Today in Tech: Inside Groupon's tumultuous rise
November 1, 2011: 3:30 AM ETFortune's curated selection of newsworthy tech stories from the last 24 hours. Sign up to get the round-up delivered to you every day.
Groupon CEO Andrew Mason
* A titillating in-depth look at Andrew Mason and Groupon's inner machinations that allegedly reveals how the company rapidly evolved into a 10,000-strong organization, what Mason is really like, and why the company lost key executives like COO Margo Georgiadis earlier this year. (Business Insider)
* TechCrunch columnist MG Siegler reports that Google (GOOG) is prepping a "pretty fantastic" Gmail app for the iPhone. Meanwhile, the Internet giant unveiled a redesign for Google Reader, with Google+ integration. (parislemon and The Official Google Reader Blog)
* Bill Gates dismissed Steve Jobs' criticism of him in Walter Isaacson's biography. "None of that bothers me at all," he said. (ABC News)
* Several ex-Engadget writers, including founder Joshua Topolsky, officially launched The Verge, a tech-focused web site Topolsky compares to a boutique hotel: "we have the same stuff everyone else has, but it is a much more elegant experience." (All Things D)
* Phil McKinney, CTO of HP's PC division, will retire from his post by the end of the year. (VentureBeat)
* Location startup SimpleGeo was reportedly acquired by Urban Airship for around $3.5 million in stock. (Uncrunched)
* Six key retail trends to look out for this holiday season. (Forrester Research via American Express Open Forum)
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