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AP – Even if you love to shop, it can be a pain this time of year. Stores are crowded, gift options seem endless and it’s hard to determine if you’re getting the best prices.

Reuters – Clearwire Corp is expected to reach a funding agreement with Sprint Nextel at least by year-end and possibly in time for Clearwire’s December 1 debt interest payment deadline, according to people following a standoff between the wireless service providers.

ContributorNetwork – With the United States’ recession continuing on into winter, and across-the-board unemployment remaining nearly in the double-digits, this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales were many customers’ best hope of upgrading their old electronics. One woman in Los Angeles even used pepper spray on other customers, according to Reuters, injuring many — including children — as she grabbed for a discounted Microsoft XBox. (She later turned herself in.)

The Atlantic Wire – An Android developer recently discovered a clandestine application called Carrier IQ built into most smartphones that doesn’t just track your location; it secretly records your keystrokes, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Is it time to put on a tinfoil hat? That depends on how you feel about privacy.

Digital Trends – Market research firm Nielsen has released new figures on smartphone ownership and U.S. marketshare during the third quarter of 2011. The leading numbers aren’t too surprising, with Android accounting for 42.8 percent of the market, Apple’s iOS coming in second with a 28.3 percent share, and RIM’s BlackBerry platform managing a 17.8 percent share. However, in what might be a challenge for Microsoft, the Redmond software giant saw its combined share for Windows Mobile and Windows Phone slide from 9 percent in the first quarter to just 6.1 percent in the third quarter.

NewsFactor – Twitter is showing its followers that it cares about security with its latest acquisition. The micro-blogging service just scooped up Whisper Systems, a small mobile-security software development start-up. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Reuters – Three hackers say they have exploited a vulnerability in Research In Motion’s PlayBook tablet to gain root access to the device, a claim that could damage the BlackBerry maker’s hard-won reputation for security.

Digital Trends – Mobile users, beware: you’re being watched — constantly. An Android developer claims to have discovered an app that comes pre-installed on millions of Android, BlackBerry and Nokia handsets, that records all activity on the device. That includes calls, location, and every key pressed on the device.

Digital Trends – There are only a few more weeks until the PlayStation Vita arrives on shelves in Japan, and Sony is getting ready for the new handheld system’s launch by updating the Playstation 3 firmware.

Digital Trends – After five months of beta testing, Bitdefender’s Mobile Security app for Android devices is officially ready for download. And it couldn’t come at a better time; according to a number of recent reports, malware makers have been flooding the Android Market left and right, making it increasingly dangerous for unsuspecting users.