Top Items:
Stacey Higginbotham / GigaOM:
Is Apple About to Cut Out the Carriers? — Sources inside European carriers have reported that Apple has been working with SIM-card manufacturer Gemalto to create a special SIM card that would allow consumers in Europe to buy a phone via the web or at the Apple Store and get the phones working using Apple's App Store.
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MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
With Their Carrier-Crippling SIM, Can Apple Do What Google Chickened Out Of? — At the beginning of this year, I was very excited. You see, at Google's launch event for the Nexus One, they made one thing clear: they were going directly after the dominating carrier lock-in model that had held everyone in the U.S. captive for years.
Boy Genius Report:
Apple cancels white iPhone 4? — Adding on to last night's Apple announcement that the company would further delay the release of the white iPhone 4, we have received new information that paints a different story. According to a previous source of ours, we have been told that Apple in fact …
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Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac:
The Real Reason White iPhone 4 Is Delayed (Hint: The Camera) — The white iPhone 4 has been delayed because it can't take good pictures, a source with connections at Apple tells me. — The white case leaks light back in — especially when the flash is used to take pictures.
Discussion:
Computerworld, TUAW, Shoutpedia, BetaNews, MediaFile, SlashGear, AppleInsider, Geek.com, MacRumors, MacStories, App Advice, MacDailyNews, Reuters and Edible Apple
Dan Frommer / SAI: Silicon Alley Insider:
Apple Hosting Secret iOS Developer Summit Next Week — Apple is hosting an event for iOS developers in California next week, we've heard from an industry source. The event begins next Tuesday, and runs for three days, we've heard. — We are short on details, and we have not seen …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, Erictric, MacStories, Redmond Pie, IntoMobile, Covering Web, App Advice, Macsimum News, 9 to 5 Mac, I4U News, MacRumors, TUAW, iLounge and iClarified
Owen Thomas / VentureBeat:
Google exec: Android was “best deal ever” — Buying Android Inc., the wireless-software startup founded by Andy Rubin, was Google's “best deal ever,” said David Lawee, vice president of corporate development at the search giant. — Lawee made the remark at a panel at the 16th annual …
Discussion:
pocketnow.com, Electronista, Android Phone Fans, SAI, IntoMobile, SlashGear, Engadget, Android Police, PhoneArena and MobileSyrup.com
Seth Weintraub / Fortune:
Google to buy $2 billion Manhattan city block? — A report today says that Google is in the final stages of acquiring the huge building which it currently rents in Chelsea. — 111 8th Ave. via 1118thave.com — The New York Post is reporting that Google is close to acquiring …
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Apple Massively Ramped Up Ad Spending In 2010, But Sales Grew Even Faster — Earlier today, Apple's 10-K form was released for their 2010 fiscal year. The long document is full of tidbits about the state of Apple's business. One thing of note is just how much Apple ramped up their advertising spending in 2010.
Discussion:
AppleInsider
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Todd Bishop / TechFlash:
Microsoft's reply to prediction of consumer demise: #notdeadyet — Whenever major media organizations break out the pensive file photos of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, you know the news isn't good, and this morning's piece by David Goldman of CNNMoney.com was no exception.
Discussion:
The Microsoft Blog, SAI, DailyTech and The Register
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Bill Rigby / Reuters:
Special Report: Sleepy in Seattle - Microsoft learns to mature
Discussion:
VentureBeat and TechEye, Thanks:michaelkroker
Ryan Tate / Gawker:
Google Is Now Providing Servants to Its Employees — So much for the war on Googler entitlement. Amid heated competition for engineers, Google is trying a remarkable new perk: free use of “runners” to clean apartments, take out trash, cook dinner, run errands—whatever is needed.
Discussion:
TechFlash
James Temple / San Francisco Chronicle:
Google shifts troubled TV effort to YouTube — (10-27) 17:59 PDT San Francisco — Google Inc. is shifting its troubled Google TV initiative to its YouTube division, The Chronicle has learned. — Some industry sources speculated that the move was a response to the surprisingly negative reaction …
Thanks:jasonlloren
Cynthia Boris / Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim:
Walmart Does Groupon Without Groupon — They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I'm not sure Groupon felt the love when they saw Walmart's new marketing plan on Facebook. — They call it the “CrowdSaver,” and guess how it works. When a deal reaches a certain customer threshold …
Discussion:
Adweek, The Problem Solver, ConsumerAffairs.com and WebProNews
Denise Leung / Flickr Blog:
Flickr is more fun with friends! — We think that Flickr is the best way to keep up with what's going on in your world and share your photos with the people you care about. With millions of members on Flickr, there are bound to be a few you have missed along the way.
Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:
Comcast Says Its Disappearing Subscribers Aren't Cord Cutters — Comcast lost 275,000 cable subscribers last quarter, and has lost 622,000 in the first nine months of 2010. More evidence of “cord cutting”? — Nope, says the cable giant. It's evidence that the economy sucks.
Discussion:
DSLreports, TechCrunch, NewTeeVee, paidContent and Techdirt, more at Mediagazer »
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Larry Dignan / Between the Lines Blog:
Comcast CEO: iPad, tablets give us ability to ‘start from scratch’ on TV interface
Discussion:
Business Wire and paidContent
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Spotify Looking For A COO, Still Hoping For U.S. Launch This Year — Music streaming service Spotify has retained executive search firm Odgers Berndtson to assist them in finding a chief operating officer as the number two executive after founder Daniel Ek.
Discussion:
MediaMemo, Electricpig.co.uk, Appletell, Computerworld and Softpedia News
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Greg Sandoval / Media Maverick:
Spotify closing in on label deals
Discussion:
Electronista, Erictric, MacRumors, Crave and Urlesque
Nick Bilton / Bits:
Android App Forwards Private Text Messages — If you own an Android phone and are cheating on a significant other by arranging secret trysts through text messages, you might want to think twice about your infidelities — or at least about arranging them via texts.
Discussion:
AndroidGuys and The Next Web
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Yahoo Hires Ross Levinsohn To Run Americas Business — Yahoo has hired Ross Levinsohn, the former President of Fox Interactive Media, as EVP America's Region, we've confirmed. AllThingsD first broke the news that he was close to taking the job. — Levinsohn will replace Hillary Schneider.
Discussion:
paidContent, SAI, BoomTown and silicontap.com, more at Mediagazer »
Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land:
New Place Search Shows Google's Commitment To Local — Today Google formally rolls out its new presentation of local results, called “Place Search.” It offers a dramatic change to the look and feel of SERPs on Google.com. The first and most obvious change is that the “7 Pack” is gone.
Gregg Keizer / Computerworld:
Mozilla delays Firefox 4 release until 2011 — Instabilities, others bugs force open-source developer to push ship date into early next year — Computerworld - Mozilla today announced that it will delay the release of Firefox 4 until 2011. — The decision comes after several weeks …
Discussion:
The Register, The Next Web and Neowin.net
Agence France Presse:
Russia to create ‘Windows rival’ — MOSCOW (AFP) - The Russian state plans to revamp its computer services with a Windows rival to reduce its dependence on US giant Microsoft and better monitor computer security, a lawmaker said Wednesday. — Moscow will earmark 150 million rubles …
Discussion:
Geek.com, The Next Web and TechSpot
Kashmir Hill / The Not-So Private Parts:
The FTC Forgives Google's WiFi Sniffing — No harm, no foul, Google. David Vladeck, director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection, sent the company a letter today announcing the end of its inquiry into the collection of WiFi “payload data” by Google's Street View cars.
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Zach Epstein / Boy Genius Report:
FTC will not fine Google for stealing passwords with Street View cars
Discussion:
New York Times
Nathan Olivarez-Giles / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
A field of tweets for the World Series — Social networking website Twitter, the Internet's equivalent of chatting around the office water cooler, has been flooded with hundreds of thousands of messages over the last few days about Major League Baseball's World Series.
Discussion:
CenterNetworks, Bloomberg and NewTeeVee, more at Mediagazer »
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
What's The Street Price Of Twitter? Nearly $1.6 Billion — Like other hot startups there is a healthy secondary market ecosystem for Twitter stock. The current street value of a share of any series of Twitter stock? At least $7 per share, say multiple sources with knowledge of transactions.
Discussion:
Fortune
John Letzing / MarketWatch:
Facebook makes foray into California lobbying — Firm targets privacy bill; ‘They just worked in the background’ — SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Facebook Inc., which has been bolstering its political influence as it grows in popularity, has made an initial foray into lobbying in its home state …
Discussion:
Mashable! and Digital Society
