Scale Tweets Your Body Fat to the World

Twitter, Path blamed in privacy controversy

(NEWSER) - Leading smartphone apps are taking a lot more of our information than we realize. If you use Twitter's "Find Friends" feature, the company receives every phone number and email address in your address book—a fact that Twitter hadn't clarified, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company now says it will fix the problem. But it's just one of many companies storing user information with a view toward ultimately using it for advertising. More»

Company aims to fill service gaps

(NEWSER) - In another move toward world domination, Twitter has acquired Tweetie, a Twitter client for iPhone and Mac platforms. The purchase is part of Twitter's plan to work on "filling the holes" and eliminate the need for third-party services—and that's causing some tension between the the company and the developers who have built the 70,000 applications that support the microblogging site. More»

Families boot up computers, phones on waking

(NEWSER) - When it comes to morning routines, the modern family has a new set of priorities, many of which require a screen, the New York Times reports. “It used to be you woke up, went to the bathroom, maybe brushed your teeth, and picked up the newspaper,” says an expert. Now, “I’ll be the first to admit: the first thing I do is check my email.” More»

(NEWSER) - An application available today free for Apple’s iPhone gives users points for letting their social networks know about various real-life accomplishments, the Wall Street Journal reports. For instance, a post about your workout on Twitter or Facebook gets you a “Fitness Flicker” award in Booyah Society, and 10 comments within a week make you a “Champion of Ultimate Buffness.” More»

(NEWSER) - Apple is closing in on a $700 million, all-cash deal to buy Twitter, Gawker reports. Silicon Valley sources say an agreement could be announced as early as next month at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and the iPhone is reportedly the force behind the deal: Its users already post countless Twitter messages on Tweetie and other Apple apps. More»