Google Plus New Trending Social Networking

Google Plus (Google +) is a new social network launched by one of the internet giant, Google. As soon as the news of Google Plus project spreads, Google Plus become new trending topic in most of blogs around the world. Will this new hot Google Plus break the dominance of Facebook that leads the social networking worlds in recent years ?

Google already launced Google Buzz but not quite success in the market. So what can we expect in this new Google Plus project ? "We want to improve the experience of sharing on the Internet" said Google senior vice-president, Vic Gundotra, as quoted by the Bangkok Post, Wednesday, June 29, 2011. So what kind of experience are we talking about ? Read through to read the review about new awesome features that Google Plus have.

Right now, Google Plus is in closed trial process. Only people that invited directly by Google can experience and test the features. But Google promised that Google Plus will be open tu public soon. Actually, Google plus is quite similar to Facebook. The users can write at Google Plus status, upload photos and links, as commonly done on Facebook. The difference, according to Gundotra, Google Plus (Google +) can separate the members on its website with groups. For example, working groups and groups of coworkers easily (not making group like in facebook).

Google Plus Screen Shot

"Because not all of our relationships can link together. As our relationship with the boss definitely different from our relationship with our parents, "Gundotra said. Facebook face a lot of criticism about the groups. Many user status is intended to be seen by only several people their network. Google Plus provides these features. Google Plus (Google +) that allows users to separate the members in its network in different groups (circles) according to their individual interests.

Here is several key features of Google Plus that claimed can beat facebook.

1. Circles. This function can be used to insert the names of friends into groups and users can share content with different formats in every different circle of friends.
2. Hangouts. This is a video conference service for more than two people with a video call.
3. Huddle. This service provides the groups in this network to send instant messages.
4. Sparks. This feature connects the individuals in this network to people who have the same interests towards something.

Google Plus Circle

Well, how Google Plus (Google +) will be in the competitive battle of social networking world ? Let's wait and see.

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Google Challenge Bing with "Caffeine"

Facing the though competition in the Internet market, Google developed a faster search engine. Therefore, Google invites developers to test the new web search engine and provide feedback to them.

Matt Cutts, Google's chief developer, and Sitram Iyer, Google's software developer staff post a message on Google Blog. They invite the developers to try out their new innovations. In these blogs, they also wrote, "For several months, teams of Googlers have been working on a secret project: A new generation architecture for the Google search engine. The new project is called Caffeine.

A Google spokesman added that Google is always try to create new technologies to improve the quality of its search engine. We hope this system will improve the quality of search in terms of size, speed, accuracy, and completeness.

Google also acknowledged that the project Caffeine is to challenge their rival Microsoft with Bing.

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Chrome OS and The End of Virus

Google promised "The End of Virus" with the presence of cloud-based operating system, Chrome OS. Google has promised to Internet users that Chrome OS will make the era of malware, viruses, and trojans are over. Google promises the so-called paradise for anti virus in Chrome OS. Google also promises high security architecture in Chrome OS that users will not be bothered with viruses, malware, and security updates.

But ironically, Google also bothered with the security hole in Chrome browser. Two of the security hole present in the Chrome browser, the malicious code in Chrome tab and processes tab sandbox with corrupt memory, which has been improved.

So whether the future of cloud computing will be more secure than the system we use today? Now we still have to download the security patches to fix software that we use. As we know, Google has a high reputation in security issues. Spam filter in Gmail, and phishing detection in the Google search engine is a good security system. We can expect Chrome OS can actually make the end for the virus.

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Facebook Lite, a New Challenger for Twitter

Facebook seems to plans to challenge twitter. This biggest social networking service will launch Facebook Lite, a version of facebook which is more simple and "lighter". The Facebook Lite website looks similar to a Microblogging services.

Facebook has invited several groups of users to try out the beta version of Facebook Lite. The decision to develop Facebook Lite was seen differently by others. Industrial sector sees this as Facebook wants to compete with twitter. But others argue that the lesser service was developed to be used in countries with limited bandwidth. This version also makes users to access facebook via mobile phone easier.

In order to boost download speed on their pages, Facebook Lite make the display the images smaller, Facebook lite will also feature a video with lower resolution. This service is being tested in India and planned to be released first in Russia and China.
The sample of Facebook Lite used to be able to be seen, but now the service has been terminated. So let's wait the official announcement of this Facebook Lite

Read also :

Twitter Spreading Koobface Worm
Paid Access to Youtube and Facebook ?

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Google's new Operating System : Chrome, Challenge Microsoft

Google Inc. intentions to rule world of computer cannot be taken lightly. After introducing a mobile operating system named Android, the giant search engine company based in Mountain View, California is challenging Microsoft Corps.

Beginning last July, Google announced plans to develop a free operating system for computer users. The operating system will be developed with a base of Chrome, Google's web browser which is 9 months old, and will be released in mid-2010.
In order to develop Chrome, Google hold a community of open source programmers. An early version of Chrome will be embedded OS plan at first netbook product.

Chrome OS would presumably be a challenge for Microsoft, who also plans to release a new operating system, Windows 7. This two large companies are in more intense duel in recent years, after Google successfully dominated the Internet business.

Google's plan was greeted warmly by many hardware developer companies, including Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, and Toshiba. This Chrome OS is designed to work with Intel chip which is widely adopted in most desktop computers, laptops and netbooks. Chrome OS will also be developed to be compatible with Arm chips which are widely used in handheld devices.

Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, which developed a chip-based mobile devices Arm, will also be a partner in the Google Chrome OS project.

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Twitter Spreading Koobface Worm

Koobface worm, which had been linked to infect user accounts at popular social networking service, Facebook and Myspace, now extended into various accounts of Microblogging users, Twitter. This worm attacks scale is serious enough to make twitter managers issued a warning on its service status page.

Actually Koobface activities on Twitter have been detected before, but only recently responded by temporary closing infected account. Email notification, which also contains tips to remove Koobface from the PC, will be sent to the infected user accounts.

This Koobface worm malware sends bogus messages while a user access his Twitter account. The message contains a link to a video with interesting topics.
If the link is clicked, the link will lead users to a website containing malware disguised as video codecs. Windows users who install the codec would automatically become infected by Koobface.

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Convert Music and Movie

Not only DVD player that can play movies and music. Apple iPhone can play them too, if provided with right multimedia file formats. In order to have an appropriate format, there are convertion software available. Which one is the best, read through this article to know the difference.

Formerly, AV player in the family room is usually dominated by a DVD player with a single output MPEG formats. Now, DVD player is also equipped with the ability to play AVI movies and MP3 songs. Later, consumers who do not have a Blu-ray, but want to enjoy High Definition quality impressions, also begin to look for player that supports Matroska (MKV).

In addition there are mobile devices that can play video, like iPhone, PSP (PlayStation Portable), and the latest game console PlayStation 3. Players like this only supports MP4 files with a specific profile with predefined resolution, framerate, and birthrate.

Perhaps, only experts who won't be confused with a variety of multimedia formats. Consumers or users who want to convert a movie or song to be played on the player usually depend on special software to convert to the standard format and profile.

Demands on a complete or all-in-one multimedia converter program is very high. They (converter) must support four standard containers commonly used : MPEG, AVI, MP3, and Matroska. Each multimedia files stored in a container that manages video and audio tracks in it. The format of these tracks may vary. To know the detail of the format, use program analyzer and special identifiers.

Container MPEG for DVD has a relatively simple structure, ie for MPEG2 video and Dolby Audio (AC3) for audio. As for AVI as a classic container for movie on the PC is more flexible. But for the DVD player that supports DivX, AVI file that is compatible with the player, the parameters must follow the rules which tracks the video-oriented Advanced MPEG4 Simple Profile standard (MPEG4-ASP) and has a maximum resolution of DVD (DivX Home Theater).

Popular Encoder, such as DivX and XviD support these formats although they have more XviD settings option. Simply by selecting the appropriate profile in the encoder and disabled Global Motion Compensation, then you have to create a compatible video tracks. As for audio tracks, AVI container provides MP3 and AC3 formats.

MP4: standard mobile devices

Diversity began to emerge in the MP4 container. A popular container for mobile devices allows a series of audio and video formats which also part of MPEG4 standard. A video track must be in a regular MPEG4 or MPEG4 Part 10 (H.264). Devices such as iPod or PSP can play both, but because H.264 offers better picture quality, this is a prioritized format. Parameters for the mobile player encoder is strict. For MPEG4, encoder must use the Simple Profile, whereas for the H.264, Baseline Profile selected. Both profiles have been revoked several amenities (such as B-frames) in order not to burden the resource.

Original audio tracks only support MP4 AAC or MP3 only. It was only since August 2008, MP4 finally started to support AC3 (Dolby Digital). However, these options only found in PCs. Faced with constraints on the MP4, several communities on the Internet develop other container that is Matroska (MKV). This container has no limits. MKV can handle any combination of audio and video, and subtitles that can be considered an ideal container. However, because no official standard, many hardware manufacturers are still delay integrating MKV into the player. Some player that supports MKV HD playback can be seen in www.mkvplayers.com. H.264 and RC3 combination in MKV is not a problem. DivX sees that and includes an H.264 encoder to version 7 of their new DivX. In addition, the DivX plus is a new certification program for DVD players. DivX plus that will be published this year consists of a MKV file with H.264 video tracks

MP3 and the like: the next audio format
If the format of the movie (video) increases, the audio just so simple. In addition to audio CDs which is somewhat old-fashioned enough, MP3 format still dominates. Recent replacement of MP3 format maybe only AAC. Popular iPod player even restrict ourselves to these two formats. This makes all the other formats "neglected". MP3 songs are in the same container is called MPEG AAC in a MP4, M4A usually have the suffix. Today there is HE (High Efficiency) AAC format. This format uses AAC to a more compression technology that is Spectral Brain Replication. In this technology, high frequency don't need to be saved because it would be put together by the decoder during playback. In HE-AAC, 64 kbbps is the normal bitrate, equivalent to 128 kbbps in MP3 and 96 kbbps on AAC. HE-AAC is commonly used on the internet as audio tracks in video flash-efficient place.

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Google Wave : New E-Mail Concept

It only takes a program for chatting, e-mail, and writing documents. This was introduced by Google with their new service, Wave. Initiators of this new service is the inventor of Google Maps, Jens and Lars Rasmussen. Google Wave will be offered this year.

In this initial phase, the two brothers are still expecting the inputs from other developers, given the Wave would later become an open source project. With an open platform, developers are expected to integrate Wave website into their website or program.

Wave can bundle the discussions that have been made into a single topic and displays them in the form of dialogue in a mailing list / forum. Later the user can communicate with each other, work with each other, and share, not only text but also photos, videos or games. For digital photos, Wave can automatically create thumbnails and prepared a small slide show. Documents and tables can be processed instantly. Changes immediately visible to all members, and can directly be commented on in the fields. Thus, this feature is a mixture and further development of e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking. With a playback function, Wave can search and retrace all messages that have been sent / received and immediately display it. This is a practical way for new members who do not want to struggle in tracing the e-mails one by one. According to the developer, Wave may be use as Content Management System, for example for mini blog. They even believe that Wave could replace e-mail service as a whole.

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Microsoft is Ready to Take On Google

In search engines, Google's competitors have no chance at all. Microsoft wants to change it with Bing. Will these efforts ended in vain?

With the MSN search engine and their live search, Microsoft never came close to Google. Until June 2009, Microsoft is still in third place after Google (80%) and its competitor Yahoo (10%). Being in the third position, Microsoft promised to do better. Thus explained by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at the conference "All Things Digital" in California when he introduced a new search engine named Bing.

Bing is not the successor of Live, but a new development of the concept of search. Bing is not a search engine but a decision engine. Currently about 30% of search queries fail because unsatisfactory result. Two third of queries have yet to be specified once again before the user find the desired results. So, there's a lot of potential to be developed for a search engine. The breakthrough of this new engine is expected to help the socialization of this search engine.

Before Bing was launched, Microsoft conducted a series of acquisitions after the failed acquisition of Yahoo, last year it bought Power Set, a software company. This quite promising company is doing research in the field of semantic web search. Currently, Power Set team is creating some concept of semantic web search to be integrated into the Bing. While Google only provides a link from the searched word, Bing even understand the meaning of the word. The experts were impressed with Bing. Bing is a major update compared to Live.com in many aspects, Bing even more user friendly compared to Google. Semantic web search capabilities can be seen from the following example: if a user enters the word "Cancer", Bing will separate the link associated with disease and link associated with astrology. This machine also suggest similar terms, such as skin cancer or lung cancer, this suggestion is shown on the left window of the search results.

In addition, Microsoft also complement Bing with the practical functions, a preview window will provide initial information about the link offered.
Search images and video with Bing gives satisfactory results, more compact compared to Google. With the mouse over, the information will appear, such as image size or source tools, in a small window. If you search for videos, Bing provide a video preview, in addition, users can provide comments on the video and say in which part, the search machine really gives the best results. From these functions, search engine experts believe that other providers will follow Microsoft. Actually, semantic web search integrated into Bing, is already offered by Wolfram Alpha knowledge. This machine can provide answers to specific questions. With no links in search results. This knowledge services can provide a satisfactory answer, although there is also a less satisfying. Mathematical formula such as the sine curve not only processed, but also graphically depicted.

Will Bing beat Google or vice versa ? Unlike its predecessor, Bing is really a search engine that is very useful. Bing still needs a long step to catch Google. But in the United States Bing is slowly reaching the number two position. However, the imitators will not make it last long, they will confirm the name of Bing "But It's Not Google".

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Paid Access for Youtube and Facebook ?

Internet big players such as Youtube and facebook is rumored to have big financial problem. They need new sources of income to cover the lost. Will us as user have to pay for access ? Not many people think that a company that runs the biggest social network in the world can have financial problem. Several weeks ago, Facebook Financial Director, Gideon Yu, resigned. This website has over 200 million users and developing rapidly. But their income don't grow as much as it looks like. Their income from advertising can't cover the expenses, so Facebook will need new fresh income.

This financial problem is faced not only by Facebook, but also by almost every big company that offers web 2.0 technology. According to an estimation by Credit Suisse, Youtube this year will have a lost almost 471 million US dollar. The traffic cost is almost 1 million dollar a day. The same condition also happens at Twitter and Skype. To the investors, internet is not as interesting anymore as when web 2.0 era begins. Sequoia Capital, one of biggest financial company have requested directors to develop a new business model which is hoped to be more stable.

With this problem going through, the future we can expect is : Free for basic feature only. Slowly but sure, free services will disappear. Youtube will develop a new system that require payment for users. Facebook will also develop this method. There will be paid account. The basic feature will be free but if you want convinience, you will have to pay. Let's hope there will be another way out for this problem.

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