Techmeme: Microsoft and Facebook: What could have been (but will not be) (Mary Jo Foley/All about Microsoft Blog)

1:30 PM ET, December 12, 2010

Top Items:

Jack Purcher / Patently Apple:

A Snapshot of Apple's Latest iPhone Camera Patents — The iPhone's updated 5 megapixel camera includes a feature called High Dynamic Range or HDR. According to Apple, the iPhone's HDR feature when activated, takes a series of three photos, each with different exposure levels.

Discussion: Internet2Go and Fortune

Dirk Dougherty / Android Developers Blog:

Android Market Client Update — The Android Market engineering team has been hard at work on improving the Android Market experience for users and developers. Today, I'm pleased to announce a significant update to the Android Market client. Over the next two weeks, we'll be rolling …

Stephen Tenerowicz / Android Police:
[Updated: Hands-On] Breaking: New Android Market APK Ripped, Posted For All To Enjoy

Discussion: AndroidSPIN, Eurodroid, Droid Life and Android Phone Fans

Mary Jo Foley / All about Microsoft Blog:

Microsoft and Facebook: What could have been (but will not be) — A Microsoft exec confirmed this week what was already reported (by author David Kirkpatrick earlier this year) — namely, that CEO Steve Ballmer made a serious offer to buy Facebook, but was rebuffed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Discussion: The Search Agents, Computerworld and InformationWeek

Vlad Savov / Engadget:

LG Star preview — The LG Star. The dual-core beast from the east that was once a mere twinkle in our eye has managed to find its way to the Engadget mansions, having been lent to us by a very generous (and very anonymous) tipster. It's clearly a test device, as evidenced by its diagnostics menus …

Discussion: Android Community, AndroidGuys, pocketnow.com, Android and Me and Electronista

Paul Miller / Engadget:

Chrome Web Store, HTML5 and the iPad: symbiosis at its best — It's all coming together, folks. It doesn't take much of a gander at the Chrome Web Store to notice a trend: some of the flashiest, most mature “apps” are actually just in-browser versions of iPad apps. And you know what else?

Discussion: TechCrunch

Daniel Rubino / WPCentral.com:

Verizon: KIN Studio is closing January 31. Sorry. Here's a new phone? — The title says it all, but let us get into some details about the closing of Microsoft's KIN Studio, which was the backbone in the cloud for the device. — Evidently, come January 31st, people with KINs …

Discussion: SAI, Gizmodo, WinRumors, PhoneDog.com, Electronista, PhoneArena, Neowin.net, IntoMobile, WMPoweruser.com and Engadget

Marshall Kirkpatrick / ReadWriteWeb:

Don't You Wish Your Airport Had an App Like This? (SFO) — The San Francisco Airport has released its own iPhone app called flysfo, complete with schedules, maps, airport restaurant reviews and notifications when any of your Facebook friends are also at SFO and available to drink …

Groklaw:

Google's Motion to Dismiss Paul Allen's Patent Infringement Complaint Granted — Paul Allen's patent infringement complaint against the world and its dog has been dismissed. The court agreed with Google et al that it “lacks adequate factual detail to satisfy the dictates of Twombly and Iqbal” …

Discussion: Mashable! and Search Engine Land

Tim Conneally / BetaNews:

Group finds 5 main flaws with proposed Net Neutrality rules — A group of more than 80 advocacy groups including The Media Access Project, Reporters without Borders, Daily Kos, Common Cause, and Nonprofit Technology filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission on Friday citing five main areas …

Discussion: internetnews.com

Greg Sandoval / Media Maverick:

MPAA, RIAA: Lawsuits won't protect content — Trade groups representing the music and film sectors say copyright law offers too many excuses for ISPs to do nothing about protecting copyright. — Lawyers representing independent filmmakers, including the studio that produced Oscar-winner …

Discussion: CNET News

Mark Gurman / 9 to 5 Mac:

iPad now available at BestBuy.com — Apple has just added Best Buy's online store as another channel for iPad sales. Prior to today, customers were only able to purchase iPads at BestBuy.com as reservations for retail pickup. Now, all six models of iPad are available for purchase with free shipping in the US.

Thanks:llsethj

Rupert Neate / Telegraph:

Twitter to base its new European headquarters in London — Twitter is preparing to open a European HQ in London, its first office outside the United States. — Twitter plans European headquarters in London — The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that executives from the popular social conversation website …

Discussion: The Next Web and Neowin.net

Joshua Topolsky / Engadget:

Nexus S review — It can be difficult to review a phone like Google's Nexus S in a world already populated by so many outstanding Android devices. Not only does the manufacturer of this phone make a series of handsets that are all essentially the same (the Galaxy S line) …

Discussion: Fortune, atmaspheric, IntoMobile, BGR, WebProNews and displayblog

Sarah Clark / Near Field Communications World:
Google's Nexus S CAN do mobile payments — SDK on its way soon

Discussion: Eurodroid, IntoMobile, pocketnow.com, PhoneDog.com and ReadWriteWeb

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