New York City

First peek at the renovated Fifth Avenue Apple Store

To inaugurate the re-opening, Apple seized control of the surrounding plaza

Anybody who has walked by, camped out at, or placed flowers in remembrance of Steve Jobs at the base of the Fifth Avenue Apple store since June knows that its distinctive glass cube has been covered with painted plywood for more than four months.

It was all part of a $6.6 million renovation that involved replacing the original 90 panes of MORE

Videos: iPhone 4S launches around the world

Waitin', whoopin' and hollerin' in seven countries and four languages

Apple (AAPL) launched the iPhone 4S Friday in Australia, Japan, Germany, France, the U.K., Canada and the U.S.

Videos below the fold as they come in.

See also our report from New York City, 17 days in the iPhone line: Wet, cold and smelling like Cheetos.

Today in Tech: Facebook buys e-book publisher

Fortune's curated selection of the day's most newsworthy tech stories from all over the Web. Sign up to get the newsletter delivered to you every day. 

* Facebook bought up Push Pop Press, a small iPad book designer, raising questions over whether the social networking champ plans to enter the e-book business. "Although Facebook isn't planning to start publishing digital books, the ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press will be integrated with Facebook, MORE

Apple's Grand Central store would be its cheapest in NYC

Plans call for a 23,000-sq.-ft. store with minimal alterations of the landmark building

Contrary to rumors and published reports, the new store that Apple (AAPL) wants to build in New York City's Grand Central Terminal would not be its largest. At roughly 23,000 square feet, it would be smaller than London's Regent Street (25,000 sq. ft.) and the Covent Garden (24,600) stores.

But according to ifoAppleStore's Gary Allen, it would be one MORE

With Hangout, Google shows it can one-up Facebook

Why Facebook's new Skype-powered video chat feature shows Google has what it takes to build competitive social apps. And that Facebook may have a social rival in Google.

FORTUNE -- At Facebook's launch event Wednesday, the social network unveiled three products, including group messaging, a new full-sized buddy list design and video chat. While all are welcome additions, it was that last feature that fueled rumors for weeks. Now that it's MORE

Barnes & Noble's simple, new Nook

It's not an iPad, or even a Nook Color. But that's the whole point of Barnes & Noble's newest e-reader: it's not supposed to be.

FORTUNE -- Just six months after launching its well-received Android-based Nook Color tablet, Barnes and Noble (BKS) unveiled a major hardware update to the original e-ink-based Nook e-reader that cuts down on bulk, weight, and physical buttons.

Here's the important thing to note right off the bat MORE

Bain: 80% of Twitter engagement is link clicking

The social network's real-time access to myriads of content and high levels of user engagement is why marketers keep coming back for more.

FORTUNE -- Hours after Apple (AAPL) announced deep integration of Twitter into various aspects of its iOS mobile operating system, Twitter President of Global Revenue Adam Bain appeared at the Federated Media Summit here in New York City yesterday to discuss the social network's growing reach and high MORE

Today in Tech: Zynga close to filing IPO

Fortune's curated selection of the day's most newsworthy tech stories from all over the Web. Sign up to get the newsletter delivered to you every day.

* Sources tell All Things D that Facebook game maker Zynga is on the cusp of filing an initial public offering, a move  that could happen this week or next week. The company has been on a roll lately with a string of smaller acquisitions for talent and/or MORE

Apple Store 2.0 by the numbers

The new Fifth Avenue store is the same as the old store, only more efficient

Without a new product or a shortage of iPads to draw a crowd, there were no lines outside the big glass cube of the iconic Apple Store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Monday morning.

The traffic in the subterranean retail space was also relatively light, which made it easy to count the changes wrought by the redesign that MORE

The technology behind bike sharing systems

Sharing a bike with a friend requires trust and a U-lock. Sharing 600 bicycles with the city of Boston requires technology and a big investment. Alison Cohen's Alta Bicycle Share is up for the task.

Alison Cohen used to ride her bike 17 miles to work every day, a "ridiculous commute," she now admits, but one which gives her solid cred in her current job: president of Alta Bicycle Share, a MORE