Top Items:
Bloomberg:
Apple Working on Cheaper, More Versatile IPhone Models — Apple Inc. is working on new versions of the iPhone that are aimed at slowing the advance of competing handsets based on Google Inc.'s Android software, according to people who have been briefed on the plans.
Discussion:
PC Magazine, Technologizer, Tech Check, Reuters, Daring Fireball, Engadget, PhoneArena, Apple Bitch, Electricpig.co.uk, mocoNews, Redmond Pie, PhoneDog.com, SlashGear, MacRumors, Ars Technica, CNET News, GigaOM, MacStories, The Next Web, MobileCrunch, Electronista, Erictric, SAI, IntoMobile, GottaBeMobile, TiPb, AppleInsider, 9 to 5 Mac, AppAdvice, NBC Bay Area, Tech Trader Daily and Gizmodo Australia
RELATED:
Stacey Higginbotham / GigaOM:
Could Apple Be Your Next Phone Company? — Apple's plans to once again change the dynamics of the mobile world are becoming clearer. Bloomberg reported today that the device maker has plans for a universal SIM card that I first reported on in October, and Apple is seeking a way to make it possible …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Thanks:sgbass83
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
The iPhone Nano Rumor Reborn: 1/3rd Smaller, Older Components, $200 With No Contract
Discussion:
Electricpig.co.uk and PhoneDog.com
Nishit Shah / The Official Google Blog:
Advanced sign-in security for your Google account — Has anyone you know ever lost control of an email account and inadvertently sent spam—or worse—to their friends and family? There are plenty of examples (like the classic “Mugged in London” scam) that demonstrate why it's important …
Discussion:
NewsGrange, PC Magazine, Matt Cutts, Google Public Policy Blog, Googling Google Blog, Bits, Neowin.net, Krebs on Security, Digital Trends, Geek.com, Eurodroid, Nieman Journalism Lab, gHacks Technology News, GottaBeMobile, Mashable!, Between the Lines Blog, Search Engine Watch, Zatz Not Funny!, PC World, Techie Buzz, The Firewall, The Register, Liliputing, Zero Day Blog, CNET News, Dennis Fisher and Erictric
Jason Kincaid / TechCrunch:
Facebook Unifies UI As It Rolls Out New Design For ‘Pages’ — Back in December Facebook unveiled a significant redesign to user profiles, which now feature a handful of photos at the top of the page, new sections for featuring your family members and best friends, and some other mostly-cosmetic tweaks.
Discussion:
The Next Web, All Facebook, Mashable!, Inside Facebook, WebProNews, Loic Le Meur Blog, Startup Meme, The Social Path and The Huffington Post
RELATED:
Yukari Iwatani Kane / Wall Street Journal:
Despite Leave, Jobs Keeps a Hand on Apple — Three weeks into a medical leave he took “to focus on my health,” Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs is staying closely involved in the company's strategic decisions and product development, according to people familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
AppleInsider, 9 to 5 Mac, CNET News, SAI, MacRumors and TUAW
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
Exclusive: Facebook Exploring Permitting a Tender Offer for $1 Billion of Employee Shares at $60 Billion Valuation — Facebook is exploring permitting a tender offer up to $1 billion of its employee shares, after being approached by a number of big institutional investors about investing in the company …
Discussion:
GigaOM, Reuters, SAI, Bloomberg and All Facebook, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Nicholas Carlson / SAI:
Facebook Earned ~$250 Million In Q4, Profits Growing At An Astounding Rate
Discussion:
PE Hub Blog
MSDN Blogs:
Acting on Feedback: IE9 Release Candidate Available for Download — The Release Candidate of Internet Explorer 9, available now at www.BeautyOfTheWeb.com in 40 languages, reflects our unique approach to building the best experience of the Web on Windows. IE9 also reflects a more open …
Discussion:
Channel 9, WinRumors, CNET News, WinRumors, Download Squad, ReadWriteWeb, BetaNews, eWeek, The Tech Report, Network World, TechNet Blogs, Adotas, LiveSide.net, Digital Trends, PC World, TechFlash, paidContent, The Windows Blog, Ars Technica, Black Web 2.0, All about Microsoft Blog, Techie Buzz, Seattle Times, Redmond Pie, Web Browsers, Hardware 2.0 Blog, The Next Web, Neowin.net and BlogsDNA
RELATED:
Ed Bott / Ed Bott's Microsoft Report Blog:
IE9 Release Candidate review: will Microsoft's big browser bet pay off?
Discussion:
Notebooks.com, Technologizer and WMPoweruser.com, Thanks:edbott
Mathew Ingram / GigaOM:
Please Twitter, Don't Sell to Google or Facebook — According to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal in a story published late Wednesday night, Twitter has been having what the paper called “low-level” discussions about a possible acquisition by either Google or Facebook, at a valuation of between $8 billion and $10 billion.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, ReadWriteWeb and Digits
RELATED:
Felix Salmon:
Understanding Twitter's valuation
Discussion:
MediaPost, DealBook and The Atlantic Online
Bing:
Making search yours — For years people have talked about personalized search as the next evolution of our amazing technology. Over the years, the biggest obstacle facing search engineers is the simple fact that human behavior is not predictable. Don't get us wrong, people can be creatures …
Discussion:
PC Magazine, The Next Web, SAI, The Register, Search Engine Land, The Microsoft Blog, WinRumors, Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim, eWeek, NewsGrange, WebProNews and Neowin.net
John Cook / TechFlash:
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz backs Groupon, joins board — Groupon is getting a double-shot of good news today. The fast-growing daily deal site announced that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has joined the board. In a related move, Schultz's Seattle venture capital firm, Maveron …
Discussion:
Groublogpon, Digits, VatorNews, Business Wire and Pulse2, Thanks:toddbishop
RELATED:
Lizette Chapman / Venture Capital Dispatch:
Maveron Bought Groupon Stock From Investors, Founders
Discussion:
VentureBeat and PE Hub Blog
Andrew Rassweiler / iSuppli:
New iPhone Carries $171.35 Bill of Materials, IHS iSuppli Teardown Reveals — Despite having nearly the same functionality and a similar bill of materials (BOM) as the previous model, the new code division multiple access (CDMA) version of the iPhone 4 carried by Verizon Wireless includes significant changes …
Discussion:
Computerworld, MacRumors, eWeek, The Loop, AppleInsider and everythingiCafe
RELATED:
Brian Krebs / Krebs on Security:
eHarmony Hacked — Online dating giant eHarmony has begun urging many users to change their passwords, after being alerted by KrebsOnSecurity.com to a potential security breach of customer information. The individual responsible for all the ruckus is an Argentinian hacker …
Discussion:
The Next Web
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
The Funny Coincidence between Bing's Rise And Conduit's Declining Traffic — Last December toolbar startup Conduit announced they were bailing on Google search in favor of Bing. — In January Bing surged in search market share, up over 2 points to 12.8%. — You wouldn't think Conduit was the main force behind the rise.
Carolyn Penner / Twitter Blog:
Twitter for Android - new and improved — Twitter for Android is one of the fastest growing Twitter applications. Six months ago, it wasn't among the top 10 most-used Twitter applications. However, in the last two months, usage has doubled, and now it's among the top five …
Discussion:
PC Magazine, AndroidGuys, ReadWriteWeb, GigaOM, WebProNews, Engadget, Erictric, louisgray.com and Gearlog
Blake Irving / Yodel Anecdotal:
Livestand from Yahoo! - Your Digital Newsstand — The way we access and experience the Web is changing every day. By 2013, more than one billion Internet-enabled mobile devices are projected to be in circulation—that equals more than half the total pool of Internet users today.
Mike Melanson / ReadWriteWeb:
What HP Really Announced: A Battle With Google Over the Cloud — HP held a big press event in San Francisco yesterday but not to show off a tablet, a phone, or a printer. The company wanted to show the world its vision of the future. HP is betting that in the future, the “cloud” …
Michael Wolf / GigaOM:
Pure Digital CEO Leaving Cisco; Was Flip Deal a Flop? — Updated. Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan will be leaving Cisco on Friday, less than two years after Cisco bought the maker of the Flip video camera franchise for a cool $590 million. According to the company, as part of the reshuffling …
Discussion:
PC World, Cisco Blog, NewEnterprise and Reuters, Thanks:michaelwolf
Bloomberg:
RIM Said to Plan PlayBook Software to Run Google's Android Apps — Research In Motion Ltd., looking to score a hit with its PlayBook tablet computer, is working on software to allow the device to run applications for Google Inc.'s Android, three people familiar with the matter said.
Discussion:
AppleInsider, Business Wire, Daring Fireball, Gizmodo Australia, CrackBerry.com blogs and Electronista
Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Fortune:
Snapshot of an Apple flash crash — What triggered the sell-off that knocked $10 billion off the company's market cap? Something happened to Apple's (AAPL) share price Thursday afternoon that has investors still scratching their heads. The stock, which had been sailing along near …
Discussion:
ZDNet, Stock Tick Tock, NBC Bay Area, 9 to 5 Mac, MacDailyNews and MacNN
Preston Gralla / Computerworld:
Google and Microsoft offer Nokia hundreds of millions to abandon MeeGo, Symbian — When Nokia CEO Stephen Elop announces a major change in Nokia strategy tomorrow, cash may be an important factor: Microsoft and Google are both said to be offering Nokia hundreds of millions of dollars to switch …
Discussion:
Examiner, Between the Lines Blog and O'Reilly Radar
Erick Schonfeld / TechCrunch:
Mobile Insiders Say Apple's iAds Are “Hurting” — Apple's iAds are hitting a rough spot. Across the board, several developers I've spoken to confirm that “fill rates” for iAds dropped drastically after the New Year and have yet to recover. The fill rate—what percentage of the ad inventory …
Discussion:
The Onion, PC World, MarketingVOX, MacStories, TUAW, AppleInsider and MacRumors, more at Mediagazer »
Jason Kincaid / TechCrunch:
500 Startups Announces First Class Of New Incubator Program — Six months ago 500 Startups, the angel fund headed by Dave McClure, started investing in dozens of startups — they're now up to around 90 investments. And today the fund is announcing an incubator program similar in many ways to Y Combinator …
Discussion:
500 Startups, Mashable!, GigaOM, ReadWriteWeb, NetworkEffect, VentureBeat, Xconomy, PE Hub Blog and SAI, Thanks:davemcclure
Stefan Parker / Facebook:
Developing Facebook's New Photo Viewer — When we looked to revamp the Photos experience, we faced many challenges. While Photos is one of the most core experiences on Facebook, with over 100 million photos uploaded per day, it's supported by some of the oldest code in the system and was in dire need of an upgrade.
BBC:
Stop the presses: Facebook CTO says news next in social revolution — Facebook CTO Bret Taylor says news and media are set get the social treatment — Each week we ask chief technology officers and other high-profile tech decision-makers three questions.
