Techmeme: For NSA chief, terrorist threat drives passion to ‘collect it all,’ observers say (Washington Post)

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July 15, 2013, 9:50 PM

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Jessica Lessin:

Exclusive: Apple Pitches Ad-Skipping for New TV Service — Apple has a new trick up its sleeve as it tries to launch a long-awaited television service: technology that allows viewers to skip commercials and that pays media companies for the skipped views. — For more than a year …

More: CNET, GigaOM, MacRumors, iMore.com, Engadget, AppleInsider, Gizmodo, Business Insider, The Verge, 9to5Mac, Macgasm, The Mac Observer, Gadget Review, TechnoBuffalo, Daring Fireball, Pocket-lint and iDownloadBlog.com

Tweets: @dangillmor, @dujkan, @panzer and @petersontee

See also Mediagazer

Tom Warren / The Verge:

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 …

Mike Isaac / AllThingsD:

Gowalla Co-Founder Josh Williams to Depart Facebook — Josh Williams, co-founder of the location-based check-in startup Gowalla (which was “acqu-hired” by Facebook in 2012), plans to soon leave the social giant, according to sources familiar with the situation.

More: Business Insider, The Next Web, Inside Facebook, AllFacebook, CNET, TechCrunch and Digits

Russell Brandom / The Verge:

Yahoo recycles old user IDs with help from Facebook — It's been just over a month since Yahoo announced their plan to reclaim abandoned usernames, and met with an immediate outcry over privacy concerns. What if you used your Yahoo email as a password reset? Was Yahoo making life easy for identity thieves?

More: Yahoo!, Yahoo! Developer Network, Marketing Land, CNET, ZDNet, The Next Web, Wired and WebProNews

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:

$99 ARM-based PC runs either Ubuntu or Android — A new ARM-based Linux PC with a host of capabilities—including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, two Gigabit Ethernet jacks, and five USB ports—goes on sale next month starting at $99. — “Utilite,” offered by Israeli company CompuLab …

More: FanlessTech, Engadget, Electronista, TechSpot, PC Pro, Liliputing, Gizmodo and TechEye

Jim Finkle / Reuters:

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.

More: CNNMoney.com, NPR, The Register, The Technology Chronicles, Gizmodo, Mashable, Computerworld, SlashGear, DSLreports, TechnoBuffalo and I4U News

Peter Kafka / AllThingsD:

You Really Might Be Boring Your Facebook Friends — Is Facebook embarrassed to tell you how many people look at your cat or kid pictures? — Yes, says BuzzFeed writer Charlie Warzel. No way, says a Facebook engineer — we just don't think regular people care about this stuff.

More: CNET, Inside Facebook, Marketing Pilgrim, ZDNet, Business Insider, AllFacebook and Softpedia News. Tweets: @cwarzel

Washington Post:

For NSA chief, terrorist threat drives passion to ‘collect it all,’ observers say — In late 2005, as Iraqi roadside bombings were nearing an all-time peak, the National Security Agency's newly appointed chief began pitching a radical plan for halting the attacks that were killing or wounding a dozen Americans a day.

More: Guardian, Steve Blank, VentureBeat, Techdirt, BuzzFeed and Poynter

Andrew E. Kramer / New York Times:

N.S.A. Leaks Revive Push in Russia to Control Net

More: SiliconANGLE, SiliconBeat, Technology Liberation Front and memeburn

Stephen Shankland / CNET:

Intel's Thunderbolt remains high-end rarity as Acer drops out — Windows computer maker Acer decides USB 3.0 is a better deal than Intel's high-speed communications technology. And despite notable newer fans including Dell, HP, and Asus, Thunderbolt remains scarce.

More: Ars Technica, 9to5Mac and TechSpot

Kevin Collier / Daily Dot:

Yahoo wins court order to release records of its fight against PRISM — Yahoo, initially vilified for being part of the PRISM program, which allows the NSA to tap it and other companies for users' information, is about to be vindicated. A court ruled Monday that the Department …

More: CNET, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Engadget, TechCrunch, Mercury News and The Next Web. See also Mediagazer

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

Spotify Defends Against New Music Backlash, Says It Will Pay Out $1B To Rightsholders By End Of 2013 — Spotify, the music service with 24 million active users, says that it is on track to pay out $1 billion to artists that stream music on its platform by the end of 2013 …

William Alden / DealBook:

VMware Sells Zimbra Amid Shift in Strategy — When VMware bought Zimbra in 2010, the deal was considered integral to the company's strategy. Three years later, it's a different story. — VMware is selling Zimbra, a provider of corporate e-mail and collaboration software, to Telligent …

More: GigaOM, VMware, PC World, VMware Blogs, The Register, ZDNet and Datamation.com

Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:

Tim Stevens Out At Engadget, Marc Perton To Take Over — Once hailed as the nicest guy in tech, Engadget's Tim Stevens is no longer Editor In Chief, with gdgt's Marc Perton taking over as Engadget head while a new EIC is found to round out the management structure.

More: Engadget. Tweets: @joshuatopolsky, @alexia and @tim_stevens

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