Here’s our rundown of the last week in tech and business news. First up, the five most popular stories VentureBeat published in the last seven days. There was lots of coverage of the TechCrunch50 startup conference, but ultimately HP's new tablet computer drew the most readers:
The long-awaited DreamScreen tablet computer comes from HP, not AppleHewlett Packard has beaten Apple to the punch in coming up with a beautiful tablet-like computer. The company’s just-announced DreamScreen products represent a new category of wireless connected screens."
TechCrunch50 founders' feud: "It's over" for the startup conference -- "'I can tell you that this is the last TechCrunch50,' event co-founder Jason Calacanis told humorist Loren Feldman last night in a video interview after the close of the third annual TechCrunch50 conference in San Francisco." But Calacanis now says the whole thing was a joke, and that the conference is on for 2010.
Microsoft launches limited edition Xbox 360 Modern Warfare console at $399 -- "Microsoft isn’t letting down the gamer freaks who have to own the coolest stuff. Today, the company announced that it will release a $399 limited edition of the Xbox 360 video game console built around the theme of the upcoming Activision Blizzard game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."
Which augmented reality startups will dominate? We rank them -- "Augmented Reality — the ability to superimpose data and information over a view of the real world — is arguably hot these days, and there’s no scarcity of articles and blogs on the space and AR apps. ... As more time has passed I decided to take a deeper look at the technology, business models and utility behind the startups to separate hype from reality."
All the TechCrunch50 startup coverage so far -- In addition to covering all the startups launching on-stage, VentureBeat writer Kim-Mai Cutler and I also ranked our five favorites.
And here are five more stories that we thought were important, thought-provoking, or just fun:
Facebook is cash-flow positive, surpasses 300 million usersFacebook bolstered its position as the world’s leading social network, surpassing the 300 million user mark and becoming cash-flow positive ahead of schedule. In non-accountant terms: Facebook is making money."
Despite murders, SiPort completes its radio chip for Microsoft's Zune HD media player -- "The SiPort employees were devastated by the attack, and their work understandably fell behind schedule. But through a strong effort, they still managed to finish the design for a remarkable chip: an HD Radio receiver for Microsoft Zune HD handheld media player that goes on sale today."
Tesla continues winning streak with new $82.5M -- "Tesla Motors, the anointed leader in the electric vehicle market, has raised $82.5 million in a sixth round of funding from Daimler, Fjord Capital Partners, Aabar and other undisclosed investors."
Facebook: Twitter is "in the rearview mirror" -- "Twitter may still be the media darling of the day, getting all kinds of attention amid its huge user growth earlier this year. But Facebook, once considered Twitter’s most fierce competitor because it also wants to let users post bite-sized updates online about their thoughts, apparently no longer thinks of Twitter as a threat."
Mint's Aaron Patzer on the future of Mint and Quicken Online -- "Mint.com chief executive Aaron Patzer was a big winner this week. Intuit (maker of the popular accounting software Quicken) acquired his personal finance startup for $170 million."