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:
MediaFile, VentureBeat, SAI, The Atlantic Online, Thoughts from the Sidelines, MediaFlect and Felix Salmon
RELATED:
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) …
Eric Schmidt / The Official Google Blog:
An update from the Chairman — When I joined Google in 2001 I never imagined—even in my wildest dreams—that we would get as far, as fast as we have today. Search has quite literally changed people's lives—increasing the collective sum of the world's knowledge and revolutionizing advertising in the process.
Discussion:
BetaNews, Fortune, VatorNews, All Facebook, Mobile Marketing Watch, SAI, BuzzMachine, Screenwerk, Gizmodo, Internet Evolution, ITworld.com, Cisco Blog, MarketingVOX, Data Center Knowledge, New York Times, Search Engine Land, Guardian, DailyFinance, Socialnomics, OStatic blogs, Mashable, Google, asymco, TechCrunch, Network World, CNN, MacDailyNews, Between the Lines Blog, Disruptors, virtualeconomics, AOL News, BloggingStocks, The Tech Report, Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check, Macworld, Softpedia News, Newsbook, Inquirer, p2pnet, PC Pro, Thoughts from the Sidelines, The Huffington Post, Redmond Pie, CNET News, Examiner, MediaPost, NBC Bay Area, @qhardy, PC World, @edbott, @anildash, InformationWeek, fierceonlinevideo.com …, WebProNews, TechEye, The Next Web, The Consumerist, 901am, Kotaku, LAPTOP Magazine, Epicenter, @cdixon, MediaMemo, paidContent, VentureBeat, The Politico, Search Engine Watch and Silicon Valley Watcher, more at Mediagazer »
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 and SAI, more at Mediagazer »
Christopher Heine / ClickZ:
Google's Version of Groupon Is Live: How It Works — Google Offers is already available to local businesses with Places accounts. During an e-mail exchange with the Mountain View, CA-based company this morning, ClickZ learned that the platform - which only became known late Thursday night - was actually live.
Discussion:
NewsGrange and Mashable
RELATED:
Mathew Ingram / GigaOM:
Why Google Still Needs to Buy a Groupon Clone — Google is launching — or at least beta-testing — a Groupon-style discount program for small businesses known as Google Offers, something that was first reported by Mashable and then confirmed by Google in an email to Search Engine Land.
Ben Parr / Mashable!:
Google to Launch Groupon Competitor [EXCLUSIVE]
Discussion:
NewsGrange, BetaNews, Forbes, BaltTech, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, VatorNews, Venture Capital Dispatch, Post Tech, PC World, SAI, The Huffington Post, msnbc.com, Techie Buzz, Changing Way, Wall Street Journal, DailyTech, Deal Journal, VentureBeat, Techland, SlashGear, Gearlog, eMoney, Yipit Blog, Softpedia News, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, Electricpig.co.uk, CNET News, paidContent, Examiner, The Register, Go Rumors, @gaberivera, @tristanwalker, Neowin.net, Gizmodo, The Domains, Screenwerk and The Next Web, Thanks:edwardaten
Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land:
Confirmed: Google Readies “Google Offers” Groupon Clone
Discussion:
The Next Web, TechCrunch Europe, Switched, Understanding Google …, Tnooz, Black Web 2.0, Fast Company, TechEye, Fortune and TechCrunch
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:
ZDNet, Digital Trends, SAI, SAI, Engadget, Hardware 2.0 Blog, Inquirer, SlashGear, Electronista, IntoMobile, Androinica, 901am, OSNews, Android Community, Geek.com, Android Phone Fans, V3.co.uk, PalmAddicts, CNET News and Gizmodo
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:
Search Engine Land, NewsGrange, TechCrunch, CNET News, SAI, Lifehacker, Network World, DomainIncite.com and 901am, 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 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 megapixel camera.
Discussion:
Macworld, MacRumors, VentureBeat, MacStories, Thoughts from the Sidelines, Engadget, SlashGear, Erictric, Gearlog, App Advice, everythingiCafe and MacNN
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, @thestalwart and @jason, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Gabe Rivera / Techmeme News:
Tweets can now become Techmeme headlines or discussion. So tweet away.
Discussion:
SEO and Tech Daily
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, TiPb, AppleInsider, Zatz Not Funny!, SlashGear, Pocket-lint, MacStories, Download Squad, Lifehacker, MacRumors, BlogsDNA, GeekTonic, eHomeUpgrade and iClarified
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.
Ryan Tate / Gawker:
Meet Apple's New Boss, The Most Powerful Gay Man in Silicon Valley — It looks increasingly like Steve Jobs' reign at Apple is over. If the CEO doesn't return from his third, indefinite medical leave, COO Tim Cook will succeed him, marking a new era not only for Apple but for gay progress.
Discussion:
blogs.chron.com, AppleInsider, Apple Headlines, @jevaun and SFist
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
PeopleRank: Quora Is Developing An Algorithm To Determine And Rank User Quality — It's no secret that Q&A site Quora is exploding in terms of usage and growth. Currently the site is getting around 164,000 unique visitors per month (December 2010 stats from comScore) …
Discussion:
Quora
Ryan Kim / GigaOM:
Google's Android Market Rules Could Squeeze Amazon's Android App Store — Google's stance on prohibiting apps in Android Market from being mini-app stores led to the quick demise of Kongregate Arcade, a Flash game portal app that was pulled Wednessday less than a day after it launched.
Discussion:
TechEye, ITworld.com, Techie Buzz, PC World, Business Wire and O'Reilly Radar
DigiTimes:
Apple adds Taiwan suppliers for iPhone 5, says paper — Apple has added Foxconn Electronics, Foxlink, Gold Circuit Electronics (GCE) and Epistar as component suppliers for the iPhone 5 smartphone, scheduled for launch during summer at the earliest, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report.
Discussion:
Computerworld, 9 to 5 Mac, Electronista, MacStories, The Next Web and iClarified
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Verizon's First iPhone Commercial: It Begins — Well that didn't take long. Here it is, the first Verizon iPhone commercial. — As you can see, the focus is on clock — the first one on 11:59 — implying that people in all different walks of life are waiting for something.
Discussion:
Engadget, MacRumors, Crave, IntoMobile, DSLreports, GottaBeMobile, PhoneArena, Daring Fireball, VentureBeat, Digital Daily, App Advice, TechCrunch Japan, MacStories and Phones Review
Adrian Chen / Gawker:
What a Stolen Credit Card Costs on the Digital Black Market — Cybercriminals have gotten so sophisticated recently that their operations are almost indistinguishable from the legit businesses they rip off. Here's a “menu” of services offered by cybercriminals, including working physical credit cards …
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:
Engadget, I4U News and Electronista
Nob Seki / Six Apart News & Events:
Six Apart Japan to be acquired by Infocom and assume responsibility for Movable Type and Six Apart brand — We are happy to announce that Six Apart KK (SAKK), a Japanese subsidiary of SAY Media, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Infocom, a Japanese IT company, as of February 1, 2011.
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:
Digital Trends, TUAW, TechEye, Crave, Gadget Lab and MobileWhack.com
