10 Things In Tech You Need To Know Today

Good morning! It's going to be sunny, warm, and clear here in New York. Let's look at what's happening in tech.

1. Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote an open letter to consumers and in it he took a big shot at Google and Google's business model. "A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you're not the customer. You're the product."
2. Amazon announced new $99 Kindle Tablets.
3. It also announced a refresh to its high end Kindle Fire HDX, which is lighter than the iPad, and has a sharper screen.
4. Amazon also refreshed its e-reader line up with a premium $199 model, and a lower cost $79 model.
5. Google CEO Larry Page is restless, and wants to push his company to create "Google 2.0" which would be working on bigger, bolder ideas. One idea was the create a more efficient airport, then let other companies copy it. Another is to write giant checks to talented people to build interesting companies.
6. Bloomberg BusinessWeek has a big story on Apple CEO Tim Cook. The main takeaway: Apple needed a lot more work than people realize after Steve Jobs died. When Jobs was in control, the company was structured in siloed groups that all reported into Jobs. Without him around, Cook had to restructure the company to be more collaborative.
7. Billionaire investor Peter Thiel said Twitter's management is probably high on pot, which is why the company is "horribly mismanaged." Twitter CEO Dick Costolo's response? He's working his way through a bag of Doritos, but he plans to talk about it later.
8. Here is the most powerful person in tech at every age.
9. Hampton Creek, the company working on egg alternatives, has reportedly raised $50 million in funding, giving it a $300 million valuation. Hampton just raised money earlier this year, so this a surprisingly quick follow round.
10. Here are some hidden/new tricks in iOS 8 that will make your iPhone feel like a new phone.