The internet has created the illusion of mass intimacy, but 151 friends is an unmanageable number, says an academic

IT PRO – FBI chief repeats request for ISPs to retain data for two years

FBI director Robert Mueller has repeated calls for US internet search providers to keep records of their customers’ surfing habits for two years, twice as long as the measures already in place in Europe and the UK.

CBR – iPad to stimulate tablet PC segment, says In-Stat

The debut of the iPad is expected to strengthen the emerging tablet PC segment, creating a potential semiconductor opportunity of over $4.1bn in 2014, according to a report by market research firm In-Stat. In addition, the study found that other component vendors will also capitalise on the new opportunity or batteries and displays. The potential unit total available market for tablets is about 50 million in 2014.

The Daily Telegraph – Labour MP Derek Wyatt launches new iPhone ‘accountable’ app

A Labour MP, Derek Wyatt, has become the world’s first serving politician to launch an iPhone app. The free MyMP app shows users what their MP is doing; where they are; their surgery hours and location and also lets the public send messages directly to their elected representative.

The Daily Telegraph – Google translation phone “two years away”

Search giant Google has said that it is working on a phone that can translate live, automatically between languages. The company already offers text translation services and voice recognition, and Franz Och, head of translation services at Google says that work has already begun on combining the two.

The Daily Telegraph – Consumers ‘unconvinced’ by Apple iPad, study shows

The number of people who are not interested in buying an Apple iPad has increased after the tablet’s unveiling, according to shopping website Retrevo.

BBC – Online safety push for five-year-olds

Children as young as five are being targeted in a new online safety campaign by the UK body charged with protecting children from abuse.