Sprint sues AT&T to block T-Mobile USA merger; AT&T replies 'bring it on.'

Groupon delays IPO. 

Yahoo ousts CEO Carol Bartz in surprise shake-up.

Bing and Twitter renew partnership.

BMW signs Big Ten sponsorship deal.

BP's former CEO, Tony Hayward, is staging a comeback.

China to overtake Japan in luxury demand.Continue reading...

Bank of America is pushed by regulators on contingency plans, as more than a dozen suits against big US banks are expected to be filed in the coming days over bad mortgages.

AstraZeneca fails to beat Pfizer in match of anti-cholesterol drugs Crestor and Lipitor.

BP raid in Russia is suspended.

Baidu, China Mobile and ICBC rank among top brands in China, survey says.

Campbell's profit takes a hit on declining US soup sales.

China Telecom plans UK mobile service before London 2012 Olympics.Continue reading...

Apparently brands aren’t just being pitched by zombies — they’re also becoming zombies themselves. 

Hewlett-Packard’s TouchPad, part of a growing segment of the tablet computer market known as “not the iPad,” was discontinued on August 18, a mere seven weeks after its US release on July 1. But like many a second-guessing mad scientist, HP decided to recall its creation from Gadget Heaven, where it was contentedly playing an Atari 2600 with a Sony Betamax. Now comes word that the TouchPad is returning, for a "limited" run. Walk, don't run — it's alive!

The TouchPad, which runs HP’s Linux-based webOS operating system, launched to mixed reviews and didn’t sell very well during its initial run. Maybe it was the iPad-territory price tag. It could have been that the iPad-averse were more interested in Android products. Perhaps it was all Russell Brand’s fault. But once HP gave up and slashed the price of its remaining inventory to $99, the tablet became as coveted as the former loser at the conclusion of any 1980s zero-to-hero high school comedy.Continue reading...

Hulu reportedly draws bids from Amazon, Yahoo and Google.

Google+ usage plateaus, while Google dominates US web brands, adds offline access to Gmail and apps in boost for Chromebook.

Dish Network revels in blocked AT&T merger with "challenger brand" T-Mobile, while AT&T forges on with $700 HTC Jetstream Android tablet announcement.

GM reboots "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign.

Amazon's Android tablet could erode Apple's iPad dominance, while @author program elevates writers' brands.

Apple may have another lost iPhone fiasco on its hands.

Britney Spears' medical records protected by judicial decision in branding lawsuit.Continue reading...

The wait is over, the mystery has been solved, and the question What the #@$% is TabCo? has been answered.  Apparently TabCo is actually Fusion Garage, and its highly-anticipated tablet is called Grid10. This morning, Fusion Garage CEO Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan revealed his company’s new product, their mission to differentiate, and their discontent with Apple's de facto monopoly on innovation in electronics.

Fusion Garage, founded in 2008, is known for having severed ties with TechCrunch over the CrunchPad and the failed JooJoo tablet, but now they’re back with a vengeance. They’ve developed a tablet, smartphone, and completely new operating system--all under the brand name Grid.

What makes the Grid OS different? Based on the Android, Grid OS seeks to change the user experience to a simpler, more intuitive, and more social interaction. The interface appears as a grid, and everything from web browsing to volume control has been rethought. The Grid OS will support apps from its upcoming Grid Shop as well as Android apps. Fusion Garage also stands up to another tech giant, Google, by choosing Bing as their search engine, offering a “chromeless browsing experience." Continue reading...

It may feel like it's been around forever (or at least all year), but in all the buzz and high hopes, it's easy to forget that Google+ only launched on June 28th.

Following a month of Google+ experience, Ars Technica editor Jacqui Cheng blogs for Wired that Google's social network — which "occupies a space somewhere between Facebook and Twitter, but ... falls closer to the former" — "has legs." Why does she think it's sustainable, even while the initial flurry of users have calmed down?

"During my month of using Google+ every day, I’ve already seen signs that the initial rush to check the service out has ended—there’s less activity now than there was, say, during its first two weeks. But what’s also clear is that a core base seems to be sticking around, and I believe they’ll remain long enough to see Google+ establish itself as one of the main networks that Real People™ actually use."Continue reading...

Tiger Woods loses $10 million Tag Heuer endorsement deal.

Groupon addresses accounting complaints as rivals fall by wayside.

Verizon hit by strike action affecting 45,000 workers.

Airbnb continues beefing up security.

Alexander McQueen show at New York's Metropolitan Museum breaks records in final weekend.

American Apparel expands ASOS partnership.

Bank of Scotland launches integrated campaign.Continue reading...

U.S. House is expected to pass debt ceiling bill tonight, with the Senate set to vote Tuesday.

Amazon launches AmazonLocal daily deals in Groupon's hometown of Chicago; launches MyHabit app to compete with Gilt Groupe; beefs up streaming offering to compete with Hulu by adding Universal titles; and looks to expand Kindle library.

Apple iPhone 5 now rumored for October; Apple TV lets users buy TV shows with streaming update; and Apple blocks Samsung tablet release in Australia.

Twitter confirms "significant" ($800M?) funding round led by Russia's DST Global; adds Dutch and Indonesian local sites; and opens NYC office.

Adobe bows to Apple and builds Flash alternative.

Airbnb looks to defuse user security concerns by offering $50,000 guarantee to homeowners.

Allstate to shut banking unit, posts $620M in losses on tornado claims.Continue reading...