Top Items:
Amit Singhal / The Official Google Blog:
Being bad to your customers is bad for business — A recent article by the New York Times related a disturbing story. By treating your customers badly, one merchant told the paper, you can generate complaints and negative reviews that translate to more links to your site; which, in turn, make it more prominent in search engines.
Discussion:
New York Times, InformationWeek, PC Magazine, Ars Technica, L.A. Times Tech Blog, Digital Trends, VentureBeat, Search Engine Land, WebProNews, Bruce Clay Blog, Gawker, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, The Huffington Post, Erictric, John Battelle's Searchblog, SelectStart, Relevant Results, ReadWriteWeb, paidContent, The Atlantic Online, The Next Web and Techie Buzz
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Danny Sullivan / Search Engine Land:
Google: Now Using Online Merchant Reviews As Ranking Signal — Earlier this week, the New York Times spotlighted how a merchant with bad reviews nonetheless was ranked well in Google. Today, Google has announced that merchant reviews are now part of its ranking system, to prevent such things from happening again.
Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:
Google Changes Its Rank Algorithm In Response To DecorMyEyes Story — more info (via: Wylio)Over Thanksgiving weekend a New York Times story, “A Bully Finds a Pulpit on the Web” clued a lot of people in to some of the drawbacks of Google, namely that negative attention online and complaint links …
Discussion:
Examiner, Social Studies Blog, Search Engine Land and Media Maverick
Rachel Slajda / TPMMuckraker:
How Lieberman Got Amazon To Drop Wikileaks — Early this week, after hacker attacks on its site, Wikileaks moved its operation, including all those diplomatic cables, to the greener pastures of Amazon.com's cloud servers. But today, it was down again and mid-afternoon we found out the reason …
Discussion:
Daring Fireball and ReadWriteWeb
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Peter Svensson / Associated Press:
WikiLeaks site, pummeled by attacks, leaves US
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Guardian, BGR, Neowin.net, SAI, Electricpig.co.uk and Boing Boing, more at Mediagazer »
Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:
Sen. Joe Lieberman: Amazon Has Pulled Hosting Services For WikiLeaks
Discussion:
Gawker, Computerworld, Agence France Presse, Ars Technica, ReadWriteWeb, paidContent, Techdirt, Between the Lines Blog, OSNews, BoxBinary Blog, Techie Buzz, CircleID and Gizmodo
Peter Baldwin / Official Google Reader Blog:
The Android Google Reader app is here! — It's been a long time coming, but the official Google Reader app for Android is finally here. Let's jump into the features, shall we? — The app supports all the basics you'd expect like unread counts, friends, sharing, liking, and starring, but it also has a whole lot more, including:
David Sarno / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Verizon to switch on 4G network on Sunday, but not for smartphones — Verizon Wireless said Wednesday that it would turn on its 4G wireless network Sunday in 38 U.S. cities, though the new network will not support smartphones until the first half of 2011. — Instead, the 4G network …
Discussion:
Forbes, Examiner, Gizmodo, Engadget, BGR, Verizon, Reuters, 9 to 5 Mac, Wi-Fi Networking News, CNET News, GigaOM, lalawag, Digits, Mashable!, Sidecut Reports, Techland, IntoMobile, MobileCrunch, mocoNews, AnandTech, LaptopMemo, eWeek, The Next Web, Liliputing, Ars Technica, TechFlash, Computerworld, The Seattle Times, VentureBeat, DSLreports, BetaNews, Electronista and Technologizer
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Ina Fried / Mobilized:
Verizon's 4G Network Is Windows-Only, for Now — Those who want to be among the first to rule the air on Verizon Wireless's new 4G network better have a Windows PC handy. — It turns out that the LG laptop modem that goes on sale Sunday-the only option at launch-is Windows-only, at least for now.
Discussion:
9 to 5 Mac
9 to 5 Mac:
Apple opens up new business with POS systems — Late last year there were rumors that Apple would release their EasyPay point-of-sale system as a commercial product to third parties. Last month Apple's first customer, Gap Inc's Old Navy subsidiary began piloting them.
Discussion:
AppleInsider, SAI, IntoMobile and iClarified
Ina Fried / Mobilized:
Windows Phone 7 Update Is No iPhone Killer — Since it is bubble-bursting Wednesday here at Mobilized, let me assure you that the forthcoming update to Windows Phone 7 is neither “massive” nor an iPhone killer, despite some reports to the contrary. — On the other hand, the software update …
Discussion:
InformationWeek, Mobility Digest, IntoMobile, The Next Web, Appolicious Advisor and Electronista
Gmail Blog:
New in Labs: Smart mute and easier ways to unmute — If you subscribe to a lot of mailing lists and like to keep an empty inbox, muting (or preventing a conversation from re-entering your inbox) is an essential feature. We just made a few changes that should make muting even better.
Discussion:
The Next Web and SEO and Tech Daily
Federal Trade Commission:
FTC Staff Issues Privacy Report Offers Framework for Consumers, Businesses, and Policymakers — Endorses “Do Not Track” to Facilitate Consumer Choice About Online Tracking The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's chief privacy policy and enforcement agency for 40 years …
Discussion:
AdExchanger.com, The Register, Forbes, internetnews.com, ClickZ, Search Engine Land, Ars Technica, GigaOM, PC World, GottaBeMobile, Between the Lines Blog, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, Faster Forward, paidContent, eWeek, Technology Liberation Front, Post Tech, ABA Journal Daily News, Inside Google, Electronista, L.A. Times Tech Blog, GamePolitics News, Gov 2.0, New York Times, Sunbelt Blog and UMBC ebiquity, more at Mediagazer »
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Alex Howard / Gov 2.0:
FTC online privacy report endorses “Do-Not-Track” mechanism for Web browsers
Discussion:
PC Magazine, TechNet Blogs, ReadWriteWeb, Wall Street Journal, paidContent, Associated Press, the Econsultancy blog and USA Today, Thanks:digiphile
Erica Ogg / CNET News:
Apple patents glasses-less 3D projection — A diagram of how Apple's proposed 3D projection system would work. — It's not that much of a surprise that Apple thinks watching 3D content with plastic glasses is dumb. — And the company that's all about sleek, cool, and simple has actually …
Discussion:
The Register, Gizmodo, TechCrunch and Electricpig.co.uk
Anil Dash:
Gawker Is A Blog. Just Like Twitter. — I love blogs. Nick Denton wrote over on Lifehacker about the pending redesign of Gawker's blogs, with a lot of great insights into the leading edge of web publishing today. As with any thoughtful, provocative writing of such length …
Discussion:
Felix Salmon, Bits and John Gapper's Business Blog, more at Mediagazer »
Paul Graham / Paul Graham's Essays:
Tablets — I was thinking recently how inconvenient it was not to have a general term for iPhones, iPads, and the corresponding things running Android. The closest to a general term seems to be “mobile devices,” but that (a) applies to any mobile phone, and (b) doesn't really capture what's distinctive about the iPad.
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
Amazon Poised to Make a Major Strategic Investment in LivingSocial to Counter Groupoogle Threat — With the red-hot acquisition dance between Google and Groupon sucking up all the attention, it's easy once again to ignore the No. 2 player in the fast-growing social buying space-LivingSocial.
Discussion:
PE Hub Blog, Screenwerk, L.A. Times Tech Blog, SAI, Mashable! and The Next Web
Dan Frommer / SAI: Silicon Alley Insider:
If Net Neutrality Is Coming, So Is The End Of All-You-Can-Eat Internet Access — It looks like FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and the lobbyists from Google will get their way: Net neutrality seems surer than ever, for better or for worse*. — But this will likely mean the end …
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Arik Hesseldahl / NewEnterprise:
No One Is Happy With the FCC Chairman's Speech, Except Broadband Investors
Discussion:
Between the Lines Blog, The Register, GMSV, Reboot FCC Blog and Media Access Project, more at Mediagazer »
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Is “Google Me” Codenamed “Emerald City”? And Why Is Google Baraza Copying Quora? — Follow the yellow brick road... It's no secret that Google is working on a new social project that is thought to be a layer which will be spread over many of their properties. Actually, it is supposed to be a secret.
Naval Ravikant / Startup Boy:
There is No Angel Bubble. There are Many Angel Bubbles. — A common meme floating around right now is that there is an Angel investing bubble. — In the sense that an enormous amount of capital is being placed at risk, and its popping will have grave macro-economic consequences, No.
Discussion:
Elias Bizannes and broadstuff
Simon Mackie / GigaOM:
Evernote 2.0 Beta for Mac Features Notebook Stacks and Sharing — Note-taking app maker Evernote released the beta of the next major version of its client for Mac Wednesday. It includes a couple of great new features: in-app notebook sharing and notebook stacks.
Discussion:
Evernote Blogcast, China Web 2 …, MacStories, Mashable!, ReadWriteWeb and Computerworld
Mike Melanson / ReadWriteWeb:
Netflix Boosts Streaming Catalog With First-Run Movies — Netflix announced today that it has signed a multi-year deal with newly-formed film distribution company FilmDistrict to bring first-run films to its streaming catalog. — Last week, Netflix introduced a streaming-only subscription plan …
Discussion:
PR Newswire, BGR, NBC Bay Area, Media Maverick, Between the Lines Blog, GigaOM and Digital Daily
Kat Hannaford / Gizmodo:
Motorola Olympus Found at Flea Market Poses For Hi-Res Photoshoot — Of course, we're never too sure that what our tipsters have told us is the truth, but this one claims he bought Motorola's unannounced new flagship at a market. The very same Android that's leaked all over the place recently.
Discussion:
Forbes, GottaBeMobile, Erictric, AndroidGuys, IntoMobile, Techie Buzz, Android Phone Fans, BGR, Pocket-lint, PhoneArena, LaptopMemo, Ubergizmo, Softpedia News and Android and Me
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
Exclusive: Silicon Valley Go-To Guy Peter Currie Joining Twitter Board — According to sources close to the situation, well-known Silicon Valley power player Peter Currie is joining the board of directors of Twitter. — It's an interesting choice to bring the well-regarded moneyman …
Alex Wilhelm / The Next Web:
Why Microsoft loves homebrew and hacking — When the Kinect came out around the world, excited hackers took to the high-powered gadget with glee, taking it apart, and recoding it to new purposes. Microsoft initially registered unhappiness with their work which it later fully recanted, coming out in favor of tinkering with the Kinect.
Discussion:
Ars Technica, InformationWeek and Computerworld
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
Boom! 5 Million Users Check-In To Foursquare — It appears that Foursquare has just passed 5 million users if new user account numbers are correct. — It's taken just a month and a half for the location-based social network to accumulate one million more members.
Discussion:
All Facebook and About Foursquare
