I get a lot of heat for not releasing a full write API for Google+. At [the South by Southwest Interactive Festival], I was even booed by developers in the audience when I said we were not ready to open an API. I've repeatedly stated the reason–I'm not interested in screwing over developers.”
- said Vic Gundotra, Google senior vice president of engineering, in a post on Google+
EBay has asked people to speak out against legislation that would require large-and medium-sized businesses to collect sales tax for products sold over the Internet. These business are currently required only to collect sales tax if they have a physical presence (distribution center, warehouse) in the state.
[Source: EBay]
Google has informed Buzz users of its plan to move data from the now-defunct social tool over to the Drive storage and synchronization platform. Buzz was suspended in 2011; this move is described as Google’s “last step” towards Buzz’s demise.
[Source: Engadget]
In other words, the Xbox One will periodically “phone home” to Microsoft to verify that users own their games. That said, a user will not have to buy a new license for used games. [Source: Polygon]
Google has teamed up with Verizon and Acer to offer Chromebook stations with free Internet to tornado victims in Moore, Oklahoma. [Source: Google]
Leaked screenshots of a possible Gmail redesign reveal five tabs at the top of inboxes to allow for better organization. Like Google+ Circles for your emails kind of? Google has not commented on the authenticity of the images. [Source: The Next Web]
Aereo wants to kill broadcasters, Aereokiller wants to kill Aereo. But in this case, the enemy of my enemy is not my friend, as Fox, NBC, ABC and Allbritton Communications sue Aereokiller for providing broadcast television over the Internet. [Source: Variety]
The Wall Street Journal reports that Google is deep into an effort to build, fund and help run wireless networks in emerging markets like sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. The plan is to connect more than a billion new people to the Internet. [Source: Wall Street Journal]
ITV is the latest victim of the Syrian Electronic Army’s attacks. The AP, Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Onion were all attacked previously. This comes days after Twitter unveiled two-step authentication to prevent such a thing. [Source: Reuters]
Google will work together with Microsoft on a new YouTube app for Windows Phone, after Google had demanded Microsoft remove an unauthorized version from the platform. The collaboration will bring the Windows YouTube app up to pace with YouTube’s API terms of service. [Source: The Verge]
Google is reportedly funding, building, and helping run wireless networks in emerging markets. Markets include sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and will be used to make internet available to those outside of major cities, as well as improve connection speeds in urban centers. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]
Starting today AT&T GoPhones will be able to support LTE network. Before, only high-end contract customers were able to use AT&T’s high-speed LTE service. [Source: GigaOm]
Reports are now beginning to come in about user experience with Google Glass. One user found that the wearable device was too creepy and made those around him feel uncomfortable. [Source: BGR]
“As an entrepreneur, you have to rely on luck. Honestly, being an entrepreneur, in my opinion, is 95 percent luck; four percent knowing when to recognize it; and one percent hard work. I mean, that’s the equation.”
Electric car company Better Place is reportedly planning to file for bankruptcy in the next few days. According to Fortune, over the last seven months the company has seen two CEOs come and go. [Source: Fortune]
UK network EE has confirmed that the HTC First — also known as the Facebook Phone — will not be available in the United Kingdom. According to Forbes this is so that Facebook can increase the customization experience of its Home screen before it gets released across the pond. [Source: Forbes]
Erply, a startup that makes iPad-oriented and cloud-based software for retailers, has raised $2.15 million Series B. Funding was led by Redpoint Ventures. [Source: TechCrunch]
Yahoo has entered into the bidding storm for video streaming site Hulu. According to AllThingsD, other possible contenders placing bids for the company include DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, and Guggenheim Digital. [Source: AllThingsD]
You are your data: The scary future of the quantified self movement
The new Flickr: Biggr, Spectaculr, Wherevr
Yahoo didn’t buy Tumblr. They bought Tumblr’s market position
Google closes Checkout, pushing thousands of merchants into Braintree’s arms
Pass the pipe: Gawker’s “Crackstarter” is skeezy but potentially significant
Sorry, NYC, Tumblr selling to Yahoo was not the “win” we needed
On the outskirts of the Maker Faire
Why Yahoo’s track record with acquisitions isn’t relevant to Tumblr
Writers should be paid
Don’t confuse Google’s ubiquity for openness
NextGuide Web launches. Can it possibly be a discovery powerhouse?
Minbox: The way file-sharing should work
Former MySpace and NASA security exec raises $700k, launches Prevoty to defend websites against malicious user code
Yahoo buys Tumblr and Mayer “promises not to screw it up” like past deals
Forget armchair activism, new app Buycott helps people shop with a conscience
PopExpert raises $2 million for its video teaching marketplace
The race to a “smart” television is over. Xbox won
In biggest pan-industry push since SOPA, tech leaders get set for March for Innovation
The importance of grit, rules, and discipline
In Oklahoma’s time of crisis, Sparkrelief is working to unify relief efforts
Memo to this year’s YC class: It’s damn hard to build an enterprise company
What are the effects of RelayRides’ New York cease and desist?
Finally, a Lumia-like device unbound by Windows Phone
How a Valley veteran found happiness and opportunity building tech in Mexico
Yes, the Valley can be vacuous – but it’s more complicated than the New Yorker would have us believe
The case against Shinichi Mochizuki as bitcoin’s “dance away genius”
Swipely raises another $12m from tiny Rhode Island
Is influencer marketing over? Here’s another pivot, this time from Wahooly
ServiceMax’s SaaS platform could make training technicians and replacing software a thing of the past
Reid Hoffman and Joi Ito’s H2 comes out of stealth
Forty more tickets on sale for our John Doerr PandoMonthly! (And a new venue…)
Too small to fail: The partnership-driven nature of fintech startups
Jaron Lanier: Information doesn’t want to be free, and ads are screwed
Data, heart, virality, and leadership: Five tips for today’s entrepreneurial journey
YouTube network Fullscreen adds NBCUniversal and HBO veteran Tim Mohn as new SVP of Engineering
Totsy burns through $34 million, lays off its 83 employees, selling assets
Why people are ignoring Windows 8′s new interface and using the “traditional” desktop instead
Eat Club hits the road to feed hungry office workers
A new iOS game looks to kickstart neuroscience education
Bill Gross’ UberMedia launches UberAds, using social and location data to better target on mobile
Skyhigh Networks raises $20M to control unauthorized cloud programs used in the enterprise
“If you’re building specifically for mobile, you’re in the past”
Scanadu asks Indiegogo users to test its “tricorder,” but don’t call it a pre-order
John Doerr doesn’t think Google Glass is like the Segway
John Doerr on the great entrepreneurs of the last half-century
John Doerr: “The tech industry is doing a good job in politics”
John Doerr still sees a future in cleantech
John Doerr: Microsoft might be the “fifth horseman”
HP versus the headwinds, part 17
Silicon Beach: The Selena Gomez of SoCal’s tech industry
Watch out USA, Canada’s coming: A Google Hangout on immigration reform
Skillz rides skill-based real money gaming to pass 1M downloads in its first two weeks
The bible belt’s “porn problem”: Religious cities watch as much porn as non-religious cities
Pixel Press turns your child-like doodles into videogames
Fandium raises $1.25 million for sports app that blends storytelling with betting
Has content discovery reached its logical end?
YC alum’s new service Loom aims to be photo management for the mobile world
Appboy expands to help Android developers avoid heartbreak
Zippy Picovico attempts to take on Animoto from the mountains of Nepal
JustFab acquires The Fab Shoes in search of European domination, approaches $250M revenue rate
Rallyverse, a platform that helps brands spread authentic content, releases API
Original “growth hacker” Sean Ellis’ Qualaroo hacks the marketing conversion funnel
Nextdoor: “We stopped everything we were doing and trained every engineer on mobile”
Four simple strategies for monetizing your video content
John Doerr: “Venture capital has changed and I need to adapt”
Tumblr’s David Karp in his own words: a Pando meta media mashup
Is the Internet of Things the future of narcissism?
Lessons from Segway: Why John Doerr no longer makes $1 billion predictions
PayDragon proves that mobile grocery ordering is sticky, sees revenue grow 35% per week
Kickstarter and the view from the trenches of TechShop
The pageless Web
The uncomfortable difference between being a founder and an employer
Enter the Ninja: A startup attempts world domination on “Internet of Things” from Australia
Invalid coupons suck. Shopzilla’s Robot Oatmeal uses crowdsourcing to solve this problem
Luxury brands are still unsure about how to engage the Web’s unwashed masses
Proof we’ll never tire of photo sharing: “A Beautiful Mess” hits #1 in app store
