Techmeme
November 15, 2016, 5:15 PM

Top News

New York Times:
Adware in over 100K US Android phones made by BLU sent the full contents of text messages, contact lists, call logs, and location information to Chinese firm  —  WASHINGTON — For about $50, you can get a smartphone with a high-definition display, fast data service and, according to security contractors …
Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed:
Twitter debuts an updated mute filter with ability to filter phrases and more, muted tweet threads, and new “hateful conduct” reporting option to combat abuse  —  At a pivotal moment, the company is introducing a mute filter, muted conversation threads, and user report infrastructure …
Nathan Ingraham / Engadget:
Google debuts PhotoScan app for iOS and Android, which makes it easy to digitize old print photos; Google Photos updated with more advanced image editing tools  —  On the surface, Google Photos has a simple mission: to store all your pictures.  Specifically, Google says it wants the service …
James Vincent / The Verge:
Apple releases $299 hardcover book “Designed by Apple in California” dedicated to the memory of Steve Jobs, chronicling 20 years of Apple design with 450 photos  —  A book like this takes courage  —  Running out of Christmas ideas for that diehard Apple fan in your life?
Reuters:
Sources: Snap Inc. has filed confidentially for its IPO  —  Messaging app Snapchat has filed confidentially for an initial public offering (IPO), sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.  —  The Venice, California-based company is in the process of planning one of the biggest technology IPOs …
Brian Crecente / Polygon:
Super Mario Run launches on iPhone and iPad on December 15, will be free to download but unlocking full game will cost $10; Android release info not announced  —  Cost $9.99, but there's a free option too  —  Nintendo's Mario makes his grand appearance on the iPhone and iPad …
Cade Metz / Wired:
Elon Musk and Sam Altman's OpenAI partners with Microsoft, will use Azure for majority of its cloud computing needs  —  To build OpenAI—a new artificial intelligence lab that seeks to openly share its research with the world at large—Elon Musk and Sam Altman recruited several top researchers from inside Google and Facebook.
Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple exploring Google Glass-like AR digital glasses that connect wirelessly to iPhones, as company comes under pressure to deliver new products  —  Apple Inc. is weighing an expansion into digital glasses, a risky but potentially lucrative area of wearable computing, according to people familiar with the matter.
Steven Musil / CNET:
WhatsApp is rolling out free video calling on iOS, Android, and Windows phones to all users in the coming days  —  The popular messaging and voice app adds video call option, joining a crowded field.  —  FaceTime and Skype have a new rival in the video-chat market: WhatsApp.
Matthew Lynley / TechCrunch:
Pinterest launches an Explore section for trending topics and ideas; app now has native video player and auto-play videos in Explore section  —  Pinterest today is launching a new section of the app that is geared around surfacing up trending and top ideas that'll get additional new content in front of users.
Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:
GE acquires Wise.io, an analytics firm that uses machine learning to help businesses find patterns in data, as the company expands its software divisions  —  GE Digital today announced that it has acquired Wise.io, a machine-learning powered service that helps businesses find patterns and trends in their vast data stores.
New York Times:
Google and Facebook say they will ban fake news sites from using their advertising networks as misinformation spreads online  —  Over the last week, two of the world's biggest internet companies have faced mounting criticism over how fake news on their sites may have influenced the presidential election's outcome.

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Sheera Frenkel / BuzzFeed: