2013 proved a superb year for Google. Will 2014 be even better? Google had a great year in 2013. As of mid-December, its stock was up about 55% for the year. Apple meanwhile was up a trifling 4%. Google is anticipated to absorb greater than 1/2 all mobile ad revenue this year, and its share of the market appears prone to continue growing because it becomes better at monetizing YouTube on mobile devices. Android consolidated its position because the leading smartphone platform, by volume if not quality. In step with IDC, Android handsets accounted for 81% of all smartphone shipments worldwide throughout the third quarter of the year. Chrome OS found its footing as a platform for low-priced laptops. Google+ has over half one million users, even supposing it has fallen short when it comes to sharing and engagement. Google must have a fair better 2014, as Larry Page’s effort to position more wood behind fewer arrows continues to repay. But before we get to... Read More »

IBM denies sharing customer information with U.S. government, asserts it could challenge any data demands through “judicial action or other means.” IBM Predicts Next 5 Life-Changing Tech Innovations (Click image for larger view.) IBM denies sharing customer data with the U.S. government and says it’s going to challenge any demands for info through “judicial action or other means.” IBM on Friday issued an open letter to its clients assuring them that it has not relinquished customer data to the U.S. government and it pointedly said it’ll do whatever is important to guard such data and notify customers of any government requests. The letter was issued soon after the Intercept News Site reported last week that that classified documents pilfered by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden showed that the NSA had built technology to automatically infect “potentially millions of computers” worldwide with malware to ensure that the agency to glean data from foreign Internet and make contact with networks. [Want more at the fallout on NSA... Read More »

The release of the Google Cast software development kit should lead to more Android, Chrome, and iOS apps if you want to work with the Chromecast TV streaming device. 10 Great Google Apps Tips (Click image for larger view.) Google released software Monday that permits developers so as to add support for the Google Chromecast streaming device to their Android, Chrome, and iOS apps. The Chromecast wireless receiver connects to TVs through an HDMI port and may receive content streamed from the cloud, mobile devices, or personal computers. Introduced last summer for $35, the device has proven popular, unlike Google TV, the company’s previous try and integrate television and the net. Though Google has not released Chromecast sales figures, CFO Patrick Pichette said in the course of the company’s earnings call last week that Chromecast was a bestseller during the last quarter of 2013. Chromecast remains on the top of the Amazon.com Best Sellers In Electronics list. Initially, Chromecast users could access content only through... Read More »

Google’s cloud gaming service for developers gets new features and analytics capabilities. As the sport Developers Conference got underway in San Francisco on Monday, Google announced upcoming enhancements to its Google Play game services with the intention to offer greater support for both Android and iOS devices. Launched last year as Google’s answer to Apple’s Game Center, Google Play offers game developers APIs to implement game-enhancing features like leaderboards, achievements, cloud-based data storage, and real-time multiplayer connectivity. Google, however, positions Play as a complement to Apple’s offering. “We propose that both Game Center and Google Play games are equally visible within your application,” the corporate says in its developer documentation. Several of the hot features coming to Google Play games within the weeks ahead aim to assist with player engagement. Google Play is gaining the power to send virtual in-game gifts to people of their circles or through multiplayer search. The Play games app now supports multiplayer invites. And the Google Play Store now supports... Read More »

Federal agencies have until June 5 to certify their cloud systems. Here is what will happen in the event that they miss the deadline. Most Wasteful Government IT Projects Of 2013 (click image for larger view and for slideshow) As we reported last week in an in-depth analysis, cloud service providers are queuing up for a rigorous government review process that certifies their service meets a strict baseline of security standards. This certification, often called the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, is mandatory for any cloud merchant seeking to do business with federal agencies. But the stakes are equally high for the federal agencies. The Office of Management and Budget, which mandated in 2011 that agencies begin using cloud services, has given them until June 5 to turn that those services meet federal security standards. A big question now could be what happens if cloud service providers do not get the safety certification by the June deadline? And where does that leave agencies... Read More »