Skeptics who questioned whether the developer community would embrace the iPad as ardently as the iPhone should consider new data from mobile app analytics firm Flurry, which finds that more than 1,600 new iPhone OS apps were established in January. Someone has even designed special pants.However, developers' embrace of the iPad apparently isn't coming at the expense of Google's Android operating system. Overall, Flurry -- which one could argue has a vested interest in the success of the application market -- argues that apps are becoming "the dominant delivery mechanism" for content, entertainment and tools on …

Microsoft just introduced what some analysts are calling impressive new features and imagery in Bing Maps. With its new Silverlight version, "Bing has advanced online maps to a kind of 'next level' -- albeit one right now for power users perhaps -- that jumps ahead of Google in terms of innovation (i.e., deep zoom, Photosynth integration, video integration, "map apps")," writes Search Engine Land's Greg Sterling. "It brings 'augmented reality' into desktop maps." Sterling goes so far as to suggest that Bing Maps might now be to Google Maps was Google Maps has been to MapQuest for …

A case of mistaken identity or ingenious SEO -- you decide. Trade publication ReadWriteWeb posted a story Thursday morning entitled "Facebook Wants to Be Your One True Login," which detailed the social network's deal with AOL to integrate users' Facebook friends into their AOL Instant Messenger. As a result, an untold number of Google users searching for "Facebook" and "login," were presented with -- and consequently followed -- a link to the ReadWriteWeb story. Unable to locate a Facebook login bar on ReadWriteWeb's story page, all hell broke loose. Remarked one visitor in the post's comments sections: …

Take that, Apple! Amazon is planning to give away its Kindle e-reader devices to Amazon Prime subscribers, sources tell TechCrunch. Amazon Prime is a subscription product that gives customers free two day shipping on everything they buy from Amazon, and presently costs $79 a year. Still, while the plan is surely designed to undercut Apple's iPad efforts, Amazon isn't interested in loosing money on the effort. "These are Amazon's very best customers -- the ones who tend to make multiple purchases per month," notes TechCrunch. "If those users buy enough books, and Amazon gets the production costs …

Google is fessing up to the fact that its new Buzz service isn't private enough for many users' tastes. Of chief concern, users' Buzz contacts are visible in their public Google profile until they edit their default settings to make Buzz lists private in their profiles. As a result, Google is making privacy controls in the service more transparent. Google Buzz Product Manager Todd Jackson, who introduced the service earlier this week, noted that, while Google was transparent during the Buzz setup process, Buzz contacts will be displayed in users' public profile: "We heard from people that …

Despite the rise of online video, the backing of Michael Eisner, the support of major TV networks and video-sharing platforms, top-tier executive leadership, and millions of dollars in funding, Web TV startup Veoh is toast. So what happened? "Veoh, which started as [a] YouTube-style site, has struggled for years to find a business model that works and has burned through $70 million in funding from name-brand investors like Goldman Sachs, Time Warner, Intel's venture arm, Spark Capital and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner," writes MediaMemo. Calling the ill-fated startup a "

Google has deleted several popular music blogs that it claims violated copyright law, the Guardian reports. The sites, hosted by Google's free Blogger and Blogspot services, were notified of their bad behavior only after their sites -- and years of archives -- were wiped out. "We'd like to inform you that we've received another complaint regarding your blog," was the message received by at least six bloggers who write about music and post relevant MP3s. "Upon review of your account, we've noted that your blog has repeatedly violated Blogger's Terms of Service ... [and] we've been forced …

Envy-inducing technological innovation and a futuristic experience aren't the only promises bundled into Apple's forthcoming iPad. Add to that mix significantly higher e-book prices, and not just for would-be iPad owners. As a result of Apple's entrance into the e-reader market, all e-book buyers -- whether they own an iPad, a Kindle, or some other device -- can now expect to pay as much as $14.99 per book. That's up from the $9.99 flat rate that Amazon held the publishing industry to until Apple came into the picture. Either way, the future of digital book selling is …

The Business Insider claims to have found a "huge" privacy flaw in Google Buzz. When users initially go into the new Google product, it automatically sets them up with followers and people to follow. A Google spokesperson tells Business Insider that these people are chosen based on whom the users emails and chats with most using Gmail. "That's fine," says BI's Nicholas Carlson. "The problem is that -- by default -- the people you follow and the people that follow you are made public to anyone who looks at your profile ... In other words, before you …

A source tells TechCrunch that Google has acquired social search service Aardvark for about $50 million. Founded by ex-Google engineers, Aardvark lets users ask questions and get immediate responses from their friends and friends of friends. As of October 2009, the service had 90,361 users, of whom 55.9% had created content --asked or answered a question - according to a research report published by the startup earlier this month. The site's average query volume was 3,167.2 questions per day, with the median active user asking 3.1 questions per month. Also of likely interest to Google, mobile users …