Google, following Amazon’sfootsteps, is preparing to unveil a new online music service, according to a report from theWall Street Journal. Similarly, it is going to be launched without the support of major music labels as it takes on a different approach to storing and listening to music. According to sources cited by the Journal, the search company intends to join the next generation of Internet businesses for storing and listening to music with a service that functions like a remote hard drive....

Following theopening of its first ever office in Thailand, internet giant Google has revealed that its Street View feature will be introduced to the country in association with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Ina recent op-edreleased to media, Google’s newly appointed Country Manager, Ariya Panomyong, revealed that proportionally “no other country in the world sends as many visitors to [Google Maps] as Thailand does”, making the decision to introduce Street View a logical one....

Google is hatching plans for an online music store moving the company into direct competition with Amazon and Apple in the digital music space. The company’s rumoured new store would provide both conventional MP3 music for download and streaming services to play music direct to devices. According to music industry sources,quoted by the New York Times, the store could be open for business in a matter of weeks, although the company may need more time to secure deals with recording labels and music publishers....

One of the ways that Google Maps and other services discover where you are is by referencing a database of WiFi access point locations. Now Google has announced that at the request of European privacy officials, it will allow owners of wireless access points to opt out of providing the company with this data. Ina poston its European Public Policy Blog entitled ‘A New Option For Location-based Services’, Peter Fleischer, Google’s Global Privacy Counsel, notes that “Even though the wireless access point signals we use in our location services don’t identify people, we think we can go further in protecting people’s privacy… We are building an opt-out service that will allow an access point owner to opt out from Google’s location services....

Following the encouraging response it received when it announced its Fox News-partnered debate on immigration, health care and social security, Google is set to live-stream the debate tonight at 9pm ET, welcoming Republican presidential candidates to answer some of the 18,000 questions submitted to the Fox News YouTube channel. Those choosing to view the debate on TV can still visit theFox News YouTube pageduring the date to vote in real-time on the questions and topics being discussed, with Google also allowing visitors to submit their comments on the debate....