Attention Shopper: Stores Are Tracking Your Cell  —  Like dozens of other brick-and-mortar retailers, Nordstrom wanted to learn more about its customers — how many came through the doors, how many were repeat visitors — the kind of information that e-commerce sites like Amazon have in spades.

Surface Watch?  Microsoft allegedly testing a ‘translucent aluminum’ smartwatch  —  Microsoft's prototype smartwatch testing has moved over to its Surface team.  Sources familiar with Microsoft's Surface plans have revealed to The Verge that the company is now prototyping devices directly under …

Do Things that Don't Scale  —  One of the most common types of advice we give at Y Combinator is to do things that don't scale.  A lot of would-be founders believe that startups either take off or don't.  You build something, make it available, and if you've made a better mousetrap, people beat a path to your door as promised.

Apple Reportedly Signs Deal with Samsung for 14-nm A9 Chips Starting in 2015  —  The Korea Economic Daily reports that Apple and Samsung today officially signed an agreement that will see the two companies working together on future A-series chips for Apple's iOS devices …

Researchers hack Verizon device, turn it into mobile spy station  —  (Reuters) - Two security experts said they have figured out how to spy on Verizon Wireless mobile phone customers by hacking into devices the U.S. carrier sells to boost wireless signals indoors.

Travellers' mobile phone data seized by police at border  —  Thousands of innocent holidaymakers and travellers are having their phones seized and personal data downloaded and stored by the police, The Telegraph can disclose.  —  A police officer can stop any passenger at random …

Inside The Massive Global Black Market For Smartphones  —  Before a federal SWAT team descended last summer, one storefront in a Detroit suburb attracted so many people bearing shopping bags stuffed with iPhones and iPads that managers installed a port-a-potty on the sidewalk.

Leaked letter shows ISPs and government at war  —  I've written before on the dialogue of the deaf between politicians and the internet industry over child internet safety - and now the relationship seems to be getting even worse.  A letter sent to the UK's four leading ISPs from the government has made them very cross indeed.

Kabam Hits $700 Million Valuation With Employee Stock Sale  —  Closely held videogame maker Kabam says it is now worth $700 million, based on a recent private transaction that allowed employees to sell $38.5 million of common stock.  —  None of the money will go to the San Francisco-based company itself …

HP Adds Software Visionary Ray Ozzie, Former Liberty Media CEO Robert Bennett, And Walgreens Chairman To Board  —  After losing several board members in April, HP announced today that it is adding three new members to its board: Robert R.  “Dob” Bennett, former president and chief executive officer …

Tim Stevens Out At Engadget, Marc Perton To Take Over Temporarily  —  Once hailed as the nicest guy in tech, Engadget's Tim Stevens is out as Editor In Chief, with Engadget's Marc Perton replacing him as Executive Editor, we're hearing this morning.  —  It's not clear whether he resigned …