Google wins book-scanning case: judge finds “fair use,” cites many benefits  —  Google has won a resounding victory in its eight-year copyright battle with the Authors Guild over the search giant's controversial decision to scan more than 20 million books from libraries and make them available on the internet.

Apple releases iOS 7.0.4 & iOS 6.1.5 with FaceTime bug fix  —  This morning, Apple has released iOS 7.0.4 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.  The update is a bug fix release with improvements.  Apple notes that the update includes a fix for FaceTime calls that could fail for some users.

Government requests for user information double over three years  —  In a year in which government surveillance has dominated the headlines, today we're updating our Transparency Report for the eighth time.  Since we began sharing these figures with you in 2010, requests from governments …

Nokia's first Windows Phone 8.1 handset includes ‘3D Touch’ technology  —  Nokia's upcoming 6-inch Lumia 1520 flagship handset hasn't been released yet, but we're already starting to hear early details on the company's Windows Phone 8.1 plans.  Twitter account @evleaks revealed today that Nokia …

Tired of a fat wallet?  Coin lets you hold all your cards in a single connected card  —  With all the hype surrounding mobile payments these days, that industry faces a monumental problem: Credit cards are already pretty easy to use.  Now Coin, a Y Combinator-backed startup …

Google Search for Android now does Siri-style conversational voice commands  —  The Google Search app for Android was updated today.  While Google's official post about the new version mentioned some updated cards and traffic incidents, the real news is that voice search can now hold a conversation.

Under Armour to Buy MapMyFitness in Embrace of Sports Tech  —  Under Armour is buying the popular workout application company MapMyFitness for $150 million, putting the sports apparel maker in charge of one of the biggest social sports communities on mobile devices.

Unofficial Web tool tracks Retina iPad mini availability for U.S. Apple Stores  —  With Apple's iPad mini with Retina display seeing severe supply constraints at launch, a Web-based tracking tool offering in-store pickup availability has popped up in a most peculiar place: a website dedicated to the conservation of sea turtles.

Isis Mobile Wallet goes live nationwide, offers freebies  —  Wave phone, buy stuff: after a long period of trials, the joint venture teaming Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile is finally broadly available.—The wireless carriers' mobile payment initiative, Isis Mobile Wallet …

Intel opening temporary showcase stores featuring free movie nights, coffee and events  —  Intel Opening Retail “Experience” Stores Starting November 23rd  —  Intel wants to give you a chance to get up close and personal with its PCs.  At a press event in New York this evening …

'We still don't encrypt server-to-server data' admits Microsoft to EU Committee  —  A senior Microsoft executive has told a European parliamentary committee that the company does not encrypt its server-to-server data communications.  —  Dorothee Belz, EMEA VP for Legal and Corporate Affairs …

iWork for iCloud update brings those collaborative tools we've been waiting for  —  We're not going so far as to call it a Google Docs killer, but those iWork updates announced back at the iPad event the other month certainly make Apple's productivity tools a fair bit more appealing …

Mozilla: No Firefox phones in US  —  Mozilla's Mitchell Baker stresses Firefox OS's appeal to developing countries — and (pay attention, Apple and Google) the importance of price.  SAN FRANCISCO — If you're a Firefox OS fan and you live in the United States, you're going to have to wait a bit longer to get your Firefox phone.

Rejecting Billions, Snapchat Expects a Better Offer  —  What business makes no money, has yet to pass its third anniversary and just turned down an offer worth billions of dollars?  Snapchat, a social media service run by a pair of 20-somethings who until last month worked out of a beachfront bungalow in Venice, Calif.

Pinterest introduces its first API, enabling widgets on major partner e-commerce and media sites  —  Pinterest Expands to E-Commerce Sites With Now-Trending Tool  —  Pinterest is opening up its popular scrapbooking service to outside developers - a long-awaited move that could juice sales …

Amazon Announces New I/O-Optimized Instances With SSD Storage For EC2  —  At Amazon's re:Invent developer conference in Las Vegas, the company's CTO Werner Vogels announced a new instance type for applications that need high I/O performance.  As Vogels noted, the company's customers …

Microsoft's new Cybercrime Center combines tactics against hacking groups  —  (Reuters) - The maker of the most popular computer operating system in the world is launching a new strategy against criminal hackers by bringing together security engineers, digital forensics experts and lawyers trained …

Education Startup Udacity Bets It Can Fill The Need For More Data Scientists With New Online Degree Program  —  Hot on the heels of a new $37 million White House initiative designed to encourage data science work at American universities, education startup, Udacity, is responding with a data science initiative of its own.

Amazon now offers customized Kindle covers  —  Thinking about giving someone an Amazon Kindle this holiday season?  How about adding a customized case with an image of your face to go with it?  Amazon on Thursday introduced a new line of personalized Kindle accessories that allows you customize your Kindle cover for no extra cost.

CreativeLive lands $21.5M, looks to upend online learning with live broadcasts  —  CreativeLive co-founder Chase Jarvis at the company's offices on Thomas Street in Seattle.  —  CreativeLive co-founder Chase Jarvis is giving a tour of his company's spartan offices — tucked in a former photo studio …

Third time's the charm?  Shelby.tv attempts comeback with new social video iPhone app  —  New York-based social video startup Shelby.tv launched a new iPhone app Thursday that aims to present socially curated videos shared by people on Facebook and Twitter as well as on Shelby's own social graph in a single stream.