Top Items:
T.C. Sottek / The Verge:
Verizon drops $2 ‘convenience fee’ due to customer feedback — Just a day after it confirmed that it would be adding a $2 ‘convenience fee’ for paying bills online or over the phone, Verizon's cancelled the charge, citing negative customer feedback as the reason for the shift.
Discussion:
The Register, Bits, PC World, Networking Blog, L.A. Times Tech Blog, 9to5Google, SlashGear, GigaOM, Washington Post, Ars Technica, Gizmodo, Forbes, CNET, GeekWire, AllThingsD, MacRumors, TechCrunch, BGR, TechnoBuffalo, CNNMoney.com, DailyTech, Bloomberg, Bits, @cnbc, VentureBeat, ABCNEWS, Verizon Wireless, iPhone Savior, The Next Web, WebProNews, Android Community, NBC Bay Area, @harrymccracken, IntoMobile, dailywireless.org, PhoneArena, Technologizer and Reuters
Electronista:
Nintendo, Sony back off of SOPA support — Nintendo and Sony rethink unpopular SOPA bill — A quiet update to the list of Stop Online Piract Act supporters (PDF) has shown that Nintendo and Sony have backed away from the proposed bill. Both were originally endorsing the bill as of November …
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Geek.com, The Next Web, Business Insider, @benhuh, GamePolitics blogs, Pulse2 and WebProNews
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Ernesto / TorrentFreak:
Presidential Candidate Ron Paul Slams SOPA — A few days before the election circus in the US will start with the Iowa's caucus, presidential candidate Ron Paul made a comment on the pending SOPA bill “They want to take over the Internet,” he said. “Can you imagine how much we're …
Matt Brian / The Next Web:
“Official” Siri app hits the Android Market, highlights Google's marketplace issues — With the launch of the iPhone 4S, Apple introduced its new voice-activated virtual assistant Siri to early acclaim, immediately sparking a rush for developers to offer the same functionality on Android smartphones.
Discussion:
Electronista, 9to5Mac, PC World, MacDailyNews, Jailbreak | iOS, Sprintfeed, iDownloadBlog.com, WebProNews, App Advice, Redmond Pie, Techland, Ubergizmo, Pulse2, msnbc.com and Gizmodo UK
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
GoDaddy Boycott Fizzles; Twice As Many Domains Transfer In As Out — Yesterday, we noted that it appeared that the “GoDaddy boycott” concept may have been losing steam, thanks to the company's decision to move away from supporting the bill... combined with a new aggressive advertising campaign.
Discussion:
PC World, Ars Technica, CNET, PC Magazine, The Next Web, VentureBeat, WebProNews, Forbes, Pulse2, Geekosystem, Gizmodo, CNET, DSLreports, Neowin.net, GamePolitics blogs and TechCrunch
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Can A Company Keep An Employee's LinkedIn Account After They're No Longer Employed? — Venkat Balasubramani has the story of a bizarre fight between a company, Sawabeh Information Services, and the founders of Edcomm, a company that Sawabeh bought in 2010. A few months later …
Discussion:
The Next Web, Betabeat and The Social Path
Alex Wilhelm / The Next Web:
Internet Explorer 9's growth on Windows 7 highlights Firefox's weakness — Microsoft put out a rah-rah blog post today, touting its various victories with Internet Explorer for the year, mostly discussing Internet Explorer 9′s performance on Windows 7.
Discussion:
BetaNews, Electronista and The Windows Blog
Jordan Kahn / 9to5Mac:
More Apple retail stores planned for historic buildings in 2012; Stores approved in Germany, Canada, and Spain — Apple is not slowing down when it comes to opening more iconic brick-and-mortar retail locations. Three new retail locations all received recent approval …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, iClarified, MacNN, ifoAppleStore and iPhone in Canada Blog
Darren McCarra / The Sociable:
Facebook phasing out support for IE7 — One year after Facebook officially renounced support for Internet Explorer 6, it seems that Internet Explorer 7 is destined to experience a similar fate as support for the ailing browser is lacking in Facebook's most important recent innovation - Timeline.
Discussion:
Friending Facebook Blog, The Next Web, VentureBeat and All Facebook
Royal Pingdom:
Symbian is still top mobile OS - finished 2011 with resurgence — As we're quickly approaching the end of 2011 we take a last look at what the year for mobile operating systems was like. — Would it surprise you to know that Symbian finished 2011 stronger than it started the year?
Discussion:
GigaOM, AllThingsD, MobileSyrup.com, Pulse2, Gizmodo UK and Electronista
Josh Ong / AppleInsider:
Apple again rumored to switch to IGZO displays for ‘iPad 3’ — Industry sources claim Apple will move away from in-plane switching display technology in favor of IGZO flat panels for its mobile products, starting with its third-generation iPad early next year.
Discussion:
DigiTimes, TechnoBuffalo, GigaOM, Macgasm, Patently Apple, Apple Bitch, iDownloadBlog.com, WebProNews, MacDailyNews, PhoneArena, Business Insider, MacRumors, everythingiCafe and MacNN
Jim Finkle / Reuters:
Stuxnet weapon has at least 4 cousins: researchers — (Reuters) - The Stuxnet virus that last year damaged Iran's nuclear program was likely one of at least five cyber weapons developed on a single platform whose roots trace back to 2007, according to new research from Russian computer security firm Kaspersky Lab.
Discussion:
Securelist, Softpedia News, SecurityWeek, The Register, PC Magazine, ITProPortal, VentureBeat and TechEye
Serkan Toto / TechCrunch:
Insync ("Dropbox For Google Users") Gets Major Revamp, Goes Free — File synchronization and sharing platform Insync has been around for over a year now, and today, the eponymous startup has rolled out a totally revamped version of its “Dropbox for Google users”.
Discussion:
The Next Web, iPhone, The Verge and TUAW
Élyse Betters / 9to5Google:
LG to unveil first Intel Medfield-powered Android smartphone at CES 2012; LG expects March release date — LG Electronics is poised to unveil the first Android smartphone with Intel's Medfield SoC at the Consumer Electronics show next month. — “Intel's chief executive Paul Otellini …
Discussion:
BGR, VentureBeat, AllThingsD, Electronista, CNET, TechCrunch, The Verge, AndroidOS.in, Softpedia News, SlashGear, The Korea Times, PhoneArena, xda-developers and TechNewsWorld
Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:
Sir Jonathan: Apple's design mastermind Jonathan Ive awarded knighthood in the United Kingdom — Apple's Senior Vice President of Design Jonathan Ive can add a new title to his resume: Sir Jonathan Ive. According to BBC, Ive has been granted knighthood in the United Kingdom in the New Year Honours List.
Discussion:
The Next Web and BBC
Suzanne Choney / msnbc.com:
Boot Hezbollah from Twitter or we sue, group says — Al-Manar is Hezbollah's “media arm,” says the group seeking to have it and other terrorist-related groups removed from Twitter. — An Israeli law center said Thursday it is threatening to sue Twitter unless the social network cuts off access to groups …
Discussion:
Telegraph, VentureBeat, The Next Web, Arutz Sheva and Digital Journal
Ina Fried / AllThingsD:
Christy Wyatt on How Motorola Plans to Stand Out From the Android Pack — Even as it prepares to be swallowed up by Google, Motorola Mobility is hardly standing still. — One of the key driving forces behind the company is Christy Wyatt, a former Palm and Apple executive, now corporate vice president and general manager
Discussion:
The Verge and PhoneArena
Bloomberg:
Google Backs Israeli Startups After Local Financing Hits 12-Year-Low: Tech — The Google Inc. (GOOG) executive with his bright yellow vest was impossible to miss in the middle of the Israeli startup owners seeking cash in a rusty boathouse at Tel Aviv's Jaffa port.
Discussion:
9to5Google
Jordan Kahn / 9to5Mac:
Apple to appeal $1.2M fine imposed by Italian regulators over AppleCare warranties — Apple plans to appeal a decision by Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato to impose $1.2 million USD fine for not providing consumers with a two-year warranty mandatory under European Union law and the Italian Consumer Code.
Discussion:
MacStories, MacNN, iClarified, TUAW and The Register
