Techmeme: Update: Skype to retire recent editions for Windows, Mac; upgrades mandatory (Gregg Keizer/Computerworld)

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June 21, 2014, 5:00 AM

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Liz Gannes / Re/code:

Google's Nest Buys Dropcam for $555 Million — Dropcam, the popular home monitoring camera startup, will be acquired by Nest, maker of smart thermostats and smoke detectors. The deal is worth $555 million in cash. — Nest itself was just purchased by Google just four months ago for $3.2 billion.

Shara Tibken / CNET:

Samsung to launch Android Wear smartwatch at Google I/O — The wearable will be one of several new devices built around Google software, sources tell CNET. LG and Motorola are also expected to show off new gadgets.

More: Ars Technica, GSMArena Blog, 9to5Google, Phandroid, The Verge, Pocketnow, Ubergizmo, Android Central, Android Beat, Engadget and SlashGear. Thanks:@nickstatt

Mark Gurman / 9to5Mac:

Apple said to team up with pro athletes to test iWatch fitness capabilities — Apple has teamed up with some of the sports world's most notable professional athletes in order to test the upcoming “iWatch's” fitness capabilities in intense training environments, according to a source with knowledge of the testing.

More: I4U News, Ubergizmo, Pocketnow, SlashGear, TechnoBuffalo, TechCrunch, MacRumors, App Advice, MacDailyNews, BGR, Business Insider, Electronista, GSMArena Blog, iLounge, InvestorPlace, Cult of Mac, Associated Press and iPhone in Canada Blog. Tweets: @markgurman. Thanks:@jordankahn

Kara Swisher / Re/code:

Yahoo, burned by The Weather Channel replacing it as iOS 8's weather data provider, worries next about Stocks app — As Weather Channel Blows Yahoo Off Apple's Upcoming iOS 8, App Storms Ahead for Mayer — Of the many announcements made at Apple's recent Worldwide Developers Conference …

More: TechnoBuffalo, App Advice, Ubergizmo, MacDailyNews, 9to5Mac, AppleInsider, MacRumors, Business Insider and MacNN

Tweets: @davezatz and @kenli729

Arik Hesseldahl / Re/code:

Box May Raise $100 Million or More Before IPO — Box, the enterprise cloud storage and collaboration company, is exploring the possibility of raising $100 million or more from private investors ahead of its planned initial public offering. — Box is in the early stages of talks …

More: GeekWire, Fortune, Business Insider and SeekingAlpha.com

Douglas MacMillan / Wall Street Journal:

Box in talks with TPG to raise more funding ahead of its delayed IPO

More: Bloomberg and VentureBeat. Tweets: @dmac1

Gregg Keizer / Computerworld:

Update: Skype to retire recent editions for Windows, Mac; upgrades mandatory — Not clear whether that means everyone must upgrade or lose access to the calling and chat service — Skype today said it would retire older versions of its desktop Internet calling application …

More: Skype Blogs, AppleInsider, InfoWorld, 9to5Mac, BetaNews, WinBeta, iPhone in Canada Blog and The Next Web

Drew FitzGerald / Wall Street Journal:

Google Considering Investment in New Trans-Pacific Cable — Move Comes as Technology Companies are Sending More Traffic Across Private Networks — Google Inc. is weighing an investment in a new, multimillion-dollar cable across the Pacific Ocean, people familiar with the matter said …

More: Reuters

Andy Greenberg / Wired:

EFF to release open-source router firmware for securely sharing your Wi-Fi with strangers — This Tool Boosts Your Privacy by Opening Your Wi-Fi to Strangers — In an age of surveillance anxiety, the notion of leaving your Wi-Fi network open and unprotected seems dangerously naive.

More: Gizmodo. Tweets: @dangillmor, @jpbarlow and @thegrugq

Janko Roettgers / Gigaom:

This Firefox OS-powered streaming stick is Mozilla's answer to Chromecast (exclusive video) — Google's Chromecast streaming stick could soon get competition from an unexpected source: Mozilla has secretly been working with a partner on a Chromecast-like streaming stick that is powered by Firefox OS.

More: 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, The Verge, TechnoBuffalo, SlashGear, Android Police and Android Central. Tweets: @codepo8

Ina Fried / Re/code:

Q&A with Jeff Bezos: Amazon Fire phone took form over four years ago — Bezos: Amazon Fire Phone Was a Long Time Coming — Going to dump your iPhone for this? — Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has made a long-term bet that you will. The retailer's new Fire phone is the culmination …

More: App Advice, DSLreports, Ars Technica, TechnoBuffalo, BGR and FierceWireless

Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:

Google unveils independent “fork” of OpenSSL called “BoringSSL” — Google is releasing its own independently developed “fork” of OpenSSL, the widely used cryptography library that came to international attention following the Heartbleed vulnerability that threatened hundreds of thousands of websites with catastrophic attacks.

More: ImperialViolet and The Register. Tweets: @xor

Jack Nicas / Wall Street Journal:

National Park Service Moves to Ban Drones — The National Park Service ordered a ban on people using drones in the 401 national park areas in the U.S., marking a new battleground over the proliferation of unmanned aircraft in U.S. skies. National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis signed …

More: National Park Service, Associated Press, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, The Verge, USA Today, Fast Company, Daily Mail, Washington Post, Forbes, The Inquisitr News, Gigaom, Businessweek, Engadget and The Hill

Tweets: @jacknicas and @benleubsdorf

Sam Oliver / AppleInsider:

Archos releases new iOS-controlled smart home suite with tablet, cameras & environmental sensors — Consumers looking for an self-installed, iOS-compatible “connected home” system now have a new option from electronics manufacturer Archos, as the company's new Smart Home system has hit virtual shelves …

More: Engadget, iTech Post, Tom's Hardware Guide, Home Toys, Fudzilla, Telecompaper, Electronista, SlashGear, Geek Beat, TWICE and Pocket-lint

Jim Edwards / Business Insider:

The CEO Of Secret Told Us How You Can Hack Yo And Get Anyone's Phone Number In Just 3 Minutes — The super-simple messaging app Yo is on fire right now: It's No.4 in the App Store at the time of writing. We told you earlier that someone already hacked it, and the company has admitted …

More: BGR, Washington Post and Redmond Pie. Tweets: @edc1591

Loek Essers / PC World:

Nintendo's Wii infringes on Philips' remote control patents, UK court rules — Nintendo's Wii and Wii U game consoles infringe two Philips remote control patents, the England and Wales High Court ruled Friday. — Philips sued Nintendo in 2012, alleging the game consoles infringed three of its remote control patents.

More: Bloomberg, Eurogamer.net, Ubergizmo, TND - The Next Digit, destructoid, Softpedia News, GamePolitics blogs and SlashGear

Larry Dignan / ZDNet:

Oracle acquires screen-sharing technology company LiveLOOK — Oracle acquires LiveLOOK, bolsters its service cloud — Summary: LiveLOOK co-browsing technology is used to resolve customer issues through the web and mobile channels. — Oracle on Friday said it acquired LiveLOOK …

More: MarketWatch, Oracle, Wall Street Journal, Cruxial CIO, RTTNews, ValueWalk, TND - The Next Digit, SiliconANGLE, VentureBeat and PC World

Kevin Fitchard / Gigaom:

Washington's Wi-Fi Friday: FCC, Senate push for more Wi-Fi in schools, more unlicensed airwaves — Wi-Fi was a big topic of discussions in multiple institutions of our federal government on Friday. Federal Communications Chairman Tom Wheeler unveiled a plan today that would put $2 billion …

More: FCC.gov, Computerworld, PC World, Re/code, The Register, CNET, The Verge, Broadcasting & Cable, The Hill, Ubergizmo and The Hill

Ryan Whitwam / Android Police:

Amazon Will Give Developers Up To $15,000 In Amazon Coins To Entice Users If They Update Apps For Fire Phone — Amazon is hoping the Fire Phone will be a hit with consumers despite the higher than expected price and AT&T exclusivity. To make its case, the retailer is looking to ensure …

More: TechCrunch, BGR, VentureBeat, Wall Street Journal and Business Insider

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