Google announced today that it is once again going to try its hand at social media with the announcement of Google Buzz: A social media service built right inside of your existing Gmail account.

Microsoft has partnered with Britain’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre to release an optional child safety toolbar for Internet Explorer 8. It’s been released to coincide with Safer Internet Day.

It seems that social network Facebook, formally a place for you to just catch up with friends, has somehow turned into a major content stream over the past six months, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

Mobile location game Foursquare seems to be stepping into the spotlight after inking deals with Bravo TV and now restaurant rating experts Zagat. And soon, when you check in at certain Zagat-rated restaurants in major cities, you can get your Foodie badge on Foursquare.

There was no doubt after the announcement of Apple’s new iPad that it was taking square aim at Amazon’s popular Kindle e-reader. And while Amazon has had its issues with publishers since that day, one thing is fairly clear: the Kindle is not just going lay down and die.

The Nook e-reader, which sold out long before Christmas, is finally back on sale. Barnes & Noble says it won a tight race to get the device available again in time to capture the Valentine’s Day gift market.

The iPad may be a success or it may be a failure; it’s really too early to tell. However, Apple’s tablet is just one of many being released over the next year or so, and that is an emerging market that is expected to grow massively.

The popular 4chan Web site has been blocked by Verizon Wireless for some unknown reason, but the oddity grows as it is now appearing to be regional and the same is not being done by standard Verizon lines.

Three people have been arrested as part of an operation in China to close a Web site said to have given hacking tips to 170,000 people. The Black Hawk Safety Net site is also reported to have taken just over $1 million (in U.S. dollars) in premium membership fees.

Maybe Google was taking advantage of the down economy to get a good deal on its SuperBowl ad titled, “Parisian Love.” Apparently it’s nothing new though, as the video was part of a collection of seven Search Stories that have been on YouTube for months.

According to reports, using public Wi-Fi hotspots could lead to a nasty laptop virus infection. Public locations such as coffee shops and airports have been prime target areas for these wireless attacks from hackers. As Wi-Fi becomes widely available across the globe, this growing type of hacking could become a serious concern.

The e-book price wars continue, but it looks like at least one publisher is showing some tendency toward kissing and making up with Amazon, now that MacMillan paper books are back in inventory.

If you thought congestion on 3G networks was bad now, just wait until the new Apple iPad hits the market.

The tablet computer mania does not end with Apple, even though they seem to be in the driver’s seat for now. Another big name in Silicon Valley, Google, is showing a lot of interest in the newest computer niche.

Today is the day America comes to a complete stop as everyone huddles around their TVs to watch the Super Bowl. And that means millions of eyes ripe for selling products and brands to. The Super Bowl ads always gain attention, and this year is no exception. Especially as it looks as though Google has jumped on the bandwagon.

I think it’s fair to say that the jury is still out on the Apple iPad. While most of us have no doubts it will be a huge success, especially at the $499 entry-level asking price, there are some aspects of the device which raise concerns. What do big-hitting tech journalists Walt Mossberg, Micheal Arrington, and David Carr think?

Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are changing the way we communicate in a very real sense. And now they’re even messing with the well-established practices of U.S. television networks. That’s right folks, they’re messing with the delay of live events as people immediately head online to talk about what they just saw on the goggle box.