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Is Europe a hospitable place for entrepreneurs? The Sociable speaks to the founders of CanvasDropr about their experiences of creating a European tech startup.

The Google+ Android App is now available in other Android geographic markets, including Ireland. Previously mainly users in the US were able to download the app.

Over a month late the Irish Government has brought into law the EU Cookie Directive, which requires websites to obtain express permission from each user when setting a cookie on their computer.

Smartphone such as iPhones and Blackberries are changing how Irish teens communicate, socialise and even sleep; a white paper released by the Dublin based digital media agency Arekibo reports.

This year the Irish government will spend at least half a million Euro funding the development of Android and iOS apps for artistic and cultural institutions. The majority of this money will come from the Cultural Tourism Technology fund which has allocated over €1 million for technology projects this year. Projects being funded include the Temple Bar Cultural Trust, The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin City Council, Wexford Opera and St. Patrick’s Festival amongst others.

Apple have today announced the introduction of a long-awaited in-app subscription service available to content-based apps in the App Store. With the new service Apple receives a 30% share of new app subscriptions, but interestingly, when a publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher retains 100% of earnings.

German sercurity firm Fraunhofer has found a way to gain access to passwords held on iPhones and iPads in about the same length of time it takes to make a proper cup of coffee.

Smartphone users are becoming more concerned about their privacy when using geolocation apps, according to a survey released by Microsoft this week to coincide with Data Privacy Day. The survey found that users have a host of concerns for their privacy when using location based phone apps Some 84% of respondents said that they fear such applications could be used to help unknown people steal personal information or identities.

Sony’s sexily titled “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™” was made available to international audiences today, a month after being piloted in Ireland the UK. The Qriocity music player will now be available to users in the USA, Europe and Asia on Sony’s 2010 and 2011 models of network-enabled BRAVIA TV, Blu-ray Disc player, Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system, PlayStation 3 as well as VAIO and other personal computers.

Currently Apple does not allow in-app charitable donations on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Apple started blocking apps that process charitable donations through online payment service PayPal in October of last year - Nick Hurd, UK Civil Society Minister wants to change this.

Some Android users are finding it difficult to connect to the Android app store today. New and old Android users are finding it difficult to connected to the market, probably as result of the number of Android devices gifted during the Christmas period. The downtime seems to be intermittent but users who can connect are finding apps slow to download.

Mozilla, the makers of Firefox, have released specifications for an open app store standard in the hopes to combat Apple’s domination of the lucrative apps market. Their release follows Opera’s calls on Monday for an open browser addon standard.

With Sony and Microsoft launching their assault on motion responsive gaming this year, in direct competition to Nintendo's Wii, the future of home gaming has never been so hard to predict. But as Piers Dillon-Scott found at the “Game On Dublin” show, that has always been the case.

The Irish Times has completed a small but significant redesign of its site with the addition of social networking and sharing features as well as updates to its revenue generating services.