Techmeme: Google launches Flutter v1.2, its cross-platform UI framework, with support for Android App Bundles, better tools for in-app payments, and web-based dev tools (Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch)

Top News

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:

Sources: Apple has been testing a sleep tracking feature for the Watch for several months in California and could add it to a future version by 2020 — - Company holding studies at headquarters to track sleep habits — Function would compete with wearables from Fitbit and Withings

More: AppleInsider, Gizmodo, Ars Technica, Stock Market News …, Engadget, Business Insider, BGR, Pocket-lint, SlashGear, KnowTechie, VentureBeat, iPhone in Canada Blog, iPhone Hacks, 9to5Mac, iDownloadBlog.com, Mashable, MacRumors, Cult of Mac, and The Verge

Tweets: @adampasick, @tomwarren, and @stroughtonsmith

Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:

Sources: US Cyber Command disrupted internet access for Russia's Internet Research Agency during the midterms, as the US becomes more assertive — The U.S. military blocked Internet access to an infamous Russian entity seeking to sow discord among Americans during the 2018 midterms …

More: The Daily Caller and Slashdot

Tweets: @andrewbhanna, @kimzetter, @kimzetter, and @kimzetter

Sahil Patel / Digiday:

Sources: Facebook has been telling news publishers that it will only renew about a third of the existing news shows that it has funded for Facebook Watch — Facebook is showing a greater willingness to ax news programming that's not working on Facebook Watch.

More: VentureBeat, Engadget, Variety, and Tubefilter

Tweets: @serena, @sbyrnes, @jbenton, @digiday, and @stevekovach

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Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:

Facebook announces a new program for premium video ads called Showcase, for running ads on specific content categories and exclusively sponsoring shows

More: Facebook and Engadget

Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:

Researchers find that weaknesses in Supermicro hardware would let an attacker leave a persistent and hidden backdoor on IBM's cloud “bare-metal” servers — Other providers of bare-metal cloud computing might also be vulnerable to BMC hack. — More than five years …

More: IBM PSIRT, CSO, The Register, EnterpriseTech, Enterprise Times, ZDNet, and BleepingComputer

Tweets: @_fel1x, @kennwhite, and @kennwhite

Makena Kelly / The Verge:

FTC announces a new task force to monitor competition in “technology-related sectors” and says that it will look into previous mergers — And they're going to look at previous mergers — The Federal Trade Commission will be launching a task force to monitor competition …

More: Federal Trade Commission and Mashable

The Guardian:

UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been permanently banned from Facebook and Instagram for repeatedly breaking policies on hate speech — Far-right founder of English Defence League repeatedly breached hate speech rules — Tommy Robinson, the far-right founder of the English Defence League …

More: Facebook, BBC, The Hill, Financial Times, CNBC, London Evening Standard, CNN, and The Independent

Tweets: @imbadatlife, @davidlammy, @peoplesmomentum, @ezralevant, @jimwaterson, @alexhern, and @markdistef. Thanks:@alexhern

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Juli Clover / MacRumors:

Apple Music appears as a supported service in the Google Home iOS app, suggesting Apple Music integration is coming to Google Home devices — Apple Music may be soon be available as an option on Google Home devices, according to an image that was shared by MacRumors reader Jason.

More: VentureBeat, CNET, Business Insider, Digital Trends, iMore, Cult of Mac, Android Police, KnowTechie, AppleInsider, iDownloadBlog.com, Engadget, Apple Must, The Verge, Android Authority, Pocket-lint, Neowin, iPhone Hacks, iPhone in Canada Blog, and The Mac Observer

Tweets: @horwitz, @shiraovide, and @bdsams

Hadas Gold / CNN:

DC appeals court rejects the Department of Justice's bid to overturn a ruling that cleared the way for AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner — London (CNN Business)An appeals court has rejected the Justice Department's bid to overturn a ruling that cleared the way for AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner.

More: The Verge, Engadget, CNBC, Axios, Recode, CNET, CNET, New York Times, Business Insider, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, The Wrap, Light Reading, Fortune, and Ars Technica

Tweets: @amy_siskind and @cnnbrk

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Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:

Google launches Flutter v1.2, its cross-platform UI framework, with support for Android App Bundles, better tools for in-app payments, and web-based dev tools — Google today launched version 1.2 of its Flutter cross-platform UI framework at MWC Barcelona.

More: Android Authority, 9to5Google, VentureBeat, and XDA Developers

Shannon Liao / The Verge:

HTC Exodus 1 adds ~20 decentralized blockchain apps, integrates with Opera browser for crypto micropayments, and can be purchased for $699 from March — Now you can buy the HTC blockchain phone with regular cash — HTC's blockchain phone is getting several new apps today …

More: TechCrunch, CNET, 9to5Google, 9to5Mac, The Next Web, VentureBeat, Inquirer, Engadget, Mashable, TechCrunch, and Cointelegraph

Lindsey Bever / Washington Post:

Suicide tips and other dark and dangerous content was found spliced in kids' cartoon videos on YouTube and YouTube Kids — Free Hess, a pediatrician and mother, had learned about the chilling videos over the summer when another mom spotted one on YouTube Kids.

More: BBC, CNN, International Business Times, SlashGear, and BuzzFeed News

Tweets: @mcnees, @profcarroll, and @davechensky

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Jim Salter / Ars Technica:

Independent researcher finds that SEDC, which claims to provide billing software to 250+ US utility companies, was storing customers' passwords in plain text — “It's ridiculous vendors are replying to researchers via general counsel, not bug bounty.” — In September of 2018 …

More: SEDC. Tweets: @sedc_upn

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

Walmart acquires Israel-based startup Aspectiva, which analyzes UGC and browser activity using AI to recommend products to shoppers, for an undisclosed sum — Walmart, the world's biggest brick-and-mortar retailer, today made an acquisition that speaks to its ongoing efforts to build …

More: Walmart, Inc., PYMNTS.com, PE Hub Blog, and CTech - 24/7

Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:

Vast Data emerges from stealth, raising $40M Series B, for “exabyte-scale” enterprise storage — Smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs, and internet of things devices generate more data today than at any time in history — close to 2.5 quintillion bytes, some say.

More: SiliconANGLE and The Register. Thanks:@travisbarend

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

YieldStreet, which provides a platform for making alternative investments in areas like real estate and shipping, raises $62M Series B led by Edison Partners — There has been a wave of fintech startups emerging that make different kinds of investing more accessible to a wider pool of people …

More: PE Hub Blog, FinSMEs, VentureBeat, and Crowdfund Insider

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Pandora launches Stories, a new marketing tool allowing artists to build music playlists combined with voice tracks, available for all users to stream — In an effort to one-up Spotify and Apple Music, Pandora this morning announced the launch of a new marketing tool for artists, called Pandora Stories.

More: Pandora Blog, Digital Trends, The Verge, 9to5Mac, Engadget, CNET, VentureBeat, and RAIN News

Variety:

Spotify's launch in India hits a snag as Warner Music Group files an injunction to bar Spotify's access to Warner/Chappell's library of 1M+ songs — UPDATED: Spotify's long-anticipated launch in India could be days away, but the Swedish company is taking its licensing negotiations with the three major music groups to the wire.

More: Bloomberg, 9to5Mac, XDA Developers, Android Police, The Verge, The Verge, Digital Music News, Firstpost, News18, The Economic Times, RAIN News, Digital Music News, and MSPoweruser

Tweets: @lucas_shaw, @business, and @reckless

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Tom Warren / The Verge:

Microsoft commits to letting others create app stores for HoloLens 2, impressing Epic Games' CEO, who pledges support, sees HoloLens 2 as a new era of openness — Microsoft has made significant commitments to being open for the third era of computing — Microsoft unveiled …

More: CNET, Business Insider, Softpedia News, and SiliconANGLE

Tweets: @tomwarren, @howtocreatevr, @h0x0d, @dancolasanti, @ailon, @shiraovide, and @robpegoraro

CNN:

Amid employee pushback, Satya Nadella defends Microsoft's $479M US Army contract for HoloLens, says Microsoft will not withhold tech from democratic governments

More: Ars Technica, Wired, TechCrunch, The Verge, Recode, OnMSFT.com, CNET, Silicon Republic, The Register, Neowin, SiliconANGLE, Forbes, IGN, Engadget, GeekWire, Fortune, GamesIndustry.biz, Gamasutra, The Hill, TechSpot, Nextgov, Thurrott, Business Insider, and MSPoweruser

Tweets: @ajrivas, @oliviasolon, @msworkers4, @wired, @realrobdias, @mhbergen, and @ceodonovan

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