Techmeme
January 7, 2016, 1:25 PM

Top News

Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
David Marcus' plan for Messenger in 2016 as it hits 800M MAUs: eliminate the need for a phone number, build app functionality into chat threads  —  Facebook Messenger Hits 800M Users: 2016 Strategy And Predictions  —  Kill SMS, spawn a chat bot platform, bring friends together offline …
Biz Carson / Business Insider:
Sources: Yahoo to lay off at least 10%, or 1,000+ of its employees, as early as this month  —  Yahoo is prepping to lay off 10% or more of its workforce  —  Major layoffs will be coming to Yahoo as part of its planned reorganization to get its business back on track.
Michael J. de la Merced / New York Times:
Activist investor Starboard calls for changes to Yahoo's board and management in addition to a change in strategy, threatens to run its own slate of directors  —  Starboard Value Calls for Shake-Up at Yahoo and Shift in Strategy  —  SAN FRANCISCO — As Yahoo weighs efforts to spin off …
Associated Press:
Chinese drone maker Ehang unveils human-carrying electric drone, which can carry up to 220 pounds, fly for 23 minutes at sea level, and reach 63mph  —  Chinese drone maker Ehang (EE'-hang) has unveiled what it calls the world's first drone capable of carrying a human passenger.
Wall Street Journal:
Amazon's Annapurna Labs to sell its own “Alpine” line of ARM-based chips to other device manufacturers  —  Amazon Enters Semiconductor Business With Its Own Branded Chips  —  Amazon's Annapurna Labs targets customers designing home equipment  —  A secretive Amazon.com Inc. unit broke …
Johana Bhuiyan / BuzzFeed:
Uber agrees to overhaul privacy and security practices and pay a $20K fine in settlement over “God View” with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman  —  Uber Settles With New York Attorney General Over “God View” Tracking Program  —  The ride-hailing company agrees to overhaul …
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
In Reddit AMA, Oculus' Palmer Luckey admits screwing up Rift price-point messaging, says Oculus is selling the Rift at cost  —  “No More Ballparks” — Oculus' Palmer Luckey Admits Screwing Up Rift Price-Point Messaging  —  Yesterday VR fans eager to get their hands on the consumer version …
Emily Steel / New York Times:
Netflix launches in 130 additional countries, now available in 190 countries worldwide, excluding China, Crimea, North Korea, and Syria; stock rises 9%  —  At CES, Netflix Adds Over 130 Countries to Streaming Service  —  Netflix went live with its streaming television service …
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
Nextbit announces first wave of GSM Robin smartphones will ship February 16  —  Nextbit's cloud-savvy smartphone ships on February 16th  —  Good news if you've been sitting on pins and needles waiting for Nextbit's Robin smartphone to ship: it's nearly ready for action.

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Earlier Picks

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