Internet-based applications and services - News, Features, and Slideshows

Features

• Google's next act: Diversify and conquer

  Center stage at this year's Google I/O was a company honing its vision for a future beyond search

• Google weaves Larry Page's social strategy into Maps, Search

  It became clear at Google I/O this week that Google is quietly but assuredly implementing CEO Larry Page's strategy to use Google+ to transform the entire Google experience.

• State social media privacy laws a mixed bag for businesses

  New social media privacy laws that have been enacted in several states around the country, or are in the works, present something of a mixed bag for businesses.

• What to expect at SAP's Sapphire

  SAP's Sapphire conference kicks off next week in Orlando, setting the stage for the company to sell customers on its visions for cloud-based applications, in-memory computing and mobility.

• 6 Tips to Build Your Social Media Strategy

  With so many social media options, how do you pick the best one(s)? IT executives and social media experts share their top six tips for selecting the social media platforms that will provide the greatest return on your investment of time and resources.

• Facebook on a mobile roll

  Facebook last week cited mobile growth as a major contributor to its first-quarter increase in sales and profits.

• Consumer tech key in Boston Marathon bombing probe

  Users of consumer technology and social media reacted quickly after explosions ripped through crowds near the finish line of the Boston Marathon last week, sending out updates, snapping photos and recording videos that officials said could turn out to be critical pieces of evidence.

• 10 Hot Social Media Startups to Watch

  Social media startups aren't typically as well-funded as cloud or mobile startups, but they can have just as much impact and potential in how a business functions and succeeds. After evaluating more than 40 social media startups and then turning to crowdsourcing for input, here are the 10 hot social media startups to watch.

• Facebook Home goes after mobile market with 'ferocity'

  Less than a year after calling mobile one of its biggest risks, Facebook has made another big move to attack the mobile market with Facebook Home for Android devices.

• Oracle's strategies to get real-world verdict at Collaborate user event

  Oracle's sprawling annual OpenWorld conference doesn't kick off until September, but next week the Oracle user group-backed Collaborate event will be held in Denver.

• Marketo IPO may spark suitors, including Salesforce.com

  Cloud-based marketing automation vendor Marketo's plans to raise up to $75 million in an initial public offering, which were revealed this week, could influence larger companies to acquire the company, including Salesforce.com and SAP.

• Social Media Certifications Prepare Students, Employees for Social Business

  Using social media to market your business or collaborate internally means more than having a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook. To teach college students that lesson, Syracuse University adopted HootSuite University's certification program. Syracuse isn't alone: Social media certifications are a growing trend, but is a training course right for you?

• Social networking drives business processes at Pandora and Rosetta Stone

  Pandora and Rosetta Stone have embraced social business tools and the Cloud to cut costs, increase productivity and improve collaboration. Learn how these two companies overcame security concerns, gained executive buy-in and more.

• Fear of Facebook: 7 free apps that guard your privacy

  Facebook users are constantly being told that their privacy is under siege. Here are seven apps that can help secure your personal data.

• Opinion: More innovation means less control. Is that bad?

  Innovation in mobile computing, search and social media increasingly means taking control away from users, but at what cost?