plus

There has been a huge maelstrom about Google integrating Google+ into its search links. And it all misses the point.

Twitter and others are complaining that Google is throwing its massive 65 percent plus market share weight around and quashing smaller competitors. The reason Twitter and others are so threatened is that the pattern of shared links within Google+ provides a decent enough indicator as to what links are interesting. What's important is what's trending, and algorithms can get a sense of that with just a subset of everything that's getting shared on the Web.

The most … Read more

Were you googling for CES 2012 gadgets this week? If so, you might have spotted Google's new Search Plus feature, which automatically includes comments and photos from your Google+ and Picasa networks--unless you opt out.

Some will surely view the feature, which launched this week, as a nice way to easily find posts and photos on a given topic from friends and acquaintances. But not everyone is happy about Search Plus.

Yesterday, the Electronic Privacy Information Center asked regulators to investigate whether the new feature violates federal antitrust rules and poses privacy concerns. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Google TV has a way of disappointing expectations, and one strong case in point is the Vizio's VIA Plus platform for TVs.

At CES 2011 we named the VIA Plus models as our favorite TV product of CES. They used Google TV to deliver what the company described as interoperability between the TV and Android-equipped phones and tablets. Among other features, Via Plus was also said to support the OnLive gaming service. Those extras, along with the same kind of full-array local-dimming backlight we know and love, was enough to convince us that the so-equipped TVs were going … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Last year Samsung introduced a TV with a bezel just 0.2 inch wide, and I couldn't help but gush that "the picture comes as close to naked as you'll ever see outside a projector."

This year the company offers that sexy all-picture look on three series of high-end LED TVs announced at CES, the least-expensive of which is the UNES7100. Available in three sizes, its main differentiator compared with the other two--the UNES7500 and the flagship UNES8000--is lack of the company's new Smart Interaction voice/gesture control feature.

By the way, if anybody'… Read more

Continuing the Android handset push, this time into the low end of the handset spectrum, Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy Ace Plus.

Announced in Korea but also targeted at Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, it seems the only region the Ace Plus won't be shipping is right here in the States. Of course I bet not many hearts will be broken since this modest device won't inspire much gadget lust in Android addicts.

Powering the Galaxy Ace Plus is a 1GHz processor, most likely single-core, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. You won't … Read more

Google+ introduces improvements just before the holidays, text-sending teens increase their data usage by 256 percent over last year, and a federal judge rules that a lawsuit targeting Facebook's "sponsored stories" can proceed.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Two new paid torrent-managing programs have launched today from BitTorrent, Inc., as the 100-million-user base of uTorrent also earned an update.

First announced in July, uTorrent Plus 3.1 (download) debuted with an unexpected counterpart, BitTorrent Plus 8 (download). Both mark the first time that a paid selection of features the company calls "premium" have been added to either client. Accompanying them is the version 3.1 update to uTorrent (download).

People with the free version of uTorrent will be able to play media files directly in the uTorrent interface, thanks to the newly-baked in media player. The … Read more

A new version of Google+ for Android just hit the Market, and it includes Search.

One of the most user-requested features, according to Google, the new Search icon lets you quickly find posts or people on Google+ right from the app's Dashboard.

The update also includes a nice feature that lets you see who's online and currently typing in Messenger conversations. And to start your own Messenger conversation, now you can just enter a phone number.

Other improvements include higher-resolution photo uploads, the ability to +1 photos and comments, and numerous bug and stability fixes. And finally, Google+ … Read more

It became painfully obvious back in June at Nintendo's E3 2011 press conference that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword would be the console's last blockbuster title. Come to think of it, Skyward Sword was the only Wii game the company even mentioned.

So does Skyward Sword deliver the precision sword controls that Wii owners have been dreaming of since day one? Or is it the final chapter of an era of clunky motion control? We've dusted off our Wii consoles to find out.

Jeff: First, a very happy 25th anniversary to The Legend of Zelda franchise. Thank you for making me feel really old.

Nintendo is justifiably proud to share the milestone with everyone who's picking up Skyward Sword for the Wii, as all copies come with a 25th anniversary music CD featuring all kinds of Zelda tunes.

It's safe to say that Skyward Sword marks the Wii's last hurrah, and thankfully, the latest Zelda game certainly ranks up there with some of the console's best offerings.

For starters, Skyward Sword looks as good as any game can ever hope to on the Wii. The art direction has been brilliantly conceived, taking full advantage of the system's specs, and using a few blurring tricks to make things appear like a gorgeous watercolor painting. … Read more