CBS is joining the world of social video. Called the Social Viewing Room, this new service allows users to interact with others, all while watching various CBS programs. Aside from the standard chat interface, users can also answer quizzes about the show they are watching for points. The new service puts CBS’s new tech wing, CBS Labs, in direct competition with Lycos, which released a similar service three months ago. The Social Viewing Room is up and running now.

It seems as if yet another web 2.0 company has contracted the redesign bug. Last week we had Facebook updating massive portions of its website. Now Microsoft is rolling out a new and sparkly Hotmail. Average users can expect new drag and drop capabilities, new auto-fill capabilities, and better integration with Windows Live Profiles.

One feature that Microsoft didn’t add, however, is a way of checking to see if someone has been fooling around with your email account. With Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s email troubles still front page news, many people are becoming increasingly concerned about web mail security. Gmail users, however, have no reason to worry. Every time you log in, Gmail’s Activity Monitor tells you who has visited your account, and from what IP address. While it might not seem like much, the Activity Monitor is a great way to keep tabs on what is yours.

Speaking of Google, we here at the Free Line would like to wish the fine folks at Google a happy 10th birthday. To celebrate, the Google team has released the Time Machine — a specialized Google search that takes you back to January, 2001. Search the web old school style, looking at the internet as it was nearly eight years ago. While it might not help you in the present day, the Google Time Machine is a fun, interesting trip down memory lane.

And finally, StomperNet faculty member Andy Jenkins has written a great piece about using emotion and logic to sell more. In the article,  Jenkins covers some really good tips on writing focused, intelligent stories that sell. He backs it all up with some pretty cool examples, showing you step by step how to transform a doubting reader into a trusting consumer.