Ars Technica’s Ron Amadeo has a thoroughly thorough roundup of the things that Google is either known to be working on or believed to be working on this year.
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Google Chromecast Adds Support for 10 Streaming Services
GigaOM’s Janko Roettgers reports that Google’s $35 Chromecast TV stick has added support for 10 new streaming media services: Plex, aVia, RealPlayer, BeyondPod, PostTV, Songza, RedbullTV, Revision3, VEVO and Viki.
Chromecast gets Plex, Vevo, RealPlayer, Viki and more with massive app update [GigaOM]
Amazon Is Reportedly Prepping a TV Box
The Wall Street Journal reports “people briefed on the company’s plans” as saying that Amazon is working on a TV box for streaming on-demand video. The rumored box could apparently be available for the holidays and would compete with Apple TV, Roku and similar streaming boxes.
Amazon Readies Set-Top Box for Holidays [WSJ.com]
Apple Updates iMac Line of All-in-Ones
Apple’s all-in-one iMac line has gotten an internal makeover.
Arrests Made After Fights Break Out at Apple Store
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that arrests have been made after two men began fighting while in line outside an Apple store in Pasadena. Police also told the paper about a second fight breaking out between a man and some people the man had paid to stand in line for him. Those people claimed the man didn’t pay them enough to stand in …
Bookie Gives 100-to-1 Odds That Tim Cook Will Be Microsoft’s Next CEO
Over at Computerworld, Preston Gralla spotlights a betting site’s 25-contender list of potential Microsoft CEOs “ranging from the obvious to the far-fetched.” Apple CEO Tim Cook, the most far-fetched of all, gets 100-to-1 odds.
Feeling lucky and looking to make a mint? Bet on Tim Cook as Microsoft’s new CEO [Computerworld]
Report: Two iPhone Versions — One High-End, One Low-End — to Ship in September
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple asked assembling partner Hon Hai “to begin shipping both a new high-end and low-end iPhone in early September.” It’s unclear whether Apple would announce both at its rumored September 10 event; Apple has yet to roll out two iPhones at once.
Amazon Rounds Up Its Favorite Funny Product Reviews
Not content to let regular people handle the funny-products-on-Amazon roundups, Amazon itself has gotten in on the action.
Facebook Preps PayPal-like Mobile Payment Feature
Facebook has confirmed to All Things D that it’s testing a “product that would allow online shoppers to make purchases on mobile apps using their Facebook login information.” It’s “expected to launch in the next month or so,” with JackThreads as a pilot partner.
Facebook Testing Out PayPal Competitor to Simplify Mobile Checkout [All Things D]
Major Nelson Unboxes the Xbox One
Microsoft’s Larry Hryb – also known as Major Nelson – unboxes the Xbox One. For those of you keeping score, Hryb says “beautiful” four times, “gorgeous” once and “hot” once.
Unboxing Xbox One [MajorNelson.com]
You Are No Longer Free to Search on Google (Update: Not Quite True)
Michele Catalano brings us a frightening story of how a series of Google searches led to a visit by local authorities.
NSA Documents Reveal Online Data-Collection Practices
In the latest release of NSA documents obtained from whistleblower Edward Snowden, The Guardian reveals details of a program called XKeyscore.