Top Items:
Laurie J. Flynn / New York Times:
New Google Service to Blend the Gmail and Chat Features — SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 — Google, the search-engine giant, is expected on Tuesday to disclose that it will join its instant-messaging service with its popular Gmail program, the latest indication that the company has set its sights on the broader communications industry.
RELATED ITEMS:
Elinor Mills / CNET News.com:
Google merges Gmail with chat — Google on Monday was set to launch Gmail Chat, which will let users send instant messages with one click from their e-mail account, see when contacts are online and save the chat history like an e-mail message. — The application's Quick Contacts list …
Arshad Mohammed / Washington Post:
Verizon Executive Calls for End to Google's 'Free Lunch' — A Verizon Communications Inc. executive yesterday accused Google Inc. of freeloading for gaining access to people's homes using a network of lines and cables the phone company spent billions of dollars to build.
RELATED ITEM:
Om Malik / Om Malik on Broadband:
Net Neutrality Not An Optional Feature of Internet — The Senate Commerce Committee is currently holding hearings on Net Neutrality. Webcast . The Bells are not be directly represented, cable companies views will be shared by Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President and CEO.
Discussion:
Techdirt
Stuart Elliott / New York Times:
Can You TiVo to See Just the Ads? — SCIENTISTS work hard to determine the radioactive half-life of elements. Now, Madison Avenue is busy figuring out the Web-active afterlife of the more than 50 commercials that appeared during Super Bowl XL on Sunday. — In the past, Super Bowl spots …
RELATED ITEM:
PR Newswire:
TiVo Super Bowl Data Shows Action on the Field Rivaled Interest in Commercials Between the Snaps for First Time in Years — Ameriquest Spots Land Top Two Slots on TiVo Top 10; Replay Activity Spikes Around Controversial Touchdown, 'Gadget Play' — ALVISO, Calif., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall …
Brier Dudley / Seattle Times:
Microsoft alums picture photo sharing made easy — A group of former high-ranking Microsoft executives has emerged from retirement to start an ambitious company that aims to simplify the sharing of digital photos and other media over the Internet. — Vizrea, their Seattle-based startup …
RELATED ITEM:
govexec.com:
Bush makes new push for Patent Office to keep fees — By Sarah Lai Stirland, National Journal's Technology Daily — The Patent and Trademark Office would receive $1.8 billion under the Bush administration's fiscal 2007 budget, an increase over the $1.7 billion that the administration requested and lawmakers approved in fiscal 2006.
snapshot.opera.com:
Release Notes — This is a preview version of Opera. Use only on properly backed up computers and do not install over previous Opera versions. — Users may experience problems synchronizing mail with IMAP accounts. If this occurs, open the account settings and press OK to reset the connection.
Discussion:
Ajaxian
Chris Anderson / The Long Tail:
DEATH OF THE BLOCKBUSTER, PART IV — [UPDATE: I've revised the bottom chart, where the scale went funky for some reason, and responded to all the comments with some additional data and clarification here.] — First, apologies for the absence. For most of the past two weeks …
Tony Smith / reghardware.co.uk:
Court hands Gizmondo Europe to liquidators — Gizmondo Europe has gone into liquidation after parent company Tiger Telematics' attempt to persuade the English High Court to put the subdsidiary into administration failed last week, Reg Hardware can reveal. — The court hearing took place on Thursday …
Tuan Nguyen / dailytech.com:
PayPal Turns On Red Alert for Incoming Google's "GBuy" … Google's GBuy online payment system has its crosshairs directly on PayPal; eBay closely watches — Much like Microsoft and Windows, Google's platform is the Web. Not that Google owns the Web, but it's presence cannot be denied nor defined.
Newsweek:
Murdoch's New Groove — A conversation with the News Corp. chairman, who's emerged as a leader in digital media after some smart bets. — Feb. 13, 2006 issue - Keith Rupert Murdoch may be 74 years old, but the way he sees it, he's got a young man's fingertips for what's cool.
Modculture / Tech Digest:
Blueye music and mobile integration — It's not new, see our recent coverage of myTalker, but the idea of integrating your phone and music player to avoid missing a call is gaining popularity with manufacturers. The latest pitch is from Mavizen, who have introduced Blueye.
Kotaku, the Gamer's Guide:
WoW: Blizzard Gets Gay Rights Warning — On Friday we broke the news that Lambda Legal was getting involved in the whole gay rights in World of Warcraft issue. Today we learned that the legal firm has sent Blizzard an official letter questioning their policies.
AC/OS:
So, what if Oracle does buy JBoss? — I can comment on these rumors, because that's all they are to me: rumors. I have no inside knowledge on this. But there has been a growing cacophony of noise that JBoss is going to be acquired. What started out as an HP rumor, turned into a Novell rumor …
Yuki Noguchi / Washington Post:
PanAmSat to Carry Ethnic Programming — PanAmSat Holding Corp. is starting a new business that will sell and distribute ethnic programming for television in the United States, a move that the company hopes will pave the way for other new initiatives that get the satellite company …