CloudSight Search gives you instant, unified access to email and social networking archives

Remember those thousands of folks who you suddenly lost contact with last week? Unfortunately for them, they’re still looking for years of Gmail records, but if they were proactive enough to initialize a Backupify account, they’d have their entire inbox (as well as their outbox, sent folder, and everything else) just a restore-click away. Backupify’s free backup services have worked well here at Engadget HQ, providing a level of assurance that our emails, tweets, photos and Facebook statuses aren’t going anywhere — even if an account is hacked. Now, the company’s taking the next logical step by introducing CloudSight Search. It’s hailed as the first searchable archive solution for social media and Google Apps, and it lets you type in a single search term / phrase in order to sift through your email accounts and social networking handles for any communications related to the aforesaid query. One search, multiple communication outlets. Of course, it only sifts through what’s archived, but given just how frequently the service backs things up, it’s pretty darn close to fetching in real-time. The only downside? There’s no mobile app, so it looks as if you’ll have to consult a legitimate browser to get your search on. Those interested in signing up for the private beta launch can do so in the source link, or if you’d rather learn more via video, the play button is just beneath the break.

Continue reading CloudSight Search gives you instant, unified access to email and social networking archives

CloudSight Search gives you instant, unified access to email and social networking archives originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SNAK Facebook keyboard features custom hotkeys for all your trolling, poking, and cyber-stalking needs

Sometimes you have to keep tweaking a concept until you have a winner. Do you really think that Robert Amato, CEO and founder of Social Keyboards, quit when his dedicated Classmates.com keyboard flopped? No, he went on to re-tweak the design for OK Cupid and even MySpace with the aptly titled Social Keyboard Applied to Networking and Kegs (S.K.A.N.K.) before hatching his latest plan, the Social Network Access Keyboard — or S.N.A.K. Essentially a Multimedia Keyboard from Dynex with custom drivers and decals, this bad boy features nineteen Facebook-friendly hotkeys that take you to your inbox, events, photos, and more with the mere push of a button. And when you sign out? The hotkeys become disabled, so no one can maliciously (or hilariously) update your profile behind your back. This device is compatible with XP, Vista, and Windows 7. Yours now for $30! And yes, we were lying about the OK Cupid, Classmates.com, and MySpace keyboards — although we sort of wish we weren’t. Hit the source link to get rolling.

SNAK Facebook keyboard features custom hotkeys for all your trolling, poking, and cyber-stalking needs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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inPulse Bluetooth smartwatch gets Facebook Places check-in app for Android (video)

Ever since Allerta released an SDK for its well-hyped inPulse smartwatch, it was only a matter of time before we start seeing more practical applications that take this Bluetooth peripheral beyond the BlackBerry ecosystem. For instance, the latest example comes from the inPulse’s very own Lead Designer Eric Migicovsky, who happens to be a fan of Facebook Places and possibly an Android convert. Rather than having to pull out his Nexus One for every check-in, Migicovsky can now use his simple app on his inPulse to grab a list of nearby locations off the phone, and then check in with just a click of a button. Pretty neat, eh? For those interested, you can grab the project code off inPulse’s website and get programming.

inPulse Bluetooth smartwatch gets Facebook Places check-in app for Android (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google disables contact sync in Facebook for Android, but only Nexus S for now

You know that Android 2.3.3 update that’s trickling out to Nexus S smartphones right now? Google’s decided to take this opportunity to push its data portability agenda with regards to Android. Simply put, the feature of the Facebook for Android app to provide the social network’s stored contact information to your Nexus S has been revoked from here on out, and as soon as you get the update all that contact information will disappear from your contacts app on your phone.

We’ve spent a while chatting with a Google rep, and they explained that the company is actually just reinstating the official rules — typically, apps have to use Android’s contacts API, but Facebook was granted an exception which allowed its contacts to remain in the cloud. In effect, what Google’s claims it’s doing here is the same thing that would happen if you uninstalled the app, or deleted your Facebook account — your contacts created and stored in the network would no longer be visible in your contacts app. In other words, Google’s attempting to push Facebook into making that data available to itself, which would be handy (think of the other apps that could use your Facebook data on the go) but potentially worrisome in terms of privacy as well. Either way, the argument is not likely to directly affect many individuals in the short term — Google tells us that Facebook’s sync privileges will only be revoked in the Nexus S (not the Nexus One) and other “lead devices” yet to come. Read the company’s full statement after the break, and decide for yourself if this is worth arguing about.

Continue reading Google disables contact sync in Facebook for Android, but only Nexus S for now

Google disables contact sync in Facebook for Android, but only Nexus S for now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Social Search update makes your friends more relevant, difficult to ignore

Google’s been talking up its Social Search function for sometime, but up until now your friends’ tweets probably haven’t made it to the top of your search results — unless of course you’re besties with TMZ, and you’ve been searching the Miley Cyrus bong salvia rip again. Thankfully, it looks as if that could change with El Goog’s latest update to the socially minded search function, which now mixes updates from your contacts’ various online accounts, like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, in with the standard search fare — pulling them up from their previous position at the bottom of your results. Google’s also included a photo and annotation to show the origins of relevant links, and given you the ability to manage how you connect your accounts — either publicly through your profile or privately through your account. The new functions started rolling out yesterday, which means you could be seeing a whole lot more from those contacts you regretted friending in the first place. Isn’t social media a wonderful / disastrous thing?

Google Social Search update makes your friends more relevant, difficult to ignore originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 08:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inq Cloud Touch preview

We can’t accuse Inq of having the best timing in the world — the company announced its new Facebook-centric Cloud Touch and Cloud Q phones at about the same time that HP was busy blowing minds with its new webOS range in San Francisco — but at least that gave us an excuse to get out of the Engadget bunker this morning and go check out some new gear. We’ve gotten to grips with the 3.5-inch touchscreen-equipped Cloud Touch and have broken down our first impressions of the device for you after the break. Aside from Facebook, Inq has chosen to integrate Spotify Premium into this phone along with Fluency, the typing prediction engine that powers SwiftKey. The two serve as significant upgrades on the default media player and keyboard software, respectively, and add a nice sprinkling of value to a phone that’s already expected to go easy on the wallet. The gallery below will illustrate anything else you may need or want to know, although you’ll have to check out the video to see the multifunctional unlock screen and Facebook widgetry in action.

Continue reading Inq Cloud Touch preview

Inq Cloud Touch preview originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video)

We knew good and well that Chevrolet was planning to integrate Facebook read-backs into its OnStar technology, and now it seems all but confirmed… at least on the Cruze. An early Super Bowl ad peek has revealed that the aforesaid automobile has the ability to read back statuses on command, giving you one less reason to keep your mind on the task at hand (read: driving) and one more reason to make The Zuck even richer. Go on and mash play below, but don’t expect any details on how exactly this whole setup works. Something tells us it’s tied to a BT-enabled smartphone, but hopefully we’ll find out the nitty-gritty sooner rather than later.

Continue reading Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video)

Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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News Corp. set to unload Myspace?

We hate to say it, but we could see this coming a mile down the road: After Myspace (or, as the kids say, my[_____]) relaunched itself as an entertainment portal to little effect late last year, and then the company went and laid off fifty percent of its staff, what’s the next step? Tears — a flood of bitter, bitter tears. And after that? Well, it looks like News Corp. is considering a couple options. As COO Chase Carey said on a recent earnings call, “The new MySpace has been very well received by the market and we have some very encouraging metrics. But the plan to allow MySpace to reach it’s full potential may be best achieved under a new owner.” Continuing with the theme, he told Paid Content the following: “There’s been a lot of interest, because there’s been some indication we’re pursuing this path. We’ll consider all options… it could be a sale, it could be an investor coming in to it, it could be us staying in with a restructured ownership structure with management.” Now, that’s a whole bunch of “corporate speak” there, and while the future is up in the air, we’re fairly sure that if you called our man Chase and offered him cold, hard cash, you could probably take Myspace off his hands at a fairly reasonable price. Make sure you ask him to throw in the Blingees for free.

News Corp. set to unload Myspace? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama’s State of the Union address goes Web 2.0

Tonight, President Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address, and while partisan politics (and some great shots of various people nodding off) will rule the night, the US government is getting into the Web 2.0 game in a big way tonight. The speech — scheduled for 9:00 pm ET — will be streamed live on the web, and immediately following said speech, the White House will host an ‘Open for Questions’ event on Twitter making use of the hashtag #sotu, while other government officials will answer questions submitted on Facebook, as well as the White House website’s webform. On Thursday night, the President will also answer questions on YouTube. We’ll let you know if and when the government hatches a plan to answer questions on Yahoo! Answers.

[Image Credit: Pete Souza for the White House]

Obama’s State of the Union address goes Web 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X-pire! software will add digital expiration dates to your photos, photo-related embarrassment

Wouldn’t it be nice if photos you uploaded to Facebook, MySpace and Flickr just stopped being accessible after a while, saving you the almighty hassle of having to delete them yourself? Well, a few good Germans have come together to produce the X-pire! software, which promises to do just that — make online imagery inaccessible after a given period of time following their upload. It’s been around in prototype form as a Firefox extension, but next week should see its proper launch, complete with a subscription-based pricing model costing €24 per year. Yes, the observant among you will note that this does nothing to prevent others from grabbing those images and re-uploading them, but this software’s ambition is humbler than that — it just aims to give the less tech-savvy (or simply lazier) user a tool for controlling at least part of his or her presence on the web.

X-pire! software will add digital expiration dates to your photos, photo-related embarrassment originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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