Top story: "Google is out of ideas"

The Tech Report: the biggest tech stories this weekMSN UK talks up the most notable stories from the world of technology.Adam Hartleycontributor, MSN Tech & Gadgets2012-07-20T14:43:58trueTop story: "Google is out of ideas"Super-investor Peter Thiel didn't mince his words when speaking on stage with Google Chairman Eric Schmidt at an Aspen event this week, accusing Schmidt of being "minister of propaganda" for the search giant, while claiming that Amazon was the only tech titan re-investing its billions in a sustainable manner.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2"Google is out of ideas", google thiel, google out of ideas peter thiel, google peter thielCan Amazing Alex top Angry Birds?While some are saying that Rovio's latest smash-hit number one mobile game Amazing Alex - "a whizz-kid character with boundless imagination" - could be Rovio's 'difficult 2nd album', Andy Payne, CEO of Mastertronic, points out that it is in fact "at least the 52nd game they have made".topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteMarissa Mayer takes over at YahooLong-time Google exec - and darling of the US tech press - Marissa Mayer has been nabbed by Yahoo to be its next CEO, the fifth in five years. Mayer's software engineering experience is unparalleled, as are her management skills, so it was a shame to see so much of the media coverage focus on the fact that she was a pregnant mother-to-be.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteWindows 8 release date is 26 OctoberSteve Ballmer was in an even-more-than-usual ebullient mood this week, talking up the 26 October release date for the new Windows 8 operating system, which has been specifically designed to work well on traditional PCs and newer touchscreen computers and tablets, such as Microsoft's recently announced new Surface.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteeBay doubles its income: why the marketplace boost?While our high streets stores continue to dwindle, leading online auction site eBay bucked the recessionary trend, announcing that it has more than doubled its second-quarter net income this financial year, thanks to massively increased revenue from its PayPal online payments business, its e-commerce sites and the success of its smartphone and tablet apps.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteFacebook scans for criminal behaviorPrivacy campaigners were up in arms this week when it was revealed that Facebook is using software to scan private chats for "criminal messages", with some suspicious exchanges being handed over to the police by the social network's snooping squad, according to Facebook's security officer Joe Sullivan.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quotePhone calls less popular than SMS in UKBrits are now officially obsessed with texting, according to a new Ofcom report out this week which also confirmed that we are spending LESS time talking on our mobiles than before. The average Brit now sends around 200 texts a month and is now the most-used method of staying in touch with mates and family members.topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteStreet View visits the AntarcticGoogle has sent its Street View cameras to the Antarctic to take millions of photos of the trail and the huts of legendary explorers Scott and Shackleton, which is likely to be the only way the vast majority of the world's population ever get to visit the southernmost continent. topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteMicrosoft reveals Office 2013Microsoft took the wraps off the latest version of Office this week, revealing a touch-screen and cloud-computing friendly version of its flagship product with some interesting additions including Skype and Yammer. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer - never one to shy from hyperbole! - characteristically described it as: "The most ambitious release of Microsoft Office that we've ever done".topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quoteIM-barrassment – Skype hit by message bugMicrosoft-owned internet video-calling service Skype hit the headlines this week due to an embarrassing bug that sent some users' instant messages to unintended recipients. Uh-oh! A swift update for this "rare occurrence" was promised from the VoIP specialist, to prevent millions of "sorry mum, that wasn't meant for you!" episodes occurring!topThis field has been disabled for Gallery V2Tech week in quotes, google, thiel google out of ideas, google thiel, google peter thiel, feels like 1995 again, feels like '95 again, feels like 95 steve ballmer, feels like 95 ballmer, windows 8 release date, marissa mayer, marissa mayer quote