March 18, 2024

Amazon acquires Goodreads, aims to make better recommendations for Kindle users

So, Amazon has a reading platform called Kindle. Goodreads has a platform that makes fairly excellent suggestions when it comes to reading materials. You probably see where this is going. This evening, Amazon announced that it was acquiring one of the more popular reading recommendation engines, and while the outfit isn't making clear what it plans … [Read more...]

Foursquare’s BlackBerry 10 app updated to add features that iOS users already enjoy

Heads-up, BB10 users -- checking in just got a little less second-class. Foursquare has today issued an update to its BlackBerry 10 app that effectively brings it closer in line with the version already available for iOS users. For starters, there's a more compact Explore screen, and your friends can now be tagged in check-ins and comments. For big … [Read more...]

Minister says cell phones are a fact of life for users

BC's Attorney-General says the current laws aren't working but she will not allow police to seize cell phones to crack down on distracted driving. The BC Chiefs of Police Association is kicking around a few ideas to reduce distracted driving including the seizure of cell phones from repeat offenders.  Shirley Bond however, says that won't … [Read more...]

The Mayors Council propses tax for transit users

The Mayors Council on Regional Transportation has tabled five funding options for consideration by the province.  Council Chair and North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton says it includes what he calls a minor regional sales tax. "We are probably only talking about you know point-one or point-two or point -three percent it may be as … [Read more...]

Facebook ‘experiment’ lets select users pay to have messages routed directly to a stranger’s inbox

Get ready to have your preconceived notions of email destroyed. In a Facebook blog post today, the company has gone to great lengths to bury the lede -- which, essentially, says that it's experimenting with the idea of letting non-connected users pay in order to have a message routed to one's inbox instead of that ill-fated "Other" folder. … [Read more...]

Twitter to give users fewer characters to tweet with when URLs are involved

The shock! The horror! The genuine nightmare of losing two more valuable character spaces per tweet! Such a scenario is indeed going to play out, as Twitter has just announced a subtle change in its t.co wrapper that'll go into play this coming February. The firm will be extending the maximum length of t.co wrapped links from 20 to 22 characters … [Read more...]

Google gently tweaks offline experience for Docs, rolling out to Drive users now

You asked for it (probably), and Google delivered (definitely). Once you've enabled Docs offline within Google Drive -- you have, right? -- you'll be able to both create and edit Google documents and view Google spreadsheets sans a live internet connection. But now, Google's massaging the interface in order to automatically filter only offline docs … [Read more...]

Skype CEO Tony Bates confirms 250m monthly users, talks Microsoft partnership and future plans

Skype CEO Tony Bates just took the stage here on the final day of D10, and he got right into the news delivery mindset: as of now, there are 250 million monthly connected users. Said Bates, "When we closed [the Microsoft deal], we had 170 million monthly users, so haven't skipped a beat in terms of momentum." Continuing on when asked from Kara … [Read more...]

Microsoft enables Android and iOS users to experience Windows Phone 7… via the web

Still tempted by the fruit of another? If you're looking Microsoft's way, but aren't quite ready to toss your adoration for iOS or Android aside, the coders in Redmond are giving you an alternative to quitting cold turkey. By visiting http://aka.ms/wpdemo on one's iOS or Android browser, you'll be immediately tunneled into a emulation of Windows … [Read more...]

Wahoo Fitness bringing $80 BlueHR heart-rate belt to iPhone 4S users

Remember that nondescript heart-rate monitoring belt we peeked back in June? Now you know the company that's tossing out purchase orders for 'em. Wahoo Fitness has just revealed that it'll soon be shipping its own branded version of the product -- dubbed BlueHR -- and at least for now, it'll work exclusively with the iPhone 4S. Why, you ask? The 4S … [Read more...]