Tweet tweak: Twitter is changing to address a paradox about a service that revolves around messages limited to just 140 characters. As simple as it sounds, the concept remains too confusing and frustrating for a lot of people. A redesign is supposed to make Twitter easier to navigate. It offers more accessible features that customize the experience for each user. The service is also expanding users’ profile pages to accommodate more detailed information about brands in text, photos and video as Twitter tries to convert more companies into advertisers. Twitter’s tweaks debuted in a Thursday update to its software for smartphones and tablet computers. The new look will be gradually rolled out on its website during the next few weeks. Read the full story from The Associated Press here.
Pageless wonder: Google is joining a crowd of companies packaging digital content in a magazine-like format for mobile devices. The Internet search leader released its version, called “Currents,” Thursday. It works on smartphones and computer tablets running on Google’s Android software, as well as Apple’s operating system, its iPhone and iPad. Currents is late to the competition. It will be pressed to catch up to Flipboard, one of the most popular applications on the iPad, and Zite, which is owned by Time Warner’s CNN. Yahoo released a similar product called “Livestand” last month. Google says more than 150 publishers have agreed to provide material to Currents. The participating publishers include Forbes, PBS, Huffington Post and AllThingsD.
Funding digital revolutions: The Dutch government has pledged €1 million ($1.3 million) to help bloggers operating under oppressive regimes. Speaking at the Freedom Online conference, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal says the money will be used to “support” the development of backup computer and mobile networks that bloggers can use to disseminate information when a government tries to block the Internet or social media. He says Syria, Iran and Zimbabwe are target countries. The Netherlands says it has earmarked an additional €5 million ($6.5 million) in its human rights donations for unspecified online freedom projects. On Thursday U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened the conference with a call for companies not to sell surveillance tools to authoritarian regimes.
