Week in review: Google's Buzz kill
The Web giant's foray into social networking comes with a few privacy knocks, while Microsoft and Yahoo win regulatory approval for their ad partnership. Also: Cell phone searches.
Google's new Buzz social-networking effort proved a privacy headache for the Web giant.
After an outcry of criticism from annoyed users and commentators, Google said it would make radical changes to the Buzz start-up experience. Along the way, Google confessed to being taken aback that people were rather upset to be already set up with a group of people to follow and be followed by.
Buzz was just tested inside Google before it launched to the general public. Perhaps those insiders didn't bring up the privacy concerns that Buzz users raised immediately following its launch. Maybe Google didn't ask outsiders for their thoughts on Buzz privacy or Google engineers dismissed those concerns as unfounded. For whatever reason, Google has taken a hit over the Buzz launch from a public that is already skeptical about the search giant's motivations with the enormous amount of personal data it already has accumulated.
• Google gets Buzzed with a class action lawsuit
• Google makes it easier to disable Buzz
• Google patches Buzz for Mobile security flaw
• Parlor trick: Buzzzy searches Buzz
• Google buys Remail, nears On2 deal
More headlines
FAQ: Yahoo, Microsoft make search pact official
With the blessing of U.S. and European regulators, Yahoo and Microsoft are free to implement their search partnership. What's in store for users and advertisers?Police push for warrantless searches of cell phones
San Francisco Bay Area case involving a police search of a suspect's iPhone without a warrant could set new legal ground rules for digital devices.• Justice Dept. defends warrantless cell phone tracking
School accused of off-campus Webcam spying
A Philadelphia-area school district gives laptops to its students. And according to a lawsuit, it is able to activate their Webcams remotely to see what students are doing at home.• Zeus Trojan found on 74,000 PCs in global botnet
U.S. trade body investigating Apple, RIM
Following Kodak's infringement complaints against the iPhone and BlackBerry makers, U.S. International Trade Commission is doing its own investigation into matter.Ballmer banks on Windows Phone 7 for the future
Microsoft is redialing its wireless strategy with a new version of its operating system that its CEO hopes gets it back on track as a smartphone leader.• What we still don't know about new Windows phones
• Microsoft hits redial in phone effort (Q&A)
HBO launches Netflix rival
HBO Go is Time Warner's attempt to prevent more customers from dumping its premium cable programming for video rental services such as Netflix or Redbox.• Redbox, like Netflix, agrees to sales-only window
Microsoft issues new Outlook social-network link
Software giant is moving ahead with its effort to link its established e-mail software with the newer world of Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn.• Microsoft probes possible privacy snafu
Tech makes Olympic-size jump in Vancouver
At what some have dubbed the first Twitter Games, CNET looks at the many ways tech is changing the world's largest sporting event.Also of note
• FCC chairman wants faster broadband
• Three Tesla employees dead in small-plane crash
• Kim Kardashian outs air marshal via Twitter