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12:40 PM ET, August 15, 2011

Techmeme

 Top Items: 
Larry Page / The Official Google Blog:
Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility  —  Since its launch in November 2007, Android has not only dramatically increased consumer choice but also improved the entire mobile experience for users.  Today, more than 150 million Android devices have been activated worldwide …
Discussion: GigaOM, L.A. Times Tech Blog, FOSS Patents, Ars Technica, Daring Fireball, PC World, VentureBeat, The Tech Trade, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, AllThingsD, SiliconANGLE, Seattle Times, Tech Trader Daily, Between the Lines Blog, Ed Burnette's Dev …, Network World, Digital Trends, Google Operating System, BaltTech, 9to5Google, Internet2Go, mocoNews, Wall Street Journal, Examiner, Computerworld, SplatF, MarketWatch, All about Microsoft Blog, MacRumors, Fast Company, AppleInsider, Guardian, SiliconANGLE, VatorNews, Deal Journal, Motorola Media Center, LiveSide.net, TechFlash, Engadget, GeekWire, The Business Insider, Tech and China, SplatF, AllThingsD, asymco, TechCrunch, Epicenter, Reuters, Mobilized, Digits, SplatF, Search Engine Land, ReadWriteWeb, Fast Company, AppleInsider, TechCrunch, ZDNet, InfoWorld, Android Phone Fans, App Advice, Inquirer, 9to5Google, WinRumors, Fortune, ExtremeTech, AllThingsD, TechEye, Bits, AnandTech, ITworld.com, This is my next, DSLreports, paidContent, Hardware 2.0 Blog, Gizmodo, techblog.dallasnews.com, IntoMobile, Connected Planet Online, Z Trek, CNET News, Reuters, @edbott, Electricpig.co.uk, Andrew R H Girdwood, @dannysullivan, Techie Buzz, Lost Remote, Geek News Central, webOSroundup, Zatz Not Funny!, Reuters, BGR, Fudzilla, Androinica, 9to5Mac, PhoneArena, Redmond Pie, Pulse2, Appolicious Advisor, WPCentral.com, Pocket-lint, Droid Life, FierceWireless, TUAW, The Next Web, FreakGeeks, I4U News, MobileBurn.com, Edible Apple, DealBook, Liliputing, Evolver.fm, TechnoBolt, MediaNama, Android and Me, The Tech Report, blog.chron.com, SlashGear, The Next Web, AnandTech, DailyTech, FT Tech Hub, Macworld, TechPinions, Marketing Pilgrim, Android Phone Fans, gHacks Technology News, dailywireless.org, @reckless, SlashPhone, Mashable! and Techoti, more at Mediagazer »
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Henry Blodget / The Business Insider:
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE GOOGLE-MOTOROLA DEAL: It Could End Up Being A Disaster  —  A very interesting move by Google this morning, buying handset hardware maker Motorola for $12.5 billion.  —  Google deserves credit for a big, bold move.  —  But let's be real: This deal could end up being a disaster.
Larry Dignan / Between the Lines Blog:
Google's $12.5 billion Motorola Mobility bet: 6 reasons why it makes sense  —  Summary: Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility solves the search giant's patent problems, gives it a bigger say in hardware integration and fixes a few other issues.  Here's a look at the moving parts.
Mary Jo Foley / All about Microsoft Blog:
Google's Motorola acquisition: Microsoft patent case takes a new turn  —  Summary: With the Google announcement that it intends to buy Motorola Mobility, the Microsoft vs. Motorola patent battle just took a new turn.  —  The Microsoft vs. Motorola patent case just took a new turn on August 15 …
Jonathan S. Geller / BGR:
Exclusive: 4G LTE iPhone currently in carrier testing  —  Apple's iPhone 5 is set to be unveiled in the next month or so, though no one quite knows what the device will feature thanks to the ongoing flood of rumors.  Sure, we have a pretty good idea of what it will look like …
Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:
Facebook Pal Buddy Media Raises $54 Million  —  Facebook is worth anywhere from $50 billion to $100 billion.  Now Buddy Media, which helps advertisers manage their presence on the social network, is worth $500 million.  —  That's the valuation sources say the company earned in its most recent $54 million financing round.
Florian Mueller / FOSS Patents:
Most Android vendors lost their Linux distribution rights, could face shakedown or shutdown  —  Last week I read about an Android licensing issue that I wasn't previously aware of.  It's a pretty serious one, and it's not that hard to understand.  The short version is that
Josh Lowensohn / CNET News:
Adobe debuts Muse, a no-code-required site builder  —  Adobe's targeting graphic designers with a new product codenamed Muse that aims to help them build working Web sites just like they'd design a prototype in one of the company's other design apps.  —  VIDEO  —  Your e-mail's been hacked: Now what?
Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:
iOS 5 Assistant based on Siri technology, may tap into contacts, calendars, e-mail  —  Siri's iPhone app promotional video: how iOS Assistant will likely function  —  While we were able to exclusively report on substantial evidence that Apple is planning a system-wide voice navigation system called …
Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
McAfee launches anti-theft mobile app for the iPhone  —  McAfee, one of the leaders in PC antivirus software, is launching a consumer-focused anti-theft app for the iPhone today.  The new McAfee WaveSecure allows users to protect their privacy and data in case their iPhones are lost or stolen.
Dieter Bohn / This is my next:
BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available on Verizon website for $249.99 on contract  —  With little fanfare, the BlackBerry Bold 9930 has appeared on Verizon's website.  Pricing is $249.99 with a 2-year contract and $509.99 off-contract.  Some reports have the smartphone at $199.99 depending on customer-specific upgrade pricing.
Jean-Louis Gassée / Monday Note:
Steve, Please Buy Us A Carrier!  —  We're at the end of the 2011 iPhone 5 launch.  The demos went well; Steve Jobs has come back on stage to thank everyone and conclude the proceedings, “...but before you go, just One More Thing.  I'd like you to meet someone.”  And the CEO of Deutsche Telekom walks onstage.
Discussion: Techland and Guardian
Neal Gabler / New York Times:
The Elusive Big Idea  —  Neal Gabler is a senior fellow at the Annenberg Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California and the author of “Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination.”  —  THE July/August issue of The Atlantic trumpets the “14 Biggest Ideas of the Year.”
Chris Yeh / Adventures in Capitalism:
The Lesson of Dropbox: Usage = Value  —  Word on the street is that Dropbox is about to raise a major round of financing at a $5 billion+ valuation.  While some will cry “Bubble!”, I think there's a different lesson we can learn: Usage = Value.  —  Let's face it—Dropbox isn't the most complicated business or technology.
Robin Wauters / TechCrunch:
Time Warner Cable Buys Cable Company Insight Communications For $3 Billion  —  Rumors about the news swirled yesterday, but Time Warner Cable just confirmed it has acquired Midwest cable operator Insight Communications for $3 billion in cash.  Insight serves over 750,000 customers in Indiana …
RELATED:
Bloomberg:
Time Warner Cable Said Near $3B Purchase of Insight
Matthew Lasar / Ars Technica:
Feature: Mad about metered billing?  They were in 1886, too  —  Hopping mad about metered billing?  Spluttering about tethering restrictions and early termination fees?  Raging over data caps?  You're not alone.  Perhaps you can take some comfort from this editorial in The New York Times:
Zee / The Next Web:
Anonymous hacks SF's myBART website.  Thousands of names, addresses & numbers released.  —  Anonymous, the online hacktivist group, has released thousands of names, email addresses, home addresses and phone numbers believed to be from myBart.org, an independent site that uses BART's …
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 More Items: 
Claire Cain Miller / New York Times:
Flash-Sale Site Turns to More Traditional Retail Models
Discussion: Betabeat
Ross Rubin / Engadget:
Switched On: TabCo's tease
Frédéric Filloux / Monday Note:
Gunning for the Copyright Reformers
Discussion: Guardian
Juliette Garside / Guardian:
Superfast broadband gets ready to go UK-wide
Jack Purcher / Patently Apple:
The Grand eBook Conspiracy: Class Action Efforts Launched against Apple
Robin Wauters / TechCrunch:
Facebook Bans Netlog For Violating Its Policies
Aliya Sternstein / Nextgov.com:
Administration issues far-reaching plan for building cyber workforce
 Earlier Items: 
Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:
OS X Lion $69 USB stick enters Apple's inventory system, release is imminent
Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:
Habit Labs Gets $250K To Turn Leading A Healthier Life Into A Game
Max Eddy / Geekosystem:
Researchers Develop Remote, Real-Time Cell Phone Photo Search
David Murphy / PC Magazine:
Firefox 6 ‘Released’ Two Days Early
Kashmir Hill / The Not-So Private Parts:
‘London Riots Facial Recognition’ Vigilantes Abandon Their Project
Discussion: SlashGear, Thanks:forbestech
Ryan Lawler / GigaOM:
Does Cinemax's iPad app violate Apple's no-porn policy?
Fred Wilson / A VC:
On Porous Paywalls  —  Felix Salmon has a couple great posts …
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Authentic Brands licenses Sports Illustrated's publishing rights to The Players' Tribune owner Minute Media for 10 years, with plans to keep the print edition

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Ofcom rules that five GB News programs presented by Conservative politicians have broken its due impartiality rules and puts the channel “on notice”

Todd Spangler / Variety:
YouTuber MrBeast announces a deal with Prime Video for Beast Games, a reality-competition show with 1,000 contestants, promising the winner a $5M cash prize

 
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