Daily Dispatch: Google digital newsstand aims for Apple; Are Google search results declining?

In today's Digital Dispatch:

Google Digital Newsstand Aims to Muscle In on Apple (WSJ)

...Google hopes to launch it in part to provide a more consistent experience for consumers who want to read periodicals on Android devices, and to help publishers collect payment for their apps, these people say.

Apple Still U.S. Smartphone Market Share Leader...Barely (ReadWriteWeb)

...According to Nielsen's report, Apple has a 28.6% share, RIM a 26.1% share and Android, despite its recent surges, remains in third place with a 25.8% share.

Google As A Carrier. It's Not A Question Of "If They Will", But Rather "When They'll Try" (TechCrunch)

...While Google and the carriers may seem all buddy-buddy now, in the not-too-distant future, they will likely be at odds with one another. The reason will be that the carriers will begin restricting what Google thinks should be open.

Android still has horrible text messaging bugs that'll get you fired, busted, or otherwise embarrassed (engadget)

...For at least the last couple versions, Android has been plagued with a couple extremely serious bugs in its text messaging subsystem that can ultimately end up causing you to text the wrong contact -- even contacts that you've never texted before.

Three's a Trend: The Decline of Google Search Quality (Anil Dash)

...It hearkens back to the dark days of 1999, before Google arrived, when search had become largely useless, with results completely overwhelmed by spam and info-clutter.

Nursing student expelled for Facebook photo (Kansas City Star)

...The 22-year-old woman claims her future earnings potential in her chosen profession is at stake because of what she calls "a momentary lapse in judgment."

241543903 - The Story Behind the 'Head-in-a-Freezer' Image Meme (urlesque)

An image meme that started on Tumblr in early 2009 and spread to social networks around the world has just made its way back to Tumblr, where many users are seeing it for the first time. The meme is called "241543903," and it involves taking a photo of yourself with your head in your freezer and tagging it 241543903.

About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.