How many of the Yelp reviews you read would you guess are forged by the companies being reviewed? MarketWatch reports that 20% of Yelp reviews are fraudulent, typically written by freelance writers from the Philippines, Bangladesh and Eastern Europe who receive between $1-10 for each review. New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman eventually stepped in with “Operation Clear Turf,” a year-long investigation… Continue reading 20% of all Yelp reviews are written by paid shills
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Steve Ballmer moved to tears
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, one of the world’s hardest-charging executives, was moved to tears Thursday as he led what is likely his last annual meeting with employees. Ballmer, choking up near the close of the roughly seven-hour meeting, told more than 10,000 attendees about his love of Microsoft and pledged the company will keep innovating and… Continue reading Steve Ballmer moved to tears
Apple fixes lock screen passcode bypass
Apple has just released iOS 7.0.2, a minor new update delivering several changes including a fix for a lock screen passcode vulnerability. The new version arrives as Build 11A501 for all devices. Apple has detailed the two passcode issues fixed in this update in a new support document. The iOS 7.0.2 release follows the launch of iOS… Continue reading Apple fixes lock screen passcode bypass
Meet Hummingbird: Google’s new Search
Google has updated its core algorithm that controls the answers we get to queries on its search engine in a bid to make them work better for longer, more complex questions. Most people won’t notice an overt difference to search results. But with more people making more complex queries, especially as they can increasingly speak their searches… Continue reading Meet Hummingbird: Google’s new Search
Bill Gates: Sorry for Ctrl-Alt-Del design
Bill Gates said that a convoluted login screen was a big design flaw for Windows, but he’s not taking credit for it. The Microsoft co-founder revealed in a speech at a Harvard University fundraiser that forcing users to use the control-alt-delete key combination to log into their PCs was a mistake — one made by IBM,… Continue reading Bill Gates: Sorry for Ctrl-Alt-Del design
MPAA takes aim At Google over piracy
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has released a report claiming that search engines are a significant contributor to piracy. Contradicting Google recent claims that its moves to fight piracy are working, the MPAA concludes that 82 percent of search-derived traffic to the infringing sites it examined came via Google Search. Overall, it says, search engines… Continue reading MPAA takes aim At Google over piracy
Calico: Google’s project aimed at solving death
Google is planning to launch Calico, a new company that will focus on health and aging in particular. The independent firm will be run by Arthur Levinson, former CEO of biotech pioneer Genentech, who will also be an investor. Levinson, who began his career as a scientist and has a Ph.D. in biochemistry, plans to… Continue reading Calico: Google’s project aimed at solving death
The best hidden features in iOS 7
We’ve all been there: you’ve been using a device for months and suddenly you discover something that you never knew existed. “Oh that’s what that button does.” No matter how simple our devices pretend to be, underneath the gloss and marketing lies an extremely complicated machine. Have you ever looked through every settings menu on… Continue reading The best hidden features in iOS 7
Netflix CEO says torrent piracy in Canada down 50 per cent
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings dropped a surprising statistic during an interview with Dutch website Tweakers last week, as he made the rounds promoting the launch of Netflix Netherlands. When asked if Dutch viewers would switch from piracy to Netflix, Hastings said sure, some will switch, and that piracy helps “create the demand” for easier, legitimate ways to watch… Continue reading Netflix CEO says torrent piracy in Canada down 50 per cent
iOS 7 upgraders reporting installation, iTunes issues
Some upgraders are reporting issues trying to install the iOS 7 update, as well as access to iTunes. It’s unclear how widespread the issue is. Affected users are reporting that the downloads will stop, with a warning error pop-up that says the “software update failed.” Others are saying they cannot connect to the iTunes Store to update… Continue reading iOS 7 upgraders reporting installation, iTunes issues