Friday Internet users was up in arms about the removal of the Google Reader link from GMail suspecting that the service may be nearing its death and that Google are in the process of silently killing it.

The Google Reader link used to sit at the top of GMail alongside Calendar, Documents and Web but Friday suddenly just disappeared from the list being replaced by Photos (Picasa).

Google representative Victoria Katsarou has confirmed that the removal of the Google Reader link was by mistake, Google Photos had made the cut and was to join Reader in the navigation bar, but due to an error Google Reader was replaced instead.

The GMail team are currently working on correcting the error to put back the Reader link.

Normally when you use Google Voice it requires for both parties to be logged onto a computer with headphones, but not any more.

Starting today users can now call any phone right from Gmail, yes no need anymore for both parties to be signed in on a computer.

Google has struck some great deals with US and Canadian phone companies and for now all calls to those two countries will be free. Unfortunately calls to South African phones are not free but works out way cheaper than calling from a normal land line or cellphone.

Calls to South African mobile and land line numbers will be charged according to the Google Voice rates that are currently 37c per minute to land lines and R1.25 to cellphones. For rates to other countries see the Google Voice rates list.

As with all things new on the web, South Africa is usually not first in line to get these features, but that does not prohibit you from installing the Gmail plugin you will need to make use of this feature when it goes live.

Got 13 Google wave invites to give away.

If you would like a invite to Google Wave leave a comment with your gmail email address filled in and I will send you a invite to that address.

Remember I only got 13 invites left for now so first come first serve.

Even the iPhone isn’t perfect. Here are the top ten iPhone annoyances and what you can do about them.

Even the greatest gadgets have flaws, and the iPhone is certainly no exception. Praise it all you want, but the “Jesus phone” has plenty of little annoyances or nuisances that get under a user’s skin. Fortunately, technology is all about workarounds to common problems. So we’ve not only put together a Top 10 list of iPhone annoyances to vent about, we’re also offering solutions (where we can) to fix those pesky iPhone problems we hate so much.

10. Default Apps Can’t Be Hidden

The iPhone’s start screen is filled with shortcuts to prepackaged applactions that come with your iPhone whether you want them or not–for example, an app for checking stocks whose shortcut can’t be removed from the iPhone interface. Despite Apple’s insistence, not everyone wants to check the Dow Jones Industrial Average or for that matter the weather, or even use the iPhone’s calculator. That the iPhone’s prepackaged apps can’t be hidden, deleted, or otherwise customized speaks to the stubborn rigidity of Apple.

Ideally: If Apple wanted to fix this annoyance, it would have an “Appearance” option in the Settings menu that would allow users to make unwanted apps disappear without actually deleting them.

The workaround: Isolate undesirable apps on your last home page–that’s the quick and dirty method. A more elaborate trick, detailed at Macenstein, stashes apps on a hidden overflow page, though this works only until the iPhone is turned off. Jailbreakers will seek out programs such as Sbsettings or Poof.

9. You Can’t Run Pandora or Other Apps in the Background

One of the iPhone’s greatest assets is the ability to stream Internet radio stations such as Pandora and Slacker from anywhere with a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. Too bad you can’t listen to that music while checking e-mail or playing games.

Ideally: In a perfect world, Apple would allow certain apps to run at the same time as others. We understand that Apple’s trying to keep the smartphone running smoothly, but if the iPod app can play music in the background, the iPhone’s audio apps should be able to do the same.

The workaround: Sadly, you’ll have to use your get-out-of-jail-free card. Jailbreakers can download Gaizin’s Backgrounder app for full multitasking glory.

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