Google responds to Apple v. Samsung verdict: most claims 'don't relate' to ‘core Android’  —  In the wake of Friday's $1.049 billion jury verdict, Apple and Samsung quickly released statements to the press — but one company that remained conspicuously silent was Google.

iOS and Android Adoption Explodes Internationally  —  The rate of iOS and Android device adoption has surpassed that of any consumer technology in history.  Compared to recent technologies, smart device adoption is being adopted 10X faster than that of the 80s PC revolution …

Diaspora Founders To Move On, Handing Over Decentralized Social Network ‘To The Community’  —  It was a good run, but it looks like the founders of Diaspora have reached the end of the road — at least for their full-time leadership of the project.  —  Diaspora, the Kickstarter-backed initiative launched …

Google discloses paid bloggers and journalists, says Stanford professor Mark Lemley is outside counsel  —  Google has followed up with a judge's order to disclose anyone it might have paid to influence coverage of its trial against Oracle, and the list includes a well-known Stanford professor …

Managing Expectations for Amazon's Upcoming Kindle Event  —  In less than two weeks, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos will take the stage at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., to announce a lineup of new Kindle devices.  —  It was only a year ago that Bezos introduced a plethora …

Samsung unveils Galaxy Player 5.8, pockets everywhere brace for impact  —  We hope you wear baggy pants, because you're going to want big pockets to carry Samsung's giant new jukebox.  The Galaxy Player 5.8 is dominated by its namesake 5.8-inch, 960 x 540 LCD — a screen that makes …

RadioShack No Contract Wireless rate plans leak, $60 will get you everything  —  We're just about a week out from the rumored launch of RadioShack's Cricket-based No Contract Wireless plans, and more details are beginning to trickle out about the prepaid service.

Sony to leave disc drive market, nears end of restructuring  —  Asahi Asia Antenna -  —  Sony Corp. will abandon the optical disc drive business, nearly completing a restructuring of money-losing divisions it initiated after suffering huge losses in fiscal 2011.

Rumor: NFC chip spotted in photos of purported next-gen iPhone front assembly  —  New images thought to be of the front assembly for Apple's next-generation iPhone show a component never seen before in the company's handsets, prompting some to speculate the mystery part is a near field communication device.

Lenovo's 9-inch IdeaTab A2109 shows up at Best Buy, flaunts Tegra 3, $300 price tag  —  Lenovo's upcoming IdeaTab A2109 didn't drop in on the FCC with its seven-inch brother, but that hasn't stopped it from reaching stores.  The nine-inch device appears to be in stock on Best Buy's online store …

Hooha for App.net released on Google Play  —  mobile and web applications.  — E: apps@themodernink.com  —  Hooha (formally Jive), a new App.net client built for the community from the ground up is now available for download from Google Play.  —  Hooha is a beautiful yet simple …

IBM Buys Social HR And Talent Management Software Company Kenexa For $1.3B In Cash  —  IBM has scooped up talent management and HR software maker Kenexa.  The price?  A hefty $1.3 billion, or $46.00 per share in cash.  —  The NASDAQ-listed Kenexa offers an HR, talent acquisition and talent management software.

Amazon's $79-per-year Prime shipping expands to offer 15m items, now more popular than Super Saver delivery  —  Amazon's news as of late has been focused on its media partnerships (and future device launches), but today the company has an impressive statistic to share regarding the usage …

Apple's Top Supplier Raises Salary, Cuts Probation for Workers  —  TAIPEI—Apple Inc.'s major supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. said Friday it has raised basic salary by 16% for its production line workers in Zhengzhou, Henan province of China, as it has difficulty recruiting labor in the area.

FCC eyes tax on Internet service  —  The Federal Communications Commission is eyeing a proposal to tax broadband Internet service.  —  The move would funnel money to the Connect America Fund, a subsidy the agency created last year to expand Internet access.  —  The FCC issued a request for comments on the proposal in April.