Techmeme
August 31, 2012, 7:55 AM

Top News

Chris Ziegler / The Verge:
This is the new Amazon Kindle Fire  —  We've just been sent a purported shot of the next Kindle Fire, Amazon's Android-based tablet that's expected to be announced next week after the current model “sold out” earlier today.  We're being told that a “pair” of Fires is likely — a 7- and a 10-incher …
Reuters:
Exclusive: Google, Apple CEOs in talks on patent issues  —  (Reuters) - Google Inc CEO Larry Page and Apple CEO Tim Cook have been conducting behind-the-scenes conversations about a range of intellectual property matters, including the ongoing mobile patent disputes between the companies, according to people familiar with the matter.
Marco Arment / Marco.org:
Predicting the “iPad Mini” internals  —  I saw two curious entries in Instapaper's device stats today: one iPad2,5 and one iPad2,6.  —  These device models, as reported by the OS, could be faked by a jailbreaker with enough free time.  But I've never had a device show up there that didn't end …
Tim Culpan / Bloomberg:
Apple Said To Use AU Optronics, LG Display Screens In Mini IPad  —  Apple Inc. (AAPL) will use screens from AU Optronics Corp. (2409) and LG Display Co. (034220) for a smaller version of the iPad to be released in October, according to four people familiar with the plans.
More: The Verge
Bloomberg:
Apple Loses Japan Patent Lawsuit Against Samsung Over Devices  —  Apple Inc. (AAPL) lost a patent lawsuit in Japan as a Tokyo judge ruled that Samsung Electronics Co. smartphones and tablet computers didn't infringe on an Apple invention in the most recent decision of a global dispute.
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Windows Phone 8 to include Kid's Corner, a separate Start screen for parental control  —  Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system will include a Kid's Corner option that provides a unique parental control feature to the company's mobile handsets.  Kid's Corner, previously known as Kid's Zone …
Kevin Weil / Twitter Advertising:
Interest targeting: Broaden your reach, reach the right audience  —  Twitter brings you closer: Closer to people, to world events, to professional athletes, musicians, laureates, and world leaders — whatever your interests are.  Our advertising products use this real-time interest graph …
James Grimmelmann / Ars Technica:
Why Johnny can't stream: How video copyright went insane  —  Suppose I could offer you a choice of two technologies for watching TV online.  Behind Door Number One sits a free-to-watch service that uses off-the-shelf technology and that buffers just enough of each show to put the live stream on the Internet.
Devindra Hardawar / VentureBeat:
Clint Eastwood's baffling RNC speech leads @InvisibleObama Twitter to hit 20K followers in 40 minutes  —  Not-so-surprise speaker Clint Eastwood gave a strange address at the Republican National Convention tonight, where he spent much of the time talking to an empty chair that was supposed to symbolize President Obama.
More: Mashable! and Twitter BlogTweets: @alexisohanian
Liat Clark / Wired.co.uk:
Shenzhen minimum wage rise could impact tech product costs worldwide  —  Shenzhen, where some of China's largest electronics manufacturers are located, looks set to have its minimum wage hiked by 13.3 percent from 2013, in a move that could cause a ripple effect across the world's major technology companies.
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Apple, publishers offer EU e-book antitrust concessions: source  —  (Reuters) - Apple and four major publishers will allow retailers such as Amazon to sell e-books at a discount for two years in a bid to end an EU antitrust investigation and stave off possible fines, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Billy Gallagher / TechCrunch:
Stanford Creates Vice Provost For Online Learning To “Fundamentally Reshape Education”  —  Stanford University announced the creation of an Office of the Vice Provost for Online Learning today, appointing computer science professor John Mitchell as the office's inaugural head.
Matthew Panzarino / The Next Web:
Apple may now be rejecting some App Store submissions if they clone icons of popular apps  —  Apple has issued at least one App Store rejection note that cites a cloned icon as its reason reports developer Benjamin Mayo.  The notice was not received in response to one of his apps …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
In Battle With Amazon, Walmart Unveils Polaris, A Semantic Search Engine For Products  —  Walmart is today unveiling a new search engine named “Polaris” which now powers Walmart.com, as well as the company's mobile web and mobile apps, and offers a 10%-15% increased likelihood that a customer …
David Kravets / Wired:
EFF Sues to Get Secret Court Rulings Showing Feds Violated Spy Law  —  The Electronic Frontier Foundation sued the government Thursday demanding a judge order the feds to release documents allegedly showing the National Security Agency unlawfully surveilled Americans' e-mails and telephone calls.
Daisuke Wakabayashi / Wall Street Journal:
For Sharp and Hon Hai, Twist Marks Talks  —  SAKAI, Japan—Resting in the first-class car on a bullet train en route to checking out his latest investment, Taiwanese billionaire Terry Gou mused about the strengths—and weaknesses—of struggling Japanese electronics company Sharp Corp. …

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