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5:45 AM ET, January 5, 2008

Techmeme

 Top Items: 
Ben Drawbaugh / Engadget HD:
The real reason why Warner went Blu?  —  We knew this wouldn't take long — just like when Paramount made the switch to HD DVD, rumors are swirling that a sum of $500 Million was involved in the decision to make the switch.  The rumor goes on to say that Fox's allegiance to Blu-ray was a factor as well …
RELATED:
Ryan Block / Engadget:
HD DVD group cancels CES press conference in wake of Warner announcement: daaamn  —  We just got an email which stated that the HD DVD group is canceling its CES press conference; tail severely between legs over today's explosive news that Warner — the last “undecided” studio …
Michael Kanellos / CNET News.com:
The party for HD DVD is over, literally  —  War is hell, particularly when you want to schedule cocktail parties.  —  The HD DVD Promotional Group had scheduled a cocktail party and a press conference this Sunday evening in Las Vegas to tout the “progress” it has made in high definition video …
Discussion: Engadget HD
PR Newswire:
Toshiba's Comment on Announcement from Warner Bros.  Entertainment of Its Exclusive Support for Blu-ray Disc Format  —  Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD.
Darren Murph / Engadget:
Warner goes Blu-ray exclusive  —  We've all been wondering what to make of those whispers that Warner was indeed going Blu-ray exclusive, and apparently, those rumblings are true.  Based on a breaking release, Warner Bros.  Entertainment will be releasing its high-definition titles …
David Carnoy / Crave: The gadget blog:
Warner goes Blu-ray exclusively, delivering crushing blow to HD DVD
Discussion: TechLifeBlogged
TimeWarner:
Warner Bros.  Entertainment to Release its High-Definition DVD …
Discussion: Bits and TECH.BLORGE.com
Official Google Docs Blog:
New features for 2008!  —  It's been two months since we launched Google Presentations and already we've got new toys!  We've been listening to your feedback and working hard to get you new features as quickly as possible (so keep the suggestions coming).  2008 is going to be a feature packed year …
RELATED:
Philipp Lenssen / Google Blogoscoped:
Embed Google Presentations  —  Google rolled out an update to Google Presentations that lets you embed a presentation into your own website.  Just switch to the Publish tab and hit the publish button - you will now find some inline frame code Google calls the “Mini Presentation Module” to copy & paste.
Robert Scoble / Scobleizer:
Erased  —  OK, forget for a few minutes the debate about who owns your email addresses, birthdays, and name on social networking sites.  —  Forget for a few minutes about whether or not I was a jerk, stupid, idiotic, or worse for breaking the terms of service of one of your favorite companies.
Pat Phelan / Roam4free:
Never mind what are Twitter costs, whats the cost of Twitter?  —  Over the past few days we have seen lots of posts on the cost of running Twitter from such luminaries as Jason Calacanis, Paul Walsh, Marc Canter, Dave Winer , Fred Wilson and Allen Stern  —  Myself and my business partner …
John Markoff / New York Times:
Intel Quits Effort to Get Computers to Children  —  SAN FRANCISCO — A frail partnership between Intel and the One Laptop Per Child educational computing group was undone last month in part by an Intel saleswoman: She tried to persuade a Peruvian official to drop the country's commitment …
Discussion: TECH.BLORGE.com
RELATED:
The Macalope:
Yes, Virginia, any idiot CAN file a lawsuit!  —  Congratulations, Stacie Somers of San Diego County!  You're the first jackass of 2008!  —  Well, OK, technically, since the suit was filed on December 31, you're the last jackass of 2007.  But as it's already prompted some very silly analysis …
Discussion: The Apple Core and p2pnet
Brian Stelter / New York Times:
Noontime Web Video Revitalizes Lunch at the Desk  —  In cubicles across the country, lunchtime has become the new prime time, as workers click aside their spreadsheets to watch videos on YouTube, news highlights on CNN.com or other Web offerings.  —  The trend — part of a broader phenomenon known …
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Digg And Others Sued For Infringing Infamous Computer Solitaire Patent  —  from the aren't-patents-great?  dept  —  The Patent Troll Tracker is back from holiday vacation and he's got quite a post listing out a bunch of interesting (i.e., depressing) lawsuits involving questionable patents and even more questionable patent holders.
RELATED:
Troll Tracker / Patent Troll Tracker:
4 Interesting New Cases From Last 2 Weeks of December
Discussion: WebProNews
Ben Edelman:
Sears Exposes Customer Purchase History in Violation of Its Privacy Policy  —  Want to know what a given customer has purchased from Sears?  It's surprisingly easy to find out.  Here's the procedure:  —  1) Go to the Sears “Manage My Home” site, www.managemyhome.com .  Create an account and sign in.
Cade Metz / The Register:
Verizon sues Alltel over homicidal guinea pig  —  Little more than two months after forking over one million smackers to settle accusations it was guilty of false advertising, Verizon Wireless has accused one of its biggest competitors of false advertising.  —  On Wednesday, Verizon slapped …
Discussion: TechSpot News
 
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 More Items: 
ReadWriteWeb:
10 Ways Twitter Can Boost Your Social News Profile
Discussion: innonate
Reuters:
Sony to add Skype Web phone function to PSP: Nikkei
Discussion: Engadget
ClickZ:
Behavioral Targeting Firms to Reassess Self-Regulation Rules
Discussion: paidContent.org
NEWSFACTOR:
Suit Demands Apple License Microsoft DRM
Discussion: Techdirt
Electronista:
Digital Foci rolls OLED keychain albums
Discussion: Gizmodo and SlashGear
Erick Schonfeld / TechCrunch:
New Year's Tech Resolutions
Tom Simonite / New Scientist:
Google tool could search out hospital superbugs
Discussion: WebProNews, InfoWorld and Slashdot
Electronista:
Energizer unveils iPod battery extender, more
 Earlier Items: 
Eric Eldon / VentureBeat:
Kleiner steals Chi-Hua Chien, Web 2.0 guru, from Accel
Elizabeth Woyke / Forbes:
Imagine A Web Site For Your Toaster
Discussion: larry borsato
Karl / DSLreports:
HDMI Over Coaxial - Another option for home networking
Peter Kafka / Silicon Alley Insider:
NY Google Vet Hirsch Leaving For Startups
I, Cringely . The Pulpit | PBS:
Always Certain, Sometimes Correct
Discussion: The Mac Observer
Nate Anderson / Ars Technica:
Will fans pay? Reznor opens books on 'Net music experiment
Arik Hesseldahl / Business Week:
A Little ‘Intel’ on Apple's Next Move
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Internal memo: Hearst Magazines president announces layoffs as part of a decision to “reallocate resources” to “continue our focus on digital innovation”

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced she will leave the agency on January 20; she was the first woman to be confirmed to lead the agency

Lachlan Cartwright / The Ankler:
Sources: MSNBC renewed Rachel Maddow's contract early this fall, but with a pay cut; MSNBC bosses' plan to shake up daytime and weekend programming

 
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