With Chrome 57, Progressive Web Apps will appear in Android's app drawer, settings, more  —  The ambitious goal behind Progressive Web Apps is to allow websites to have the same capabilities and features as a native app, but without the initial download.  Google has been a heavy backer …

Planet Labs will acquire the satellite imaging unit Terra Bella from Google; source says deal is worth $300M+, Google will be a major shareholder of Planet Labs  —  Terra Bella, the satellite imaging company that Google bought about two years ago for $500 million, will be sold to mapping startup Planet Labs …

Snap Inc.'s S-1 SEC filing for IPO  —  This is an initial public offering of shares of non-voting Class A common stock of Snap Inc. Snap Inc. is offering to sell shares of Class A common stock in this offering.  The selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering an additional shares of Class A common stock.

E-mail to OEMs: Google will discontinue Google Now Launcher in the coming weeks  —  Google currently has two launcher apps in the Play Store; Google Now Launcher and Pixel Launcher.  In a few months, there will only be one.  According to an email forwarded to us by a tipster …

FCC revokes permission for nine companies to use $9.25/mo Lifeline credit to subsidize broadband service  —  Regulators are telling nine companies they won't be allowed to participate in a federal program meant to help them provide affordable Internet access to low-income consumers …

Josh Miller, Obama's Digital Product Director, Joins Thrive Capital  —  Josh Miller, who was a member of the White House Office of Digital Strategy under President Barack Obama, has joined Thrive Capital, a venture capital firm run by the investor Joshua Kushner.

Ev Williams: our goal is to launch Medium consumer subscription product this quarter  —  Medium CEO Ev Williams announced today at Upfront Summit that his company will launch a consumer subscription product, with the first version coming this quarter.  This could help develop an additional revenue stream apart from advertisements.

LG says it will add enhanced shielding to its 5K monitors to prevent interference with nearby wireless routers; existing displays can be retrofitted  —  The initial models of the fancy display got all glitchy when put near networking gear.  —  LG has found a fix for a problem that left …

Apple releases $199 pro apps educational bundle that would cost $630 if bought separately; apps include Final Cut, Logic, Motion, Compressor, and Main Stage  —  Apple is introducing a new education bundle for its professional creative apps that significantly discounts the entire collection.

Amazon now has more than 341K employees after adding 110K people in 2016 alone; CTO cites increase of fulfillment capacity by 30% for driving headcount  —  Amazon added more than 110,000 employees during the past year, topping 341,000 people as of the end of 2016 thanks largely …