Microsoft Scoops LG Into Its Android Patent Sack. Microsoft has announced it’s just signed a licensing deal with LG to cover the core patents MS says Android infringes on. It’s a continuation of a long-followed business plan by MS, which has led some to wonder it may be more profitable than its own smartphone effort, and which means it’s now covered the greater majority of big-name Android makers, or more than 70% of such phones sold in the U.S. –KE
–Updated 11:45 a.m. EST
Sharp Won’t Make iPad 3 Screens. As rumors rumble on about Apple’s iPad 3, news of its display manufacturer seem to be picking up steam. Most recently, Sharp seems to be no longer a suspected supplier for screens on the devices, letting Samsung and LG Display take the lead on that front. —NS
–Updated 8:30 a.m. EST
Israel Hacker Publishes Saudi Credit Card Info. After a Saudi hacker stole and published credit card info of about 400,000 Israeli accounts last week, an Israeli hacker has attempted a comeback. The hacker, who identifies himself as “Omer Cohen” posted names, emails, and credit card details of more than 200 valid Saudi cards online, and claimed to have access to several more. —NS
EPIC May Snitch To FTC On Google’s “Search Plus Your World.” Privacy concerns were among the many misgivings the people of the Internet expressed about Google’s new social plan fpr search. Now, a group called the Electronic Privacy Information Center is planning to contact the U.S. Federal Trade Commission with concerns that the plan breaches antitrust and privacy boundaries. —NS
Manufacture Of Raspberry Pi Begins. The Raspberry Pi, a new ultra low-cost computing platform, is in the first stages of manufacture in factories in Taiwan and China. The creators of the computer, Cambridge University computer scientists, have released the first few editions of the device on eBay, which has attracted bids worth about 100 times the $35 retail value of the Model B being manufactured. —NS
–Updated 8:15 a.m. EST
Facebook Heading Towards 1 Billion Subscribers. By August this year, Facebook will have gathered up 1 billion subscribers, digital marketing firm iCrossing has estimated. Facebook’s biggest growing user pools come from India and Brazil, which each have a fraction of their connected populations signed up for the social network. —NS
Google+ Is Sprucing Up. Engineers are fine-tuning some of the features on Google’s social network. The Google+ video chat feature, Hangouts, is getting bigger video and a screen sharing function. The news feed on Google+ known as the “Incoming” stream–a stream of posts from everyone who added you to their circles–is being snuffed out because it was “too confusing,” the engineering director at Google+ has explained. —NS
Amazon Signs Deal On UltraViolet. Amazon has struck a deal with big Hollywood studios, and agreed to use their digital video rental and selling format called UltraViolet for streaming films on various devices. With Amazon on board, there’s a chance membership for the service could pick up steam since its numbers have been flagging in the months since its launch —NS
–Updated 5:45 a.m. EST
[Image: Flickr user GOIABA]
Yesterday’s Fast Feed: Kodak Sues Apple, Apple To Throw Education Event, Motorola Cutting Back On Phones, Google Search Shift Gets Sour Response, and more!
