You know how it goes -- "rules" are only "rules" if someone bothers to enforce them. And enforce Google has. While programs such as AdBlock, AdAway, AdFree and the like have been running unabated for quite some time now, Google has evidently buckled down and yanked the lot of 'em overnight. Of course, the company's Play Store developer agreement already makes clear that apps designed specifically to hinder the natural course of advertising won't be allowed, but it's certainly interesting to see the company finally making good on its words. Specifically, the agreement states:

"You agree that you will not engage in any activity with the Market, including the development or distribution of Products, that interferes with, disrupts, damages, or accesses in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator."

MOZILLA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF OPEN BADGES 1.0: A NEW ONLINE STANDARD TO RECOGNIZE AND VERIFY ALL KINDS OF LEARNING

More Than 600 Organizations Already Issuing Badges That Count Toward Education, Careers and Lifelong Learning.

Chicago, IL --- Today Mozilla released Open Badges 1.0---a new way to recognize and verify learning. Developed through a two-year partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, this free, open source software will allow users and institutions to digitally recognize and verify learning that happens anywhere, and use it to get a job, further education, or add to a growing skillset.

Having produced the graphics chips that powered both the original Xbox and the PlayStation 3, it was a surprise to see NVIDIA's name left out of Sony's big PlayStation 4 reveal event last month. But there was AMD, picking up the empty spot left by NVIDIA, powering the PS4 with its 8-core "Jaguar" CPU and Radeon GPU. So, what happened? While we don't know the specifics of how AMD won the contract, NVIDIA's senior VP of content and tech Tony Tamasi tells GameSpot that his company, "Didn't want to do the business at the price those guys [Sony] were willing to pay."

In so many words, Tamasi says NVIDIA weighed its options against other potential products the company would be working on -- rather than producing discreet tech for a single console manufacturer, thus being unable to use said tech elsewhere -- and decided against it. "We had to look at console business as an opportunity cost. If we say, did a console, what other piece of our business would we put on hold to chase after that?" he tells the game site.

Ladies and gentlemen (and nerds), today is Pi Day. You know what that means: tons of math and pie/pi puns flooding your newly spartan News Feed. Not too mention, a few more creative celebrations of the date that so closely mirrors the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Lets not kid ourselves though, after several years of internet-fueled and fruit-filled fun Pi Day is starting to lose its luster. So, the question is, are you doing your best to restore the original meaning of the holiday and take it back from those who have turned it into a crass meme-athon? Oh, and don't worry if you forgot to send us a card, you can always make up for it on June 28th.

Netflix is quickly establishing a reputation as a technology vanguard beyond just its streaming-first initiative. We only just saw Super HD streaming in January, and it's already discussing the leap to Ultra HD: Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt tells The Verge that Netflix wants 4K streaming inside of "a year or two" for at least some of its catalog. It doesn't take a genius to deduce that the internally-produced House of Cards could play an important role in that upgrade. Hunt confirms that David Fincher shot the political drama in 4K, and it should be encoded for the higher resolution later in the year. While it's doubtful that most of us will have the bandwidth to handle any near-term 4K launches short of moving to Kansas City, it's good to know that the content should be ready well before we are.

We haven't exactly been lacking for leaks of Samsung's new Galaxy S IV ahead of its launch later today, but those looking for yet more can now get their fix courtesy of an extensive preview/review of the still-unofficial phone published by IT168. That's the same site that's been the source of a number of those aforementioned leaks in recent days. While it's still not clear if the phone in their possession is identical to Samsung's final retail device, it certainly appears to be a well-polished version, and decidedly familiar for anyone accustomed to the Galaxy S III. The preview goes particularly in-depth on the phone's screen, even going so far as to put it under a microscope to compare it to the Galaxy S III and Note II. Hit the source link below for a closer look yourself.

[Thanks, Humberto]

We want to make sharing video on YouTube as easy and fun as it is to watch it, especially on mobile devices. With the YouTube Capture app now for iPad and iPad mini, you can record, edit and share your video in just a few clicks. After filming a video, you can quickly add auto color correction, auto stabilization, trimming and music. Upload instantly to YouTube either as a private video, or if you catch the next Double Rainbow and want the world to see, post it to Google+, Facebook and Twitter all at once. Download YouTube Capture from the App Store, but please, film wisely so your iPad isn't blocking everyone's view.

We're only two days out from Expand (get your tickets here -- or at the door this weekend!) and the trucks are arriving as we speak to transform historic Fort Mason into a gadget lover's hall of wonders. By now you already know we have an agenda you won't want to miss, and an inaugural crowdfunded hardware competition putting 10 awesome projects head-to-head for $25,000 in prizes, but what about the smorgasboard of other cool things that will be going on at Expand?

We're glad you asked...

Tesla Model S test drives: Get a chance to get behind the wheel of Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year, the Tesla Model S! You'll be able to check out the all-electric sedan in action, and a number of lucky attendees can even experience the drive for themselves right from the Fort Mason parking lot. Big reveals: What's a technology showcase without some new announcements? Our friends at Lenovo are going to unveil things to the world that you won't want to miss. Some of our other speakers, like Bob Heddle from Microsoft's Kinect for Windows, might even have a few surprises up their sleeves too... DJ Spooky set: How about some lunch with a side of hip-hop turntablism? Join us Sunday from 12:30 to 2pm for a special set from DJ Spooky, followed by a fireside chat with our own Brian Heater. Storm Chasing truck: Why not an enormous radar-mounted Doppler on Wheels behemoth in the fort Mason parking lot? Maintained by the Center for Severe Weather Research, this tornado-chasing beast features instrumentation from Lenovo and has appeared on the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers. CSWR leads Josh Wurman and Karen Kosiba will be on hand to conduct tours of the vehicle and discuss their research on some of our planet's most terrifying (and terrifyingly awesome) weather phenomena. Giveaways galore: We'll be giving a metric ton of stuff away on stage including Lenovo Thinkpads, a Chromebook Pixel, a Nokia 920 and much much more. Plus, a number of sponsors will be giving away additional items from their booths -- visit them and don't miss out! Indie Corner: We're celebrating makers and inventors with great projects at the pre-crowdfunding stage in our Insert Coin competition, and also showcasing some of the most promising young hardware companies on the show floor in our Indie Corner section. Our friends at Indiegogo have also brought along some noteworthy successful crowdfunded projects to boot.

And of course that's not all -- we'll also have laser engravers, airplane seats, a Make mini-store, MIDI guitars, exclusive surprises from our friends at CASIS, drone demos and even a kiddie pool (don't ask...). How many wonders can one cavern hold?!

Yearning for a contract-free option for cellular service? Ting's certainly a compelling one, but to date, the limited device options have kept it from becoming a standout alternative. That, however, is about to change. The MVNO -- which leans on Sprint's network here in the US -- has just announced plans to sell contract-free Galaxy S IV "for around the full unlocked price" as soon as it can. Specifically, you'll see it hit the Ting device page as a pre-order in around six to eight weeks.

If that's a little large for your blood, HTC's drop-dead gorgeous One will also be making its way over, with pre-orders to start in around 30 days. Inching ever smaller, the Galaxy S III Mini will join the carrier's lineup about the time the GS IV does, though there's no mention of pricing there. As for other nuggets? Ting's expecting to offer up its first LTE device for pre-order "within six weeks," and yes, it's still working on a way to support Apple's iPhone as well as the entire range of Windows Phone 8 products.

Engadget Mobile Podcast 173 - 03.14.13