This week’s tech news featured headlines about billion dollar acquisitions, a new launch from Facebook that could change the publishing landscape, and Microsoft’s move to a new software release model. These are our best stories of the week (5/9-5/14).
1. In a big media push, Verizon acquired AOL for $4.4 billion. But not to worry, we talked to AOL CEO Tim Armstrong and he confirmed that AOL is staying in the content business and will not be selling TechCrunch.
2. Facebook launched “Instant Articles,” a program that natively hosts publishers content in the News Feed. Josh Constine explains that this is the culmination of Facebook’s quest to absorb the Internet.
3. Microsoft began its move to a different kind of software model with Windows 10. Now, updates to Windows after the last release will follow an incremental path that will lead to ongoing improvements, instead of occasional numbered launches.
4. Jon Russell reported on the big music streaming race in India and the huge Internet growth potential the country has.
5. Mozilla launched a new Firefox version without DRM support.
6. Key officials at the FTC have backed Tesla’s right to sell cars direct to consumers.
7. Greg Kumparak showed us what a web browser running on Apple Watch looks like, and Sarah Perez wrote about what owning the Apple Watch is like when you live in Middle America.
8. Product Hunt, the product aggregation site known for putting new tech products to a vote, went off its regular tech product vertical with the launch of Snoop Dogg’s new “Bush” album and a coinciding AMA with the rapper.
9. Contributor James Altucher provided a checklist to follow when deciding whether or not to accept a job with a startup.
10. Google quietly rolled out a new login screen for Gmail this week, and it hints at a future beyond passwords.
11. Apple released the latest iOS 8.4 beta, the third for the next significant iOS software update.
12. Ryan Lawler wrote about Uber’s new plans to raise another $1.5 billion at a $50 billion valuation.
13. Guest writer Bill Bourdon argues that ad tech has an image problem among investors, but the larger marketing tech sector in which it plays is alive and well.