2014 in Review, A Big Year in Business (video)

2014 in Review: A Big Year in Business

As 2014 comes to a close, take a look at some of the biggest corporate stories that defined the year.

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Will Dick Costolo Be Twitter’s CEO in 2015? (video)

Dick Costolo: Will He Be Twitter’s CEO in 2015?: Video - Bloomberg:
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Storm Ventures Managing Director Jason Lemkin and Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier discuss Twitter. They speak on “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg)

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Hyper Local Communities, Yik Yak Founder (video)

We Create Hyper Local Communities: Yik Yak Founder: Video - Bloomberg:
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Yik Yak Co-Founder Tyler Droll explains the company’s funding and Twitter like app on “In The Loop.” (Source: Bloomberg 12/23)

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New York City, Startup Apps, Save Time, Money (video)

New York City Startup Apps That Save Time, Money: Video - Bloomberg:
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Technology is fueling major changes in how we live, by making it possible to order coffee, get dressed and even plan a dinner party -- all with services offered by startups. Bloomberg's Alex Barinka puts a handful of these New York City startups to the test by replacing her day-to-day activities with their services. (Bloomberg)

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Fastacash, Using Social Networks to Transfer Money (video)

Fastacash: Using Social Networks to Transfer Money: Video - Bloomberg:
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Fastacash Chairman and CEO Vince Tallent discusses the company's business model and growth drivers with Bloomberg's Rishaad Salamat on "On The Move Asia." (Source: Bloomberg 12/23)

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Xiaomi Soars by Tapping Into Young Culture in China (video)

Xiaomi Soars by Tapping Into Young Culture in China: Video - Bloomberg:
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Bloomberg Intelligence’s John Butler discusses Xiaomi’s valuation and the company’s business model. He speaks on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg 12/22)

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Cyber Warfare, Internet Weaponization (video)

We Are at Chapter 1 of a Weaponized Internet: Ross: Video - Bloomberg:
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Former White House Innovation Advisor Alec Ross discusses cyber warfare, the weaponization of the internet and the coming “code wars.” He speaks on “Market Makers.” (Source: Bloomberg Dec 23)

techNEWS:

New York Times
Facebook Page Goes Dark, Angering Russia Dissidents
New York Times
MOSCOW — A decision by Facebook to block a page used to rally Russian opponents of President Vladimir V. Putin has engulfed the world's largest ...

CNET
Apple updates Macs for first time without asking -- to foil hackers
CNET
Apple is updating its Macs to guard against hackers taking control ...
Apple pushes first ever automated security update to Mac users - Reuters
Apple pushes out first-ever automatic security upgrade for Mac - CNNMoney
Apple scuttles NTP flaw in OS X - The Register


USA TODAY
Apple Watch, Windows 10: What to expect in tech in 2015
USA TODAY
Microsoft is sure to be heard from again in wearables too, having already placed ... Yeah,Amazon.com and Google want to use drones to deliver stuff.

Wired
Google's Self-Driving Car Hits Roads Next Month—Without a Wheel or Pedals
Wired
The self-driving, goofy-looking car with no steering wheel or pedals that Google revealed in May is now “fully functional” and should start testing on ...

CNET
Microsoft trims holiday prices on Surface, Xbox and more
CNET
The Surface Pro 3 is one of a number of products that Microsoft is ... for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites.

Consumer Interest In The Apple Watch Has Been Steadily Declining Since September
Business Insider
Apple analyst Gene Munster published the results of survey of 968 iPhone owners, asking them if they were interested in buying an Apple Watch.

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Did the US Kick North Korea Off The Internet? (video)

Bloomberg’s Jordan Roberston discusses North Korea’s loss of access to internet networks.

Something is really not well at Google. How is it possible to trip up the amazing position Google had in the smartphone world one year ago into the abyss where it's not even capable of selling a single phone directly to the consumer today? If you want to know why Google's stock is down in 2014, vastly underperforming Apple and other companies, look no further than this fiasco. Source:
Smartphones: Apple Knows What It's Doing, Google Doesn't - Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) | Seeking Alpha: "Summary:  Every single smartphone on Google’s direct-to-consumer eCommerce site is listed as sold out, and in most cases have been for months. Other models (Google Play Edition) from Samsung and Sony have been discontinued altogether. How is it possible for the world’s smartphone market share leader to simply abdicate? This explains Google’s recent market share loss to Apple, and its resulting underperforming stock in 2014. Who is responsible for this fiasco at Google? New management is urgently needed...." (read more at the link above)

China is Planning to Purge Foreign Technology and Replace With Homegrown Suppliers - Bloomberg: "“A key government motivation is to bring China up from low-end manufacturing to the high end,” said Kitty Fok, China managing director for IDC. National security provides China a powerful rallying cry, particularly within its sprawling state sector. China National Petroleum Corp., the country’s largest energy producer, announced Nov. 26 -- during China’s first Cybersecurity Week -- that it had replaced its Microsoft e-mail with the homegrown eYou program to improve security. “The technology gap is closing,” said Mota, who advises Cisco and HP, as well as Huawei and ZTE. “In China, they have the patience to figure it out.”"

Android E-Commerce And Market Numbers - Business Insider: "Android is exploding as a mobile commerce driver. Android's share of mobile commerce orders is up 26% year-over-year. Android devices now account for just over one-fifth of all mobile e-commerce orders in the US.  The fragmentation problem is extremely overblown, from all perspectives: screen size, operating system version, and device proliferation. Globally, 80% of Android devices are running the two latest available versions of the platform. In the U.S, it's over 90%. Android Lollipop will roll out beginning this month."

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Amazon 1 Hour Delivery, Latvia, Internet Boom in Cuba? (videos)

Amazon Brings One-Hour Delivery to Manhattan Zip Code: Video - Bloomberg:
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10001, the Manhattan zip code where you can receive items from Amazon in 1 hour. Bloomberg's Alex Barinka reports on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg)

SecureInvestment.com Uses New Backdoor to Europe: Latvia: Video - Bloomberg:
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A website called SecureInvestment.com persuaded investors from around the world to wire their money to bank accounts in a handful of countries, including Latvia, where a web of the site's holding companies and cut-outs also seems to end. Bloomberg's Willem Marx reports.

Cuba to Expand Internet Access Under New Pact With U.S.: Video - Bloomberg:
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Former FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth and Dyn Research's Doug Madory discuss Cuba's plan to expand Internet access under a new agreement with the U.S. They speak with Bloomberg's Matt Miller on "Bloomberg West." 

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Yahoo, CEO Marissa Mayer, Is It Over? (video)

Inside the New Book About Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer: Video - Bloomberg:
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Techomony CEO David Kirkpatrick comments on Author Nicholas Carlson’s book “Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!” (Source: Bloomberg Dec 19)

NYTimes.com: ".... Mayer may not be able to buy herself the time. Major Yahoo shareholders have recently begun collaborating on a series of spreadsheets that calculate that AOL and Yahoo are worth between 70 and 80 percent more when combined than they are apart. Some investors are further attracted to the merger because it will bring AOL’s chief executive, Tim Armstrong, into Yahoo. Like Mayer, Armstrong made his career as an early Google employee — but he was in charge of its sales force. After a rough start, Armstrong has managed to get AOL’s stock going again, not by inventing some new consumer product but by optimizing its ad and media assets. Armstrong, who has seen a version of this analysis, appears willing to consider a deal. Doing so, of course, would provide enormous personal benefit; Armstrong, who owns 5 percent of AOL, could stand to gain tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars. For Mayer, the calculus is less enticing. It’s unlikely that her personal turnaround plan included shrinking a $30 billion company into a $5 billion one, all to combine it with a $3 billion company and realize $1 billion in cost-savings...."


Is Yahoo Doing Enough to Keep Activists Satisfied?: Video - Bloomberg:
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Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg’s Tom Giles examines third-quarter results from Yahoo and whether or not chief executive officer Marissa Mayer is doing enough to keep activist investors satisfied. He speaks on “In The Loop.”

Yahoo Results Just a Series of One-Off Events: Atul Lele: Video - Bloomberg:
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Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Atul Lele, chief investment officer at Deltec International Group, talks about the state of Yahoo, CEO Marissa Mayer’s turnaround efforts and the tech M&A environment. He speaks on “Bloomberg Surveillance.”


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Tech News: Sony Malware Bomb, Android Auto, Municipal Fiber

Bloomberg’s Mia Saini reports on lessons learned from the hack attack on Sony.


Peter Singer, author of “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar,” and senior fellow at New America Foundation, discusses the hacking attack on Sony Pictures.

State-sponsored or not, Sony Pictures malware “bomb” used slapdash code | Ars Technica: "... But as Cisco research engineer Christopher Marczewski and Williams wrote in a Cisco Talos blog post today detailing their analysis, the wiper malware didn’t have to be very complex to do what it was intended to do. “Data is the new target, this should not be a surprise to anyone,” Marczewski wrote. In addition to denying the victim access to corporate data and doing harm to their business, “wiping systems is also an effective way to cover up malicious activity and make incident response more difficult, such as in the case of the DarkSeoul malware in 2013,” he added. As crudely as it was built, it’s clear that the wiper malware compiled for the actual attack on Sony Pictures was packed with deep intelligence on the company’s network...."

Exclusive: Google aiming to go straight into car with next Android - sources | Reuters: "Google, however, has never provided details or a timeframe for its long-term plan to put Android Auto directly into cars. The company now plans to do so when it rolls out the next version of its operating system, dubbed Android M, expected in a year or so, two people with knowledge of the matter said."

Need for Speed · thewalrus.ca: An Alberta town becomes an unlikely Internet innovator--"... A similar project has arisen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the city owns a fibre network that also recently launched 1 Gbps service. In Ontario, the city of Stratford and a group of communities in the east of the province have experimented with building their own networks. In Olds, the institute owns O-Net and the infrastructure, but the majority of funding has come from provincial loans guaranteed by the municipality...."


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Apple, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Transition from Survival to Luxury Brand (videos)

Apple's Transition From Steve Jobs to Tim Cook: Video - Bloomberg:
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Guy Kawasaki, co-author of “The Art of Social Media” discusses Apple’s transition from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook and what he sees for the company in the year ahead. He speaks on “Bloomberg Surveillance.” (Dec. 15 Bloomberg)


CNET
Preorder your $30000 diamond-bedazzled Apple Watch
CNET
.. A jewelry company is already putting dibs on a diamond AppleWatch. ... Mervis teased the custom luxury edition of the watch on its Facebook page. .... 

Apple Is Becoming A Luxury Firm: Lundy: Video - Bloomberg:
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Lawrence Lundy, Consultant at Frost & Sullivan, discusses the tablet wars and why Apple is forgoing the ‘junk’ market. He speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “On The Move.” (Source: Bloomberg Oct 23)

Apple's Big New Hire: Is She a Luxury Play?: Video - Bloomberg:
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Sharif Sakr, senior European Editor at Engadget, discusses Angela Ahrendts move to join Apple as senior VP of retail and online sales and the challenge of bringing changes to Apple’s retail outlets. He speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “The Pulse.” (Oct. 15 Bloomberg) 

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Report: North Korea Linked To Cyberterrorism Against Sony (video)

U.S. Links North Korea to Sony Hacking - NYTimes.com: "... Senior administration officials, who would not speak on the record about the intelligence findings, said the White House was still debating whether to publicly accuse North Korea of what amounts to a cyberterrorism campaign..."



Sony’s New York premiere of “The Interview” was canceled and the fourth-largest U.S. cinema chain won’t screen the film after threats of violence from the hackers behind a devastating cyberattack on the studio. Adallom President of Marketing Tal Klein and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw speak on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg)

more tech News:
Google's Detractors Take Their Fight to the States
New York Times
Google's detractors complain about the search giant to everyone they can, ... ForMicrosoft, any limits imposed on Google might help it improve the ...


Wired
Sci-Fi Author Neal Stephenson Joins Mystery Startup Magic Leap as 'Chief Futurist'
Wired
Silicon Valley is already abuzz over this stealthy augmented-reality startup, mainly due to some funding from Google and a brief glimpse of the company's technology that shows a 3-D virtual elephant floating above someone's hands. And now, the company ...

ABC News
Instagram Gets Five New Filters
PC Magazine
It's been two years since Instagram added any new filters to its lineup of classics like Rise, Lo-Fi, and X-Pro II. So it's high time the Facebook-owned company got on that, right? Well, get ready to get excited, Instagrammers. Because the photo- and ...

The Independent
Google Reveals 2014's Top Searches
PC Magazine
Google clocked trillions of searches worldwide in 2014, but one man managed to steal the spotlight: The late Robin Williams landed the No. 1 spot in the global trends charts. The comedian and actor passed away in August, prompting folks around the world ...

PCWorld
Sony can make any eyewear more like Google Glass
Engadget
Sony has just announced a new attachable display module that can turn a "pair of fashionable glasses, goggles, sunglasses, or other type of eyewear" into smartglasses. And, yes, it's completely detachable so you can remove it whenever you want to.

Wall Street Journal
Sprint to Face Record Fine Over Unauthorized Customer Charges
Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to fine Sprint Corp. a record $105 million over allegations the company charged consumers for unwanted text message alerts and other services. An FCC official confirmed that the ...

USA TODAY
Report: Samsung Eyeing Apple Pay Competitor
PC Magazine
Samsung is in talks with payments startup LoopPay for a technology that would rival Apple's new mobile payment system, according to a Tuesday report from Re/code. The technology, slated to make its debut in 2015, would bring greater convenience to the ...

CNET
Alleged OnePlus Mini spied in leaked photos
CNET
A pair of images have emerged showing what purports to be a smaller take on the OnePlus smartphone...

Forbes
Why Nintendo's Wii U Might Be The Best Console To Unwrap Christmas Morning
Forbes
In the next week or so, there will likely be many articles stacking up the three major consoles, the PS4, the Xbox One, and the Wii U, comparing price, features, graphics, games and so on as you try to understand which one to buy for someone (or yourself) this ...

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Does Sony Have a Case to Stop Hack Reporting? (videos)

Does Sony Have a Case to Stop Hack Reporting?: Video - Bloomberg:
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Sony Pictures Entertainment requested news outlets stop disclosing material from a devastating computer hack as its studio chief made plans to meet a civil-rights leader after the exposure of a racially tinged e-mail exchange. Rasch Technology And Cyberlaw Principal Mark Rasch weighs in on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg 12/15)

Sony Asks Media to Destroy Hacked Data: Do They Have a Case?: Video - Bloomberg:
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Trend Micro's Tom Kellermann and Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw discuss the ethical issues raised by the hack attack on Sony Pictures. They speak with Bloomberg's Trish Regan on "Street Smart." (Source: Bloomberg 12/15)


New York Times
Apple Wins Decade-Old iTunes Suit
New York Times
Several other Apple executives were called to the witness stand. ... in the process of fixing hacks, “it might screw up the Real technology anyway, ... accusation: that Appleand the online retailer Amazon had colluded to make their ...
Apple Wins iPod Antitrust Trial - Wall Street Journal
Jury finds Apple not liable of harming consumers in iTunes DRM case - The Verge
Apple Wins Class-Action Lawsuit Over iPod Prices - ABC News


RT
Apple halts online sales to Russia as the ruble plunges in value
The Verge
According to reporters at Bloomberg, Apple is shutting down its online sales to Russia because of the "extreme fluctuations" in its currency, the ruble.
Apple Stops Online Sales in Russia Over Ruble Fluctuations - Bloomberg


Newsweek
What People Are Searching For, According to Google
Newsweek
Every December, as one year is about to give way to the next, Google ... pumpkin pie, anapple and an egg; Paleo, Atkins and Gluten-free were the ...
Robin Williams Tops 2014 List of Google Searches - ABC News


CNET
Dozens of vendors jump on Apple Pay bandwagon
CNET
Log In to CNET; Sign In with Facebook Google Yahoo; Join CNET; Member Benefits ... With the expanded list, Apple says its mobile-payments system now ... Other services such as Google Wallet and Softcard have tried to find ... CNET, Computer Shopper,Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites.
Apple Pay Recruits Dozens of New Banks and Stores - Wired
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Microsoft Takes On US DOJ Over Email Privacy (video)

Microsoft Is Taking On the Government Over Email Privacy: Video - Bloomberg:
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Brad Smith, general counsel at Microsoft, explains why Microsoft is taking on the U.S. government over email privacy. He speaks with Bloomberg's Trish Regan on "Street Smart." (Source: Bloomberg 12/15)

Microsoft gets allies to help tell U.S. to back off on Irish search warrant
PCWorld
The U.S. Department of Justice should back off its request for Microsoft to turn over a suspect's digital documents stored on a server in Ireland, or be prepared for other governments demanding documents stored on U.S. servers, the company's general ...

iTunes trial: Case over Apple's digital music dominance heads to jury
San Jose Mercury News
OAKLAND -- iTunes 7.0: A landmark improvement to Apple's software for the iPod or an empty update meant to drive out competitors and hike prices for consumers? That will be the $1 billion question for a federal jury in Oakland as they deliberate over ...

Fortune
Apple aced its e-book antitrust appeal
Fortune
Judge Jacobs also repeatedly referred to Amazon's $9.99 pricing policy, whereby it sold books at below the wholesale acquisition cost, as “predatory ...
US faces tough questions in Apple e-books antitrust appeal - Reuters


Forbes
Facebook Removes Microsoft Bing Search Feature
Forbes
Bing.com is currently the second largest search engine with 20% of the market compared to Google's 67%. Fortunately for Microsoft, Yahoo!/Bing is ...

IBNLive
That Was Fast; Spain Already In Full Retreat Over Google Tax
Forbes
That's the exile of all of the Spanish press from the main Google index. ... 

The Guardian
Amazon UK's 1 penny firesale
CNNMoney
It was caused by a glitch in the software that third party sellers on Amazon ... Most of the orders have been canceled by Amazon. ... 

New York Times
Potential $1 billion Apple DRM judgment is now in jury's hands
The Verge
A jury of eight will now decide whether Apple should pay more than $1 ... "Plaintiffs don't understand the technology in this case," she told the jury.
Former engineer claims Apple intended to block 100 percent of non-iTunes clients - Digital Trends

TIME
Tuesday Is Amazon's Free Shipping Christmas Deadline
TIME
Inside An Amazon.com Distribution Center On Cyber Monday An employee stacks boxes filled with merchandise for shipment at the Amazon.com Inc.

TechRepublic
Why Google Fiber missed the mark with free internet
TechRepublic
Many know Google Fiber for its gigabit internet, but did you know it offers a no-cost option for internet access? Here's how Google dropped the ball on ...

TechCrunch
Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook Profile Under Attack From Brazilian Trolls
TechCrunch
Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook profile has come under attack from a large ... photos and other “meme” images, on the Facebook CEO's public posts. ... this Facebook group titled “Flood that Mark” (translation via Google Translate). ... the design of Facebook's service and development of its core technology ...

Google App for iOS Gains Nest Integration
Mac Rumors
Following last week's major redesign, the Google app for iOS has seen yet ... Google makes devices and services that work with Google AND Apple ...

Google might build its own 'buy now' button to compete with Amazon
The Verge
Google has long had an e-commerce arm; its Google Shopping product lets you buy ... 

Video game industry struggles to grow, a year after new consoles launch - CNET: "After months of subsisting on strong sales of new game hardware, overall game spending plummets in November."

Google and French Space Agency partner on Project Loon:
Press Releases - CNES: "A fleet of balloons providing an Internet connection to rural, remote and underserved areas: that is the goal of Google’s ambitious Project Loon. CNES is supporting this project with balloon engineering expertise for which it has acquired international acclaim over the last 50 years. CNES and Google are delighted to be working together to give new momentum to research efforts in this area."

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Tech News: Mark Zuckerberg Q&A (video), Government Malware

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, sidestepping communication through the media, held his second public question-and-answer session to address users directly. (Bloomberg 12/12)

Antivirus Companies Shouldn’t Have Hidden What They Knew About Regin Government Malware | MIT Technology Review: "Antivirus companies had tracked the sophisticated—and likely U.S.-backed—Regin malware for years. But they kept what they learned to themselves. Last week we learned about a striking piece of malware called Regin that has been infecting computer networks worldwide since 2008. It’s more sophisticated than any known criminal malware, and everyone believes a government is behind it. No country has taken credit for Regin, but there’s substantial evidence that it was built and operated by the United States. This isn’t the first government malware discovered. GhostNet is believed to be Chinese. Red October and Turla are believed to be Russian. The Mask is probably Spanish. Stuxnet and Flame are probably from the U.S. All these were discovered in the past five years, and named by researchers who inferred their creators from clues such as who the malware targeted. I dislike the “cyberwar” metaphor for espionage and hacking, but there is a war of sorts going on in cyberspace. Countries are using these weapons against each other. This affects all of us not just because we might be citizens of one of these countries, but because we are all potentially collateral damage...."

HP Will Release a “Revolutionary” New Operating System in 2015 | MIT Technology Review: "...The main difference between The Machine and conventional computers is that HP’s design will use a single kind of memory for both temporary and long-term data storage. Existing computers store their operating systems, programs, and files on either a hard disk drive or a flash drive. To run a program or load a document, data must be retrieved from the hard drive and loaded into a form of memory, called RAM, that is much faster but can’t store data very densely or keep hold of it when the power is turned off. HP plans to use a single kind of memory—in the form of memristors—for both long- and short-term data storage in The Machine..."


Quartz
The war against Google in Europe is escalating—but will it make any difference?
Quartz
Also yesterday, on another company blog, Google noted the release of a ... That spurred responses from Google, Yelp, and the Microsoft-sponsored ...


Wall Street Journal
Google pulls Amazon app from Play Store listing
CNNMoney
Amazon and Google are having an app store standoff, resulting in the ... avoiding the standoffs with app developers that Apple (AAPL, Tech30) is so ...
Google Removed Amazon's App From The Play Store - Business Insider

With Amazon Facing $1.5 Billion Income Tax Bill, Bezos Too Busy To Testify
Forbes
Amazon is in quite a tax battle with the IRS. According the Amazon 10-K (downloadable) there is about $1.5 billion in taxes at stake spread over a ...

CNET
Apple under scrutiny in Canada for its contracts with carriers
CNET
Canada's Competition Bureau said Thursday that it is investigating whether contracts that Apple's Canadian unit has with the country's domestic ...


Fortune
Google gives a big 'nyet' to Russian engineering operations
Fortune
The tech publication, which cites anonymous sources, adds that the Google engineers, most of whom are located in Moscow, will have the option of ...

Google Translate Adds 10 New Asian and African Languages
The Next Web
Multilinguals can now learn to say hello in 90 languages using Google Translate, ... You Can Now Shop atApple's Online Store with Paypal ... Microsoft sends out invites for Windows 10 event at headquarters on January 21 ... Mark Zuckerberg is thinking about how to let you 'Dislike' things on Facebook.

Selling Beats to Apple made Dr. Dre 2014's highest-paid musician
The Verge
Dr. Dre made an enormous amount of money in 2014. Forbes puts his single-year payday at $620 million, which is the most of any musician in history.

Google's Android Studio 1.0 Makes Building Apps Easy
Lifehacker
Windows/OS X/Linux: Google's Android Studio is out of beta, replacing Eclipse as the standard for Android application development. Aspiring Android ...

Industry Views: What Does Microsoft Mean for Bitcoin?
CoinDesk
Following Microsoft's decision to embrace bitcoin, CoinDesk surveys thought leaders in the industry for ...Technology ... Microsoft took the bitcoin world by surprise late last night with the sudden announcement that it would allow ...

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Tech News Week Review, Jack Ma Richest in Asia (video)

Jack Ma has become the richest person in Asia. The 50-year-old founder of Alibaba Group Holding, China’s biggest e-commerce company, passed Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong property and ports tycoon who has held the top spot in the region since April 5, 2012, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bloomberg's Yvonne Man has more on "On The Move Asia." (Source: Bloomberg 12Dec)


CNET
FCC to spend $3.9 billion to expand Internet access to schools in rural and poor ...
Washington Post
The Federal Communications Commission agreed Thursday to dramatically boost spending to bring high-speed Internet access to schools and libraries in poor or rural areas, a move that would probably increase Americans' phone bills by about $2 a year.


USA TODAY
'Call of Duty' and Xbox One pace monthly game sales
USA TODAY
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare captured the top spot on November's video-game sales list and Microsoft's Xbox One outsold the PlayStation 4, according to The NPD Group — the first month Xbox has been the top seller since the consoles were released a ...


Forbes
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook May Offer Something Beyond The Like Button
Forbes
For years, people on Facebook have wanted something more than the Like button to express their feelings about the posts they see on the social network. Despite the clamoring, though, all you see to click on below posts is a thumbs up. That could change ...


Fortune
Twitter co-founder: 'I don't give a sh*t' if Instagram has more users
Fortune
Yesterday, Instagram announced it has 300 million monthly active users. The news drew immediate comparisons between the photo-sharing app, which sold to Facebook FB for $1 billion in 2012, and Twitter TWTR , a $24 billion publicly traded company ...


Financial Times
Google shuts Russia engineering office
Financial Times
Google is to close its engineering office in Russia, in the latest sign that a crackdown on internet activity by Russian authorities this year could hasten an outflow of engineering talent from the country. A series of moves against internet companies, culminating ...


Wired
Original Apple computer sells for $365000 at New York auction
Reuters
A fully operational Apple computer that company co-founder Steve Jobs sold out of his parents' garage in 1976 for $600 sold for $365,000 at Christie's on Thursday. The Ricketts Apple-1 Personal Computer, named after its ...


Quartz
Priceline.com Becomes First Major Online Travel Agency to Integrate Apple Pay ...
MarketWatch
Priceline.com announced today that it is the first major Online Travel Agency (OTA) to integrate Apple Pay in its recently updated ...


CBC.ca
Spanish news to vanish from Google News globally
Fresno Business Journal
Google announced Thursday it will close Google News in Spain and block reports from Spanish publishers from more than 70 Google News international editions due to a new Spanish law...


NDTV
YouTube unveils experimental new GIF maker, currently in testing on PBS Idea ...
9 to 5 Google
YouTube has just released a new GIF-making tool in testing on PBS's Idea Channel. The tool is available under the share menu and allows users to pick a five-second clip from the video, add two lines of text, and export the file to their computer. The frame rate ...

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Bill Gurley of Benchmark, on Tech Valuations, Uber, Apple

Benchmark's Bill Gurley on Tech Valuations -

Benchmark's General Partner Bill Gurley speaks about the state of valuations in technology. He speaks with Bloomberg's Emily Chang on Studio 1.0. (Source: Bloomberg 10Dec2014--see more videos below.) Bill Gurley - Wikipedia: "Bill Gurley (born May 10, 1966) is a general partner at Benchmark, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm in Menlo Park, California. He is listed consistently on the Forbes Midas List and is considered one of “technology’s top dealmakers."


Benchmark's General Partner and early Uber investor Bill Gurley speaks about the car-booking app's potential to disrupt the rental car industry.


Benchmark's General Partner Bill Gurley speaks about competition between Apple, Amazon, Google and Twitter. He speaks with Bloomberg's Emily Chang on Studio 1.0.


Benchmark's General Partner and early Uber investor Bill Gurley compares Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

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How to Protect Against Rising Corporate Insider Cybercrime (video)

How to Protect Against `Corporate Snowdens': Video - Bloomberg:

(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)

Vectra Networks CEO Hitesh Sheth discusses the rising rate of insider cybercrime. He speaks with Bloomberg’s Pimm Fox on “Taking Stock.” (Source: Bloomberg 10Dec2014)

techNEWS:

Blue Coat Exposes “The Inception Framework”; Very Sophisticated, Layered Malware Attack Targeted at Military, Diplomats, and Business Execs | Blue Coat: "One of the most sophisticated malware attacks Blue Coat Labs has ever seen · Initially targeted at Russia, but expanding globally · Masterful identity cloaking and diversionary tactics · Clean and elegant code suggesting strong backing and top-tier talent · Includes malware targeting mobile devices: Android, Blackberry and iOS · Using a free cloud hosting service based in Sweden for command and control..."

Iranian Hackers Hit Sheldon Adelson's Sands Casino in Las Vegas - Businessweek: "... early on the chilly morning of Feb. 10, just above the casino floor, the offices of the world’s largest gaming company were gripped by chaos. Computers were flatlining, e-mail was down, most phones didn’t work, and several of the technology systems that help run the $14 billion operation had sputtered to a halt. Computer engineers at Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) raced to figure out what was happening. Within an hour, they had a diagnosis: Sands was under a withering cyber attack. PCs and servers were shutting down in a cascading IT catastrophe, with many of their hard drives wiped clean. The company’s technical staff had never seen anything like it...."

Google Lat Long: Map this way—Google My Maps now in Drive: "Whether you’re planning an epic road trip with friends or mapping out your favorite runs for a ski vacation, it’s easy with Google My Maps, our custom map creation tool. Starting today, you can access My Maps right from Google Drive, so it’s even easier to create, access and share your custom maps. Creating a custom map is just as easy as opening up a new Google Doc. Just select “New,” then “More,” then “Google My Maps” to tap into your inner cartographer...."


BBC News
Google to shut Spanish news service
BBC News
Online search giant Google is shutting down its Google News service in Spain before a new intellectual property law is introduced. Google will shut ...
Spanish Practices Close Google News In Spain - Forbes
Google News to close up shop in Spain in response to new law - CNET
Google News to Shut Down in Spain - New York Times (blog)

TechCrunch
Facebook Combines Atlas, Audience Network, And LiveRail Into An AdTech Voltron
TechCrunch
So in February 2013, Facebook acquired Microsoft's Atlas, a suite of tools for online ...Facebook will have to battle Google and YouTube, Yahoo, AOL ...

Quartz
The future of TV is here: Netflix and Amazon will face off for a Golden Globe
Quartz
While Academy Awards handicappers are preoccupied with the movie categories at The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, the most intriguing ...

The Atlantic
Facebook No Longer Likes the Word 'Users'
The Atlantic
Margaret Gould Stewart, director of product design at Facebook, talks to writer Thomas Goetz at the Navigate technology conference on Tuesday.

Rumor: Apple Watch set to begin mass production in January
AppleInsider
A questionable rumor out of Taiwan claims that Apple and manufacturing partner Quanta Computer are gearing up to begin mass production of the ...

Apple Pushes Deeper Into Mobile Payments
Wall Street Journal
Apple is laying the groundwork for an expanded mobile-payments service, leveraging its ... 

Chromecast update: screen casting for 4.4.2 devices, Material design, guest mode

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Cybersecurity Predictions 2015, Cybercriminals Leverage Espionage Tactics (video)

Cybercriminals to Leverage Espionage Tactics: Sentonas: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)

McAfee's Mike Sentonas gives his cybersecurity predictions for 2015. He speaks with Bloomberg's Rishaad Salamat on "On The Move Asia." (Source: Bloomberg  12/10)

techNEWS:

CNNMoney
Microsoft: Cheap PCs are here to stay
CNNMoney
... at the Credit Suisse Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., last week. Microsofthas historically charged PC makers about $50 per Windows ... Microsoft is trying to fight off the insurgent threat of Google's Chromebooks ... That's a concern as Apple (AAPL, Tech30) Macbook sales have grown far ...


Fox Business
Google Named Best Place to Work
Fox Business
Much has been said about Google's free food and on-campus perks, but ... “There are fewer technology companies and more consulting companies, ...
This Is Why Google Is the Best Place to Work in America - TIME


CNET
Fight or flight: Amazon gets tough with the FAA
CNET
For Amazon and its drones, the FAA must seem like a heavy cloud cover that ... Amazonwas hoping to be among those allowed to do trial runs with its ... aircraft systems]technology innovation in the United States," Amazon's vice .... In the past he has been CNET's beat reporter for Google, Yahoo, Linux, ...


CNET
Apple-IBM venture offers up first iOS apps
CNET
The partnership between Apple and IBM is starting to bear fruit. ... Don Reisinger is atechnology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to ...
Apple releases iOS 8.1.2 update to fix bugs and address lost ringtones - Mashable


Forbes
Apple: Icon, Icahn Or iGone?
Forbes
The Christmas holiday season will probably help produce an excellent quarter for Apple. After all, it is a technology icon. But it may be their last great ...


CNET
Google injects smarts, stickers into Hangouts communication app
CNET
The updated app, available for Google's Android mobile operating system first but submitted to Apple for approval on iOS, also lets people express ...

Google Launches New Cardboard VR Headset App Collection
The Next Web
With Oculus VR and the Samsung Gear pushing the very limits of what you can cram on your face to see things in 3D, the Google Cardboard project is ...

HERE Maps for Android drives onto Google Play for free
Android Central
After tooling around in a beta for a while, Here Maps has arrived in Google Play. ... It is part of the services portion that Microsoft didn't acquire. ....

Google Publishes 'Live Channels For Android TV'
Android Police
Today Google has released an app for accessing live channels into the Play Store. ... All the technology exists to make it happen and the big boys are just going to bleed their cash cow until they're as relevant as Microsoftin Mobile. ... apple developer account in real time and show the latest sales.

more technology news below ( @ web version--link below)

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