Google wins book-scanning case: judge finds “fair use,” cites many benefits  —  Google has won a resounding victory in its eight-year copyright battle with the Authors Guild over the search giant's controversial decision to scan more than 20 million books from libraries and make them available on the internet.

Apple releases iOS 7.0.4 & iOS 6.1.5 with FaceTime bug fix  —  This morning, Apple has released iOS 7.0.4 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.  The update is a bug fix release with improvements.  Apple notes that the update includes a fix for FaceTime calls that could fail for some users.

New FCC chairman tells wireless carriers to unlock cell phones  —  Act now or we will regulate, Wheeler tells CTIA.  —  In one of his first days on the job, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has asked the CTIA Wireless Association to move quickly toward unlocking phones for consumers.

Tired of a fat wallet?  Coin lets you hold all your cards in a single connected card  —  With all the hype surrounding mobile payments these days, that industry faces a monumental problem: Credit cards are already pretty easy to use.  Now Coin, a Y Combinator-backed startup …

Samsung Said to Plan Galaxy Phone Using Wraparound Display  —  Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a display that wraps around the edges so users can read messages or monitor stocks while looking from an angle, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Pricey, mighty Retina Mini is best small tablet yet  —  $399.00  —  The good: The iPad Mini with Retina Display adds an excellent high-resolution display that rivals the iPad Air's, a far faster A7 processor, and tops it off with improved Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, with battery life that's as good or better than in last year's Mini.

CIA's Financial Spying Bags Data on Americans  —  Information on International Money Transfers Includes Financial and Personal Data of Americans  —  The Central Intelligence Agency is building a vast database of international money transfers that includes millions of Americans' financial and personal data …

PostgreSQL Now Available On Amazon's Relational Database Service  —  Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched PostgreSQL on Amazon RDS, showing the strength of the open-source database and its market maturity.  —  CTO Werner Vogels said onstage at the AWS re:Invent conference that the database offering falls …

Exclusive - Comcast to sell movies for download, streaming: sources  —  (Reuters) - Comcast Corp plans to start selling movies for download and streaming through the cable operator's set-top boxes and its Xfinity TV website, according to people with knowledge of the plan.

The Inside Story of How the iPad Got Its Iconic Design  —  While Jony Ive's group was secretly working on the iPad, Steve Jobs was telling the public and press that Apple had no intention of releasing a tablet.  “Tablets appeal to rich guys with plenty of other PCs and de- vices already,” he said publicly.

Nokia's first Windows Phone 8.1 handset includes ‘3D Touch’ technology  —  Nokia's upcoming 6-inch Lumia 1520 flagship handset hasn't been released yet, but we're already starting to hear early details on the company's Windows Phone 8.1 plans.  Twitter account @evleaks revealed today that Nokia …

White spaces anyone?  Google opens its spectrum database to developers  —  All of those unused frequencies that linger between TV channels, called white spaces, are ripe for the taking, and starting today network builders and device makers can start using them, with a little help from Google.

Sony launches PlayStation 4, fans go nuts  —  Sony launched its PlayStation 4 tonight across North America tonight at thousands of midnight store openings.  —  The company's next-gen console is now on sale for $400 at retailers around the country (it comes out Nov. 29 in Europe).

'We still don't encrypt server-to-server data' admits Microsoft to EU Committee  —  A senior Microsoft executive has told a European parliamentary committee that the company does not encrypt its server-to-server data communications.  —  Dorothee Belz, EMEA VP for Legal and Corporate Affairs …

Skype is considering adding automatic removal of typing sounds from calls  —  At a press event in Stockholm, Sweden today, Skype confirmed it is evaluating the addition of a typing suppression feature to its desktop clients that will automatically filter the sound of your fingers hitting the keys.

Unofficial Web tool tracks Retina iPad mini availability for U.S. Apple Stores  —  With Apple's iPad mini with Retina display seeing severe supply constraints at launch, a Web-based tracking tool offering in-store pickup availability has popped up in a most peculiar place: a website dedicated to the conservation of sea turtles.

Keypic, replacing CAPTCHA without annoying users  —  CAPTCHA has been broken now it's time for it to be replaced ... Keypic looks like the answer  —  A few days ago I wrote about an artificial intelligence startup, Vicarious, which demonstrated software that breaks the widely used …

BBM for Android and iPhone updates now available  —  Originally published on the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog  —  A new update to BBM is rolling out for Android and iPhone users.  In addition to several new features, bug fixes and performance improvements, we are also proud to deliver something you've …

MIT researchers develop InForm, a shape-shifting display surface … A research team from MIT's Tangible Media Group has developed InForm, a dynamic shape display that can shape shift to render 3D content physically.  —  The surface is made up of around 1000 pins — long, vertically assembled square sticks arranged in a square grid.

Microsoft Office still isn't available for iPad, but now HopTo fills the void  —  Eventually, Microsoft will bring a touch-optimized version of Office to the iPad.  Until that day arrives, however, there's Apple's iWork—and now HopTo, which offers a reskinned version of Word as lovely and useful as an iPad app should be.

Republic Wireless' $299 off-contract Moto X now available  —  Republic Wireless undercuts the competition with the $299 Moto X.  —  (Credit: Rick Broida/CNET)  —  Republic Wireless finally has its flagship smartphone in the Motorola Moto X.  —  Related stories:  — Hands-on with the Republic Wireless Moto X

Amazon now offers customized Kindle covers  —  Thinking about giving someone an Amazon Kindle this holiday season?  How about adding a customized case with an image of your face to go with it?  Amazon on Thursday introduced a new line of personalized Kindle accessories that allows you customize your Kindle cover for no extra cost.