Techmeme
October 11, 2013, 10:55 PM

Top News

Google:
Terms of Service update  —  We are updating the Google Terms of Service.  The new Terms will go live on November 11, 2013 and you can read them here.  —  Because many of you are allergic to legalese, here's a plain English summary for your convenience.  —  We've made three changes:
New York Times:
Google updates ToS allowing inclusion of users' names, photos and comments in web ads  —  Google Sets Plan to Sell Users' Endorsements  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Google, following in Facebook's footsteps, wants to sell users' endorsements to marketers to help them hawk their wares.
Kashmir Hill / Forbes:
How To Opt Out Of Google's Plan To Sell Your Endorsements To Advertisers  —  Google announced Friday that it is “pulling a Facebook.”  Google is making a change to its terms of service that will allow it to monetize the reviews, comments and “+1″s its users have doled out around the Web.
Ina Fried / AllThingsD:
Apps on iPhone 5s Crashing at Twice the Rate as on Other iPhone 5 Models  —  Whenever there is a new operating system, it's not surprising to see apps crash at a somewhat higher rate, given all the changes.  —  But one of the interesting things in Apple's latest iPhone transition …
Tom Warren / The Verge:
iPhone 5S users report ‘Blue Screen Of Death’ reboots  —  Apple's latest iPhone 5S has an unexpected feature: the Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD).  While it's typically an error found on older Windows PCs, a number of iPhone 5S users are reporting random reboots on their handsets following a BSOD.
Mercury News:
Apple's new headquarters: Exclusive images of Cupertino plan  —  The Mercury News was given an exclusive look at a model of Apple Computer's circular new corporate headquarters, proposed to be built on a 175-acre plot of land bounded by North Wolfe Road and East Homestead Road.
Eric Schmitt / New York Times:
C.I.A. Warning on Snowden in '09 Said to Slip Through the Cracks  —  WASHINGTON — Just as Edward J. Snowden was preparing to leave Geneva and a job as a C.I.A. technician in 2009, his supervisor wrote a derogatory report in his personnel file, noting a distinct change in the young man's behavior …
Reuters:
Sony to focus on Europe and Japan smartphone markets, leaves US and China for the future  —  Without grand plans for China, U.S., Sony set to lag in smartphones  —  (Reuters) - Kazuo Hirai's plan to restore Sony Corp to lasting profitability rests in large part on its smartphones leapfrogging rivals …
Brad Molen / Engadget:
AT&T to streamline traditional voice plans in favor of Mobile Share on October 25th  —  AT&T is planning to axe its traditional monthly calling and data plans for new customers — both individual and family — in favor of the network's latest shared data options, Engadget has learned …
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Yahoo Acquires Bread, Will Shut Down The URL Shortener That Earned You Money  —  Yahoo has just acquired Bread, a 2.5 year old startup that had raised $3.5 million [Update: and we hear was low on cash and shopping itself around to several companies].  Bread let people make money or generate donations by designing interstitial ads.
More: The Next Web.  Tweets: @itsalanchan
Joan E. Solsman / CNET:
Broadcasters petition Supreme Court in Aereo fight  —  Television broadcasters Friday petitioned the US Supreme Court to get involved in their fight against Aereo, the online service that streams their over-the-air programming to its paying members.  Aereo, which is backed by IAC Chairman Barry Diller …
Dan Primack / Fortune:
Exclusive: Kleiner Perkins makes major changes  —  Memo reveals slimmed-down investment committee.  —  FORTUNE — Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is making some major changes to its early-stage investment practice, Fortune has learned.  —  The venerable VC firm this week sent a memo …
Brian Crecente / Polygon:
New York Comic Con using attendee Twitter accounts to send promo tweets (update)  —  Some registered press, professionals and fans attending New York Comic Con this year seemed unusually enthusiastic about the show on Twitter.  That's because the New York City-based convention was tweeting positive messages on their behalf.
Joe Mullin / Ars Technica:
Lavabit's appeal: We're actually not required to wiretap our own users  —  The message greeting visitors to lavabit.com.  —  Ladar Levison shuttered his 10-year-old secure e-mail business in August, citing cryptic threats from the government.  Last week, the documents in his case were unsealed …
Ryan Gallagher / Guardian:
Skype under investigation in Luxembourg over link to NSA  —  Ten years ago, the calling service had a reputation as a tool for evading surveillance but now it is under scrutiny for covertly passing data to government agencies  —  Skype is being investigated by Luxembourg's data protection commissioner …
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Best Buy offering between $200 and $350 for Microsoft Surface trade-ins  —  As it has previously done for iPads, Best Buy is now running a trade-in promotion for Microsoft's Surface tablet.  The retailer is guaranteeing that customers will receive a gift card worth at least $200 when they trade …

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