Facebook Now Just Integrating Directly with Twitter

By Chris Crum - Fri, 08/21/2009 - 08:54 for WebPro News

FB Page Admins Can Post Updates to Twitter

Facebook is in the process of releasing a feature for Facebook Pages that allows the page's admin to automatically post updates to Twitter simultaneously. The feature is only for Pages and not for individual profiles. 

"Public figures, musicians, businesses and organizations of all types who've created Facebook Pages often want to share a status update, a photo or an event with as many of their supporters as possible," saysFacebook's Michael Gummelt. "Celebrities may want to share personal news or charities may want to put out calls for help to both their Facebook fans and their Twitter followers, all at the same time."

"If you manage a Facebook Page, you now will be able to decide whether to share updates with their Twitter followers, and you also will be able to control what type of updates to share: status updates, links, photos, notes, events or all of them," explains Gummelt. "If you have multiple Pages, you will have the option to link each of those Pages to different Twitter accounts."

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Google Adds Option to Email Task List in Gmail

By Chris Crum - Fri, 08/21/2009 - 14:26 for WebPro News

Easily Send List of Goals/Accomplishments

Today Google introduced a feature to Gmail, which allows users to email their task lists. This can be done by simply choosing the new "email task list" option found in the actions menu. 

When a user clicks on this option, Gmail will open a new compose window with the contents of your current task list. It works in each task list view - My Order, Sort by Date, and Completed.

"So to email your mom to explain why you've been so busy and haven't been able to return her calls, just choose 'View completed tasks' from the Actions menu, then 'Email task list,' and send away (Note: this may not be very convincing if you haven't actually checked anything off your list recently)," says Google Software Engineer Michael Bolin.

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8 Firefox Add-Ons to Boost Productivity

By Chris Crum - Tue, 08/18/2009 - 16:07 for WebPro news

Make Your Online Life Quicker and Easier

If you use Firefox, you are no doubt aware that there are many add-ons that can enhance your browsing experience. Many of these can make your online life a whole lot easier and save you time. Following are some that I have found particularly useful.

1. Fire Gestures

The Fire Gestures add-on allows you to perform different Firefox operations with a simple gesture of the mouse. For example, you can open a new tab by holding a right click and moving left and right from anywhere in the window. 

You can perform a lot of functions with different gestures, which are completely customizable via the add-on's options. You cans set up which gestures you want to perform each operation.

The add-on is similar to other mouse gestures add-ons, but this one is compatible with Firefox 3.5. 

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The Biggest Security Hole on the Web?

By Chris Crum - Sun, 08/16/2009 - 09:00 for WebPro News

Security Company Points to Flash/Acrobat Reader Vulnerabilities

Two weeks ago, Adobe released a critical patchfor Flash Player and Acrobat Reader. According to online security company Trusteer, about 80% of users are still vulnerable, and perhaps more startling, the company views this as being possibly the biggest security hole on the Internet today. 

That 80% figure is based on Trusteer's installed base of over 2.5 million online banking users of the company's security service. 

"The penetration of Adobe Flash and Acrobat is unparalleled," a spokesperson for Trusteer tells WebProNews. "According to Adobe, 99% of Internet users run Flash.

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YouTube Launches Site for Smartphones

By Chris Crum - Fri, 08/07/2009 - 09:46 for WebPro News

Made for iPhone, G1, Palm Pre

Smartphone users now have their own version of YouTube. The company says that smartphone users with "capable" browsers like the iPhone, G1, and Palm Pre can access the mobile site. 

"As more and more people are using the browser on their smartphones for checking email, visiting websites, and even accessing YouTube, we want to make sure that we provide the best possible YouTube experience on your mobile browser," saysYouTube Product Manager Dwipal Desai. 

Users can log into their account, view their favorites, and find and share videos just like normal. "It's part of our mission to create the best possible YouTube experience for you, whether you use the site on your computer, in your living room, or on the go," says Desai.

To access the new mobile site, just go to YouTube.com from your mobile phone. From there you'll be taken to a new website designed specifically for your mobile device. 

This version of YouTube is not available on all devices, keep in mind. According to some people commenting on YouTube's announcement, it doesn't work on the Blackberry Bold, or the Sony PSP, to name a couple.

It's gong to be wise for YouTube to be optimized for as many devices as possible, especially now that it has its own AdSense-type program. The site is also catering to new a lot more these days, which could increase demand for the site for users on the go.

Facebook Just Became More Important to Search

By Chris Crum - Wed, 08/12/2009 - 17:00 for WebPro News

Real-Time Search Competition Heating Up

Facebook has begun rolling out a new version of its search feature, which it began testing with a select few last month. Of course, this would be real-time search, in the company's latest effort to move into Twitter territory. The announcement of Facebook's real-time search comes hot off the heels of their big announcement about the acquisition of FriendFeed, which comes with a pretty nifty real-time search engine of its own. But that's a different story. 

Interestingly enough, Google's got its own project in the works that looks to have some real-time search implications. The company has announced a search update called "Caffeine," which among other things is aimed at indexing content faster. "It's the first step in a process that will let us push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions," says Google's Webmaster Central team. Perhaps Google can bring some added relevancy to real-time search. 

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Is Google Really Threatened By This Yahoo Microsoft Deal?

By Chris Crum - Sun, 08/02/2009 - 05:29 for WebPro News

 

Or Will It Just Make Google Better?

Are you tired of reading about the Microsoft Yahoo deal yet? Obviously not or you wouldn't be reading this. There has been a whole lot of coverage to digest, and there will certainly be a whole lot more as the deal getsscrutinized and continues its journey to fruition.

There has been a lot of talk about the deal being bad for Yahoo and good for Microsoft. This may or may not be true, as it's really way too early to tell for sure, but Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has been doing his best to try to convince people (mainly Yahoo shareholders) that Yahoo is in fact getting a good deal. 

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