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eBay Now Only Allows Paypal Payment Service
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Internet,
Okay, so we all know that Google is set to unleash their online payment system, probably called Google Wallet, any time now. Coincidentally, eBay has just updated their “Safe Payments Policy,” which includes the following statement:
Not permitted on eBay.com: Sellers may not solicit buyers to mail cash. Sellers may not ask buyers to send cash through instant cash transfer services (non-bank, point-to-point cash transfers) such as Western Union or Moneygram. Finally, sellers may not request payment through online payment methods not specifically permitted in this policy.
Basically, they are saying that if you are a seller, you can ask for check, money order, or Paypal payment (including credit cards) - you can not ask your buyer to pay you through Google Wallet when it launches. Odd - my experience with Paypal, along with horror stories from others, lead me to believe that if you were creating a “safe payments” plan you would stay the hell away from Paypal. What’s that? Oh, yeah - eBay owns Paypal. I get it now.
Read More 
| eBay
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Verizon enticed us to check out the unveiling of their new phone - Verizon One. Essentially, the 5.8 GHz phone looks okay and is packed with plenty of features to make it worth the $149.99 price tag. The Verizon One is supposed to be a conglomerate of all of your communication needs in one device. For the price, the phone also has an integrated 802.11g 4-port router along with a beautiful touch screen where you can manage contacts, address books, and schedules for each family individual. Since it already has an Internet connection, you can also use Verizon SuperPages to find restaurants, theaters, locksmiths, etc. It does a pretty good job in mapping results out for you, too. While impressive, this product does have a massive downside - it’s only available to Verizon DSL customers. Good going Verizon, way to isolate potential consumers.
Yahoo! has just unleashed their Beta Podcast directory and service. This is another big move in the blogging/podcasting space. You can even sync podcasts with your digital audio player using the Yahoo! service, although this functionality has been in iTunes for months now. Nonetheless, check out the service - they even give you pointers on how to record your own show. Here is the Gear Live Podcast area on Yahoo!
Yahoo! Podcasts offers a comprehensive directory of series and individual shows from across the Web, complete with detailed search results, most popular and highest rated lists, and editorial picks. Our goal is to make it easy for Yahoo! users and your listeners to find and subscribe to your show and listen wherever and whenever they want.
Read More | Yahoo! Podcasts
Latest Gear Live Videos
So Google is demonstrating their latest product, Google Reader, right now at Web 2.0. This is Google’s foray into the RSS reader market, using a GMail-like web interface to display one’s various feeds. Being that the service just launched, it is moving at a snail’s pace, even on my 8.0Mbps cable line. However, feel free to give it a shot - go ahead and add our feed to your Google Reader list!
Read More | Google Reader
Google Local and Google Maps Come Out of Beta
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Transportation,
The thing about Google is that they are perfectly happy releasing a product under the Beta tag, and leaving it there, right? Not so with Google Local and Google Maps. The services have been combined under the Google Local brand, with the maps now offering hours of operation, links to reviews, and other local business information under the “Details” tab of the address bubble. Pretty nifty.
Read More | Google Local via Lifehacker
With the recent surge of traffic, we saw the need for a forum solution that was stronger and more robust than the phpBB system that we had been using. Now, after a few weeks of stress testing, the new and improved Gear Live Forums are ready to rock and roll. What has changed? Well, basically the entire forum is completely integrated into the main site. An example of this is that all Gear Live member accounts now tie in to the forum. No need for a separate login, separate password, etc. You can manage everything from within one control panel. Even cooler, we can now integrated posts from here to the forums. Select posts will have a “Discuss on our forums” link at the bottom of them which leads you directly to a discussion on that post. If you have used our forum system before, be sure to update your bookmark. We love version 2.0.
Read More | Gear Live Forums
So, it’s cool that Google is aiming to blanket San Fran with some free Wi-Fi love, but some are reporting that the connections are not that fast, and can be a bit unreliable. It seems that the service caps at about 300 kbps, which is still much faster than dial-up, but certainly isn’t enough to cancel your cable Internet for. Still, Google just launched this initiative - We say give them a little bit of time, and watch as they slowly start giving services like T-Mobile HotSpot a run for their money.
Read More | Blogma
Gwen Stefani’s uber-hit “Hollaback Girl” from her latest album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. has become the first song to hit 1,000,000 commercial downloads. This is certainly a milestone, and shows that people will pay for music in this day and age, although those in the know rely on Russia for their tracks. Nonetheless, Interscope Geffen Charman Jimmy Lovine stated “Gwen is one of the most forward-thinking and innovative artists in music today. That she would make history with digital downloads just emphasizes her role as a leader in so many ways for a new generation and for music. The music industry is changing and this is a major sign that digital downloading has reached the mass market and become a very significant business.” Gwen added, “It’s always an honor to be recognized for your music, and this is really the coolest. It’s exciting to see people embrace the song and really make it part of their lives. Whether it’s CDs, computers, or cellphones…it really is bananas.” In recognition of reaching the milestone, Stefani will be presented with a certificate when she performs at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on October 21.
Read More | ContactMusic
People across the Internet are excited about the new 30Gigs.com email service. Following the GMail way of doing things, users can only get into the 30Gigs service through an invitation. The company has big plans, too. According to the 30Gigs, “Our main goal is to increase our space even further, to 50 gigs, or maybe 100 as time goes on.” Now, that is cool and all, but some are reporting a bit of shadyness in the companies TOS/EULA. That being said, it would certainly suck if your 30Gigs were quickly filled with spam, no?
Read More | GigaOm
Read More | LifeHacker
Google May Cover 95% Of San Francisco With Free WiFi
Posted by Devin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Wireless / WiFi,
In Google’s latest announcement regarding it’s venture into the WiFi market, the search engine giant has submitted a plan that would cover 95% of San Francisco with free wireless Internet access. This submission is in response to the city’s request for WiFi that would cover nearly all of the city, including low and middle income areas. While Google’s plan has not yet been approved, an independent company estimates that such extensive coverage would cost about $10 million dollars.
Read More | Linux Pipeline
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