Google is preparing to launch a service that could make desktop computers a thing of the past, reports The Guardian.

The Google Drive, or ‘GDrive’, slated to be launched later this year, will enable users to access their personal files and operating systems from Google’s servers via the internet.

“The PC would be a simpler, cheaper device acting as a portal to the web, perhaps via an adaptation of Google’s operating system for mobile phones, Android,” reported David Smith, The Guardian’s Technology Correspondent. “Users would think of their computer as software rather than hardware.”

Critics are concerned about Google’s increasing power, considering its reach and access to vast personal information. A hacker’s dream? Others worry about having all their eggs in one basket, in the event of server crashes or Internet downtime.

Call Google the best thing since sliced bread, or a monster to be feared, this appears to be the direction the Internet is headed. Clever? Definitely. Wise? Time will tell.

Read the full article here: Google plans to make PCs history.

I officially no longer know anyone without a social networking account. Even if the page has fallen into disuse, much to the chagrin of their virtual harem, it’s out there lurking in the bowels of cyberspace.

My Space and Facebook have taken the world by storm. What people don’t always realize is that social media can be used to drive traffic to your business website.

Post articles about your work, build a community around your project, and always remember to include plenty of links to your site.

Sign up to as many social networking sites as possible to push business to your site—after all, it’s free.

A team of researchers from China are predicting the Internet will double in size every 5.32 years. If this proves to be true, Microsoft and Google aren’t battling for the Internet – they’re battling for the world.

Read Internet Growth Follows Moore’s Law Too.

China’s population of Internet users grew 42% in 2008. The country now boasts nearly 300 million users. According to China’s Internet Network Information Center, the number has doubled since 2006.

China has overtaken the US as the number one user of the World Wide Web. Its national average for Internet penetration is 22.6% compared to a global average of 21.9%.

According to BDA, a Chinese research and consulting firm, the quality of content, advertising, and e-commerce is better in the US. However, E-commerce is expected to grow incrementally in China—the numbers represent tremendous marketing opportunities.

Whether you’re a small business owner, web designer or consumer, this is an opportunity Canadians should embrace.

Starting in 2009 any Canadian over the age of 18 can annually put up to $5,000 in a tax free saving account (TFSA). Income earned by the TFSA is non-taxable, but you won’t get a tax refund on the amount invested like an RRSP contribution.

Your TFSA can hold the same things as an RRSP: cash, guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), term deposits, mutual funds, government and corporate bonds, stocks traded on public exchanges, and shares of some small business corporations.

Conveniently coinciding with the economic downturn, most people feel the TFSA represents a great way to save money, particularly if filled with high tax investments. However, critics cite that with the marginal interest rates, not much money will be saved for the average household.

Reading from the web is different than reading hard materials. Heat maps used in eye tracking studies reveal people typically read web pages in an uppercase F-shaped patters: two horizontal stripes followed by a vertical stripe.

Since web pages are read differently, they must be written differently to optimize their use.

According to usability expert Jacob Nielsen, it’s important to remember a 3-S approach to web writing:

• Succinct – write no more than 50% of what you would write for hardcopy.
• Scannable – key information should be visible in the first two paragraphs.
• Short – people hate scrolling; use links to split information over multiple pages.

Crafting compelling prose that convey key messages can favorably influence visitors, affecting your bottom line.

Google increased its U.S. search engine market share last month when it handled 72.1% of all queries, up from 65.9% in December 2007, reported Hitwise.

The good fortune wasn’t shared by the other search engine leaders. Yahoo reported a 17.8% share, down from 20.9% in December 2007. Microsoft came in third with 5.6%, down from 7%.

Hitwise also reported that search engines continue to dominate the Internet in key industry categories, including business and finance, sports, online video and social networking.

Chrome — Google’s answer to Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari — recently acquired 1% market share of the web browser world.

Known for its lean structure and speed, it’s attracted more advanced, tech-savvy users.

Industry types say Google can establish a solid user base and eventually increase its market share with the help of frequent updates.

Web content has the ability to deliver a message to prospects at the right moment — precisely when they’re looking for a product or service. Unfortunately, the right message is rarely delivered.

Self-centric copywriters and business owners are to blame.

Some copywriters believe it’s more important to win awards than for clients to win new customers. They write for themselves, disregarding key business objectives.

Meanwhile, numerous micromanaging business owners insist prospects are interested in their mission statements and corporate values. Employees have a hard time getting excited about these things, so why would consumers care?

So what engages visitors and turns them into customers? Read Web writing: The Good, Bad and Ugly.

.Pro domain registrations increased roughly 1,000% compared to January of last year, advised a source at one of the .pro domain accredited registrars.

While this is a massive percentage increase, .pro registrations are expected to continue growing rapidly, likely dwarfing growth rates of other domain extensions.

Another domain extension that hopes to create some buzz this year is .tel. The .tel domains will allow you to store and manage contact information and keywords directly in the DNS without the need to build, host or manage a website.

Registrations for .tel open up at premium prices on Feb. 3, 2009, and general registrations begin March 24, 2009.

Given the .pro domains’ registration standards and credibility, they are expected to make a mark with mainstream Internet users by the fall of 2009. Meanwhile, several top .pro domains are still available on the market.