Top Items:
Josh Ong / AppleInsider:
RBC: Apple would only launch low-cost iPhone if it had ‘category-killer’ experience — After a meeting with two of Apple's top executives, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky said the company's primary requirement for launching a lower-end iPhone is whether the handset would provide an “innovative, category-killer experience.”
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Justin Hyde / Jalopnik:
This is Google's first self-driving car crash — This photo of what looks like a minor case of Prius-on-Prius vehicular violence may actually be a piece of automotive history: the first accident caused by Google's self-driving car. Whose name should the cop write down on the ticket? UPDATE!
Discussion:
Mashable!, CNET News, Betabeat, AllThingsD, 9to5Google, The Business Insider and NBC Bay Area
Corynne McSherry / Electronic Frontier Foundation:
Court Refuses to Return Seized Domain Name, Claims Shutting Down Speech Doesn't Cause a Substantial Hardship — In a cursory opinion issued today that left us scratching our heads, a federal judge has ruled that the government does not have to return a domain name seized by Immigration …
Discussion:
Ars Technica, Gizmodo, Inquirer, The Domains, Pulse2 and Softpedia News
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Ernesto / TorrentFreak:
Domain Seizures Do Not Violate Free Speech, U.S. Court Rules
Discussion:
TechEye
Maciek Nowakowski / Gmail Blog:
New in Labs: Preview Pane — When I check my email, I often rely on the message snippets to figure out which messages to open first. Sometimes, though, I want to see more than snippets, which is why I'm happy to announce that you can now preview messages in your inbox using a new feature in Gmail Labs called Preview Pane.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, LAPTOP Magazine, SiliconFilter, App Advice, Engadget, Google Watch, Webmonkey, PC World, TechnoBuffalo, gHacks Technology News, Softpedia News, msnbc.com, Pulse2, Shoutpedia, Mashable!, Google Enterprise Blog, Technologizer, LaptopMemo, The Next Web, Lifehacker and @dannysullivan
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Jordan Kahn / 9to5Google:
Google adds tablet-like preview panes to Gmail inbox
Discussion:
GottaBeMobile, @dannysullivan and Daring Fireball
Zach Epstein / BGR:
HTC acquires Dashwire to bolster cloud services - and patent portfolio — HTC on Friday announced that it has agreed to acquire Seattle-based cloud services company Dashwire for up to $18.5 million via its HTC America Holding division. Dashwire currently offers a range of cloud services for carriers …
Discussion:
Between the Lines Blog, The Register, Tech Trader Daily, eWeek, The Next Web, IntoMobile, TechCrunch, Light Reading, Electronista and Techie Buzz
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Brian S. Hall / The Business Insider:
How Do I Hate Google? Let Me Count The Ways... I love Google Maps. Like Google Search. Use Gmail. — But, increasingly, I've grown nervous about the vast scope Google has over the Internet. Users have virtually no place on the world wide web, no safe haven, no single moment, from Google's reach.
Discussion:
Android Community, Neowin.net, Softpedia News, Fortune, Daring Fireball, TechRadar.com and iClarified
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Andy Greenberg / The Firewall:
Google Researcher Exposes Flaws In Sophos Software, Slams Antivirus Industry — The security industry usually spends its time analyzing viruses, not the programs meant to catch them. But Tavis Ormandy has been looking instead under the hood of one antivirus firm's tools. And he doesn't like what he sees.
Discussion:
ReadWriteWeb, Naked Security and SlashGear, Thanks:forbestech
Aaron Lee / DigiTimes:
Ultrabooks and tablet PCs are short-term fads, says Acer founder — Acer founder Stan Shih has commented that the fads for ultrabooks and tablet PCs are both short-term phenomena and urged companies in the notebook supply chain to come out with more value-added products through innovation.
Discussion:
Between the Lines Blog, Electronista, SlashGear, I4U News, Softpedia News, MacDailyNews and Electricpig.co.uk
Greg Sandoval / Media Maverick:
Porn studio loses appeal in Google copyright case — A U.S. Appeals court didn't accept the assertion that an adult-entertainment company was nearly driven out of business by Google search results that display thumbnail photos of the site's porn photos. — The 9th Circuit ruled that Perfect 10 …
Discussion:
AllThingsD and Courthouse News Service
Bob Van Voris / Bloomberg:
Facebook Cites ‘Smoking Gun’ Proof of Fraud by Man Claiming Company Stake — Facebook Inc. said its inspection of computers turned over by Paul Ceglia, the western New York man who claims he's entitled to half of Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg's holdings in the social-networking company, shows “smoking gun” evidence of fraud.
Discussion:
L.A. Times Tech Blog, Thanks:chadcat
Steve Lohr / Bits:
A Call to Rethink Internet Search — “We could soon view today's keyword searching with the same nostalgia and amusement reserved for bygone technologies such as electric typewriters and vinyl records.” — So declares Oren Etzioni, a computer scientist at the University of Washington …
Discussion:
Technologizer
Paul Sawers / The Next Web:
Google closes its Dictionary site, wants you to “search” for definitions instead — It seems the plug has been pulled on Google Dictionary. If you visit the website now, there is a simple ‘Google Dictionary is no longer available message’. — From the four years leading up to late 2009 …
Discussion:
Engadget, ReadWriteWeb, SiliconFilter, Android Phone Fans and Ubergizmo
Robert McMillan / PC World:
Spam King Sanford Wallace Indicted for Facebook Spam — Notorious spam king Sanford Wallace is facing federal fraud charges for allegedly breaking into Facebook accounts and sending 27 million spam messages in 2008 and 2009. — Wallace, 43, allegedly used a phishing attack to steal usernames …
AppleInsider:
Needham sees Apple stock hitting $540 on sales of 54M iPads in 2012 — Investment firm Needham & Company on Friday upped its price target for Apple stock to $540, with projected sales of 54 million iPads and 108 million iPhones in 2012. — Analyst Charlie Wolf provides semi-annual updates on his AAPL 12-month price target.
Discussion:
Tech Trader Daily, PadGadget and TUAW
Elinor Mills / CNET News:
Researchers find avenues for fraud in Square — Zac Franken, director at Aperture Labs, holds up the Square device for processing credit cards with a mobile device. His company has just discovered two ways to steal credit card data using Square. — LAS VEGAS—Researchers …
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Mashable!, ReadWriteWeb, Digits, Bits, TG Daily and threatpost
Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch:
Netflix Hits A Million Subscribers In Canada — Rejoice! It only took 10 months for Netflix to rack up a million users in Canada. They launched in September of 2010, and in July a lucky Canuck by the name of Amanda, in the province they call Manitoba, became their one-millionth subscriber.
Discussion:
Between the Lines Blog, VentureBeat, Digital Trends, Netflix, CNET News, Pulse2, Gizmodo and iPhone in Canada Blog
Joe Mullin / paidContent:
Shagbook Attacks Facebook's Trademark, Calling It Generic — Facebook really doesn't like websites that have names sounding similar its own. The company has gone after Teachbook, and also filed suit against a racy site called FacebookOfSex.com run by FriendFinder Networks.
Jim Giles / New Scientist:
US internet providers hijacking users' search queries — Searches made by millions of internet users are being hijacked and redirected by some internet service providers in the US. Patents filed by Paxfire, the company involved in the hijacking, suggest that it may be part of a larger plan …
Discussion:
PC Magazine, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Electronic Frontier Foundation, DSLreports, Inquirer, PC World, Boing Boing and thinq_
Derek Kessler / PreCentral.net:
HP knocking $100 from TouchPad pricing August 5-7 — Looking to grab an HP TouchPad? If you buy one from HP.com right now, you'll save $50. But if you wait until this weekend, you'll be able to grab one for $100 off. Sadly, it looks like the only one you'll be able to get at that ridiculous discount …
Discussion:
GigaOM, SplatF, GMSV, LAPTOP Magazine, Engadget, PC World, The Business Insider, Daring Fireball, webOSroundup, This is my next, Gizmodo, techblog.dallasnews.com, TechCrunch, AllThingsD, SlashGear, IntoMobile, Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check, Geek.com, Consumer Reports News, GottaBeMobile, PhoneArena, Know Your Cell, LaptopMemo, Electronista, Techland, Liliputing, The Mobile Gadgeteer Blog, WebOS Arena, PC Magazine, MobileWhack.com and The Tech Report
Tabassum Zakaria / Reuters:
Pentagon cyber program to fund hacker innovation — (Reuters) - A hacker-turned-defense official, decrying the government's slowness to change, rolled out a new program on Thursday that would enable the Pentagon to more quickly fund hackers to tackle its tough cybersecurity challenges.
Matthew Lasar / Ars Technica:
Feds hack past anonymity, bust 72 users of child abuse “horror” site — They used proxy servers and encryption. They used anonymous screen names like “Beast,” “Bones,” “Jailbird,” and “Johnny_5_is_@live” to post and share their child sex abuse films. Admins carefully segregated participants according to how much they were trusted.
