled that Apple plans to add a camera to the iPod Touch. And, once the iPhone appeared with a camera capable of taking decent pictures and recording video, it became more than likely that the newest version of the iPod Touch would receive similar treatment. Now those rumors seem to be coming true.

Anyone want to buy Twitter?

Despite Twitter's popularity and ballooning public image, the micro-blogging site may never be able to turn a profit. That was the prevailing attitude at Allen & Co's Sun Valley, Idaho media conference, where the topic du jour was Twitter. None of the old school media moguls in attendance seemed optimistic about its profitability and others flat-out said they would not be interested in buying.

The Internet survives Michael Jackson's memorial service

When news of Michael Jackson's death hit the wire on June 25, the Web crumbled beneath its weight. AOL went down in flames. News sites were overloaded with page views. Twitter was smothered by the Fail Whale. So when Jackson's memorial service was announced, the Internet prepared itself for a massive influx of streaming video, tweets, status updates, and more. This time it survived.

Rumor: Next-gen iPods to sport video cameras

What could possibly knock the super-popular Flip Mino off its pedestal? Why, an Apple-made video camera, of course. According to rumors trickling in over the blogosphere, Apple may embed cameras similar to those found in the iPhone 3GS -- therefore capable of capturing video -- into its line-up of iPods.

More pornography sneaks onto the iPhone

Less than a week after the iPhone app developer behind Hottest Girls was busted for distributing pornographic material on the iPhone, another perpetrator sneaked in and posted what is purported to be a photo of a nude 15-year-old girl to its iPhone app. The app, named BeautyMeter, has been removed in line with Apple's policy against pornographic material.

Doom Comes to the iPhone

Fans of the classic "Doom" series may want to preorder the new iPhone 3G S immediately, because the venerable first-person shooter game is coming to the smartphone next week.

Report: Sony Ericsson bails on Memory Stick Micro

After three years tethered to the ball and chain of Sony's Memory Stick Micro, Sony Ericsson has made the tough but needed decision to break up with the format and embrace the more universal MicroSD.

Palm Pre can sync with iTunes

For those eager to get your hands on the Palm Pre but are cautious about straying from the almighty iPhone, here's some good news: According to reports, the Pre seamlessly syncs with iTunes. The one problem is that it cannot handle copy-protected songs, so if you've been amassing a legit iTunes library (i.e. downloaded from iTunes and not, you know, elsewhere), you may want to stick with Apple.

Twitter TV is a bad idea

Hordes of Twitter fans have spoken out against Twitter's integration with the television industry, even causing the world's top Twitterer, Ashton Kutcher, to threaten a hiatus from the microblogging service. Many have adopted #nottwittertv as an anti-Twitter TV calling card, and @No_tweet_show has turned into a central location against the idea. Simply put: Twitter TV is a bad idea.

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