SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Last Update on September 09, 2010 04:13 EDT

IN THE NEWS: GOOGLE SPEEDS UP WEB SEARCHING

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- When you look something up on Google, the site tells you the results usually in less than a second or so. Now, the site's owners are trying to make searching even faster -- by adding a feature that displays results as soon as you start typing in a request. It's called "Google Instant" and is similar to the type of search already available in the mobile version of the search engine, like the one for the Apple iPhone. As you start typing a query, you get a choice of possible results. The tweak to the search engine is the closest the company has come in its 12 years of existence to realizing its goal to have a search engine that can read its users' minds. For those who aren't crazy about the instant listings, you can toggle the feature off in the search preferences.

IN THE NEWS: RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK OFFICIALS STOP USING GOOGLE EARTH TO SPY ON POOLS

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Imagine someone using satellite images to take a peek at your backyard pool. Council members in the town of Riverhead, N.Y. now agree that the idea isn't too cool. Newsday reports town officials have voted to stop using Google Earth to check out the pools of people in the town. Officials have been using the satellite image service to find out who has pools -- and make sure that they all have the proper paperwork. Officials say the permit-less pools were a safety concern because there's no way to make sure the plumbing, electrical work and fencing meet state and local regulations. But after some complained the idea was a little too "Big Brother," the council agreed that satellite images can't be used to prosecute violations that couldn't be easily seen from public areas.

ON THE WEB: EMMY COMPETITION

CYBERSPACE (AP) -- Now, when you hear people talk about Emmy competition, they mean competition for the institution itself, not just the statues. The Paley Center for Media has announced plans for an awards telecast that will rival the Emmys. It will launch in spring of 2012 in New York. No word yet on the format and categories but officials at the Paley Center say they will take a "fresh and distinctive approach" to honoring the best of TV, including video that is shown online and on mobile platforms.

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Online:

Paley Center site: http://www.paleycenter.org

Emmys site: http://www.emmys.tv

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