adding

Facebook tests a new ad strategy

CNET Update is watching where you click:

Update highlights Facebook's Plan B for advertising in the News Feed. Instead of just showing you sponsored stories based on your profile, Facebook is tracking your Web browsing habits to serve targeted ads in the News Feed. If not done right, this can turn away users who are already uneasy over privacy.

Also in the tech news roundup:

- Spring cleaning could earn you a couple bucks -- that is, if you live in an area participating in eBay's "Sell it Forward" program. eBay is working with Goodwill to … Read more

Twitter ad revenue should near $1B next year, researcher says

Twitter's ad revenue is soaring, and a big reason for that is mobile, a market research firm said today.

eMarketer estimates Twitter will earn $582.8 million in global ad revenue this year, $950 million next year, and $1.33 billion in 2015. According to its boosted forecast, more than half of Twitter's ad revenue -- about 53 percent -- will come from mobile advertising this year, up from virtually no ad revenue from mobile in 2011.

And mobile is where Twitter will see the most growth over the next two years, eMarketer said. By 2015, more than … Read more

Wells Fargo site hit by denial-of-service attack

Wells Fargo was the target of another distributed denial-of-service attack.

The bank's Web site was slowed down by the attack yesterday, affecting a certain number of customers, according to Fox Business News.

"Yesterday we saw an unusually high volume of Web site traffic which we believe was a denial of service attack," a Wells Fargo spokeswoman told CNET today. "The vast majority of customers were not impacted and customer information is safe. For customers who had difficulty accessing the site, we encouraged them to call us by phone, use ATMs or try logging on again as … Read more

Apple fights Yontoo Trojan with XProtect update

Following news of the new adware Web plug-in Trojan found to be affecting OS X systems, Apple has released an XProtect malware definitions update to protect anyone who stumbles across it.

The Trojan, called Yontoo, is initially disguised as a media player or download manager plug-in and distributed on underground file-sharing and movie trailer Web sites. When installed it pretends to be a player called Twit Tube but installs the Yontoo plug-in. This plug-in will work in all Web browsers to track your browsing behaviors and then present ads on legitimate Web sites.

Unlike other malware that can hide itself … Read more

Survey declares Apple brand 'less inspiring'

One shouldn't rely on the same sources of inspiration every day.

Sometimes, even the finest of one's muses just doesn't amuse. Sometimes, even the greatest of one's heroes gets drunk and bangs his head on the pedestal as he falls.

However, one brave enterprise wished to measure the brands that inspire real human beings the most.

It is called Added Value. It has just released its list of the most inspiring. Perhaps the information that might cause the most perspiring in certain parts of the West Coast is that apparently Apple's brand has become less … Read more

Google airs Nexus 10 ad focusing on how it's 'shareable'

In a new ad, Google aims to show just how "shareable" its Nexus 10 tablet is. The ad (see below) features a couple expecting a baby and has scenes bouncing back and forth between the two who each use the tablet to make calendar notes, share on Google+, and read up on pregnancy books.

It seems that Google's goal with the Nexus 10 ad is emphasize that more than one user can use the tablet, each with their own user login credentials. The ad ends with the line, "The shareable 10" tablet from Google." … Read more

The 404 1,229: Where we stop and smell the ads (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Ad creep creeps are getting creepier -- a couple of the strangest ad-placements ever.

- You know Best Buy is doing poorly when a positive customer review is news.

- How manufactured smells are making people shop longer and kill better.

- Jack from our 404 Subreddit created an RSS feed of every 404 episode. Thanks dude!… Read more

Google yanks ad-blocker apps from Google Play

Users in search of ad-blocking apps on Google Play won't have any luck as of today. Google has reportedly launched a campaign to remove apps that interfere with advertising from its app store.

Several app developers for apps such as AdBlock, AdAway, and AdFree received notices from Google today saying that their apps had been taken down, according to Phandroid. Apparently, these apps were in violation of Google Play's Developer Distribution Agreement.

This agreement says that developers must agree not to "engage in any activity with the market, including the development or distribution of products, that interferes … Read more

Is Samsung making a mockery of the Galaxy S4 launch?

I'd like to discuss the English word "naff."

Not yet au courant in the United States, this is a British word whose closest American approximation might be "cheesy." But it's more aggressive and derisive than that.

"Naff" is invading my mind right now, after seeing yet another element of Samsung's Galaxy S4 launch advertising.

Today, a flash mob that would not have looked out of place on the duller side of Broadway at least 35 years ago, appeared in Times Square.

This followed cold on the heels of a couple of … Read more