10 Tech Things You Need To Know This Morning

You're half way through the work week! Here's some tech news to rejuvenate you.

1. Twitter made a major product update that puts Direct Messages (DMs) front and center on its mobile app. DMs also support photos now.
2. Palantir has raised $107.5 million at a $9 billion valuation.
3. The NSA uses online advertisers' tracking cookies to pinpoint targets to hack.
4. Apple no longer employs a man named Sam Sung.
5. Leo, a homeless man, was taught to code in 16 weeks. He built a Lyft-like ride-sharing app, Trees for Cars, which is available for download now.
6. There's a difference between the type of Facebook News Feed Mark Zuckerberg wants and the kind of News Feed his users want.
7. Twitter beat Facebook as the best tech company to work for.
8. Circle is a new local social network that has found its way to the top of the App Store. It allows you to post things about your neighborhood and learn what's happening around you.
9. Tony Fadell says Nest has been granted 100 patents, filed 200 patents and has 200 more ready to file.
10. More than 200,000 people have applied to live on Mars. The Mars One Foundation is accepting applications for a one-way ticket to "colonize" the planet, followed by eight years of training.