Techmeme
January 30, 2014, 6:20 AM

Top News

Larry Page / The Official Google Blog:
Google CEO: Motorola to be better served at Lenovo, which is “all-in” on making mobile devices  —  Lenovo to acquire Motorola Mobility  —  We've just signed an agreement to sell Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91 billion.  As this is an important move for Android users everywhere, I wanted to explain why in detail.
Google:
Lenovo to acquire Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.91 billion  —  Lenovo to Acquire Motorola Mobility from Google  —  Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Mountain View, California - January 29, 2014: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) …
Ina Fried / Re/code:
Lenovo Explains Its $2.9 Billion Motorola Deal  —  Google is swallowing a big loss in selling Motorola for $2.9 billion and Lenovo is taking a big risk in acquiring an iconic but troubled brand.  —  So why are they doing it?  —  We think we know why Google is selling.
Matthew Panzarino / TechCrunch:
Google Keeps ‘Vast Majority’ Of Motorola Mobility Patents In Sale To Lenovo  —  Motorola Mobility is being sold to Lenovo, in a deal worth $2.91B.  Google is divesting itself of the handset division it purchased for $12.5B in 2011, but it will keep some of the assets — including patents.
Tom Krazit / Gigaom:
With Motorola sale and Samsung peace, Google finds practical exit to an unconventional (and expensive) deal  —  In the nearly ten years Google has been a public company, it has been defined by a curious mixture of ambition, futurism, and unpredictability.  This week, Google showed that it also knows when to move on.
Liz Gannes / Re/code:
After Google Pressure, Samsung Will Dial Back Android Tweaks, Homegrown Apps  —  In early January, while the rest of the consumer technology world at CES marveled at the sheer size of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy tablet, Google execs were dismayed by what they saw on the screen of the massive 12.1-inch slate …
Kara Swisher / Re/code:
Microsoft may select new CEO next week, Satya Nadella Exec VP Cloud and Enterprise, most likely candidate  —  Now at 160 Days, Microsoft CEO Search Could Be Nearing Its End With Insiders on Inside Track  —  According to numerous sources close to Microsoft, the selection of a new CEO could happen within the next week.
More: Softpedia News.  Thanks:@srikardr
Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:
Apple aggressively pushing to take Arizona sapphire plant live in February for ‘critical’ product component  —  In November of last year, Apple announced that it would be opening up a new manufacturing plant in Mesa, Arizona.  Since that time, little information has come out about the plant except …
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Facebook aims to conquer mobile by building an arsenal of standalone apps  —  Facebook's Plot To Conquer Mobile: Shatter Itself Into Pieces  —  Swiss Army knives don't cut it on mobile.  Packing in too many features creates apps that seem bloated and slow.
More: Mashable.  Tweets: @joshconstine
Facebook:
Jon Russell / The Next Web:
Nintendo plans non-wearable health products, still has no interest in smartphone gaming  —  Nintendo has again confirmed today that it won't introduce its games to smartphones and tablets, however, company President Satoru Iwata did reveal plans to introduce non-wearable technology that monitors users' health.
David Kravets / Wired:
Obama Stays Silent on Reform of NSA's Crypto Subversion  —  President Barack Obama in his State of the Union on Tuesday failed to address an issue that affects everyone on the internet — the NSA's subversion of cryptographic standards and technologies.  —  Privacy advocates and business interests …
Hayley Tsukayama / Washington Post:
New Web addresses now live: .bike, .guru, others now open  —  Remember this day: it's the day the Web started to expand.  As of Wednesday, Internet users can now register addresses in new domain names — the official term for everything that comes right of the dot in a URL.

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Ben Popper / The Verge: