Techmeme
December 20, 2013, 12:55 AM

Top News

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:
SEC Charges Microsoft Senior Manager and Friend With Insider Trading in Advance of Company News  —  The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a senior portfolio manager at Microsoft Corporation and his friend and business partner with insider trading ahead of company announcements.
iFixit:
Steam Machine Teardown  —  If last month's round of next-gen console launches left you in a fog, prepare yourself for the incoming Steam Machine.  Valve has released only 300 beta kits into the wild, so grab your companion cube and hold tight—we're about to open one up.
Mikey Campbell / AppleInsider:
Apple hints at future Maps app in ‘layered map’ patent filing  —  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published an Apple patent application that takes the company's existing mapping apps and extends them to new levels of interactivity with data-rich layered viewing modes.  —  Source: USPTO
Arik Hesseldahl / AllThingsD:
Calxeda, Chipmaker That Sought to Bring ARM Chips to Servers, Has Shut Down  —  Depending on whom you ask, the coming year is supposed to be the one during which server chips based on the ARM architecture that is now so popular in smartphones and tablets start appearing in servers.
Libby Jacobson / Verizon Public Policy:
Verizon to Publish Transparency Report Disclosing Law Enforcement Requests for Customer Information  —  NEW YORK — Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) today announced plans to publish an online report that will provide data on the number of law enforcement requests for customer information …
Seth Weintraub / 9to5Google:
After recall, Google releases updated HP Chromebook 11 with newly-designed power adapter  —  Google recalled the power adapters to its popular little HP Chromebook 11 last week after an investigation by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said that some of the AC adapters were overheating and could be dangerous.
More: Engadget, The Verge and The VAR Guy.  Thanks:@davidj
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
Shazam for iPhone can now listen for songs and shows in the background  —  Ever rush to identify a song with Shazam with your phone, only to be frustrated as the tune ends before you've even reached into your pocket?  That won't be a concern with the latest update to Shazam's iPhone app.
Reuters:
Exclusive: Dish eyes 2014 bid for T-Mobile - sources  —  (Reuters) - Dish (DISH.O) is considering making a bid for T-Mobile (TMUS.N) next year, according to people close to the matter, in what would be the satellite TV provider's second attempt in as many years at acquiring a major wireless operator …
Michael Davidson / Xconomy:
Techstars CEO David Cohen to Raise $150M Fund  —  Techstars co-founder and CEO David Cohen has begun the process of raising a $150 million fund, according to an SEC filing made earlier today.  —  While Cohen is best known as the head of Boulder, CO-based Techstars, he's also an active investor …
Liz Gannes / AllThingsD:
WhatsApp announces 400M active users, aims to “steer the conversation” away from registered users  —  WhatsApp Does a Passive-Aggressive Stats Release to Call Out Others for Bulls**t Metrics  —  There's a big difference between someone signing up for a service, and someone using it on a regular basis.
Derrick Harris / Gigaom:
IBM acquires Aspera and its tech for moving massive files to the cloud  —  IBM on Thursday announced plans to acquire Aspera, a startup whose protocol technology is used to transfer large files fast over the slow public internet.  The Aspera protocol, called fasp, is used by a large number …
Lisa Eadicicco / LAPTOP Magazine:
$350 Google Glass Competitor Covers Both Eyes to Augment Your Reality  —  If you think wearing Google Glass makes you look like a futuristic cyborg, than the Atheer One is sure to make you feel like you've just crawled out of a time machine.  Atheer Labs has just announced …
Donna Tam / CNET:
DA to Apple: Make iPhone's Activation Lock the rule  —  San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón released survey results Wednesday that he says makes an argument for Apple to enable its Activation Lock security feature on every phone.  —  When enabled, Activation Lock …
Richard Nieva / CNET:
Yahoo Mail brings back popular tabs feature  —  When Yahoo overhauled its Mail product in October, many people howled at the redesign, and particularly missed a tabs feature that allowed users to multitask while writing and reading e-mails.  —  Related posts  — Nope, Yahoo isn't building a Siri rival — at least one we know of
Kara Swisher / AllThingsD:
Foursquare Raises a $35 Million Round and Adds DFJ's Schuler to Board  —  Foursquare, the iconic social location service, has raised $35 million in a Series D round, led by DFJ Growth and the Capital Group's Smallcap World Fund.  —  The company confirmed the raise to me and later in a blog post …

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Earlier Picks

Rachel King / ZDNet:
eMarketer:
Casey Newton / The Verge:
Peter Kafka / AllThingsD: