Top Items:
Ben Darnell / Official Google Reader Blog:
Something looks... different. — As of today, Google Reader has a new look — and even more important, a lot of new features that we think you'll like. We've listened to your feedback, done usability research, and examined all the ways that people consume content on the web, from feed readers to email clients.
Discussion:
Search Engine Journal, Guardian Unlimited, Search Engine Watch Blog, Lifehacker and The Blog Herald
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Official Google Blog:
Now anyone can Talk — Last year, we launched Google Talk, a free and easy service for making voice calls and sending instant messages. It used to be that only Gmail users could use Google Talk but now anyone can sign up for Google Talk. If you haven't tried the service yet, here are 5 good reasons to give it a try:
Marshall Kirkpatrick / TechCrunch:
Google Reader steps it up with new version — The Google Reader team unveiled a revamped version of their online feed reader today and no one can say it's not a real RSS reader anymore. They even took Robert Scoble's advice and made a demonstration video!
Richard MacManus / Read/WriteWeb:
New-look Google Reader Is Stunning! — Google Reader, Google's web-based RSS Aggregator, has had a re-design and I am impressed. It now has a look n' feel very much like Gmail, which I believe is a pointer to this product being prepped for mainstream promotion - and/or merged with Gmail.
Official Google Blog:
Your inbox for the web — Do you ever wish that finding interesting stuff on the web was as easy as watching TV? Some nights, I just want to relax, tune in to HBO and see what's on. Other times, I know exactly what I want to watch: all those Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes that I've recorded, for one thing.
Niall Kennedy / Niall Kennedy's Weblog:
Google Reader courts the Gmail crowd — Google Reader has launched a major update to its web front-end about a year after its initial launch, redesigning its online feed aggregator to create a feed reading experience that should feel natural to users of Gmail.
Mike Shields / mediaweek.com:
Facebook Creates Sponsored Stories Ad Unit — Facebook plans to unveil a new ad unit in the coming weeks that the company says uniquely harness the site's social networking dynamic. — The new placement, dubbed Sponsored Stories, appears within Facebook's News Feed platform.
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Marshall Kirkpatrick / TechCrunch:Facebook to put viral ads in your news feeds?
Discussion:
MediaShift
Tariq Malik / SPACE.com:
Virgin Galactic Unveils SpaceShipTwo Interior Concept — NEW YORK - Future passengers aboard Virgin Galactic spaceliners can look forward to cushioned reclining seats and lots of windows during suborbital flights aboard SpaceShipTwo, a concept interior of which was unveiled by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson Thursday.
Ina Fried / CNET News.com:
Dunn grilled by Congress — update A congressional committee on Thursday grilled former Hewlett-Packard Chairman Patricia Dunn over why she didn't put a stop to controversial techniques used by the company in an investigation into press leaks. — Under questioning, Dunn was asked …
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CNNMoney.com:
HP under fire on the Hill — Ex-chairwoman testifies she didn't know of 'pretexting' until June; other officials take the Fifth. — NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Former Hewlett-Packard Chairwoman Patricia Dunn testified Thursday that she wasn't aware of the possibly illegal surveillance methods used …
Jason Calacanis / The Jason Calacanis Weblog:
OK folks... now it's a bubble (or "what could podshow even do with another $15M?!?!") — Lest there be no question, we are now in a full-blown bubble. What on earth Podshow is going to do with almost $25M in funding is anyone's guess, but it's not going to end well I can tell you that.
Discussion:
SYNTAGMA, Silicon Valley Watcher, duncanriley.com, rev2.org, Smalltalk Tidbits … and V7N Search Marketing News
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Reuters:
Mark Cuban: Only a 'moron' would buy YouTube — Billionaire investor and dot-com veteran Mark Cuban had harsh words Thursday for YouTube, the online site that lets people share video clips, saying only a "moron" would purchase the wildly popular start-up. — Cuban, co-founder of HDNet …
Thomas Ricker / Engadget:
Meet the second generation of UMPCs, shoulda been 1st — When the UMPC platform was launched at Intel's 2005 IDF we were teased with a $500 or less device on the WWAN running on ultra-low powered chips capable of either 8-hours off battery or putting Vista to sleep for up to a week.
Reuters:
Craigslist founder says he won't cash in —Text+AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The founder of craigslist, the free social networking and classifieds Web site, said on Thursday he is not interested in selling out, a few hours after social networking site MySpace was valued at $15 billion. — "Who needs the money?
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Why The New .Mac Webmail Is Important — Earlier this week Apple announced that a new version of webmail for Mac users is "coming soon." There was a bit of chatter about this around the blogosphere, with most people concluding that this fresh coat of paint on the inferior .mac product is a bit of a yawn.
