Techmeme
December 4, 2013, 11:35 AM

Top News

John Markoff / New York Times:
Andy Rubin leads Google's new manufacturing-focused robotics effort that acquired seven companies in the last six months  —  Google Puts Money on Robots, Using the Man Behind Android  —  PALO ALTO, Calif. — In an out-of-the-way Google office, two life-size humanoid robots hang suspended in a corner.
Sam Byford / The Verge:
Next USB plug will finally be reversible  —  Work has begun on a new generation of USB that will break compatibility with existing connectors in order to improve ease of use and allow for thinner devices.  The new connector, called Type-C, is an addition to the existing USB 3.1 specification …
Kara Swisher / AllThingsD:
Instagram Business Lead Emily White to Be Named COO of Snapchat  —  Emily White, the Facebook executive in charge of bringing advertising to its Instagram photo-sharing unit, is leaving to become COO of Snapchat.  —  The move is a major talent grab by the ephemeral photo and video mobile service …
Emil Protalinski / The Next Web:
Google is building Chrome apps support for Android and iOS, beta release coming as soon as January 2014  —  Google is working on bringing Chrome packaged apps from the desktop to the mobile world.  The company is currently building a toolkit to help developers create Chrome apps for Android and iOS …
Daniel P. Howley / LAPTOP Magazine:
LG G Flex Hands-On: First Self-Healing, Flexible Smartphone  —  The future will not be flat.  That's what LG's Dr. Ramchan Woo declared as he unveiled the new LG G Flex during an exclusive press event in California.  The 6-inch handset is one of the first to offer a curved body that contours …
Sharif Sakr / Engadget:
Hands-on with the YotaPhone: the e-ink Android phone that nobody expected  —  There was a moment, back in 2012, when we had some quiet doubts about the YotaPhone.  The first prototype was desirable, useful, and far beyond any kind of gimmick — but it also seemed like it'd be hard to manufacture …
Liz Gannes / AllThingsD:
Misfit Wearables Raises $15.2M on Back of Shine, Even as Founder Dismisses Activity Trackers  —  Misfit Wearables, maker of the Shine wearable activity tracker, has raised $15.2 million in Series B funding.  —  The round was led by Li Ka-Shing's Horizon Ventures and included previous backers Founders Fund …
Daniel Cooper / Engadget:
Three UK offers free data, text and calls while roaming in the USA  —  Hey hey, it's a party in the USA, or at least, it will be for UK-to-US travelers who are signed up to Three.  The network has just announced that those intrepid pond-hoppers will be entitled to roam with their UK allowances of data, text and calls absolutely free.
Matthew Panzarino / TechCrunch:
Apple, PrimeSense And Perceptive Computing Or: Why Your Phone Will See In 3D  —  Last month Apple confirmed the acquisition of Israeli motion-sensing company PrimeSense.  Initial thoughts turned towards applications in the Apple TV set-top box, but other reports that Apple was interested in its ‘mapping’ capabilities as well.
More: MoneyBeat
Richard Nieva / CNET:
You are the query: Yahoo's bold quest to reinvent search  —  When Yahoo launched its home page redesign in February — its first such overhaul in the Marissa Mayer era — the company's chief executive sent out a jovial tweet:  —  A new experience launching on Yahoo today with a newsfeed …
More: Beyond SearchTweets: @livbarton
Michael Carney / PandoDaily:
Hoxton Ventures aims to bring Silicon Valley DNA to Europe with a new $40M early stage fund  —  Like most startup ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley, Europe could use more venture capital.  But it goes beyond simply a lack of cash.  Europe is short of investors willing to forgo near-term revenue …
Hans Ku / Ptch Blog:
Dreamworks-incubated video-creation app Ptch acquired by Yahoo, shutting down January 2  —  Ptch Joins Yahoo!  —  We launched Ptch just over a year ago.  Our passion and our mission was to give you the best way to make and share beautiful movies made from the photos and videos on your phone.
Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
More drone envy: Former Wired editor's 3D Robotics adds $6M for commercial drones  —  The rise of the drones continues this week, as 3D Robotics is announcing today that it has raised $6 million in funding from venture capital firm Mayfield.  The money will help commercialize drones …
Reuters:
U.S. concern over Huawei telecoms deal with South Korea  —  (Reuters) - The heads of two U.S. Senate committees overseeing national security have expressed concern to the Obama administration over a recent network supply deal between China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Washington ally South Korea.
More: Bloomberg and TheHill
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
NORAD and Microsoft team on a touch-friendly Santa Claus web tracker  —  NORAD's Santa Claus tracking has officially entered the tablet era.  The defense agency has teamed up with Microsoft on an updated web-based tracker that's designed for touch-friendly browsers, including Internet Explorer 11.

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