Even though it's an old app, Google Talk continues to be a really popular app. It's no wonder - it's reliable, easy to use and much simpler than some of the more flashy IMs out there. If you're just getting started with the app, or you have a few doubts, we've answered the top questions about Google Talk below. Take a look...

How to sign up

This couldn't be easier. You need a Google Account, which you can get here. If you have an email address that ends with gmail.com, googlemail.com or you've got a personalized Google domain, then you don't need to do anything - your login details are also your Google Talk login information.

Then, download and install the Google Talk desktop client. The installation process is very easy, and when you see the login screen appear, just enter the login details mentioned above. That's it! As soon as you see the main interface appear, you're free to start chatting!

There are three simple ways to check and control uTorrent remotely: two browser-based, and a little Android app that is just as easy to use as the uTorrent desktop client.

First of all, you need to open Preferences in uTorrent, click on 'Remote', then enable remote access. Give your computer a name and associated password and you're ready to go:

To connect remotely, use one of the following three methods:

Google has announced an update to its terms and conditions that means from 1st March, it will now track and collate user activity across all Google products including YouTube, Gmail and Google+. According to the company, the aim of this is to unify the privacy policies for different products as well as provide a more personalized service. Google said in its announcement:

We may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we’ll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience.

Specific benefits of this mean Google can deliver personalized results when you do a Google search, more relevant ads to your interests and even set reminders based on your activity.

However, if you'd rather Google didn't collate or track all your activities across the various Google products that you use, there are a few simple measures you can take to stop it.

• Sign-out of your Google account. This only works when using certain Google products. For some, such as YouTube, you can use the service without being signed-in. Obviously, this method isn't much good if you want to check your Gmail. If you want to see whether you are signed-in or not, check the top-right of your screen.

• Create multiple Google accounts. You could create one for each product that you use so that your activities or data are limited to one account at a time. You can then sign-in with multiple accounts in one browser although for some services, you can only sign-in to one Google account per browser at any one time which could become a bit messy and annoying.

• Customize your Google privacy settings. Google does offer a privacy customization page where you can tweak your settings for various apps. However, it isn't clear whether these will still work once the new privacy policy takes effect on March 1st.

It's worth adding that if you're not happy with the new privacy changes, you can close your Google account and take your data with you in accordance with Google's data liberation policy. To check the data that Google currently holds on you across different services, check the Google Dashboard.

Hiding your IP address while you're browsing the internet is a good move for anyone wanting an additional level of privacy online.

UltraSurf is a simple tool that's perfect for doing this when you're using Internet Explorer. It will help ensure security while you're shopping or banking by encrypting your personal information - your IP address gives information about you to third parties. UltraSurf is a great portable tool for people who don't want third parties to be able to view this information, as well as those who want to access websites that are blocked in their locale.

If you prefer Firefox to Internet Explorer, though, there's an add-on just for you. It's called UltraSurf Firefox Tool.

All you have to do to use UltraSurf on Firefox is download both UltraSurf and the add-on for Firefox. If you're currently running Firefox, you may need to restart befure UltraSurf will work.

Besides being able to hide your IP from third parties, UltraSurf can also automatically delete cookies and browser history every time you close it, an extra level of security that users are sure to appreciate.

Smartphone users can now listen to free music through Grooveshark on their device thanks to the launch of a new mobile web app from the music streaming service.

Grooveshark’s native apps were removed from both the Apple App Store and Android Market last year due to record label complaints. However, Grooveshark has now launched an HTML5-based music streaming service – effectively bypassing the app store owners since approval is not needed.

The Grooveshark web app can be accessed through many mobile web browsers, supporting iOS, Android, BlackBerry and HP devices. To use the service, simply visit html5.grooveshark.com from your mobile and start listening.

You can use the Grooveshark web app to search for and listen to a particular song or artist, or hear playlists generated by genre through the Stations section. The Popular tab lists the most searched-for tracks of the moment. The Grooveshark web app has a compact and easy-to-operate user interface, although it lacks the range of features and functionality that the short-lived native Grooveshark app had.

Think back to the last time you used Facebook at someone else's house or an internet café. Now ask yourself, did you remember to sign out? Are you sure? Here's how to log out of Facebook remotely.

If you forgot to log out of Facebook while on a different computer to the one you normally use, the consequences can be catastrophic. If your account is logged in at your friends' house then 'you' suddenly might start posting some strange updates about yourself indicting you for various embarrassing things you haven’t actually done. Worse still, if it was on a public computer, all of your personal details, photos and messages are accessible to complete strangers. Still sure you signed out?

Luckily for you, there's an easy way to check wherever you are signed into Facebook – and close active sessions remotely. Even if you're 99% certain you've signed out it’s worth checking by following the process below – you might regret it if not!

1. Account settings

Click on the little down-facing arrow in the top-right of your Facebook page and choose Account Settings.

2. Security

Now click on the Security option in the left-hand menu.

3. Active sessions

Click the Edit button that appears next to Active Sessions, which you'll find at the bottom of the Security settings window. Here you can see the current session you're logged in on (which should be the computer you’re using). Crucially, you can also see information about all other sessions where you'e currently still logged in. Click the End Activity button to close down a session and prevent access to your account from that machine.

Via OnSoftware Spain

Tumblr's on the move again when it comes to adding new features. This time it's a new way to privately message other users.

Called Fan Mail, this new features allows Tumblr users to send stylized messages to blog users they're following. Currently there are two skin options for the message body and three font choices, one of which looks like actual handwriting. Just type in the username of the blog you want your message sent to, pick your style options and write your message.

According to Tumblr founder and CEO, David Karp, you'll be able to send unlimited private messages via Fan Mail, which can be accessed through your Tumblr inbox, the avatar drop-down menus of the users you follow and on the top corner of the main page on each blog you follow. Unlike the current messaging system, you can't post Fan Mail messages publicly on your blog without the use of a screen capture program.

Tumblr has a history of adding new features and making big changes to the dashboard interface, so this new feature isn't necessarily a surprise. What might surprise some users though is that Tumblr developers have chosen to focus on this particular feature. Tumblr already has a private messaging system that, until recently, allowed unlimited messages (asks) to be sent. In the past few months, however, this feature has been limited, both by restricting the number of daily messages you can send and limiting the characters each message can contain. While Fan Mail does look neat, some users might find it a little redundant or wonder if it's meant to replace the current ask feature altogether.

What are your thoughts on Fan Mail? Does it have potential or is it just plain unnecessary?

The recent news that Google was inadvertently promoting it's own browser Google Chrome to the top of Google rankings highlights concerning issues for software users, developers and the integrity of the blogosphere.

If you don't know the story, Google were employing PR firm Unruly Media to promote Google's own browser Chrome. Nothing wrong with that but unbeknown to Google, Unruly Media were paying bloggers to promote Google Chrome on blogs. To be fair to them, the posts did state "This post is sponsored by Google" in the search results but they helped rapidly improve Chrome's search engine rankings which is strictly against Google's code of ethics on paid links.

When search engine specialist sites SEO Book and Search Engine Land spotted what was going on, Google - to their credit - immediately took action and are now "punishing" the rankings of their own browser for the next 60 days.

The incident highlights three main points of concern.

1. Potential conflict of interest

This incident was largely out of Google's control and to some extent, it has simply become a victim of it's own success. Over the past ten years, it has gone from a simple search engine company to one that develops its own software. The battle for browser supremacy is so intense - and so incredibly lucrative to the winner - that it's perfectly understandable that Google employed a PR firm to try and help boost Chrome rankings in its own search engine. The problem is exactly that however - that the battle is taking place in its own search engine and Google is caught between a rock and a hard place in how to conduct the battle. The company have to tread a very difficult line between promoting their own product Chrome, but not unfairly "favoring" it in Google rankings through various means.

2.Pitfalls of outsourcing marketing

The problem is that once Google has relinquished some marketing control over its products, it's not as easy for it to check if is living up to its own code of ethics. Presumably, any company that enters into a marketing agreement with Google has to agree to abide by the company's ethics code. However, it's obviously not as easy for Google to keep tabs on absolutely every marketing campaign being used by PR firms it works with. The result may be an unfair playing field for developers trying to develop competing products and a bum deal for users who aren't necessarily getting the best product for their needs when they perform a Google search.

3. Reliability of the blogosphere

When blogs first appeared, they were an outlet for people to express their feelings and thoughts on whatever issue took their fancy without any commercial influences and as such, have built up a highly trustworthy reputation. Today, blogs that look highly personalized may be heavily tainted by advertisers or corporate funding making it hard for users to know whether the information they are reading is trustworthy. The result is "personalized" blog posts that don't reflect the user's opinion - exactly what happened in this case as is amply highlighted here. This kind of problem has been brewing for some time and Frederic Filloux wrote one of the most thoughtful articles about it in "The Blogosphere's Soft Corruption" following the TechCruch-Arrington saga.

Of course, you can always rely on us here at OnSoftware to bring you our honest opinions and thoughts on software, and check out our reviews of Google Chrome for Windows and Mac.

[Image courtesy of Search Engine Land]

It seems fitting that the first OnSoftware post of 2012 should pay homage to some of the great articles we published last year.

There was much to talk about in the world of software and apps in 2011, and testament to this is that we published more blog articles last year than any other in our history. If you don’t have time to go back and read them all (there’s a staggering 581 of them!) then at least go back and revisit our ten most popular posts of last year in terms of visits.

The list makes for an interesting overview of what was on the minds of computer users last year (upgrading to Windows 7/Mac OS X Lion, getting onto Google +, social media privacy - and Minecraft!) Take a trip back down memory lane by checking out the posts:

1. Get a Google + invite

When Tom put out his guide to getting onto Google + before anyone else, everyone wanted to be his friend.

Skitch, the popular image annotation and screenshot tool for Mac, is now available as an iPad app. That means more possibilities for personalizing photos and sharing with friends and family, no matter where you happen to be.

In August Evernote purchased Skitch and has subsequently been adding features to the program to prep it for its release on iPad. This version of Skitch has a useful home screen that gives you a multitude of different options. You can edit an image on your iPad or snap a new photo, capture a screenshot, annotate a map to make directions even more understandable or even just sketch on a completely blank canvas. Skitch also has its own web browser with handy features that make marking up webpages quick and simple.

In addition, Skitch for iPad has numerous drawing tools that are all easy to make use of. You can move around objects on the image with your finger, draw arrows to highlight certain aspects of the picture, add in shape or text, crop the canvas as you like and use your finger for freehand drawing. When you're done, you can save your new drawings and annotations to Evernote and share via email, Twitter and more.

Best of all, Skitch for iPad is completely free and very easy to use. Sharing and editing images on the go has never been easier.

Mac users can get some free Skype credit by signing-up to test Skype's new "Click to Call" service which allows Mac users to make calls from directly within their browser.

The service is in closed beta and you have to take a survey first and sign a non-disclosure agreement with Skype to test it. You're then entitled to an unspecified amount of free Skype credit for calling landlines and mobiles as a thank you gift. In addition, a "larger gift" will be given to the top contributor.

Successful applicants will be contacted over the next few days and you can get started with the survey here. Remember that it's only open to Mac users.

There are a lot of great photos online, and Pinterest aims to be the place where you save all the online images you like. Never lose a picture you enjoyed somewhere on the internet again!

Pinterest is a social photo sharing service that lets you create folders to organize content you find online. Called pinboards, these folders can be tailored directly to your interests and even organized into more specific sub-categories to make them searchable to other users.

You can easily add images you find online to your pinboards, either manually or in Chrome with a one-click add-on. Alternatively, you can also upload images saved on your computer directly to the site. Just be sure to add a link back to the original source or credit the author by name if possible. If you find something you like within Pinterest's website itself, there's a feature that lets you "Repin" an image and add it directly to the pinboard of your choice. In this way, Pinterest is a kind of hybrid between photo sharing website We Heart It and microblogging platform Tumblr that allows users to reblog other peoples' pictures and posts. Simply liking an image, as well as commenting, is also possible.

Currently, Pinterest is an invite-only service. That said, I requested an invite and it took about a week to receive notice back that I could create an account and join. You can log into Pinterest via either your Facebook or Twitter account once you've received an invite, which makes sharing even easier. There's also an app for the service available for iPhone. Even without an invite, you can freely browse the public pinboards that have already been posted up by other users, making it well worth a look.

Back in September, we covered and discussed the new features Facebook planned to roll out, as announced at the F8 event in San Francisco. One of the most talked about features was Timeline, a totally revamped look for Facebook profiles.

Timeline is a user interface revision of Facebook's profile page. Its aim is to let users easily access older content they've shared or posted. This is done by streamlining the profile page into a layout that's broken up by year. Simply click on the year you want to access, and you'll be able to view it.

To begin with, Timeline was only available to preview by developers. Now it's going live for everyone. Facebook users currently have the ability to opt in to the change for the next week. Facebook is calling this their 7-day review period. This means you're allowed to make changes and tweak your profile, without people on your friends list being able to see it just yet. You can choose to publish your new profile whenever you like, but after the week is out Timeline will automatically become visible to your friends.

The new profile can also be viewed currently in the official Facebook app for Android and via mobile sites.

In addition, there's also greater integration with apps on the new Timeline profile. A great example of this is how listening to music in Spotify shows up on your new profile.

Recent Spotify music will show up just like shared links and status updates, within the main interface of your profile. Mousing over a specific song will give you more information about the track, as well as allow you to comment on it, like it or even share it with other friends.

As with all changes Facebook implements, this one will take some getting used to for many users. The 7-day review period will help ease users into the new features though, and make it possible to customize your profile to perfection before the big reveal to friends and family.

Google's newest project aims to add a social element into your search for local offline activities. Called Schemer, this new service lets you create a to-do list of activities (schemes) you want to take part in.

Schemer's ultimate goal is to help users find things to do in their local region. From Google's announcement:

Whether it's exploring a new city, checking out a friend's movie recommendations, or just finding new activities for your weekends, Schemer lets you discover new things to do, share schemes with friends, and make the most of your day.

So far, Schemer is in a private, invite-only beta phase, and many of the available schemes aren't actually location specific yet. Ones I've listed on my own profile so far include "get a massage," "become a bestselling author" and "buy an Android tablet," for example. Each scheme has a webpage of its own where like-minded schemers can comment and offer tips on how to achieve the scheme in question, which is where the social aspect comes in. The ultimate goal is to be able to check off each scheme on your to do list as it is completed. Then it's up to you to discover new schemes to add on.

As more users join the service, it's likely that the schemes will more frequently come attached with locations where they can be completed, such as restaurants, downtown venues and outdoor arenas. Google has already teamed up with media properties such as Entertainment Weekly, Lifehacker, National Geographic and Bravo to link with relevant schemes. Schemer users may also opt to create an original scheme if it hasn't already been made, as well as share schemes with friends.

Ultimately, Schemer is another example of Google+'s connectedness with other Google services, making it easy to share schemes among friends and search out activities to add to an ever growing list of activities to do, this time away from the internet.

Schemer is also available as an Android app to those who already have an web-based Schemer account.

Twitter has had a major re-design, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to explain the changes.

The new Home

When you log in to Twitter, the first thing you'll notice is the feed and info bars columns have been swapped round. Otherwise it's business as usual. What has changed are the buttons at the top. We have Home, Connect and Discover.

Connect

The obtusely named 'Connect' is where you will find 'Interactions' and 'Mentions'. Interactions shows you recent followers, plus a feed of people who mentioned you or re-tweeted you. Mentions strips this back to simply any tweet with your Twitter name in it.

Discover

This is the world of the # (hashtag). It's Twitter's news center, collecting the stories people are talking about on Twitter. What you see will change depending on the region you choose for Trends, although this doesn't feel quite finished yet (if you're outside the US, Discover will currently look very US centric). More personalization and speed are needed.

The Me button

Over on the right, there's the symbolic 'Me' button. This opens a drop-down menu, where you'll find your Direct Messages and Lists, plus settings etc. Hiding DMs and Lists here makes me think these are increasingly unpopular, and with DMs I'm not surprised at all.

Overall impressions

Change is hard to deal with, as Justin Bieber pointed out on Twitter, but I think the redesign is sensible. Keeping the home basically unchanged is right, and I like the Connect page, although I think the separate Mentions and Interactions are unnecessary. The Discover page is an interesting development, but I'll have to wait and see if it becomes something I check like my my Twitter feed for news stories. The aggregated approach based on trends makes Discover seems slow - it's still the individual users that I follow where I'll see news break before it has trended.

Twitter has rolled out these changes everywhere, so there are new mobile apps, and an updated TweetDeck too. What do you think of the changes?