May 16 - 9:45am EDT   Yahoo is accelerating the process of launching an expanded Google deal to stave off investor Carl Icahn's board takeover attempt and a resulting Microsoft buyout, say alleged sources for the New York Post. The renewed threat of a Microsoft acquisition has supposedly led Yahoo to step up plans that would let any company make bids for ad placements on Yahoo's search system, effectively rewarding Google by handing the bulk of sales to the most dominant ad provider. [full story]

May 16 - 9:15am EDT   Google intends to be early with the development of native iPhone 2.0 applications, according to the company's vice president of engineering. "We expect to have applications at Day One," says Vic Gundotra, in reference to June's expected launch of the App Store and the iPhone 2.0 firmware. Although Gundotra refuses to comment on the details of particular software, he notes that development of web applications will continue in parallel, because these can be continually updated and improved without requiring a new download. "It's the best of both worlds," commments Gundotra. [full story]

May 15 - 11:30pm EDT   Yahoo tonight responded to Carl Icahn's attempt to nominate a takeover board at the company by accusing the investor of "misunderstanding" the basis of Yahoo's decisions and being unaware of Microsoft's true behavior during its failed attempts to negotiate a takeover of the search firm. Yahoo Board Chairman Roy Bostock argues in an open letter to Icahn that Yahoo was "clear" on its unanimous rejection of the original Microsoft offer as undervaluing the firm and that it had repeatedly declared its openness to a higher-priced deal, which Microsoft had allegedly refused to consider until very late in negotiations. The finality of Microsoft's rejection should be as sign, ... [full story]

May 15 - 10:05am EDT   Investor Carl Icahn on Thursday revived the once-dead possibility of a Microsoft takeover of Yahoo by announcing his plans to launch a proxy battle to overturn Yahoo's existing board of directors. The billionaire's plans are now known to be more aggressive than recent rumors have predicted and include the nomination of a slate that would completely replace the Yahoo overseers, essentially guaranteeing a Microsoft buyout of the search engine firm by installing a board friendly to the idea. Icahn himself is one of the nominees. [full story]

May 14 - 10:15am EDT   Verizon today took further steps to promote its image as an open carrier by announcing it would join the LiMo Foundation, an industry group dedicated to developing and promoting Linux on cellphones. The US cell provider takes the last seat on the Foundation's board of directors alongside handset makers such as Motorola and Samsung as well as NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone, and claims to be a "champion" of openness in the process. [full story]

May 13 - 10:35pm EDT   As Apple prepares its iPhone 2.0 platform, Microsoft is reportedly anticipating control of 40-percent of the smartphone market by 2012, according to a representative within the company. PC World writes that the endeavor will be trying, considering the company currently sits at 13-percent share, with Symbian taking first place at 67-percent, and BlackBerry devices at 10-percent. The upcoming, highly-anticipated Google Android OS is also a large unknown factor against the claim. [full story]

May 12 - 10:30pm EDT   Google on Monday released a new beta version of Google Reader designed for the iPhone and other mobile phones with advanced browsers. Google reader, first introduced 2006, is designed to quickly view and manage information and updates from multiple sources: "To make our (and your) Reader iPhone experience better, we wanted to really take advantage of the iPhone's capabilities," the company wrote in its official blog. "Today we're releasing a new beta version of Reader designed for the iPhone and other mobile phones with advanced browsers. You can use it by visiting http://www.google.com/reader/i/ on your phone." [full story]

May 12 - 1:10pm EDT   Google on Thursday unveiled Vidnik, a new application designed to allow Mac users to create and upload YouTube videos using a built-in iSight, Firewire or USB camera. Vidnik is a free, open source application that can record, edit, and label videos, and then directly upload them to a YouTube account for public viewing. Use of the app is reportedly quite simple, offering all interface control in a single window, with large, familiar buttons and controls. [full story]

May 9 - 1:15pm EDT   Google is interested in pursuing closer ties with Yahoo, according to the former company's founders. Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt made the observation before Google's annual general meeting on Thursday, in response to questions on whether they would move beyond a two-week trial of Google advertising on Yahoo's network. "We have been talking to Yahoo and we are very excited to be working with them," says Brin. He calls the trial program "successful," and suggests that it is a "good basis to talk to Yahoo some more." [full story]

May 8 - 4:05pm EDT   MySpace today introduced a new initiative that will see its users' data shared outside of the social network. The Data Availability framework will let any member of the MySpace service opt in to share profile info, friend networks, photos and videos to sites that will support the approach on their networks: MySpace users will have the option of posting their biography and latest blog updates to their Twitter profiles, for example, or bring images to Photobucket. eBay and Yahoo will also allow portability, with Yahoo's new Open Strategy allowing users to automatically fill in a profile that is viewable across much of the site's network. [full story]

May 8 - 10:10am EDT   Verizon on Thursday responded to Google's filing, allegedly spinning the situation that Google – not Verizon – is trying to "change the rules" of the now-closed auction. The response comes to a filing with the FCC, where Google claims Verizon is not going to live up to the terms of a truly open network. It fears that, if left unchecked, open devices such as Google's Android platform would be deadlocked with Verizon, despite the open nature of the portion of the 700MHz spectrum Verizon won. [full story]

May 7 - 1:45pm EDT   Microsoft has been exploring the possibility of buying out Facebook, journalist Kara Swisher claims. Her report cites sources who allege that Microsoft is delivering "subtle signals" to the social network via bankers to gauge if the company is interested in a takeover. No talks have been reported between the two, though some at the companies believe Facebook is likely to remain on its current track to becoming a publicly traded company rather than accepting a private deal. [full story]

May 7 - 8:00am EDT   Sprint and Clearwire today announced the unification of their two WiMAX Internet services into a single company that they hope will drive the 4G wireless standard. Simply titled Clearwire, the business will share the services of both the old Clearwire and Sprint's Xohm network in a single national WiMAX provider and is said to help promote the concept of an open wireless standard that allows any device and software to run; the combined build-out of the two should cover between 120 and 140 million Americans by the end of 2010, the involved companies say. [full story]

May 6 - 6:25pm EDT   Sprint is nearing closure on a $12 billion joint venture with Clearwire, backed by industry giants such as Intel, Google, Time Warner, and Comcast, among others. The Wall Street Journal reveals that Sprint would merge its wireless broadband services with Clearwire, after raising a total of $3.2 billion from the aforementioned technology and wireless firms, of which the final approval was given Tuesday. The announcement could come as soon as Wednesday, according to insiders. [full story]

May 6 - 7:55am EDT   HTC this morning at a London press event unveiled its anticipated Touch Diamond, the company's first major update to the core Touch model since its unveiling a year ago. The phone is the first to incorporate HTC's new TouchFLO 3D interface and uses it to access messaging, media, and other features without reverting to a stylus or the directional pad; common operations such as calling should be usable with just one finger, the company claims. To support the new interface, the Diamond uses Windows Mobile 6.1 and includes a 640x480, 2.8-inch touchscreen that offers four times the crispness of the original, 320x240 Touch. [full story]