COMIC: How Facebook Users React to Changes

During the F8 Developer Conference last week, Facebook CEO – Mark Zuckerberg – confirmed the arrival of numerous features that will be added on the social network. These include the new “Timeline” interface, and the Facebook Music. Few of the said features already went live a couple of days ago, producing both interested and annoyed [...]

Daniel Ek: On Spotify Integration with Facebook

At last Thrusday’s F8 conference, Spotify CEO – Daniel Ek – talked about the launch of Facebook Music. And to clear things out, the new feature is not a console built on top of the social networking site. It is a partnership made around a number of music apps like Rdio, Mog or Iheartradio through the new Open Graph platform.

To learn more about Spotify’s Facebook integration, hit the play button at the embedded video after the break provided by TechCrunch.

15 Fun Facts About Google+

As you already know, Google+ is the newest member in the ever-growing family of social networking services. It went live on public just recently, but has been in a trial for the past 90 days, sending out limited invitations to users as it hones its service. For a short period of time, this latest social site from Google has undeniably given a tremendous impact and influence to most social media users.

Thus, in order to show you a detailed rundown of what is happening around Google+, GADG has put up a list of the 15 fun and interesting facts about Google’s social extension.

Take the leap to learn them all.

Google+ Opens to the Public

The Internet’s newest social networking site – Google+ – has finally opened to the public, boasting more than 20 million users. The new social network is based on Circles – like friends, family and colleagues – who share something in common. That way, users can easily share updates to a specific group of people, without the awkward gaffe popularized by Facebook.

Other than going public, Google also released a handful of features to “bring the nuance and richness of real-life sharing,” as written by Vic Gundotra — the search engine giant’s senior vice president of engineering.

Hangouts, Google+’s version of live video chats, enables users to include multiple people for a face-to-face conversation. Moreover, users can have their own brand of public broadcasting via “Hangouts on Air.” And when the conversation runs dry, click “Try Hangouts with Extras.” With this feature, users can share their computer screen or whatever is in display. Moreover, all public post in Google+ is now searchable. In addition to this, Google renamed “Huddles” to “Messenger.”

Do you have a Google+ account? What are your impressions with the new social networking site?

Google’s Wi-Fi Data Collection, Now with Opt-out Option

Google announced that they will now enable providers of public Wi-Fi access to opt out of providing location data to Google services. The opt-out option will be available globe wide.

The search engine giant uses public Wi-Fi data to pinpoint mobile user’s location, together with GPS and cell tower data. This new policy is a response to criticism and Europe’s legal inquiries over the company’s Wi-Fi data collection — particularly by its Street View cars.

While the furor has been centered in Europe, Google has been criticized world wide for its Street View cars’ collection of private Wi-Fi data used for location services. Co-founder, Sergey Brin admitted that the amount of data scrapping was a mistake. Hence, the new policy is another carefully worded admission that the search engine giant’s previous moves on Wi-Fi data collection were too aggressive.

What do you think about Google’s Wi-Fi data collection for its location services? Sound them off at the comments.

Badgeville: Turning a Publisher’s Site to Mini-social Network

A year after it was founded and right before Gammification Summit hits NYC, Badgeville has introduced tools to turn any publisher’s site into a mini-social network. With just a flick of a switch, a brand can transform its user community and on-site actions into Facebook-lite — an interactive social and consumer experience.

Social Fabric allows brands and publishers to install feed with real-time and relevant social notifications, coming from both internal site mechanics and third-party social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Google Releases its Official Blogger App for iPhone

Google has good news for bloggers! They can now post and publish their blogs on Blogger immediately, or even save it as a draft through their iPhone and iPod touch. They can also open a blog post that they’ve been working on from their desktop and continue editing it on their mobile.

Google released the official Blogger app for the iPhone and iPod touch last Thursday. The said app is a modest first effort that will let its users to post, upload photos, tag a post, add labels and more to their blog.

The Blogger app for iOS 3.2 and above is currently available to download for free at the App Store. But if you’re using an Android-based device, you can download it from the Android Market.

Five Popular Websites that are Dying

It would be too hard to believe, but you must face the fact that there are already several popular sites that are going to become extinct; or in short…dying. It is quite undeniable that today’s social networking sites – such as Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare – are playing an important role on one’s everyday lives, forcing the used-to-be popular websites out of the scene.

Facebook for iOS 3.5, Now Available

Facebook has updated its iPhone app to iOS 3.5, and you can grab it now in Apple’s App Store.

With the said update, Facebook Profile and Groups should now look even more familiar; while the sharing options and privacy controls were tweaked to be similar with the desktop browser. The Facebook for iOS 3.5 also enables users to tag friends and places in posts, as well as in-app web pages. The compose screen was also updated with buttons to add friends from a list, tag a place, or add photo or video.

Simply put, Facebook for iOS 3.5 makes the mobile experience even more closer to online browsing. Check out the social network’s official change log after the break.

Seven Funny Facts You Didn’t Know About Google

Google is certainly the most-used search engine on the Web to date, receiving over millions of queries from different users each day. Despite its increasing popularity and commercial success since launching, its founders – Sergey Brin and Larry Page – have managed to keep to their word that “Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.”

Google is an unconventional company, but yet, it offers people the best service when it comes to online researching. In this article, GADG brought some of the interesting and fun facts about Google that, in one way or another, could quench your thirst for information.

Know them all by hitting the break.