New Android Smartphone Is Said to Favor Facebook  —  Facebook will introduce a special version of Google's Android software system next week that is modified to put the social network front and center on a smartphone.  The software will debut on a handset made by HTC, said a Facebook employee who was briefed on the product.

Showing Support for Marriage Equality on Facebook  —  The U.S. Supreme Court this week met to begin debating the future of same-sex marriage in the United States.  To accompany this historic event, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) started urging people on Monday, March 25 to change …

Biting the hand that feeds you: why are record labels fighting Pandora?  —  Labels want streaming and web radio to grow the pie, but want their share too  —  A few years ago, leaders from the major record companies planted the seeds from which they hoped would spring the next generation of music distributors.

Actually, Amazon Paid About $150 Million for Goodreads  —  According to sources, Amazon paid about $150 million for Goodreads, the popular books recommendation service.  But that number could close in on $200 million, if certain performance metrics are met.

New Windows 8 hardware specs hint at 7-inch tablets and a Microsoft Reader  —  Summary: A quiet change in the logo requirements for new Windows 8 devices allows Microsoft's hardware partners to build new devices that would compete with popular 7- and 8-inch tablets like the iPad Mini, Kindle Fire HD, and Google Nexus 7.

LivingSocial Co-Founder And CTO Aaron Batalion To Leave The Company  —  Aaron Batalion, the co-founder and CTO of daily deals site LivingSocial, is leaving the company.  He announced his departure in a post on his personal blog published Friday afternoon.  —  We've reached out to Batalion …

2020 Census will be done by Internet  —  Add paper census questionnaires to the long list of everyday items becoming quaint vestiges of tired technology, like landline phones, television armoires and butterfly ballots.  —  The Census Bureau already has started offering an Internet option …

Japan's NEC in talks to sell mobile phone unit to Lenovo: source  —  (Reuters) - Japan's NEC Corp is in talks to sell its struggling mobile phone unit to its personal computer venture partner Lenovo Group Ltd, a source familiar with the discussions said, confirming media reports of the negotiations.

Password denied: when will Apple get serious about security?  —  Customers need some real talk about how data is kept and accessed  —  Last Friday, The Verge revealed the existence of a dead-simple URL-based hack that allowed anyone to reset your Apple ID password with just your email address and date of birth.

Vine launches Web embeds, updates iOS app to share others' videos via Twitter and Facebook  —  Twitter has updated its Vine video service today so that users can embed both their own six-second shorts and those created by other users anywhere on the Internet.

Dell Proxy Describes Downbeat Forecast  —  Dell Inc. described bleak prospects for its business and the personal computer industry as it laid out its most comprehensive case for accepting a $24.4 billion offer to go private, a decision that kicked off a high-stakes poker game between potential bidders for the computer maker.

State-Owned Chinese Film Studio Sues Apple  —  Shanghai Animation Film Studio claims the Cupertino-based tech giant sold its films in the iTunes store without proper permission.  —  A State-owned Chinese animation studio has filed suit against Apple in a Beijing court …

OUYA available at retail on June 4 for $99  —  The Android-powered $99 OUYA game console becomes available at retail on June 4th — a date which was revealed this week during the Game Developers Conference.  OUYA's calling June 4th its “official launch date,” despite Kickstarter backers receiving units starting this month.