Internet & Media

Yes, Apple will approve Google Maps for iOS

The tech blogosphere (CNET included) went into a mild panic today over a report in the Guardian saying that a native Google Maps app for iOS would "struggle for Apple approval."

"Sources at Google familiar with its mapping plans say they are 'not optimistic' that Apple will ever approve a dedicated Google Maps iOS app," the Guardian wrote. "Though the app is reportedly in development and should be ready to ship by the end of the year, the sources say their plans are only proceeding in 'the unlikely event' that Apple will choose to approve … Read more

CBS library programming heads to Hulu Plus

CBS programming is coming to Hulu Plus.

The video-streaming site announced the news today, saying that the CBS library will be made available to Hulu Plus customers starting in January. More than 2,600 episodes from the CBS library will come to Hulu Plus, including those from series "Medium," "Numb3rs," and "CSI: Miami."

As part of the deal, Hulu will also get its hands on old shows, like "I Love Lucy" and "The Twilight Zone," the company said today in a blog post announcing the deal.

CBS, which owns CNET, … Read more

Beyond hashtags: Instagram's next challenge is tackling big data

SAN FRANCISCO -- Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said his company's big hurdle is knowing how to mine the constant stream of photos being uploaded each day to the popular network.

"Instagram isn't necessarily a photo company, or a communications company as I like to say, we're also going to be a big data company," he said today at the GigaOm Road Map conference in San Francisco.

Systrom said the company, recently purchased by Facebook, needs to find better ways to organize the billions of photos shared on Instagram. That means looking beyond hashtags for looking … Read more

Instagram CEO: Twitter's photo filters don't scare me

SAN FRANCISCO -- Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said he has no problem with Twitter adding filters -- something Facebook-owned Instagram is known for -- to its photos.

"I don't think that in anyway threatens Instagram because Instagram is a community and not a filter app," Systrom said at the GigaOm's Road Map conference in San Francisco.

It's been reported that Twitter is planning to launch a filters feature in the coming months.

Systrom said adding filters to photos is now ubiquitous with photo sharing and photo apps, so Twitter jumping on the bandwagon is not … Read more

Samsung to ape Nike in corporate makeover -- report

Samsung has enlisted Scott Bedbury, a freelance brand consultant that helped Nike develop several projects, to revamp its corporate identity, Australia-based Channel News reports.

Samsung plans to unveil its new corporate identity in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

According to Channel News, the effort is expansive in its scope, and includes everything from changing Samsung's messaging to customers to eliminating its current logo and developing a new one. The company's advertising will be "linked to lifestyle activities, similar to what Nike does," a source told Channel News.

Samsung has continued to solidify … Read more

Apple unlikely to approve Google Maps app for iOS, report says

Google Maps might not gain admission to Apple's App Store, a new report claims.

Although Google is hard at work developing a Maps app that will be available in Apple's App Store, the Guardian is reporting today, citing sources, that it might never find its way to that marketplace. After speaking to Google employees, the Guardian found that the search giant is "not optimistic" that Apple will approve Google Maps.

There is certainly no love lost between Apple and Google. Since the inception of iOS, Apple offered a built-in version of Google Maps. However, with the … Read more

Microsoft posts Build Conference videos online

Videos from Microsoft's Build Conference, an annual event for developers, are now online for anyone to check out.

Posted over the weekend to Microsoft's Channel 9 page, the videos deliver a great deal of coverage of Microsoft's four-day event, including CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote and sessions on developing programs for the company's new Windows 8. Microsoft has also posted videos of its Windows Phone 8-related sessions.

Ballmer's keynote was one of the more newsworthy highlights from last week's event. During his discussion, he noted that his company has sold 4 million Windows 8 … Read more

New Twitter policy notes copyright take-down requests

If Twitter receives a complaint that a tweet has breached copyright, the site will now transparently display a notice explaining why the tweet was pulled instead of just yanking the infringing tweet.

A policy shift will now see infringing tweets replaced with a warning, such as: "This Tweet from [username] has been withheld in response to a report from the copyright holder," along with a link to Twitter's copyright policy and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Other Twitter users will also be made aware that the tweet was withdrawn and can reply to the withdrawn tweet notice … Read more

Netflix preps poison pill to fend off Icahn

Netflix said last week it could work with Carl Icahn, but now its managers are girding for battle.

The Web video-rental service said today that it is preparing what is commonly referred to as a poison pill, in an effort to fend off attempts from outside companies from making a hostile bid to takeover Netflix. The statement below does not name investor Carl Icahn, but after the billionaire and former corporate raider acquired just under 10 percent of Netflix's shares last week, it's obvious he is the motivation for this action.

The Netflix board of directors approved the … Read more