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I have this strange feeling that I'm being watched. Gmail is hinting in an ad that I should consider self-publishing that novel I'm working on. Thesaurus.com seems to know exactly which jackets I looked at recently on Backcountry.com.

The Obama administration's recently unveiled Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights is supposed to tip the balance of power back to Web users. It gives them the right to control what data is collected, how it is used and shared, and to have that data secured. Enforcement information, however, is still sketchy.

The document is expected to be used as the basis for new privacy legislation.

Online privacy is a sizzling topic in light of Facebook privacy missteps, Google's consolidation of privacy policies, and sneaky data collection by mobile apps. … Read more

You're streaming the entire series of "The Sopranos" on your smartphone. It's the final episode. The screen suddenly goes black! Is it the show or is AT&T throttling your data?

The cellular company has made good on its warning to slow the speeds for the top 5 percent of data users. Impacted users are ones who have unlimited data plans. Smartphone owners with tiered plans aren't subject to the throttling.

Customers have mixed reviews on the policy. Some are outraged at having their data slowed. Some are concerned about the drag that heavy … Read more

Nomo-what?

Nomophobia is the fear of being without mobile contact (who knew such a term or condition existed?), and according to a new study from the U.K., two out of three people suffer from it.

. SecurEnvoy, a mobile authentication solution provider, sponsored the study and found that of the 1,000 people surveyed in the U.K., 66 percent were afraid of losing or being without their phone--a 13 percent increase from when the study was first conducted four years ago.

The increase is not a huge surprise, as cell phones and smartphones have become more and more prevalent, … Read more

Last year more than 7,000 CNET readers answered this question regarding 2011 TVs, so I couldn't help but ask it again this year.

This time, however, there's a new twist that simultaneously makes the poll more interesting and fun (in my opinion) but also, because of some funky site design issues, makes it tougher to read. So bear with me and scroll down all the way to read all the choices before you vote.

… Read more

Your time is up. It's Timeline or bust for Facebook users now. The social network is automatically switching users over to the new profile look over the next few weeks.

Timeline dredges up your entire history from the day you first joined the network, and even back as far as your birth. That includes your awkward "Twilight" phase and that time you posted a heartfelt poem over a breakup three years ago.

Facebookers now face a huge banner image on top of each profile and a constantly updated stream of information about what your friends are doing, posting, listening to, or watching.

This is a big change and not everyone is thrilled about it. It's kind of like having an interactive autobiography online, except you also get to know that your best bud just watched the crazy honey badger video for the tenth time.… Read more

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak created a comment explosion over his recent remarks about certain advantages he sees with Android phones.

Woz isn't pitching his iPhone into the shrubbery, but he did talk to the Daily Beast about several Android features he feels trump the iPhone's offerings. GPS navigation, battery life, and voice commands all made the list.

The Android versus iPhone debate has been as emotional as the great over-versus-under toilet paper debate. Hearing an Apple icon praise the other side just stirs the pot up a little bit more.… Read more

Thumb for Android gives you an easy way to pose questions to and get instant opinions from the public. If used correctly, this simple app can be a valuable tool for casual research or daily decision-making. It's also fun if you just want to have people chime in on random topics.

If the concept of Thumb seems familiar, that might be because the app was originally released under the name Opinionaided. Though its name is different now, the app has retained all of its core functionality and is more or less the same as before.

There are two ways … 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

Is your gadget-obsessed head spinning from all the gear pouring out of CES 2012? Well, screw it on tight, readers. With dozens of CNET reporters and editors on the ground in Vegas and several days of the blowout left to go, there's plenty more where that came from.

Believe us, with gizmos filling the equivalent of 35 football fields, we know it can all get a wee bit overwhelming. Still, even the most fatigued gadget watcher would probably agree that a few offerings already stand out.

Step back from the madness for a minute, if you will, and tell us what's got your inner gadget geek going so far. What has you feeling hopeful and excited about consumer electronics in 2012? … Read more