Newsweek -- which knows something about troubled business models -- looks into those issues presently facing Wikipedia. Once held up as proof that unpaid contributors were an unstoppable, sustainable force, a recent drop-off in usership has led many question the future of the "wiki." Last spring, by Newsweek's estimate, Wikipedia "began to falter as a social movement." The issue has gotten dire, in fact, that Wikipedia is planning to employ recruiters for the first time ever. So, what happens to the organic forces that powered the site for years? Some suggest that the site is virtually "complete," notes Newsweek. …

Complicating matters for growing legions of virtual workers, coffee shops are increasingly taking Wi-Fi off the menu, according to The Los Angeles Times. "Coffee shops were the retail pioneers of Wi-Fi, flipping the switch to lure customers," the paper reports. "But now some owners are pulling the plug. They're finding that Wi-Fi freeloaders who camp out all day nursing a single cup of coffee are a drain on the bottom line. Others want to preserve a friendly vibe and keep their establishments from turning into 'Matrix'-like zombie shacks where people type and don't talk." Also, rather than pacify shop …

Mobile ad tech developer Medialets has raised $6 million in Series B financing, Business Insider reports. The NYC-based startup, which has now raised a total of $10 million, offers iPhone and Android publishers and advertisers a platform for multimedia ads, so creative can include video and animation, as well as access smartphone-specific features like motion sensors. Last year, for instance, Medialets generated some buzz for a "shakeable" Dockers ad it powered for OMD. "One big difference between Medialets and other mobile ad companies you may have heard of, such as Google's AdMob, is that Medialets doesn't sell ads or …

The Wall Street Journal has obtained a "confidential," seven-page Google "vision statement," which agonized over the issue of online privacy, and what liberties it should take with the vast amount of personal and behavioral data it collects from consumers. Compiled in late 2008 by Aitan Weinberg -- now a senior product manager for interest-based advertising -- it "shows the information-age giant in a deep round of soul-searching over a basic question: How far should it go in profiting from its crown jewels--the vast trove of data it possesses about people's activities?" according to The Journal. Specific questions include: "Should …

Intuit has acquired a personal finance Mac web app and iPhone app Cha-Ching for an undisclosed sum, reports TechCrunch. According to Midnight Apps, the developer of Cha-Ching, "The Cha-Ching team has merged with Intuit and will continue to provide you great design, useful features and incredible products as part of the Intuit Personal Finance Group." In the meantime, Cha-Ching also appears to have been taken down from the App store. Last year, Intuit acquired personal finance site Mint.com for $170 million. Similarly, Cha-Ching's Mac and iPhone apps allow users to track their daily transactions and bank accounts. Users can …

Offering a roadmap for net neutrality, Google and Verizon outlined a proposal on Monday that would forbid broadband carriers from prioritizing traffic on the Web, but would ultimately allow firms with "differentiated" products to purchase faster speeds. Wireless networks, too, would be exempt from the rules. "Despite nearly a year's effort, negotiators for Google and Verizon have crafted a framework for net neutrality that fumbles one of the central issues involved in the debate: the principle of non-discrimination," concludes the Los Angeles Times. "Critics worry that broadband network owners such as Verizon and …

Despite broad industry fear and skepticism, author Simon Wood says he's embracing the bold new work of e-publishing. "I view e-books the same way I view audio books or foreign translations: They're another revenue stream," he writes in GigaOm. "If the public demands e-books, print books and audio books, I want my stories in all those formats. E-books are a new source of income for me, so I love 'em, and no less than any other format that my books are currently published in." Wood actually suggests that replacing the printed book might be a tougher proposition …

Melding brand consulting with venture capital, Deutsch's chief strategy officer Mike Duda has gotten together with the NBA's Steve Nash to create Consigliere. The New York-based group has been meeting with potential investors and partners for the past several months, reports peHUB. "There are a lot of guys who finish playing and then have no idea what to do with themselves," Nash tells the publication. "I'm not done yet, but, when I am, I do not want to become one of them." Consigliere plans to invest in seed-stage, consumer-oriented companies with "scalable, large-growth brand potential." It also …

Google and Verizon hosted a press call on Monday to propose Internet network transparency and FCC enforcement with up to $2 million fines for network providers that engage in anti-competitive measures. As ReadWriteWeb explains, the joint legislative framework proposal "is the exact opposite of what reports last week speculated the companies were working on," while "broadband specialists and other press are very skeptical." Under the proposal, the General Accounting Office would report yearly to congress about how well the program is working. Verizon said the company was concerned that too many rules up front could infringe on …

Signaling a new chapter for Skype, the Internet telephony company just filed for an IPO worth $100 million. "The offering was widely viewed as in the cards, though I admit it came sooner than I thought," said GigaOm's Om Malik. Nonetheless, he said, the decision "is a result of the company turning into a cash machine." Indeed, the company currently has 560 million registered users -- about 8.1 million of whom are monthly paying users who, on average, pay $96 a year for the service. As a result, for the first six months of the year, …