Google+ Hits 300 Million Active Monthly Users

During a special event yesterday that also saw the introduction of 18 new features, Google bragged about the growth of its “social layer”. Google+ which has struggled in Nigeria to get audience since introduction on June 28, 2011 because apparently twitter and Facebook still rules. But that’s just here. According to wikipedia is the second-largest social networking site in the world after Facebook, and 500 million people had created Google Plus accounts as of December 2012.

The big numbers Google bragged about are as follows:

540 million monthly active Google+ users: This is the number of people with Google accounts that interact with Google+ each month in some way on any Google property. That could include leaving a comment on a blog or website that has Google+ comments embedded, commenting on YouTube, or clicking the +1 button on an article or some other web content.

300 million monthly active “in-stream” users: This is the number of people that see/visit the Google+ content stream. It’s also considered by many to be the closest thing to the “monthly active users” that other sites (like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Never the less its a welcome stat as this will show those who are still pessimistic about the ‘plus’ will change their minds. I personally launched my own page on Google plus and have been loving it ever since. You should too.

Twitter pulls a Facebook, fills streams with photos and videos

Twitter launched a new feature that adds images and video previews to a user’s timeline automatically, instead of the links normaly seen, a move that is clearly designed to appeal to advertisers — but will it wind up irritating more users than it attracts? While the company said in a blog post that it made the changes so that users could enjoy their friends’ photos and videos more easily, it seems fairly obvious that the move is also to justify its estimated $15-billion market value as it prepares to go public in a couple of weeks. Like Facebook, it is focusing on advertising, and in order to do that it has to push more and more content into the stream, and boost engagement levels as high as possible.

IBM gives up fight to build CIA’s $600m secret cloud, hands deal to Amazon

IBM has stumbled away from its legal tussle with Amazon over a strategically important contract to build a $600m cloud system for the CIA.

Today Big Blue withdrew its formal protest against the spooks’ decision to use the online bazaar’s technology, effectively ceding the massive contract to Jeff Bezos & Co. It also marks a shift in the balance of power among federal IT contractors.

For years IBM and a coterie of other huge companies – Oracle, HP, Dell, SAP, SAS, Verizon, and so on – have taken the largest share of public cash for government computer projects.

But all things come to an end, and the CIA’s decision to plump for Amazon’s private cloud over IBM’s earlier this year signaled a changing of the guard. It also blew away some of the clouds of fear, uncertainty and doubt that incumbent suppliers had spread about upstarts.

IBM protested the CIA decision, and Amazon unleashed its own lawyers to fight back. A federal judge struck down IBM’s objection earlier this month, and now IBM has withdrawn its final complaint, effectively bowing out of the race.

California Woman Gets the First Ticket for Driving with Google Glass

History was made as Cecilia Abadie told her story on Google+ late Tuesday night, and shared an image of the citation that she got while driving in the San Diego. This is history: the first known case of a Glass Explorer getting a ticket for driving while wearing Google Glass. The ticket was apparently given as a violation of California Vehicle Code Section 27602, which addresses “Television” use inside motor vehicles:

A person shall not drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen, or any other similar means of visually displaying a television broadcast or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications, is operating and is located in the motor vehicle at a point forward of the back of the driver’s seat, or is operating and the monitor, screen, or display is visible to the driver while driving the motor vehicle.

Oculus Rift virtual reality headset coming to mobile

Oculus VR announced that it’s bringing its virtual-reality headset, the Oculus Rift, to mobile gaming. Chief executive officer Brendan Iribe divulged the surprising move during his keynote chat Tuesday morning at the GamesBeat 2013 video game conference. The goal is to have the mobile version launch simultaneously — or as close as possible to — when the PC headset launches. The mobile Rift headset is for Android devices — iOS is problematic, and the company has not mentioned any plans for an iOS-compatible version. This device will be a lighter, consumer version, and it will use the mobile device’s processor.

Oculus VR announced that it’s bringing its virtual-reality headset, the Oculus Rift, to mobile gaming. Chief executive officer Brendan Iribe divulged the surprising move during his keynote chat Tuesday morning at the GamesBeat 2013 video game conference. The goal is to have the mobile version launch simultaneously — or as close as possible to — when the PC headset launches. The mobile Rift headset is for Android devices — iOS is problematic, and the company has not mentioned any plans for an iOS-compatible version. This device will be a lighter, consumer version, and it will use the mobile device’s processor.

Google shows off second gen Google Glass w/ mono earbud coming later this year

After announcing yesterday that Google Glass hardware would be revised later this year and offered to current Glass Explorers interested in swapping to a newer unit, Google today gives us a look at the second generation Glass in the images above posted to Google+.

On top of introducing a new mono earbud instead of only the bone-vibrating speaker included in the first generation Glass, Google said the hardware revision will also make Glass compatible with new lines of sunglasses and prescription frames and Explorers will have their choice of colors when they swap sometime later this year.

Google hinted it will begin the first steps of the exchange program in November and will give users 60 days to make the swap. Explorers are still the only ones that can get their hands on the $1500 Google Glass, but Google recently started letting users invite up to three friends to join the program and will now ship Glass to those that join.

- See more at: http://thebusinessaim.com/google-oculus-rift-ibm-vs-amazon-and-other-tech-stories/#sthash.8V6C0JWA.dpuf