Top Items:
GoogleRumors:
Google Wallet close to launch? — It's about time for that bi-weekly update that Google Wallet is about ready to launch (only half joking). This time there is news that Google's robots.txt file has been updated to reflect two new directories on Google: /gwt and /purchases.
RELATED ITEMS:
Gary Price / Search Engine Watch Blog:
Is Google Wallet or Some Other Google Payment System Getting Closer? — Since so much of the blogosphere revolves around speculation I thought I would join in. Is Google Wallet or whatever they call their payment systems getting closer to reality? I have no idea but some recent changes …
Discussion:
Search Engine Roundtable
Nullbit / webmasterbrain.com:
Exclusive: Google Purchases Sign-Up Page Discovered — Earlier in the week we pointed to some interesting unannounced Google sub-domains discovered by Ron Ruscoe. With much rumour of an upcoming Google Payment service (a.ka. Google Wallet) to rival PayPal, the most notable of the new sub-domains …
Burtonator / Kevin Burton's Feed Blog:
Dot Bomb All Over Again? — A lot of the recent news around Web 2.0 is starting to frighten me. There is just too much money flying around with too much hype and too little value. Take the Web 2.0 conference for example. This thing was way over hyped. It was fun and all but worth $2800?
RELATED ITEM:
Richard MacManus / Read/Write Web:
Web 2.0: Land of Opportunity, or Land of Absurdity? — I'm sensing a backlash about the rising VC interest in Web 2.0. Mike Rundle takes aim at Flock in his post subtitled "The Leaning Tower of Buzz". He thinks Flock is only useful to the blog crowd and doesn't have a viable business model.
Discussion:
Mashable*
Michael Singer / CNET News.com:
Palm drops Zire, Tungsten names — Palm updated its Zire and Tungsten handheld devices on Wednesday as part of a rebranding strategy that will now emphasize its Palm name over all others. — The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based PDA maker said its new handheld organizers dubbed Z22 and TX are available …
RELATED ITEM:
cdt.org:
Spyware — Over the last several years, a loosely defined collection of computer software known as "spyware" has become the subject of growing public alarm. Computer users are increasingly finding programs on their computers that they did not know were installed and that they cannot uninstall …
RELATED ITEM:
Peter Rojas / Engadget:
Xbox 360 hands-on preview — Ok, technically I was just one of many journalists at yesterday's press preview event, but I did get a chance to spend a couple of hours with the Xbox 360. I wasn't exactly blown away with every title I saw, but overall I walked away impressed.
RELATED ITEM:
apple.com:
Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results — Apple Concludes Best Quarter & Best Year in Company History — CUPERTINO, California—October 11, 2005—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2005 fourth quarter ended September 24, 2005, reporting the highest revenue and earnings in the Company's history.
Don Dodge / Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing:
"Microsoft will acquire my company" — Entrepreneurs confidently tell Venture Capitalists "Microsoft will acquire my company". VCs roll their eyes...they have heard it a million times. But, Microsoft does have a rich tradition of acquisitions. The first, and most important …
Campbell Clark / Globe and Mail:
Ottawa demands greater wiretap access — Ottawa — The federal government is demanding that the telecommunications industry build a wiretapping capacity into their networks that would allow authorities to conduct round-the-clock surveillance on the e-mail, Internet or phone use of more than 8,000 people at a time, sources say.
Discussion:
IP Democracy
Official Google Blog:
About Google.org — When we told prospective shareholders about Google and how we wanted to do business, we said that we hoped our philanthropic efforts could some day have a greater impact than Google itself. We committed one percent of our profits and equity toward that vision.
Shel / a shel of my former self:
Ten guidelines for B2B podcasts — In my "Writing for the Wired World" workshops, I begin by pointing out a fundamental difference between business websites and everything else on the web. When you build a family site (birthday party pictures and the like) or a fan site (if you love your Mini Cooper …
Ina Fried / CNET News.com:
Yahoo, Microsoft close to IM pact — Microsoft and Yahoo are close to a pact that would allow users of their respective instant messaging services to exchange messages with one another, a source told CNET News.com on Tuesday. — The exchange of both text and voice messages is being considered …
I4U News:
Verizon FiOS TV User Review — We reported in September that Verizon launched it's fiber optics FiOS TV service in Keller, Texas. — We asked in that story if anybody living in Keller is getting the FiOS TV service. Craig J. contacted us and answered a couple of questions about his new Verizon FiOS TV service for us.
