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Crowdsourced traffic and navigation app service Waze may be acquired by Facebook, according to a report. The discussions between Waze and Facebook come months after a possible acquisition offer from Apple and appears to be reaching the same financial levels as the billion-dollar Instagram deal in April last year.
Frequent litigant Aaron Greenspan, one-time claimant to Facebook co-foundership has filed a lawsuit against the vast majority of Silicon Valley's largest investors, and many Internet companies offering "money services businesses" with cash transfers as a primary product. The list of corporate defendants include frequent Greenspan target Facebook, Airbnb, Dwolla, and Square, troubled BitCoin exchange Mt. Gox, and many others. Individuals named in the suit inlude Paypal founder Max Levchin, Airbnb creator Brian Chesky, billionaire Yuri Milner, and Reddit CEO Yishan Wong.
Business magazine Fortune has released the 2013 edition of its list of the 500 biggest corporations in the US. One of the most significant shifts in the list is the ascendancy of Apple, which has jumped from 17th place to sixth, breaking into the top 10 for the first time. Fortune comments that while the company has "maintained more than disrupted" its product line, and even had to apologize for iOS 6 Maps and its Chinese warranty services, it "remains an innovation icon."
Facebook has announced plans to roll out a new security feature for accounts, dubbed Trusted Contacts. Under the scheme, an account owner will be able to pick three to five people to whom they can give special PINs. Should the owner have trouble getting into their account, three PIN holders will be able to help them log back in. It's not clear how quickly Trusted Contacts will become available to Facebook users.
Social network Facebook has posted its quarterly earnings report, with results that have slightly exceeded Wall Street expectations. The company had total revenues of $1.46 billion generated from 665 million daily active users on the average. Net income came in at $219 million, with the company earning $0.13 per share with a 26 percent operating margin.
Microsoft has updated its Weather app for Windows 8. The changes include new interactive and dynamically-moving weather maps for cities and regions, satellite images, temperature and precipitation levels, cloud cover, and radar pictures. The Bing blog also notes that weather details for ski resorts in 31 countries around the world are also provided in the update.
According to Facebook, the company has just acquired cloud coding company Parse, giving it a platform for back-end tools for mobile developers. Facebook calls the size of the deal "not material" to the acquisition, but reports place the deal between $80 and $95 million. Parse ownership claims that it had many corporate suitors, but chose Facebook because the social network fit the ethos of the startup better than the other companies involved.
Amazon has dropped the price for some of its Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite e-readers in Canada. The standard Kindle has dropped from $89 to $79, while the Paperwhite version, with its lighter screen and built-in light, sells for $129 instead of $139. The 3G-enabled version of the Kindle Paperwhite remains at $199.
According to sources inside the Iowa state government and a report in the Des Moines Register, the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board and Altoona’s City Council are evaluating incentives for a rumored Facebook data center in the area, called "Catapult." If built, the company will join a LightEdge data center built in 2006, and a new one by Enseva scheduled to begin construction soon.
Facebook has enabled its free voice calling feature in Facebook Messenger to Android users in the United States and around the world, months after the iOS version. After an initial roll-out in Canada and the UK, the Android version of Facebook Messenger allows users to tap the 'i' button on a contact, and then offers the Free Call option. The sudden release of the feature in the US follows the launch of the Facebook Home launcher, which introduces an Android overlay that allows for greater use of the social network.
Just after updating both Aperture and iPhoto with various bug fixes, Apple has issued an update for its Digital Camera Raw Compatibility plug-in, which supplements both programs with additional support for Raw files produced by various cameras. The program, now at version 4.05, adds support for four new cameras, all from Fuji: the Fujifilm X20, X100S, X-E1 and X-Pro1. The download is 6MB in size and requires either 10.7.5 or higher for OS X Lion and 10.8.3 or higher for OS X Mountain Lion.
Facebook Home is now available to Android users in the UK and Canada, after the limited launch in the US. The Home launcher, replacing existing front end software used on Android smartphones, allows users to see their Facebook news feed from the home screen, and includes a number of socially-focused elements, including the Chat Heads system released earlier in Facebook Messenger. The initial range of devices that can use the Google Play download remains unchanged, populated by the Samsung Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III, HTC One X, One X+, and One.
According to reports, Facebook has hired ex-Apple developer and lead Maps designer Richard Williamson. The coder is joining the social network's nascent mobile software group, and is working on an unannounced product. Williamson was fired by Apple's Senior VP for Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue in November.
Facebook is today releasing a major update of its iOS app, v6.0. The biggest addition is Chat Heads, something recently introduced to Android via Facebook Home and an updated Messenger app. Unlike Android, the iOS Chat Heads can only run within the Facebook app, but do let people keep tabs on conversations without having to leave other views. Heads can be dragged around a screen or dismissed entirely.
Facebook may add video advertisements to the news feeds of its users, in order to supplement its income from its existing advertising system, according to a report. The social network is in talks with a number of agencies to fill as many as four ad-spots, and is planning to play as many as three video spots per day to its users.
Facebook Home or some of its concepts could make their way to iOS and Windows Phone, Bloomberg reports. In an interview with the publication, Facebook product director Adam Mosseri says that negotiations are underway with Apple and Microsoft. "We’ve shown them what we’ve built and we’re just in an ongoing conversation," he states.
Facebook has rolled out part of its upcoming Facebook Home launcher in an Android app update, before the company released its new phone software initiative. Facebook Messenger (Google Play) now has the option to enable the Chat Heads pop-up contacts onto phones and tablets, without the need to install the complete Facebook Home suite itself.
Facebook is introducing the option to add emotions to status updates. The new addition adds a drop-down box with a list of emotions to choose from, such as "Happy," "Sad," or "Tired," which can be added to the post, writes TechCrunch. Options to add content being consumed in various ways are also available, with items being added to the user's About page automatically. The system is currently being rolled out to Facebook users based in the US.
The HTC First, the upcoming smartphone preloaded with Facebook Home, will give users the option of turning off the Facebook launcher. Those opting to remove the socially-focused user interface will be able to use a stock installation of Android, and effectively becomes the first phone from the manufacturer to run without an overlay, such as Sense, since the T-Mobile G2.
Confirming earlier rumors, HTC has introduced its First smartphone as an AT&T exclusive. Although the device is not designed by Facebook or powered by a Facebook-developed operating system, it is the first to designed specifically for the social network's new Facebook Home experience that was introduced earlier today for Android phones.
Facebook has officially announced its previously leaked, social network-based launcher, one that is said to center the experience around people rather than apps. The Facebook Home launcher replaces the typical home screen seen on Android, and brings conversations with contacts to the foreground, rather than leaving them confined inside individual applications.
Facebook is ready to kick off its Menlo Park media event, where the company is widely expected to introduce a new smartphone. Check out our live coverage page beginning at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern for photos and information from the event.
Images reportedly showing Facebook's new Android user interface and app have appeared online. The shots of Facebook Home, accompanied by a render of a smartphone said to be revealed at tomorrow's event, appears to display a Facebook-centric interface, along with an extremely minimal Android home screen, and a lock screen with notifications.
The California State Assembly is set to consider a new bill, the "Right to Know Act of 2013," that may force companies to disclose personal data. Supported by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the proposal (PDF) would require companies to provide copies of all data collected on its customers, including a list of third parties with which the personal data has been shared.
Days before a scheduled Facebook event, a render of a new Facebook-centric phone has appeared. The HTC First, previously known by other names, seems to have been repurposed for the device. While no solid specifications exist, the handset will likely feature a home screen replacement called Facebook Home, and little in the way of hardware changes from other devices.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has revised its reporting requirements, enabling companies to use social media to announce information that could be of interest to investors. The Commission cites its investigation into a Facebook post by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, which noted viewership metrics and drove up the company's stock value, as the driving force behind its reconsideration and clarification of the current Regulation FD reporting requirements.
A new software leak appears to show that Facebook plans to heavily integrate the social network with its new smartphone, expected to launch on Thursday. A ROM reportedly usable by only Facebook employees and authorized users shows a Facebook-themed version of the mobile operating system, as well as gives more hints relating to the phone specifications.
The HTC Facebook phone may feature a deeply forked version of Android, similar to what Amazon has done with the version of Android that runs on its Kindle Fire line-up. “It’s putting Facebook first,” a person familiar with the social network’s plans told the Wall Street Journal. The forked version of Android running on Amazon’s Kindle range eliminates direct ties to Google and its Play Store in favor of Amazon’s own content.
Facebook has received permission to build a second campus designed by Frank Gehry near its existing location. Authorities of Menlo Park have permitted the new build, a 22-acre site west of Bayfront Expressway in California, and will include a rooftop park and an underground tunnel to connect the two campuses as part of the design.
Facebook has updated the Android version of its Messenger app in the United Kingdom, enabling Voice over IP (VoIP) calls in the country. The new version comes just days after the same update appeared on the iOS version for the UK, with users being able to place calls to other Messenger users by tapping the "i" button then "Free Call." The unannounced Android update has taken place in a much shorter time-span than the two-months seen when the feature first rolled out in the US and Canada.
Facebook is going to roll out something connected to Android, according to an invitation to a media event being held next week. Though not giving much of a clue as to what will be revealed, the message asks members of the press to "Come see our new home on Android," inviting speculation that this could be connected to the long-rumored Facebook phone.
Paul Ceglia, a claimant to the Facebook throne who once claimed half ownership of the social network using forged documents, has been handed a significant defeat in his efforts by a federal judge today. US Magistrate Judge Leslie Foschio said in a final ruling that there is "clear and convincing evidence" that the 2003 contract that Foschio presented to the court as proof he owned 50 percent of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's share of Facebook is a "recently created fabrication." The judge added that the lawsuit should be dismissed with prejudice.
Facebook has enabled Voice Over IP (VoIP) in its messaging app for users in the United Kingdom, and possibly other areas of Europe. After being launched in Canada in January before rolling out to the United States, the iOS version of Facebook Messenger allows users to call each other through the service instead of passing voice messages to each other as previously offered.
Photo host Shutterfly has filed a suit to stop a new Kodak app that allows users to construct and order photo albums made from pictures the user has stored on Facebook. Shutterfly filed a complaint with the US Bankruptcy Court New York that the "My Kodak Moments App" violates a deal Kodak signed to not set up a duplicate business, and that the technology Kodak is using is the same as the one Shutterfly purchased from the fallen giant.
On Monday, Facebook updated its iOS app to version 5.6, revamping its messaging feature slightly to make it easier to name and group conversations and require fewer taps to start a group message. The other main improvement is the ability for users to updated their cover photo directly from the app, though this ability is limited to the iPhone and draws only from the camera or the photo library. Facebook had added free VOIP calling last month, after a brief trial period where the feature was implemented in Canada only.
Facebook has promoted the VP of engineering, Mike Schroepfer to the company's previously unoccupied position of chief technical officer on Friday according to a report from the company. "Mike Schroepfer’s new designation as Facebook’s CTO reflects the unique and important role he plays across the company," Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for Facebook wrote.
Netflix has announced it is adding Facebook integration to its streaming service in the US. The feature, having spent a considerable amount time in development, will allow users to share films and TV shows they have watched with Facebook friends on both the social network and within Netflix itself, but only if they choose to share their activity too.
Details of the next HTC smartphone with Facebook hooks have leaked courtesy of Unwired View. The device is currently going by the codename Myst, and will carry what will be solid, but mid-range specifications. As with HTC’s previous Facebook phones, the ChaCha and the Salsa, the device will carry deeper than usual Facebook integration.
Facebook has revealed its new News Feed, introducing a number of new feeds alongside what is currently used. The new feeds are also joined by a new look for stories in the feed itself, with the same "mobile-inspired" design appearing on desktop, tablet, and smartphone versions of the site, as well as its mobile apps.
Canadian Android users can now call each other with Voice Over IP (VOIP) services integrated into an update to the Facebook Messenger app on the Google Play store. The minor update includes all the functionality of the iOS app, updated earlier this year. It is unknown when the service will be expanded into the US for Android users, but the social network added the functionality about two weeks after the iOS feature was added.
Effective immediately, Facebook is accepting applications to the renovated Preferred Marketing Developer (PMD) program, as well as new requirements for the PMD badge. The new system prioritizes companies who have proven success working with Facebook teams. As an additional requirement, all PMD applicants must have a "deep knowledge and understanding across all badged areas to ensure marketer success."
Social media service Facebook on Monday introduced a revamped iOS Dev Center and a upgraded version of its Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS app developers. The SDK, now at version 3.2, focuses on providing better mobile analytics -- including app usage metrics, ad optimization and purchase event logging. The update also brings in better error handling, improved web dialog support and the addition of a new FBAccessTokenData type to its API. The improvements, the company says, will make it easier to build, distribute and promote FB-enabled apps.
Facebook has announced deals with number of cellphone carriers to temporarily offer cheap or free data for its Messenger apps. The partnerships cover 18 carriers in 14 countries, and may be a way of pushing Facebook in regions where it isn't the dominant social network. Some of the more prominent countries in the list include Brazil, Egypt, India, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Portugal, and Thailand.
Facebook is planning to build an efficient storage system for old photographs uploaded to the service. The new "cold storage" facility will house old photos and store them for future retrieval, in a bid to be more efficient in terms of power and capacity when dealing with considerable amounts of personal data.
The recent hacker attacks on Apple and Facebook are specifically connected to a compromised administrator account on the iPhoneDevSDK forums, says the website's owner, Ian Sefferman. While the site has been implicated before, little else was known beyond the site being infected with malware. In a blog post, Sefferman explains that the cracked admin account was used to alter the site's theme and inject malicious JavaScript code.
Apple, Facebook, and Twitter are among 40 companies that were recently attacked by an eastern European hacker group, not a Chinese one, say two Bloomberg sources. Many parties have linked the attacks to China, sometimes implicating the Chinese government, but the sources say that investigations are pointing to a criminal gang based in eastern Europe or Russia. One server involved is allegedly hosted in the Ukraine.
Recent attacks on Apple, Facebook, and Twitter may all be linked to a single website, say sources close to Facebook's hacking investigation, in touch with AllThingsD. The site, iPhoneDevSDK, is regularly visited by mobile developers. Facebook is said to have discovered that the site had malicious code inserted into its HTML, infecting Facebook workers as they visited it. It may or may not still be dangerous.
Google increased the amount it spent on lobbying the US government 90 percent year-over-year in 2012, according to data compiled by Fortune. The company ended up spending $18.22 million, easily beating out any other American technology firm. Microsoft, in fact, came in second place with $8.09 million, despite likewise increasing its spending. Other major tech businesses that funneled more money toward lobbying last year included HP, Facebook, and Amazon.
Facebook on Friday said that it fell victim in January to sophisticated international hacking efforts, but has found no evidence that user data was released. The billion-user social network said that "Facebook was not alone in this attack. It is clear that others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well."
Knowing where everyone important to you is at any given moment no longer requires "eyes in the back of your head" the way it did for our parents. Thanks to apps like Apple's Find My Friends iOS app (and voluntary "I am here!" apps like Foursquare and Facebook's check-in service), stalking (with permission) your friends and loved ones has never been easier. Bloomberg is reporting that Facebook will launch such an app for iOS and presumably Android to offer the same abilities for your Facebook friends.
