Top Items:
Juan Carlos Perez / PC World:
Facebook, Google Launch Data Portability Programs to All — Google and Facebook separately announced the general availability of their respective data portability programs on Thursday. — Google Friend Connect and Facebook Connect are generally designed to extend social-networking capabilities broadly across the Web.
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Mark Zuckerberg / Facebook Blog:
Facebook Across the Web — Over the summer we announced an extension of Facebook Platform called Facebook Connect. Facebook Connect makes it easier for you to take your online identity with you all over the Web, share what you do online with your friends and stay updated on what they're doing.
Marshall Kirkpatrick / ReadWriteWeb:
Facebook Connect vs. OpenID: Who Will Emerge Victorious? — Facebook Connect, the system the company has long discussed as “Facebook on sites all around the web,” enters general availability today and we've got one big question - should website owners use Facebook or OpenID to authenticate and learn about their users?
Mussie Shore / The Official Google Blog:
Google Friend Connect: now available — We're pleased to share that Google Friend Connect is now available in beta to any webmaster looking to add a “dash of social” to his or her site. This service lets webmasters add social features to their sites by simply copying and pasting a few snippets of code …
Rafe Needleman / Webware.com:Facebook Connect officially open
Discussion:
All Facebook, ReadWriteWeb, The Technology Chronicles, VentureBeat, Epicenter, Mashable!, WebProNews and Silicon Alley Insider
Scott Cleland / The Precursor Blog:
Google uses 21 times more bandwidth than it pays for — per first-ever research study — The 27 page research study can be accessed at this link: — Contact: Scott Cleland 703-217-2407 — First-Ever Study of U.S. Consumer Internet Usage and Cost Finds — Google Uses 21 Times More Bandwidth than it Pays For
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David Pogue / New York Times:
Readers React to David Pogue's Review of the BlackBerry Storm — I learned something last week. — In my Times print column, I reviewed the BlackBerry Storm, by far the worst product Research in Motion has ever produced. I had problems with its concept, problems with its clicky touch screen …
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Microsoft:
Microsoft Appoints Dr. Qi Lu to Run Online Services Group — Yahoo! veteran to oversee Internet offerings for consumers, advertisers and publishers. — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Dr. Qi Lu will join the company as president of the Online Services Group.
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Jenna Bilotta / Google Reader:
Square is the new round. — On the Reader team, we know that the old adage “change is good” isn't always true. Sometimes, change is just change. In this case, we hope that these decisions both improve your Reader experience today, and pave the way for additional improvements down the line.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Lifehacker, WebProNews, TheNextWeb.com, Webware.com, VentureBeat, Mashable!, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim and CostPerNews
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Eric Krangel / Silicon Alley Insider:Google Reader Gets A Facelift, Still No Ads (GOOG)
Discussion:
Download Squad
Owen Thomas / Valleywag:
Facebook cancels employee stock sale — So much for Silicon Valley's latest get-rich-quick scheme. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has cancelled a plan to let employees cash out their shares early. — In August, before the markets started to melt down and with Facebook worth $15 billion on paper …
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John Paczkowski / Digital Daily:
RealDepressing: The Entire RealNetworks Layoff Memo — Earlier this afternoon, Peter Kafka reported in Media Memo that RealNetworks (RNWK) was “next up in today's layoff parade.” Here's the official internal memo from RealNetworks founder, chairman and CEO, Rob Glaser:
Stephen Myers / Cygnet Engineering:
Iphone as a Universe Controller: Part 1 — Why have a universal remote control when you can have a universe controller? I was fortunate enough to get to beta test some of ioBridge's forthcoming hardware. Their hardware lets you connect just about anything to the internet.
Shanan Delp / Flickr Blog:
Going More Mobile — Over the last year we've seen an explosion of mobile devices uploading to and browsing Flickr. It's rapidly becoming the norm for our members to use a camera phone to share their immediate world with others, and a mobile browser to keep track of friends and family.
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Chris Salmon / Guardian:
Click to download: Bono red-faced over charity website — The U2 frontman's charity has launched an ambitious music site. If only they could get it to work ... Chris Salmon reports — On Monday, Bono's (RED) charity marked World Aids Day by launching (RED)WIRE, a new subscription-based digital music e-zine.
Nate Anderson / Ars Technica:
Does Amazon's iPhone app go too far? — Now that the official Amazon Mobile iPhone app is here, it's easier than every to check prices from anywhere, even while shopping in retail stores. And the company's clever new “Amazon Remembers” service will use humans to identify product pics snapped …
David Kaplan / paidContent.org:
Condé Nast Suspends New Website Launches Indefinitely; Another Blow To Razorfish? — Condé Nast's plans to build out new websites for mags such as Details have been suspended for an indefinite period, according to AgencySpy, which cited an unidentified source.
AppleInsider:
More big names downsizing, pulling out of Macworld Expo — A faltering global economy is expected to take its toll on trade shows next year and January's Macworld will be no exception, with more big names planning to downsize their presence or pulling out altogether, AppleInsider has learned.
Discussion:
Apple Gazette
Devin Coldewey / CrunchGear:
New Samsung webcam sensor does 720p and more — Seeing that PC users on desktop and laptop are embracing both HD video and built-in webcams, Samsung has decided to put the two together in the obvious form of a HD webcam. Until now, webcams have been pretty much limited to VGA (640×480) …
