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Techmeme
December 17, 2015, 11:15 AM
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Top News

Apple:
Jeff Williams named Apple COO, Phil Schiller takes over App Store leadership  —  Apple Names Jeff Williams Chief Operating Officer  —  Johny Srouji Named to Executive Team; Phil Schiller Adds Ecosystem Responsibilities  —  Tor Myhren Joins Apple  —  Apple® today announced …
Hayes Brown / BuzzFeed:
Brazil imposes 48-hour block on WhatsApp for failing to cooperate in criminal investigation; rival app Telegram says it gained 1.5M+ users there in a day  —  Brazil Just Blocked WhatsApp Despite Almost Everyone In Brazil Using It  —  A court has blocked the app that 93% of Brazil's internet users depend …
Adi Robertson / The Verge:
Microsoft opens a HoloLens playground for developers at its New York store  —  Millions of people have seen Microsoft's astonishing HoloLens videos.  Far fewer have seen the limited, but still impressive, reality.  And that's something Microsoft wants to change.
Gabe Nelson / Automotive News Automaker:
Google says proposed DMV rules requiring steering wheel, pedals, and licensed drivers with special certification would inhibit progress  —  California DMV proposes ban on ‘driverless’ cars  —  Google ‘gravely disappointed,’ says rules would hold back progress
Wall Street Journal:
California DMV seeks public comment after releasing draft rules for self-driving cars, detailing vehicle and driver certification, privacy, cybersecurity
Blake Ross / Medium:
Facebook's former director of product on how media and investors overestimated Facebook's “Yelp killer” while overlooking a truly profound shift at the company  —  How to Swallow $200 Million Accidentally  —  Analyzing Product Launches for Fun and Profit
New York Times:
Facebook partners with Uber to let users in US request rides from within Messenger, first Uber ride's free; Facebook says more ride-hailing services to be added  —  Facebook and Uber Follow Asian Rivals in Plan to Enhance Messenger App  —  For years, Asia's technology giants have been one step ahead …
Katie Roof / TechCrunch:
Tastemade Raises $40 Million From Goldman Sachs To Make Food Videos  —  Tastemade, the maker of food and lifestyle videos, has raised a $40 million financing round led by Goldman Sachs.  Participating investors in the Series D round include, Redpoint Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Liberty Media and Scripps Networks.
Laura Kusisto / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: three of the nation's largest apartment landlords in talks with Airbnb on revenue sharing partnership  —  Rent Your Place on Airbnb?  The Landlord Wants a Cut  —  Revenue-sharing model would allow apartment dwellers to market rooms through lodging website
More: Fortune
Ashlee Vance / Bloomberg.com:
Early iPhone hacker George Hotz is building a self-driving system using off-the-shelf components that controls an Acura ILX  —  The First Person to Hack the iPhone Built a Self-Driving Car.  In His Garage  —  George Hotz is building a self-driving car by himself.
Daniel Bader / MobileSyrup.com:
Canada's Shaw Communications to buy Wind Mobile in deal valued at C$1.6B  —  Shaw Communications set to purchase Wind Mobile for $1.6 billion  —  Shaw Communications has announced that it plans to purchase Wind Mobile, which turned six years-old today, for $1.6 billion CAD.
Lance Whitney / CNET:
Spotify adds curated party playlists and a “mood tuner”, available now for Android and iOS  —  Spotify can play DJ at your next party  —  A new feature called Spotify Party plays a lineup of professionally picked tunes and lets you choose your music based on the mood you're hoping to set.
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Flipboard Overhauls Publisher Pages With Verified Badges, ‘End Card’ Links And Ad Tech  —  Flipboard, the mobile and web app with some 82 million monthly active users who use the app to read content from around the web in a magazine-style layout, is today taking the wraps off a new version …

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About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 11:15 AM ET, December 17, 2015.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

From Mediagazer

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Trump says Stephen Colbert is a “pathetic trainwreck” and “CBS should, ‘put him to sleep,’ NOW”; earlier CBS aired the Kennedy Center Honors, hosted by Trump

Zachary Leeman / Mediaite:
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller calls for CBS staff who “revolted” over Bari Weiss' decision to postpone 60 Minutes' CECOT segment to be fired

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Comcast extends Mike Cavanagh's contract through January 1, 2029, and grants a ~$35M performance-based stock package; he's set to become co-CEO in January 2026

More News

Joe Mullin / Ars Technica:
Pandora to pay royalty of 17 cents per 100 songs, up from 14 cents, after copyright board decision, with rates rising with inflation through 2020

Earlier Picks

Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:
Target's mobile wish-list app exposed sensitive personal data, using an API that lacked authentication
Russell Brandom / The Verge:
CISA, stripped of key privacy protections, was included in an omnibus budget bill introduced in the US House last night
Alex Kantrowitz / BuzzFeed:
Facebook's Instant Articles officially go live on Android phones today, with over 350 publications globally
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