NSA broke privacy rules thousands of times per year, audit finds  —  The National Security Agency has broken privacy rules or overstepped its legal authority thousands of times each year since Congress granted the agency broad new powers in 2008, according to an internal audit and other top-secret documents.

The limits of Google's openness  —  Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft  —  You may be wondering what happened to the YouTube app for Windows Phone.  Last May, after we launched a much improved app on our platform, Google objected on a number of grounds.

Nokia to launch Windows RT tablet in September, alleged pictures leak  —  Nokia is planning to launch its first Windows RT tablet in September.  Sources familiar with Nokia's plans have revealed to The Verge that the company will unveil its tablet at a special launch event in New York next month.

Mercedes Is Testing Google Glass Integration, and It Actually Works  —  I put the car in park, unplug the phone, and put Google Glass on my face.  Within seconds, I've got step-by-step directions to a coffee shop down the street beamed directly to my eyeballs.

Samsung Said to Introduce Wristwatch-Like Smartphone Next Month  —  Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) will introduce a wristwatch-like device named the Galaxy Gear next month that can make phone calls, surf the Web and handle e-mails, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Wants to Get a Million Programmers to “Code for India”  —  Karl Mehta has spent years doing financial startups and more recently worked as a venture capitalist, helping other technology companies get their start.  —  Now the Menlo Ventures partner is embarking …

Apple Acquired Matcha Because It Got The Recommendation Recipe Right  —  News broke that Apple had acquired Matcha, a video programming recommendation site, earlier this week.  It's not surprising, despite the company's relative unknown status and small amount of total funding …

Microsoft killing Games for Windows Live store on August 22nd  —  Microsoft is shutting down its Games for Windows Live marketplace on August 22nd.  In a support note on the company's Xbox site, Microsoft reveals that its Points system and PC Marketplace will be closed …

With Gmail Overhaul, Not All Mail Is Equal  —  Google Funnels Offers Into ‘Promotions’ Folder, Tops Them With Its Own Ads; Kate Spade, Groupon and Gap Want Out  —  For some retailers that rely on emailed promotions, Google Inc. is adding insult to injury.  —  When the search giant overhauled …

Apple Appears to Be Hiring in China  —  Apple Inc. seems to be beefing up hiring in China.  —  Among the more than two hundred openings in China on professional network site LinkedIn, some of the eye-catching China-based positions include an environmental affairs program manager, a security specialist and a store specialist.

China to probe IBM, Oracle, EMC for security concerns: paper  —  (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Public Security and a cabinet-level research center are preparing to probe IBM Corp, Oracle Corp and EMC Corp over security issues, the official Shanghai Securities News said on Friday.

Twitter Flexes Its Location Muscle, Tests Out Highlights Of Live Events Happening Near You  —  Yesterday we reported how Twitter was testing out a new Trending box for TV programs to run at the top of your timeline; today we've spotted a test for yet another new feature: alerts for live events that are happening right near you.

Why Some Startups Say the Cloud Is a Waste of Money  —  Eric Frenkiel is through with convention and conformity.  It was just too expensive.  —  In Silicon Valley, tech startups typically build their businesses with help from cloud computing services — services that provide instant access …

Copyright Troll Ran Pirate Bay Honeypot, Comcast Confirms  —  As the poster child for copyright trolls, Prenda Law has been running into all sorts of trouble lately.  —  In June, Prenda and its boss John Steele were accused of running a “honeypot” based on an expert report authored by Delvan Neville …

Plague of game dev harassment erodes industry, spurs support groups  —  The greatest threat to the video game industry may be some of its most impassioned fans.  Increasingly, game developers are finding themselves under attack by some of the very people they devote their lives to entertaining.