The man who could be Bitcoin king
Bitcoin’s origin myth begins with a person or people that built the cryptocurrency, launched it on the world, then faded into the shadows. Most seemed to take for granted the name that appeared on papers published about the bitcoin system, Satoshi Nakamoto, was a pseudonym. But if a Newsweek reporter is correct, the name was no fake — and it labels a 64-year-old man called Dorian S. Nakamoto the creator of the controversial payment and exchange technology.
Nakamoto’s “outing” ignited a media frenzy, with reporters camping outside his house. Yesterday afternoon after interviewing Nakamoto, the AP published a story in which the Japanese-American man categorically denies his involvement with bitcoin, repeating, “I got nothing to do with it.” User “Satoshi Nakamoto” also commented yesterday on a blog item he’d posted four years earlier on P2P Foundation, writing, “I am not Dorian Nakamoto.”
Samsung to pay Apple nearly $1 billion
The gavel has swung down on arch-rivals Apple and Samsung, currently engaged in a lawsuit over patents. Though the Korean company will have to pay Apple almost $930 million in damages,, according to GigaOm, it will not have to stop making the 23 devices Apple believed infringed on their intellectual property. The publication also notes both tech titans can appeal Judge Lucy Koh’s decision, but are due back in court soon to argue another patent infringement case. Though it may seems like squabbling, these lawsuits may have major consequences as the mobile giants gain on each other in different markets. As FT reported, Samsung’s patents in Europe trumped Apple’s 10 to 1 this past year: “the latest sign of an escalating patents ‘arms race.’”
Facebook negotiating acquisition of drone company
After dropping $16 billion on the acquisition of WhatsApp, it’s reasonable to presume Facebook would wait a while before buying another company. Reasonable, but reportedly wrong. The social behemoth is said to be in talks with Titan Aerospace, a Moriarty, New Mexico-based company that makes solar-powered “atmospheric satellites.” The drone-maker leverages “easy access to real-time high resolution images of the earth, voice and data services, navigation and mapping services, and atmospheric-based monitoring systems,” according to a press release — basically, connectivity solutions. Facebook is one of the primary drivers behind Internet.org, which wants to get everyone everywhere connected to the web. Word from TechCrunch is that Facebook wants Titan on board to build 11,000 of its drones to cover regions sans Internet access, starting with Africa. The deal would reportedly run Facebook about $60 million, or far less than 1 percent of what WhatsApp cost. Both companies help people get in touch and may ensure, in years to come, that every person in the world has some connection to the social network.
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