Goodbye Erick, Hello Eric  —  TechCrunch has been through a lot lately, and we need to focus on what truly matters: covering startups and innovation.  So, this post is going to be short.  —  But here is what's going on: Erick Schonfeld is leaving and Eric Eldon is replacing him as editor.

Samsung Galaxy S III full specs: 1.5GHz quad-core, 1080p display, ceramic case  —  We reported some exclusive details surrounding Samsung's upcoming flagship Galaxy S III smartphone this past weekend, and now we have received some more information that helps us paint a more complete picture.

Yahoo Warns Facebook of a Potential Patent Fight  —  As Yahoo struggles to keep up with younger competitors, the Web portal company is weighing a new tactic: threatening legal action over its patent holdings.  —  Yahoo is seeking to force Facebook into licensing 10 to 20 patents over technologies …

Helping Improve the Mobile Web  —  To help developers reach more people, we're committed to providing distribution across all platforms.  The Open Graph, combined with News Feed and Timeline, helps people discover new apps through friends, regardless of the technology stack used.

Whole Foods prototype puts Kinect on shopping cart, follows people around store  —  The quest for a high-tech “shopping cart of the future” is nothing new, but Whole Foods is planning to test a new spin on the concept, using Microsoft's Kinect sensor for Windows.

The Mounting Minuses at Google+  —  Playing Catchup to Facebook, Google's Social Network Is a Virtual Ghost Town by Comparison  —  To hear Google Inc. Chief Executive Larry Page tell it, Google+ has become a robust competitor in the social networking space, with 90 million users registering since its June launch.

AT&T Plan Would Let App Makers Pay for Subscribers' Data Use  —  BARCELONA—AT&T Inc. is preparing a service that would let content providers and developers of mobile applications pay the wireless carrier for the mobile data its customers use, the carrier's network and technology head John Donovan said in an interview Monday.

Mozilla in Mobile - the Web is the Platform  —  This week we are in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress 2012, the mobile industry's largest trade show.  Our goal is to meet with industry operators, vendors and developers to further the cause of promoting an open, people-centric Web for consumers …

Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots — feast your eyes  —  This is it.  Here's an exclusive first look at some sample shots taken with Nokia's freshly minted 808 PureView imaging powerhouse — and wow, just wow!  The collection contains photos taken at different resolutions in various conditions …

On Google & Being “Evil”  —  “I don't think they were ever not evil,” I'm quoted as saying about Google in a New York Times column yesterday.  True enough, I said that.  But I wanted to provide some further context about my comments as well as the truly disastrous two months Google has had on the public relations front.

Dell says it's ‘no longer a PC company,’ focusing on enterprise  —  Dell looks like it's going to be shifting its focus to enterprise and away from consumer PCs.  Brad Anderson, president of Dell's enterprise group, said today that “we're no longer a PC company, we're an IT company,” according to PC Pro.

Motorola takes jab at Apple with Android Voice Actions vs. Siri comparison  —  Handset maker Motorola Mobility may have found itself in an uneasy place as both Microsoft and Apple are attempting to block its $12.billion sale to Google, but the company's marketing department is as vigorous as ever.

LinkedIn Follow Button: Companies, Look Who's Following You Now  —  Today, we're excited to announce the launch of LinkedIn's Follow Company button.  Starting today, companies will be adding this button to their websites, making it easier for any consumer on the web to begin following companies of interest, on LinkedIn.

How Apple snookered Proview to get the iPad trademark  —  Fresh details of the subterfuge emerge in a U.S. lawsuit.  Apple doesn't deny any of it.  —  Steve Jobs unveils the iPad.  Image: Apple Inc.  —  Here's how Apple (AAPL) allegedly got Proview International Holdings to sell …

Motorola can't enforce standard-essential patents against Apple in Germany while appeal is pending — huge victory for Apple, bad news for Google  —  [Update] I have produced an unofficial translation of the court's press release.  [/Update]  —  Apple scored a breakthrough court victory today …

In Attack on Vatican Web Site, a Glimpse of Hackers' Tactics  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The elusive hacker movement known as Anonymous has carried out Internet attacks on well-known organizations like Sony and PBS.  In August, the group went after its most prominent target yet: the Vatican.

Apple Developer IDs Bring Us One Brick Closer to an OS X Walled Garden  —  Apple sent out notice to its developers today of a new initiative called Developer ID, which will combat malware on OS X alongside the new-to-Mountain-Lion Gatekeeper.  It's to keep us, the users, safe.

Dropbox Buys Cove To Bring Former Facebookers Ruchi Sanghvi And Aditya Agarwal To The Team  —  The rumors are true!  Dropbox has acquired stealth collaboration startup Cove for its talent, namely the brilliant engineering duo and couple Aditya Agarwal and Ruchi Sanghvi.

Google, Apple Hit With Patent Over Street View For iPad  —  Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) are in a worldwide squabble over smartphone patents, but they will have to cooperate long enough to fight a common enemy—a Florida firm that says both tech giants are infringing its mapping technology.

EPIC Isn't Taking “No” For An Answer, Files Emergency Appeal In Google Privacy Case  —  The Electronic Privacy Information Center, also known as EPIC, isn't backing down from its desire to have Google's privacy policy changes investigated by the Federal Trade Commission.

Social Email Contact Manager Xobni Raises $10 Million From ‘Commercial’ Partner  —  Social email startup Xobni, the social email plugin that makes your inbox smarter, has raised $10 million in new funding, according to an SEC filing.  We confirmed the new round with the company.

Facebook IPO May Be Worth $2.45 Billion to the State of California  —  You know who is happy about Facebook's IPO, aside from its investors and fanboys?  The state of California.  The Golden State has been plagued by bad news about its budget, but a new estimate from the state …