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03 Mar 2009 10:25

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Tech: Facebook + Twitter: They almost merged. Almost.

  • It became pretty clear it wasn’t going to happen. The deal would have to be done with Facebook stock. And then you have to figure out how much the stock is worth.
  • Peter Thiel • Facebook board member and a co-founder of Paypal. Thiel confirmed a proposed merger of Facebook and Twitter, which only fell apart because nobody knew how much Facebook’s stock was really worth. Structurally, it makes sense: status updates are essentially tweets. • source

03 Mar 2009 10:14

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Tech: In case anyone forgot, Apple has a desktop line

And they updated it today – iMacs, Mac Pros and Mac Minis. Good for them. source

02 Mar 2009 22:17

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Tech, U.S.: The latest type of Supreme Court evidence: YouTube videos

This video of a police officer repeatedly tasering a motorist was shown in a recent case. source

02 Mar 2009 10:17

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Tech: Is the Amazon Kindle’s screen too fragile?

  • A reviewer thinks so. Jeff Reifman, who was attempting to review the New York Times reading experience on the Kindle 2, didn’t even get a day without a scratch (which apparently may have come from a candy bar wrapper?!), a scratch that Amazon seemed very hesitant to replace and probably won’t. Hmm, that doesn’t sound promising for a mass-market product. source
  • A reviewer thinks so. Jeff Reifman, who was attempting to review the New York Times reading experience on the Kindle 2, didn’t even get a day without a scratch (which apparently may have come from a candy bar wrapper?!), a scratch that Amazon seemed very hesitant to replace and probably won’t. Hmm, that doesn’t sound promising for a mass-market product.
  • Well, how does it read? Reifman’s experience with reading the Times was OK, but the interface had its quirks. Among other things, he kept wanting to scroll down, web-style, rather than turn the page like the Kindle’s designed for. Reifman also noted that buying a Kindle and a Kindle subscription to the Times was much cheaper than the paper version. source

01 Mar 2009 11:49

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Tech: That iPhone-not-popular-in-Japan article? Not so true.

  • I have never said ‘And carrying around an iPhone in Japan could make you look pretty lame.’ I think most Japanese think iPhone is the coolest item. At least I have and love iPhone.
  • Daiji Hirata • Who was quoted in a recent Wired article claiming that the Japanese don’t like the iPhone. We posted it, too. Apparently, his quote was taken out of context. And his wasn’t the only one, either. Oof. • source

01 Mar 2009 09:45

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Tech, U.S.: Obama’s helicoper blueprints: On P2P, now in Iran’s hands?

*Forehead slap* *Forehead slap* *Forehead slap* *Forehead slap* *Forehead slap* source

28 Feb 2009 16:10

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Tech: Our new best friend on the Metro: A music-making robot

iPhone app Bebot seems like a $1.99 toy until you realize it’s a full-featured synth. source
 

27 Feb 2009 10:49

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Tech, World: The iPhone’s sales suck in Japan so much, it’s being given away

  • It’s not full-featured enough Japanese consumers are a picky bunch when it comes to their phones, and as neat as the iPhone is to the rest of the world, the phone is missing a number of key things – a high-quality video camera, a TV tuner and multimedia messaging. source
  • It’s not full-featured enough Japanese consumers are a picky bunch when it comes to their phones, and as neat as the iPhone is to the rest of the world, the phone is missing a number of key things – a high-quality video camera, a TV tuner and multimedia messaging.
  • The plans suck The big problem many consumers in Japan have with the iPhone is not its design – which the Japanese don’t like either – but the cost. The monthly plans start at $60, which is high. They recently started giving the phones away with a two-year plan. Oof. source

27 Feb 2009 10:09

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Tech: Facebook makes changes to seem less evil, more open

  • The past week reminded us that users feel a real sense of ownership over Facebook itself, not just the information they share.
  • Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg • On implementing a democratic process for people to discuss changes to the site’s policy. If enough response is created, the site will put changes up to a vote. Beats dramabombs. • source

26 Feb 2009 22:52

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Culture, Tech: CBS goes all iPhone app on us

  • Meet TV.com, our new preferred way of watching the tube. Who needs a TV anymore? Now you can watch all the good stuff on a 3G network (though wi-fi is preferred. TV.com is no Hulu, but the CBS-focused competitor does have shows from CBS, the CW and Showtime. The gauntlet has been thrown, Hulu. Get on it, duders. source