It’s the sort of gamesmanship that keeps readers turning the pages in a spy novel. The FBI says that Anonymous, the loose-knit collective of global hackers, intercepted a highly sensitive callbetween American cybercrime experts and their counterparts at Scotland Yard discussing, what else, Anonymous.
“The FBI might be curious how we’re able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now,” Anonymous teased in a Twitter message.
The 15 minute recording was released on Pastebin and then posted to Youtube. “I’m not sure if we’re the only two on here right now,” says an American agent named Bruce.
“Don’t say anything too bad, I’m on here with Matt,” replied his counterpart from Scotland yard. The group has a chuckle, unaware of the irony.
Anonymous also released an email with the time and password for the conference call, so they may have simply dialed in, rather than using more sophisticated techniques to intercept the conversation.
During the call the investigators discuss how they might proceed against Ryan Cleary and Jake Davis, two British suspects who are set to appear in court as suspected members of Anonymous. Highly sensitive tactics are discussed for when Scotland Yard might move to make further arrests and the evidence they are planning to bring to the trial.

“Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land.”

“We’ve entered a post-iPhone news cycle, when iPad rumors are surfacing with full force,” wrote Leslie Horn for PC Magazine. “Of course the launch date has been discussed quite a bit, as it goes with any anticipated Apple device. … But the reality with an Apple gadget is that we’ll have to wait and see.”

Other tidbits making the rounds? That a new model will be rolled out February 24, which would have been Steve Jobs’ birthday, or in March, the same month the iPad 2 was introduced.

Richard Shim, an analyst at research firm DisplaySearch, told CNETthat a January release date might be wishful thinking.

January is “a little suspect,” Shim told the blog. “When they make them available they want to have as many as possible. And my sense is that they will wait rather than make them immediately available.”

But from folks who monitor the supply chain of Apple components in Asia and other analysts, a few plausible details have emerged:

Faster processor. Several reports have suggested that the new iPads will have a new, faster processor that will offer quicker browsing, gaming and other activity.

Apple recently started using a plant in Austin, Texas, to manufacture computer chips, according to a Reuters report and other sources. Analysts have speculated that facility, owned by Samsung, could be the source of the new processors.

Sharper screen. It’s also a relatively safe bet to expect a higher-resolution screen, an upgrade that’s been a staple in most new permutations of Apple’s mobile products. Reports of a much stronger battery have also surfaced in multiple places and seem to have some merit.

Voice control. One can’t help wonder whether Apple will add Siri, the iPhone 4S’s voice-control “virtual assistant,” to the new iPad as well.

A cheaper iPad. Also possible is that Apple will attempt to address, in some way, the recent success of the smaller, simpler Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon, which costs $300 less than the entry-level iPad 2.

No single tablet computer from Apple’s competitors had gained much traction until Amazon rolled out the Fire this holiday season. The company says it sold more than 4 million Kindles in December, and most of those are believed to be Kindle Fires.

How Apple may address that competition has prognosticators split.

Taiwan-based DigiTimes, which sparked much of Thursday’s speculation with a report that the new iPad will be unveiled in January, also reported that the company will roll out two new tablets and that the iPad 2 would get a price cut to let it compete more directly with the Fire.

(It should be noted that DigiTimes has a somewhat spotty track record, doing pretty well with reports out of its native Taiwan but missing the mark more often on other news).

The same site quoted unnamed sources just two weeks ago saying that Apple would be unveiling a 7-inch tablet to match the Fire, a departure that would seem unlikely unless it was in the works well before Amazon’s new gadget was announced.

Shim attempted to throw cold water on the concept that Apple will take a step back in features to try to snuff Amazon.

“They don’t want to create any hint of a second-class product,” he told CNET. “They have no reason. They’re selling as many as they can make. And this next-generation device is going to reinforce that supply-demand dynamic.”

Steve Stoute sits down with Lady Gaga were the two discuss about enjoying what Kanye and Jay Z are doing to take hip hop to another level, and she discuss how hip hop has had an influence on her career.

The TIME and Rolling Stone editors have released their picks for the best albums of 2011. Do you Agree?

TIME’s Top 10 Albums of 2011

1. Adele, 21
2. Florence and the Machine, Ceremonials
3. Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne
4. PJ Harvey, Let England Shake
5. Frank Ocean, Nostalgia, Ultra
6. tUnE-yArDs, W h o k i l l
7. Caitlin Rose, Own Side Now
8. The Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part II
9. Civil Wars, Barton Hollow
10. Black Keys, El Camino

Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2011

1. Adele, 21
2. Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne
3. Paul Simon, So Beautiful or So What
4. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues
5. Radiohead, The King of Limbs
6. Lady Gaga, Born This Way
7. The Decemberists, The King Is Dead
8. Wilco, The Whole Love
9. Wild Flag, Wild Flag
10. Robbie Robertson, How to Become Clairvoyant

Jay-Z announced at his press conference that he will be performing two shows at NYC’s Carnegie Hall on February 6 and 7. Here’s a preview of what jay-z had to say.

“It’s every artists dream to play a venue as legendary as Carnegie Hall. The fact that I can use the arts and my talent to benefit the education of the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and great thinkers makes for a legendary night. I’m proud to be a part of the continuing work of United Way of New York City and expanding the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.”

Tickets will be sold privately on December 12 and are limited public tickets will go on sale Jan 30 at 11 am.

Steve Stoute sits down with Geyneth Paltrow to talk about growing up in Santa Monica, California, interracial relationships, performing Jay-Z’s “Song Cry” on her birthday in London her love for NWA and the Beastie Boys performing with Cee Lo Green and the shift of beauty in America.

The Chinese Basketball Association is showing no inclination to let unhappy NBA players out of their contracts for the 2011-12 season, and will likely mandate they not receive clearance letters to return to the NBA until the Chinese season ends in March, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Smith has had multiple clashes with his team, and some Chinese officials fear players becoming obstinate and purposely missing practices and games once they realize they’ll be held to their contracts.

J.R. Smith is one of three Nuggets free agents playing in China.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

Team officials have prepared for the possibility some players could try to force their way out of deals, but their contracts give teams the latitude to fine and suspend players without pay. Chinese teams invested heavily when they signed NBA players, also providing hotel suites, personal drivers and chefs to make the players more comfortable.

“They can play, get paid [in China] and return to the NBA in March,” one Chinese team official said. “Or they can not get paid, and return to the NBA in March.”

As a member of FIBA, the NBA needs a letter of clearance from Chinese teams to allow players to sign NBA deals. Chinese teams could face forfeiture of any games that NBA players participated in, if the players somehow end up back in the NBA before the Chinese season ends.

“If they think that they’re going to make things difficult, not play, create problems, what’s going to happen is that the teams will not release their letters of clearance they’ll need to sign in the NBA,” a Chinese Basketball Association official told Yahoo! Sports. “There’s no way out.”

[ Related: Who are NBA’s top 15 free agents? ]

Smith, Chandler and Martin, who signed a $3 million contract with the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers, played for the Denver Nuggets a season ago, but the team has interest in re-signing only Chandler, league sources said. Chandler was a key player for the Nuggets after theCarmelo Anthony(notes) trade with the Knicks.

So far, Chandler – averaging 43 points for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions – has been the most dominant player in the Chinese Basketball Association. On and off the floor, Chandler has required far less maintenance than his two former Nuggets teammates. Smith has constantly clashed with Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls officials since arriving in China, and the complaints about him include missed practices, allegedly faking injuries and relentless demands on living conditions and transportation.

Yi Jianlian(notes) can return to the NBA immediately because he has a Chinese passport that allowed him to sign with the Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers regardless of the league’s NBA free-agent rule. He’s expected to be sidelined two to three weeks after spraining his right knee in a recent game, but plans to sign with an NBA team after free agency starts on Dec. 9.