Microsoft delete fake Google apps

Microsoft today pulled six fake Google apps from the Windows Phone Store, after we contacted the company about the issue. The apps in question were: “Hangouts,” “Google Voice ,” “Google Search,” “Google+,” “Google Maps,” and “Gmail – email from Google.” All of these are published by a “Google, Inc” (instead of “Google Inc.”) and priced at $1.99 each. The only app that Google offers for Windows Phone is its search app, and the publisher is “Google Inc.” The apps in question were first spotted by WinBeta this morning, after being originally published yesterday. We got in touch with Microsoft to ask about the issue. Here are...

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Google Drive detailed: 5 GB for free, launching next week for Mac, Windows, Android and iOS

Sometimes we get lucky, and today is one of those days. I got a draft release from a partner of Google’s upcoming Google Drive service and it gives away a wealth of information about how Google plans to take on the incumbent Dropbox. The short story? 5 GB of storage, and it launches next week, likely on Tuesday at http://drive.google.com Now let’s talk details. It’s no surprise that it will roll out for free. What’s interesting though is that Google is planning to start everyone with 5 GB of storage. Of course you can buy more, but that trumps Dropbox’s 2 GB that is included with every account. Dropbox does make it easy to get more space,...

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Hackers target 15 Lebanese government websites, calling for better living standards

15 Lebanese governmental sites were taken down this morning by a group of hackers identifying themselves as, “Raise Your Voice,” Reuters reports. The 15 websites, which Now Lebanon describes as “redundant”, all featured the same message, calling for an improvement in living standards, and for the Lebanese government to bring an end to electricity and water shortages. While some of the sites have since been restored, others still bear the folllowing message sent to the Lebanese government by the hackers: We are RYV, short for Raise Your Voice, and we are simply a group of people who could not bare [sic] sitting in silence, watching all the crimes and injustice going on in Lebanon. We will not be silenced and brainwashed by your media. We will not stop until the Lebanese people mobilize,...

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The Best iOS Apps To Watch On Apple TV

Developers don’t have to wait for a fully baked version of Apple TV to come out to get a feel for how their apps will play on the big screen. Although an eco-system for Apple TV apps does not yet exist, there are dozens of quality iOS applications that are best consumed on an HDTV via AirPlay Mirroring. Creating apps specific to the leaned-back setting of the living room requires more than just supersizing titles originally conceived for smartphones or tablets. Successful Apple TV apps need to source and showcase entertainment, news and social activity in ways not currently possible via cable, satellite or video streaming providers. Below are the 10 best iOS apps available on Apple TV today. Note that no games are featured here as that topic requires its own standalone assessment. I am...

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Apple and environmental group to begin China pollution audit “within weeks”

The Financial Times is reporting that Apple is preparing to audit its Chinese supply chain for pollution and will begin joint investigations with a local environmental group ”in the next few weeks.” The newspaper states that one of Apple’s partners, “a maker of printed circuit boards”, is set to be inspected by the firm and the China-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) as it looks to bring environmental issues to the surface. News of the planned audit first broke in February when Ma Jun, the founder of the IPE, told USA Today that the firm had commissioned independent environmental reviews of at least two of its partner’s...

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Intel releases its wish list of Windows 8 tablet features

Everyone, including Intel is expecting Windows 8 to launch before 2012 is over. Intel also wants to ensure its chips are inside as many Windows 8 tablets too, especially considering ARM is now an option. With that in mind, the chip giant has used the Intel Developer Forum being held this week in Beijing to unveil its wish list for Windows 8 tablet features. These aren’t set in stone, but would certainly provide an enjoyable tablet experience if one or two manufacturers managed to hit all these points. First up, Intel predictably sees an Atom processor at the heart of each tablet. More specifically, a dual-core Clover Trail Atom Z2760 with Hyperthreading and burst mode. No details of RAM are given, but Intel expects battery life to be in excess of 9 hours and standby time to be 30 days or...

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FCC Proposes $25,000 Fine on Google

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission proposed a $25,000 fine on Google Inc., GOOG -4.06% accusing the search giant of deliberately obstructing an investigation into whether the company violated federal rules when its street-mapping service collected and stored data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks in 2010. The agency proposed the fine late Friday night as it faced a deadline for taking action on the "Wi-Spy" case. "We worked in good faith to answer the FCC's questions throughout the inquiry, and we are pleased that they have concluded that we complied with the law," a Google spokeswoman said in a statement. European Pressphoto Agency The FCC's action is based on what it said was Google's reluctance to cooperate with the investigation. The FCC's action is based on what it said...

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