Techmeme: Facebook is testing a feature in Messenger that suggests conversation topics based on the friend's past activity (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)

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October 18, 2016, 2:15 PM

Top News

Dieter Bohn / The Verge:

Google Pixel review: fast, powerful, long battery, and great camera though it lacks optical image stabilization, but dull design and the software needs polish — Android by Google — Every Android phone has always been a little compromised, and everybody knows it.

More: Ars Technica, Android Police, Gizmodo, International Business Times, Telegraph, Inquirer, TalkAndroid.com, Business Insider, TechnoBuffalo, 9to5Google, PCWorld, Computerworld, DigitalGov, Android Central, Wired, Liliputing and Android Beat

Tweets: @mims and @pkafka

Walt Mossberg / The Verge:

Google Pixel review: best premium Android phone, worth buying just for the impressive Assistant, but not water resistant — The new Pixel is a classy home for the new Assistant — At long last, almost 8 years to the day the first Android phone went on sale, Google is launching a smartphone …

Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:

Google Pixel camera review: fast and takes impressive photos, video stabilization works very well, though it has some quirks like choppy focal length adjustment — Google's new Pixel is an attempt by the Android maker to showcase the very best of Google, and that includes its imaging chops.

More: The Verge, TechCrunch, PCWorld and MobileSyrup.com

Ben Brody / Bloomberg:

Wikileaks: leaked email from March shows Podesta's initial list of 39 suggestions for Clinton's running mate included Tim Cook, Bill Gates, and Melinda Gates — Podesta listed women, blacks, Hispanics, WikiLeaks says — Bill and Melinda Gates, Mary Barra, Tim Cook on early list

More: WikiLeaks, Gizmodo, The Verge, GeekWire, The Next Web, SiliconBeat, AppleInsider, Slate, MarketWatch, USA Today, CBS News, CNBC, Daily Mail, Bustle, MacRumors, iDownloadBlog.com, WinBeta, Business Insider, 9to5Mac, Network World, Fortune, Fortune, Mashable, The Daily Caller and Automotive News Automaker

Tweets: @ajs, @mikemccormick_ and @mortauxfrousses

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Amazon adds new Prime benefits: Family Vault, which gives up to 5 members access to unlimited photo storage, and photo printing which starts at 9 cents/print — One of the perks of Amazon Prime membership is free, unlimited photo storage via Prime Photos. Today, Amazon is extending …

More: Amazon.com, Fortune, CNET, Android Authority, MacRumors, TechSpot, Engadget, BetaNews and The Verge. Thanks:@sfdji

Ken Yeung / VentureBeat:

Zenefits looks beyond past troubles with debut of app marketplace, called Z2, for its all-in-one HR platform, launching with 17 partner-made integrations — More than a year ago, Zenefits seemed to be riding high as a company Silicon Valley investors salivated over.

More: Recode, ZDNet, VentureBeat, SiliconBeat, VentureBeat and TechCrunch

James Vincent / The Verge:

Samsung is setting up Note7 exchange booths at high traffic terminals in select airports around the world — Samsung is setting up Galaxy Note 7 exchange booths in airports around the world, hoping to stop customers taking the dangerous device onto flights at the last minute.

More: The Korea Heald, CNET, The Korea Times, Engadget, Business Insider, Android Police, Washington Post, Gizmodo, AppleInsider, Android Authority, Daring Fireball, Motherboard, PhoneDog.com, Fortune, TechCrunch, TalkAndroid.com and MacRumors

Matt Humrick / AnandTech:

Qualcomm announces X50 5G modem, enabling 5Gbps downloads and arriving in products in 2018, and says smartphones with X16 gigabit LTE modems coming in 2017 — Qualcomm made three announcements about connectivity products today at it 2016 4G/5G Summit in Hong Kong.

More: Qualcomm, Qualcomm, Qualcomm, Android Authority, Qualcomm, AnandTech, CNET, The Verge, CNET, Forbes, The Tech Report, Softpedia News, Tom's Guide, Tech Times, Mashable, Fast Company, The Register, Android Central, Forbes, Engadget, PC Magazine, EE Times, Fierce Wireless, Fortune and PR Newswire. Tweets: @qualcomm

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:

FTC says it may lose ability to effectively regulate companies like Comcast, Google, and Verizon unless ruling from AT&T case is overturned on appeal — FTC seeks to reverse AT&T ruling that may gut consumer protection authority. — The Federal Trade Commission is worried …

More: Consumerist

Larry Dignan / ZDNet:

IBM reports Q3 revenue of $19.2B, flat YoY; cloud as a service annual run rate now at $7.5B, up 66% from last year — IBM's strategic imperatives—new businesses that are getting investment—are starting to offset slower units. — IBM reported a better-than-expected third quarter …

More: Tech Trader Daily, New York Times, eWeek, Bloomberg, Business Wire, SiliconANGLE, VentureBeat, Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check, Fortune, CNBC and Business Insider

Tweets: @jasonlk and @philgilbertsr

Josh Constine / TechCrunch:

Facebook Live unlocks scheduling and pre-stream lobby, first for verified Pages — Facebook is helping broadcasters plan and promote their Live streams ahead of time, and assemble their audiences in a waiting room so they have viewers the second the camera starts rolling.

More: The Next Web and Facebook Media

Janko Roettgers / Variety:

Twitter hires AngelHack founder Gregory Gopman to work on its VR initiative — Twitter has hired AngelHack founder Gergory Gopman to work on its nascent virtual reality (VR) initiative, Variety has learned. The company may add native 360-degree video integration as well as 360-degree video live streaming …

Tweets: @samhouston

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

Razer acquires audiovisual company THX as it explores growth beyond the gaming industry; THX will be “spun out” as a recapitalized startup — Razer, the company that develops hardware and services for gamers and the world of gaming, has made an acquisition to catapult …

More: The Tech Report, THX Ltd., VRFocus, GamesIndustry.biz, UploadVR, TechSpot, THX Ltd., Tech Times, AnandTech, CNET, The Verge and Engadget

Tweets: @razer, @venturebeat and @tomwarren

Thanks:@ingridlunden

Matt Pressberg / The Wrap:

Netflix is abandoning plans to launch in China for now because of challenging regulations, but will still license content to existing online service providers — Streaming giant cites challenges in “regulatory environment for foreign digital content services”

Tweets: @sub8u. See also Mediagazer

Matthew Lynley / TechCrunch:

Netflix beats expectations, adding 3.2M global subscribers vs. 2M expected and 370K domestic subscribers vs. 304K for the quarter; stock up over 20% after hours

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