If you are a techie and knows how to find bugs in any website (read: hacker), then Facebook will pay you $500 if you can identify security glitches in the social network.

Facebook said in a blog post that they are offering a monetary bounty for “certain qualifying” security bugs. The site says it is their way of “showing appreciation for security researchers.”

The blog post proceeded that the “first person to responsibly disclose” a bug that could compromise the integrity or privacy of Facebook user data would be eligible for a bounty of $500.

The social network says their security team will assess the bugs reported if they qualify. It also added that the $500 bounty could also be increased depending to the type or degree of the threat of the bug reported.

Sony Ericsson launched its first android phone with social networking feature and also allows users to enjoy their favorite Glee songs.

The new Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman, Zylo, Yendo and Spiro Phone let users connect through Facebook and Twitter and come with songs from the hit television series Glee songs.

The W8 has a three-inch screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera with direct picture upload to Facebook. It also allows users to create their own music by simply sliding their fingers through the touch screen. W8 also has video recording and an internet access via 3G or WIFI.

It comes with a 4GB micro-SD card which is exclusive to the Philippine market. The W8 is available for P7,990; Zylo for P4,990; Yendo for P3,990; and the Spiro for P2,990.

Sony Ericsson will also be having an online music contest where fans could submit videos of their own cover of Glee songs on Facebook and winners will get a chance to Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman phones and vacation packages for two to Boracay Garden resort.

Google will help you find a hotel on your next trip.

That is because the internet giant launched a new tool for finding hotels after purchasing a leading flight software company earlier this year.

The new service called Hotel Finder, according to Google software engineer Andrew McCarthy, is an “experimental search tool” which is designed to help users not only to find hotels, but to book hotels online as well.

Hotel Finder interfaces with Google Maps in helping users refine their choice by geographic area. It also uses various criteria in narrowing down choices, among which are price, number of stars, and user ratings.

The service is restricted to the United States as of this time.

The latest updated version of the Microsoft’s Web browser, Internet Explorer 9, was said to have been downloaded more than 2 million times within the first 24 hours it was released, or a rate of 27 downloads per second, according the Exploring IE Blog.

Since Google’s Chrome has effectively been biting into its market share, after Mozilla’s Firefox, Microsoft deemed it’s about time it gets back its place in the browser war, via IE9.

The new features of IE9 reportedly matches those of Chrome’s — speed and a minimalist user interface. It also adds some its unique tricks: graphics hardware acceleration and the ability to pin site tabs to the Windows 7 task bar.

The Microsoft Web browser also includes the most advanced Tracking Protection feature available, allowing users to subscribe to lists of sites known to profile them for targeted marketing.

The catch? The new Internet Explorer version, unfortunately, only runs on Microsoft’s latest two operating system versions, which are Windows 7 and Vista. This practically limits IE9′s market growth to those using the said OS. But Microsoft said that this limitation would eventually get those people to upgrade into the two systems as well.

The IE Blog by MSN says “IE9 can can play HTML5 video in both the industry-standard H.264 format and the newer WebM format. With the WebM Project’s release of WebM Components for IE9 (Preview), Windows customers running IE9 can play WebM videos in Web pages. IE9 is the only browser today committed to supporting both formats directly.”

Click here if you want to download and test drive the new IE9.

Who doesn’t want to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab? I’m sure you do.

Well, here’s a sweet chance for all you out there who are eager to get their hands on a Galaxy Tab P1000, cause you can get it free from San Marino Corned Tuna.

Yup! You got it right, San Marino Corned Tuna is giving away a Samsung Galaxy as a prize for its contest.

All you have to do is come out with an original sandwhich recipe that has San Marino Corned Tuna or Chili Corned Tuna in it. Of course, your recipe has to be original for it to qualify.

You can submit your entry at the San Marino website or at the San Marino Facebook page. Although it is not required, it would be better if you can also send a picture of your product.

A panel of judges from San Marino will choose among the submitted entries the top 6 sandwich recipes that will qualify for the online voting. The top 6 sandwich recipes will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• 25% Originality
• 25% Uniqueness
• 25% Creativity
• 25% Integration of San Marino Corned Tuna/ Chilli Corned Tuna product
• The top 6 participants will advance to the final stage and will be required to submit photos of their finished product that will be used for the online voting.
• Photos of the sandwich recipes must be orignal and prederably unedited.

Dates to Remember

• March 2 to April 2, 2011 – Submission of Entries
• April 5, 2011 – Announcement of Top 6 Finalists
• April 6  to 28, 2011 – Voting Period
• May 2, 2011 – Announcement of Winner

Prizes

• The entry with the highest number of Facebook “Like” by the end of the voting period will receive a brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000.

Winners

• Winners will be notified through an email confirmation and a phone call from a representative to discuss the details and claiming of the prizes.

Qualification

• The sandwich recipe contest is open to anyone residing in the Philippines, culinary professional or otherwise.
• Participants must be 18 years old and above.
• All employees of CDO Foodsphere, Inc. and Innovative Systems & Technology Alliance, Inc., their dealer network, accredited advertising agencies and suppliers, and their relatives up to 2nd degree of consanguinity or affinity are disqualified from participating in the promo.

So, hurry! The deadline for the submission of entries is fast approaching!

Click here for more details!

With the anticipation of another super typhoon coming to the Philippines, Pagasa gets people updated with latest news via Twitter.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced that it will keep the public updated via Twitter under the name @dost_pagasa.

Keeping track of the weather through Twitter allows the people to follow up on the developments on the coming super typhoon Juan (international name: Megi) bearing the unpredictability of the weather.

Aside from their Twitter account, the public may also check on their website www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph.

“We would be able to inform the public on the arrival of the storm, the public storm warning signals and an every hour report. We are starting with typhoon ‘Juan’,” said Pagasa officer-in-charge Graciano Yumul.

“We only created our Twitter account past 12 noon last Friday (Oct. 15) and now we already have 5,000 followers. We are being followed by people from all walks of life, such as students and the media,” Yumul said.

The creation of the Twitter account of Pagasa is part of the “national government and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program to address all the concerns of our kababayans,” which they say has proven to be an effective medium.

Yumul said the creation of the Twitter account is part of the “national government and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program to address all the concerns of our kababayans. It has proven to be an effective medium.”

With more than 14,000 Filipinos having a Twitter account, Yumul believed that the social network site is so far the most effective means of disseminating information. At the same, he said, they were also deluge with requests that they also open a Facebook and Friendster account.

Dell launches a new gadget in the market, it’s called the Dell Streak and it is described as “somewhere in between a smart phone with a big screen and an iPad.”

The Streak, also known as the Mini 5, is the first of a number planned products by the world’s number three computer. It is smaller than most computer tablets with a 5 inches (12.5 cm) screen and runs Google’s Android operating system.

Tavis Butler of Dell said, “This is a data device first and a voice device second.”

He said the Streak is the “first in a family of devices” to be produced by Dell’s new business division whose focus is on small-screen devices. In the future, Dell could also have a 7 inches and 10 inches tablet.

Despite the question on its size and whether it is indeed an iPad competitor or on a league of it’s own, I would like to have one.

Honestly, I like it better. Being so small and yet powerful, makes it an ideal mobile companion.

I don’t think I could use it to blog though.

What do you think? Is it a worthy iPad competitor?

You’ve heard of 3D TV and 3D-enabled DS from Nintendo, now the 3D fever catches in on Playboy.

Yes, Playboy will publish a 3D Centerfold, because Playboy founder Hugh Hefner believes that one thing that people would like to see in 3D is a naked lady.

The 3-D centerfold will appear in the June issue of the Playboy Magazine which will hit newsstands this Friday, featuring the 51st Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk, who will be the first playmate to jump off page in 3D.

The magazine would have its own 3D glasses for the loyal readers to use in looking the Hope‘s centerfold who would appear blurry when seen at the naked eye.

Although the idea of a 3D image didn’t really appeal to Hefner personally, as he said that 2D is fine with him. But he cannot discount the fact that 3-D films like Avatar is getting popular, and therefore would like to try it to his readers.

The idea of 3-D isn’t exactly new to Hefner. He said he first though of using it when he first launched his magazine in the 1950s.

“I actually signed a photographer to shoot two nude women in 3-D in Chicago,” he said. But when he found out how expensive it would be to include the 3D glasses,  he scrapped the idea altogether.

But this, Hefner found an ally in HBO who will help him carrying out the 3-D issue.

Theresa Hennessey, Playboy spokeswoman said, HBO wanted a creative way to promote its show “True Blood,” and having Playboy include 3-D glasses with the show’s name on them seemed a good way to do it.

So do you think the 3D glasses would work?

Those who have already tried it said it does kind of look like Dworaczyk is handing you the wine glass she’s holding. And she says the photograph makes everything a little, well, bigger.

“It’s kind of like it says on the rearview mirror,” Dworaczyk joked. “Things may appear larger.”

Here’s a video clip from CNN for the news on the Playboy 3-D issue.

After it’s successful launch last month, the iPad is set for global launch.

Apple has announced the international launch of iPad in nine countries outside the US on May 28. These are the countries of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

The cheapest model of iPad which is sold in the US for $499 (£337) will retail in the UK at £429. The price difference is due in part to the British VAT and US sales tax. Before tax, the same model would cost £37 ($55) more in the UK.

Since its launched in the US last year, Apple said it has sold more than 1 million units of iPad. Apple had to delay deliveries of iPad in the international market.

Prices of iPad in the UK will range from £429 for the entry-level model, to £699 for the maximum capacity 64GB model, which also has the built-in access to third generation (3G) mobile networks.

The iPad prices are as follows:

• 16GB, wifi only – £429 inc vat
• 32GB, wifi only – £499 inc vat
• 64GB, wifi only – £599 inc vat
• 16GB, wifi/3G – £529 inc vat
• 32GB, wifi/3G – £599 inc vat
• 64GB, wifi/3G – £699 inc vat

Customers will be able to pre-order the device in the different markets from 10 May.

Other companies, including Dell, Nokia and Toshiba, are also planning to release their own version of tablet computers in 2010.

On 4 May, Intel unveiled the family of chips it hopes will be used in tablet computers that will go on sale towards the end of the year.

I was not really aware. Maybe because I was not really reading but just swiftly site-hopping that I didn’t notice the Facebook changes implemented recently until I was able to chance upon this CNN’s update on Facebook changes.

Undoubtedly, Facebook has now become one of the most popular social media on the internet. Personally, I have seen that everybody seems to be on Facebook these days… even those who refused to be on Friendster, Multiply, Hi5, Tagged, Twitter and what-have-you.

I’ve seen classmates from way back in elementary that I haven’t seen for ages, found some long-lost friends I’ve been searching for so long… all with the help of Face book.

Now is online social media is expanding with some changes that either be a boon or a bane, depending on how you would perceive it.

One of the most pronounced update is the “Like” button. I’m sure you’re familiar with the “Like” button on Facebook, which you click whenever you found a picture, status, video or a link interesting, and in essence recommending it to your friends.

Now, this “Like” button is no longer confined in Facebook as you can now see popping up all over the Internet. If only I knew how, I would put one here so you can also “like” this post.

And when you click that “like” button on a blog post, a photo or a celebrity web page, the action will show on your Facebook news feed. Your friends on Facebook would know what you “liked” outside the social site.

Your friends would know when you’re going what you are reading!

An effect of clicking the “like” button is that your profile picture on Facebook will show up on the site. If you “like” many blogs, photos and other websites, soon your profile picture would be scatter all over the net. Take note of that, especially if you are bordering on paranoia.

And then, there’s the new Facebook toolbar which can be added at the bottom of web pages. The toolbar lets you “like” a particular web page or item and gives you information about what your friends think of the page you’re viewing. With the new toolbar, you can also chat with friends who are online on Facebook without the need to visit the site.

I have yet to see a Facebook toolbar on my friends’ blogs though.

These are just some of the changes, which could be a sign of things to come and that is, Facebook will soon be everywhere!

A word of caution: Better check on privacy setting on your Facebook account. You may not want too much of your information going all over the web.