This month Google News unveiled some changes that are a mixed bag for local news sites struggling for search visibility… First the good news: Android and iPhone smartphone users now have the option to see news stories relevant to their current location via the Google News mobile News Near You feature. When visiting Google News from one of these devices, you are prompted via popup whether you ...

Google has acquired Sparkbuy, a small Seattle company that aspired to be the Kayak of consumer electronics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. A Google spokeswoman issued this statement: "Were thrilled that Sparkbuy will be joining Google.

Google Latitude offers another way to keep in touch with friends and family. Follow these steps to learn how to activate and set up Google Latitude according to your preferences. Originally posted at How To

Google's eBooks electronic bookstore now contains about 3 million free titles, up from 2 million when it was launched in December.

Google, which often touts the "openness" of its Android mobile operating system as one of its primary benefits, is blocking access to its new Android movie rental service to rooted Android devices. Google blames "requirements related to copyright protection" for the move, and this isn't the first time DRM has caused problems for consumers . But it serves as yet another example that Android's ...

Google's sales partners are eager to coax existing Google Apps customers to embrace the Chrome OS hardware as well. The pitch could be just the thing for business buyers. Originally posted at Deep Tech

If Google can't get social networking right, it's not for a lack of trying. It has a large array of social pieces that could be stitched together to form a Facebook competitor.

Google has found a new way to threaten our privacy, says Thomas Claburn over at Information Week, pointing to a post on the Gmail blog about the new Google Profiles. Says Claburn: Google Profiles are associated with Google Accounts and continue the company's efforts of the past few years to gather more information about its users. The company's aim is to provide more relevant services and ads ...

Google Docs is all well and good as long as you can connect to it, but it is useless when Docs is down or you can't find an Internet connection.

Google Wednesday confirmed that it's starting to roll out a server-side patch for a security vulnerability in most Android phones that could let hackers snatch important credentials at public Wi-Fi hotspots.