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 …

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 …

‘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.

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 …

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.

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:

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.

The Old Reader to close public site in two weeks, users who joined before Google Reader axing news can stay  —  When Google first announced Google Reader would be shut down, the news kick-started a very competitive race to create the best alternative.  At least one service, however …