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Google may face antitrust inquiry over display ads -- again

Google has reportedly returned to the display ads hot seat with the Federal Trade Commission, after avoiding disciplinary action following an antitrust probe that concluded in January.

Citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg is reporting that the investigation is "in the preliminary stages and may not expand into a larger probe." At issue is whether Google is using its role in the online display ad industry (which overall sees $17.7 billion in annual revenue in the U.S.) to force companies to adopt other Google services. The practice can violate antitrust laws, Bloomberg's sources said.

Requests for comment … Read more

Lambda Labs readying Google Glass face-recognition API

Amid questions to Google from Congress about privacy concerns related to Google Glass, a San Francisco startup is preparing an API to recognize faces with the controversial gadget.

The Google Glass Face Recognition API (application programming interface) from Lambda Labs will be available to developers within a week, TechCrunch tells us, quoting co-founder Stephen Balaban. … Read more

Twitter attempts to beef up security

CNET Update is in the 'hood:

In this episode of Update:

- Learn how to make your Twitter account more secure from hackers. (But if won't be this simple for brand accounts that are used by more than one employee.)

- Get ready for J-Lo to shake up the mobile scene with her mobile company Viva Movil, which has partnered with Verizon.

- Lose the paper clutter and save your receipts digitally with the updated Google Drive app on Android.

- Find a neighbor to lend you sugar with the new Nextdoor app for iPhone.

CNET Update delivers the … Read more

Google surfaces your photos in search

Looking for a picture you took at your sister's bridal shower? Google's search engine will now help you find it -- so long as you've posted the shot to the company's companion social network.

The company announced Thursday that Google+ members can log in to Google.com and search for their own photos or query for a buddy's pictures stored on the social network. Just plug in queries such as "my photos from Vegas" or "Angie's wedding photos" and Google will scour through Google+ photo albums and return matching images … Read more

Use Google Drive on Android to save receipts

Do you keep the receipts for everything you buy? Like me, you've probably noticed that the ones printed on thermal paper can begin to disappear over time. Soon, you're left with only a blank piece of paper that can't act as a proof of purchase or help you at tax time.

Wednesday's update to Google Drive on Android lets you easily store all of your receipts and even search through them. Doesn't a nice digital archive sound better than piles, folders, or boxes of receipts all over your home? Here's how to … Read more

Girl's winning Google Doodle shows her dad home from war

A picture depicting a girl's reunion with her father returning from war has won the top award in a Google Doodle contest.

On display Thursday at Google's home page, "Coming Home" is a simple but powerful piece of art that portrays a young girl holding an American flag and running to reunite with her father. The returning soldier appears. They exchange a glance. And finally they fall into a deep embrace as they treasure their moment together again.

Created by 12th grader Sabrina Brady of Sparta, Wisc., "Coming Home" faced great competition in being crowned the 2013 U.S. Doodle 4 Google national winner. Google received more than 130,000 submissions for the contest, which garnered millions of votes. But in the end, Sabrina's drawing clearly moved the voters.… Read more

Kim Dotcom threatens to sue Twitter, others over patent

Kim Dotcom says he doesn't really want to sue Google, Facebook, Twitter, and other companies, but he really needs some help funding his defense.

The eclectic and controversial MegaUpload founder today said he invented two-factor authentication, which is being used by more and more companies to secure access to their sites. The verification steps aim to reduce the likelihood of online identity theft, phishing, and other scams because the victim's password would no longer be enough to give a thief access to their information.

Along with Twitter's recent introduction, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, PayPal, and countless other … Read more

Siri competitor Sherpa goes after Google Glass

Sherpa, a voice control app that promises a better experience than Apple's Siri, plans to beat Google at its own game on Google Glass.

Sherpa CEO and co-founder Xabier Uribe-Etxebarria unveiled the company's plans for the new app on Thursday in Spain, at the Sherpa Summit, an event with a lineup of speakers such as Mozilla CEO Mitchell Baker and John Sculley, former CEO of Apple.

Uribe-Etxebarria said the voice command app is actually more suited for the Google Glass hardware than Google's own software.

"Right now, with Google Glass, it's not taking advantage of … Read more

Google X acquires kite-power startup Makani

Google is in the process of acquiring Makani Power, a startup building power-generating cable-tethered flying wings, and is incorporating the technology within its Google X "moonshots" division.

"We look forward to working with our new colleagues at Google[x] to make airborne wind a cost-effective reality," the company said on its Web site. "This formalizes a long and productive relationship between our two companies, and will provide Makani with the resources to accelerate our work to make wind energy cost competitive with fossil fuels."

The acquisition was reported Wednesday in a BusinessWeek story about Google X, … Read more

Google Drive on Android scans receipts, adds Cards

Google Now's interface sensibilities are spilling over into other Google services.

The latest recipient of a healthy dose of the Now virtual assistant is Google Drive, which updated its Android app on Wednesday with several new features.

A new Scan feature lets you back up and track important receipts, business cards, and documents by using existing optical character recognition (OCR) tech already in Drive. Choose Scan from the "Add New" menu, take a photo of the document, and Drive will automatically turn it into a searchable PDF.

The new interface leverages the Cards look from Google+ and … Read more