Google has filed a new patent to serve ads "based on environmental conditions" which could basically mean that they want to listen in on you and then give you ads based on what they hear. While this may never happen is just goes to show you want advertising companies are working on to try and advertise more effectively to the general public. TheNextWeb has the full story.

Just when you think that we’re pretty tech savvy, companies like Google and Nokia file outlandish “forward-thinking” patents that make you feel like we’re all in a Star Trek episode. In the case of Google’s latest patent, it makes us feel like we’re in a police state.

The patent discusses the technology to analyze the background noise during your phone call and serve up ads for you based on the environmental conditions Google picks up on. Yeah, that’s creepy.

Good news if you can't get enough Angry Birds, the newest release in the Angry Birds franchise has now been released for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Mac and PC. Chances are good your afternoon is now probably going to be pretty unproductive while you try to guide Angry Birds through space. Mashable has more on this new release as well as the promotional video.

Fans of the Angry Birds franchise, take notice: the disgruntled feathery creatures have conquered space, and they’re out to show those dastardly pigs a lesson.

The latest installment of this megapopular game, Angry Birds Space, is now available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices, as well as the Mac and PC

Google's Chrome web browser became the number #1 web browser in the world last weekend and was used for 32.7% of all browsing on Sunday (Internet Explorer came in second with 32.5% of traffic). Unfortunately for Chrome come Monday it slipped to 2nd place again when people returned to work and Internet Explorer returned to 35% and Chrome dropped down to 30%. This might not seem like a big deal, however, if you go back to 2008 when Internet Explorer controlled 69% of all web browsing traffic the fact that anyone is close is a big accomplishment. The SFGate has all the details over here.

Google's Chrome Internet browser was the most popular browser in the world for the first time on Sunday, online metrics firm StatCounter announced Wednesday.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer vaulted back to its first-place rank on Monday when employees returned to work and booted up their IT-controlled machines.

We have just posted up our 24th App Pick of the Week and this have a photography app that will help you put together your snapshots of landscapes into something memorable.  Photaf Panorama is a great little app that allows you to either manually or automagically stitch together multiple photos for a great wide-screen panorama.  Check it out and snag it up!

Please post your thoughts, comments, questions and suggestions for next week's Android App Pick of the Week!

• GTX580 vs. HD7970 - Head to Head - Vortez
• Diamond Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card - TweakTown 
• Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 Overclock Ed - HardwareHeaven 
• Gigabyte HD7950 Windforce x3 - Vortez 
• Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 Overclock Ed - HardwareHeaven 
• AMD Radeon HD 7750 1GB Reference CrossFire - TweakTown 
• Gigabyte HD 7770 OC 1GB - TechPowerUp 
• Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 OC Ed 2GB - HiTechLegion 
• Sapphire HD 7970 Overclock Ed Dual-X - HardwareHeaven 
• AMD Radeon 7870 2GB Graphics Card - eTeknix 
• Sapphire HD 7870 OC Edition vs XFX R7870 Black Ed - HardwareHeaven
• Sapphire HD 7750 Ultimate 1GB - HiTechLegion 
• PowerColor PCS+ Radeon HD 7870 GHz OC Ed. 2GB - TweakTown
  

If you are looking for a new audio distribution system (speakers or headphones), you may want to check out the Edifier MP250 Sound To Go USB Soundbar Speaker over at MEGATechReviews.  If you want something a little more private with 5.1 support, check out the CM Storm Sirus 5.1 Headset at HardwareLook.  There is a chance that you want something with even more speakers, and this is when the ROCCAT Kulo 7.1 USB headset also over at HardwareLook.  Finally, HardwareSecrets gives us the scoop on the Corsair Vengeance 1300 headset in their latest review.

Today we look at the ROCCAT Kulo 7.1 USB headset. Audio quality is not something that most casual gamers tend to care too much about, as long as they can hear whats going on around them they are happy. Recently though there has been a renaissance in gaming audio. With more and more high quality surround sound headsets appearing on the market gamers can now here not just whats going on around them, but where. This has meant that even casual gamers are now looking to upgrade their headsets which makes something like the ROCCAT Kulo 7.1, a product high on many people's wish lists.

Right smack-dab in the middle of the news today we have a few memory reviews to share with you.  RAM prices have dropped through the proverbial floor and performance RAM is very affordable.  Check out how well some of these kits perform.

Topower Gold Vapor Injection-HD DDR3 1866 8GB Kit - eTeknix --=-- Ivy Bridge High-Speed RAM Run with G.Skill PC3-20800 2666MHz RipjawsZ - TweakTown --=-- Patriot Viper Extreme PC3-16000 CL9 1.65v DDR3 - TechPowerUp --=-- G.Skill ARES PC3-17000 16GB (DC) Memory Kit - TweakTown --=-- Samsung 30nm Green PC3-12800 Low Profile 1.35v DDR3 - TechPowerUp

In a move that will piss off more than a few Technet subscribers, Microsoft has once again cut the number of keys that are allowed by Technet users down to 3 for each product.  They are doing this to try and curb piracy, but in my experience, it's just going to annoy and frustrate legitimate users of Technet.  ZDNet has more details.

In addition to that restriction, Microsoft has also imposed restrictions on the number of keys that can be claimed on any given day. As another support page notes, a TechNet Professional (Retail) subscriber can claim 44 keys in a 24-hour period.

Episode #151 of Weekly Tech Update is now available on iTunes and the Zune Marketplace.  This is our weekly podcast that covers the hottest stuff in tech - not only around BCCHardware, but also the world.  Check it out over here - as well as a free download in the iTunes store and the Zune Marketplace.

In this episode we will be discussing the FAA may change rules for gadgets on aircraft, Windows 8 to ship in October and the nXbox isn’t coming anytime soon. We have those stories and more...

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New Scientist has posted up some information that claims free apps for your phone actually use more battery - a lot more battery than paid apps.  Why?  Because the free apps are add supported and this requires GPS, 3G and more.  Take a look and find out why that $0.99 app may be worth buying.

Struggling to make your smartphone battery last the whole day? Paying for your apps might help. Up to 75 per cent of the energy used by free versions of Android apps is spent serving up ads or tracking and uploading user data: running just one app could drain your battery in around 90 minutes.