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:
Computerworld, eWeek, Search Engine Watch, Guardian, New York Times, Between the Lines Blog, Google Analytics …, GMSV, Softpedia News, the Econsultancy blog, KitGuru, V3.co.uk, Infothought, TG Daily, InformationWeek, PC Magazine, Ars Technica, L.A. Times Tech Blog, Edible Apple, Digital Trends, Bruce Clay Blog, Gawker, Hillicon Valley, VentureBeat, WebProNews, The Huffington Post, Relevant Results, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, John Battelle's Searchblog, Search Engine Land, Erictric, SelectStart, The Atlantic Online, ReadWriteWeb and paidContent, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
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.
Discussion:
Search Engine Roundtable
Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:
Google Changes Its Rank Algorithm In Response To DecorMyEyes Story
Discussion:
Search Engine Land, Examiner, Social Studies Blog and Media Maverick
Zach Epstein / BGR:
RIM acquires The Astonishing Tribe (TAT), the SWAT team of UI design — RIM's upcoming QNX-based OS is about to get a swift kick in the UI, as the company announced its acquisition of The Astonishing Tribe on Thursday. Also known as TAT, the team is renowned for its stunning UI work …
Discussion:
Electronista and Engadget
RELATED:
Research In Motion / Inside BlackBerry:
RIM welcomes TAT!
Discussion:
Between the Lines Blog, TechCrunch, THINQ.co.uk, The Next Web, CrackBerry.com blogs, LaptopMemo, SlashGear and PhoneArena
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 …
RELATED:
Democracy in America:
Missing the point of WikiLeaks — DAVID BROOK's recent column and Ross Douthat's reply to my defence of WikiLeaks have helped me to pin down and articulate the source of a nagging but previously inchoate sense that somehow we're all missing the bigger picture.
Robert Andrews / paidContent:UK:
BBC Plans Subscription-Only U.S. iPlayer On iPad — This is huge. The BBC will launch the long-awaited global version of its iPlayer TV catch-up service on a subscription-only basis, and initially only on iPad. — The service, carrying BBC shows like Doctor Who on-demand …
Discussion:
Computerworld, CNET News, App Advice, MacStories, THINQ.co.uk, SlashGear, The Next Web, TUAW, AppleInsider, Engadget, Electricpig.co.uk, PC Pro, The Tech Herald …, Gizmodo, MacNN and techeblog.com, more at Mediagazer »
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:
IntoMobile, AppleInsider, iLounge, blogs.chron.com, everythingiCafe, Newlaunches.com, MacStories, PhoneArena, SAI, MobileBurn.com and iClarified
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:
Discussion:
BGR, IntoMobile, AndroidGuys, V3.co.uk, Engadget, pocketnow.com, Gadgetell, Fonehome.co.uk, Life On My Mobile, ReadWriteWeb, WebProNews, Phones Review, SiliconANGLE, PhoneArena, mobiputing, GottaBeMobile, BlogsDNA, The Blog Herald, Lifehacker, LaptopMemo, Download Squad, Techie Buzz, Eurodroid, Electricpig.co.uk, Electronista and Erictric
Walt Mossberg / Wall Street Journal:
Apple TV: Streaming and Renting From Devices — Of all the set-top boxes designed to bring online and computer content to your TV, perhaps the best known is Apple TV. But, unlike its maker's other products, Apple TV hasn't caught on in a big way. In fact, Apple CEO Steve Jobs calls it a “hobby.”
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Gowalla 3.0 Unifies Check-Ins, Places With Facebook, Twitter, And Yes, Foursquare — This past March, I came home from SXSW with a problem. The so-called “location war” hadn't yielded one check-in service to rule them all. In fact, several new ones popped up just at that conference alone.
Discussion:
Mashable!, VentureBeat, GigaOM, AppScout, About Foursquare and USA Today
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Are Companies Scanning Open Source Commit Logs And Patenting What They Find? — It's funny how often we hear patent system supporters tell us that if you haven't actually gotten a patent for your invention, it's perfectly reasonable for someone else to go and patent it instead.
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:
Erictric, Between the Lines Blog, Appolicious Advisor, eWeek, PC World and 9 to 5 Mac
RELATED:
David Sarno / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Verizon to switch on 4G network on Sunday, but not for smartphones
Discussion:
Gizmodo, Engadget, Forbes, BGR, lalawag, Examiner, Reuters, CNET News, 9 to 5 Mac, Wi-Fi Networking News, Computerworld, GigaOM, TechFlash, Liliputing, Mashable!, Sidecut Reports, Techland, IntoMobile, AnandTech, LaptopMemo, The Next Web, Digits, mocoNews, eWeek, Ars Technica, The Tech Herald …, TechCrunch, MobileCrunch, The Seattle Times, BetaNews, VentureBeat and DSLreports
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:
Download Squad, Softpedia News, The Next Web and SEO and Tech Daily
Taylor Wimberly / Android and Me:
Quad-core processors coming to Android devices in the near future — I'm not sure who coined the phrase first, but those “Chuck Norris quad-core processors” that everyone likes to joke about on Twitter could make their way into Android devices sooner than you think.
Discussion:
pocketnow.com, GottaBeMobile, PhoneArena, Android Phone Fans and The Next Web
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, SlashGear, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Electricpig.co.uk and Pocket-lint
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.
Discussion:
GottaBeMobile and Stowe Boyd
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, Electronista and Appolicious Advisor
Mike Bradshaw / The Official Google Blog:
U.S. General Services Administration is going Google — (Cross-posted on the Google Enterprise Blog) — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced its decision to move 17,000 employees and contractors to Google Apps for Government. GSA oversees the business …
Discussion:
Search Engine Land, Digital Daily, The Next Web, Beyond Search, TechNet Blogs, VatorNews and Between the Lines Blog
Evelyn M. Rusli / DealBook:
Google's Bid for Groupon Portrayed as a Bargain — As investors fret that Google's $6 billion bid for Groupon is too high a price to pay, new details about the company's sales and growth suggest that it might be more like one of Groupon's cut-rate deals. — An individual close to Groupon …
Discussion:
Understanding Google …, MediaPost, Geeking with Greg and MediaFile
Sinead Carew / Reuters:
Motorola eyes home streaming to mobile — (Reuters) - Motorola Mobility plans next year to sell a product that lets consumers stream video to mobile devices such as tablet computers and cellphones in their home, a top executive for the company said on Wednesday.
Discussion:
SlashGear, IntoMobile, Electronista and Softpedia News
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 …
Discussion:
DSLreports, eWeek, Inquirer, MediaPost and NewEnterprise
Josh Ong / AppleInsider:
Apple TV users reporting long rental wait times, HDMI issues — Early adopters of Apple's second-generation Apple TV are reporting issues with streaming HD rentals and problems completing “HDMI handshakes” between the new Apple TV and their HD TVs. — Several discussion threads …
Discussion:
O'Grady's PowerPage, SlashGear and Go Rumors
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
Password Manager LastPass Acquires Xmarks — LastPass, an online password manager and form filler, has acquired the social bookmarking and browser synchronization service Xmarks. — The San Francisco-based Xmarks has been in the midst of some tumult of late, as it closed down in September …
Discussion:
Xmarks Blog, Techie Buzz, Lifehacker and MacStories
