Who would bet against Facebook today, as it readies for the largest initial public offering (IPO) in the United States in the coming months?

Yet, amid the excitement, one thing that investors will read about is this troubling reminder of the threat coming from rival social networking efforts from the likes of Google, which can take away key advertising dollars.

Even while Mark Zuckerberg and company are expected to raise an initial US$5 billion from a red hot IPO, there is worry that Google will expand its offerings to target the activities that make loads of money for Facebook now.

Facebook’s 845 million active users upload 250 million photos a day, make 2.7 billion comments or “likes” a day and are part of 100 billion friendships online, according to details released for the IPO. Together, they made the eight-year-old company a neat US$1 billion  profit last year – an achievement, since users don’t always equal dollars.

Facebook’s cash cow? Advertising, which contributes 88 per cent of the company’s revenues. Yes, those little tiles on the side of the page that your friends “like” or recommend. The rest of the revenue comes from Zynga, which creates those addictive – and sometimes annoying – social games for Facebook users.

The issues? The mobile version of Facebook does not display ads, so the company could conceivably lose a stream of revenue as more users go online with their smartphones. The question then becomes one of making mobile users view the ads without irritating them enough to force them to quit using Facebook altogether.

The other issue has to do with the company’s focus on advertising, say analysts. This means it is susceptible to the fortunes of the advertising market as well as moves from rivals like Google, which has been gaining traction with its Google+ efforts of late, said Ovum’s Jan Dawson.

He pointed out: “As Google seeks to ramp up Google+, it will eat into Facebook’s share of the social networking market and with it Facebook’s share of related advertising. In addition, since much of Facebook’s revenue comes from gaming apps, as Google expands the gaming platform it is building with Google+, it threatens to dilute Facebook’s relationships with Zynga, which accounts for 12% of its revenue, and other major partners.”

Indeed, Facebook admits the threat from rivals as much in its IPO documents to the US authorities. Besides Google, it includes Microsoft and Twitter on a long list of rivals going forward.

Most industry watchers say Google+, the closest competitor, still has some way to go to shake Facebook from its deeply-entrenched position, but the search and advertising king’s alternative is ramping up fast.

Google+ already has 100 million users today after just seven months, according to one analyst, and the figure is expected to go up to 400 million by the end of 2012.

Symantec has discovered over a dozen apps with malicious code that could cede control of your smartphone to perpetrators.

In a recent blog post, the security company said the apps, which are hosted on the Android Market, can be used to propagate a “bot-like threat that can receive commands to carry out certain actions, as well as steal information from the device”.

These threats are also known as botnets, where a collection of compromised computers can be controlled by a central server to launch denial-of-service attacks. Private information such as bank account numbers on compromised devices could also be stolen by cybercriminals.

According to Symantec, the malicious code is grafted onto the apps in a package called “apperhand”. Once launched, a service with the same name may be seen running on a compromised device. A search icon will also appear on the home screen

The malicious apps appear to be from three publishers: iApps7 Inc, Ogre Games and redmicapps. About half of the apps in question have been removed from the Android Market as of today.

Malware targeting mobile devices are expected to increase this year. The hardest hit are likely to be Android-based devices, given the operating system’s large market share and open innovation platform, said ICSA Labs, a division of Verizon Business that tests and certifies security products.

If 2011 was remembered for shiny new tablets that made people part with their hard-earned cash, then 2012 may just be the one where the craze for these thin and light yet powerful and affordable ultrabooks takes off big time.

At the annual CES show just concluded earlier in the week, a good number of laptop makers joined the fray with their takes on what people would be carrying to meetings and classrooms in the coming months.

Perhaps having seen Asus, Acer and Lenovo whip up demand for such ultra-light PCs in the closing months of 2011, the likes of Sony, Dell and HP showed of their versions of the ultrabook at CES this year. Lenovo too came up with a quite surprising “yoga-like” ultrabook cum tablet.

Here’s a sneak peek.

Sony Vaio Ultrabook

credit: Engadget

The venerable Vaio brand finally has an ultrabook join the family, after Sony showed off a Vaio Ultrabook at CES. Actually, “Vaio Ultrabook” is what journalists have called the device so far, as it is really still unnamed yet.

Little more is known about this new entry except that it’s a 13-incher with a glossy screen and has the typical chiclet keyboard common on many Vaios.

From what observers seem to have discovered, there seems to be a Ethernet port along with a VGA port, a sorely missing feature on some ultrabooks that lets you connect your machine to a projector.

Early photos from CES do seem to suggest that Sony’s new Vaio looks very much like a thin MacBook Pro, but that’s not a bad thing, considering many people buy Macs and install Windows and Parallels on them. Just watch out for lawsuits, Sony!

Dell XPS 13

Looking pretty too is Dell’s new XPS 13, the US laptop maker’s entry into the ultrabook market. What distinguishes it from others here is a machined aluminium finish, coupled with a carbon fibre composite base, which gives it rigidity while keeping relatively light at just 1.36kg.

It boasts a 13.3-inch screen (1,366 x 768 pixels), which seems like regular issue, but this is protected by a piece of hardy Corning Gorilla glass that will come in handy for a bit of rough and tumble on the go.

Like many ultrabooks before it, the XPS 13 will feature both Core i5 and Core i7 chips, and will sport 4GB of RAM as well as 128GB or 256GB solid state drives.

No indication of prices yet from Dell Singapore, but the XPS 13 is expected to go on sale in March. We expect this sleek-looking ultrabook to be quite popular this year.

HP Envy 14 Spectre
Perhaps the prettiest of them all is HP’s Envy 14 Spectre. It breaks the mould here by having a 14-inch screen instead of a regular 13.3-incher, yet manages to keep things slim and light by having an ultra-thin frame around the display.

It’s slightly heavier than the Dell at under 4 pounds (1.8kg) but for a laptop with a 14-inch screen, it is surely one of the lightest. Powered by Intel’s Core i5 and i7, and with 128GB and 256GB solid state drives to choose from, the Envy 14 Spectre really ups the ante for the already respectable Envy line.

No word yet on availability in Singapore, though the machine is up for pre-order in the United States. I’m sure many Envy users would love to see the Envy 14 Spectre come in black as well!

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga
Finally, we have the IdeaPad Yoga, which is a pretty innovative take on the increasingly common “transform” device. At first glance, it looks like another slim 13-inch ultrabook, but that’s because you haven’t discovered the hinge design here that lets the screen flip around all the way back – like a yoga master – to transform into a tablet.

Once it’s in this position, the pre-installed Microsoft Windows 8 OS automatically runs in tablet mode. Here, a 10-point finger or gesture input gives you the convenience of a regular tablet touch interface.

The screen runs at a sharp 1,600 x 900, according to a report by Geek.com. Plus, the “target price”, according to its video, is under US$1,200, which makes it very attractive when it is launched later this year with Windows 8.

A year of choices
The good news is, whatever form or shape you prefer in an ultrabook, you’ll have a lot to choose from in 2012. It has taken a while for PC makers to challenge Apple’s innovative MacBook Air, but the next 12 months should see a lot of them wowing back users with both sexy machines and an innovative edge provided by the laptop- and tablet-friendly Windows 8 OS.

The much-awaited Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the next “Google phone” featuring the new Android 4.0 operating system, will only reach Singapore stores in February 2012, a month later than expected.

Samsung Singapore today said the units would be sold at S$948 (without contract), as it revealed earlier in November. However, the delay will not be good news for folks here who have been waiting for the latest and greatest from the Android camp.

The Galaxy Nexus, following in the Nexus One and Nexus S tradition, would come with a “clean” interface without any add-on software, which is a boon to those who want a “pure” Google experience without clunky extras. It has another plus: being a Nexus phone, it will be the first to get the latest updates direct from Google.

Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich is also desired for several new features, for example, a nifty face unlock, improved task-switching, and an updated Gmail interface. (See our hands on test for the Galaxy Nexus here)

The Galaxy Nexus naturally is expected to compete with the current flagship from Samsung, the Galaxy S II, which sports a smaller 4.3-inch screen compared to the Nexus’ 4.65-incher.

The Galaxy S II runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and is slated to be upgraded to Android 4.0 in Q1, according to Samsung HQ. However, the Korean firm’s Singapore representatives were tight-lipped about any timeline for software updates for Singapore users, when queried by Techgoondu today.

At the launch event today, Samsung also showed off a number of other devices for the new year. The S$768 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, out in January 2012, is an update on the original Tab, sporting a 7-inch screen and a faster 1.2GHz dual-core chip, while the slightly broader but slimmer and more attractive Galaxy Tab 7.7 with a dual-core 1.4GHz chip will go for S$898 when it arrives in February 2012.

A new mid-end phone also worth checking out is the Galaxy W, which runs Android despite the “W” moniker, which usually means Windows Phone in Samsung-speak. Out this month, it sports a 1.4GHz CPU and costs an attractive S$498. With operator discounts sometimes at about S$400 to S$500 for high-end plans, this could be a S$0 ph0ne well worth looking out for.

Samsung is dangling the same attractive price tag on its Omnia W. Similar to the Galaxy W, specs wise, this phone will be noted for running Windows Phone “Mango”. For folks who are looking for a Windows phone, the Super AMOLED display makes it stand out from the competition when it hits the stores this month.

In the time between the launch of the first iPad and today, a sea of Android tablets have attempted to cash in on the tablet craze, but with the noticeable exception of one Japanese consumer electronics giant. Late last year, Sony caught up to the crowd with their Tablet S, which we managed to get hold of for a review.

Eschewing the traditional flat slab for a shape, Sony took a turn and designed a tablet which looks distinctively different from its peers. Does the Tablet S have what it takes to stand out?

Hardware and design

The Sony Tablet S has a striking shape, which looks like a magazine with one flap folded back, and has no problem standing out from the pack. At first glance, the shape looked ridiculous. It’s clumsily thick on one side, and sleek and thin on the other.

But the moment you pick it up, you start to appreciate the genius of this design. The tablet is weighted towards the thicker part, and feels pleasantly ergonomic. Reading one-handed on a tablet has never been more comfortable.

Turn the tablet to landscape orientation, however, and the experience is less pleasant. I found myself adjusting the tablet constantly to try to find a good way to hold it, but to no avail.

Rest the tablet down on the table, and the situation is reversed. The gentle incline of the screen facilitates reading and typing in landscape orientation. But turn it around to portrait and you’ll find yourself having to contend with the screen’s weird angle.

Despite the innovative design, the materials used to build the Tablet S are nothing to sing about. The plastic feels flimsy and attracts fingerprints like flies to honey. The touch screen is not of the Gorilla variety, and actually flexes if you press too hard. We wouldn’t risk putting the tablet near sharp objects.

The only upside to the use of such materials is the weight of the tablet: at 598g, it doesn’t strain the arm during long periods of holding like the heavier Android tablets do.

The Tablet S has a dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and built-in storage of 16GB or 32GB. While there’s no micro SD support, Sony did include a standard SD card slot and a micro USB port, which can be used to attach flash drives if you have a micro USB to USB adaptor.

Note, however, that plugging in an SD card or thumb drive doesn’t work in the traditional sense. The tablet cannot read files on external storage, and they’ll have to be copied over to internal storage before they can be used. This actually makes it next to useless, since it doesn’t expand the tablet’s storage at all, and you need to conserve space in order to, say, view photos from your camera’s SD card.

The Tablet S can be charged through its proprietary port at the thin edge, which also works as a connector for accessories such as the charging dock. However, the port doesn’t have any sort of cover, which means you’ll have to contend with its ugly exposed metal bits breaking the smooth edge of the tablet.

Display and sound

The 9.4-inch screen (1280 x 800) is a tad smaller than what we’re used to seeing, but it’s a fantastic screen which incorporates the TruBlack tech from Sony’s line of Bravia televisions. The higher pixel density means text is nice and crisp, and viewing angles are excellent, with bright, vivid colours and deep blacks.

There’s no way tablets can have impressive audio, but the Tablet S doesn’t do too badly. Music sounded decent without the sound cracking or sounding tinny when cranked up. But as usual, for the best audio experience on a mobile device, hook it up to a pair of good earphones.

Software

Sony has packed a wealth of software features into the Tablet S, including a useful universal remote control app that works on virtually any well-known electronics, including televisions and even electric fans.

The tablet also comes pre-loaded with two PlayStation games: Crash Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes. It’s a PlayStation Certified device, but that’s also rather useless for the time being as the PlayStation Store is not yet available in Singapore. You’ll have to stick to games from the Android Market and the two preloaded game for the time being.

And we don’t think we have to say more on how much it sucks to play a PlayStation game with all touch controls. Fortunately, an update has enabled compatibility with PS3 controllers, which should make playing those games less painful.

There are also under-the-hood enhancements, including Sony’s own finger-tracking algorithm which greatly improves the tablet’s responsiveness. It’s not an understatement to say this is the smoothest Android tablet I’ve tested to date.

Sony has also done some tweaking to the Android interface, but they’re not that intrusive, and are rather pleasant in truth. Tiny quick launch icons on the top of the screen give you quick access to frequently used apps like the web browser, and the apps menu has a nice stretchy effect as you scroll. You can even add separators in the apps menu to really customise its layout.

The keyboard is also improved, and features a numeric keypad when the tablet is in landscape mode, which is fantastic when you need to crunch numbers. Coupled with the gentle slope of the tablet, the Tablet S has the best soft keyboard without the need for any additional purchase.

Bottom-line

As great an Android tablet as the Sony Tablet S is, it’s lacking in one very important area: the lack of 3G connectivity. Despite being so late to the tablet game, Sony is still taking its time to release a 3G version to market, which makes the Tablet S hard to recommend.

At S$668 for the 16GB version and S$789 for the 32GB, it’s not that much different from other tablets on the market. This means we also cannot recommend the tablet based on its price.

But the tablet is very nice on its own, with its smart design and elegant user interface. Coupled with the superior responsiveness, PlayStation certification, DLNA streaming and IR remote control, it could probably fit the bill for users who don’t need on-the-go 3G connectivity.

Google started the building of a new data centre in Singapore on Thursday, a US$120 million facility which represents the Internet giant’s expansion of operations in the region.

“More users are coming online in Asia than anywhere else in the world,” said Julian Persaud, head of Google Southeast Asia at a launch event. Projected to go online in 2013, the new data centre promises to serve this growing demand by delivering fast and reliable access to Google services.

In addition, the data centre will boost the local job market in a small way, as Google is hiring a small team of full-time staff as well as a number of contractors in a variety of roles, including computer technicians, electrical and mechanical engineers, and catering and security staff.

Google will also be launching a community grants programme here in Singapore, which will provide annual grants ranging from US$5,000 to US$50,000 to organizations that focus on four specific topics: technology literacy and innovation, renewable energy innovation, access to high speed internet, and new economy entrepreneurship.

For a start, IAB Singapore will be receiving US$50,000 to conduct digital career training programmes for final-year undergraduates to equip them with the necessary digital skills and knowledge so that they will have an easier time landing jobs in the Internet economy.

It’s that time of the year again when you play Santa to your friends and family by buying them the presents they deserve, depending on how good they have been.

If you are thinking of phones to stuff into the stocking this year, here are five of the hottest mobiles that would not disappoint most gizmo lovers. Check them out.

Samsung Galaxy Note

Okay, it’s a bit of a stretch to call this a phone, when it looks a little too big to be with its 5.3-inch screen. But Samsung’s latest “crossover” device still fits into many handbags and jeans pockets – tablets usually don’t – and it boasts one of the best screens around in its AMOLED display.

More than that, the stylus complements regular finger gestures to let you scribble as well as scrawl notes on the screen. We weren’t sure it’s a hit when we first saw the Galaxy Note, but it is now surely one of the most popular gift ideas this holiday season. Check out our hands on test here.

Samsung Galaxy S II

If a “traditional” phone is more to your taste, then one of the most popular now is the Galaxy S II, the Korean firm’s runaway hit this year. It’s got the best screen around in the ultra-bright Super AMOLED Plus and the interface is butter smooth, thanks to the 1.2GHz dual core chip onboard.

Better yet, there’s even a pretty, white version now if a “white Christmas” is your kind of thing. Plus, the new version also means your gift is a little different from the original black version. Check out the review here.

Motorola Razr

Okay, enough of Samsung. One alternative to the top Android maker from Korea is Motorola’s new Razr. Though nothing like the original Razr that made Motorola a choice of fashionistas several years ago, the new version sports the same focus on design and style with its ultra-thin design and unique Kevlar backing.

What we also like are power settings that intuitively help you save battery juice. You can set the Razr to automatically switch off the GPS, for example, when you reach home. Check out our hands on test here.

HTC Sensation XL

Another phone that is bound to please is HTC’s aptly-named Sensation XL. With a 4.7-inch screen that is only bettered by the Galaxy Note’s 5.3 incher, the Sensation XL also sports a speedy 1.5GHz chip that means all the extras that HTC throws into its Android-based phones don’t slow down the interface here.

As you’d expect, the XL-sized gizmo also comes with HTC’s trademark heavy metallic chassis – a contrast to Samsung’s much lighter, plastic chassis for its Galaxy phones. This phone is what you’re looking for if you prefer something that feels a little heavier or “solid” in your hands. More here.

[NOTE: We had earlier said the Sensation XL sported a dual-core chip. This is incorrect. It has a single core chip.]

Nokia Lumia 800

After four Android phones, a Windows rival here. What makes Nokia’s comeback device so special is really its design. Like the N9 before it, the Lumia 800 has a screen that looks like a pillow sitting on a single piece of moulded plastic – it’s simply genius.

The simple design will resonate with many users who like Microsoft’s simple interface that has been quietly gaining fans looking for an alternative to Android and iOS devices. Better yet, the new “Mango” version of Windows Phone comes with much-needed updates like multi-tasking, making it a real rival to the two main OSes now. More about the Lumia 800.

Alternatives
What else do we like? Well, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus that runs Google’s latest Android OS is definitely in the wishlist of many gadget fans this Christmas, but we’re still not sure if Samsung will get this much-awaited number in the shops by Christmas.

There’s also Apple’s iPhone 4S, which surely is a must-have for its fans, but the small screen and closed, inflexible OS mean it is poor competition for its Android rivals and make it a gift strictly for Apple lovers.

Fancy a gadget other than a phone this holiday season? We’ll have more guides on laptops and more in the coming days to Christmas!

Google Singapore has unveiled its list of top search terms used by Singaporeans in its annual Zeitgeist that offers a glimpse of the year’s major trends and events.

Topping the list of personalities were Tin Pei Ling, Nicole Seah and George Yeo, underscoring the nation’s interest in the watershed General Election 2011. Searches on the elections also figured prominently in this year’s top news searches.

Singaporeans were also on the hunt for information on the iPad 2, the iPhone 5 that didn’t materialize, as well as Samsung products. The gamers in our midst were googling for Dragon Nest, DotA and Wolfteam. Of course, there’s also the PC Show this year, where we were hungry for deals to feed our insatiable appetite for all things tech.

We also tried to keep up with the major events that took place this year, including the devastating earthquake in Japan and the uprisings in Libya and Egypt. Closer to home, many wondered about the changes to the subway system with the addition of new stations on the Circle Line.

Singaporeans also relied on local bloggers to make sense of what’s going on around them, get fashion tips and check out the latest happenings in the lives of their favourite online personalities. The honours for the top local blogs went to mrbrown, Beatrice Tan and Yankaykay.

This year, we also tuned in to the latest celebrity gossip, with American reality TV star Kim Kardashian — famed for her 72-day marriage to NBA star Kris Humphries — topping the list of celebrity searches. The Justin Bieber fever has infected Singaporeans too – the teen star led the red carpet list, with girlfriend Selena Gomez closing in from behind.

Singaporeans also scoured the Web for places to get their fix of pizzas, grilled seafood, cupcakes, waffles and nasi lemak. We love places that marry great food with great shopping. So, it wasn’t a surprise that Hong Kong emerged as the top travel destination for Singaporeans, though a good number of us are also on the lookout for beach destinations like Maldives, Phi Phi island and Hawaii.

“The year-end Zeitgeist is a cultural barometer showing us what quickened our national heartbeat and drove our curiosity,” said Google spokesperson Sana Rahman. “Singaporean searches for sun-soaked travel, good food, gadgets and games show we’re a nation that knows how to have fun any day of the year,” she added.

Here’s a quick overview of Singapore’s top searches:

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t crazy about the Galaxy Note when I first saw it a few weeks ago at Samsung’s big show-and-tell in Jakarta. The 5.3-inch screen makes it bigger than most phones (the Galaxy S II has a 4.3-inch screen), yet is smaller than the most petite tablet, like the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab.

Samsung’s new gizmo also uses a stylus in addition to the usual finger gestures that you can use to interact with the Android 2.3.5 OS (upgradable next year to Android 4.0). Now, where have we seen a stylus before? Yes, in the HTC Flyer, a slightly larger tablet, which didn’t do fantastically well.

Then there are other “middle of the road” devices like Dell’s Streak, which was well-made but didn’t win over enough fans, some of whom must have been confused by its “hybrid” nature.

And now, here we are with the Galaxy Note, which is cosmetically, a larger version of the popular Galaxy S II. What I think is crucial to its popularity in recent weeks, as I’ve heard from sources, is that it has come at a time when the screen sizes of phones have themselves increased from the iPhone’s 3.5 inches to 4.7 inches on the HTC Sensation XL, for example.

It helps too that the Galaxy Note can still be held in one hand. And if you have a big, loose pair of jeans, you can just about squeeze it into your back pocket. Just remember to take it out when you rush for a seat on the MRT train, and if you like skinny jeans, forget about the Galaxy Note.

What of the stylus then? I’d say the 5.3-inch screen helps give you enough space to scribble on. Personally, I’m not a scribbler who relies on transcribing software to convert my notes to text, because T9 predictive text and a virtual keyboard can be so good these days. But for folks who have always liked to doodle, the Galaxy Note works pretty smoothly as a digital pad.

Besides that, you can also use the stylus to crop pictures, which is a little tough to do accurately with your fingers. Then there’s a smart calendar app that lets you jot down your appointments like on a good old paper filofax, which will surely resonate with folks who miss their old leather-bound diaries.

The Galaxy Note also boasts the smooth interface that has made the Galaxy S II so popular. Under the hood, or rather, inside the light 178g frame, is a speedy 1.4GHz dual-core chip. When I tested it briefly some weeks back, I couldn’t detect any slowdown at all, despite the extra pixels needed to be processed thanks to the big screen.

That, by the way, is a bright Super AMOLED screen pumping out 1,280 x 800 pixels. The result: a whole lot of detail that ensures the text and pictures on screen are really sharp. Come to think about it, my mom’s old 19-inch PC LCD monitor only displays slightly more pixels and details, despite being so much bigger.

From what I recall from my quick hands-on with the Galaxy Note, what’s perhaps even most interesting is the 8-meg camera, which shoots videos and images pretty well even in low light.

By that, I mean it can even detect the vague shapes of people in a dimly-lit hall, like the one that the phone was launched in. A fellow journalist on the trip with me shot a quick video of the group of us at the table, and guess what, I could even make out each person in a very dark function room.

Personally, the Galaxy Note is not something I’d buy, because I prefer two devices – a tablet at home (or when overseas) and a phone while I’m out in town. But for others who have been looking for a device that fits both worlds – women who don’t have to stuff their mobile phones into their skinny jeans, for example – the S$998 Galaxy Note can be an interesting “middle of the road” gadget to check out.