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5:40 PM ET, December 29, 2009

Techmeme

 Top Items: 
David / TmoNews:
T-Mobile “Officially” Confirms Google Phone  —  Update: Our sources are confirming a January 5th date, 9am, ordering through Google ONLY.  Sadly, still no word on pricing.  —  T-Mobile has gone and made their expected support of the Google Phone aka Nexus One “official” this morning, albeit in a vague sort of way.
RELATED:
John Paczkowski / Digital Daily:
Google Announces Jan. 5 Android Event  —  This just in: Google will host an Android press gathering at its global HQ on Jan. 5 (click on image below to enlarge).  Presumably, the event will have something to do with the company's Nexus One, an Android phone that Google plans to sell …
Arn / MacRumors:
Another Buried Apple Trademark - ‘iGuide’ as Another Name or Service for iSlate?  —  With the revelation that Apple had acquired the iSlate.com domain and iSlate trademarks, it seemed clear to us that iSlate was the likely name for Apple's upcoming tablet computer.
RELATED:
AppleInsider:
Magic Mouse helps Apple double share of market in 8 weeks  —  Apple's new Magic Mouse helped Apple see a twofold increase in its share of domestic mice sales last month, AppleInsider has learned, garnering the Mac maker a double-digit slice of the market for the first time ever.
Marshall Kirkpatrick / ReadWriteWeb:
It Was a Facebook Christmas; Site Hits #1 in US For First Time  —  Christmas is a holiday that brings people together, so perhaps it should be no surprise that Facebook has become a part of millions of peoples' Christmas experiences.  For the first time in its history, Facebook was the number …
Azaria Jagger / Gawker:
Escaped Inmate Taunts Cops with Facebook Pictures and Status Updates  —  Remember how, in Catch Me If You Can, fugitive Leonardo DiCaprio kept calling Detective Tom Hanks to taunt him?  Here is a convicted burglar doing the same thing, in real time on Facebook.  Should we celebrate or fear him?
Discussion: All Facebook and Mirror.co.uk
Eric Slivka / MacRumors:
Nokia Increases Scope of Patent Complaints to Include ‘Virtually All’ Apple Products  —  The legal battle between Nokia and Apple has been ratcheted up another notch today with Nokia's announcement that it has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) …
RELATED:
Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:
The Secret Behind the Kindle's Best-Selling eBooks: They're Not for Sale  —  One big reason readers choose e-books over ink and paper versions: The digital ones are cheaper.  —  This wasn't the case when e-books first appeared a decade ago.  But Amazon (AMZN) has made a point of selling …
Discussion: CNET News, Mobile Whack and GalleyCat
Michael Grothaus / TUAW:
Apple drops MacBook to $899 for students  —  Just a quick note that the online Apple Store has quietly dropped their white MacBook from $949 to $899 for students, teachers, and faculty members.  Some buyers are even seeing pricing as low as $728, according to Engadget.
Discussion: Engadget, PC World and Macsimum News
Neil Fraser's News:
Google Multivac  —  In 1958 Isaac Asimov wrote a short story titled “All the Troubles of the World” (included in the collection “Nine Tomorrows").  It described a world transformed by Multivac, a giant all-knowing computer.  Asimov died in 1992, a mere four years before Larry and Sergey started …
Totlol:
The story of Totlol  —  Prelude - a trap set up by Google Every start-up has a story.  This is the story of Totlol.  Because I did everything myself, it is also the story of almost two years of my life.  It's the story of a flourishing service into which I put tons of work.
Discussion: TechCrunch and GigaOM, Thanks:atul
Chris Ziegler / Engadget:
Ten years of BlackBerry  —  The year is 1999.  Bill Clinton is the President of the United States, gas is 94 cents a gallon, Bondi Blue iMacs are a staple in dorm rooms across the country, and Microsoft is trying to bring the desktop Windows experience to the pocket, pushing its Palm-size PC concept …
Discussion: BlackBerry Cool and CrackBerry.com blogs, Thanks:atul
Steve Outing / Editor and Publisher:
Goodbye, for Now: Looking Foward  —  Back in 1995, Editor & Publisher invited me to start writing a freelance column for its brand-new Web site, initially called MediaInfo.com.  Nearly 15 years later, this will likely be my last column for E&P — and I'd like to project on what digital possibilities …
Discussion: SteveOuting.com, Thanks:atul
Bloomberg:
Netflix Envoy to Wary Hollywood Pitches Web-Viewed Film Rentals to Studios  —  Dec. 29 (Bloomberg) — Netflix Inc. Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos bypassed Hollywood to jumpstart the company's online film-rental business last year.  Now he has to convince the studios the company is a friend and not a foe.
Discussion: paidContent
Patrick Thibodeau / Computerworld:
Court orders three H-1B sites disabled  —  Judge's ruling to shut down three opposition sites is part of Apex libel lawsuit  —  Computerworld - A New Jersey judge has ordered the shutdown of three H-1B opposition Web sites and seeks information about the identity of anonymous posters.
Discussion: eWeek and The Spam Diaries
Electronista:
Paradigm Shift to out color e-book reader at CES  —  A relatively unknown company called Paradigm Shift Sourcing and Manufacturing will introduce two full-color e-book readers that use 5- and 7-inch color displays at next month's CES show in Las Vegas.  The company says both units …
Jonny Evans / 9 to 5 Mac:
‘Welcome to Macintosh’ hits CNBC Jan 4  —  ‘Welcome to Macintosh’, the independent documentary highlighting Apple Inc.'s history and following, is to make its exclusive North American television premiere on CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, on Monday, January 4 at 9:30PM ET.
Kevin Helliker / Wall Street Journal:
Daring to Live Your Life Offline  —  When reporting a story, I sometimes need to find a particular kind of person—someone who's battling cancer, or who recently switched banks, or who owns both a Chevy pickup and Toyota sedan.  —  At such moments, I call my brother Keith, a telecommunications worker in eastern Kansas.
Thanks:atul
Jack Purcher / Patently Apple:
Apple Reveals Push Button Antenna that may Point to Cable TV Content  —  The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a newly granted patent of Apple's that would suggest that they may be considering a push button style antenna for future devices such as their iPhone, iPod Touch or perhaps even a new tablet.
Discussion: 9 to 5 Mac
Brian Barrett / Gizmodo:
First Look at Blio, Ray Kurzweil's Tablet-Friendly Ebook Format  —  Blio, officially debuting next week at CES, lets you read your ebooks as they're intended to look on paper.  Clearly, Kurzweil is signaling his choice of tablets over e-ink, and his first shots are definitely persuasive.
Kat Hannaford / Gizmodo:
Rumor: 8GB iPhone 3GS Imminent?  —  Could Apple be giving the iPhone 3G the slip, replacing the $99 model with an 8GB iPhone 3GS?  It certainly seemed plausible when we first heard about it, and now a forum-dweller has received packaging suggesting it could be true.
Andrew Parker / Financial Times:
O2 says sorry for snags in London network  —  has apologised to customers who could not make phone calls because the mobile operator's London network was overwhelmed by bandwidth-hungry smartphones.  —  Ronan Dunne told the Financial Times he was disappointed with O 2 's network performance in London since the summer.
Darren Murph / Engadget:
Ford becomes first automaker to offer HD Radio with iTunes tagging  —  If you thought the automakers would be leaving CES to the TV and PMP makers, Ford would like to have a word with you.  A few words, actually.  Aside from announcing that in-car WiFi will be available next year …
Jesus Diaz / Gizmodo:
Apple Approves “Tits & Boobies” and “Pussy Lovers” Apps  —  I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later, but it's wrong.  From the iTunes description.  “If you love pussy, this application is for you.  Each and every pussy is more and more tight and super tempting.”  Really?  —  Of course not.
Discussion: KRAPPS, GeekSmack and Mobile Whack
 
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 More Items: 
Jennifer LeClaire / Mobile Tech Today:
Managing Enterprise Wireless Costs Yields Big Savings
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
Spreezio Serves Up Deals From Merchants Based On Where You Live
Discussion: BIA/Kelsey Blog
dtv.client.shareholder.com:
DIRECTV HD and Movie Choices to Get a Lift With Successful Satellite Launch
Discussion: HDGURU.Com
Nick O'Neill / All Facebook:
Facebook Upgrades Notes Application To Post Feed Images
Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Brainstorm Tech:
Mr. iFart appeals to Steve Jobs
Discussion: JoelComm.com and The iPhone Blog
 Earlier Items: 
Brooke Crothers / CNET News:
Verizon sees rise of ‘slate’ computers in 2010
Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
Will good come from the huge piracy of Modern Warfare 2?
Reuters:
Microsoft pegs China search market as top priority
 

 
From Mediagazer:

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

Evan Drellich / New York Times:
The MLB is planning national packages for streaming companies to bid on in 2028, when its national TV deals with ESPN, Fox, and Turner expire

Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Tubi launches Scenes, a mobile feature that lets viewers watch 60-to-90-second trailer-style clips from its library to help with content discovery

 
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