Google made a huge change to YouTube, and users are protesting.
I'm Bridget Carey, and this is your CNET Update.
YouTube users are outraged over a change made to the site.
Google+ has been integrated into YouTube's commenting system.
So, if you wanna leave a comment, you are required to use a Google+ account.
That leaves people with basically two choices-- either drop your
YouTube handle forever and start using your real name on Google+, or keep your YouTube handle and create a Google+ page for it-- kinda like if it was a brand page.
The idea is that if people use their real names to leave comments, it will cut back on the filth that spews forth from anonymous users.
And it will clean up most of the conversation.
But people are upset and protesting because they value their privacy, and didn't like the taste of Google shoving its social network down everyone's throat.
Some protests simply
with repetitive comments like this image of a tank.
There's also a change.org petition with more than 100,000 signatures and read that users have swarmed the Google forms with hundreds of thousands of complaints.
Of course, many are happy with this change because it's a step toward raising the quality of conversation.
But it's not perfect.
The new system allows people to put in hyperlinks now, and of course, people are abusing it and sharing links with viruses.
Many videos still have comments with hateful remarks floating to the
top of the pile just because they're getting replies.
Google says it's working to fix these issues.
But there's no sign that it will back down and return to the old commenting system.
You can bet Google+ is here to stay.
It's also a bad week for another Google department, the HP Chromebook 11 has been yanked from store shelves due to an overheating charger.
HP and Google advised owners of the laptop to stop using the charger that came with the computer, and use another microUSB charger.
A new mobile
payment system has gone live nationwide.
It's called Isis Mobile Wallet.
And it's a joint venture run by Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
It works with a few smartphones, but not the iPhone.
To get folks interested in paying with a tap of their phone, there are some freebies.
Some vending machines use My Coke Rewards to give out free drinks and Jamba Juice has given away one million free smoothies to Isis users.
Remember the days of printing out directions from MapQuest before your trip?
Well then, you should check out the new MapQuest
app for Android and iOS.
That's right.
MapQuest is still kicking.
The Map app has been redesigned with new features for search and voice, turn-by-turn navigation, and real-time traffic rerouting.
That's your tech news update.
But you'd get more details on the blog, cnet.com/update.
From our studios in New York, I'm Bridget Carey.
