Tech News for 6-24-09

Before purchasing a product or service, most Americans research the item online. Several of the top reviews found during their research usually include articles by bloggers, though most Americans do not realize that many of these so called "reviews" by bloggers are actually compensated recommendations. This practice of companies paying bloggers to positively review their products and services has caught the eye of the Federal Trade Commission, according to the Associated Press. The FTC will be creating new guidelines this summer that would state that the agency can go after bloggers (and the companies that compensate them) for any false claims or failure to disclose conflicts of interest.

Google has purchased a million phone numbers for the upcoming release of their product, Google Voice, a phone management service provided by the search engine giant. Google has a closed beta for its new service, only available to previous GrandCentral users, though the public release is expected to occur in the upcoming month.

The TomTom GPS device will now include the voice of Homer Simpson, the latest celebrity voice available to TomTom users. Owners of the TomTom device can visit the TomTom website and download the voice for a small fee.

~ Bryan Scheiber is a Systems Administrator in Metro Detroit.

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