Hide Your YouTube Viewing History from Google
Google’s New Privacy Policy
Google’s new privacy policy is pissing a lot of folks off, and I’ve been asked by a few readers what I think about it. The simple answer is that as an Android user, I’ve been giving so much data to Google for the past three years that the new privacy policy doesn’t really change much for me on a practical level.
On a philosophical and political level, I’m deeply troubled. Philosophically, I think more privacy is the direction we should be moving. However, politically I don’t want to see that privacy come as a result of government regulation. As we have seen with copyright law, when governments get involved, things get ugly fast. Google’s actions here have captured the attention of government leaders in quite a few countries, and I guarantee it’s going to case problems down the line. Ultimately the people who will suffer most from government internet regulation will be smaller website operators., not Google.
Killing YouTube Data Collection
All that being said, I have no problems sticking it to Google for grabbing at more data. Here’s a simple way to kill Google’s data collection on YouTube:
Courtesy of Lifehacker
Apple & Android Websites Not Mobile Optimized
This is just plain old weird.
Apple.com via a mobile browser:
Seriously? Apple.com isn’t mobile optimized? The “design meets technology to form magical blah blah blah, and birthed the mobile web into existence,” company never bothered to optimize their own website?
Note to Apple fanboys & girls: That “apps downloaded” ticker doesn’t count as mobile optimized. It’s lazy, and ironically self-celebratory.
Android.com via a mobile browser:
And Google isn’t off the hook on this either. “Mobile first,” Google never bothered to create a mobile-friendly version of their mobile operating system’s website? This is pathetic.
Us.Blackberry.com via a mobile browser:
You already know where this is going…
I can’t even get annoyed by this because I would have been honestly surprised if RIM got something right in 2012.
Windows Phone 7′s website via a mobile browser:
Surprise! It is mobile optimized…
… But only if you’re viewing the website in landscape. Switch to portrait and it’s improperly formatted.
This is so very Microsoft.
Wrap-up
It shouldn’t be too much to ask the companies leading the mobile revolution to properly optimize their websites’ for mobile. It’s not like they have a lack of capable design or development talent.
Geek Events NYC
A lot of the biggest geek events are in California, but New York City has it’s fair share. Here are the biggies where you might bump into me.
Maker Faire - September 17 & 18
The event I’m most excited to attend.
It’s the worlds largest DIY festival, and that’s not what you think it is. We’re talking DIY robotics, gadgetry and all manner of crazy stuff on both the small, and very large scale.
I’ve only seen video of them, but I can’t wait to see a Maker Faire in person.
Get your Maker Faire Tickets
New York Comic Con – October 13 – 16
The second largest comic con, next to San Diego (I think). I haven’t attended a comic convention in about five years, but I’ve decided to drop in on NYCC mostly to see how much larger these events have become since the last time I went to one. From what I understand these super cons are unfathomably massive.
Get NY Comic Con Tickets
Google Tech Talks (Recurring)
Google’s NYC office holds monthly tech talks hosted by Google Engineers. I went to one, and had a great time; learned a ton; and met many interesting people.
The only drawback to these is that getting a seat is difficult. The events are scheduled through meetup.com. The registration starts at unusual times, and there’s limited space.
If you can get in, it’s absolutely worth it.
Google Tech Talks (Meetup)
Google+ Review: It is what it is
A number of people have asked me to review Google+, and even more have asked me in casual conversation what I think about it.
I’ve been at a loss for anything really deep or unique to say about the service other than I prefer it to Facebook (at the moment).
Facebook is three separate things: a company, a website and a cultural phenomenon.
The Company
Facebook the company is abusive.
They twist around your privacy settings when they release new features. At this point they should default their new and intrusive features to “off” when they see a user who has everything set to “private.”
Facebook is a data black-hole. They suck down data, they never share, and it’s damn near impossible to get anything meaningful out.
The Website
Facebook the website is clunky and kind of boring. I use it to keep up with some friends. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it.
The Cultural Phenomenon
Facebook hit a cultural nerve. It was the right service at the right time, and it boomed as a result.
Facebook’s strength is that it has managed to cross the generational gaps (emphasis on plural). Facebook’s weakness as I have suggested before is that it has managed to cross the generational gaps. For Facebook to succeed with future generations it must stay cool. It’s unbelievably rare for cultural phenomenon to remain cool once parents and grandparents like it.
But enough about Facebook.
Google+
Google+ is the social media flavor of the month, and it’s well-earned. Google managed to make a social network that doesn’t suck. It’s a little half-baked, but anyone who follows Google closely knows that they will iterate the hell out of it fast and furiously.
The ability to organize my connections into separate circles and control what those circles can see is neat. It’s one of those features that users will do all manner of interesting things with.
There are plenty of things it doesn’t do like import videos directly from my YouTube account (as it does with Picasa), or limit my stream based on selected circles, but I’m sure they will add those in the near future.
Best Practices
Just use it, and figure out how it fits into your social media life for yourself.
C.C. Chapman put it nicely (Shared by my friend Lynette Young):
The Bottom-line
I like Google+.
At the moment Google+ is less noisy than Facebook, more organized that Twitter, and less stodgy that LinkedIn.
I have no idea what Google+ will be when it grows up.
I’m not sure how I will use Google+ a month from now.
I have absolutely no clue how Google+ fits into your life.
But I can invite you if still need access. Google+ is worth joining.
I’ve Got Google+ Invites (Updated)
Thanks to Lynette Young I have access to the Google+ Beta. If anyone wants an invite, let me know.
Update (8:45 am): It seems I spoke too soon. Google has shut down the invite system for a while, due to “insane demand.”
Leave me a comment, and I will send you an invite when the system is back up.
BlackBerry Deserves Compensation for its Failure
RIM, the makes of BlackBerry are quickly approaching a financial free-fall.
They have been unable to adapt their products to properly compete with the Android and iPhone. Even the US Government is starting to adopt the iPhone (and the US Government is insanely slow to change).
As a result, BlackBerry is fast approaching the point of no return, if they haven’t already reached it. They are screwed.
Their business model was disrupted by two companies who previously represented no threat. They are losing money, and will continue to lose more in the future. As a consequence Apple and Google should be forced to pay RIM enough money annually to keep the company financially solvent.
If the news, record, movie and print industries are entitled to compensation for dying business models, RIM should be too.
Will Eisner Google Doodle
Google is honoring Will Eisner today with a Google Doodle. The legendary comic writer and artist would have turned 94 today.
In addition to creating The Spirit (the comic was far superior to the movie), Eisner pushed the comic medium forward in quality, and creativity throughout his career. Every comic book on the shelf today is an extension of Eisner’s legacy.
For more on Eisner: Who is the Spirit? Who was Will Eisner?
