Techmeme: Chat apps have overtaken SMS by message volume, but how big a disaster is that for carriers? (David Meyer/GigaOM)

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April 29, 2013, 1:50 PM

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Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:

Apple to release OS X 10.9 with new power-user features, more from iOS later this year — OS X 10.9, which is internally codenamed “Cabernet,” will focus on various “power-user” enhancements and take core features from iOS, according to our sources. Unlike operating system updates …

More: Digital Trends, CNET, Ars Technica, MacRumors, TechCrunch, BGR, Business Insider, Gotta Be Mobile, TechSpot, MacNN, Macgasm, Gearburn, Neowin, Edible Apple, iClarified, SlashGear, Softpedia News, Internet Evolution and App Advice. Tweets: @viticci. Thanks:@llsethj

Dieter Bohn / The Verge:

Google Now comes to iPhone and iPad with new Search app update — Google's iOS app offensive continues — After a promo video let the cat out of the bag last month, Google is making it official: with an update to the Google Search application, Google Now is available on iOS.

Eric Slivka / MacRumors:

Notebook Refresh to Be Highlight of WWDC, Non-Retina MacBook Pro to Continue? — KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report forecasting that the product highlight of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which kicks off on June 10, will be the introduction of new models …

David Meyer / GigaOM:

Chat apps have overtaken SMS by message volume, but how big a disaster is that for carriers? — There's a reason why mobile carriers are scared of third-party messaging apps such as WhatsApp, and here it is: people are now sending more messages over these services than they are text messages.

More: BBC, The Verge, Financial Times, CNET, ReadWrite, 9to5Mac, TechEye, Guardian, DSLreports, The Droid Guy, Telegraph, AllThingsD, The Next Web, iDownloadBlog.com, Inquirer, SlashGear, textually.org, The Register and Pocket-lint

Tom Warren / The Verge:

Microsoft creates an Apple vs. Samsung wedding fight for its new Windows Phone ad — Microsoft has tried a number of ways to advertise Windows Phone handsets, but the latest pits two rivals against each other. In a new minute long spot that's due to air on US national TV, a wedding reception is interrupted by Apple and Samsung fans.

More: YouTube, LiveSide.net, CNET, BetaNews, Ars Technica, GeekWire, Windows Phone Central, AllThingsD, 9to5Mac, Pocketnow, IntoMobile, Neowin, Cult of Mac, The Tell and Techcraver.com

Nilay Patel / The Verge:

Does anyone know why Google bought Motorola? — The products weren't great and the patents overvalued — so what did that $12.5 billion actually buy? — Why did Google spend $12.5 billion dollars to purchase Motorola Mobility? It's been nearly two years since the deal was announced …

More: Ed Bott, Bloomberg, AllThingsD and Forbes

Jeff Blagdon / The Verge:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 announced, a low-end 7-inch tablet that makes calls — Today, Samsung is announcing a new 7-inch tablet called the Galaxy Tab 3, but to our eyes, it doesn't look much different from the current 7-inch Tab 2. It swaps the previous Tab's 1 GHz dual-core processor for a 1.2GHz chip …

Robin Wauters / The Next Web:

Opera claims ex-employee took trade secrets to Mozilla, sues him for $3.4m — Norwegian browser maker Opera Software has filed a lawsuit against a former employee and consultant, alleging that the man gave away trade secrets to rival Mozilla. Opera is claiming a whopping 20 million Norwegian Krone …

More: CNET, Inquirer, VentureBeat, Ars Technica, Techie Buzz, Macgasm and Softpedia News

Tom Warren / The Verge:

Microsoft IllumiRoom is a coffee table projector designed for the next-generation Xbox — When Microsoft first unveiled its IllumiRoom technology at CES, it did so in an unusual way. The software giant traditionally reveals its research projects in short scrappy videos accompanied by research papers and a lot of technical jargon.

More: CNET, ExtremeTech, Gizmodo, Microsoft Research, Geek.com, Neowin, SlashGear, VG247 and Joystiq

New York Times:

Social Media's Effects On Markets Concern Regulators — Could the global economy hinge on 140 characters? — That is the question the financial industry and government regulators are trying to answer after a Twitter hoax on Tuesday that claimed President Obama was injured in an explosion at the White House.

More: Howard Lindzon, TechPresident, Fortune, Softpedia News and Marketing Pilgrim

Andrew Orlowski / The Register:

UK.Gov passes Instagram Act: All your pics belong to everyone now — Everyone = Silicon Valley [ad platforms] tech companies — Have you ever uploaded a photo to Facebook, Instagram or Flickr? — If so, you'll probably want to read this, because the rules on who can exploit your work have now changed radically, overnight.

More: BBC, New Statesman, PetaPixel and Out-Law News

Leena Rao / TechCrunch:

Square Updates Its Register iPad App With Kitchen Tickets, Ordering Features To Better Serve Restaurants — Square's point-of-sale technology and iPad-powered register, Square Register is getting a big update today targeted at better serving restaurants. New features in the release include …

More: CNET, ZDNet, AllThingsD, iMore, TUAW, 9to5Mac, Square, Softpedia News and WebProNews

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