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.

This holiday season, Skype is giving back by offering Free WiFi in select airports across the United States from December 21 to December 27. Travelers passing through one of the 60 airports will be able to log-on Skype Wi-Fi and connect with loved ones via a video or voice call for free.

Skype WiFi is available to travelers on PCs, Macs and iPhones. To get started using Skype WiFi, follow the directions below:

Sign in to Skype.
Go to Tools > Options… > Skype WiFi Access.
Tick Enable Skype WiFi Access.
Connect to a WiFi public hotspot.
In the Skype menu bar, click Tools > Skype WiFi Access.
Follow the instructions on the screen to select and join a compatible public WiFi network.

Skype WiFi will be available in the following airports for free from Dec. 21-27:

ALB - Albany International Airport
ASE - Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
ATL - Atlanta International Airport
AUS - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
AZO - Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
BIL - Billings Logan International Airport
BHM - Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
BNA - Nashville International Airport
BOS - Boston International Airport
BUF - Buffalo Niagara International Airport
BUR - Bob Hope Airport Burbank

If you've still got some items to pick up for your holiday shopping, but aren't enthusiastic about treking out to the stores, today would be a good day to order online. More than 2,500 businesses are offering free shipping on purchases made on Friday, with delivery guaranteed by Christmas Eve.

Merchants participating include stores like Best Buy, Toys R Us, and more. Some of the companies require a minimum purchase to qualify for the free delivery, but not all. More information about participating companies can be found at freeshippingday.com.

Free Shipping Day started in 2008. Last year's promotion generated $1 billion in sales.

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.

Using the Internet or a mobile phone to end a relationship is decidedly a cold-hearted move, but it's one that more and more people are beginning to make when they've lost that loving feeling. According to a poll conducted by Chicago-based research firm Lab42, 33 percent admitted to breaking up using text message, email or Facebook.

40 percent of those polled also said that they wouldn't have any issues with using technology to break it off with a romantic partner.

550 social media users participated in the poll, so the sampling wasn't quite representative or scientific, but the results do give insight into how the Internet is changing love lives. Those polled were all over 18, with 41 percent being single, 24 percent in a relationship, and 24 percent being married.

Breaking up on Facebook or by text is seen as a less messy way of ending things, but plenty of people still find it to be quite rude and weak.