nbc

Links from Friday's episode of Loaded:

The Internet goes nearly silent in Egypt during widespread violent political protests

News Corp. announces plans to launch The Daily, its iPad-only publication

Gmail offers a new feature to give you a pop-up every time you get an e-mail or an instant message

The new version of Skype for Mac has a group chatting option

Hulu may be planning to rebrand itself as the Internet's cable channel

Apple may be prepping to launch a new lineup of MacBook Pros

LinkedIn has filed for an IPO

Hulu's owners are bickering among themselves and the company's management over how much free content the online video service should offer, according to a published report.

The dispute is over how much Hulu's ad-supported service is competing with traditional TV broadcasts, according to The Wall Street Journal. Hulu is owned by three media conglomerates that operate their own broadcast networks: Disney (ABC), News Corp. (Fox), and NBC Universal.

Fox and ABC have considered pulling from the service some of their content offered to Hulu users free of charge, the Journal reported, citing anonymous sources. In what may … Read more

Comcast and NBC Universal have jumped the last regulatory hurdle before making their multibillion-dollar marriage a reality, but what does it all mean to average consumers?

Earlier this week the companies, which are planning to form a joint venture that Comcast will control, got approval from both the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. The companies are expected to finalize the deal by the end of January.

The combination of the cable giant and media conglomerate has some watchdog groups and opponents of big mergers, such as FCC commissioner Michael Copps, wary. They are concerned that … Read more

On today's show, we've got a new meme, new details about the Comcast/NBCU merger, and new comments from Apple dismissing Android tablets as both "bizarre" and "vapor." Ok, guys, whatever you say. Verizon offers $200 off iPhone 4 upgrades, in case that takes the sting out a little, and we discuss the rise of universal app stores, consumer confusion over 4G, and sharks in the streets of Australia. It's a wide-ranging show, folks. --Molly

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Facebook revises its update to prevent you from inadvertently sharing your phone number and address

Federal regulators approve the Comcast-NBC Universal deal

American Airlines is on the outs with online reservation sites

Sprint raises its monthly fee for smartphone users by $10

Starbucks expands its mobile phone payment system to all stores nationwide

Playboy claims to be bringing its entire archive of magazines uncensored to the iPad in March, mysteriously skirting Apple's no-nudity rule

The Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice today approved a deal to create a joint venture between cable giant Comcast and NBC Universal.

In a 4-1 vote, the FCC determined that the deal is in the nation's public interest. The Justice Department also issued a statement that it has approved the union, which will be the first time a cable company has merged with a major TV network. The new joint venture, which will be majority-owned by Comcast, will become a media powerhouse joining the nation's largest cable operator with one of the leading … Read more

Our hilarious Internet video of the day is also a disturbingly meta metaphor for what's got to be happening if the FCC would just roll over and approve a Comcast-NBCU merger 4-1, like they did today: walking headlong into the fountain. Hello, content balkanization! What could possibly go wrong? Also in the news, Steve Jobs on medical leave again, get your info off Facebook, for god's sakes, and why everybody hates Netflix. --Molly

The deal giving Comcast a controlling stake in NBC Universal could finally be approved by the FCC, followed by the U.S. Department of Justice, as early as this week, according to reports.

According to reports in The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Hollywood news site The Wrap citing anonymous sources, the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department will finally pave the way for the Comcast-NBC Universal deal to close by the end of the month.

The $37 billion merger between the companies has been a long time coming. The deal, which was first announced in 2009, … Read more

The Federal Communications Commission is a step closer to approving the $37 billion joint venture between Comcast and General Electric's NBC Universal.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave his blessing today to the new joint venture, which was announced a year ago. He circulated an order among the four other FCC commissioners stating that he believes the venture, which will be controlled by cable giant Comcast, will be in the public interest, paving the way for the full FCC to approve the marriage between the two companies.

That full FCC approval isn't expected until January. The deal must also … Read more