Welcome to The Next Web’s Weekly Recap. If you love all things The Next Web make sure to grab your early bird tickets to The Next Web Conference in Amsterdam (April 27, 28 & 29).
This week saw a couple of big announcements relating to the real time web including WordPress’ support for the PubSubHubbub protocol as well as Twitter’s opening of the firehose to a new group of companies. The official iPad release date was also announced as well as rumors of an upcoming Google Tablet. Some big news also came out of the US this week relating to startups and keeping their founders in the US with the proposed Startup Visa.
Real Time Web
Blogging took a big step forwarding in becoming real time this week as WordPress announced that all 10.5 million blogs have now gone real time by supporting the PubSubHubbub protocol. Twitter, the leader in the real time web discussion, also announced this week that they would be opening up their firehose to a variety of new companies (what this means). This announcement comes at a time when Twitter reached a key milestone of 10 billion tweets.
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iPad
It became official this week that the iPad will be available on April 3rd with pre-orders starting on March 12th (get the official ‘I am buying the iPad’ countdown button). If you’re trying to figure out which iPad is right for you, check out our analysis here. This week also saw Apple go after HTC and Google with a patent infringement lawsuit surrounding multitouch, a key selling point of Apple’s iPad. Rumors also surfaced this week that Google as well as Sony are working on tablets to compete with the iPad.
US Startup Visa
A very important piece of legislation was recently introduced in the United States that aims to allow entrepreneurs who are not US citizens to stay in the country if they meet certain criteria. You can support this cause by installing this widget, calling your state’s representative or sharing this video.
Quick Hits
- Microsoft not buying RIM, investing $1 billion in its Mobile OS
- Twitter changes its GEO API
- Google scores major patent for location-based advertising
- Google acquires photo-editing startup Picnik
- Innovative type technology Swype opens up beta for Android
- Instant Tweetup iPhone app allows you to create instant tweetups
- Sugar, paper and wireless charging: The Power Sources Of The Future
- Windows 7 reaches 15% market share
- Skimlinks launches SkimKit app for easy affiliate linking
- Gmail gets a social CRM tool
- Coupon site Tjoos acquired by Internet Brands
- The Top 10 Search Engines for movie trailers
- In the Rooms, the social networking site for addicts
- Sony Playstation update brings down network worldwide
- New EU law in place to prevent ‘Shock’ mobile Internet phone bills
- 8 Things your iPhone will (probably) Replace
- Microsoft sends flowers to IE6 funeral, IE 9 to support HTML5
- 7 Reasons for Apple to acquire Adobe
- Yahoo CEO says she would sell to “Any company at the right price.”
- AT&T goes with Yahoo not Google for search on its new Android
- Why book piracy isn’t costing U.S. publishers $3 billion per year
- The Startup Idea Generator – creating “Killer” business ideas
- 10 Essential iPhone Apps to get you through the day
- Chatroulette’s traffic explodes
- Buzzie become first Google Buzz iPhone app and Buzz Can Tweet app allows post from Buzz to be sent to Twitter
- Browser add-on Glue Is Now In your search engine and favorite blogs
- Yelp hit with another lawsuit
- Forget touchscreens, the future is going to be skinput
- The CMO’s Guide to Social Media
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