Top Items:
Ken Auletta / New Yorker:
Why Is Eric Schmidt Stepping Down at Google? — Was Eric Schmidt pushed or did he jump? Both. According to close advisors, the Google C.E.O. was upset a year ago when co-founder Larry Page sided with his founding partner, Sergey Brin, to withdraw censored searches from China.
Discussion:
WebProNews, MediaPost, TechCrunch, MediaFile, kottke.org, Guardian, SAI, VentureBeat, Daring Fireball, MacDailyNews, SlashGear, Thoughts from the Sidelines, Socialnomics, Search Engine Land, DailyFinance, The Tech Report, Mashable, MediaFlect, The Atlantic Online, Geek.com and New York Times
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Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
TechCrunch Interview With Eric Schmidt, Larry Page And Sergey Brin — Late last summer we were ready to break a big story - that Eric Schmidt would be stepping down as the CEO of Google. Multiple sources and all that jazz. The basic story was that he was tired (who wouldn't be) …
Nathan Olivarez-Giles / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Eric Schmidt, Google's outgoing CEO, to cash out shares worth $335 million
Discussion:
Geek.com, Mashable!, paidContent, Tech Trader Daily and SAI
Matt Cutts / The Official Google Blog:
Google search and search engine spam — January brought a spate of stories about Google's search quality. Reading through some of these recent articles, you might ask whether our search quality has gotten worse. The short answer is that according to the evaluation metrics that we've refined …
Discussion:
Computerworld, Fortune, New York Observer, Digits, The Atlantic Online, Search Engine Land, TechCrunch, NewsGrange, ITworld.com, SAI, SmoothSpan Blog, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, Techie Buzz, FT tech hub, WebProNews, Lifehacker, Network World, The Huffington Post, 901am and DomainIncite.com, more at Mediagazer »
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Tom Krazit / CNET News:
Google ready for action against content farms
Discussion:
paidContent, more at Mediagazer »
Justin Scott / Mozilla Add-ons Blog:
Blocking the Skype Toolbar in Firefox — The Skype Toolbar for Firefox is an extension that detects phone numbers in web pages, and re-renders them as a clickable button that can be used to dial the number using the Skype desktop application. This extension is bundled with the Skype application …
RELATED:
Robin Wauters / TechCrunch:
Mozilla To Block Skype's Browser Toolbar - Skype Responds, Recommends Upgrading
Discussion:
The Next Web
Mark Gurman / 9 to 5 Mac:
iPad 2 will have the same cameras as the iPod touch — Oh, hello. We've done some digging in the latest SDK and it looks like Apple's much rumored second-generation iPad will not feature some fancy 5 megapixel camera, but will instead shoot your flicks and take your pics with something close to a 1 megapixels.
Discussion:
MacRumors, TUAW, IntoMobile, iLounge, VentureBeat, SlashGear, Erictric, Thoughts from the Sidelines, MacStories, Gearlog, App Advice, Engadget, MacNN and everythingiCafe
Ian Hickson / The WHATWG Blog:
HTML is the new HTML5 — In 2009 we announced that the HTML5 specification at the WHATWG was progressing to Last Call. The plan at the time was to finish the specification this year and publish a snapshot of “HTML5” in 2012. However, shortly after that we realised that the demand …
Discussion:
All about Microsoft Blog, Digital Trends, Webmonkey, Adactio, TechSpot, Ars Technica, ZDNet, ITProPortal and SAI
Theuni / XBMC:
You asked for it: XBMC for AppleTV2, iPad, iPhone4. — The XBMC team is proud to present our first ARM-based release, and it's a big one. Scott Davilla, with the help of Edgar (gimli) Hucek and Zeljko (amet) Ametovic and several other developers and testers, is finally ready to pull the curtain off of his fun little secret.
Discussion:
Geek.com, TUAW, Engadget, AppleInsider, SlashGear, Pocket-lint, TiPb, Zatz Not Funny!, Download Squad, MacStories, Lifehacker, MacRumors, BlogsDNA, GeekTonic and eHomeUpgrade
RELATED:
Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land:
Confirmed: Google Readies “Google Offers” Groupon Clone — Google is about to launch a Groupon clone according to Mashable. Called “Google Offers,” the blog showed some promotional collateral that presents a very Groupon-like daily deal offering: [Google Offers Image] As everyone reading this knows …
Discussion:
NewsGrange, PC World, PSFK, TechCrunch Europe, The Next Web, Tnooz, Black Web 2.0, Switched, Understanding Google …, TechEye and Fast Company
RELATED:
Ben Parr / Mashable!:
Google to Launch Groupon Competitor [EXCLUSIVE]
Discussion:
L.A. Times Tech Blog, NewsGrange, PC World, Forbes, BaltTech, BetaNews, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, LAPTOP Magazine, Post Tech, VatorNews, Venture Capital Dispatch, gHacks Technology News, SAI, Wall Street Journal, ITProPortal, Deal Journal, The Huffington Post, Internet Evolution, ClickZ, msnbc.com, Techie Buzz, SlashGear, DailyTech, Changing Way, Gearlog, Yipit Blog, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, Techland, Electricpig.co.uk, eMoney, Softpedia News, The Register, Go Rumors, VentureBeat, @tristanwalker, WebProNews, The Domains, paidContent, CNET News, Neowin.net and Examiner, Thanks:edwardaten
Florian Mueller / FOSS Patents:
New evidence supports Oracle's case against Google — Google faces a steep challenge in its defense against Oracle's lawsuit over seven Java patents and some copyrighted material. More than five months after Oracle's complaint, Google appears unable to countersue Oracle over patent infringement …
Discussion:
Computerworld, Engadget, CNET News, ZDNet, Digital Trends, Geek.com, SAI, Electronista, SAI, Hardware 2.0 Blog, SlashGear, Inquirer, WPCentral.com, V3.co.uk, Android Phone Fans, Androinica, OSNews, IntoMobile, Android Community, PalmAddicts, 901am and PhoneNews.com
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Chris Ziegler / Engadget:
AT&T offering free MicroCells to top 7.5 percent of customers ‘likely to experience poor in-building coverage’ — We've known that AT&T has been test-marketing free 3G MicroCells to subscribers with particularly awful reception in certain parts of the country since the product launched last year …
Discussion:
PC World, VentureBeat, Techland, Thoughts from the Sidelines and Gizmodo
Robin Wauters / TechCrunch:
Google Replaces ‘Reader’ Link With ‘Photos’ In Gmail, Users In A Tizzy — More proof that RSS is on its way out, and the apocalypse is nigh: Google has seemingly replaced the top link to its RSS reader product, Google Reader, with a link to ‘Photos’ (Picasa) at the top of the Gmail web interface.
Discussion:
App Advice, Search Engine Land and Geek.com
Sam Gustin / Epicenter:
Tweets Hit Techmeme, Bloggers in a Tizzy — For years, Techmeme has been considered the tech news website of record. A quick glance at the site, which aggregates tech news headlines from across the web, will tell you the topics that people are discussing, and who is discussing them, at any moment in time.
Discussion:
broadstuff and SEO and Tech Daily
Jeanette Borzo / Wall Street Journal:
Can Employers Fire Over Facebook Gaffes? — Facebook gaffes that can cause trouble in the workplace aren't unique to drunken college students any more. As more companies—and their workers—tap into the world of blogs, Twitter and Facebook, employers are tripping over legal potholes in social media.
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
Facebook Raises $1.5 Billion At $50 Billion Valuation — Facebook has officially announced that it has just raised $1.5 billion in funding at a $50 billion valuation, according to a release issued today (we've embedded the release below). — Facebook Raises $1.5 Billion
Horace Dediu / asymco:
65% of Apple's sales came from iOS powered devices — The iPhone and iPad generated $15 billion of revenue last quarter. In addition, iPod touch generated about $2.3 billion, implying that iOS based devices were responsible for sales of $17.3 billion. — To put that in perspective I drew …
Discussion:
Fortune, SlashGear, The Next Web, 9 to 5 Mac and TUAW
Zach Epstein / BGR:
AT&T may implement speed and data tiers for 4G LTE service — BGR has learned that AT&T may have plans to offer tiered data services when it launches its Long Term Evolution network later this year. The carrier apparently plans to trial two separate types of tiers alongside its LTE service: speed tiers and data tiers.
Discussion:
PhoneArena, Electronista, Know Your Cell, IntoMobile, Androinica and MobileBurn.com
Sarah Perez / ReadWriteWeb:
Developers Share Mac App Store Sales Figures — When Apple's new desktop-focused Mac App Store launched, it was expected to be a hit. One day later, Apple confirmed that the store was taking off, with over 1 million downloads on its first day. But how many of those were free apps?
Discussion:
MarketingVOX
Eric Eldon / Inside Social Games:
Zynga Buys Area/Code, Developer of Ubisoft's CSI: Crime City Game on Facebook — Zynga has just announced the acquisition of independent game developer Area/Code, a company best known to our readers for its work with Ubisoft, developing the Facebook game CSI: Crime City.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, VentureBeat and Area/Code
Kyle VanHemert / Gizmodo:
Apple's Making It Impossible To Open Up Your iPhone By Secretly Swapping Its Screws — Apple's products are notoriously difficult to open and repair—surprise, they want you to buy new stuff!—but this is especially ridiculous. During repairs, they're replacing the iPhone 4's Philips screws …
Discussion:
Examiner, AppleInsider, Between the Lines Blog, TUAW, Digital Trends, PSFK, Gadget Lab, TechEye and MobileWhack.com
Jesse Stay / Stay N' Alive:
Facebook Quietly Launching Friendfeed-like Live Commenting — Tonight, in a moment of rare form, as I was singing Hakuna Matata on Facebook with Krystyl Baldwin and others (an occasion one must do often) I noticed a new feature pop up before my eyes. Instantly, with no refresh of the page …
Discussion:
The Next Web, Softpedia News, Inside Facebook and Download Squad, Thanks:jesse
Rob Jackson / Android Phone Fans:
Motorola Apologizes For PR Gaffe, Promises Better Bootloader Policy — Despite Motorola continually making some of the hottest Android handsets - and the pattern continues with the Atrix - some of the most passionate Android fans refuse to become customers because of a “locked bootloader”.
Discussion:
Examiner, Engadget, I4U News and Electronista
