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In recent days, an application designed for Google's mobile operating system "Android" was accused of wiping data from user's phones. It's not known whether or not the rumors are true, but once again questions are being raised about the safety and security of Google's open platform versus more controlled and regulated platforms like that of Apple's iPhone. For supporters of the iPhone, a story about a rogue Android application proves their point that Apple's oversight and review process is necessary for keeping consumers safe.

For years people have speculated that Google would use some of its incredible capacity to offer dedicated online data storage, something like a "Google Drive." Hints that such a project is in the works have popped up time and again, but some interesting new ones have emerged lately.

Why would you like a Google Drive service? For the presumably very low price point (free?), for the ease of backing up important data or for the potential integration of stored data into other powerful Google services? There's lots of reasons to perk up your ears when rumors like this pop up.

According to some rumors today, Apple might be working on an online version of its iWork productivity suite. 9to5Mac reports that they have received information about this from credible sources, though as with all Apple rumors around this time of year, it is hard to discern truth from wishful thinking. However, given that online office suites are clearly an up-and-coming market, with Microsoft poised to join the fray early next year, it would make sense for Apple to be heading in this direction as well.

You see it happen every day: a story breaks on Techmeme, and 30 minutes later, the headline is followed up by tens of "discussion links." Some bloggers weigh in just to get the trackback link, or the link on Techmeme, some because they're generally interested in the news, and some because they think they have something new to add to the conversation. Whatever the reason, though, the effect is the same -- the tech blogosphere becomes an echo chamber, and the more bloggers writing about a story, the more clout it has and the more chance it gets repeated by a mainstream news outlet. In all, though, the effects are mostly innocuous. In the political blogosphere, though, a repeated rumor can carry considerably more significant consequences.