App Center: A New Place to Find Social Apps  —  Today we're launching the App Center to make it easier to find apps you can enjoy with friends.  —  The App Center features mobile and web apps, such as Draw Something, Pinterest, and Nike+ GPS, and new apps including Jetpack Joyride, Ghosts of Mistwood, and Ghost Recon Commander.

Ultrabooks beware: Apple receives broad patent on MacBook Air wedge design  —  It's been pretty easy to look at recent Apple design patents and see that they haven't carried with them the broad patent coverage many might think, but that isn't the case with Apple's new US patent — D661,296 — that issued on Tuesday.

Apple, Motorola Mobility Patent Trial Scrapped By U.S. Judge  —  Apple Inc.'s patent-infringement jury trial against Google Inc. (GOOG)'s Motorola Mobility unit scheduled for June 11 was canceled by a U.S. judge after he rejected each side's damages arguments.

Why Your Next iPhone Should Be Prepaid  —  Earlier this week, we did the math and declaredprepaid carrier Cricket Mobile to be the best iPhone deal around, but today's announcement that Sprint's Virgin Mobile will also be offering the iPhone 4S starting on June 24th changes the math substantially …

Free iPads scheduled for landing at airports  —  Another reason not to make eye contact with anyone on the concourse.  —  (Credit: OTG)  —  If you enjoy the ritual of sitting down at your departure gate to kill some time with your iPad while waiting for your flight to board …

What Steve Jobs Left Untouched  —  There were a lot of things Steve Jobs was right about.  —  Probably the most important thing he got right was realizing that you have to build a great stadium before you can invent great sports.  An example of this was the decision in 1986 to build every Mac with networking.

‘DIY streetview’ camera lets you be Google  —  The world is your oyster.  —  (Credit: Streetview Technology)  —  As Google takes Street View off-road with its new Trekker backpacks, German company Streetview Technology is taking the mapping technology in yet another new direction — DIY terrain.

Apple agrees to $2.25 million settlement in Australia over ‘misleading’ iPad 4G advertising  —  Apple has agreed to pay settlement costs of $2.25 million to end a legal case that accuses the company of misleading the Australian public over the 4G-compatibility of the new iPad in the country, according to The Australian.

T-Mobile confirms it will offer WWDC attendees iPhone-compatible ‘4G’ at Moscone West  —  A T-Mobile spokesperson told us in a response to our story earlier that yes the carrier is going to have an iOS device-compatible “4G” HSPA+ Mobile network available to attendees in Moscone.

Apple Said To Add Baidu As Iphone Search-Engine In China  —  Apple Inc. (AAPL) plans to add Baidu Inc. (BIDU)'s search engine on iPhones in China, part of a push to broaden its services and user base in the world's most-populous nation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Nest Learning Thermostat now on sale at Amazon for $249  —  Just last week we reported that the Nest Learning Thermostat was coming to Apple stores, and now the energy-saving gadget has made its way onto Amazon.  Introduced by ex-Apple executive Tony Fadell, the Nest has proven enormously popular since …

Microsoft Office first desktop app to hit Windows 8 store  —  (Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)  —  Dominated by Metro apps, the Windows Store has landed its first desktop program.  —  Office 2010 is now available through the online store, making good on Microsoft's promise …

Bing introduces New Britannica Online Encyclopedia Answers  —  A core focus for us here at Bing has been about delivering relevant information in a more organized way to help you find what you need more quickly and get stuff done.  An example of this approach has been seen in our answers feature …

TaskRabbit Founder Leah Busque Takes Back The Reins, Stepping Back Into CEO Role  —  Leah Busque, the founder of TaskRabbit, the web and mobile marketplace for outsourcing small jobs and errands, has reassumed the role of CEO at the San Francisco-based startup.

Speedier Shortening  —  We mean it when we say we've been reading all your tweets and emails.  And we're listening!  In the week since our release, we're already making adjustments, so that saving and shortening links in the new bitly is a whole lot easier.

Disney Implements 28-Day Embargo on All Physical Rentals  —  Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has begun delaying select new disc releases 28-days to kiosks, video stores and Netflix — a policy the studio started with the May 22 release of The Secret World of Arrietty, a studio representative confirmed.

“RIP Good Times”: Silicon Valley's Cuban Missile Crisis  —  Not too long ago, I found myself sitting in the second row of a conference room, anxiously scribbling notes, at what is now known as the “RIP Good Times” presentation.  The presentation has become a cultural touchstone of modern-era silicon valley.

Google Apps Contracts Steeled for Europeans  —  Google says it will update the user contracts for Google Apps — its suit of online business applications — to better comply with the European Union's rules on sharing personal data abroad.  —  On Wednesday, the search giant …

Recruiting the Draft Picks: Twitter's Internal Shuffle, Spurred by a Year-Long Talent Raid on the Valley  —  Twitter is looking more and more different by the day — and it's not just the company's fancy new little blue bird logo.  —  The company is in the midst of a significant ongoing …

Microsoft, Windows 8, and the Innovator's Dilemma (or, why you hate Windows 8)  —  One thing is obvious from the immediate reaction to Windows 8 Release Preview.  Most of those who try it do not like it.  It is a contrast to the pre-release days of Windows 7, when there was near-consensus that …

Dell Announces a New $100M Credit Fund for Entrepreneurs to Spark Startup Growth & Innovation … Entrepreneurs are constantly grappling with money — how to raise it, how to make it and how to, potentially, survive without it.  Yet, Dell has taken one big step toward solving every startup's qualms today.

Facebook beefs up security of logins on new devices in face of industry breaches  —  According to Facebook, it would like to make your mobile experience a tad more secure.  In a blog post from the security team today, it outlined some of the initiatives that the company is using to make that happen.

The New iPad's Closest Competitor?  The Old iPad.  —  During Apple's last earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said the iPad 2′s new lower price point was unlocking demand among price-sensitive customers.  So how is it selling?  —  Very well, turns out.  —  According to new data …

Best Buy Founder Resigns, Explores Options for Stake  —  Best Buy Co. founder and largest individual shareholder Richard Schulze resigned as chairman and a director and said he intends to explore options for his 20.1% stake, a move that could make the electronics retailer a takeover candidate.

Twitter Shuts Down Thunderclap, New Tweet-Boosting Service  —  Twitter appears to be building a very nice business on the basis of its ability to promote tweets.  The last thing it needs is anyone else coming in and using its platform to offer a competing service.