You have been warned. If you're a Facebook user that hasn't already voluntarily switched over to the new "Timeline" profile layout, you'll be switched over regardless of your preferences now as Facebook begins the mandatory roll-out of the new layout.

The Timeline feature, for those not acquainted with it yet, differs from the default profile pages we've come to know on the social networking site. Instead of just showcasing your most recent posts, your profile can be scrolled back weeks, months and even years at a time. It could still be done with the old layout, but it was a much more time-consuming and cumbersome process. Human resources personnel and background investigators will now be able to scan your Facebook past much more efficiently and quickly.

Timeline can be both a positive and a negative. Looking back through the past can bring about some nostalgia, but it can also drag up some of your less positive moments and posts.

Fortunately, nothing is set in stone and you can go back in time and remove some of your more embarrassing posts. You now have until Tuesday, January 31 to look over your Facebook timeline before it goes "public" for all the world to see. So use that time to find any of those posts you'd not like seen before it's too late.

On Wednesday evening, Facebook announced new applications that may be used to help populate users' Facebook Timelines with new information. Apps available for the initial launch include Ticketmaster, Pintrest, Rotten Tomatoes, Pose, Kobo, Foodspotting, Gogobot, Trip Advisor, and more.

Facebook has fortunately also added an option that will allow users to choose precisely who can (or cannot) see the updates from each app.

Facebook product manager Carl Siogreen said that more applications for additional interests will be added over time.

America's beloved shoe buying website Zappos.com was the unfortunate victim of a hacker on Sunday, who gained access to the company's internal network through the company's servers in Kentucky. The specifics of the attack were not revealed, but Zappos said that credit card and payment data were not accessed or affected by the crime.

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh sent out an email to employees, which read:

"The most important focus for us right now is the safety and security of our customers’ information. Within the next hour, we will begin the process of notifying the 24+ million customer accounts in our database about the incident and help step them through the process of choosing a new password for their accounts. (We’ve already reset and expired their existing passwords.)

Zappos users simply need to reset their passwords and create a new one. The company is cooperating with law enforcement on an ongoing investigation into the incident.

According to multiple sources on Monday, Facebook's long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) is now likely to come during the third week of May.

Considering that the review by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) usually takes anywhere from three to four months, that means Facebook will need to file its IPO documents within the next month. This timeline assumes that there aren't any issues that would require amending the filing.

Facebook's offering is expected to be one of the largest IPOs ever. Some reports suggest that the company will be raising $10 billion on a $100 million valuation. This amount is presumably to match its massive consumer and revenue growth.

Facebook has declined to comment on the reports.

Microsoft can now officially claim to have the No. 2 search engine in the United States, now that the results of the latest ComScore figures have been released. According to the research firm, Bing fielded a total of 2.75 billion search requests in December 2011, compared to 2.65 billion handled by Yahoo.

That translates to a market share of 15.1 percent for Microsoft/Bing, and 14.5 percent for Yahoo.

This of course still leaves Bing far behind the No. 1 search engine in the U.S., Google, which processed 12 billion search requests in Dec. 2011. This gives them a dominant market sare of 65.9 percent.

Amazon has enjoyed much success with its 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet computer. It's bargain-basement pricing of just $199 gives it a leg-up over competitors, who's products are either more expensive or of lesser quality, even if they match on price. Now, it appears that Google is about to give the Kindle Fire a run for its money. Sources in the Far Eastern factories that make the various parts for high-tech gadgets are now hinting that Google's own brand tablet will be a 7-inch model.

According to a report from Digitimes, sources in the Google supply chain believe that Google will launch their branded tablet in either March or April. It will feature a 7-inch panel, run Google Android, and will retail at less than $200, putting it in the same price range as the Kindle Fire.

Recently, Google has expanded to selling books, films an music, so making a 7-inch entertainment device would be a logical next step.

Google CEO Larry Page was the most-followed person on the social media site Google+, until Britney Spears joined up and quickly ousted him from the top spot. According to the Next Web, Britney Spears now has 743,179 followers, while Page has 742,492 followers as of the morning of November 24.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg also once held the top spot on Google+, but has now slipped to fourth place.

Launched in July, Google+ started out as a home for technology journalists and early adopters. Recently, however, celebrities have begun joining the social network and are now quickly climbing to the top of the list of the most-followed users.

Also making it into the site's top ten are Tyra Banks, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton Jessi June, and Richard Branson.

The trend should come as no surprise, as Google+ begins to attract users beyond the tech-savvy and early adopter crowd. On rival site Twitter.com, celebs are the most followed users, with the top having millions of followers.

Celebs also rank well on Facebook.com, but Facebook's own account and Texas Hold'em Poker rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Photo: Mark Zuckerberg, Snoop Dogg, & Sean Parker at the Spotify launch party.

Thanks to "The Social Network", we all know that Mark Zuckerberg may have stolen the idea for Facebook from some guys he was working on a similar project for, and at some point Facebook caught the attention of Napster co-founder Sean Parker, who got involved in the social networking company. Parker has since launched the music streaming service Spotify, which was recently integrated with Facebook. Earlier this month, the two tech titans reportedly got into a boozy brawl over the new venture at the West Hollywood club The Beverly.

Sources reveal that Zuckerberg and Parker got into an alcohol-fueled argument over Spotify, saying:

“Sean and Mark had done the big Spotify launch and headed to The Beverly to party. They spent a lot of money on alcohol, and as the night went on they got into an intense discussion, which turned into a loud argument as they left.”

The witness adds:

“Sean argued that all Spotify users should not be forced to sign up for a Facebook account, but Mark wouldn’t budge. It was a full on screaming match outside the club, but stopped short at coming to blows. They then stormed off in different directions.”

The cost of subscribing to Microsoft's Zune Music Pass will now be significantly lower. Beginning on October 3rd, the price will drop from $14.99/month to $9.99/month.

The new pricing will be in line with other similar services, such as Spotify. The new lower price comes as Microsoft rolls out the Zune Music Pass program in Canada.

Microsoft's Zune Marketplace includes 14 million songs, and with a Zune Music Pass subscription users have unlimited streaming access to the music. In addition, subscribers are also allowed to keep 10 songs per month, and can access their playlists and library from any Windows Phone, PC, or Xbox 360 console.

The change in pricing is undoubtedly an effort to attract new customers, as well as retain those who might be lured away by other similar services with lower prices.

On Wednesday, Amazon.com is expected to unveil its first foray into the competitive tablet computer market. Analysts predict that the $250 device may be the Apple iPad's first real threat, and some say that Apple is already getting worried.

Apple has reduced orders from a Taiwanese manufacturer for new iPads by as much as 25 percent. Other analysts have cited the aggressive initial pricing of the Kindle (Amazon's eBook reader) as evidence that we can expect a similar price on the tablet.

Amazon has been keeping a tight lid on news of the gadget, and has refused to even acknowledge its existence.

Earlier this month, TechCrunch revealed that the Amazon tablet will also be called Kindle. The blog also said it would be a 7-inch tablet with a full-color touch screen running Google's Android software, and will cost $250.