Mark Hendrickson / TechCrunch:
Source: Google To Launch BigTable As Web Service  —  Google may be releasing BigTable, its internal database system, as a web service to compete with Amazon SimpleDB, according to a source with knowledge of the launch.  There are also rumors that press is being pre-briefed on the product, although we haven’t […]

Reuters:
Microsoft evaluating Yahoo offer: source  —  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is evaluating its offer for Yahoo Inc in light of worsening market conditions, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday.  —  Microsoft has been repeatedly trying to engage Yahoo’s board in discussions, this person said.

The Smoking Gun:
Couple Sues Google Over “Street View”  —  Pittsburgh pair claims privacy invaded by posting of home photo  —  A Pittsburgh couple is suing Google for invasion of privacy, claiming that the web giant’s popular “Street View” mapping feature has made a photo of their home available to online searchers.

Ina Fried / Beyond Binary:
Gates: Windows 7 may come ‘in the next year’  —  MIAMI—Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates on Friday indicated that Windows 7, the next major version of Windows, could come within the next year, far ahead of the development schedule previously indicated by the software maker.

Om Malik / GigaOM:
21st (and Real) Reason Why Seesmic Bought Twhirl  —  Seesmic founder Loic Le Meur outlines 20 reasons why his company bought Twhirl, an Adobe AIR-based Twitter client that is preferred by the self-obsessed net-set (including yours truly).  Some see it as a future-of-the-web move.

Larry Dignan / Between the Lines:
A SaaSy SAP vs. Salesforce debate: Is Benioff overestimating his platform?  —  Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff and SAP Chairman Hasso Plattner dueled at the Churchill Club in a debate about the future of software and the generation gap couldn’t be larger.  —  Benioff brought the bluster …

Hank Williams / Silicon Alley Insider:
“Free” is Killing Us—Blame The VCs  —  I believe it should be possible to start a small business and to have a small number of profitable customers, and to earn a living.  From there, it should be possible to work hard, and to grow your business into something substantial.

Mike Shields / Mediaweek:
Microsoft Unveils Web Series Slate  —  Microsoft unveiled an ambitious slate of original programming created for its multiple Web platforms, including the MSN portal, MSNBC.com and Xbox Live  —  Microsoft sent a direct message to the ad buying community on Thursday—everyone’s software company is a hit-making digital media leader.

Matthew Karnitschnig / Wall Street Journal:
Microsoft, Yahoo Hold Meetings  —  Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. senior executives met this week to discuss Microsoft’s proposal to acquire the Internet company but failed to resolve any of their differences, according to people familiar with the matter.  —  The meeting, which took place …

Ashish Thapliyal / Ashish Thapliyal’s Blog:
Silverlight Roadmap questions  —  Silverlight is about 7 month old kid but it is already making such a big buzz.  One of my colleague Rahul did excellent job in terms of putting up a FAQ regarding the roadmap  —  1. When exactly will […]