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Morning Xtra: Impending Facebook Landgrab, New Microsoft Search



Facebook to Offer Vanity URLs

Word on the street is that Facebook will soon be offering vanity URLs for its members, so your profile can finally get the Web address it deserves (for example: facebook.com/hundriver). If the rumor is true, you can expect a massive land-grab the likes of which haven't been seen since the Great Land Run of 1889. [From: TechCrunch]

Air France Jet Missing Over Atlantic After 'Electrical Problems'
Like something out of 'Lost,' an Air France plane -- en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro with 228 people on board -- mysteriously lost contact with air-traffic controllers last night. Officials fear that the plane crashed into the Atlantic after it reported electrical problems, but there's no way to tell for sure. The Brazilian Air Force has committed two full squadrons for search and rescue operations, but no wreckage has been found. [From: CNN]

Microsoft's Bing Search Engine Opens Early
What's up, Google? There's a new kid in town... and his name is Bing. Microsoft's newest entry into the search game has been getting some great press as of late. And you don't have to wait until the promised June 3rd release date to give it a run yourself; Microsoft has jumped its own gun and made Bing public a full two days ahead of schedule. Head on over to Bing.com and give it a try. [From: IT Wire]


Apple to Charge for Re-Dowloading iPhone Apps
A report from The iPhone Blog shows that the new iPhone will likely force users to pay for an app again if they choose to re-download it over their phones. Don't worry; this is just to combat people taking advantage of a loophole in the system to get free apps. You can always re-download them for free on your computer. [From: The iPhone Blog, via ZDNet]

Scientists: Help Us Fill the Encyclopedia of Life
Get ready for wiki-ecology. Today, scientists are reaching out to people across the globe to contribute to a new project that hopes to gather observations about all life on Earth. It's called the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), and the ambitious endeavor plans on linking together existing databases of animals and plants, while giving anyone the ability to add information. Awesome. This is exactly what the Internet was made for. [From: Reuters]

CBS to Stream 'Evening News' Live Online
CBS News is announcing that it will bring the 'Evening News' live to the Web using Ustream, a live-streaming startup. This marks the first time a major news outlet will be publishing its regular content live on the Internet, and the move should validate streaming video as a viable medium for live news. We wouldn't be surprised to see ABC and NBC set up similar, copycat deals in the very near future. [From: Business Insider]

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