Windows Phone developer lead leaves for Amazon's Kindle team  —  Summary: Brandon Watson, head of developer experiences for Windows Phone, is the latest exec to leave the Microsoft's phone unit.  —  Brandon Watson, known to many Windows Phone developers as head of the WP Developer Experience, is leaving Microsoft for Amazon.

Micron CEO Steve Appleton dies in airplane crash  —  Airport officials say the plane is described as an experimental fixed wing single engine Lancair.  The plane went down at about 8:58 a.m. Here's the full news release issued by the Micron Board of Directors: “We are deeply saddened to announce …

Apple Kicks Chart Topping Fakes Out Of App Store  —  Temple Jump, Tiny Birds, Numbers With Friends.  These are not the apps you love.  They're fakes designed to scam you out of $1.99 when you go to buy Temple Run, Tiny Wings, or Words With Friends.  Today Apple took a stand against plagiarism …

Microsoft testing Skype Windows Phone client, expected at MWC  —  Microsoft's Skype division is currently testing an initial Windows Phone client, expected to debut very soon.  That's the word from several sources who have confirmed that Microsoft employees are able to download a test version …

What is the mystery “entertainment device” Google is testing?  —  Google is asking the Federal Communications Commission for permission to test a mysterious Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled “entertainment device,” in employees homes in four U.S. cities.  So inquiring minds want to know, what exactly is it?

Apple updates iBooks Author to clarify that you own created content  —  Apple has updated its iBooks Author app in order to clarify the language of its End User License Agreement.  The changes to the EULA clarify that Apple does indeed intend the packaged product to be sold on the iBookstore only …

First: Apple's rank in mobile phone profitability and revenues  —  Apple retained its top rank in profitability and regained the top spot in mobile phone revenues.  —  The relative shares of revenues and profits are shown below:  —  Individually, Apple's share of units, revenues and profits is chronicled below:

Bing — Which Has Deals With Facebook and Twitter — Finally Speaks on Social Search Controversy  —  While Google has endured criticism for biasing Google+ content in its new “Search Plus Your World” features, Bing has been surprisingly shy about pressing its social search advantage.

Smart phones overtake client PCs in 2011  —  Canalys today released its full, detailed Q4 2011 country-level smart phone shipment estimates to clients, so completing the picture for the year.  One notable result was that total annual global shipments of smart phones exceeded those of client PCs (including pads) for the first time.

Dropbox offers up to 5GB of free space to anyone willing to go beta  —  Here's some good news for all you Dropboxers out there: the company is offering a bundle of free storage space to anyone who tries the beta version of its new Experimental software.  It's really quite simple …

Apple ads Genius movie, TV recommendations to Apple TV  —  Apple has added its Genius recommendation system from iTunes to Apple TV, offering to suggest titles related to previous purchases.  —  The suggestions are available from new Genius menu options under both Movies and TV, opening listings of related content.

Apple: All iPad and iPhone Models Will be Back on Sale Online in Germany Shortly  —  That was fast.  —  Apple, which has spent the past day pulling older model iPhone and iPad inventory from the shelves of its online store in Germany, is now scrambling to restore it.

Google Issues Statement Regarding CDMA Nexus Devices  —  We reached out to Google to see if we could get some clarification or reasoning as to why CDMA devices would no longer be “supported” as developer devices and they responded.  Dan Morril, an Android engineer who you may be familiar with …

Las Vegas: Startup City  —  Zappos founder Tony Hsieh is spending $350 million of his own to make Sin City a startup hub  —  The history of Las Vegas is full of determined men with outsize egos and grand plans.  There was Bugsy Siegel in the 1940s, envisioning a gambling mecca in the desert, away from the reach of law enforcement.

U.S. government, military to get secure Android phones  —  A U.S soldier checks his cell phone while on patrol in Iraq in December.  Smartphones are first being deployed to soldiers.  —  (CNN) — Some U.S. officials this year are expected to get smartphones capable of handling classified …

Facebook Hires Former Levi's, Apple Exec Rebecca Van Dyck to Lead Marketing  —  As we saw in its IPO filing, Facebook does very little consumer marketing in a traditional sense.  But that may change: It's bringing on former Levi's and Apple exec Rebecca Van Dyck to head global marketing, according to people familiar with the matter.

Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley launches mobile-game startup with Atari arcade veterans  —  Seamus Blackley, the co-creator of the Xbox, passionately believes that gameplay will triumph in the game business.  That is why he and his new startup are relying on a team of famous designers …

Anonymous spies on FBI / UK Police hacking investigation conference call  —  A recording of a confidential conference call between the FBI and UK law enforcement officers at the Metropolitan Police has been released by Anonymous on the internet.  —  And if you think that's bad enough news …