AT&T has apparently realized that continuing to complain about -- and sue -- Verizon for depicting its cell phone coverage as spotty is doing more harm than good. This morning, AT&T and Verizon agreed to dismiss a lawsuit over Verizon's "There's a Map for That" and "Island of Misfit Toys" commercials, which AT&T said mislead consumers into thinking that the carrier doesn't offer wireless service in large portions of the country. The dismissal comes two weeks after a court ruled that Verizon commercials might be "sneaky," but they were not actually deceptive. According to DigitalDaily, the "irreparable harm" …

Google is now letting newspaper publishers limit the number of articles readers can view for free on Google News to five per day. Perceived as a concession to publishers, the change builds off of Google's First Click Free provision, in which participating publishers allow the crawler to index their subscription content on Google News, or the company's Web search engine. Readers who find one of those articles can see the full page without requiring them to register or subscribe, even if the content is behind pay wall. While a Google News reader or Google searcher could click to …

In a move sure to rile some members of the massive social network -- now 350 million strong -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg just announced some key service changes related to privacy and information sharing. In short, the result is no more regional networks, but more control over who sees uploaded content. "For those who have been following Facebook closely, the announcement doesn't deliver any new information, it only confirms some previously discussed plans," writes ReadWriteWeb. "However, for Facebook's user base ... the updates represent a major overhaul as to how privacy is handled …

It's not yet clear how many iPhone app developers profit from their labor, or what those profits amount to. What is clear -- according to a small survey conducted by Skyhook Wireless -- is that there's presently no incentive for those developers to refocus their efforts on Google's Android mobile operating system. The navigation software maker sampled 30 Android developers and found that 57% of developers said they are not satisfied with their profits on Android. One problem, developers say, is Google's insistence on having three versions of the open source operating system -- Android 1.5, 1.6 and …

Meet AcrossAir -- an "augmented reality" startup, and what some argue is the future of the mobile Web. AR is a new and arguably over-hyped field that relies on a mobile phone's viewfinder to let users overlay 3-D graphics and information over the space around them. Specifically, AcrossAir makes apps that let people find nearby subway stops and restaurants. It just released a new bar finder app in partnership with beer maker Stella Artois that lets you hold up your phone, pan around and see info tags superimposed over your surroundings pointing to nearby bars serving its beer. …

Dec 1, The New York Times shut down its Times Extra feature, which imported third-party content directly onto its homepage, and Shiv Singh, Razorfish VP & Global social media lead, does not approve. Singh calls the defunct program "an ambitious, forward thinking and adventurous move on the part of the Times," on his Going Social Now blog. "I'd even say a groundbreaking move ... A move I believe had the right philosophies (recognizing they don't always have the best content), the right values (acknowledging that the Times is part of a broader social ecosystem online) and the wrong …

Like any powerful force, Twitter can be used for good or ill. In the case of the latter, New York street gangs -- which apparently still exist -- are exploiting the micro-blogging service to correspond, goad rival gangs, and plan all manner of fracas, reports Gothamist via the Daily News. Police speculate that one misguided adolescent might have been shot in the legs over a virtual turf war started by the "Original Young Gangsters" clique on Twitter, and which included such slights as, "I knoe [sic] bitches from (Original Young Gangsters) that would dead mob yah s--t in …

From Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga to Facebook and its Spanish counterpart Tuenti, 2009 was a year dominated by celebrity and social media, according to Google's annual Zeitgeist report. The report draws a direct correlation between consumer searches and cultural prominence around the globe. "It's because of curious searchers like you and the billions of searches you do throughout the year, that our annual Zeitgeist has become an insightful look into a global mindset," said Marissa Mayer, VP Search Products and User Experience at Google. In the U.S. specifically, 2009 also saw many people express their thrifty consciousness …

In the wake of news that YouTube is exploring the movie "rental" business, rumor has it that the Google unit wants a piece of primetime TV, too. Potentially disrupting Apple's iTunes, Amazon, and Hulu, sources tell MediaMemo that YouTube is out trying to convince network execs to let it sell shows a la carte. "Sources say the site's negotiations with the networks and studios that own the shows are preliminary," MediaMemo writes. "But both sides seem optimistic, since models for such deals already exist. No comment from YouTube." "The key stumbling block,"