Bing pings Facebook
Microsoft stirs up the browser wars, Google+ gives its app a makeover, and Bing pulls Facebook friends into search results.
- Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
In today's show, we're Binging our friends, casting spells in Kindle's library, and bracing ourselves for the return of the browser wars:
Microsoft's Bing search engine now includes Facebook integration. When you search for something on Bing, a side panel will pop up and show which of your friends might help you with your search. So for example, if you search for hotels in Chicago, Bing will point out which of your friends live in Chicago.
Microsoft is also in the news today for stirring up the browser wars again. According to Mozilla, Microsoft is preventing Firefox and Chrome to run on Windows RT. (Windows RT is the light version of Windows 8 that you'll see on some tablets and smartphones. It's a version of Windows designed for devices powered by ARM processors.) Mozilla (Firefox) and Google (Chrome) are crying foul.
Facebook now has its own app store. Facebook is launching App Center, a hub that features various apps. Users will be directed to download the apps off the app stores from Apple or Google. Developers can create a device-agnostic app with HTML5 and post it in the App Center, to which Facebook will take a 30% cut of the sales.
Amazon Prime subscribers will be able to access the whole Harry Potter series through the Kindle owner's lending library, starting June 19. It costs about $80 a year to access the lending library and all the perks of Amazon Prime.
Nintendo dropped the prices of the DSi to $100 and the DSi XL to $130. Prices take effect May 20.
Dish Network announced its new Hopper DVR system will be able to skip commercials with a feature called Auto Hop. (Get it? Hop? Hopper? Dish has a kangaroo thing going, if you haven't yet noticed.) But it only skips commercials recorded during prime time shows, in HD, from the four major networks. And only when you watch it the day after it originally aired.
And the app we're buzzing about today is Google+ for iOS. The app just got a major update and design overhaul, putting a big focus around user photos. And get this: Google released this update to Apple users before Android. How scandalous. But Android users should be getting this update -- plus a few more perks -- in the coming weeks.
Want to share your thoughts on a story? Your questions and comments can make it on the show! Use Tout to message Bridget with a 15 second video reply from your webcam or smartphone camera. Or, simply post a reply video to the CNET YouTube channel. You can also write to update@cnet.com.
Subscribe: iTunes (HD) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360)