Techmeme: Techcrunch Disrupted by AOL: The end of an era in tech blogging? (Robert Scoble/Scobleizer)

10:00 AM ET, September 28, 2010

Top Items:

Om Malik / GigaOM:

AOL Close to Buying TechCrunch — AOL, the New York-based online media company, is on the verge of acquiring TechCrunch, the online blogging network started by former attorney, Michael Arrington. The deal is at a sensitive stage and might fall apart yet, but I don't think so.

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

The Pros and Cons of a TechCrunch/AOL Deal — Could AOL buy TechCrunch-a possibility that both Om Malik and the Wall Street Journal say is on the table? Sure. — Does that make sense? Good question. — TechCrunch is a big, successful Web site, and big successful Web sites are very hard to build.

Discussion: Silicon Alley Insider and Wall Street Journal

Robert Scoble / Scobleizer:

Techcrunch Disrupted by AOL: The end of an era in tech blogging? — The news/rumor that Techcrunch is up for sale quickly made the rounds at the Techcrunch Disrupt conference this afternoon. GigaOm started it with a post that a sale to AOL is close at hand.

Discussion: Bits

Nicholas Carlson / Silicon Alley Insider:
AOL Tried To Buy TechCrunch Twice Before

Discussion: The Huffington Post

Staci D. Kramer / paidContent: Michael Arrington And TechCrunch Could Wind Up At AOL After All

Jason Kincaid / TechCrunch:

Apple Has Already Approved The Official Google Voice App For iPhone, Expect It Soon — The App Store review office at 1 Infinite Loop has officially frozen over: we've gotten word that the official Google Voice application is on its way to the iPhone in the next few weeks.

MG Siegler / TechCrunch:

Yep, Amazon Launching Their Own App Store For Android Too — Earlier today, after several tips, we guessed that Amazon may be close to launching its own app store for Android — yes, another Android app store. Sources we reached out to weren't sure about what exactly Amazon was launching …

MG Siegler / TechCrunch:

Rumor: An Amazon Android Tablet May Follow The Amazon Android App Store — Okay, we know now that Amazon is on the verge of releasing an Android-based app store. But last week, before we knew that, we got an interesting tip that such a move was coming soon — this week, actually.

Discussion: 9 to 5 Mac, AndroidGuys, Engadget, IntoMobile, BuzzingUp, Kindle Review, Gizmodo, Softpedia News, I4U News, Go Rumors and Electronista

Todd Agulnick / Xmarks Blog:

End of the Road for Xmarks — As I write this, it's a typical Sunday here at Xmarks. The synchronization service continues operating quietly, the servers chugging along syncing browser data for our 2 million users across their 5 million desktops. The day isn't over yet, but we're on track to add just under 3000 new accounts today.

Discussion: BoomTown, Computerworld, Download Squad, Lifehacker, GigaOM, CNET News, Search Engine Land, Liliputing, TechCrunch, Daring Fireball, Softpedia News, GottaBeMobile, Mashable!, Techie Buzz, Pulse2 and bit-tech.net

Dave Rosenberg / Software, Interrupted:

2010 acquisitions—Microsoft: 0 Google: 23 — A recent blog post from information service provider CB Insights reveals a truly shocking piece of news—that Microsoft has announced zero acquisitions so far in 2010, while Google has acquired 23 companies, 75 percent of which are venture financed or angel-backed.

Discussion: CNET News, CB Insights, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim and TechFlash

John Cook / TechFlash: What Google, Facebook and others look for in M&A deals

Therese Poletti / MarketWatch:

RIM's tablet showcases new software — Commentary: Could BlackBerry Tablet OS be its future? — Sign in — Become a MarketWatch member today — BULLETIN — INVESTOR ALERT — STORY QUOTES COMMENTS SCREENER — SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — The much ballyhooed tablet announced Monday …

Discussion: Amazon.com and Engadget

John Paczkowski / Digital Daily:
RIM Unveils BlackBerry Playbook Tablet

Eric Zeman / InformationWeek:
First Impressions Of BlackBerry PlayBook

Discussion: Engadget, BB Geeks, techeblog.com and Pulse2

Josh Ong / AppleInsider:

Goldman Sachs says Apple planning thinner iPad with camera, mini USB — A team of analysts for investment bank Goldman Sachs said Monday that their sources lead them to believe Apple will introduce a second-generation iPad during the spring of 2011 that will feature a camera, mini USB and a lighter design.

Discussion: Fast Company, Bloomberg, I4U News, everythingiCafe, Softpedia News, MacRumors, Electronista, Ubergizmo and iClarified

Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:

Google Buys Schedule Management Startup Plannr — According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Google has just bought Seattle-based mobile planning startup Plannr, which if you remember our coverage launched about two months ago as an Outlook for hipsters.

Discussion: TechEye, Search Engine Land and Startup Meme

Dharmesh Mehta / The Windows Blog:

WordPress.com and Windows Live partnering together and providing an upgrade for 30 million Windows Live Spaces customers — Over the last few weeks, we've spent a good bit of time talking about our approach to partnering with the web, and as part of that, how we're deeply integrating …

Paul Kim / WordPress News:
Welcome Windows Live Spaces Bloggers

Discussion: VentureBeat, Softpedia News, MobileContentToday, TechCrunch, The Next Web, Changing Way and Pulse2, more at Mediagazer »

Boy Genius Report:

New HTC, full-QWERTY device destined for Verizon breaks cover — Hi there HTC Android fans, we have another present for you! We've just been sent in a handful of images of a new, unseen HTC handset that is destined for Verizon Wireless. This sleek, all-black, full-QWERTY Android 2.2 handset …

Gavin Clarke / The Register:

OpenOffice files Oracle divorce papers — Uncertainty breeds mistrust — Open sourcers have seized control of the OpenOffice project and product and declared their independence from database giant Oracle. — The OpenOffice.org Project has unveiled a major restructuring that separates itself …

Discussion: Computerworld and All about Microsoft Blog

Daniel Emery / BBC:

Adult video-sharing list leaked from law firm — The attacks were in retaliation for action against file-sharing site the Pirate Bay — The personal details of thousands of Sky broadband customers have been leaked on to the internet, alongside a list of pornographic movies they are alleged to have shared online.

Discussion: Inquirer, TG Daily, Music Ally, Softpedia News, Guardian and NewTeeVee

Ogle Earth:

Beware: Chinese iPhone 4 comes with a crippled Maps app — The iPhone 4 officially landed in China yesterday, so I bought one from the new Apple Store at Xidan in Beijing. In China, Apple sells its iPhones unlocked and without a contract (16GB = USD747, 32GB = USD895), so you can pretty much stick in any sim card and go.

Discussion: Shanghaiist and ReadWriteWeb, Thanks:atul

Mike Masnick / Techdirt:

A Look At The Technologies & Industries Senators Leahy & Hatch Would Have Banned In The Past — The more I look at the “Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act,” (COICA) bill proposed by Senators Patrick Leahy and Orrin Hatch (and co-sponsored by Sens. Herb Kohl, Arlen Specter …

Thanks:atul

The Huffington Post:
Stop the Internet Blacklist

Discussion: demandprogress.org and Boing Boing

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

AOL Officially Adds 5Min To Its Roster. Next? — Here's the official press release announcing AOL's acquisition of 5Min Media. Sources familiar with the transaction tell me it's an all-cash deal at the high end of the $50 million to $65 million range I reported earlier today. So let's call it $65 million.

Discussion: TechCrunch, paidContent, fierceonlinevideo.com …, Beet.TV, VC Cafe and Silicon Alley Insider, more at Mediagazer »

Vlad Savov / Engadget:

Sony Ericsson LiveView acts as a 1.3-inch remote control for your smartphone, requires Android 2.0 — You've been asking for someone, anyone, to please kick out a tiny remote control display that can save you from having to whip your smartphone out for every little thing and Sony Ericsson, it seems, has listened.

Discussion: Computerworld, IntoMobile, Geek.com, Sony Ericsson, DailyTech, Gizmodo, MobileBurn.com, Electricpig.co.uk, Electronista, Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog and The Tao of Mac

Spiegel Online:

WikiLeaks Spokesman Quits — Daniel Schmitt, who has revealed that his true name is Daniel Domscheit-Berg, says WikiLeaks has a structural problem. “I no longer want to take responsibility for it,” he says. — In an interview with SPIEGEL, Daniel Schmitt — the 32-year-old German spokesman …

Discussion: TechEye

Robin Wauters / TechCrunch:

Amazon Debuts “Kindle for the Web”, Which Is Pretty Much What It Sounds Like — Amazon.com today introduced the beta version of “Kindle for the Web”, which enables people to read and share digital book samples in their browsers without the need to install or download anything.

Discussion: CNET News, Amazon.com, Silicon Alley Insider, Between the Lines Blog, McQuestionable Musings, Cult of Mac, The Next Web, Engadget and Go Rumors

Leena Rao / TechCrunch:

OneTrueFan Is The Foursquare For Websites — The Foursquare model of checking into a location, earning badges and tapping into your social network to share that location has become one that has been able to be applied to other platforms. For example, GetGlue allows users to check-in to shows …

Discussion: louisgray.com, Andy Beard and VentureBeat

James Hibberd / The Hollywood Reporter:

Another Twitter feed gets CBS comedy deal — Exclu: Call it “$#*! My Roommate Says.” — CBS is developing two new comedies, including a project based off a Twitter feed produced by social-media master Ashton Kutcher. — Following on the successful launch of its Twitter-inspired comedy “$#*!

Discussion: Switched, Gawker and CBS News, more at Mediagazer »

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

Exclusive: Want Twitter to Help You Find More Followers? Pay Up For a “Promoted Account.” — Twitter is still working to get its first two ad products up and running. But it's going to launch a third, anyway: Tomorrow the company will show off “Promoted Accounts” at an ad industry conference in New York.

Discussion: Mashable!, ReadWriteWeb, hypebot, Pulse2, Stowe Boyd, New Media Age, The Next Web and webpronews.com, more at Mediagazer »

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