In Bing, the most visible evidence of the decision-engine concept is the ability to aggregate and present specific kinds of information in a search result. Microsoft has invested in travel services, for example. Type “flights to San Francisco” into Bing, and below a few blue-shaded links to ads is a Bing Travel flight database. Click on departure and return dates, and it performs a full search of all flights and predicts whether the fare is likely to rise or fall in the days before the departure date. That feature is based on technology from Farecast, a start-up that Microsoft bought for $115 million in 2008.

Bing also uses technology from MedStory, a health search engine it bought four years ago for an undisclosed price, to pull together information from across the Web and present it in an on-screen box above the conventional search links. Type in “diabetes,” and the gray-shaded information box contains a short definition from the Mayo Clinic, along with a link to the full article. Just below are links to diabetes articles from other professional health publications. Next come links to four related conditions, like high blood pressure and obesity, and four to related medications. At the bottom are links to recent Twitter posts about diabetes.

Technology experts agree that Bing is making innovative strides. “There is so little context in current search, and what Microsoft is trying to do is present users with context and structure, more a map of the world of information instead of just ranking it, especially in specific subject areas like travel and health,” says Esther Dyson, an investor in start-ups and a longtime technology analyst. “Microsoft is trying to beat Google at this different game.”

A simple phishing scam or socially engineered attack could easily dupe a user into surrendering username and password credentials that will expose the data stored in iCloud. In order for iCloud to be a success, Apple has to assure consumers and businesses that the data is protected.

Andrew Storms, Director of Security Operations for nCircle, warns, “Apple’s iCloud announcement is missing enterprise security content, and we saw the same thing with the iPhone introduction. They left almost all of the enterprise level security and compliance questions about iCloud unanswered.”

Part of the reason that Android is capturing the hearts and minds of consumers is that prospective buyers have so many Android phones to choose from. Dozens of Android phones have come out in the past year on all of the Big Four cell-phone networks (AT&T, Sprint (S), T-Mobile, and Verizon (VZ)) as well as on the smaller, prepaid carriers. Android phones range in price from $50 to $300, so whether you’re on a tight budget and need a prepaid phone or you’re a tech-savvy gadget freak who wants the latest and greatest features, you can find an Android phone that meets your needs.

The competition among the many companies that make Android phones is driving innovation in design, in components, and in new features and capabilities. The biggest practical advantage that Android has over its rivals involves its support of 4G networks (LTE on Verizon, HSPA+ on AT&T and T-Mobile, and WiMax on Sprint) for faster data speeds. Right now, the only phones capable of handling 4G are Android phones–and it doesn’t look as though Windows Phone 7 units or BlackBerrys will be jumping aboard the 4G bandwagon anytime soon. Plenty of rumors have been swirling in the phone industry about the possibility of a 4G iPhone 5, but we haven’t been able to nail down confirmed information on that front.

Branded pages, through which advertisers could deliver tailored messages, are under consideration, along with other plans to increase the long-term revenue potential of the social network, according to sources familiar with the subject.

It is understood that Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo, and Adam Bain, president of revenue, are leading the push to create fresh revenue streams.

The pages would work in a similar way to Facebook Pages, providing brands with their own space to deliver content and encourage Twitter users to follow them, claim sources.

There are currently limited promotional opportunities for brands on Twitter. Apart from free branded accounts, it offers Promoted Accounts that allow brands to buy a place in recommended followers’ lists and sponsor hashtags, so they appear in relevant searches.