Skyway West Recommended July 23rd to July 29th

Each Monday we’ll pass on links to articles we thought were well worth reading from the previous week, kind of a Digg-lite for those who live where we do (British Columbia, Canada), work like we do (high speed business internet), and think like we do (internet trends, internet privacy, cutting-edge technology, etc.). If you don’t want to wait ’til Monday, we usually tweet and link to these as we come across them…

NY Times: Facebook Efforts on Advertising Face a Day of Judgment

In the race for digital advertising dollars, Google has been the clear winner, with its ability to customize advertisements based on what you search for. But Facebook, which customizes ads based on who you and your friends are, hopes to be a contender. An important test of how it is doing will come on Thursday, when it releases its first earnings numbers since going public. Read More…

The Guardian: iPhone 5 expected to launch in September with new connector

Apple‘s next iPhone, already being dubbed the iPhone 5, is expected to launch in mid-September, with a new “nano-sim” system to enable the device, the Guardian has learned. Sources also say that the device will introduce a new 19-pin power and control connector on its base, dumping the 30-pin connector first introduced with the third-generation iPod in April 2003. Read More…

Financial Post: Canada’s telecom giants face $18-billion class action suit over system access fees

An old fee that’s made untold millions for the country’s big cellphone providers may now end up costing them billions, while wireless users everywhere could find a few bucks put back in their pocket. The Supreme Court of Canada refused Thursday an appeal by Rogers Communications Inc., BCE’s Bell Mobility and Telus Corp. and others, who were asking the top court to throw out a case over controversial “system access fees.” Read More…

Network World: Microsoft mum on whether it can tap Skype phone calls

Microsoft may or may not have the ability to tap Skype phone calls, but the company just won’t say, and it’s not clear why. Asked a yes/no question whether it can intercept encrypted calls made over the peer-to-peer voice and video service, the company says it tries to help out with legal eavesdropping as much as it can, but won’t say exactly what that means. Read More…