Google has started selling a version of the Nexus One phone that runs on AT&T's 3G network, putting it in direct competition with Apple's iPhone. But AT&T is not selling or subsidizing the phone. It's only available on Google's Web site for the full price of $529. Until now, the Nexus One was only available on T-Mobile.

AT&T has unveiled a suite of Web-based services that make standard cell phones a little smarter. One new feature is an address book that syncs your contacts online, allowing you to manage them from a computer and automatically add them to a new phone.

WASHINGTON - The Feds are on Facebook. MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter, too.

US law enforcement agents are following the rest of the Internet world into popular social-networking services, going undercover with false online profiles to communicate with suspects and gather private information, according to an internal Justice Department document that offers a tantalizing glimpse of issues related to privacy and crime-fighting.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation got its hand on documents on federal law enforcement approaches to gathering data on Facebook and other social networks. But just how far should the FBI and other police agencies go in using those sites to collect data? Security pros shared their thoughts with eWEEK.

Reports law enforcement agencies use social networking sites like Facebook for investigations has touched a nerve with some, but opinions are divided as to whether lines are being crossed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations may use fake identities on social networks to investigate criminal activities, according to a redacted FBI

acquired by digital rights advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation. Specifically, the 33-page confidential presentation says undercover operations are helpful for communicating with suspects and targets of crime, gaining access to private information, and mapping social networks. However, the presentation expresses concern that undercover use may be complicated by the court's decision in the trial of Lori Drew.

AUSTIN, Texas--Privacy is not dead in the era of online social networking. It just needs careful curation.

That was the message Saturday from Danah Boyd, a social media expert who works for Microsoft Research and who was Saturday's keynote speaker at the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) festival here.

Boyd is one of the original social media researchers and has spent years studying the dynamics of how systems like MySpace and Facebook impact on teens and youth culture, and how that culture is impacting such services.

AUSTIN, Texas--With thousands of people descending here for this week's South by Southwest festival--most of whom are planning on nightly party-hopping--it can be vital to RSVP to the endless string of sponsored shindigs.

The party invites come in batches, and it can be a serious mental task to keep up with the ones that require reservations. And that's to say nothing of the dozens of spur-of-the-moment booze-and-conversation fests that pop up on Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook, and other social networks.

Regular readers will know my love for all things location. In particular, these check-in location-based services fascinate me, mainly because I see them as a bridge between social networks as we've known it, and actual social interaction in the real world. Foursquare has been my app of choice over the past year (it launched almost exactly a year ago at SXSW). But the latest version of Gowalla has me thinking about switching sides. At the very least, I'll be using both at all times now.

Yesterday brought news that Facebook is planning to launch its location offering at its f8 conference in the end of April. In first reporting the news, the New York Times noted that 'the company was not trying to beat the smaller location-based social networks, such as Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla.' From what we're hearing, that's true — because they could be using some of those services to federate check-ins.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - With shrinking audiences, deep layoffs and two management shake-ups, MySpace, the one-time leader in Internet social networking, has had a rocky year.

Mike Jones, who took over as co-president last month with Jason Hirschhorn, said that even within MySpace some employees have lost the will to keep fighting.

"We are at the point now where we need believers," said Jones, noting that the News Corp unit has encouraged various individuals not fully committed to the cause to leave and has hired new talent.

For as far back as we've been discussing social networks, there have been question marks around the best ways to monetize users. To date, advertising has been the primary strategy, with virtual goods starting to pull in some serious revenues.

But the challenge with advertising is that users tend to ignore ads that are not highly targeted. Even precisely targeted ads are largely ignored, which is why you see more and more of them taking up screen real estate. This has also led to more sites adopting a "freemium" content model.

Microsoft on Tuesday formerly introduced a redesigned version of its MSN Web portal. The new site features a simplified design, tighter integration with social networks and a more prominent link to the company's Bing search engine. "The new MSN homepage cuts through the clutter with a clean, new design and offers search, news, local and social networking, all in one place," said Erik Jorgensen, Microsoft's corporate VP for MSN, in a blog post.

Taylor Mays 40 time clocked in at an unofficial 4.24 this morning, but the time has since been changed.

The new Taylor Mays 40 time at today's NFL Combine is 4.43, according to Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post.

The unofficial time for the safety from USC wooed spectators and word of it is still spreading on social networks.

Gregg Rosenthal of Pro Football Talk is skeptical of the new time, noting, "NFLN showed Mays only about a step behind Jacoby Ford's 4.28 when played side by side."

In something of a surprise move AOL has sold Buy.at, the affiliate marketing network it bought in early 2008, to UK network Digital Window. AOL acquired Buy.at for a rumoured $150 million but although sale terms have again not been disclosed this time round it's fair to say it will be for substantially less that that.

Buy.at was operating as a wholly-owned business unit of Advertising.com, part of AOL's Platform-A organization. Buy.at 'special play' of marketing on social networks does not appear to have come off as planned. buy.at is based in Newcastle, UK and NYC.

Facebook CEO Markz Zuckerberg and his employees Feb. 23 secured a patent for technology related to its vaunted News Feed, securing the foundation of the social network for years to come. Since feeds have become the staple of social networks MySpace and Twitter, some bloggers see the patent as a cautionary flag for rival social networks and services that may choose to render content in a fashion similar to the News Feed.

NEW YORK-During January's Grammy telecast, hip-hop drummer Questlove tweeted that "watching twitter tweets are better than watching the actual event."

As someone who has won a Grammy with the Roots, attended the ceremony and performed on the show, he should know. And, of course, Questlove, who is an avid tweeter, was doing both: simultaneously watching the show and reading real-time commentary from friends and other connections.

SAN FRANCISCO-As more people reveal their whereabouts on social networks, a new site has sprung up to remind you that letting everyone know where you are -- and, by extension, where you're not -- could leave you vulnerable to those with less-than-friendly intentions. The site's name says it all: Please Rob Me.

Launched last week, Please Rob Me is exceptionally straightforward. Pretty much all it does is show posts that appear on Twitter from a location-sharing service, Foursquare. Please Rob Me puts these posts into a long, chronological list it refers to as "Recent Empty Homes."

The world of social media seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and in an effort to consolidate networking outlets, Yahoo! announced Tuesday a partnership with Twitter to integrate the microblogging site's feeds into its various online properties. The deal means that Yahoo!'s more than 600 million users around the world will now be able to update all of their social networks in one simple step. For example, anyone with a Yahoo! ID can check their e-mail and news and also access and update their Twitter feeds through any one of these channels, which allows them to stay even more up-to-the-date with both information and people.

MIAMI-Tiger Woods may not know it, but he's singing a new tune.

His 13 1/2-minute apology has been chopped up and reconfigured online, spreading in music and video through social networks and on the radio.

One offering is called "Ke$ha vs. Tiger I'm So Sorry (Blah, Blah, Blah)." Another features Robin Thicke's song "Sex Therapy" with Woods talking over still shots, including one of the media watching him spill it live on TV after a three-month silence.

administration announced a job stimulus plan of one – hiring a social networks manager. of course, it's not exactly a white house job, it belongs to the democratic national committee and organizing for america, but that's just a formality. this job

microsoft is transforming outlook from an e-mail client, or messaging platform, to a social networking hub with the addition of social connectors. the integration of social networking is a huge benefit for outlook users, and may even help drive