Alexander Haislip / PE Hub Blog:
Zappos CEO Wanted To Stay Independent, Sequoia Wanted Liquidity—Sources  —  The decision to sell hot online shoe retailer Zappos to Amazon.com was more in line with the interests of Sequoia Capital than the company’s CEO, according to two sources close to the company.

Ryan Tate / Gawker:
The Google-Cash-Swapping-Orgy Blimp  —  Google hasn’t been shy about sharing its riches with select friends outside the company.  And the number one rule of this tightly-knit group seems to be: spread the love.  Which brings us to 23AndMe’s new, very incestuous blimp.

Sam Diaz / Between the Lines:
eBay’s Q2: PayPal, Skype growth offset by declines at marketplace sites  —  eBay today reported solid second quarter financial results that were slightly better than Wall Street’s expectations but revenue growth of PayPal and Skype was offset, in part, by declines in the Marketplaces business.

Mark Milian / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Friendster founder on social networking: I invented this stuff [UPDATED]  —  Friendster founder Jonathan Abrams poses in front of the logo for his start-up company, Socializr, at a Lunch 2.0 event in 2007.  Credit: Terry Chay … The millions of high school and college kids on Facebook probably […]

Mark Milian / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Friendster founder on social networking: I invented this stuff  —  Friendster founder Jonathan Abrams poses in front of the logo for his start-up company, Socializr, at a Lunch 2.0 event in 2007.  Credit: Terry Chay  —  The millions of high school and college kids on Facebook probably … […]

Sarah Lacy / TechCrunch:
Amazon Buys Zappos; The Price is $920m., not $847m.  —  News has just broken that Amazon.com has purchased hot ecommerce up-and-comer Zappos for 10 million Amazon shares or $880 million.  (The Amazon release said it was $807 million, but that was based on a trailing 45-day estimate of its share price.

Mary Jo Foley / All about Microsoft:
They’re soup: Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 released to manufacturing  —  Windows 7 has been a tightly controlled product from its first days on the drawing board.  The last milestone is proving to be no exception: On July 22, at precisely 4:40 p.m. ET, Microsoft announced it had […]

Tony Hsieh / Zappos.com:
CEO Letter  —  Please set aside 20 minutes to carefully read this entire email.  (My apologies for the occasional use of formal-sounding language, as parts of it are written in a particular way for legal reasons.)  — Today is a big day in Zappos history.  — This morning …

Brad Stone / Bits:
Amazon to Acquire Zappos.com for $847 Million  —  Amazon says it has reached an agreement to purchase online shoe retailer Zappos.com.  —  Amazon says it is paying for the acquisition with 10 million shares of stock worth approximately $807 million.  In addition, Amazon said it will provide …

Brandon LeBlanc / The Windows Blog:
Windows 7 Has Been Released to Manufacturing  —  I am pleased to announce that Windows 7 has RTM’d!  —  As I mentioned previously, RTM officially happens only after sign-off occurs.  What happens is a build gets designated as a RTM contender after going through significant testing and meeting our […]