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This Day in Tech: A look at Google+; crowdsourcing questions for Obama

Too busy to keep up with today's tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Thursday, June 30.

A hands-on look at Google+, using Google+ The CNET News staff takes a look at Google's new social-networking site. We like how Circles lets users segment friends, but we think the way the system suggests connections is challenging. Check out the new social service. More

Behind the scenes at TechShop (photos) As maker hub TechShop expands with a new location in San Jose, Calif., CNET's Boonsri Dickinson takes a tour of the San Francisco … Read more

MySpace lays off more than half its staff

Social network MySpace has laid off more than half its staff of roughly 450 as part of its sale by News Corp. to Specific Media, The Wall Street Journal reported today.

The cuts follow a massive 47 percent staff reduction in January across all divisions that impacted about 500 workers. Now a shadow of its former self, the company had some 1,400 staff two years ago.

"MySpace did make layoffs yesterday; however, there are no plans for additional layoffs at this time," a PR rep for the new owner told CNET via e-mail, declining to comment on … Read more

This Day in Tech: Pope is tweeting with an iPad; MySpace sells for $35 million

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wednesday, June 29.

'Problematic Internet usage' more common than asthma Studies examining the effect of media on youth in the U.S. find a correlation between over-usage and depression, sleep issues, obesity, and poor school performance. More

A reality check on nuclear fusion Despite skepticism, research on nuclear fusion--long considered the ultimate in clean energy--quietly continues in labs around the world, including one at MIT. More

Sony shuffles its PlayStation honchos Two longtime PlayStation execs retire, while Kazuo Hirai will … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1499: Finally, Venn diagrams come to social networking! (Podcast)

On today's show, we're kind of down on Microsoft Office 365 and poor MySpace's future, but we feel a tiny bit positive about the overlapping circles of nerdiness that could be possible with Google's new Plus social networking beta. Also, find out what you love on Google, if you can, and see all the movies you want for $50 a month. Plus: our new favorite word! Philanthrodorks!

Amazon party in the cloud

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Amazon launches Amazon Cloud Drive, a digital music locker to store and access your music

Sprint hopes to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger

Kindle users with subscriptions to The New York Times will not have to pay additional fees to access the paper behind its new paywall

Facebook is going to release five more movies to rent on the site

Netflix gets permission to stream Paramount movies and shows in Canada

News Corp. may be planning to transfer control of MySpace to Vevo

Buzz Out Loud 1400: iPhone 4 on Verizon: it makes calls (podcast)

The reviews are in, and they're just what we expected: the iPhone 4 on Verizon is really good at making phone calls. But that might not be reason enough to leave AT&T: find out why. Plus, UBB is going down in Canada (we hope), UFOs are real (for as long as the Internet will let us believe it), and we finally get around to your thoughts and comments in the Meatback loop. It's everything we hoped it would be. Oh, and I bought a MacBook Air, no big deal. What? What's the big deal? --Molly

Study: Social networks facilitate homeless youth sex

Researchers have found that homeless youth in Los Angeles are using social-networking sites to find sexual partners.

Sean Young from UCLA and Eric Rice from the University of Southern California interviewed 201 homeless youth, recruited at a drop-in agency in LA, about social-networking usage as well as sexual behaviors. And while the researchers are touting one finding--that the use of social networks is associated with increased knowledge of STD prevention--there is no getting around the other main finding: "the use of these networks for partner finding is also associated with an increase in sexual risk behaviors."

In other … Read more

A do-not-track-me browser

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Mozilla is considering building a do-not-track feature into Firefox

News Corp. is thinking about selling off MySpace

Panasonic is getting closer to launching its portable gaming system, the Jungle

AT&T adds HBO and Cinemax streaming access to its U-Verse service

Microsoft may be seeking to compete with Netflix for streaming video

The Facebook application that claims to show you who is viewing your profile is a scam

Buzz Out Loud 1355: We're Gowalla-ing to Disneyland! (podcast)

On today's show, Gowalla teams up with Disney to offer virtual pins, instead of the real ones everyone actually wants. And we discover Molly's never been to Disneyland, so maybe Gowalla should sponsor a road trip! Also, Google eyes Groupon, Cox becomes the first cable company to get into the mobile phone game, and carriers threaten to stop subsidizing iPhones if Apple tries to free the phone from carrier confines. --Molly