A couple of big changes in the social media world: Facebook is overhauling its News Feed feature, with the promise that the changes will keep you from "missing important updates" or big life changes of your closest Facebook contacts. Mashable.com has details. Google's hope for a Facebook-killer (or at least ... Read more!

  Hey, give the guy points for honesty, OK? Mayor Emanuel announces big Chicago deal with Foursquare, admits he doesn't know what Foursquare is * List of the spots that'll qualify you for the new Foursquare "Windy City" badge. * Mayor's Foursquare account.  Read more!

After complaints from Jewish and anti-racism groups in France, Apple has pulled the app "Jew or not Jew" from its online store there.   The app, which remains available elsewhere in the world, costs $1.99, for which it offers to tell you whether thousands of celebrities have Jewish parents or ... Read more!

Facebook knows it's been sending you too much email.   So it's testing a feature to scale back what it blasts into your inbox.   If you're in the test, you'll get an note from Facebook explaining how it works.   And if you LIKE getting all that stuff, you ... Read more!

Three companies older than Google are teaming up to sell ads on one another's sites -- an attempt to flank Google, which outstrips them all in ad sales on the Web.   As Peter Kafka writes on AllThingsD.com, it's a familiar strategy. Other publishers in the past have banded together ... Read more!

YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen -- a product of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and the University of Illinois -- are on to their next big project.   They've adoped a once-hot site for Web link sharing, Delicious -- largely ignored by Yahoo, ... Read more!

Imagine a library in your pocket -- or at least on a Kindle. A device that lets you  "check out" books temporarily, read them, and then check out more. A Netflix for books.   Amazon reportedly is imagining just that. The Wall Street Journal quotes people close to the project ... Read more!

The News Feed, the Facebook feature that gives you an overview of what your friends are up to, seems headed for an overhaul. Facebook has long had a Friend Lists feature, but it's not easy to find or use. Now it's testing features that could make the concept more intuitive. ... Read more!

Google is buying the restaurant review and guide service Zagat.   Details in Google's blog from Google vice president Marissa Mayer.   The New York Times says this ends Zagat's long search for a partner as its beat has been eroded by many Web-based startups.   Read more!

After going powerless for days because of Hurricane Irene, tech writer Andy Ihnatko shares advice on how you can prepare your technology for a disaster. He says even old computers you never use should be plugged in and charging: Think of it as "a huge battery that can recharge ... Read more!