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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

Telematics. It's one of the hottest terms in the auto industry these days, and just about every carmaker is rushing to offer its own version of the connected car.

At CES today in Las Vegas, it was German automaker Mercedes-Benz's turn to paint its telematics picture, and it did so, unveiling its @yourCommand system.

As the company put it in a release, "The car becomes a mobile-communications center, then enables [the] driver and passengers to access all modern media and services at any time. Uncoupling from the conventional vehicle development cycles is achieved on the one hand … Read more

I'd love to see your hi-fi or home theater.

It doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be interesting or quirky. Some people decorate their speakers or paint them in wild colors. I once had a girlfriend with great old Acoustic Research speakers (a gift from her father), a funky amp she found on the street, and a beat up Garrard turntable. The system looked like hell, but it sounded wonderful on rock and roll.

If you have a state-of-the-art high-end system, or a tricked out iPod speaker we'd love to see it. Take an interesting … Read more

Ever want to build an app for yourself?

It's actually not hard. There are a number of companies that offer the ability to create your own app for a minimal fee, which is great for small businesses looking to stay relevant in this increasingly mobile world. Or if you just have a lot of time on your hands.

Take Conduit. The company made its money creating branded toolbars found on your browser. But over the past few months, it has been expanding into the mobile world with a free service that allows you to build an app and mobile … Read more

Research In Motion now aims to support both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets--a break from the company's previous BlackBerry-only focus.

RIM introduced today BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, a mobile device management service that takes advantage of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology to track and monitor different phones and tablets.

With BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, RIM is attempting to preserve its hold over the business customer even as more of them leave the BlackBerry fold for other flashier devices. Mobile Fusion allows RIM to play a role in companies and government agencies, even if its BlackBerrys are no longer used. For … Read more

I've been waiting for the moment when famed Renaissance painter Raphael and an Apple product finally meet in a triumphant clash of art and design.

Sound the trumpets and cue the "Hallelujah" chorus! That day has arrived in the form of a 2011 MacBook Air slathered with 20,000 Swarovski crystals arranged as Raphael's two cherubs against a silvery background of glittering angel tears.… Read more

It may just be a matter of time before all data is stored in the cloud, and when that time comes, Mercedes-Benz's next-generation platform will be there waiting.

Mercedes-Benz revealed the futuristic @yourComand infotainment platform in its F 125 fuel-cell research vehicle. The new system takes the current COMAND Online system to the next level. It can be controlled by voice-commands, a touch pad, or hand-gestures, and can access any type of media stored in the cloud.

Unlike systems that rely on the users' smartphone data connection, @yourComand has a permanent "always on" cloud connection. And rather … Read more

Your mobile device could soon go the route of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

AT&T today unveiled AT&T Toggle, a service that allows you to create two separate and distinct identities on your smartphone or tablet. The first would be a personal account where you can freely browse the Internet, text your friends, and watch videos. A second, more secure identity would house your business apps and documents and can be managed by your company's IT department.

AT&T is using an app called Divide, which was created by start-up Enterproid.

The service will help aid the trend of individuals bringing their own devices to use at work, which kicked off with the iPhone a few years back and has spread to other smartphones and tablets. The announcement comes ahead of the CTIA Enterprise & Applications conference, which kicks off tomorrow in San Diego.

"When it comes to connected devices, one size doesn't fit all," said Chris Hill, vice president of advanced mobility services in AT&T's business services group. "People want to use their own smartphones and tablets for work, but that practice can create major headaches for businesses' IT departments."

Individuals like it because they're no longer constrained to the few options that companies give them on smartphones. Companies like it because they no longer have to bear the financial burden of outfitting their employees with mobile devices.

AT&T is hoping Toggle will provide a boost to this trend. The service will be available by the end of the year to phones running on Android 2.2, also known as Froyo, or higher. AT&T said it plans to expand the accessibility to other mobile operating systems next year. In addition, the service can work on phones running on any carrier.

AT&T plans to charge businesses a license fee of $5 per device each month on top of any other service fees. Once the company buys the license, it can assign it to an employee, who will be able to download the Toggle app from Android Marketplace or AT&T's application store.

Companies using the service will be able to allow certain employees the ability to access corporate data depending on their responsibilities. They will also be able to add, update, or delete business applications on their employees' personal devices, and remotely wipe corporate information on the device if it is lost or stolen. … Read more

Foursquare held its first-ever global hackathon a few weeks back, with developers and hackers gathering in cities all over the world, including Paris, London, Ottawa, San Francisco, and New York. All of the hackers had one goal in common: create some out-of-the-box idea on top of the Foursquare API. Not only did they accomplish their goal, but some of them even won prizes for doing so. … Read more