Google Preps Maps App for Apple Devices  —  The head-to-head battle between Apple Inc. and Google Inc. in mobile maps is drawing nearer.  —  Google has distributed a test version of its new mapping app that will work on Apple's iPhones and iPads to some individuals outside the company …

Google, Dish Held Talks to Launch Wireless Service  —  Google Inc. has held talks with satellite-TV provider Dish Network Corp. in recent weeks to partner on a new wireless service that would rival the networks of wireless carriers such as AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Sharing Tweets just got easier  —  If you're like me, you probably come across Tweets every day that you'd like to share.  They might be funny or include a striking photo.  They might be breaking news or feature old news.  Of course, you can retweet any of these to your Twitter followers …

SkyDrive usage has doubled in the last 6 months, now you can select what to sync  —  About 6 months ago, we released the first sync apps for SkyDrive making it easy to view and manage your personal SkyDrive from the File Explorer in Windows and Finder in OS X. We're excited to announce that since then …

Google Launches Ingress, a Worldwide Mobile Alternate Reality Game  —  What's the wackiest thing you can imagine Google launching?  How about a game to fight for control of the minds of everyone on earth?  —  Or maybe that's not so wacky.  —  Meet Ingress, a new free mobile app …

Behind Mark Pincus's Bid to Save Zynga  —  Tears nearly welled up in Zynga Inc. chief executive Mark Pincus's eyes at a meeting in September with Apple Inc. director Bill Campbell.  —  Mr. Campbell, a technology veteran who has coached Silicon Valley CEOs such as Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt …

Pay Another Way: Bitcoin  —  At WordPress.com, our mission is making publishing democratic — accessible and easy for anyone, anywhere.  And while anyone can start a free blog here, not everyone can access upgrades (like going ad-free or enabling custom design) because of limits on traditional payment networks.

U.S. consumers hesitant to make switch to Windows 8  —  Most Windows users in the U.S. know about Windows 8 but few have immediate plans to upgrade to Microsoft's newest operating system.  —  Customers get a look at products at Microsoft's pop-up store in Manhattan in October.

Facebook expands Gifts program by rolling out to millions more users, adding new partners  —  Facebook has announced at an event in NYC that it is rolling out the ability for ‘tens of millions’ of its users to gift someone right from their profile page as of tonight.

E-commerce 2.0  —  We at a16z could not possibly be more bullish on the prospects for e-commerce, and we believe growth is poised to accelerate.  —  Part of the reason for this is due to competitive market dynamics.  As I've blogged before, e-commerce players have substantial cost advantages over their physical competitors.

Verizon Will Reduce Speeds of Repeated BitTorrent Pirates  —  Last year the MPAA and RIAA teamed up with five major Internet providers in the United States to launch the Center for Copyright Information (CCI).  —  The parties agreed on a system through which subscribers are warned …

Crooks steal $1.5M in iPads from JFK  —  Like ‘GoodFellas’ job  —  It beats waiting in line at an Apple Store.  —  A pair of brazen crooks punched another hole in the lax JFK security when they stole a trove of new Apple iPad minis — worth $1.5 million — from the same cargo building …

Twitter Makes Search Results More Visual With Top Photos, Videos & Instant Previews  —  Twitter is rolling out an update to its search results that will put a new “Top Photos” section above matching tweets.  “Top Videos” may also appear.  Twitter will also begin automatically showing tweeted pictures …

Sinofsky speaks, denies he tried to take over Windows Phone division at Microsoft  —  Former chief of Windows, Steven Sinofsky, departed Microsoft earlier this week in a shock announcement following the release of Windows 8 and Surface RT. While sources have claimed his departure was related …

HP's Todd Bradley: Surface is no competition to us  —  Todd Bradley, the head of HP's PC business, does not view Microsoft's Surface tablet as a challenge.  —  “I'd hardly call Surface competition,” Bradley said in an interview with IDG Enterprise.  He listed several reasons, “One, very limited distribution.

Apple, Samsung Allowed to Add Products to Patent Lawsuit  —  Apple Inc. (AAPL) can add patent- infringement claims against the Samsung Galaxy Note, the U.S. version of the Galaxy S III and the Jelly Bean operating system, and Samsung Electronics Co. can add the iPhone 5 to its infringement claims against Apple, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. Cable Companies Reportedly Assessing Potential Infrastructure Impact of ‘Imminent’ Apple TV Product  —  Barron's reports on a new research note from Jefferies & Co. analyst James Kisner noting that he believes the launch of an unspecified Apple television product (presumably either …

Meet Dropbox Chooser, The Improved Upload Or Attach Button For The Cloud-Based Set  —  Dropbox introduced a new feature today, called Chooser, which is aimed at developers and allows them to build in an “attach from from Dropbox feature” for their web-based products.

Lytro to get Perspective Shift and Living Filters for more focus-shifting fun (video)  —  Lytro has just announced a software update that expands upon the multidimensional elements of the little light-field point-and-shoot.  The Lytro Desktop software will get two new features …

Dell Results Fall Short of Expectations, but Shares Rally Anyway  —  Dell's quarterly results just crossed the wires, and, as was expected, sales were light.  —  The results compare with a consensus view of analysts, which called for a per-share profit of 40 cents on sales of $13.9 billion.

Google modifies Android SDK to battle platform fragmentation  —  New terms for developers specifically prohibits them from any action that could contribute to further fragmentation of the mobile platform.  —  Recognizing that fragmentation of the Android platform frustrates consumers and developers alike …

Apple Takes Over Former Nortel Patents  —  Apple is stocking up on patents.  —  The company has quietly snapped up more than a thousand patents in the past six months from Rockstar Consortium, a move that helps bolster it as it battles Google, Samsung, and other Android backers in the mobile-device market.

Sorkin: Steve Jobs biopic to be 3 real-time scenes from backstage at Mac, NeXT, iPod launches  —  Today at the Hero Summit, an invitation-only “theatrical-journalism event' being covered by The Daily Beast, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin made some comments about the upcoming Steve Jobs movie based …