report

A survey published in the June issue of Consumer Reports (available now) found that "of the 20 million minors who actively use Facebook," 7.5 million were younger than 13 and more than five million were younger than 10. Facebook's terms of service require that users be at least 13.

The report tracks with other studies including a 2010 study by McAfee that found 37 percent of 10 to 12 year olds are on Facebook and a study (PDF) released in April from the London School of Economics EU Kids Online project that found that 38 percent … Read more

The apps people buy on their mobile phones continue to bring in big business, and there are few signs of it slowing down according to IHS iSuppli.

In a report released today, the research firm says revenue from app stores owned by Apple, Google, Nokia, and Research In Motion is set to grow 77.7 percent, reaching $3.8 billion by the end of the year and eventually rising to $8.3 billion in 2014. By comparison, 2010's mobile app store combined revenues stood at $2.1 billion, up from $830.6 million in 2009.

"With consumers continuing … Read more

It turns out that no matter how technologically savvy we get in the world, we could always be betrayed by the "meat puppets behind the servers." Thanks for that one, Donald. And human error does appear to be what happened to Amazon, and also the Yankees. DSLReports, on the other hand, just plain got hacked. And it would also appear there's no one equipped to help us with our little data leakage issues, since the FBI's own cyber-security agents admit they're not up to the task. But there's even worse news than that: the white iPhone is 0.2mm thicker than the black one. THE HUMANITY! --Molly

According to one developer's findings, Apple is rumored to be already testing iOS 5. A crash report received by developer FutureTap showed that the mobile operating system of note was iOS 5 when the crash took place.

FutureTap posted a short tweet to let its followers know of the development.

Taking into account recent location tracking drama, FutureTap also noted an "interesting" file called MKUserLocationBreadCrumb in the report. It is unknown whether this file is related to the consolidated.db file currently under investigation by several European countries and South Korea, as well as by Congress. Steve … Read more

A boatload of rumored details have emerged on what Nintendo's next console could offer.

Citing anonymous sources, IGN reported yesterday that Nintendo's upcoming console, code-named Project Cafe, could hit store shelves as early as October with a starting price of $350 to $400.

For that price, customers will get a 1080p-capable console that's about the size of Microsoft's original Xbox 360 and comes with the R700 GPU from Advanced Micro Devices, IGN is reporting. That, combined with a triple-core IBM PowerPC CPU, could make Nintendo's upcoming console capable of accommodating games that are visually superior … Read more

Get ready for reliable electricity, and an automated world of electronics, appliances, and buildings, to become the new normal.

That's the main message in a report released today by GigaOm Pro and Pike Research.

Smart-grid applications in six key areas will change the way people use, buy, manage, and think about electricity, according to the report "Smart Grid Apps: Six Trends That Will Shape Grid Evolution" led by Clint Wheelock, Pike Research founder and managing director.

Those electricity-related applications focus on home energy management systems, electric vehicles, distribution automation, smart-grid analytics, building energy management systems (BEMS), and … Read more

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Sony has made its last PSP Go and shall make no more

T-Mobile launches an app that lets you make voice calls through Facebook

Facebook is expanding its social reporting system for users to report harassment

Microsoft offers up Office 365 as a public beta

Google opens Map Maker to Americans

AT&T closes shop on its local listing site, Buzz.com

A robot will throw the opening pitch at the Phillies game today

The U.S. has enough land in the right climate to produce homegrown algae oil that would replace a significant amount of foreign oil imported for transportation use--without endangering its water supply.

The Gulf Coast region, the Southeastern seaboard, and the Great Lakes areas are ideally suited to grow algae in outdoor freshwater ponds with minimal water usage.

That's according to a study released today by the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the journal Water Resources Research.

Biofuel made from refined algae oils, while showing promise, is still in the early stages of development. … Read more

Search marketing was already a big business, but it's poised for even more growth this year, according to Econsultancy's State of Search Marketing Report, published with the not-for-profit Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization.

According to the report, search marketing hit $16.6 billion in North America in 2010, up 14 percent compared with 2009. This year, that figure will jump by 16 percent to $19.3 billion, said the researchers, who surveyed 900 companies and agencies around the world.

"The healthy growth reported for the industry in 2011--surpassing the 14 percent growth in 2010--is gratifying," SEMPO … Read more