Breaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day.
Iran Blocks U.S. "Virtual" Embassy. The United States government reached out to Iran this week, creating an online embassy designed not to offer consular services as much as, as real embassies do, represent the country in a foreign nation. That Virtual Embassy Tehran site, championed by Hilary Clinton, has now been blocked by the censor-centric Iranian authority--which has claimed it was a "sly plot" by the U.S. --KE
--Updated 11:45 a.m. EST
Apple has revealed fresh details and floor plans for its new curvy, glass-paned "spaceship" campus in Cupertino. The company hopes to break ground next year, and open up the facility in 2015. [Credit: Apple]
Nintendo 3DS Updated With 3-D Video. Last night, Nintendo pushed live the update to the software running their Nintendo 3DS handheld. Besides taking 3-D photos, the 3DS can now shoot 3-D video and save it to an SD card. Afterward, users can tweak the depth of the 3-D and the speed of the video. Other new features include titles can now have downloadable add-ons, an update to the built-in Mii Plaza and its Find Mii game, and a new app called Nintendo Zone where users can get free apps and demos at certain Wi-Fi hotspots. --KO
--Updated 11:05 a.m. EST
Watch Out Zynga, EA's Taking SimCity To Facebook. Ever since Zynga's CityVille was a smash hit on Facebook, Electronic Arts has been working on getting a SimCity Facebook game ready. The China arm of social game maker Playfish has been chipping away at Sims for Facebook project for months, Business Insider has found out. When the game launches, it could challenge CityVille's plum rum. --NS
--Updated 8:35 a.m. EST
Flipboard Launches For The iPhone. Yesterday in China, today on the iPhone. The Flipboard app wooed owners with its slick design, allowing iPad owners to flip, flip, flip through assorted content on their iPads. It's now been redesigned in miniature for the iPhone, and is being greeted with warm reviews.
--Updated 7:55 a.m. EST
Russians Use Facebook To Aid Post-Election Protests. Protestors in Russia were marshalled by Facebook posts and bloggers, to assemble by the thousands and express their public disapproval of Vladimir Putin's win in the recent elections. While most national news outlets avoided coverage, news of the protests was spread on Facebook and blogs like LiveJournal. --NS
Microsoft Talks Plans For Windows App Store. Apps are the future, Microsoft agrees. The company unveiled plans to release an app store on PCs as part of the upcoming Windows 8 operating system launching next year, following Apple's lead in the app space. --NS
--Updated 7:30 a.m. EST
Apple Loses "iPad" In China. Apple has lost the trademark rights to the name "iPad" to monitor maker Proview Electronics in China. A court awarded the ownership of the name to the Chinese company, which registered for the trademarks to "iPAD" and "IPAD" back in 2001. This means Apple would need to change the name of the device to continue selling it in China, or pay Proview $1.6 billion for the name. --NS
Verizon To Launch Web Video Service. Verizon Communications is making plans to launch a web streaming video service targeting about 85 million users across the U.S. The service could roll out as early as next year, Reuters has learned. Such a service from a company with Verizon's reach poses a twin threat to cable companies as well as web video streaming services like Netflix. --NS
Android App Store Hits 10 Billion Downloads. The Android App store has hit a new milestone. Over the past month, it's recorded a growth rate of 1 billion app downloads per month, and the download of its 10 billionth app. Back in July, Android users had downloaded just 6 billion apps. To mark this magic number, Google is putting select apps on sale at the App store-- at 10 cents each--every day for the next 10 days. --NS
Facebook Timeline Alive In New Zealand. Facebook's Timeline, the social network's biographical organization tool that Mark Zuckerberg introduced at f8 in September, is waking up in New Zealand. Users in New Zealand (yes, New Zealand) have seen the new profile format activated on their Facebook pages, and Facebook says the trend will turn east "soon." --NS
--Updated 5:45 a.m. EST
[Image: Flickr user chinnian]
Yesterday's Fast Feed: Netflix-Facebook Integration Coming, Verizon Wants Google Wallet Off The Galaxy Nexus, Ralph Lauren Puts Catalog On E-cards, and more!