Top Microsoft Lawyer Blasts Secret Surveillance Court -- Unaccountable, Unjust

Microsoft’s Top Lawyer Slams Secret Surveillance Court - Digits - WSJ: "The U.S.’s secret surveillance court is unaccountable to the public and not “inclined to promote justice,” Microsoft’s top lawyer said Tuesday. General counsel Brad Smith said the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court [FISA Court], which reviews applications and appeals involving U.S. government data-collection efforts in the name of national security, acts unlike most other courts because “only one side gets to tell its story.” The surveillance court also effectively creates law “that the American public is not permitted to read,” Smith said Wednesday in a speech at the Brookings Institution. The 35-year-old court was cast into the spotlight following revelations about National Security Agency’s data-collection programs. The court’s decisions and most documents submitted to the court are secret, which Smith said made it tough for those opposing the government’s data demands to have a fair hearing. “This is not an approach inclined to promote justice,” Smith said, as he showed an image of what he implied was a government document before the surveillance court, with all text blacked out...."

Google I/O 2014 LIVE, June 25-26:
EVENT SCHEDULE:
https://www.google.com/events/io/schedule
LIVE STREAMING:
https://www.google.com/events/io/schedule#!/filter/live-streaming
VIDEOS
https://www.google.com/events/io/io14videos

Google Courting Developers as Device Sprawl Spurs Choices - Bloomberg:“....This year at Google I/O, we’re focusing on three key themes: design, develop and distribute -- to help developers build their apps from start to finish, with tools for the entire development cycle,” the company said in an e-mailed statement. “Our large, open platforms -- Android and Chrome -- provide the foundation for developers to evolve their offerings for phones, tablets and other new form factors.” Amid the sprawl, Google has put more emphasis on developers at I/O ... In total, there are more than 1 million apps in the Google Play store. Android-based smartphones made up 78 percent of the global industry in 2013, up from 66 percent in 2012, according to Gartner Inc. The No. 2 player was Apple’s iPhone, which had 16 percent, down from 19 percent...."

Google Play Emerges as Powerful Weapon for Internet Giant - WSJ: "....There are now more apps available in the Play store, 1.5 million, than the App Store, 1.2 million, according to market researcher App Annie. App downloads from the Play store surpassed those from the App Store for the first time in 2013. The App Store still generated more than twice as much revenue for developers last year, but that was down from six times as much in 2012. Google Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora told investors in April that Play store payments to developers quadrupled in 2013 from 2012...."

Microsoft Exchange Online Suffers Service Outage
InformationWeek
Microsoft's Exchange Online hosted email service suffered a disruption Tuesday morning, leaving many users without email for much of the morning.

Microsoft's 'First' Android Phone Aims Low
InformationWeek
Microsoft on Tuesday revealed the Nokia X2, a smartphone that can officially ... The X2 doesn't use any Google services and instead uses Microsoft's.

Amazon's Fire Phone May Be Too Magical for Its Own Good
Wired
After several years of rumors, Amazon finally announced the launch of its very ... In a landscape dominated by Apple, Samsung, Google, and other ...

How Amazon's Product Design Is Governed by the Whims of Jeff Bezos
Businessweek
When Amazon (AMZN) released its new phone last week, one of the most notable ... 

[From POLITICO's Morning Tech]:
Apple Starts Production of BIG iPhone
Bloomberg story on Chinese suppliers' plans to begin mass production of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones: http://bloom.bg/V7CbZt

FCC HIRES INVESTMENT BANKERS TO ADVERTISE INCENTIVE AUCTION. The agency hired New York-based Greenhill & Co. to develop educational material to persuade broadcasters to participate in the auction http://bit.ly/1rrMcLg

AMAZON, WARNER BROS. CLOSE TO RESOLVING PRICING DISPUTE. The e-commerce giant is no longer forcing backorders of Warner Bros. DVDs http://on.wsj.com/V7AoU7

TECH MOGULS BACK MAYDAY SUPERPAC. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, Union Square Ventures' Fred Wilson and Paypal exec Peter Thiel and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman will work to raise $12 million to support candidates this fall who are willing to fight for campaign finance reform Reuters:http://reut.rs/V7BlM3

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Google I/O Starts Today; Oracle Spending Its Way Out of Major Errors (video)

(Allow video to load after clicking play)
Oracle Spending Its Way Out of Major Errors (video above)
FBR Capital Markets Senior Analyst Daniel Ives discuss Oracle to buy Micros for 5.3 billion dollars with Trish Regan on “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg, June 23)

GOOGLE I/O Starts Today with LIVE Streaming from Moscone Center, San Francisco, starting at 9:00 AM PDT

expVC | expvc.com | domain name news: Google LIVE Presentation Wednesday on New gTLD Domain Names: "Google presentation on New gTLDs -- Who Cares About New Domain Names? --streamed LIVE* from Google I/O in San Francisco: Wednesday, June 25 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM (Pacific Time US)...."

Broken promises: Verizon, Google, and the Chromebook data debacle | Computerworld Blogs: "... Verizon is telling customers that as far as it's concerned, the plans were valid only for one year -- and that's why those initiated last spring are now expiring. I called the carrier's customer service line and, after holding for 15 minutes and then talking in circles to an agent for another 10, was able to get through to a supervisor. That person politely told me he wasn't aware of any two-year commitment and that -- despite my pointing out official documentation to the contrary -- there was nothing he could do to help me.... "

How Marissa Mayer Fell Asleep and Kept Ad Executives Waiting For Hours - CMO Today - WSJ: ".... Interpublic Group arranged a private dinner at the swanky L’Oasis for Ms. Mayer to meet executives from marketers such as Mondelez International, brewer MillerCoors and Greek yogurt maker Chobani. It was supposed to be a chance for Interpublic and some of its clients to get a first hand update from Ms. Mayer on what Yahoo has to offer. But Ms. Mayer was nearly two hours late, and several dinner attendees including  IPG Chief Executive Michael Roth ended up leaving before she arrived, people familiar with the matter said. Ms. Mayer told some attendees that she had fallen asleep, some of the people said. “If it were an investor meeting, a board meeting or a potential acquisition, I am sure she or someone from her team would have woken her up,” said one top executive in attendance.  “It is another instance where she demonstrated that she doesn’t understand the value of clients, ad revenue or agencies,” the person added. A Yahoo spokeswoman declined to comment...."

Google says voice search now supports Indian dialect
Times of India
NEW DELHI: Google on Tuesday said that now its voice search supports ... As Microsoft,Apple and Google battle in the smartphone market, a virtual ...

Microsoft's 'First' Android Phone Aims Low
InformationWeek
The X2 doesn't use any Google services and instead uses Microsoft's. That means no Gmail and no Google Drive. In their place you'll find ...

Google I/O: Pressure Is On
InformationWeek
Amazon, Apple, and Samsung all made moves this month to neutralize ... Here are four things the Internet titan should do at Google I/O this week to fight ... search engine from long-time rival Microsoft, to power Spotlight, the built-in ....

Microsoft to double OneDrive free space, slash extra storage prices up to 73%
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft today announced it would double OneDrive's free storage space for ... (Data: Amazon, Apple, Dropbox, Google, Microsoft.).

Microsoft $650 Macbook Air Trade-In: Fine Print
InformationWeek
But it appears especially interested in Apple customers who might be getting ... even in light of the price war among Google, Amazon, and Rackspace.

Amazon, Warner Bros. Near Resolution on Pricing Dispute
Wall Street Journal
Preorders of Warner DVD and Blu-ray releases like '300: Rise of an Empire' are being offered on Amazon.com again. Pictured, Sullivan Stapleton in ...

Apple's Big IPhones Said to Start Production Next Month
Bloomberg
June 24 (Bloomberg) -- Apple suppliers in China will begin mass ... 40 percent of mobile gadgets based on Google Inc.'s Android operating ... Last year, the smartphone produced $91 billion in revenue alone, more than the total sales of Oracle Corp., Yahoo! Inc.,Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. combined.

Amazon's Fire Phone May Be Too Magical for Its Own Good
Wired
After several years of rumors, Amazon finally announced the launch of its very ... In a landscape dominated by Apple, Samsung, Google, and other ...

Google Glass with designer frames go on sale on fashion websites
Los Angeles Times
Designer Diane von Furstenberg and Google designer Isabelle Olsson ... Two years after she brought Google Glass to the New York Fashion week ...

Google Begins Testing Domain Registrations - The Next Web
By Josh Ong
Google today revealed that it is building a domain registration service called GoogleDomains. ...
The Next Web

​Google wants to sell you your next domain name
By Sean Buckley
Right now, it's possible to buy a domain name using Google services. You can start the process on Google's own pages, process the transaction ...
Engadget RSS Feed

Today's Google doodle knows we're watching the World Cup at work - SBNation.com
By Michael Katz
Google knows we are watching the World Cup at work. ... Like SBNation.com Facebook. One more thing Google knows about us. Doodle_medium ...
SBNation.com - StoryStream™ Headlines

Google Gives Employee Week Off at Daughter's Request | NBC Bay Area
By NBC BAY AREA STAFF
A Google employee is getting a week off of work to enjoy his birthday, thanks to a letter his daughter wrote to his boss.
NBC Bay Area - Top Stories

Daily Report: Microsoft Sees Quantum Computing as Technology's Next Frontier - NYTimes.com
By By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Now a group of physicists and computer scientists funded by Microsoft is trying to take the ... Re/code | Bill Maris, the man behind Google Ventures, wants to redefine Silicon Valley economics. ... Tim Cook, Making Apple His Own; 3.
NYT Bits

German Publishing Association Files Complaint Accusing Amazon Of Antitrust Violation...
By Ashlee Kieler
Tensions between Amazon and German book publishers reached new ... Over the past several months, Amazon and book publishers in Germany and ... DOJ Proposal: Apple Must Let Amazon…
Consumerist

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Video Games Are Mainstream, Getting Better (video)

Tretton: Video Games Are Mainstream, Getting Better: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play)
John Vignocchi, executive producer of Disney Infinity, and Jack Tretton, former CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, talk with Bloomberg's Jon Erlichman about trends at this years E3 conference, Disney Infinity, virtual reality and the future of gaming. (Source: Bloomberg June 12)

Google's states of play
Politico
Google is a Washington powerhouse that shapes federal law, rewards congressional allies and boasts a new 54,000-square-foot office, just down the ...

Google I/O 2014: What to expect as Google increases its focus on 'connected' tech
PCWorld (blog)
Google needs an answer to Microsoft's DirectX 12 and Apple's Metal—that is, a lower-level graphics programming language that allows more efficient ...

Facebook Hastens the Era of Open Source Hardware
Forbes
If necessity is the mother of invention, then the need for cheap, efficient, compact servers and network equipment has made Facebook an innovator of ...

Yahoo aims to be a mobile company
SFGate
Facebook is on top of the world of mobile advertising, but analysts say that Yahoo is positioned to stay competitive in this rapidly growing world.

Apple, Google, Samsung vie to bring health apps to wearables
Chicago Tribune
Apple Inc , Samsung Electronics Co and Google Inc , searching for applications that could turn nascent wearable technology like smartwatches and ...

Microsoft Previews All-Cloud Azure Disaster Recovery Service
eWeek
Microsoft is setting out to erase any lingering doubts about cloud-based disaster recovery with a preview of Azure Site Recovery (ASR) to Azure.

Facebook widens tracking for advertisers
New Zealand Herald
If you use Facebook, the specific ads you see have been based mostly on what ...Google, Facebook and Yahoo - among the largest hubs for online ...

Facebook takes a shot at picture messaging with Snapchat-like app
Columbus Dispatch
Availability: Slingshot, which Facebook officially released last week, works with Apple and Android devices. A Facebook account isn't required.

Titan sprouts 'Magic Island', say astroboffins
Register
Astroboffins monitoring Titan have spotted something new that hints at how the moon's weather works. The folks behind the discovery have named the new feature a “magic island”, because nobody knows what it is or why it appeared. The discovery is ...

Emperor penguins could survive global warming, study indicates
Haaretz
The flightless fowls don't actually breed in the same place every year, scientists found to their surprise: They will move if they have to. By Ruth Schuster | Jun. 23, 2014 | 9:23 AM. Tweet. Emperor penguin (AP). An Emperor penguin that got lost and wound up ...

European Space Agency—The Earth's Changing Fields Of Magnetism (Satellite)
SatNews Publishers
[SatNews] The first set of high-resolution results from ESA's three-satellite Swarm constellation reveals the most recent changes in the magnetic field that protects our planet. Magnetic field changes. Image courtesy of ESA. Launched in November 2013, ...

Scientists reveal secrets of Higgs Boson particle
New Zealand Herald
Scientists working at the Large Hadron Collider have discovered more information about the Higgs Boson particle. Photo / CERN. Physicists say they have learned more about the identity of the Higgs Boson, the elusive particle whose ground-breaking ...

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Google I/O

Google I/O 2013--Larry Page speaks and answers questions, updates for Google+, Maps, cloud services, photo services, new music service, and more, much more . . . 

Google plans big updates for search, new music service - USA Today
USA TODAY
While Google's co-founder was upbeat about the potential of technology, he seemed less optimistic about the state of the industry. He took jabs at the company's rivals, Microsoft and Oracle, and others for not supporting open standards, and focusing on ...

Google reveals Play Music All Access subscription service
BBC News
Google Play Music All Access offers users the ability to listen to millions of tracks in addition to the ones they already own. The firm described it as "radio without rules". The facility is set to compete with Spotify, Xbox Music, Rdio, Pandora and ...

Google CEO on innovation: 'We're at 1% of what's possible'
Computerworld
What was noticeable was the lack of Android news, as well as any new details aboutGoogle Glass, the company's upcoming, futuristic-looking computerized eye glasses. Industry analysts had expected Google to show off new Glass apps, since developers...

Google improves interface, photos in Google+ social network
PCWorld
Google is adding 41 new features to its Google+ social network on Wednesday, including a richer interface that works better on mobile devices and some major enhancements to photo sharing. There's little Google can do to improve one essential feature, ...

Google ordered to muzzle defamatory autocompletes by German court
ZDNet
The complainant claimed that when his name was searched on Google from May 2010, the site's autocomplete feature suggested additional terms "RS (full name) Scientology" and "RS (full name) scam", despite no evidence of a connection between him and ...

A stock Android Galaxy S4 from Google will cost you $649
Computerworld
Google already sells the Nexus 4 smartphone running stock Android 4.2 for as little as $299, without a contract, on Amazon. Some members of the I/O audience moaned their disappointment at the higher $649 price of the special GS4 when it was announced.

No new glasses for Google
Boston Herald
Evolutionary is likely the key buzzword for this year's Google I/O, according to analysts. While last year's annual developers conference was a spectacle with Google Glass-wearing skydivers parachuting to a San Francisco convention center for the ...

Google Nexus 4 up for India pre-orders at Rs. 25990
NDTV
Google Nexus 4, the flagship smartphone from Google, which is manufactured by LG is available for pre-orders on ecommerce site Flipkart at a price of Rs. 25,990 for the 16GB internal storage variant. The estimated release date for the phone has been ...

Google boosts photo offerings to rival Facebook
Boston.com
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is digging deeper into its technology toolkit to turn its social networking service into a more formidable threat to Facebook, sprucing up its photo features at a time when sharing snapshots online and on mobile gadgets is ...

Meet Google's Russian rival
Times of India
HANOI: Vietnam's booming internet scene is littered with failed startups that tried to take on Google and other entrenched US web companies. That's not deterring a newly launched Russian-Vietnamese outfit which believes it can unseat the American ...

Google Lat Long: Meet the new Google Maps: A map for every ...
By Lat Long
In the past, such a notion would have been unbelievable: a map was just a map, and you got the same one for New York City, whether you were searching for the Empire State Building or the coffee shop down the street. What if, instead, you ...
Google Lat Long

Major Redesign of Google Maps Is Unveiled - NYTimes.com
By By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER
The new Google Maps shows personalized maps for every user that change in real-time, depending on a person's search. The maps also have a new look, including incorporating 3D satellite imagery from Google Earth in maps shown in Web ...
NYT Bits

Google Launches Android Studio And New Features For Developer ...
By Drew Olanoff
Ellie Powers, Product Manager at Google, shared these new features, including ways to make money. The console will now have optimization tips, such as assistance for translation. The app translation service allows you to get professional ...
TechCrunch

Google Unifies Cross-Platform Messaging Services With 'Hangouts ...
By Juli Clover
Google has unveiled a new unified messaging service that is designed to work on Android, iOS, and the web. Called Hangouts, the app incorporates and...
MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors...

Google CEO Larry Page speaks at I/O about competition and ...
By Matthew Panzarino
“I was really lucky growing up,” said Google CEO Larry Page at the I/O conference today. “My dad was really interested in technology. One time we drove across the country to go to a robotics conference…it was one of the only times that I ever ...
The Next Web

Breakdown Imperils NASA's Hunt for Other Earths
New York Times
Published: May 15, 2013. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has been shut down by the failure of one of the reaction wheels that keep it pointed, the space agency announced Wednesday. Multimedia. Interactive Feature · Kepler's Tally of Planets ...

'Leveling up' on Google Play Services means enhancing quality and utilizing ...
VentureBeat
When you think of the Google Play store, it's easy to conjure images of piracy, poorly performing apps, and clumsy micro-transactions. Google is keenly aware of these faults and, with its new dedication to cross-platform Google Play support, wants to help ...

Cisco's Profit Climbs 14% on Services Sales Growth
Wall Street Journal
Cisco Systems Inc. delivered a sign of improving tech-sector demand as the company's newer software and services businesses more than offset weaker revenue from its traditional networking products. The company's fiscal third-quarter profit grew 14%, ...

Galaxy S4 shot of pure Android boosts relationships, not sales
CNET
The special Google version of Samsung's phone isn't likely to be a big seller, but there are other reasons to offer it. Shara Tibken. by Shara Tibken. May 15, 2013 3:45 PM PDT Follow @sharatibken ...

New Yorker Launches 'Strongbox' Anonymous Submission System
PC Magazine
Forty years ago, Bob Woodward had a dark parking garage and Deep Throat. Today, The New Yorker has an Internet dropbox. Strongbox is an online whistleblower system that allows sources to share documents and messages with the magazine's writers ...

UPDATE 4-Google launches streaming music service ahead of Apple
Reuters
Wed May 15, 2013 7:10pm EDT. * Google music streaming service costlier than Pandora. * Google shares jump about 3 pct, Pandora down 1 pct. * Amazon, Apple reportedly working on streaming music. By Alexei Oreskovic and Edwin Chan ...

Google+'s stream gets Pinterest-like makeover at I/O
CNET
A new redesign for Google+'s news stream makes it look a bit like Pinterest with a responsive design. Google+ gets whole new look. The Google+ news stream is getting a ...

Google sends Microsoft cease and desist letter for Windows Phone YouTube ...
Android Authority
All input fields are optional, fill out as much or as little as you'd like. Name/Nickname: Email. What's the tip? Website. File. File. Would you like to be credited with the tip? Remain anonomys? Let us know. Captcha ...

Tim Cook scheduled to testify to Senate about Apple's offshore tax practices
The Verge
Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly been called to testify at Tuesday's Senate hearing on offshore profit shifting. The hearing is being conducted by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which has the authority to investigate things like federal...

Seven Ways Technology Is Rendering the Automobile Obsolete ...
By Tanya Snyder
In all of these ways, recent technological advances have made it easier and more desirable for people to cut down on driving. They're not reducing their mileage out of a sense of civic duty or environmental commitment; they're driving less ...
Streetsblog New York City

Google to Launch Music-Streaming Service
Wall Street Journal
Amazon.com Inc. is working on a device for streaming audio through speakers or a television set and would offer a music-subscription service to compete with Pandora or Spotify, people familiar with the matter have said. Like Apple and Google, Amazon ...

In court filing, Justice Dept. accuses Apple of e-book price fixing
Washington Post
The Justice Department accused Apple executives, including its late chief executive Steve Jobs, of leading a conspiracy that raised e-book prices in an attempt to hurt Amazon and other competitors, according to ...

Google's Larry Page opens up about rare vocal cords condition
The Guardian
Jobs took two formal medical leaves as Apple's CEO before resigning from the job about six weeks before his death from cancer. When Page had his health issue, Google had simply said Page was dealing with a throat problem that would not get in the way ...

Google I/O Features Sensor Network
InformationWeek (blog)
Having constructed a set of cloud services, Google would like to see more tenants move in.Google's approach to working with developers is notably different than Apple's. Apple, in keeping with its preference for control, requires third-party ...

Microsoft update to address Windows 8 complaints, confusion will be free; to ...
Washington Post
That could allow Windows 8 devices to compete with Apple's iPad Mini and similar-size tablets fromAmazon.com Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and Google Inc. Reller said the company will make it easy for consumers to get the update from the start screen.

Google Plans Separate Play, YouTube Music Subscription Plans ...
By Peter Kafka
And, yes, Google still plans to launch a separate subscription music service later this year, via its YouTube site. Make sense? Of course not. It makes lots of sense for both YouTube and Play, which was built for Google's Android devices, to sell ...
AllThingsD

About 2-step verification - Accounts Help - Google Help
2-step verification adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account. In addition to your username and password, you'll enter a code that Google will send ...
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/180744?hl=en

Bringing it all together: 15 GB now shared between Drive, Gmail ...
Life gets a bit easier when your Google products work well together—whether that's inserting a Drive file into an email or sharing a photo from Drive on Google+ .
googledrive.blogspot.com/.../bringing-it-all-together-15-gb-n...

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Best iOS apps, and more Google I/O rumors

Google I/O begins Wednesday!--

One more Google I/O rumor: A new smartwatch?
CNET
Does it make any sense for Google to unveil a new piece of wearable tech this week? Does it have to make sense? Could Google be looking to wrest your wrist away from Pebble and ...

Google Drive triples free storage to 15GB
CNET
Google announces just ahead of its I/O conference that free storage across Google services -- Gmail, Google+, and Drive -- is leaping from 5GB to 15GB....

20 best iPhone and iPad apps this week
The Guardian (blog)
It's time for our weekly roundup of brand new and notable apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It covers apps and games, with the prices referring to the initial download: so (Free) may mean (Freemium) in some cases. Looking for Android apps? Check this...

The Guardian (blog)

Rumor: AT&T Discontinuing HTC First Amidst Lackluster Sales
PC Magazine
Sluggish sales of the HTC First have reportedly prompted AT&T to discontinue sales of the smartphone, the first to come pre-loaded with the Facebook Home experience. According to BGR, which cited a "trusted source," sales of the HTC First have been ...

No Chrome-Android merger, at least in the next year or two
Computerworld
Computerworld - Android's new boss hinted of an eventual merger of Chrome and Android but said the two will remain separate "for the short term," in an interview posted prior to Google I/O's opening keynote on Wednesday. The comments by Google's ...

ItsOn's Zact: A Contract-Free Wireless Carrier With Custom Plans - eWeek
eWeek
Zact is a new wireless carrier that runs on the Sprint network. It's contract-free and marketed to smart, savvy, value-minded users who want to customize their plans, have control of their devices and what they're spending, and be able to intuitively add or ...

eWeek

Gates on Steve Jobs: 'We Grew Up Together'
PC Magazine
In a recent 60 Minutes interview, an emotional Bill Gates discussed his complex relationship with Steve Jobs, saying that the duo "grew up together." "We were within a year of the same age and we were kind of naively optimistic and built big companies," Jobs ...

Microsoft struggles to re-start Windows 8
NBCNews.com
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gives his presentation at the launch of Windows 8, in New York on Oct. 25, 2012. With an upcoming fix for Windows 8, Microsoft finds itself in a strange position: It has to make the faithful happy by shaping the experience to be ...

Feds investigate 340000 Ford trucks for potential loss of steering
Los Angeles Times
An estimated 340,000 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks are the subject of a federal investigation into potential loss of steering in the vehicles. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration said it opened the investigation on May 7 to look into ...

Google Quietly Shutters SMS Search, Irks Users
PC Magazine
Google apparently shut down its SMS Search function last week without warning, but the news barely made a splash outside of its niche group of feature phone owners. Starting Thursday, a handful of users turned to the Google Product Forums to ...

They're back: Cicadas emerge in the DC area
Washington Post
Cicadas are warm weather insects. They emerge only after the ground temperature reaches the mid-60s. The cicadas don't get fooled into emerging during January thaws or during early spring warm spells. News · Conversations. Video ...

Popular space station chief due back via Soyuz Monday - USA Today
USA TODAY
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's to return to Earth ends five-month social media blitz. Canadian Space Agency astronaut and International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield strums his guitar in the ISS Cupola. . . .

Nike Who? Runtastic Boasts 25 Million Mobile Users - Mashable
Mashable
Nike+ is often the go-to app for active people. You can't beat its name recognition, after all, and it was the first athletic company to really dive into wearable and connected technology — the first Nike+iPod system predates even the iPhone. But some athletes ...

UN calls for insect recipes to fight world hunger
Telegraph.co.uk
The 200-page report, released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, on May 13 at the organisation's Rome headquarters, called for restaurants, chefs and food writers to promote the eating of insects, in a bid to fight world hunger and global warming.

Telegraph.co.uk

Sony Unveils Waterproof Xperia ZR Smartphone
PC Magazine
Sony today added a new rugged smartphone to its Xperia lineup, the waterproof Xperia ZR. The device will allow for underwater photo and video capture, Sony said. With all the ports firmly closed, the Xperia ZR will work in up to five feet of water for 30 ...

Monday's movers: BlackBerry up ahead of conference
MarketWatch
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — BlackBerry rose on Monday for a fourth straight session as the company geared up for its annual conference in Orlando, Fla. Top Tickers Trending. $BBRY: BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) shares climbed 1.7%. BlackBerry ...

Microsoft Trashes Google Docs in New Commercials - Tom's Hardware
Tom's Hardware Guide
Microsoft hasn't been shy about criticizing Google over the last few months. The company's been telling users they're getting 'Scroogled' since November. However, this time around, Redmond is taking a different tack. The company has just released two new ...

Why Forbes Partnered With Google On Mobile Recommendations
Forbes
Today Google rolls out mobile recommendations powered by Google+, with Forbes as the launch partner. I had been thinking about social filters and what constitutes a 'credible recommendation' when Google Google called in February. They had a new ...

Sony preps super-thin, flexible e-ink tablet for universities
PCWorld
Sony will soon launch a flexible e-reader device that is less than 7mm thick and weighs 358 grams, targeted for use in university classrooms. The company's grayscale "Digital Paper" device has a 13.3-inch touch capable screen, which it says is the size of an ...

Samsung Announces New '5G' Wireless Technology
Businessweek
On Monday, Samsung Electronics (005930) announced it had developed a new “5G” wireless standard that could be hundreds of times faster than today's 4G networks. The new wireless standard is at least seven years away, so you won't be streaming full ...

NASA sees giant solar wave erupt from the sun
NBCNews.com (blog)
By Tariq Malik, Space.com. The sun celebrated May Day with a spectacular solar eruption Wednesday, unleashing a colossal wave of super-hot plasma captured on camera by a NASA spacecraft. The solar eruption occurred over a 2.5-hour period ...

Lamborghini's new 'Egoista' supercar thinks it's a jet aircraft
DVICE
If James Bond (or Batman) were Italian, you can bet that he'd be tooling around in the just-unveiled Lamborghini Egoista. Created to celebrate the Italian car maker's 50th anniversary, the Egoista was heavily influenced by the aviation industry.

DVICE

Audi Sales in China Exceed BMW, Mercedes on Demand for SUVs
Bloomberg
Volkswagen AG (VOW)'s Audi posted the fastest pace of sales growth among German luxury marques in China last month after it sold more sport-utility vehicles. Audi deliveries rose 13 percent to 38,710 vehicles in China and Hong Kong in April, the ...

'Junk' DNA Mystery Solved: It's Not Needed
LiveScience.com
So-called junk DNA, the vast majority of the genome that doesn't code for proteins, really isn't needed for a healthy organism, according to new research. "At least for a plant,  junk DNA really is just junk — it's not required," said study co-author Victor Albert, ...

Metro: Last Light refuses to let you go (review)
VentureBeat
I was running out of time and ammo. Mutated wolves, freakish crustaceans, and a flying demon were relentlessly hunting me through the swampland. According to my watch, I only had 15 seconds left of breathable air in the gas mask. I had two choices: either ...

How long until your doctor is wearing Google Glass?
VentureBeat
This story is part of a series exploring the themes of our upcoming health tech conference, May 20-21 in San Francisco. Read the full series here. Most of us wouldn't be excited about the prospect of a camera mounted on the side of our face. But then again ...

Nokia Publishes Video Teaser for New Lumia
Wall Street Journal
Nokia Corp. on Monday published a short clip on YouTube's video service intended to hype the launch of another new Lumia device, one day before the Finnish company has a Lumia product event scheduled in London. The company last week launched a ...

Teens who text and drive more likely to take other risks
CNN (blog)
High school students who acknowledge texting while driving are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, such as riding with a driver who has been drinking alcohol; not wearing a seat belt; or drinking and driving themselves, according to a new study.

Square Enix Financials: Net Sales Up, ¥13.7 Billion Lost - The Escapist
The Escapist
Square Enix lost ¥13.7 billion ($134.8 million) in 2012, despite a net sales increase of 15.7% over the previous financial year. The fiscal year ending March 2013 - which saw the launch of Tomb Raider, a title that enjoyed exceptionally good sales despite not ...

Google Preps Update to Android Gaming: 'Google Play Games'
PC Magazine
If you're a Google Gamer – as in, Android gamer – then there's a bit of good news in store for you. A new leak in advance of next week's big Google I/O conference has revealed a host of gaming-friendly features set to arrive to the Android platform in the form ...

Flipboard Enhances User Curated Magazines with Profile Pages and 'Friends ...
Mac Rumors
Flipboard for iOS has been updated to version 2.0.2, adding profile pages for its users along with a new "Friends" category and the ability to share articles via SMS. Profile pages are designed to work in conjunction with the Magazine functionality that was ...

Mac Rumors

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is Ubisoft's homage to action flicks of the 1980s
New York Daily News
LOVED IT: The perfect 1980s action movie vibe, terrific writing and voice acting, great value. HATED IT: Autosave issues. GRAB IT IF: You loved the 1980s. It's not “Rambo: First Blood” or “Bloodsport.” It just feels that way. Welcome to Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, ...

New York Daily News

US Revises Down CO2 Reading That Showed Key Threshold Passed
Businessweek
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revised down readings that showed the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surpassed a threshold not seen for 3 million years. Preliminary data published May 10 showed the gas reached a ...

Silent ride to raise awareness about bicycle safety
HollandSentinel.com
Bicyclists head out from the Holland Civic Center for the Ride of Silence in 2011. Jim Hayden/Sentinel staff. Events Calendar....

AppleCare Minus: Apple changes AppleCare for the worse
Mind Of The Geek
Apple is revamping their AppleCare plans to have more devices repaired rather than replaced. But is the change really a genius move for Apple and its customer loyalty? Since purchasing my first iPhone 3G in 2008 (and owning every iPhone since then), I've ...

Scientists measure LA's carbon footprint - USA Today
USA TODAY
A project at CalTech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is trying to measure the carbon footprint of human activity in the Los Angeles basin. (May 13). Post to Facebook. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Tweeted! A tweet has been ...

Musical Chairs: Ted Ullyot Is Leaving Facebook
Above the Law
If you have a friend who might be interested in serving as the general counsel to a leading technology company, you might want to give that person a poke. As we mentioned earlier today, a top job is about to open up: Ted Ullyot plans to step down as GC of ...

City's Bike Share Program Nearly Ready To Roll
NY1
As the city prepares to launch its much-anticipated bike sharing program in two weeks, NY1 this weekend got a first-hand look at the bikes and their docking stations. NY1's Arlene Borenstein filed the following report. Insert a special key and green light means...

NY1

Half-Life 2 Now Playable On The Oculus Rift
Gamenguide
Valve has some good news for all the Gordon Freeman fans out there. And no, it's not Half-Life 3. Valve has released an official update for Half-Life 2 that offers Oculus Rift support for the popular first-person shooter. The Oculus Rift is a virtual reality head set...

Gamenguide

North Country bird walk will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day Saturday
NewHampshire.com
GORHAM — The public is invited to join White Mountain National Forest biologist Lesley Rowse on Saturday in the North Country for an early-morning bird walk to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. The two-hour walk will begin at 7 a.m. at the parking ...

Study: Climate change will cut habitats by 2080 - USA Today
USA TODAY
Climate change leaves many plants and animals only a few decades to adjust. A study warns that losses of living space will afflict plants and animals worldwide, raising extinction worries. GLOBE. Top two maps show how plant (left) and animal (right) species ...

Museum to unveil bison fossils
fox5sandiego.com
NaturalHistoryMuseum SAN DIEGO — Paleontologists at the San Diego Natural History Museum today will unveil the fossilized bones of an Ice Age bison — bones that turned to stone and then rested in what is now North County for 200,000 years. Caltrans ...

PS4 leaked: a well-produced fake, or the real deal? You decide
PlayStation Universe
Moments ago, Netherlands-based website PSX-Sense posted a supposed leaked teaser trailer for the PlayStation 4. There are at least three reasons to take this with a massive grain of salt. 1) No source, except for an anonymous tipster, is provided. 2) The ...

Amazon Coins arrive for Kindle Fire users
CNET
The e-commerce giant and tablet contender is marking the launch by disbursing 500 free coins -- the equivalent of a $5 bill -- into the Amazon accounts of existing and new Kindle Fire customers in the U.S. Amazon unveiled its virtual currency in February.
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Google I/O Day 2: Chrome Browser Improvements, Chrome and Google Drive for ...

Google I/O Day 2: Chrome Browser Improvements, Chrome and Google Drive for ...
PCWorld
Google rolled out a series of improvements to some of its core web products today at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Google I/O: Day Two (Live Blog)
Forbes
Update: Google Announces Chrome Browser and Google Drive cloud service for Apple's iPhone, iPad It's Day Two at Google's I/O developer conference in San Francisco, where more than 5500 attendees have gathered to hear the latest news on the Android ...

Threat level Google I/O: Which companies have the most to fear
VentureBeat
In day one of its Google I/O developer conference yesterday, Google upped the ante with many long-term foes and entered some new spaces. The company announced the latest version of Android, Jelly Bean. (I was hoping J would stand for jalebi; maybe us ...

VentureBeat

Google I/O Day One: Google continues attacks on Apple, Amazon
CNET
A renewed focus on user experience, fit and finish, and media makes Google mobile products even more attractive for consumers. Read this blog post by Rafe Needleman on Internet & Media.

Are you Chromebook curious? Google to put Chromebooks Best Buy retail stores
VentureBeat
Google is bringing its line of Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks to brick-and-mortar retail stores, the company announced today during its developers event in San Francisco today. Google first announced that its new line of Chromebooks would be available ...

VentureBeat

Saturn moon Titan may harbor ocean below surface
Sacramento Bee
By ALICIA CHANG AP Science Writer LOS ANGELES -- Scientists reported Thursday on the strongest sign yet that Saturn's giant moon may have a salty ocean beneath its chilly surface. If confirmed, it would catapult Titan into an elite class of solar ...

Researchers isolate reason market tomatoes don't taste as good as homegrown
Sacramento Bee
By Julie Granka Perfectly ripened, evenly red tomatoes, stacked on top of each other in the large bins of supermarkets, have been bred to look that way. Ironically, as a direct consequence, they are less sweet and flavorful.

Google Mimics Amazon Cloud With 'Google Compute Engine'
Wired News
By Cade Metz With Google Compute Engine -- a new service unveiled by on Thursday -- you too can run applications inside Google's state-of-the-art data centers. Photo: Google Google has unveiled a service akin to Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud, ...

Wired News

Hands On: Nexus 7 Tablet Is a Media Hub that Amazon Must Fear
Wired News
By Nathan Olivarez-Giles Google and Asus have teamed up to build the Nexus 7 tablet, a rival to Amazon's Kindle Fire. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired I've only been using it for about a day now, but the Nexus 7 is already the best 7-inch tablet I've ever ...

Wired News

Comcast, Boxee Tell FCC of Agreement in Dispute Over Encryption
Businessweek
By Mark Milian and Todd Shields on June 28, 2012 Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) (CMCSA) and Boxee Inc. said they agreed on a method for showing encrypted cable channels on the startup's devices, which can be connected to a television to show Internet video and ...

A space telescope to thwart deadly asteroids: Donations needed
Los Angeles Times
NASA has an eye on the sky for massive asteroids, the kind that could turn our planet to pulp. But "small" asteroids -- the ones that could simply spur tsunamis, 100-megaton-type explosions and widespread death and destruction -- aren't a priority with ...

Megaupload warrants ruled illegal by New Zealand court
Washington Post
A court in New Zealand has ruled that the search warrants used by New Zealand police when they raided the home of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom were invalid. Reuters reported that a High Court judge said the search warrants were “too vague” and “did ...

Qualcomm restructures to help protect patents
Reuters
* New subsidiary to house chips, R&D * Qualcomm to keep most patents separate from license business * Qualcomm shares fall 1.8 percent June 28 (Reuters) - Cellphone chip supplier Qualcomm Inc is changing its internal structure to protect its technology ...

Scientists develop spray-on battery
CNBC.com
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists in the United States have developed a paint that can store and deliver electrical power just like a battery. Traditional lithium-ion batteries power most portable electronics. They are already pretty compact but limited to ...

Google Plugs GDrive Into Chrome OS, iPhones, iPads
Wired News
By Cade Metz Google's Chromebook, a machine that runs essentially runs only one local application: a web browser. Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired Google has plugged its Google Drive online storage service into its Chrome OS operating system as well as...

Samsung appeals Apple injunction against Galaxy Tab
Computerworld
By Martyn Williams IDG News Service - Lawyers for Samsung Electronics have petitioned a US court to suspend a preliminary injunction that blocks its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer from sale in the country. The South Korean electronics company filed ...

Dirt-cheap alternatives to the Google Nexus Q
CNET
Before you plunk down $300 on Google's new media-streaming orb, consider the many other products that do a lot more for a lot less. by Rick Broida The Google Nexus Q looks pretty slick, but $300? For that kind of money you could buy five Roku boxes.

Facebook app for iPhone to get speed boost
msnbc.com
Facebook's iPhone app will be getting a much-needed improvement in speed, something users have been complaining about for awhile. The social network is a rich experience on the iPhone, but that richness has a lot of complexity behind it, ...

Microsoft details its Windows 8 upgrade plans
CNET
Microsoft is getting closer to the Windows 8 finish line and is finalizing details like its upgrade paths from older Windows releases to the coming version. by Mary Jo Foley Microsoft has shared with select partners some specifics about what those ...

Google I/O: Google Glass detailed
Washington Post
Google Chief Executive Sergey Brin took a turn onstage Wednesday at the company's developers conference, showing off the latest news from the Google Glass team. The big announcement: Google Glass will be available for pre-order to US-based developers ...

Continue reading The Modbook Pro gets official, CEO Andreas Haas talks success ...
Engadget
By Brian Heater posted Jun 28th 2012 11:00AM You'd be forgiven for assuming that the ModBook dream died with release of the first iPad. After all, the first version of the hacked notebook predated Apple's announcement by a couple of years.

YouTube for Android gets makeover, new UI and video preload feature
Digitaltrends.com
There was a lot going on at Google I/O on Wednesday. Tablets, spectacles....an update to YouTube for Android was rolled out too. What with all the hullaballoo surrounding the launch of Google's 7-inch tablet on Wednesday, and the fuss over people ...

Nintendo hires a networking chief to shore up a weak spot
VentureBeat
Nintendo of America has hired Duncan Orrell-Jones as its new senior vice president of network business — a job that the company sorely needed to fill. The former Disney Interactive veteran will be in charge of online strategy for its 3DS and Wii U ...

VentureBeat

Google releases Drive SDK 2.0
SlashGear
Google looks to be getting serious in its quest for online storage, announcing some new features at the Day 2 I/O keynote that will take on competitors like Dropbox and Evernote. One of those is in the introduction of Google Drive SDK 2.0, ...

SlashGear

Traditional Windows Desktop to Take Backseat to Windows RT
PC Magazine
By Chloe Albanesius The upcoming launch of Windows RT for ARM-based mobile devices could signal the beginning of the end for the traditional Windows desktop, according to new data from Gartner. Though most users will continue to run Windows desktop ...

Android phones move into the picture
Financial Times
By Chris Nuttall Android smartphones have the summer to themselves in the absence of any new iPhone launch – so Sony and Samsung are taking on America this week with the Ion and Galaxy S III respectively. Also a look at a cellular WiFi hotspot device ...

Financial Times

Former T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm Headed to Vodafone
eWeek
Philipp Humm, who abruptly resigned from his T-Mobile CEO position, will join Vodafone Oct. 1 to oversee portions of Europe. The head of Vodafone Italy will take over the more problematic Southern areas. Philipp Humm, who resigned from his position as ...

Early Human Ancestors Ate Like Chimps
Latinos Post
One of our earliest ancestors seemed to dine on foods more similar to the diet of chimpanzees rather than other hominids. Researchers from Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Colorado Boulder looked at the teeth from ...

Latinos Post

iTunes expected to get much-needed makeover by end of 2012
Ars Technica
by Jacqui Cheng - Jun 28, 2012 4:23 pm UTC Apple is gearing up to make some serious changes to the multiheaded beast known as iTunes, according to sources speaking to Bloomberg. A makeover of iTunes is expected to come before the end of 2012 and will ...

Rock paper scissors robot
Today's THV
UNDATED (CNN) -- If you like to play rock-paper-scissors and you happen to be a masochist, have we got an opponent for you. There is a robot that's a winner, always. When robots start playing rock paper scissors, humanity may find itself caught between ...

Today's THV

Dinosaur cold-blood theory in doubt
BBC News
By Jason Palmer Science and technology reporter, BBC News One of the strongest lines of evidence that dinosaurs were cold-blooded, like modern reptiles, has been knocked down. Prior studies of dinosaur bones uncovered what are known as "lines of ...

BBC News

Nintendo Plans to Make Its 3DS XL Even More Monstrous
The Smoking Section
A few days ago Nintendo unveiled its monstrously huge new handheld, the 3DS XL, but Nintendo isn't stopping there. Oh no, they plan to push even further into uncharted “holy crap, that's pretty big for a 'handheld'” waters by releasing a new 3DS XL ...

TomTom expands Map Share to all navigation devices
SlashGear
There's nothing worse than relying on a GPS unit with incorrect map information, so TomTom has opened up its Map Share community so that around 60 million units can take advantage of daily map changes for free. TomTom say that Map Share was previously ...

CEO Of London's Tech City Project Departs, As Global Tech Race Heats Up
TechCrunch
The TCIO was set up by the UK government to promote East London's pre-existing cluster of technology startups and is just one of hundreds of similar initiatives around the world where a city is promoted as a 'tech city'. It's a natural course to take ...

TechCrunch

Hands on with Googles Project Glass (for 30 seconds)
San Francisco Chronicle (blog)
In that small gesture resides an important distinction — between us deciding when we engage with technology and leaving it up to technology and its providers to make that decision on our behalf. Google insists that the whole point of the glasses is to ...

San Francisco Chronicle (blog)

Cambridge Pixel Announces Technology Transfer Agreement with Samsung ...
MarketWatch (press release)
STC's engineers in Gumi-City, South Korea, wanted to work with a partner that would provide a cost-effective, flexible radar processing and display solution to aid the development of STC's own advancedtechnology solutions for Korean naval programs.

Goal-line technology set for green light
FOXSports.com
Goal-line technology is certain to get the go-ahead from footballs law-makers next week, according to sources Goal-line technology set for green light according to sources.

Among Many Google Announcements, High-Tech Glasses Steal Show
By Carl Franzen
Google executives on Wednesday announced a host of new products and services at the company's developers conference, but none quite as surprising or potentially revolutionary as a pair of prototype high-tech glasses, Google Glass, which Google ... Google's goal with Google Glass, according to the researchers, is to give users a less obtrusive consumer technology experience, removing the clunkiness of having to take out a separate device to take photos and video of everyday ...
TPM News

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