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Bombshell: Google and Facebook Join DataPortability.org — The DataPortability Workgroup announced this morning that representatives from both Google and Facebook are joining its ranks. The group is working on a variety of projects to foster an era of Data Portability …
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Valleywag, WebProNews, The Social Times, TechCrunch UK, WinExtra, p2pnet, Evolving Web, Google Blogoscoped, Mark Evans, The Social Web, Wikinomics, mathewingram.com/work, Bubblegeneration Strategy Lab, bub.blicio.us, Alec Saunders .LOG, Silicon Florist, WebProBlog, The Praized Blog, :Ben Metcalfe Blog, Marc's Voice, Slashdot, GigaOM and Digg
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Individuals from Plaxo, Google and Facebook join DataPortability.org Workgroup — We are proud to announce the inclusion of Joseph Smarr (Plaxo), Brad Fitzpatrick (Google) and Benjamin Ling (Facebook) to the DataPortability Workgroup. — Plaxo, Google and Facebook together represent …


Facebook, Google And Plaxo Join The DataPortability Workgroup — After publishing an invitation to Facebook to join the DataPortability Working Group January 4, we never thought that Facebook would accept it. Today changes everything you've ever thought about social-networking data and lock-in before …

The “open” social graph on the horizon
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Awaken Your Superhero …, Mashable!, Changing Way, How To Split An Atom and CNET News.com


Yahoo Releases Browser Based MP3 Player — This is clearly just a first step in whatever Yahoo's grand plans are around the future of their music service, but today they released some code to embed a very simple Javascript based MP3 player on any website. — The player finds MP3s …
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New player — The second iteration of our browser-based player is coming out in beta today. Here's how it works: — Link to MP3s in your web page. These can be anywhere on the web. — Add a line of code to insert our Javascript library. We host this, so you just have to point to our URL.

AT&T and Other ISPs May Be Getting Ready to Filter — For the past fifteen years, Internet service providers have acted - to use an old cliche - as wide-open information super-highways, letting data flow uninterrupted and unimpeded between users and the Internet. — But ISPs may be about to embrace a new metaphor: traffic cop.
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FCC to Probe Comcast Data Discrimination — LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission will investigate complaints that Comcast Corp. actively interferes with Internet traffic as its subscribers try to share files online, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Tuesday.
Discussion:
Ars Technica, IP Democracy, Download Squad, Threat Level, Electronic Frontier Foundation, AppScout and DailyTech


FCC: We'll investigate Comcast-BitTorrent flap — Federal regulators plan to investigate whether Comcast improperly interferes with BitTorrent and other file-sharing traffic on its network. — The announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin arrived in a panel discussion …

CES: FCC Chairman Kevin Martin opens up about openness
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Gizmodo


Why is Apple Launching New Gear a Week Before Macworld? The Official No-Answer Reads Like a Zen Koan — I had a briefing with Apple on their new Xserve and Mac Pros that were released today, midweek during CES, a week before Macworld 2008. I had only one question for them, and it had nothing to do with hardware specs.
Discussion:
Wired News, The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, The Mac Observer, Good Morning Silicon Valley and Epicenter
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Fast Opens New Front in Microsoft's War With Google — Microsoft is mounting a new challenge to Google, IBM and other competitors with its acqusition of Fast Search. — Analysis:Microsoft's play on Jan. 8 to buy Fast Search & Transfer ASA for $1.2 billion is an attempt to grab …
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Google processes over 20 petabytes of data per day — Google currently processes over 20 petabytes of data per day through an average of 100,000 MapReduce jobs spread across its massive computing clusters. The average MapReduce job ran across approximately 400 machines in September 2007 …


The OpenID Train Steams Ahead: Google, IBM and Verisign Said To Be Joining — TechCrunch UK's Mike Butcher is reporting that Google, IBM and Verisign are in late stage discussions with the OpenID Foundation. This news comes on the same day that Google, Facebook and Plaxo joined the DataPortability Workgroup.

Frontline ‘closed for business’ — With its extensive connections, firm's ultimate fate is unclear — The future of Frontline Wireless L.L.C., the Silicon Valley-backed and politically connected startup that spent months positioning itself to bid big in the upcoming 700 MHz auction, has suddenly become shrouded in mystery.
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CBS Web guru Quincy Smith talks Digg partnership — When CBS Interactive announced on Tuesday that its CBSNews.com property had entered a content partnership with Digg, there wasn't a whole lot of information released other than the fact that election-related headlines from Digg would appear …


CES: Dude, Where's My Driverless Car? — So General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner says the company expects to have driverless cars on the road by 2018. — Now, I know the autonomous Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that GM developed with Carnegie Mellon University (pictured above) …