Security researchers have discovered that short URLs are able to be brute-forced, potentially exposing personal data to anyone motivated to look. The issue was found by Martin Georgiev and Vitaly Shmatikov after looking at the abbreviated web address...
Snapchat is a messaging platform that's so cool that the primary way to connect two people is by using... a QR code. Or at least it did, since its creators are now rolling out a way for you to add friends by creating a URL. That means that if you wan...
If reports are to be believed, we can expect Apple to enter the automotive market by 2019. Before then, it appears the company is doing what it can to stop opportunists from derailing its plans. MacRumors reports that it's begun buying up domain name...
There are a lot of URL shortening sites, but few that offer to expand the shortened URLs to their original state. Scammers, spammers, and hackers have taken advantage of shortened URLs to mislead and trick users into clicking them, only to have their information and accounts stolen or compromised.
However, LongURL is there to save the day. It does the opposite of what popular URL-shortening sites like TinyURL and bit.ly do, so you can see exactly where that shortened URL is leading you to and if you should avoid that link at all costs. LongURL supports a number of these URL-shortening websites, including the most-commonly used ones, so you might find it useful to bookmark the site for future reference.
[ LongURL ] VIA [ Red Ferret ]
The shock! The horror! The genuine nightmare of losing two more valuable character spaces per tweet! Such a scenario is indeed going to play out, as Twitter has just announced a subtle change in its t.co wrapper that'll go into play this coming February. The firm will be extending the maximum length of t.co wrapped links from 20 to 22 characters for non-https URLs, and 21 to 23 characters for https URLs. It's announcing the change now in order to give developers time to tweak their apps to handle things with poise, though it's not going so far as to clarify why the change is being made. Enjoy those shortened links while you can -- that whole "140 characters" thing will soon be gaining yet another asterisk.
Filed under: Internet
Via: The Next Web
Source: Twitter
If you're lacking the mental perspicacity to memorize that bizarre string that constitutes your Google+ profile (or business page) we've got some good news -- Google's continuing its roll-out of custom URLs to its most popular social network pages. You'll have to make sure that you stake a claim to your pre-approved URL when the box appears on your page -- fortunately it's pretty hard to miss, sticking out along the top of your well-known profile / page. Lesser known brands and 'personalities' will have to wait a little longer, but Product Manager Saurabh Sharma says that the custom URLs will continue to trickle down the system "in the future."
Update: Our freshly customized +Engadget page is now up and running.
Filed under: Internet
Google+ expands custom URLs to 'thousands more' pages and profiles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Do you happen to be David Beckham or Toyota? Well, congratulations -- you now have a Google+ vanity URL. The rest of us looking for the football star or car manufacturer need only type "google.com/+davidbeckham" or "google.com/+toyota" to reach those respective pages, enabling easy access to that must-see picture in front of a private jet, or a vehicle recall notice. Sadly, you're probably not eligible for a custom shortcut of your own -- here's the word from Google:
At first, we're introducing custom URLs to a limited number of verified profiles and pages. But over time we plan to offer custom URLs to many more brands and individuals, so please stay tuned!
So, for now, you better get comfy with "plus.google.com/108326689306432447266," or whatever the good Goog has granted.
Filed under: Internet
Google+ offers custom URLs for verified accounts, other profiles to come 'over time' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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