Quoting “sources close to the situation,” Yahoo may be looking to invest in, partner with, or even outright buy Tumblr. According to sources, talks have been “serious,” but as you know serious talks does not a deal make. Mayer, who has been watching Tumblr since her days at Google, reportedly started up talks with Tumblr execs, including CEO David Karp, soon after taking the CEO job at Yahoo.

One thing is for certain about a Tumblr acquisition – it wouldn’t be cheap. As Tumblr continues to grow (they just hit 100 million blogs a little over a month ago), the platform will only attract more attention. Estimates value Tumblr at $800 million at least, with some suggesting that it could be a $1 billion company.

On the surface, it’s clear to see how a Yahoo and Tumblr deal could benefit both parties. Since Mayer took over Yahoo, the company has been going through a shift – mainly in an attempt to regain some relevance that it has lost over the past few years. Tumblr is one of the hottest things on the internet, so that can’t hurt. Plus, Tumblr would benefit from even more exposure. If there’s one thing that Yahoo does have a ton of clout left in it’s the Yahoo homepage. Yesterday, Mayer announced a partnership with Twitter to bring real-time tweets to the Yahoo newsfeed. Tumblr could benefit from this sort of increased promotion.

Since Mayer became CEO, Yahoo has been busy making small acquisitions – Summly, Astrid, Milewise and GoPollGo. But a Tumblr buy would be a huge deal. We’ll be anxious to see how this one develops.

UPDATE: According to GigaOm, Facebook may be circling, looking to snatch Tumblr out of Yahoo’s hands.

TechCrunch points to reports in the Israeli press from Calcalist, Ynet and The Marker (all in Hebrew) indicating that Facebook is in “advanced due dilligence on a deal,” and that negotiations have been going on for six months.

TechCrunch’s Ingrid Lunden reports: “We have been digging too and have picked up confirmation from a source that both sides have privately confirmed that the deal is happening, and that the pricing reported first by the Calcalist [between $800 million and $1 billion] is accurate.”

The deal would apparently be a move for Facebook to capture more mobile users, not unlike its famous Instagram deal.

Reports of Facebook’s interest in Waze are nothing new. There was talk that the two companies were in discussions at least as far back as August, when Globes reported, “The purpose of the talks is not known, but the two companies are reportedly headed for collaboration, possibly involving the use of Waze’s application via Facebook. Alternatively, Facebook may acquire Waze.”

Waze is an Israeli startup, but its main office is in Palo Alto.

Fusible reports that Microsoft has registered multiple domains for the name “Xbox Fusion.” Now, Microsoft registers a lot of Xbox-themed domains, but what sets this one apart is the sheer number of domains it has registered. Aside from XboxFusion.com, there’s also an XboxFusion.info, XboxFusion.biz, XboxFusion.co.uk and more.

The previous rumored name for the next Xbox was Xbox 8. That name came about after Microsoft grabbed a couple of Xbox 8-related domains from a Chinese cybersquatter in July of last year. In that case, however, Microsoft only obtained Xbox8.us and Xbox8.org. The Xbox8.com domain is still owned by somebody in China thus making the XboxFusion name that much more likely.

Some may gawk at the name Xbox Fusion for being silly, but it really does sum up what Microsoft is seemingly attempting with its next home console. It’s no secret that Microsoft wants to take over the living room with its Xbox brand, and all the rumors we’ve heard thus far point to Microsoft fusing the world of console gaming with that of living room entertainment. That strategy is most apparent in the rumor that says the next Xbox will have an HDMI-in to route a cable box through. Doing so would provide an Xbox overlay on top of your TV setup so consumers would never have to leave the Xbox experience.

Of course, all of this could be wrong. Microsoft may be acquiring these domains for the inevitable reveal of Fuzion Frenzy 3 for the next Xbox.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek is back on the iPhone 6 rumor beat with an update. He says that Apple will indeed launch the iPhone 6 in 2014 – June to be exact. He also speculates that the iPhone 6 will receive the oft-rumored display size upgrade.

So, where does Misek’s report leave this year’s rumored iPhone 5S? While the new device may not sport a larger display, Misek says it will have a better processor, a better camera and new mobile payment options in Passbook. If that’s not enough, he also says that Apple will finally offer the iPhone in a variety of different colors.

Even without a larger display, the iPhone 5S has the potential to shake everything up on the software side of things. 9to5Mac says that iOS 7 will sport a completely new redesign that ditches the realistic stylings of iOS in favor of a more “flat” design that you see on platforms like Windows 8.

Some people say that Apple needs to increase the size of the iPhone’s display to better compete with Android, but the iPhone may be able to wait out one more year if iOS receives a substantial upgrade. Software is always more important than hardware, and a completely revamped iOS could make everybody forget about the bigger iPhone until next year.

[Financial Post via BGR]

The studio’s first game, codenamed Project Titan, has been kept tightly under wraps by both Respawn and the game’s publisher, EA. Now, Kotaku is reporting some new details on the project, with a mix of good and bad news.

The publication is citing two independent unnamed “sources familiar with the game” as saying the title will be an Xbox exclusive, appearing only on the Xbox 360 and next-generation Xbox console.

As for what the game is, Kotaku is reporting that it is a sci-fi shooter that has been designed around multiplayer combat. Soldiers called “Davids” can ride around in giant exoskeletons called “Goliaths.”

Kotaku’s sources are also reporting that the game will have an always-online DRM scheme in place. That doesn’t sound far-fetched, considering that EA is the game’s publisher. If the game truly is designed around the multiplayer aspect, EA might not run into too much trouble by requiring a constant internet connection. However, if Respawn has crafted an enjoyable single-player campaign, then the always-on requirement will once again cause trouble for players, just like it did with Sim City and Diablo III.

I mean right around them. Like, you know, near them. Geographically.

According to All Things D, who quotes multiple sources, Twitter is currently testing a feature that allows users to discover tweets from other users within a certain radius. For instance, you could see a tweet from someone who’s right down the road, who’s eating a great omelet at a local brunch spot.

On April 1st, Twitter kicked off its second annual hack week, and apparently that is where this idea was engendered. If so, this is a really great idea that could change the way people use Twitter.

As of right now, Twitter’s “discovery” tab surfaces tweet about “what’s happening now, tailored to you,” according to Twitter. Although it’s unclear exactly how Twitter’s algorithms decide what to show you, it definitely has to do with who you follow and who those people follow, and so on. It’s kind of a “people in your general network” sort of deal. And to be honest, it’s not really all that helpful. There’s definitely some consideration given to location, but it’s not much.

And really, Twitter has always felt more global than local. Sure, you can limit which Twitter trends you’re shown by city. But then again, this is only Twitter trends. And it’s only by city.

I say test away, Twitter. And then unveil this feature. I can already imagine how useful it would be to walk outside my door, and see a bunch of tweets about things happening in my area. Can you?

Tactus, a site that recently revealed the iPad 5 mold, has just unveiled its latest leak – the rear shell of the cheap iPhone that Apple says doesn’t exist.

As you can tell, the rear shell is made out of plastic instead of the aluminum that’s now standard in the current iPhone. It fits with previous rumors that said the cheap iPhone would be made out of plastic to cut costs. It also appears to jibe with rumors that the cheap iPhone would look like a combination of the iPod Touch and iPod Classic.

As for hardware, it’s said that it will be powered by the A5 processor. Interestingly enough, it’s said that the A5 in the cheap iPhone will be the same A5 that powers the iPad 2 and iPad Mini. That would give the cheaper iPhone a small jump in performance over the A5 that was in the iPhone 4S.

The cheaper iPhone is also rumored to sport a 3.5-inch display instead of the 4-inch display that’s been rumored for the past few months.

On a final note, it appears that Apple will be treating the cheaper iPhone the same way it treats its iPod line. The device will be available in multiple colors, including blue, red and yellow on top of the usual black and white.

[h/t: Engadget]

Now, however, it seems that the mystery girl seen making out with Diddy may have been a Kate Upton look-alike. The model’s representative has told the New York Post that the reports of Upton-Diddy sightings are “laughable.” Upton was, according to her rep, “on vacation with her family” during the times she was reported to be in New York and Miami. Also, the rep added that the pair “don’t know each other at all.

Both Upton and Diddy have also refuted the rumors on their Twitter accounts. Upton calls the stories “not at all true” while Diddy has stated that he doesn’t “even know Kate Upton personally.”

Follow @KateUpton

Kate Upton
@KateUpton

Really??? Not at all true..“@TheCut: .@KateUpton and @IamDiddy seen sucking face and dining out!”

 Reply  ·  Retweet  ·  Favorite
21 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

Follow @iamdiddy

iamdiddy
@iamdiddy

Attention all Media. I don’t even know Kate Upton personally! I’m not dating her ! What’s being reported is not true. END of story!

 Reply  ·  Retweet  ·  Favorite
20 hours ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry · powered by @socialditto

Speaking to those familiar with Microsoft’s plans, Bloomberg reports that the next Xbox will indeed use AMD’s Jaguar SOC. The report doesn’t mention any specifics, but previous leaks have said that the next Xbox’s CPU would feature eight-cores, and be clocked at 1.6 Ghz. The PS4′s Jaguar has the same number of cores, but is clocked at 1.8 Ghz.

The report says that Microsoft’s move to an AMD-based architecture will effectively kill any chances of backwards compatibility in the new console. The Xbox 360 employs an IBM PowerPC CPU that makes any chance of compatibility with the new AMD chip all but impossible. Of course, the next Xbox could use emulation for Xbox 360 games, but that seems unlikely. Those wanting to play Xbox 360 games will just have to keep their old consoles around.

Bloomberg’s report is just the latest in a number of leaks that are beginning to paint a clearer picture of the next Xbox. One of the most persistent, and plausible rumors, is that the next Xbox will ship with the next generation of Kinect hardware. The surprise is that Kinect will be required at all times, even if the game in question doesn’t require it. Some suggest that Microsoft will be using the Orwellian tech it patented some time ago to enforce DRM or other protective measures based upon the number of people in the room.

Another persistent rumor is that Microsoft’s next console will require an always online Internet connection. The latest rumor says that the console will be able to function for up to three minutes without an active connection, but will suspend all activity to open the network troubleshooter after it times out.

Of course, all of this is mere speculation and rumors for now. We won’t anything until Microsoft decides to unveil the console. The latest report suggests that Microsoft will host its unveiling event on May 21, and then reveal more at E3 in June.

Rumors are circulating that Google is in talks to acquire WhatsApp. The root appears to be Digital Trends, which cites “an inside source” as saying the deal was started four or five weeks ago:

While the deal started four or five weeks ago, we’ve been told that WhatsApp is “playing hardball” and jockeying for a higher acquisition price, which currently is “close to” $1 billion right now.

A billion dollars, huh?

Here’s the official description for WhatsApp:

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

In addition to basic messaging WhatsApp users can create groups, send each other unlimited images, video and audio media messages.

Again, this is just a rumor stemming from one unnamed source, so keep a grain of salt handy.

Google acquisitions of 2013 so far include: Channel Intelligence, DNNresearch, and Web Application Server Talaria.