Eric Mack for CNet:

According to a translation of a Russian news report that’s been kicking around the Web, some conservative believers see the image of the bitten apple as a symbol of Adam and Eve’s original sin in the Bible. Some have gone so far as to cover up the logo and replace it with an image of a cross. Apparently no one has clued these folks in to the fact that Apple’s name and logo were actually inspired by the legendary piece of fruit that fell on the head of mathematician and astronomer Isaac Newton.

Some great new gear in AmpliTube 3.9.

Stephen Shankland for CNet:

If the Chromebook Series 5 550 drew inspiration from a MacBook Pro, the new Chromebook did so from a MacBook Air. It’s cheaper, thinner, has a smaller 11.6-inch screen, and at under 2.5 pounds weighs less. Google plans to promote the new Chromebook more aggressively in stores and advertising.

No question that Samsung continues to display a breathtaking lack of imagination in industrial design.

Good info herein from Shankland on what’s under the hood and what Google is trying to accomplish here, and what sort of limitations the little beastie has too.

The US firm had previously been ordered to place a notice to that effect – with a link to the original judgement – on its website and place other adverts in the Daily Mail, Financial Times, T3 Magazine and other publications to “correct the damaging impression” that Samsung was a copycat.The appeal judges decided not to overturn the decision on the basis that a related Apple design-rights battle in the German courts risked causing confusion in consumers’ minds.

Taylor is looking for your story and the company set up a Web page for you tell it. Taylor is my favorite acoustic guitar and has been for many years.

We are announcing this morning an important development at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Newsweek will transition to an all-digital format in early 2013. As part of this transition, the last print edition in the United States will be our Dec. 31 issue.

It is widely speculated that the Mountain View-based company will announce new Nexus smartphones and an updated version of its Android operating system.

Most companies don’t use the current version of Android, how will an updated version help?

This sums it up perfectly.

The New York Times has suspended Andrew Goldman for four weeks, according to the New York Observer, after the freelancer writer tweeted offensive comments in response to criticism of a piece he wrote. Phil Corbett, associate managing editor for standards at The New York Times, also reminded staff today that they should treat Twitter and Facebook as “public activities,” and that their behavior on social networking sites should be “appropriate for a Times journalist.”

I would just never last. Never.

That’s just classic.

Wineanorak:

It all starts in the forest. Cork oaks are harvested every nine years, once they reach maturity. It doesn’t harm the tree, and the cork bark regrows. Most cork forests are in Portugal and Spain.

Cork is one of those things you never think about but, when it comes up and you read a story like this, you discover it’s actually kind of fascinating. For example, it never occurred to me that cork was actually tree bark.

In a rare product endorsement, Rowling proclaimed, “The MacBook Air changed my life.” She added, “I’ve written everywhere, including some very strange places.”

When’s the last time you heard anyone say, “That piece of shit Windows PC changed my life”?

The company reported third quarter net income on a GAAP basis of $597 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, and non-GAAP net income of $718 million, or $0.55 per diluted share. GAAP and non-GAAP net income were up 22% and 14%, respectively, year over year due primarily to strong top-line growth, said the company.

Great results from eBay. Congrats.

People are embarrassed and ashamed to use their BlackBerry devices because they suck so bad. RIM has embraced it with a blog post from new blog manager Donny H.

For what it’s worth, Donny H. likes Pizza, cars and music.

I could not make this shit up people.

Location or time-based reminders. Really great app.

Maria Popova at Brain Pickings:

The story of New York’s iconic Chrysler Building is the story of one of history’s greatest, most ruthless architectural rivalries — one ultimately resolved when the building’s famous spear was surreptitiously erected to claim victory on October 16, 1929.

Not exactly a glowing outlook. A lot can happen in a year.

The v2.1 update features three stunning new HD amps based on the distinctive clean, crunch and overdrive tones of the Soldano SLO100, one of the most coveted premium amps of the modern era. Two custom-designed originals, Line 6 Doom and Line 6 Epic, round out the POD family’s selection of high-gain amps.

I love new amp models.

Chris Rawson for TUAW:

iPhones aren’t made in America because they just can’t be. The infrastructure and labor force doesn’t exist at the levels necessary to support Apple’s operations — it’s not even close.

Tim Collins writing on why RIM will make an amazing comeback. At first I thought it was a parody, but then I realized he was serious — that made it even worse.

The Seattle Times:

Seattle can’t limit distribution of yellow-pages phone books with an opt-out registry, and it can’t charge a fee to publishers who want to leave commercial directories on your porch, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday. The court ruled the city’s law is unconstitutional, saying yellow pages are protected, like other publications, by the First Amendment.

Even though more than 79,000 people wanted to opt out, Seattle, like a lot of places, can’t seem to stop the flood of various yellow pages-type directories that show up on our doors. I don’t know of anyone who likes them or anyone who uses them enough to justify not being allowed to opt out of having them tossed on our doorsteps.

Update: The Yellow Pages has its own national opt-out program.

Huffington Post:

A BBC film crew was detained after it breached the back gate of the top secret military facility known as Area 51 while filming a new documentary about UFO conspiracy theories.During the incident in the Nevada desert, a camouflage-dressed guard carrying an M-16 told a member of the British team, “We could make you disappear and your body will never be found,” according to a crew member.“Eight guards wearing combat fatigues immediately came out with their assault rifles and they grabbed us, forced us to the ground and we were all made to lie facedown in a row on the tarmac with a gun at our back.”

You intentionally ignored signage and walked onto a top secret US government base? I’d say you’re pretty luck to A) not be in jail or 2) not be in a shallow grave out in Area 51.

Los Angeles Times:

The space shuttle Endeavour made its final journey last weekend, traveling 12-miles from Los Angeles International Airport, through Inglewood, to the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

This is a very cool time lapse video of the trip. Some of the views of the neighborhoods it passed through are fascinating. Thanks to Tom Negrino for the link.

How are those FBI agents treating you guys at Google?

Lex Friedman for Macworld:

Apple has quietly extended its iMac 1TB Seagate Hard Drive Replacement Program through April 12, 2013. Last year, Apple acknowledged that certain Seagate drives in 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs could fail, for 1TB models sold between May 2011 and July 2011. Now, however, Apple is broadening the window of affected iMacs: Any 1TB iMacs sold between October 2009 and July 2011 could be affected, the company says.

If you’ve already paid for a hard drive replacement for an affected machine, you’re entitled to a refund. Visit Macworld for details.