Techmeme
August 19, 2014, 11:10 PM

Top News

Microsoft Corporation:
Steve Ballmer steps down as board member at Microsoft  —  As I approach the six month mark of my retirement and your appointment as CEO, I have been reflecting on my life, my ongoing ownership of Microsoft stock, and my involvement with the company.  I have reached some conclusions and wanted to share them with you.
Reed Hastings / Wired:
How to Save the Net: Don't Give In to Big ISPs  —  The next Netflix won't stand a chance if the largest Internet service providers in the US are allowed to merge.  —  The Internet has  —  already changed how we live and work, and we're only just getting started.
More: SlashGear and SiliconBeatTweets: @netflix
Dan Frommer / Quartz:
Twitter now officially says your timeline is more than just tweets from people you follow  —  Many Twitter users have noticed that Twitter is now inserting tweets into their timelines that seemingly don't belong.  This is not an accident.  Twitter has updated its help document, “What's a Twitter timeline?”
Dan Seifert / The Verge:
Sharp's Aquos Crystal: a 5-inch, 720p, edge-to-edge display smartphone lacking premium specs  —  Sharp's new phone for Sprint looks like something out of a sci-fi fantasy  —  And it's only $239  —  This week, Sharp, Softbank, and Sprint announced a new line of devices called Acquos Crystal …
Natt Garun / The Next Web:
Kara Swisher / Re/code:
Uber Hires Top Obama Adviser David Plouffe as New “Campaign Manager”  —  As Re/code had reported in July, Uber has zeroing in on the hiring of a high-profile “campaign manager” to head its policy and communications strategy and fight what its CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick has called “an a**hole named Taxi.”
Dana Wollman / Engadget:
Kara Swisher / Re/code:
Lyft COO Travis VanderZanden leaves after tensions with founders  —  Lyft COO Out After Tensions With Founders  —  According to sources close to the situation, Lyft COO Travis VanderZanden has left his job, after some level of tension with its founders.  —  Sources close to the situation …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Google Launches Photo Sphere Camera App On iOS  —  Google has just launched a new photo application for iOS users called Photo Sphere Camera, which allows you to take 360-degree photos, then publish them to Google Maps or other social networks.  The app is an expansion of a feature …
Wall Street Journal:
Snapchat working on integrating disappearing video, news and ads, with new service Snapchat Discovery  —  Snapchat Discussing New Content Service With Advertisers, Media Firms  —  Snapchat Inc., the mobile app for disappearing messages, could soon be a service for disappearing videos, news articles and advertisements.
More: GigaomTweets: @_sarahcoffey
Ellis Hamburger / The Verge:
Mailbox for Mac Beta: fast, offers drafts, yet buggy  —  I burned through my inbox with Mailbox for Mac  —  The king is dead, long live the king  —  Email, right guys?  Some love it.  Some hate it.  Some are trying to replace it.  But the fact is, we all use it.
Kim-Mai Cutler / TechCrunch:
Sam Altman On His Inaugural Batch Of Companies As Y Combinator's New Head  —  “A lot of people ask what's different this time,” said Sam Altman, who took over Y Combinator from Paul Graham at the beginning of the year.  “But the main thing I'm trying to do is keep things running the same way.
More: Re/code
Emil Protalinski / The Next Web:
Microsoft updates OneNote for Android with support for tablets, handwriting, and new formatting options  —  Microsoft today updated its OneNote app for Android with optimizations specifically for tablets.  You can download the new version now directly from Google Play.
Harrison Weber / VentureBeat:
Uber launches on-demand delivery service “Corner Store” in Washington D.C.  —  Uber launches on-demand product deliveries in Washington D.C.  —  Update 6:19 a.m. PT: Uber confirms that the service will launch today.  —  Uber is set to launch an on-demand product delivery service …

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