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Events
April 3, 2013
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Facebook Home Liveblog

We’ll be live from Facebook’s Android event tomorrow at 1:00PM!

By on April 3, 2013 at 2:35 PM.

We’ll be live from Facebook’s Android event tomorrow at 1:00PM!

Facebook (FB) will finally put an end to the rumors and speculation on Thursday as it prepares to show the world its “new home on Android” during a special press conference, and BGR will be reporting live from the event. Some pundits have said that Facebook will finally unveil an own-brand smartphone — the much rumored “Facebook Phone” — but more solid reports suggest the company will instead debut a new Android app that offers deep integration with a variety of Facebook services. The app is expected to be showcased on the new “HTC First” smartphone, which should launch as one of the first handsets to feature the new Android software. Will Facebook also have a few surprises in store? Be sure to tune into our live coverage to catch all the action as it unfolds.

Bookmark this link, which will go live shortly before the event begins tomorrow, and make sure to head there for our live coverage of Facebook’s press conference! Coverage will begin just before 1:00 p.m. EDT / 10:00 a.m. PDT.

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mobile
April 3, 2013
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Rumor
Facebook First Smartphonw

Facebook Home revealed in leaked images

By on April 3, 2013 at 1:25 PM.

Facebook Home revealed in leaked images

Recent rumors have suggested that Facebook (FB) is planning to announce brand new Android software during a press conference on Thursday, and the company has reportedly partnered with HTC to launch the first handset that will showcase the software, appropriately named the HTC First. According to leaked images published by 9to5Google, the Facebook Home software will feature a minimal user interface with full-screen Facebook photographs while also providing easy access to primary Facebook functions such as status updates, photo uploads and check-ins. Facebook’s press conference is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m. EDT on April 4th and BGR will be on hand reporting live.

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mobile
April 2, 2013
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Rumor
HTC FaceBook Phone Photo

Leaked image reveals ‘HTC First’ smartphone, rumored to showcase deep Facebook integration

By on April 2, 2013 at 5:05 PM.

Leaked image reveals ‘HTC First’ smartphone, rumored to showcase deep Facebook integration

As Facebook’s (FB) upcoming press conference draws near, a render of one of the first smartphones expected to feature Facebook’s new enhanced Android software has leaked. “Evleaks,” who is known to publish authentic photos of unreleased handsets before they are announced, posted an image of the “HTC First” from his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon with no additional details. The new HTC (2498) handset is expected to be unveiled during Facebook’s press conference on Thursday, where the company will showcase its new “Facebook Home” software that replaces several stock Android apps with new apps tied into Facebook’s services. Earlier reports suggest that the HTC First is a mid-range handset with a 4.3-inch 720p display, a dual-core Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The leaked image can be seen below. More →

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mobile
April 1, 2013
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Facebook Home Android

Leaked screenshots show how Facebook plans to take over Android home screens

By on April 1, 2013 at 2:22 PM.

Leaked screenshots show how Facebook plans to take over Android home screens

We started hearing word last week that Facebook’s (FB) new “home” for Android will be preloaded software that will essentially let Facebook take over your smartphone’s home screen with your friends’ status updates, pictures and more. Android Police has got hold of a system dump containing a pre-release version of Facebook’s new Android overlay that the site says looks like HTC’s (2498) Sense skin after being “attacked by a mutant Facebook app.” Android Police couldn’t get too many details on how the app will look in its final form because the leaked pre-release build requires an employee account and password to access. The site does say, however, that it looks like everything in the new software ”seems to be focused on the Facebook app” and that it doesn’t look like Facebook is building its own Amazon-style Android skin.

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Software
April 1, 2013
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Rumor
Facebook Home Android

Facebook’s modified Android reportedly called ‘Facebook Home’

By on April 1, 2013 at 7:50 AM.

Facebook’s modified Android reportedly called ‘Facebook Home’

It seems that Facebook (FB) has given a name to its new version of Android that will purportedly clog home screens with status updates. According to 9to5Google’s sources, Facebook is calling its new Android initiative “Facebook Home,” which fits in well with the notice the company sent out last week inviting people to “come see our new home on Android.” We still have no definitive word on precisely what this new “home” will entail, although The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Facebook is planning “new software for mobile devices powered by Google’s Android operating system that displays content from users’ Facebook accounts on a smartphone’s home screen.” Facebook’s event is scheduled to take place this coming Thursday.

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mobile
March 29, 2013
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Facebook Android Home Screen

WSJ: Facebook plans to clog up Android home screens with status updates

By on March 29, 2013 at 11:44 AM.

WSJ: Facebook plans to clog up Android home screens with status updates

Mercifully, it seems that Facebook (FB) has no plans to produce its own smartphone. What it is planning, unnamed sources have told The Wall Street Journal, is “new software for mobile devices powered by Google’s Android operating system that displays content from users’ Facebook accounts on a smartphone’s home screen.” So in contrast to your typical Facebook app that exists as a compact icon that must be clicked to be used, the new Facebook app will act as more of a widget that gives you access to Facebook status updates directly from your home screen. Or as one source tells The Wall Street Journal, the new initiative is about “putting Facebook first” on Android smartphones. More →

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mobile
March 29, 2013
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Rumor
Facebook Mobile Event

‘Facebook Phone’ rumors again flare up after Facebook sends out event invitation

By on March 29, 2013 at 7:50 AM.

‘Facebook Phone’ rumors again flare up after Facebook sends out event invitation

Facebook (FB) on Thursday sent out invitations for a press event that promised to show off the company’s “new home on Android,” which naturally led to fresh speculation about the company’s intention to produce its own Facebook-centric smartphone. Unnamed sources have told 9t5Google that Facebook plans to show off its own modified version of the Android operating system, a move that’s similar to the way Amazon (AMZN) has heavily modified Android for its own Kindle Fire HD tablets. 9to5Google’s sources also indicate that Facebook is working with HTC (2498) to produce a smartphone based on Facebook’s modified Android that will be sold “as a lifestyle brand, not specifically for its hardware or software.” More →

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Business
March 15, 2013
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CEO Approval Ratings

Facebook’s Zuckerberg now most-liked CEO as Tim Cook plummets in rankings

By on March 15, 2013 at 10:57 PM.

Facebook’s Zuckerberg now most-liked CEO as Tim Cook plummets in rankings

Tim Cook is still well-loved by Apple (AAPL) employees — he’s just not as well-loved as he was a year ago. Glassdoor’s most recent CEO approval ratings show that 93% of Apple workers approve of the job Cook is doing, down from the 97% approval rating he had last year when he was ranked as the most popular CEO in the world. Cook now sits in the 18th slot. Taking his place atop Glassdoor’s list this year is Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who scored a 99% approval rating from employees to stand alone as the world’s most favored boss. Other popular tech CEOs on this year’s list include Qualcomm (QCOM) CEO Paul Jacobs, who ranked 8th among all CEOs with a 95% approval rating; Google (GOOG) CEO Larry Page, who ranked 11th with a 95% approval rating; and Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos, who ranked 16th with a 93% approval rating.

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mobile
March 8, 2013
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Rumor
HTC Myst Facebook Phone

Specs purportedly leak for HTC’s upcoming ‘Facebook Phone,’ the HTC Myst

By on March 8, 2013 at 2:41 PM.

Specs purportedly leak for HTC’s upcoming ‘Facebook Phone,’ the HTC Myst

Does the world really want a “Facebook (FB) Phone?” Probably not, but that apparently isn’t going to stop HTC (2498) from delivering one. UnwiredView’s evleaks has posted a set of specifications that are purportedly for the HTC Myst, a yet-to-be-announced smartphone that is centered around Facebook. In case you don’t remember, HTC has tried something like this back in 2011 with the ill-fated HTC Status smartphone that had a dedicated Facebook button and that looked like a rejected BlackBerry (BBRY) design concept from around 2006. The HTC Myst will reportedly be somewhat more like a modern smartphone, however, with a 4.3-inch touch display with a resolution of 320 pixels per inch, a MSM8960 dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. While these aren’t exactly high-end specs, it’s unlikely that HTC is going to push the Myst as a premium device, especially since it sold the HTC Status for a mere $50 with a two-year agreement from AT&T (T).

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Internet
March 7, 2013
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Facebook Paid Profile Pages

Facebook may someday charge users for an ad-free experience

By on March 7, 2013 at 7:50 AM.

Facebook may someday charge users for an ad-free experience

Facebook (FB) may have plans to introduce a monthly subscription fee option that gives users more features on the world’s largest social networking site. A patent application titled “Paid Profile Personalization” describes how the company could “replace advertisements or other elements that are normally displayed to visitors of the user’s profile page that are otherwise controlled by the social networking system.” More →

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Internet
March 6, 2013
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Facebook Privacy Sharing

Facebook users shared more data following privacy policy changes

By on March 6, 2013 at 7:55 PM.

Facebook users shared more data following privacy policy changes

A seven-year study from Carnegie Mellon University revealed that Facebook (FB) users actually shared more personal data after the company made some controversial privacy changes. Researchers found that modifications to the site’s interface and default privacy settings led to a “significant increase” in users disclosing personal information to Facebook, third-party apps and advertisers, PHYS.org reported. The study found that while the company’s privacy changes may have increased a user’s feeling of being in control of his or her data. At the same time, the changes led to confusion that increased the “disclosures of sensitive information to strangers.” More →

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Internet
March 6, 2013
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Internet Targeted Ads

The Internet is a much different place if you are rich

By on March 6, 2013 at 12:25 PM.

The Internet is a much different place if you are rich

The Internet is widely regarded as a highway of free information that doesn’t discriminate against color, sexuality or religious beliefs. This is a common misconception, however. Although most people aren’t aware of it, today’s Internet is tailored to your specific needs. Companies like Google (GOOG), Facebook (FB) and others gather detailed information about users and then sell it to advertisers. A company must then decide who to target with its ads. For example, a company like Gucci wouldn’t bother paying to advertise its products to someone who makes an income below a certain threshold, knowing he or she would be less likely to make a purchase. As noted by Michael Fertik of Scientific American, the rich see a very different Internet compared to the rest of us.

More →

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Business
February 18, 2013
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Facebook Taxes 2012

Facebook paid no taxes in 2012

By on February 18, 2013 at 9:35 AM.

Facebook paid no taxes in 2012

2012 was a big year for Facebook (FB). The company’s initial public offering last May was the largest Internet IPO in history even though it was an absolute mess, and Facebook managed record profits of roughly $1 billion for the full year. Despite its huge profit in 2012, Facebook will pay no federal or state taxes on its income — in fact it will get a $429 million refund instead, thanks to a tax reduction for executive stock options. Fox News reports that Facebook will continue to get huge tax breaks totaling about $3 billion in the coming years, as well. More →

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