Silicon Valley's Dave Goldberg dies

The Silicon Valley entrepreneur and SurveyMonkey Chief Executive Dave Goldberg has died suddenly at the age of 47, his family says.
Husband of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Goldberg was a former Yahoo executive before joining Surveymonkey in 2009.
He expanded the online survey company leading to a valuation of $2bn (£1.3bn), the Wall Street Journal says.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg described him as "an amazing person".
News of Goldberg's death was posted on Facebook by his brother, Robert.
"It's with incredible shock and sadness that I'm letting our friends and family know that my amazing brother, Dave Goldberg, beloved husband of Sheryl Sandberg, father of two wonderful children, and son of Paula Goldberg, passed away suddenly last night," he wrote.
Under Dave Goldberg, SurveyMonkey grew from a handful of employees to more than 450 and acquired 25 million customers.
His fortunes was closely linked to those of Silicon Valley - a media company founded by him, Launch Media, was taken over by Yahoo in 2001, just after the "dotcom bubble" burst.
In a profile by Business Insider, Goldberg describes how he and a friend started Launch Media, which delivered music online.
"I decided I had to start something. It was more the motivation to try running my own thing than because I had some brilliant idea."

Facebook tops Google searches for UK in 2013

The social network was the most searched-for term on Google UK in 2013. It was also the most asked "what is" question

Google has revealed that Facebook topped its list of the most searched-for terms of 2013 in the UK.

The social networking site beat the search company's own YouTube video service to the top spot. Google itself made it in to third place.

Shopping sites proved popular with web users with eBay, Amazon and Argos all making an appearance in the top 10.

Aside from spending and sharing, news proved popular with BBC News and the Daily Mail featuring high on the list.

Google also examined what questions people typed in to its search engine and from this compiled a top "what is" list. Facebook topped this too with a substantial number of UK-based searchers wanting to know what the social networking site was.

Other popular "what is" topics included searches for cancer, energy and blood pressure. Perhaps reflecting economic news throughout the year "What is the minimum wage" and "What is Universal Jobmatch" made it in to the top 10 most-asked. Universal Jobmatch is a government-run jobs-listing site.The second question was more a more heartfelt, "What is love?"

Explaining Facebook's position at the top of the most searched and "what is" lists, Chris Green - an analyst at the Davies Murphy Group consultancy - said: "Facebook has now firmly established itself as a hub on the internet, making it a destination for surfers to do multiple tasks such as communications, gaming, shopping, photo-sharing and information gathering.

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Google's Top 10 UK search terms

1. Facebook

2. YouTube

3. Google

4. Hotmail

5. Ebay

6. BBC News

7. Amazon

8. Daily Mail

9. Argos

10. Yahoo

"These are tasks that would have previously involved using a search engine to source multiple sites."

The "most searched-for" terms are based on the number of times the relevant words are typed into Google's search engine.

Mr Green added that Google's own appearance near the top of its list could be explained by the fact that Chrome and other internet browsers can be set to automatically use the search engine when a phrase - rather than a full web address - is typed into their top bars.

"Chrome makes no distinction between web addresses and words in its search box so people get lazy and just type in single words like Google rather than full web addresses," he said.

"But this registers as a search."

Man of Steel

Google also unveiled its "top trending" search terms for the UK in 2013. These are the entries that have seen the largest increase in traffic compared with 2012.

Many of the entries on the list reflected major news events of the past 12 months.

Google's Laurian Clemence spoke to the BBC's Aaron Heslehurst

The death of the Fast and the Furious film star Paul Walker was at the top of the list.

Both Nelson Mandela and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who died this year also feature in the top 10.

Continue reading the main story

Google's Top Trending Worldwide

1. Nelson Mandela

2. Paul Walker

3. iPhone 5s

4. Cory Monteith

5. Harlem Shake

6. Boston Marathon

7. Royal Baby

8. Samsung Galaxy S4

9. PlayStation 4

10. North Korea

The birth of Prince George in July came in at number four on the UK list.

"Celebrities always get a lot of interest and the passing of well-known figures makes people want to learn more about them," said Google's Claudine Beaumont.

"Despite that, some of the more traditional aspects of British life, from the Grand National to the royal birth, have generated many Google searches and will be remembered as events that have characterised the year."

New product launches helped the iPhone 5S and Microsoft's Xbox One become the biggest tech trending search terms.

The worldwide "top trending" list saw Nelson Mandela in top spot, and also saw the Boston Marathon and North Korea in the top 10.

There was a battle of the superheroes in top 10 most searched-for movies. Man of Steel beat Iron Man 3 in to top place. A small triumph for Superman who had lost out at the box office to his metal-clad rival.

Oscar winners Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty also featured. Only one animated film made the list, Despicable Me 2, but it was one of three sequels that were searched for including The Hangover 3.

Amazing Google Glass Takes Photo by Winking

Google Glass update lets users wink and take photos

Google said the wink feature could have various potential uses in future

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Wearable tech business revolution
• Hands-on testing with Google GlassWatch

Google has introduced a new feature to its Google Glass, which allows users to take a photo with a "wink of the eye".

Google said the feature was faster than the camera button or the voice action and works even when the display is off.

The update to Google Glass, dubbed version XE12, also adds a screen lock feature and the ability to upload and share videos on YouTube.

Technology firms have been keen to capture the wearable gadgets market, seen by many as a key growth area.

"Glass is about helping you look up and experience the world around you without getting bogged down by technology,

10 Most Amazing Gadgets to Checkout in 2014

SafetyCulture Australia owner Luke Anear wearing a Google Glass. Source: News Limited

1. Curvy smartphones

Curved screens crept into televisions this year, but next year they'll pop into our pockets. Samsung has already launched a curved Galaxy Round phone in South Korea, while LG countered with its G Flex phone that curves from top to bottom. Expect to see more of this technology in 2014, including screens that wrap around the side of a phone for quick notifications.

2. Smarter smartwatches

Our wrists will be hot property in 2014, with companies promising smarter smartwatches. Sony and Samsung launched models early, but expect to see competition from Google, LG, Microsoft, and even Apple, long-rumoured to be producin

Neptune Pine smartwatch.

g the iWatch after it applied to trademark the name. A Canadian firm will also deliver a smartwatch that works as a phone by itself, called Neptune Pine, after a successful Kickstarter campaign.

3. 4K OLED TVs

They were the hot ticket at IFA 2013 and 4K OLED televisions could arrive in stores this year. These televisions, as demonstrated in prototypes, combine the two best television technologies: organic light-emitting diode screens with brighter, bolder colour

LG 4K OLED TV. Source: Supplied

s, and 4K resolution with four times the pixels of current full high-definition TVs. Expect big price tags to accompany the big picture quality leap.

4. Smart spectacles

Google Glass will finally go on sale to the public in 2014. Honest. The search giant has promised to release the internet-connected spectacle

A Google employee wears a pair of Google Glass.

s with an expected cost of $US1500. It's not clear whether a prescription spectacles-friendly version will be ready for launch, however, and Google will have plenty of competition. Expect to see Meta smartglasses in April, the GlassUp smartglasses in autumn, and rivals from Microsoft, Oakley and Sony.

5. Virtual reality gaming

Forget Lawnmower Man. More advanced virtual reality is coming. The Oculus Rift headset is due to launch publicly this year. The wireless headset has a 7-inch display with full high-definition resolution and it tracks your head and body movements to put you in the game. It will be compatible with PCs, Macs and Linux computers, with support for Google Android devices expected. It's due to arrive with a price tag around $US300.

6. Foxtel's iQ3

Expect the internet to further affect your TV experience. Pay-TV operator Foxtel (part-owned by News Corp, publisher of this newspaper) will introduce its third personal video recorder this year. The iQ3 is expected to connect to the internet wirelessly, offer a new electronic program guide, eight TV tuners to record more programs simultaneously, and a one terabyte drive on which to store them.

7. See-through smartphones

They may not be practical but one Taiwanese company is poised to launch transparent smartphones this year. Polytron Technologies has already developed a basic prototype of the phone that appears to be a clear block of plastic with its speaker, memory card, batteries, microphone and other circuitry on show. An OLED screen technology called Switchable Glass is used to display images. The company is reportedly working on a matching tablet and is in talks with major phone makers.

8. Full-frame compact cameras

Full-frame cameras, with image sensors as large as a 35mm film strip, are set to become smaller, cheaper and more available. In addition to the three models already launched by Sony and Nikon late this year, there are more rumoured from Sony, Pentax, Samsung and perhaps even Canon.

9. A bigger iPad

Apple could have a big 2014, if rumours prove correct. One development allegedly on the agenda is a 12.9-inch iPad, breaking the size barrier and delivering a new challenge to manufacturers pitching tablets as laptop replacements. The new tablet is rumoured to be called the iPad Pro and feature a 4K screen.

10. Speedy mobile downloads

Expect more high-speedy mobile internet coverage in Australia next year. By the start of 2014, Telstra promises to have 85 per cent of the population covered with its 4G network, and it will continue trials of LTE-Advanced that could deliver downloads as fast as 300mbps. Rival Optus promises to cover 70 per cent of the population by April next year, and its reseller Amaysim has announced plans to add 4G to its offerings.

World's Cheapest Tablet goes on Sale

THE world's cheapest tablet has gone on sale and it'll set thrifty consumers back just A$54.

It's called the Datawind UbiSlate 7Ci and it's a basic 7in device that was originally launched in India as an affordable way for students to get access to the internet. Now, the slate has been made available for world market from their website.

While the price is almost too good to be true, the cost reflects the specs of the Android device with a screen that cannot match the sharpness of more premium tablets and relatively sluggish performance. But is does boast a storage that can be expanded by microSD card up to a none-too-shabby 32GB. There's built-in Wi-Fi too.

This basically means you'll be able to do most of the basic functions like web access and email that you can do on more expensive tablets like the iPad or Galaxy Tab. You'll be able to play Angry Birds, just don't expect to be blown away by the hardware.

The unit has received fairly adequate reviews with the overall consensus being that is can be pretty clunky to use with a poor screen and not-so-great battery life, but for the price it's a brilliant entry. For non-tech savvy folk this is a great gift.

Datawind has said it is planning to "disrupt" the tablet market by bringing low-cost devices complete with processing power to match Apple's latest iPads. We like the sound of that.

Datawind UbiSlate 7Ci specs:

- 7in, 800 x 480, display

- 512 RAM

- 1GHz processor

- 4GB storage expandable to 32GB via microUSB

- Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich

Buy this $7.85 million mansion with Bitcoin

Look between the cushions of your virtual couch to see if you have enough Bitcoins to snap up a massive mansion in Las Vegas

This cozy little place can be yours for Bitcoin.

You can use Bitcoins to buy computers, veterinary care, or a Tesla Model S. If you're a Bitcoin multimillionaire, you can also buy a Las Vegas mansion and park your Tesla inside the four-car garage. The $7.85 million 24,500-square-foot palace sits on over an acre of land right next to a country club.

Jack and Laura Sommer are the sellers. Jack Sommer, a developer, once owned the Aladdin casino. Two of his sons are Bitcoin enthusiasts who convinced Dad to accept the virtual currency as a payment option for the 12-bedroom, 15-bathroom house.

Accepting Bitcoin for the mansion is a clever advertising move meant to get the word out about the luxury home, and perhaps lure a Bitcoin-rich buyer who wouldn't mind unloading some virtual cash on a high-end property. "The advantage is that we're expanding our market and adding some notoriety," Sommer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The famously fluctuating currency poses some challenges when dealing with a long escrow period. Today's estimated exchange rate has one Bitcoin equaling just over $700. Earlier in the month, the exchange rate was right around $1,000. Any Bitcoin-based buying contract would have to take this issue into account.

If a Bitcoin buyer does appear, the mansion could easily become the most expensive Bitcoin real estate transaction ever conducted. If you're lucky, you might be able to find a cleaning staff that will work for Bitcoin, since you're not going to want to mop all that marble flooring yourself.

Worst And Best Phones of 2013

Now that 2013 is wrapping up, we take a look back at the handsets that rose to the top, and the others that sank to the bottom.

We'll remember some of these devices fondly, but there are others that we wish we could forget.

With 2014 approaching, we at CNET would like to take this time and reflect. Reflect on our family and friends, our personal accomplishments, and of course, the smartphone highs and lows of 2013 (this is a tech site after all, what were you expecting?).

Others were flagships from familiar manufacturers, but some companies took measures to start afresh in order to elevate and differentiate their chief handsets for 2013.Unsurprisingly, the top handsets of this year were dominated by much of the same key players we consistently see from year to year. That includes updated iterations of popular phones such as the fingerprint-scanning Apple iPhone 5S, the powerful Samsung Galaxy S4, and the ultra-juiced up Motorola Droid Maxx.

12 smartphone standouts of 2013 (pictures)

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This includes going back to minimalistic names like HTC's simplistic One and LG dropping the "Optimus" moniker from its G2 device, as well as opting for a novel design, with the former smartphone sporting a stylish all-aluminum construction, and the latter relocating its power buttons to the rear.

Then there were the curveballs. The ones that brought unique but well-executed new features to the market, like Nokia's Lumia 1020 that's equipped with a 41-megapixel camera, and the highly customizable Motorola Moto X.

Of course, not everything came up roses this year. There were a handful of devices that were less than stellar. Some were simple feature phones (like the LG Envoy II and the Huawei Pal) that got docked not because they were too basic, but because they couldn't even perform the simplest tasks reliably.

The eight not-so-great: 2013's handset duds (pictures)

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Smartphones that make their way onto this list usually do so because of other reasons, in addition to poor performance. For example, the ZTE Groove and the Alcatel Authority are outdated right when they come out of the box. Also, there's nothing like the laggy processors found in the Cricket Engage LT or the Alcatel One Touch Evolve to bog down the user experience.

What do you guys think, do you agree? Whether you think we overlooked another superb device, or didn't give a disappointing phone its due regard, let us know in the comments section below