Editor’s Note: Murthy Nukala is the founder and CEO of Adchemy , a provider of advertising technology for large brands.  On a whim, I recently purchased a Logitech Keyboard Case for my new iPad. Instead of being just a novelty accessory, the keyboard has fundamentally changed my device usage: I’m using my iPad-plus-keyboard in meetings; I use my laptop-plus-docking station at my desk; and I use my iPhone when I’m on the go

No, really, what is Google? TechCrunch co-editor Alexia Tsotsis recently posted an interesting piece about Google’s focus, or rather the perceived lack of it. Google has its fingers in so many pies that there are quite a few angles from which to consider the above question

Editor’s note:  Tom Tunguz is a principal at Redpoint Ventures , and previously a Google product manager, who worked on social media monetization. Tom blogs at  tomasztunguz.com  and you can follow him on Twitter at  @ttunguz .  Over the next five weeks, I invite you to journey through an analysis of the public and private technology markets. Each weekend of the subsequent month we will uncover trends in the private technology markets and ultimately seek predictive factors to inform fund raising decisions.

Last week, two Internet regulation bills on the fast track to becoming law were stopped in less than 24 hours after tech-savvy netizens erupted in protest through social media and tech blogs.

Last week, incubator and early-stage investment firm 500 Startups hosted an event it called “Aloha Friday”, where food startups and other friends of the firm ate meals prepared by famous Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi (founder of Roy’s). 500 Startups founder Dave McClure admitted that the event was mostly an excuse to eat good food.

Blackberry’s future is the tech debate du jour , with pundits on either side promising either a BB10 renaissance or a slow-motion tailspin. While the jury was still out, we had a few moments to speak with RIM CEO Thorsten Heins about RIM’s way forward and where BB10 was going to put the company when it launches.

Over the past week, we took TechCrunch on the road for our Southeast Meetup tour . Of the five cities we visited in seven days, Durham had one of the hungriest entrepreneurial scenes. The majority of the city is relatively run-down, aside from the lovely American Tobacco Center facility you see in the background

DirecTV and Viacom continue to be embroiled in a nasty fight over carriage fees , with consumers still unable to view networks like MTV, Nickelodeon, or Comedy Central after several days. Both sides have taken to the web — and Twitter — in recent days, as they attempt to win over public support

Editor’s note:  Derek Andersen  is the founder of  Startup Grind , a 12-city event series  growing around the world  to help educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. He’s also ex-Electronic Arts, the founder of Commonred and Vaporware Labs. A recent email from an entrepreneur and complete stranger read: “We need to raise money.

So here’s something you may have seen floating around on Hacker News or elsewhere, but we thought it was cool enough to share in case you’re looking for something to do with your weekend. After all, there are few of us who don’t love stories that end with robots.