Nomura on Windows 8: "Microsoft will not be adding back the Start Button" Microsoft will not be adding back the Start button in Windows 8, but will likely include a tutorial to help desktop/laptop PC users get used to the new OS. That's according to investment banking firm Nomura, which hosted meetings this week for investors with Tami Reller, the head of marketing and CFO of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft. At the meeting, Reller appears to have addressed concerns that Windows 8...can be confusing to use for those on a desktop or laptop. The Seattle Times
The death of the Apple tax The old adage says there are only two certainties in this world: death and taxes. Steve Jobs proved that not even the Reality Distortion Field is strong enough to resist the reaper. However, the company he spawned and subsequently resurrected seems to be doing away with the tax that came to be associated with its products. This so-called "Apple tax" refers to the price premium that used to be attached to each and every new product to roll out of Cupertino. These days, though, Apple's highest-profile offerings tend to be pretty competitive on price. The Tech Report
On Kickstarter, there are no guarantees Crowd funding service Kickstarter has been good to games in recent months. $3,336,371 went towards Double Fine's new adventure game, far above the $400,000 asking price. There's $1,600,465 and counting for inXile Entertainment to produce Wasteland 2, exceeding the original $900,000. Philadelphia-based Cipher Prime wants $60,000 to help fund the creation of Auditorium 2: Duet, a multiplayer sequel to its well-liked music game. $60,000 is roughly half, maybe a little less, than the project’s total budget. GiantBomb
Google heightens rivalry with iPad Google Inc., undaunted by a short-lived attempt to market and sell smartphones on its own, is now trying the approach with tablet computers in a quest to capture market share from Apple Inc.'s iPad. The Internet search company will sell co-branded tablets directly to consumers through an online store like rivals Apple and Amazon.com Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. The move is an effort to turn around sluggish sales of tablet computers powered by Google's Android software. The WSJ
House votes down stopping employers asking for Facebook passwords House Republicans today defeated an amendment introduced yesterday that would have banned employers demanding access to Facebook accounts. While the practice isn’t widespread, it has caused a big brouhaha after reports surfaced that some organizations were requiring workers to hand over Facebook passwords as a condition of keeping their current job or getting hired for a new one. ZDNet (also: Teacher’s aide fired for refusing to hand over Facebook password)
Adobe releases last Linux version of Flash Player Adobe has released Flash Player version 11.2 with many new features. This is last and final Flash Player release for Linux platform and now onward there will be only security and bug fix updates. Last month Adobe announced that it is withdrawing Flash Player support for Linux platform. All the future newer Flash releases will be bundled with Google Chrome using its Pepper API and for everything else, 11.2 will be the last release. Ubuntu Vibes
The next PlayStation is calledOrbis, sources say. Here are the details. While the official reveal of Sony's next home console could still be months away, if not longer, Kotaku has today learned some important details concerning the PlayStation 3's successor. For one, the console's name -- or at least its codename/working title -- is apparently Orbis. And it's being planned for release in time for the 2013 holiday season. Kotaku
Pinterest: We're "actively working" to fight spam; it's a “tremendous priority” Ask Facebook. Ask Twitter. Ask Google+. Ask just about any social network, but especially one that’s become big enough for the U.S. president to join: Building an audience and attracting media attention are great, but they also mean that trouble is on the way -- trouble in the form of spam. Marketing Land
How the PC industry killed the ultrabook The personal computer industry backed a promising candidate in the ultrabook concept, convincing even a skeptic like myself that a new class of superslim, superlight laptops was the key to exciting consumers. Ultrabooks were well on their way to becoming the PC form factor of the future. CNET
World War 3.0 When the Internet was created, decades ago, one thing was inevitable: the war today over how (or whether) to control it, and who should have that power. Battle lines have been drawn between repressive regimes and Western democracies, corporations and customers, hackers and law enforcement. Vanity Fair
We need a private mode for the whole Internet We're on a march to share more: More content, more services, more details, more frequently. A few things I've shared this year that I did not share a year ago: when I read people's text messages, my real-time location, what I am listening to at any given moment. BuzzFeed
Intel's Haswell to push the desktop PC CPU packaging frontiers Got used to the simple packaging migration from LGA1156 to LGA1155? Intel's next generation - Haswell - is widely expected to up the ante in the PC CPU packaging excellence, and offer a spread of choices. VR-Zone
I'm still pissed that M$ took away support for Win 7 gadgets...
