Vimeo and Redbox Instant are coming to Chromecast.  Next up: Plex and HBO Go?  —  Chromecast, the streaming video adapter introduced by Google last week, is quickly gaining support from a number of media platforms.  Case in point: Vimeo told us it wants to support Chromecast …

New iPhone with biometric fingerprint sensor seemingly confirmed by iOS leak  —  Looks like the rumors are true: iOS 7 beta 4 has leaked a new folder called “BiometricKitUI.”  Based on the description, sent to us by Hamza Sood,it seems pretty clear that Apple is preparing a new iPhone …

Android 4.3 Update Brings TRIM to All Nexus Devices  —  One of the common complaints late in the life of the original Nexus 7 was slow storage I/O performance, leading to an inconsistent user experience.  After a fresh flash, the Nexus 7 was speedy and performant, but after months …

Thailand bans using Bitcoin in any way, local startup reports  —  A Bitcoin startup based in Thailand now says that it has suspended all operations because the Bank of Thailand has effectively banned bitcoins in the southeast Asian country.  As Bitcoin Co. Ltd. reports:

‘Everybody Loves Bob’  —  After asking around, word on the Cupertino street is that there's nothing to read between the lines regarding Bob Mansfield no longer being on Apple's executive team.  Apple's statement means exactly what it says — Mansfield is well-liked at all levels within …

When Lousy Code Strikes, Google Dispatches Its Elite ‘Gopher Team’  —  Brad Fitzpatrick was using the most routine bit of Google software you can imagine when the damn thing stalled.  The download was 99 percent done and just stopped.  Download stalls happen every day, but Fitzpatrick took it personally.

HTC sees Q3 revenue sliding as much as 30 pct, missing forecasts  —  (Reuters) - Taiwan's HTC Corp expects revenue to fall as much as 30 percent in the third quarter compared to the previous three months, far below analysts' forecasts.  —  A delayed launch for the much-hyped HTC One this year …

Zynga Is Said to Lose Three Top Executives This Month  —  Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) has lost three top executives this month, people familiar with the matter said, increasing the number of managers who have exited the struggling social-games developer.  —  John Osvald, a senior vice president of games …

Hidden Spotify Features Show Music Discovery Could Get So Much Better  —  It looks like Spotify is about to launch an entirely new way for you to browse its catalog with more sophisticated playlists.  While the subscription music service hasn't officially launched the features, they're live on Spotify's web player.

Apple workers file lawsuit for lost wages due to bag searches  —  Former employees at Apple stores in New York and Los Angeles have filed a class action suit, claiming the iPhone maker required them to stand in line for up to 30 minutes every shift and wait for a manager to search their bags.

Apple's Response to Latest Supplier Labor Abuse Allegations … New York-based nonprofit China Labor Watch on Monday released a report alleging labor abuses — including environmental and safety violations, withholding of worker pay and poor living conditions — at Taiwanese Apple Inc. contractor Pegatron.

Sprint reports ‘highest-ever’ revenue of $7.2 billion for Q2 2013, loses $1.6 billion on Nextel shutdown  —  Sprint has just announced its second quarter 2013 financial results, and while it's pay as you go plans are paying off in terms of income, shutdowns and charges caused a huge loss.

VCR's Past Is Guiding Television's Future  —  The last few weeks have been a rugged legal stretch for incumbent television companies.  —  First, an appeals court declined to rehear a case in which broadcasters sought to close down Aereo, a company that allows users to record and play back broadcast television over the Internet.

Nokia's new Bluetooth ‘Treasure Tag’ will prevent you from ever losing your keys again  —  Nokia is preparing to launch a proximity sensor accessory for its range of Lumia Windows Phones.  Sources familiar with Nokia's plans have revealed to The Verge that the Finnish smartphone maker will debut a …

Taiwan's Asus Aims to Enter U.S. Smartphone Market Next Year  —  Asus has made a business out of finding niches where other computer makers had yet to see them.  But in trying to crack the U.S. smartphone market, the company could face its hardest test yet.  —  Asus Chairman Jonney Shih

Mentor/Investor Whiplash  —  I've been doing a tour of the summer accelerator programs and a question I get a lot is about the feedback the teams get from the investors and mentors they meet with.  They ask me how much should they react to the feedback they are getting advising them to do things differently …

US patent office rejects claims of Apple ‘pinch to zoom’ patent  —  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected claims of an Apple patent that figures prominently in a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, according to documents filed by the South Korean company in a U.S. federal court.