Google to shut down Orkut on September 30, will create archive of all public communities  —  Tchau Orkut  —  Ten years ago, Orkut was Google's first foray into social networking.  Built as a “20 percent” project, Orkut communities started conversations, and forged connections, that had never existed before.

More details on Microsoft's desktop-focused Windows ‘Threshold’ release; public preview expected in fall 2014, release in spring 2015  —  Windows ‘Threshold’: More on Microsoft's plan to win over Windows 7 users  —  Summary: One of Microsoft's main goals with 'Threshold …

Exclusive: A review of the Blackphone, the Android for the paranoid  —  Built for privacy, the Blackphone runs a beefed-up Android called PrivatOS.  —  Based on some recent experience, I'm of the opinion that smartphones are about as private as a gas station bathroom.

Google Glass to be banned from all UK cinemas  —  If you've just acquired a Google Glass headset for £1,000, don't show it off at the movies.  UK cinemas are to ban the headsets over fears that the gadgets can be used to make pirate copies of Hollywood blockbusters.

Some LA schools choosing between six different laptops for students after botched iPad rollout  —  LAUSD shifts gears on technology for students  —  Los Angeles school district officials have allowed a group of high schools to choose from among six different laptop computers for their students …

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini to hit retail in mid-July  —  Just like a new Galaxy S flagship is a given each year, so is a new iteration of the current Galaxy S' mini variant, a device that Samsung always hopes to sell not based on its feature list, but on the fact that it carries the name of the company's multimillion-selling flagship.

New N.S.A. Chief Calls Damage From Snowden Leaks Manageable  —  FORT MEADE, Md. — The newly installed director of the National Security Agency says that while he has seen some terrorist groups alter their communications to avoid surveillance techniques revealed by Edward J. Snowden …

Twitter Scoops Up AdTech Firm Tap Commerce for Around $100 Million  —  Twitter is in the process of acquiring Tap Commerce, a New York-based mobile advertising technology firm, according to sources familiar with the situation.  The deal is expected to be announced later on Monday.

Fire TV's advanced streaming and prediction feature can consume 80GB a day  —  The Secret Little Problem With Amazon's Fire TV  —  I got a little nervous that something was wrong when I go a notice from my Internet service provider, Cox Cable, saying that I had hit my monthly download cap.

Supreme Court Won't Hear Google's Street View Appeal  —  Search Giant Tried to Challenge Lower Court Ruling Saying It Violated Wiretap Law  —  WASHINGTON—The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that it wouldn't consider Google Inc. 's challenge to a class-action lawsuit alleging …

Apple Releases iOS 7.1.2 With Mail Fixes, iBeacon Improvements  —  Apple today released iOS 7.1.2 to the public, more than two months after releasing iOS 7.1.1. iOS 7.1.2 is a minor update that focuses primarily on bug fixes and security improvements, repairing an email attachment encryption issue …

Twitter Rolls Out App Install And Engagement Ads, And New Click Pricing, Globally  —  Social networking platform Twitter says its MoPub ad network now reaches more than 1 billion iOS and Android users every month, and so today it is making its latest move to build out that mobile advertising business with more products.

Apple announces iTunes U update with iPad Course Creation, Student Discussions & more  —  Screenshot showing new iTunes U “Student Discussions” feature  —  Apple today announced an update to its iTunes U educational app that includes a number of new features for iPad including course creation tools …

MapR Raises $110 Million in Round Led by Google Capital  —  There's been another big round of funding for a player in the steadily growing world of Hadoop, the open-source big data technology.  —  MapR announced this morning that it had raised $110 million in combined equity and debt financing.

Johnson & Johnson head of IP Philip Johnson, staunch opponent of reform, expected to be next US Patent and Trademark Office director  —  Staunch opponent of reform tapped to head US Patent Office  —  Big pharma killed the patent bill, and now a favorite son will head the USPTO.