Techmeme: Half of US population to use smartphones by end of 2011 (Horace Dediu/asymco)

2:05 PM ET, December 4, 2010

Top Items:

Melissa Harris / Chicago Breaking Business:

Sources: Groupon rejects Google's offer; will stay independent — The deal didn't tip after all. Chicago-based Groupon Inc. has eschewed an acquisition offer from Google Inc. and is staying independent, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

Kara Swisher / BoomTown:

Groupon Annual Revenues Actually $2 Billion — According to sources close to the situation, Groupon's actual run rate for this year is clocking in at $2 billion in revenue, rather than the widely quoted $500 million. — Who knew hawking spas treatments and stripper pole lessons could be so lucrative?

Discussion: Tech Trader Daily, Techie Buzz, Androinica, Examiner, The Blog Herald, TechCrunch, Search Engine Journal, CNNMoney.com, Screenwerk, The Next Web and SAI

Fred / A VC:

Invest In The Mess — There's a front page story in the NY Times today about the hyperactivity in web startupland. They quote from a few posts I've made on this blog and I think Jenna and Evelyn did a nice job with the story. — The thing that's clear from reading the story is the hyperactivity …

DealBook:

A Silicon Bubble Shows Signs Of Reinflating — In a memorable scene in the movie “The Social Network,” Sean Parker, the investor played by Justin Timberlake, leans over the table and tells the founders of Facebook in a conspiratorial tone: “A million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool?

Discussion: SAI, msnbc.com and Pitos Blog

Joanna Stern / Engadget:

This is the Google Chrome OS netbook keyboard — It's just a Chrome OS sorta day, isn't it? To catch you up here, we told you earlier that Google is planning to announce its own Chrome OS netbook this coming Tuesday, and well, now we're peering at a supposed picture of that very machine's keyboard.

Discussion: Fortune, Go Rumors, The Next Web, Electronista and Erictric

Joanna Stern / Engadget:
Sources: Google-branded Chrome OS netbook to launch on December 7th

Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:

Facebook Director Of Monetization Tim Kendall Steps Down — Tim Kendall, Facebook's Director of Monetization, has left the company. This is particularly noteworthy because Kendall first joined Facebook nearly five years ago, in June 2006. He architected all of the company's early monetization strategies …

Paul Miller / Engadget:

PlayStation Phone ‘Zeus Z1’ caught on video again, this time you can actually see it (update) — Wow guys, we just spotted a new video of the PlayStation Phone, codenamed Zeus Z1, and this time we get a long, loving look at the entire device — a refreshing contrast to last time's blurry tease.

Discussion: The Escapist, Androinica, BGR, IntoMobile, Kotaku, The Next Web, Zatz Not Funny!, MobileCrunch, VG247, Startup Meme, Destructoid, Android Police, Eurodroid, TiPb, PhoneArena, Fortune, AppleInsider, MacStories, SlashPhone, Mashable!, Electronista, LaptopMemo, Phones Review, Go Rumors, Mobilized, Joystiq, Digital Trends, techeblog.com and Gizmodo

Zach Epstein / BGR:

RadioShack takes $50 off Apple's iPhone 4 and 3GS — RadioShack announced a limited-time promotion on Friday that offers a $50 discount on Apple's iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS. The promotion applies to brand new devices — not refurbished phones — and there are no tricky terms and conditions to be afraid of.

Discussion: AppleInsider, App Advice, L.A. Times Tech Blog, SlashPhone, Go Rumors, everythingiCafe, Phones Review, Electronista, GigaOM, 9 to 5 Mac, iLounge, Apple Gazette and iClarified

Leena Rao / TechCrunch:

Skype Staffing Up For A Big Push To The Cloud — As Skype prepares for an IPO in the next year, the VoIP company has been looking for new ways to expand its business both in terms of revenue and product development. One avenue the company is exploring to bring in more revenue …

Discussion: BGR and VoIP Watch

Joseph Galante / Bloomberg:

PayPal Cuts WikiLeaks' Access to Funds Amid Global Scrutiny — Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) — PayPal Inc., the payment processor owned by EBay Inc., cut access today to the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.org for violating its acceptable use policy. — PayPal suspended the account after the U.S …

Discussion: ReadWriteWeb, SAI, Mashable!, The Next Web, Go Rumors, The PayPal Blog and Guardian

Horace Dediu / asymco:

Half of US population to use smartphones by end of 2011 … via comScore Reports October 2010 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share - comScore, Inc. — Separately, Nielsen reports on the same market: … via U.S. Smartphone Battle Heats Up: Which is the “Most Desired” Operating System? Nielsen Wire.

Discussion: comScore, Inc., Android Phones, Tips …, MobileBurn.com, Fortune, TechSpot and Between the Lines Blog

Galen Gruman / InfoWorld:

The strange, unpredictable pricing of 3G data plans — You'd think a megabyte would cost the same no matter what device used it. You'd be wrong — Cellular carriers inhabit a Twilight Zone universe. For example, they offer “unlimited” data plans that are, in fact, limited and subject to …

Discussion: GottaBeMobile

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