Top Items:
Apple:
Letter from Apple CEO Steve Jobs — For the first time in a decade, I'm getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote. — Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Infinite Loop, MediaMemo, L.A. Times Tech Blog, PC World, Hardware 2.0, Between the Lines, VentureBeat, CNET News, Guardian, Financial Times, IntoMobile, Music Ally, Gawker, Epicenter, The Register, InformationWeek, Computerworld, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, TheAppleBlog, Tech-Ex, Technologizer, Cult of Mac, MarketingVOX, Boy Genius Report, blogs.chron.com, DailyTech, Quick Online Tips, Engadget, The iPhone Blog, CrunchGear, TG Daily, Obsessable, I4U News, The Tech Report, GPS Obsessed, Furrier.org, Neowin.net, TUAW, Gearlog and MacBlogz
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Apple:
Statement by Apple's Board of Directors — It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world. — As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue …
Nicholas Carlson / Silicon Alley Insider:
Steve Jobs Admits Health Caused Him To Skip Macworld (AAPL) — Apple (AAPL) sources told CNBC's Jim Goldman (over and over) that the reason CEO Steve Jobs would not give his usual keynote at this year's Macworld was for “political” reasons. — Now, in an open letter, Steve admits that's not true …
New York Times:
Blu-ray's Fuzzy Future — The biggest news at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January was not the birth of a new product but the death of one. — A decision by Warner Brothers to withdraw support for the HD DVD video disc format sent shock waves through the electronics industry …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, Venture Chronicles, Silicon Alley Insider, Contentinople, Wall Street Journal, Electronista, CrunchGear and Engadget HD
Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:
For Sale at the New York Times: The Front Page — The New York Times (NYT) is already trying to mortgage its headquarters and unload assets like its stake in the Boston Red Sox. — So what's left to sell? The front page. — Today's edition of the Times features the first display ad the paper has ever sold on its front page.
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Richard Pérez-Peña / New York Times:
The Times to Sell Display Ads on the Front Page — In its latest concession to the worst revenue slide since the Depression, The New York Times has begun selling display advertising on its front page, a step that has become increasingly common across the newspaper industry.
Discussion:
Screenwerk
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Celebrity Twitter Accounts Hacked (Bill O'Reilly, Britney Spears, Rick Sanchez) — My guess is this has nothing to do with the phishing attacks that started on Twitter a couple of days ago. But a few minutes ago the official Fox News Twitter account posted “Breaking: Bill O Riley is gay” …
Discussion:
Feeds, ReadWriteWeb, eWeek, Computerworld Blogs, Telegraph, Epicenter and Silicon Alley Insider
Tom Krazit / CNET News:
Apple's last Macworld beginning of new era — Apple CEO Steve Jobs' absence from Macworld 2009 could be a prelude to a new communications strategy. — (Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks) — Even though CEO Steve Jobs will not be playing his customary role, the last Macworld Expo …
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Claudine Beaumont / Telegraph:Macworld: Analysts expect Apple's evolution not revolution
Discussion:
MacRumors
Wall Street Journal:
TV and Web Marry After Long Courtship — After more than a decade of disappointment, the goal of marrying television and the Internet seems finally to be picking up steam. — A key factor in the push are new TV sets that have networking connections built directly into them, requiring no additional set-top boxes for getting online.
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Larry Dignan / Between the Lines:
Lenovo shows off 16-inch thin laptop; Launches all-in-one PC, dual-screen mobile workstation — Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show this week, Lenovo unveiled new consumer laptops and a debuted a dual-screen mobile workstation. — Lenovo, which began to target consumers a year ago …
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Matt Buchanan / Gizmodo:Lenovo IdeaCentre 600: Thinnest (Hottest?) All-in-One PC on the Block
Discussion:
PC Magazine, GottaBeMobile.com, Boy Genius Report, PC World, DailyTech, Engadget, DisplayBlog and SlipperyBrick.com
Intel:
Intel and Adobe to Extend Flash Platform to TVs — Optimizing Adobe Flash Technology on Intel® Media Processor CE 3100 Will Enable Rich and Seamless Web Content on TV — Adobe® Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) and Intel Corporation today announced plans to collaborate …
Discussion:
NewTeeVee, Podcasting News, CNET News, Digital Daily, DailyTech, Maximum PC all, Obsessable, The Register, Engadget, Boy Genius Report, Electronista and 901am
Leo Lewis / Times of London:
Sony on brink of upheaval as analysts back British chief — Sony, the embattled Japanese electronics group, is on the brink of a corporate upheaval that could see job cuts and sweeping changes to management and manufacturing processes. — Company sources have told The Times that operations across …
Discussion:
Silicon Alley Insider, Coop's Corner, Reuters, Joystiq, Destructoid, GamePolitics News, GamesIndustry.biz, Gizmodo, Kotaku, CrunchGear and I4U News
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
2009: Products I Can't Live Without — At the beginning of each year I traditionally publish a list of my favorite startups and products. This is the fourth year I've done this - previous lists: 2006, 2007, 2008. You guys get to pick the winners of the Crunchies - this list is all mine.
Chris Mellor / The Register:
Iomega aims at TVs with home server — Backs up PCs and plays digital media files — Iomega has announced a home storage and media server that backs up files on connected PCs and plays digital media content to connected output devices. — The Home Media Network Hard Drive (HMNHD) …
Discussion:
Gizmodo
Robert Palmer / TUAW:
NRK offers free podcast containing every Beatles song — The Beatles could have all their songs on iTunes, but not the way you might think: via a podcast describing the story behind each song, released by a Norwegian broadcasting company. — NRK is podcasting its segment called …
John Biggs / CrunchGear:
Exclusive: New Palm phone to have slide-down keyboard, large touchscreen — We have information from a trusted source that the latest Palm smartphone running the Nova operating system will be launched Thursday. The new phone will have a full QWERTY keyboard that will slide down under a portrait-oriented touchscreen.
Discussion:
Gadget Lab, IntoMobile, PC World, Guardian, Gearlog, Technologizer, ChannelWeb, Ubergizmo, FierceWireless, Smartphones and Cell Phones, Newlaunches.com, Gizmodo, BoomTown, Gadgetell, InformationWeek, Unwired View, PhoneReport v2.0, Mobility Site, Tech-Ex, Boy Genius Report, timesonline.typepad.com, PalmAddicts and Local Mobile Search
Ken Barnes / USA Today:
Music sales boom, but albums fizzle for '08 — Americans bought more music in 2008 than ever before, but album sales — the music industry's main source of revenue — dropped for a fourth year. — According to the Nielsen Co.'s year-end figures, music purchases — CD, vinyl …
Claire Cain Miller / New York Times:
In Silicon Valley, Venture Capitalists Turn Cautious and Focus on the Short Term — MENLO PARK, Calif. — Venture capitalists make their fortunes, or lose them, on the strength of their predictions. As they hunt for barely hatched ideas and nurture them with money and advice …
Philipp Lenssen / Google Blogoscoped:
As Lively Goes Down, NewLively Springs Up — Google's 3D world Lively, as announced last year, was stopped on January 1st after being live just a couple of months. Their homepage is now displaying a good-bye message, and if you were among the (not so lucky) early adopters …
