Tech Giant, But No Endless Free Perks (video)

The Tech Giant That Says No to Endless Free Perks: Video - Bloomberg: "Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- It's a perk-filled world in Silicon Valley, but at eBay you won't find bean bags or ping pong tables everywhere, and the food in the cafeteria actually costs money. So how does eBay keep up with the tech talent wars? Bloomberg's senior west coast correspondent Jon Erlichman reports."

More on Microsoft's SKU-morphic Windows vision | ZDNet: "A more traditional consumer SKU would be aimed at the current PC market. This SKU would include a desktop and be customized so that mouse/keyboard users will be able to continue to have some semblance of productivity and familiarity with Windows. This SKU also would be updated regularly and often through the Windows Store. There also will likely be some kind of traditional Enterprise SKU, according to my contacts, that would include all the usual business bells and whistles, like support for Win32 apps via a Desktop environment, support for group policy, device management and more. This SKU would be aimed primarily at traditional PCs, tablets and other devices and also allow users to run "Modern"/Windows Store apps."

This is Nokia's Android phone | The Verge: "Nokia has been building its own Android phone according to multiple sources familiar with the company’s plans. Codenamed Normandy, and known internally at Nokia under a number of other names, the handset is designed as the next step in low-end phones from the Finnish smartphone maker. We understand that Nokia has been testing “Normandy” with a special “forked” variant of Android that’s not aligned with Google’s own version, akin to what Amazon does with its Kindle Fire line ... It’s now unclear whether Nokia will release the handset before the Microsoft deal is finalized, or whether Microsoft will continue will the plans for the device."

"On a macro level, 'we need to track everyone everywhere for advertising' translates into 'the government being able to track everyone everywhere'... NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking: "The agency's internal presentation slides, provided by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, show that when companies follow consumers on the Internet to better serve them advertising, the technique opens the door for similar tracking by the government. The slides also suggest that the agency is using these tracking techniques to help identify targets for offensive hacking operations."

Google Chromecast Adds 10 Apps

InformationWeek
Presently, the Web-to-TV device is the top seller in Amazon.com's electronics ... much the way Apple's AirPlay technology can display an iOS or OS X screen on ...

Christian Science Monitor

Apple's Siri And Google Both Get C+ Grades From Gene Munster

Forbes
Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray's analyst for Apple Apple and Google Google, has run four sets of tests over the past eighteen months onApple's Siri and Google's ...

Opptrends

Google opening cultural center in Paris

San Jose Mercury News
PARIS (AP) -- Google (GOOG) is having trouble getting it right in France. France's culture minister snubbed the launch of Google's latest project, the Paris-based ...

The Guardian

Amazon's Drones Are Illegal In The United States

Forbes
When Jeffrey P. Bezos revealed to CBS's CBS's Charlie Rose thatAmazon.com Amazon.com was planning for a fleet of whirring octocopters to deliver ...

Treehugger

Apple Faces Harsh Terms in Its E-Book Defense

Businessweek
Fresh controversy over Apple's (AAPL) role in an alleged e-book conspiracy has raised questions about U.S. District Judge Denise Cote's handling of the case ...

Microsoft CEO Ballmer: Separating the man from myth

ZDNet
Summary: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer & Co. talk about his legacy and lessons ... one as storied and controversial as Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, is a challenge.


ZDNet

Apple's iTunes Radio Hires Sales Exec From Cumulus Media

AdAge.com
Apple's iTunes Radio has poached a top radio ad exec as it prepares to offer the service widely to advertisers in 2014. Former Cumulus Media executive ...

ValueWalk

Microsoft's new Photosynth tools aim at a new artistic medium

PCWorld
But the new Photosynth formats that Microsoft has developed and published fuse ... Microsoft may be following in the footsteps of Googlewith its newfound focus ...

New York Times (blog)

Microsoft should make 'its widely disliked Windows 8' a free upgrade ...

ZDNet
Summary: According to analyst firm IHS, Microsoft should copy Appleand make its latest Windows 8.1 operating system free to all Windows users.

PC Pro

Amazon launches grocery business in San Francisco
USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon.com launched its grocery delivery business, AmazonFresh, in San Francisco Wednesday as the world's largest Internet retailer expands further into the giant consumer packaged goods sector. AmazonFresh offers more than ...

Microsoft eyes free versions of Windows Phone, RT, report says
CNET
The company also would try to convince more people to subscribe to SkyDrive, Office, and Skype. The move would be part of Microsoft's strategy to compete with Google, which offers Android for free to phone and tablet makers. Assuming the report is true ...

Google Pushes Android 4.4.2 To Nexus Devices
InformationWeek
Google began pushing Android 4.4.1 to the Nexus 4, 5, 7, and 10 last week. There was a small problem with the update, however, as it introduced several glitches. The 4.4.1 update was squelched, and Google replaced it with Android 4.4.2. Devices that ...

Antarctica sets minus-triple-digit Earth cold record
The Seattle Times
Antarctica sets minus-triple-digit Earth cold record. Feeling chilly? Here's cold comfort: You could be in East Antarctica which new data says set a record for "soul-crushing" cold. By SETH BORENSTEIN. AP Science Writer. Related. Local leaders planning for ...

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