TC Roundup: Facebook open to working with Google on connectivity projects

Facebook open to working with Google on connectivity projects: Facebook Inc. may be racing against Google Inc. to connect the world to the Internet, but Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg says the companies could work together more.

While each is spearheading separate initiatives -- Facebook's Internet.org is dispatching drones and satellites to spread Internet access and Google's Project Loon is sending balloons to the edge of space for the same purpose -- they are in constant contact, Zuckerberg said in an interview.(Bloomberg)

Apple poaching auto engineers to build battery division: lawsuit: Electric-car battery maker A123 Systems has sued Apple Inc for poaching top engineers to build a large-scale battery division, according to a court filing that offered further evidence that the iPhone maker may be developing a car.

Apple has been poaching engineers with deep expertise in car systems, including from Tesla Inc, and talking with industry experts and automakers with the ultimate aim of online casino learning how to make its own electric car, an auto industry source said last week. (Reuters)

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Spin-offs back in fashion but tax questions remain: Pressure from high-profile activist investors such as Carl Icahn and Starboard Value has brought spin-offs back into fashion. Yahoo and eBay are among the companies now persuaded that separating parts of their operations into new, listed entities will boost their market value.

But even if the groups succeed in their spin-off plans, they will be at risk of incurring punitive tax bills, legal specialists warn. (Financial Times)

YouTube content chief says growth accelerating despite increased competition from Facebook: The head of YouTube content says that Google's Web video service has seen its growth accelerate despite the rise of competition from Facebook and others. (Recode)

LinkedIn seeks new analytics chief after 2 big-data execs depart: LinkedIn has spent years building an impressive team of about 150 data scientists, and last year it significantly changed the organization of the data-science team.

Now, as the company prepares for even more data-science evolution, two prominent members of that team are leaving. (Venture Beat)