Google's mobile move in Japan

Google is on a roll in Japan. Yesterday, the Internet search giant joined NTT DoCoMo onstage to announce plans to wed elements of Google's search technology and other online services with the number one Japanese wireless operator's i-mode mobile Net service.

The deal is the second major partnership with a carrier since the California company formally launched its Google Mobile services with KDDI in July 2006, reports BusinessWeek.

By cozying up to the two carriers, which have combined accounts for 80% of Japan's 100 million cellphone users, Google improves its chances of being the leader in mobile search.

Researchers have improved the accuracy of automatic face recognition systems, which are being used more and more by crime prevention and national security agencies, says VOA News.

The investigators have created what they call an "average face" that, they say, allows the machines to make a correct identification in every case.

Experts say automatic face recognition systems, in which a computer attempts to recognise an individual by checking his or her face against thousands of images stored in a database, are gaining in popularity, but are not reliable.

The wait is nearly over for the first service pack for Windows Vista, according to sources close to Microsoft, states PC World.

Microsoft has said the highly-anticipated service pack would be out in the first quarter of this year, but some say it could be available in the next few weeks, more than a month before the quarter ends on 31 March.

A Taiwanese news outlet this week reported in a story that Vista SP1 would be released on 15 February, but "that date is as good as any other", said Michael Cherry, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft. "For all we know, they could make it available tomorrow."

YouTube has expanded its mobile applications, significantly increasing the number of supported cellphone technologies that can facilitate the viewing of its tens of millions of videos, says PC World.

YouTube for Mobile, previously only available through deals with Verizon, Helio and Apple, can now be used on phones that can run video streaming and are supported by any 3G operator. That amounts to about 100 million devices worldwide, according to YouTube.

In addition to gaining access to YouTube's mobile video catalogue, new YouTube for Mobile features will let users personalise their use of the videos.