Thursday, December 31

The smartphone comes of age
year in review While Apple brought out the iPhone 3GS, AT&T took hits on its service, and Palm unveiled the Pre, all eyes were on the emerging field of Android gadgets.

En route to GPS-based air traffic control
images The FAA is moving away from its antiquated radar-reliant air traffic control system toward one based on satellite navigation. Key to this next-gen system is a technology called ADS-B.

Just in

En route to GPS-based air traffic control (images)

 Report: Apple event to be held January 26

 Just how free will the Nexus One be?

 RockYou sued over data breach

Job ad suggests Xbox Live headed for WinMo phones

 Green-tech venture investing cools off in 2009

Apple wins appeal in earbud hearing-loss lawsuit

Report: Apple event to be held January 26
Unnamed source tells Fox News that the company will hold a mobile-focused event in San Francisco on January 26, which could be the day its long-awaited tablet makes its debut.
(Posted in Apple by Jennifer Guevin)

RockYou sued over data breach
Suit seeks class action status and accuses RockYou of "reckless indifference to proper security measures" in failing to secure its network and protect customer data.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

Green-tech venture investing cools off in 2009
Green tech is still attracting billions of dollars a year, but the amount of money has shrunk significantly as investors began to focus on start-ups with the most potential.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Hacker Gonzalez pleads guilty in Heartland breach
Reuters reports that Target was also among the many victims of the data breaches led by Albert Gonzalez that led to massive identity fraud.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

Apple wins appeal in earbud hearing-loss lawsuit
Judge says plaintiffs failed to prove that iPod earbuds are dangerous.
(Posted in Apple by Sam Diaz)

Online holiday sales hit $27 billion
E-commerce sales grow 5 percent for the holiday season, reaching $27 billion compared with $25.8 billion last year, says new ComScore report.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Amazon touts top products of 2009
Web retailer gives top honors to tech-related gear ranging from a Netbook to a digital tire gauge to--surprise, surprise--the Kindle.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Aha! It's the iGuide, not iSlate--maybe
In the latest rumor about the name of the new Apple tablet, the name iGuide surfaces as a possibility. Could this really be it?
(Posted in Technically Incorrect by Chris Matyszczyk)

Notion Ink tablet first with Pixel Qi display
Android-based tablet boasts cutting edge display technology that works in bright conditions and uses 90 percent less power than conventional panels.
(Posted in Crave by Darius Chang)

Demand improving for LCD TVs
DisplaySearch reports that consumers' desire for LCD TVs served the market well in the third quarter, and bodes a favorable start to 2010.
(Posted in Crave by Lance Whitney)

More attacks expected on Facebook, Twitter in 2010
McAfee Labs 2010 Threat Predictions report warns of increased attacks on social networks, as well as Adobe Reader and Google's Chrome OS.
(Posted in Safe and Secure by Larry Magid)

Google plans January 5 Android press event
Event could finally clear up questions over Google's strategy for Android, with expectations that it will use the occasion to launch the Nexus One phone.
• Report: T-Mobile set for Google phone launch
• Nexus One--$530 unlocked, $180 with T-Mobile?
• Full coverage: Google Android
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Tivit streams Mobile DTV to your iPhone, BlackBerry, and PC
The Tivit lets your smartphone or PC access Mobile DTV programming via Wi-Fi.
(Posted in 2010 CES by John P. Falcone)

Wednesday, December 30

In 2009, the Web goes on a diet
year in review With leaner times in full swing, Internet giants get rid of services that aren't shaping up, and create new ones that push the envelope.

Top 10 news stories of the decade
images Let the debate begin: Was the iPhone more important than iTunes? Was anything bigger than Google finding a great business model? CNET offers its list of the 10 most important stories of the '00s.

Just in

Online holiday sales hit $27 billion
E-commerce sales grow 5 percent for the holiday season, reaching $27 billion compared with $25.8 billion last year, says new ComScore report.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Amazon touts top products of 2009
A trio of lists from the Web retailer gives top honors to tech-related gear ranging from a Netbook to a digital tire gauge to--surprise, surprise--the Kindle.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Aha! It's the iGuide, not iSlate--maybe
In the latest rumor about the name of the new Apple tablet, the name iGuide surfaces as a possibility. Could this really be it?
(Posted in Technically Incorrect by Chris Matyszczyk)

Notion Ink tablet first with Pixel Qi display
Android-based tablet boasts cutting edge display technology that works in bright environments and uses 90 percent less power than conventional panels.
(Posted in Crave by Darius Chang)

Demand improving for LCD TVs
DisplaySearch reports that consumers' desire for LCD TVs served the market well in the third quarter, and bodes a favorable start to 2010.
(Posted in Crave by Lance Whitney)

More attacks expected on Facebook, Twitter in 2010
McAfee Labs 2010 Threat Predictions report warns of increased attacks on social networks, as well as Adobe Reader and Google's Chrome OS.
(Posted in Safe and Secure by Larry Magid)

Google plans January 5 Android press event
Event could finally clear up questions over Google's strategy for Android, with expectations that it will use the occasion to launch the Nexus One phone.
• Report: T-Mobile set for Google phone launch
• Nexus One--$530 unlocked, $180 with T-Mobile?
• Full coverage: Google Android
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Microsoft rebuts IIS vulnerability claims
Redmond follows up on a security researcher's claims of a URL loophole that could let an attacker upload and execute code on an Web server.
(Posted in Security by Vivian Yeo)

Have you Zeen what HP is up to?
New trademark applications from Hewlett-Packard show the company eyeing some new brands for computing devices.
(From The New York Times)

Modern Warfare 2: Most pirated game of 2009
The Call of Duty title has been enjoying success in almost every metric in the video game business, and now has racked up another win of sorts.
• Year in review: Roller coaster year for video games
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)

Unannounced HP 210 Netbook 'in stock'
Reseller eCost lists the Mini 210, which packs Intel's newest Atom N450 silicon, at $389. And even HP has jumped the gun.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Teen Muziic founder chastised by Vevo
David Nelson, the 16-year-old founder of a music-video service that piggybacks on YouTube's API, runs afoul of Vevo, the start-up video service backed by three of the top four largest music labels.
• Muziic Web app offers Vevo without ads
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Nokia hits Apple with latest patent complaint
The Finnish company alleges that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers."
(Posted in Apple by Jon Skillings)



Tuesday, December 29

Google Android: Something's afoot
special coverage Google plans a Jan. 5 Android press event as reports surface that T-Mobile is getting ready for a Google phone launch. Hmmm.

Top 10 news stories of the decade
images Let the debate begin: Was the iPhone more important than iTunes? Was anything bigger than Google finding a great business model? CNET offers its list of the 10 most important stories of the '00s.

Just in

Unannounced HP 210 Netbook 'in stock'
Reseller eCost lists the Mini 210, which packs Intel's newest Atom N450 silicon, at $389. And even HP has jumped the gun.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

More attacks expected on Facebook, Twitter in 2010
McAfee Labs 2010 Threat Predictions report warns of increased attacks on social networks, as well as Adobe Reader and Google's Chrome OS.
(Posted in Safe and Secure by Larry Magid)

Teen Muziic founder chastised by Vevo
David Nelson, the 16-year-old founder of a music-video service that piggybacks on YouTube's API, runs afoul of Vevo, the start-up video service backed by three of the top four largest music labels.
• Muziic Web app offers Vevo without ads
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Nokia hits Apple with latest patent complaint
The Finnish company alleges that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers."
(Posted in Apple by Jon Skillings)

Verizon sees rise of 'slate' computers in 2010
The wireless communications giant is looking closely at tablet and Netbook computers and whether it could market them.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Garmin adds new wilderness GPS models
The touch-screen Oregon 450 and 450t navigation devices give hikers an updated interface and improved track navigation, the GPS device maker says.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

E-tail Scrooges and how one woman prevailed
This is no "It's a Wonderful Life," but the thousands stung by Web marketing practices now under government scrutiny may find it a feel-good story anyway.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

With search war stalemate, Google branches out
year in review Google certainly spent a lot of time on search in 2009, but had more pressing issues with the feds and building the next generation of its smartphone OS.

Ford tag-teams HD Radio, iTunes tagging
Starting in 2010, car buyers will be able to get a factory-installed HD Radio receiver through which they can tag songs for later purchase and download.
(Posted in Crave by Jonathan Skillings)

The secret behind Kindle's best-selling e-books
Kindle users are leaning toward downloads priced at $0.00. Still, with Amazon playing close to the vest, it's hard to tell what the sales patterns really look like.
(Posted in Digital Media by Peter Kafka, AllThingsD)

AT&T resumes online iPhone sales in NY
It's once again safe to order an iPhone through AT&T's Web site if you live in New York, after an unexplained halt in the area over the weekend.
• AT&T ceases online iPhone sales in NY area
(Posted in Wireless by Tom Krazit)

Ex-employee says Seagate violated law
In a court filing, a former employee, Paul A. Galloway, said that Seagate had appropriated hard-drive technology from Convolve for its own products.
(From The New York Times)

Consumer groups urge block of Google-AdMob deal
Google's proposed acquisition of mobile ad network AdMob would make it too easy to bring the Web giant's dominant search ad business to the mobile world, according to two consumer groups.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)



Monday, December 28

'Don't-be-evil' Google spurns no-evil software
A joke by an open-source software programmer--'The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil'--is a serious matter at Google.

Brawn of Facebook, brains of Twitter
year in review Other social media players were swept aside in 2009, given Facebook's astonishing global reach and Twitter's groundbreaking changes in how we communicate.

Just in

Android and iPhone users not so different after all

10 music-tech trends that will shape the next decade

AT&T resumes online iPhone sales in NY

Quark Promote lets novices make promo materials

Consumer groups urge block of Google-AdMob deal

App store downloads shine on Christmas

GSM crypto code cracked, engineer says

AT&T resumes online iPhone sales in NY
It's once again safe to order an iPhone through AT&T's Web site if you live in New York, after an unexplained halt in the area over the weekend.
• AT&T ceases online iPhone sales in NY area
(Posted in Wireless by Tom Krazit)

Consumer groups urge block of Google-AdMob deal
Google's proposed acquisition of mobile ad network AdMob would make it too easy to bring the Web giant's dominant search ad business to the mobile world, according to two consumer groups.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

App store downloads shine on Christmas
Mobile app downloads for Apple's iPod Touch jump 1,000 percent on Christmas Day following 51 percent leap in overall downloads for December, says research firm Flurry.
(Posted in Apple by Lance Whitney)

GSM crypto code cracked, engineer says
German computer engineer says he cracked the secret code used to encrypt most of the world's mobile phone calls, reports The New York Times.
(Posted in Security by Andrew Nusca)

Speculating on Chrome OS Netbook specs
If rumored specs for the Netbook prove true, it will house a Nvidia Tegra platform with an ARM CPU, a 10.1-inch multitouch screen that support HD, and much more.
(Posted in Crave by Brian Barrett)

Chinese author plans lawsuit over Google Books
Google scanned a book of a prominent Chinese author into the Google Books library without explicit permission, according to a report, and will face a lawsuit in China.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

High-tech movie battle: Which 3D glasses are best?
Glasses for 3D viewing come in throwaway versions as well as in models costing $50 a pair. Can one become the standard?
(From The New York Times)

Report: Apple chooses supplier of tablet displays
Site known for reporting Apple rumors says company has chosen a vendor for displays on its tablet, speculated to be unveiled officially at a late January event.
• Apple owns iSlate.com--the mystery deepens
• Will the Apple tablet be a full-fledged computer?
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

Mozilla pushes back Firefox 3.6, 4.0 deadlines
The newest version of the open-source browser won't arrive this year, and a major update might not arrive until 2011. But there are plenty of features coming.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

A real-world test of Google Goggles visual search
photos CNET's James Martin takes a walk through downtown San Francisco to test out Google's new visual search, currently running on Android devices.

Smart-grid spending to hit $200 billion by 2015
Technologies to automate and upgrade the grid will capture most of the $200 billion invested in modernizing electrical power systems, says Pike Research.
(Posted in Green Tech by Lance Whitney)

Another holiday blowout for Apple?
Remarking on Apple's December quarter in a note to investors, a Thomas Weisel Partners analyst says iPhone and iMac sales for the period have been quite strong.
(Posted in Apple by John Paczkowski, AllThingsD)

Smartphones shift chipmaking balance of power
year in review Outside their legal skirmishes, chipmakers in 2009 shifted their focus from PCs to smaller devices, ranging from Netbooks to tablets to iPhones to Droids.

Sunday, December 27

The tech year in focus
year in review CNET's camera-wielding reporters capture the sights, and sounds, of the tech scene, from Macworld to hacker gatherings and a laser lab.

Coming right up: CES 2010
The big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas is almost upon us. Our editors get you ready for the hottest new tech gadgets around.

New, no-electronics U.S. flight security rules?
The TSA hasn't made an official ruling, but it appears the failed terrorist attack Friday is leading to restrictions on in-flight electronics on a case-by-case basis.
(Posted in Crave by Chris Jacob)

Kindle is most gifted Amazon item, ever
Statement on holiday sales declares the Kindle king; On Christmas Day, for the first time ever, more books for the e-reader sold than physical copies.
(Posted in Business Tech by Michelle Meyers)

Saturday, December 26

Microsoft, Intel to cede tablet market to Apple?
commentary If the Apple tablet emerges as expected, this could be another market that Cupertino takes from right under the PC companies' noses.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET's favorite items from the past week, including the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700, Asus Eee PC 1005PE Netbook, and the Mitsubishi LT-46249.

Helping children find what they need on the Internet
Google sponsored research to detect differences in how children and adults search and to identify barriers children face when seeking information.
(From The New York Times)

FCC member berates Verizon for termination fees
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn says in an open letter that she find Verizon's defense of its early termination fees to be "unsatisfying and, in some cases, troubling."
(Posted in Wireless by Natalie Weinstein)

Ford sees bump in hybrid sales
Carmaker says its hybrid sales are up 67 percent this year, despite an 11 percent slump industrywide.
(Posted in Green Tech by Natalie Weinstein)

Chinese dissident receives 11-year sentence
Liu Xiaobo helped draft Charter 08, a petition that called for free speech and open elections. It garnered 10,000 signatures before it was removed from the Net by government censors.
(From The New York Times)

Apple owns iSlate.com--the mystery deepens
More intrigue surfaces around Apple's widely rumored tablet. The latest: it may be dubbed iSlate, according to information uncovered by MacRumors.com.
• Tablet hint? Apple developers supersizing apps
(Posted in Apple by Dan Nosowitz)

How tech touched the '00s
Among the multitude of end-of-decade lists, the Associated Press rounds up 50 lifestyle trends. Whether it's surprising or not, tech-related items make up nearly half.
(Posted in Digital Media by Natalie Weinstein)

Poll: What do you most want to see in 2010?
An iPhone on Verizon, still-cheaper Netbooks, or Google taking over the government? What would you most like to see in the coming year?
(Posted in Crave by Matt Hickey)

Flixster/Rotten Tomatoes/MySpace mystery solved
A complex, potential deal centers on News Corp.'s Rotten Tomatoes merging with Flixster, a social-networking site for movies. The resulting company's content could then be threaded throughout News Corp.'s MySpace.
(Posted in Digital Media by Kara Swisher, AllThingsD)

Gift for Googlers: $2.3 billion
A well-timed employee stock-option exchange has delivered a generous windfall to nearly all of Google's 20,000 workers--worth about $117,000 to each.
(From The New York Times)

Friday, December 25

Top 10 news stories of the decade
images Was the iPhone more important than iTunes? Was anything bigger than Google finding a great business model? CNET offers its list of the most important stories of the '00s.

Apple thrives while Jobs is away
year in review Even with the CEO on a leave of absence through the first half of 2009, Apple has one of its best years ever.

Just in

Chinese dissident receives 11-year sentence
Liu Xiaobo helped draft Charter 08, a petition that called for free speech and open elections. It garnered 10,000 signatures before it was removed from the Net by government censors.
(From The New York Times)

FCC member berates Verizon for termination fees
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn says in an open letter that she find Verizon's defense of its early termination fees to be "unsatisfying and, in some cases, troubling."
(Posted in Wireless by Natalie Weinstein)

How tech touched the '00s
Among the multitude of end-of-decade lists, the Associated Press rounds up 50 lifestyle trends. Whether it's surprising or not, tech-related items make up nearly half of them.
(Posted in Digital Media by Natalie Weinstein)

Apple owns iSlate.com--the mystery deepens
More intrigue surfaces around Apple's widely rumored tablet. The latest: it may be dubbed iSlate, according to information uncovered by MacRumors.com.
• Tablet hint? Apple developers supersizing apps
(Posted in Apple by Dan Nosowitz)

Poll: What do you most want to see in 2010?
An iPhone on Verizon, still-cheaper Netbooks, or Google taking over the government? What would you most like to see in the coming year?
(Posted in Crave by Matt Hickey)

Flixster/Rotten Tomatoes/MySpace mystery solved
A complex, potential deal centers on News Corp.'s Rotten Tomatoes merging with Flixster, a social-networking site for movies. The resulting company's content could then be threaded throughout News Corp.'s MySpace.
(Posted in Digital Media by Kara Swisher, AllThingsD)

Gift for Googlers: $2.3 billion
A well-timed employee stock-option exchange has delivered a generous windfall to nearly all of Google's 20,000 workers--worth about $117,000 to each.
(From The New York Times)

Big turns for copyright, digital music
year in review 2009 was a year marked by the meltdowns of once promising--or at least much hyped--video and music start-ups, as well as copyright battles and changes to iTunes.

Apple stockholders get record high for Christmas
On rumors of a January Apple tablet unveiling, the company's stock closes as an all time high Thursday of $209.04, up 3.43 percent.
(Posted in Apple by Michelle Meyers)

Web-based Lookout protects mobile devices, data
Start-up offers data security, backup, and management over the Web and a way to locate and protect missing or stolen devices.
• Photos: Lookout security
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

DDoS attack hobbles major sites, including Amazon
More than a mouse was stirring Wednesday night on the Internet, as an attack on a major DNS provider to sites such as Amazon.com and others hobbled service for about an hour.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Hackers claim to crack Kindle copyright armor
Two hackers, one in Israel and one in the United States, say they've found ways to export e-books from Amazon's popular e-reader to other devices.
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

Health industry inches toward digitization
year in review In 2009, government and private companies wrestled with the difficulties of bringing an outdated medical records system into a digital world.
All CNET News headlines



Thursday, December 24

Behind the scenes: NORAD's Santa tracker
For decades, the defense group has let you follow the Christmas Eve travels of the jolly old elf. These days, technology is playing a bigger role than ever.

On the 'Lookout' for mobile devices, data
Start-up offers data security, backup, and management over the Web and a way to locate and protect missing or stolen devices.
• Photos: Lookout security

Just in

DDoS attack hobbles major sites, including Amazon
More than a mouse was stirring Wednesday night on the Internet, as an attack on a major DNS provider to sites such as Amazon.com and others hobbled service for about an hour.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

The rise of Google Chrome
year in review Google's open-source browser is used by more than 40 million people. That's only a small fraction of the total, but Chrome is remaking the Web landscape.

Twitter buys developers of GeoAPI
With location-aware services hot right now in the social-media segment, Twitter is buying the developers of a popular API used by developers on the platform.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Obama says disappointment at Copenhagen justified
President's statement hardens widespread verdict that the climate conference was a failure.
(Posted in Green Tech by Reuters)

Tablet hint? Apple developers supersizing apps for January event
Company has told some key developers to prep versions of their iPhone apps that will work on a device with a larger screen, sources say.
(Posted in Crave by Peter Kafka, AllThingsD)

Wait! Nook arriving for Christmas after all
Despite statements to the contrary a few days earlier, Barnes & Noble now says it will fulfill all preorder shipments by Christmas. Got whiplash yet?
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

Hackers claim to crack Kindle copyright armor
Two hackers, one in Israel and one in the United States, say they've found ways to export e-books from Amazon's popular e-reader to other devices.
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

FTC asks for more info on Google-AdMob deal
Google's proposed acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob will likely be delayed following a request from the government for additional details.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

BlackBerry Messenger at fault in Tuesday outage
RIM confirms that Messenger problems took down data service Tuesday for many users, and it has released a new version as the problem clears.
• RIM confirms BlackBerry e-mail problems--again
(Posted in Wireless by Tom Krazit)

Facebook COO nominated to Disney board
Sheryl Sandberg, who has been chief operating officer of the social network for nearly two years now, will join the board if shareholders approve in March.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

VoIP service Jajah acquired by Telefonica
United States-based communications company Jajah gets bought by telecommunications giant Telefonica Europe for $207 million.
(Posted in Web Crawler by Josh Lowensohn)

Google Nexus One hands-on
Gizmodo takes a super-secret meeting with a source and gets a chance to play with the smartphone--or, as the writer refers to it, Google's Droid killer.
(Posted in Crave by Jason Chen )

2009 sales of Netbooks rise, but notebooks fall
With higher shipments, Netbooks sales will jump 72 percent to $11.4 billion for 2009, forecasts DisplaySearch. But overall portable PC sales will be down for the year.
(Posted in Crave by Lance Whitney)



Wednesday, December 23

Using Facebook and Twitter safely
Share a lot? Here's a guide to the security and privacy problems that users of Facebook and Twitter encounter, and what they can do about it.
• Facebook app privacy: It's complicated
• Facebook's big privacy void

The tech year in focus
year in review CNET's camera-wielding reporters capture the sights, and sounds, of the tech scene, from Macworld to hacker gatherings and a laser lab.

Just in

Tablet hint? Apple developers supersizing apps for January event

 Wait! Nook arriving for Christmas after all

 Twitter buys developers of GeoAPI

 How iPhone apps can ruin your Christmas

 iPhone vs. BlackBerry in the California outback

 iPhone + robot marimba player = instant band

 CNET News Daily Podcast: Comcast, Microsoft lawsuits conclude

Wait! Nook arriving for Christmas after all
Despite statements to the contrary a few days earlier, Barnes & Noble now says it will fulfill all preorder shipments by Christmas. Got whiplash yet?
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

Twitter buys developers of GeoAPI
With location-aware services hot right now in the social-media segment, Twitter is buying the developers of a popular API used by developers on the platform.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Hackers claim to crack Kindle copyright armor
Two hackers, one in Israel and one in the United States, say they've found ways to export e-books from Amazon's popular e-reader to other devices.
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

FTC asks for more info on Google-AdMob deal
Google's proposed acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob will likely be delayed following a request from the government for additional details.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

BlackBerry Messenger at fault in Tuesday outage
RIM confirms that Messenger problems took down data service Tuesday for many users, and it has released a new version as the problem clears.
• RIM confirms BlackBerry e-mail problems--again
(Posted in Wireless by Tom Krazit)

Facebook COO nominated to Disney board
Sheryl Sandberg, who has been chief operating officer of the social network for nearly two years now, will join the board if shareholders approve in March.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

VoIP service Jajah acquired by Telefonica
United States-based communications company Jajah gets bought by telecommunications giant Telefonica Europe for $207 million.
(Posted in Web Crawler by Josh Lowensohn)

Google Nexus One hands-on
Gizmodo takes a super-secret meeting with a source and gets a chance to play with the smartphone--or, as the writer refers to it, Google's Droid killer.
(Posted in Crave by Jason Chen )

2009 sales of Netbooks rise, but notebooks fall
With higher shipments, Netbooks sales will jump 72 percent to $11.4 billion for 2009, forecasts DisplaySearch. But overall portable PC sales will be down for the year.
(Posted in Crave by Lance Whitney)

A year out, where's RIAA's promised ISP help?
The recording industry stopped suing fans for copyright violation in favor of partnering with Internet service providers. But the latter isn't happening, yet.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

15 sites that went kaput in 2009
images Web sites launch all the time, but they also shut their doors. We highlight 15 that bit the dust in 2009.

Net scams prey on jobless, social networks
year in review Web surfers in 2009 were bombarded with fake antivirus alerts, bogus work-at-home ads, and phishing attempts and Trojan horses masquerading as Twitter and Facebook messages.

Average Net user now online 13 hours per week
New Harris poll also shows that 14 percent of adult Internet users spend 24 hours or more in cyberspace each week.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Tuesday, December 22

AT&T's Cicconi: Policy is a battlefield
Jim Cicconi, a senior AT&T exec who runs legislative affairs, digs deep into strategy when it comes to getting what he wants in Washington, D.C.

Microsoft loses Word patent appeal
Microsoft says it will change code in Word 2007 to avoid having an injunction halt sales, after a three-judge panel upholds an earlier patent verdict against it.

Just in

Snowstorm blankets Web with high shopping traffic
Traffic firm ComScore says that gains in holiday retail traffic last weekend were even higher than expected because of a blizzard that hit cities from Washington, D.C., to Boston.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Yahoo shutting down for the holidays
Employees have known since April that they'll have to take unpaid leave or vacation days for the week between Christmas and New Year's as a cost-saving measure at Yahoo.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Report: FBI investigating Citibank cyberattack
Russian cybercriminals reportedly hacked into Citibank, stealing tens of millions of dollars and prompting an FBI investigation, says The Wall Street Journal.
(Posted in Security by Lance Whitney)

Apple thrives despite Jobs being away
year in review Even with the chief executive on a leave of absence, Apple has one of its best years ever.

White House appoints cybersecurity chief
New Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt promises to develop strategies to protect U.S. networks, beef up technology partnerships, and promote R&D.
(Posted in Security by Lance Whitney)

LG, RIM top Apple in number of phone users
New data from Nielsen crowns Apple due to the sheer number of iPhone users. However, both RIM and LG actually control more market share because they sell multiple, popular phones.
(Posted in Software, Interrupted by Dave Rosenberg)

Accused 'Wolverine' pirate calls charges 'ridiculous'
In a newspaper interview, Gilberto Sanchez acknowledges uploading the film, but says he obtained it from a street vendor. Has the trail for the original leak gone cold?
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Roller coaster year for video games
year in review In 2009, video games saw strong sales long after the recession kicked in, but then the fallow months began.

Apple's push into subscription TV--a tough sell
Company is reportedly talking with CBS and Disney to sell TV programming via a subscription model, but the venture could face an uphill battle.
(Posted in Apple by Sam Diaz)

Utility solar project adds molten salt for storage
SolarReserve lands a deal to build a 100-megawatt concentrating solar power plant that can deliver power even with the sun isn't shining by using heated salt as storage.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

U.S. cap and trade looks out of reach in 2010
Copenhagen Accord's lack of emissions targets will make it difficult for lawmakers to argue that the U.S. should have a cap while China and other big polluters do not.
(Posted in Green Tech by Reuters)

DEWD, U think DUI is bad, try DWT
A new study suggests that driving while texting makes you six times more likely to crash than driving while paying full attention.
(Posted in Health Tech by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore)

Desert vistas vs. solar power
Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduces legislation to protect a million acres of the Mojave by scuttling planned solar plants and wind farms.
(From The New York Times)

Monday, December 21

All eyes on e-readers
year in review On the gadget front, e-readers and smartphones gained momentum, Netbooks started to give way to thin-and-lights, and as for robots, they were never weirder.

Behind the scenes: NORAD's Santa tracker
For decades, the defense group has let you follow the Christmas Eve travels of the jolly old elf. These days, technology is playing a bigger role than ever.

Just in

Big Facebook privacy void: Controls on Connect
If you're sharing info on your news feed with Facebook Connect, it's visible to either all your friends or none of them, something that Facebook can and should change.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Intel launches redesigned Atom chip for Netbooks
The chipmaker officially announces the next generation of its popular Atom CPUs for Netbooks, the N450, weeks before the CES trade show.
• What new Atom means for you
• Review: Asus Eee PC 1005PE
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Twitter? Profitable? Really?
A report in BusinessWeek says that Twitter will have turned a profit in 2009 thanks to search deals from Google and Microsoft. Legit, or fuzzy math?
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Microsoft CFO heads to new post at GM
Chris Liddell joins General Motors as vice chairman and chief financial officer. He'll start at GM in the new year.
(Posted in Business Tech by Lance Whitney)

Ford cars to become Wi-Fi hot spots
Using the next version Ford's in-car Sync system, vehicle owners can plug a broadband modem into built-in Wi-Fi, providing Internet access to all passengers.
(Posted in Wireless by Lance Whitney)

Yelp bails on Google deal?
Uh-oh. Less than a week after reporting it was practically a done deal, TechCrunch has backtracked and now says that Yelp walked away from a $500 million buyout.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

First Solar opens utility-scale power plant
Company says the site--the largest photovoltaic solar power station in California--serves a model for its expansion into the utility business.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

TweetDeck deal brings a Sherlock Holmes look
Popular Twitter-user interface promotes Warner Bros.' new movie with a themed version of its software. Also in the works: deals with record labels and bands.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Maine to consider cancer warnings on cell phones
A state legislator is bringing a bill to the 2010 session that would require cell phone vendors to affix cancer warnings on devices.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)

Report: O2 to buy VoIP start-up Jajah
The mobile arm of Telefonica Europe has apparently won a bidding war for the Internet telephone company with a $200 million offer, according to published reports.
(Posted in Wireless by Steven Musil)

Calling on leakers to help document local misdeeds
WikiLeaks has applied for a $532,000 grant to expand the use of its anonymous system for citizens to submit documents they believe should be made public. (From The New York Times)

No Nook by Christmas? Here's a $100 gift card
Barnes & Noble alerts some customers who preordered the new e-reader that they might not get the device in time for Christmas. Company says it will send a $100 gift certificate, with apologies.
(Posted in Crave by Anne Dujmovic)

Open house? Google has also been eying Trulia
Search giant has been in acquisition talks--on and off--with the real-estate search engine, sources tell AllThingsDigital.
(Posted in Digital Media by Kara Swisher, AllThingsD)

Sunday, December 20

Redmond's help desk less busy on Windows 7
Microsoft says it has gotten only about half as many calls with Windows 7 as it had anticipated. In part, though, that's also due to the fact more people are going online for PC help.
• Windows 7, Bing top busy year for Microsoft

FTC strategy: Kick 'em when they're down
Given the existing range of litigation against Intel, it's hard to see how the agency's suit could help protect consumers, argues Stanford Law Fellow Larry Downes.
• FTC wants Intel to mend ways
• New battleground: Graphics chips

Just in

No Nook by Christmas? Here's a $100 gift card
Barnes & Noble alerts some customers who preordered the new e-reader that they might not get the device in time for Christmas. Company says it will send a $100 gift certificate, with apologies.
(Posted in Crave by Anne Dujmovic)

Saturday, December 19
U.N. climate talks end with bare-minimum deal
Accord "may not be everything everyone had hoped for, but this...is an important beginning," says U.N. secretary-general after talks end with U.N. "noting" nonbinding agreement.
(Posted in Green Tech by Reuters)

Open house? Google has also been eying Trulia
Search giant has been in acquisition talks--on and off--with the real-estate search engine, sources tell AllThingsDigital.
(Posted in Digital Media by Kara Swisher, AllThingsD)

ILM steps in to help finish 'Avatar' visual effects
While most of the visual effects work on the film was done by New Zealand's Weta Digital, George Lucas' ILM got the call to step in late in the game and help get the job done.
(Posted in Geek Gestalt by Daniel Terdiman)

Top-rated reviews of the week
photos CNET reviewers check out the Nokia N900 phone, 2010 Cadillac SRX, Asus G51J-3D laptop, and more.

Chip revenue falls 11.4 percent in 2009
Drop marks the sixth time in 25 years the semiconductor industry has posted an annual decline. It's the first time it has seen a drop two years in a row, according to Gartner.
(Posted in Business Tech by Matthew Broersma)

Undersea robot captures rare deep-sea eruption
Scientists get an up-close (and high-def) look at molten lava and billowing ash in the deepest underwater volcanic eruption ever seen.
(Posted in Cutting Edge by Jennifer Guevin)

Psystar closes up shop...or does it?
Florida company was ordered by a federal judge to stop selling Mac clones earlier this week, but there are conflicting reports as to whether the company has shut down permanently.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Why Google may want Yelp
Expect mostly positive reviews of Google's potential interest in Yelp, one of the best sources of information about local businesses on the Internet.
• Yelpers: What of a Google buyout?
• Google said to be eyeing Yelp
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

California solar outfit Solyndra files to go public
The start-up, which secured a large loan from DOE to make its solar arrays for commercial buildings, looks to raise $300 million to fund expansion of second factory.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Mozilla hopes to finish Thunderbird 3.1 in April
The updated e-mail software, code-named Lanikai, should arrive in April and could get an ability to show useful information about folders and other e-mail activity.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Visual Studio launch delayed by 'a few weeks'
Microsoft says it's still working to resolve some performance issues related to the Visual Studio 2010 developer tool suite, which was slated for a March release.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)



Friday, December 18

Why Google may want Yelp
Expect mostly positive reviews of Google's potential interest in Yelp, one of the best sources of information about local businesses on the Internet.
• Yelpers: What of a Google buyout?
• Google said to be eyeing Yelp

Green tech finds a friend in Washington
year in review Governments at home and abroad have been promoting clean energy innovation to improve economic competitiveness.

Just in

Undersea robot captures rare deep-sea eruption
Scientists get an up-close (and high-def) look at molten lava and billowing ash in the deepest underwater volcanic eruption ever seen.
(Posted in Cutting Edge by Jennifer Guevin)

Psystar closes up shop
The Florida company was ordered by a federal judge to stop selling Mac clones earlier this week. Now the Web site is inaccessible.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

California solar outfit Solyndra files to go public
The start-up, which secured a large loan from DOE to make its solar arrays for commercial buildings, looks to raise $300 million to fund expansion of second factory.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Mozilla hopes to finish Thunderbird 3.1 in April
The updated e-mail software, code-named Lanikai, should arrive in April and could get an ability to show useful information about folders and other e-mail activity.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Visual Studio launch delayed by 'a few weeks'
Microsoft says it's still working to resolve some performance issues related to the Visual Studio 2010 developer tool suite, which was slated for a March release.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Week in review: A matter of antitrust
Microsoft and Intel focus on antitrust issues, while Microsoft shutters site over code theft. Also: the Google phone.
(Posted in Business Tech by Steven Musil)

Bluetooth 4.0 goes low-power for sensors
New version of the wireless technology targets low-energy applications in the health care, fitness, and security markets.
(Posted in Wireless by David Meyer)

Google loses French copyright case
In copyright infringement case, Paris court orders the search giant to pay $430,000 to French publisher La Martiniere for publishing extracts of its books.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

iTunes U breaks 100 million downloads
The iTunes Store's higher-education channel, which launched in 2007, has hit a milestone, Apple says. A download leader: the United Kingdom's Open University.
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

Facebook to hold spring F8 dev conference
After not holding one of its F8 conferences--which typically host a major product launch--this year, it'll be returning to San Francisco in the spring.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Sex, porn, Jacko top kids' searches in 2009
Other top searches for kids under 18 included YouTube, Google, and Facebook, according to Symantec service. Michael Jackson was the most searched-for celebrity.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Google's top antitrust defender: 'It's fun'
Life at Google is certainly different than government service for senior competition counsel Dana Wagner, but his past and present collide on a daily basis at the search giant.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Japanese robot helps out with grocery shopping
A prototype robot called Robovie II is deployed to a supermarket in Kyoto to help seniors with their groceries. The machine can make food recommendations.
(Posted in Crave by Tim Hornyak)

Thursday, December 17

Browser makers hope WebGL will remake 3D
Don't believe WebGL is real? Here's how to try the 3D browser technology yourself. It works, but plenty of development is needed for this graphics foundation to mature.

Redmond's help desk less busy on Windows 7
Microsoft says it has gotten only about half as many calls with Windows 7 as it had anticipated. In part, though, that's also due to the fact more people are going online for PC help.
• Windows 7, Bing top busy year for Microsoft

Just in

Russia's DST on a roll, upping Facebook stake?
The investment company's stake in Facebook is now over 5 percent, a Russian newspaper reports--and it also just powered Zynga's $180 million round.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Predator drones hacked in Iraq operations
The apparent security breach arose because the UAVs do not use encryption in the final link to their operators on the ground.
(Posted in Security by Declan McCullagh)

Crave makes a holiday wish list
Contributors to CNET's Crave gadgets blog make a holiday wish list and check it way more than twice. (Hey, we're a bunch of compulsive writer-editor types; what do you want?)
• Photos: What Crave wants for the holidays
(Posted in Crave by Leslie Katz)

Google project shows when Web content is hiding
The Browser Size tool provides an overlay to reveal how likely it is people are reading the extremities of a Web page.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Facebook's audience is diverse--carve it up
Like AOL way back when and Google today, Facebook represents a proxy for the Internet and U.S. population overall. Bring on the targeted ads.
(Posted in Digital Media by Larry Dignan)

Mac clones through the years
Looking back at those who've tried to sell Mac OS on non-Apple hardware.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Adobe to patch zero-day Reader, Acrobat hole
Company will release the patch on January 12, allowing it to stick to its quarterly security update schedule. In the meantime, users can disable JavaScript.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

FTC pursues Intel on new front: Graphics chips
The latest regulator-filed antitrust complaint against the chipmaker breaks from past suits, as it focuses on sales practices for graphics processors instead of CPUs.
• FTC sues Intel over 'anticompetitive tactics'
• Nvidia CEO: FTC action 'transforms' industry
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Microsoft top lawyer: EU deal opens new chapter
Q&A Microsoft's Brad Smith talks about what the EU deal means for the future of Windows and whether Redmond will finally be able to get off of the antitrust hot seat.
• EU resolves Microsoft IE antitrust case
• Microsoft crippled by its antitrust past
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

FCC digs into broadband controversies
A task force that is shaping a national plan to provide ubiquitous high-speed Internet access tackles the USF, wireless spectrum, and cable set-top boxes.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)

Firefox 3.5.6 patches critical security holes
A memory corruption bug and two issues with Ogg media technology are among the 62 fixes in the latest version of Mozilla's browser.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

FBI makes arrest in 'Wolverine' uploading case
A New York man is charged with copyright infringement nine months after the X-Men movie showed up on the Web before its release to theaters.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Apple wins permanent injunction against Psystar
Mac clone maker is barred from selling PCs with Mac OS X preinstalled and from circumventing Apple's measures to stop unauthorized copying of OS X.
(Posted in Apple by John Paczkowski, AllThingsD)

Wednesday, December 16

Microsoft top lawyer: EU deal opens new chapter
q&a Microsoft's Brad Smith talks about what the EU deal means for the future of Windows and whether Redmond will finally be able to get off of the antitrust hot seat.
•  EU resolves Microsoft IE antitrust case

Graphics chips a new legal front for Intel
The FTC's anticompetition complaint against the chipmaker breaks from past regulator suits, as it focuses on sales practices for graphics processors instead of CPUs.
• Intel sued over sales tactics
• Nvidia CEO: FTC action 'transforms' industry

Just in

Mac clones through the years
Looking back at those who've tried to sell Mac OS on non-Apple hardware.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Adobe to patch zero-day Reader, Acrobat hole
Company will release the patch on January 12, allowing it to stick to its quarterly security update schedule. In the meantime, users can disable JavaScript.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

FCC digs into broadband controversies
A task force that is shaping a national plan to provide ubiquitous high-speed Internet access tackles the USF, wireless spectrum, and cable set-top boxes.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)

Firefox 3.5.6 patches critical security holes
A memory corruption bug and two issues with Ogg media technology are among the 62 fixes in the latest version of Mozilla's browser.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

FBI makes arrest in 'Wolverine' uploading case
A New York man is charged with copyright infringement nine months after the X-Men movie showed up on the Web before its release to theaters.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Apple wins permanent injunction against Psystar
Mac clone maker is barred from selling PCs with Mac OS X preinstalled and from circumventing Apple's measures to stop unauthorized copying of OS X.
(Posted in Apple by John Paczkowski, AllThingsD)

YouTube tips top videos of '09
Unlike so many other year-end lists, Michael Jackson doesn't make the top five. Who does? A Scottish singer, a wedding party, a vampire, and some darling young-uns.
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Twitter touts top trends of the year
Iran's elections were deemed the "most engaging" topic of the year among Twitter users, though the microblogging site offers up other interesting trends as well.
• Hitwise: 'Facebook' the year's top search term
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Employees rank best places to work
Glassdoor announces the year's best companies in the eyes of worker bees. Only one tech company made it into the top 10.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)

LED lights creep toward mainstream in 2010
Tech improvements are making energy-efficient LEDs more attractive for consumers, but the high upfront price is a persistent barrier, according to pair of studies.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

A long year for Sun, and tech in general
year in review In an economy marked by vanishing jobs and profits, some tech giants strove to get bigger still. Oracle, for one, took heat over its plans to acquire Sun.

Keeping Uncle Sam from spying on citizens
As Center for Democracy and Technology lawyer, Greg Nojeim works to keep government from using national security as excuse to violate citizens' online privacy.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

HP swooping in on Sun customers
Hewlett-Packard continues to take advantage of Sun's uncertain future by teaming up with Microsoft, Novell, and Red Hat to offer migration tools to lure away its customers.
(Posted in Business Tech by Lance Whitney)

Tuesday, December 15

Microsoft: We did copy Plurk's code
Software maker says its own investigation showed that the Juku microblogging application on MSN China did swipe code from a rival.
• Microsoft pulls China site amid code-theft charges

Dreamliner takes to the sky
After two years of delays, Boeing's new 787 plane finally gets off the ground. Its first flight was witnessed by thousands of company employees and excited fans. Now comes nine months of testing.
• Boeing's 787 completes first flight
• Video: Dreamliner takeoff
• Photos: 787 takes flight

Just in

Wireless, broadcast industries begin spectrum debate
The debate between wireless operators and TV broadcasters over reallocating wireless spectrum has begun.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)

Hitwise: 'Facebook' the year's top search term
Searches for the still-growing-fast social network dominated last year's leader, MySpace, for the first time, according to the traffic firm.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Chrome edges out Safari in browser usage
By one measurement, Chrome has surpassed Safari in browser usage. Although 0.03 percentage points isn't much, Chrome certainly is on an upward trajectory.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Symantec confirms zero-day Acrobat, Reader attack
Malicious Acrobat PDF is distributed via e-mail attachment that drops Trojan affecting Windows systems when the file is opened.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

14 hours, 52 minutes agoMIT unveils new 'smart' bike wheel
New Copenhagen wheel can store energy to make riding easier and can also talk to an iPhone to monitor its rider and keep tabs on traffic.
(Posted in Cutting Edge by Lance Whitney)

Microsoft's server chief talks cloud
q&a Division president Bob Muglia talks about the future of Windows Server and Windows Azure and defends against claims Microsoft has no future in the consumer space.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Americans are glued to the couch, study says
A new study says American prefer watching television over any other leisurely activity, including computer time.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)

Hands-on with the Entourage Edge
CNET's Ina Fried got a chance to play with the dual-screen e-reader, which combines a 10-inch electronic ink display with a second color LCD touch screen.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

From virtual reality to the White House
profile Beth Noveck, President Obama's deputy CTO, was a leading legal expert on virtual worlds and tech patent issues before joining the administration.
(Posted in Geek Gestalt by Daniel Terdiman)

Smartphone share of cell phone sales set to soar
The devices will snag 37 percent of the overall handset market by 2014, up from 16 percent in 2009, predicts Pyramid Research.
• Google ponders risky Android solo act
(Posted in Wireless by Lance Whitney)

HTML groups tackle Webcam support
A draft specification aims to make Web-based videoconferencing possible. It's part of the push to let Web applications do what native applications can.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Bebo founder drops $1 million at charity auction
Michael Birch, who sold his site to AOL for $850 million, says he'll match all of the proceeds at Monday night's Charity Water benefit.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Top author shifts e-book rights to Amazon.com
Amazon will have the exclusive e-book rights to two books from Stephen R. Covey, a move that promises to raise the anxiety level among print publishers.
(From The New York Times)

Monday, December 14

Web accessibility no longer an afterthought
Thanks to the work of Internet accessibility advocates, the world's move to the Web is more and more available to those with disabilities.

Teaching government to love garbage
The Obama administration is eager to promote green technologies, but some energy entrepreneurs are still struggling to explain what they do.
• Photos: Waste gets a workout

Just in

Oracle pledges to play well with MySQL
Following talks with European regulators regarding its planned Sun takeover, Oracle makes 10 commitments to help keep MySQL a competitive database product.
(Posted in Business Tech by Lance Whitney)

Holiday sales online: $19.9 billion and counting
ComScore releases stats on the online holiday-shopping season so far. Sales are strong and ahead of 2008 levels.
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Toyota to sell 'affordable' plug-in hybrids in '11
Company's first plug-in model, the Prius PHV, will add an external charging function and more batteries to enable longer-distance driving on electricity alone.
(Posted in Green Tech by Reuters)

Report: Russian investor in talks to buy ICQ
DST, which recently made a $200 million investment in Facebook, is reportedly in negotiations to acquire AOL's instant-messaging service.
(Posted in Digital Media by Steven Musil)

Google phone looks 'supersharp'
After Google distributes its Android phone to employees to test, CNET gets a look. The slick-looking unlocked HTC "mobile lab" device runs the Android 2.1 operating system.
(Posted in Android Atlas by Kent German)

Smart meters, intended for savings, prompt revolt
Some customers in California are in open revolt, and officials in Connecticut and Texas are questioning whether the rush to install meters benefits the public.
(From The New York Times)

TeliaSonera touts first LTE '4G' launch
Residents of Oslo and Stockholm are set to get the zippy mobile broadband service, though not necessarily at the official 4G minimum speed.
(Posted in Wireless by David Meyer)

Amazon EC2 gets a spot market
Customers can bid on unused Elastic Compute Cloud capacity and run those instances as long as their bid exceeds the spot price.
(Posted in Business Tech by Larry Dignan)

Inside coming MacBooks: Oh, the possibilities
Chipmaker's "Nehalem" Core i architecture is finally coming to the mainstream mobile space. New MacBook Pros will follow.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Apple apologizes for iMac delays
Apple apologizes to customers for delays in shipping its 27-inch iMac but declined to identify the cause of the delays.
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

Craigslist vs. eBay: Who's telling the truth?
In the suit and countersuit currently being played out between eBay and Craigslist, there is really only one question: which famous tech character is to be believed?
(Posted in Technically Incorrect by Chris Matyszczyk)

Intel to preview new chips on December 17
Chipmaker will host an event next week in San Francisco where it will show off new processors coming in early 2010.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Bug keeps some Office users from their files
Microsoft posted a warning on Friday that some copy-protected files may now be inaccessible from Office 2003.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Sunday, December 13

Why Google's glad to dance to Vevo's tune
The Web titan's role in helping to build Vevo, the long-awaited music-video service, is yet another peace offering to the content industry.

Top-rated reviews of the week
photos CNET's reviewers give you the lowdown on the 2010 Lincoln MKS and MKT, the Roku HD XR Player, the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Solo Headphones, and more.

Just in

Intel to preview new chips on December 17
Chipmaker will host an event next week in San Francisco where it will show off new processors coming in early 2010.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Bug keeps some Office users from their files
Microsoft posted a warning on Friday that some copy-protected files may now be inaccessible from Office 2003.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Google's speed freaks tweak suggestions, Chrome
New features in Google Suggest and Chrome allow searches to get the information they seek while saving a few (minor) steps in the process.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Report: PS3 design cost nearing break-even
After years of taking a big loss on each console sold, Sony appears to be getting closer to breaking even on the design cost, according to iSuppli.
(Posted in Geek Gestalt by Daniel Terdiman)

Lala chief could steer iTunes away from downloads
The music service Apple just acquired may have underachieved, but its founder could be the right man if iTunes moves away from downloads and into streaming music.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

What a $5,900 lens says about photography
Expect computing technology to overhaul photography, but not Nikon's updated telephoto lens to cost less than its predecessor. Old-school lens design still matters.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Apple files countersuit against Nokia
The iPhone maker says Nokia is violating 13 patents belonging to Apple. The filling is a response to the Finnish phone maker's October suit against Apple.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Saturday, December 12

Lala could steer iTunes away from downloads
The music service Apple just acquired may have underachieved, but its founder could be the right man if iTunes moves away from downloads and into streaming music.

What a $5,900 lens says about photography
Even as computing tech overhauls photography, don't expect Nikon's updated telephoto lens to cost less than its predecessor. Old-school lens design still matters.

Just in

Bug keeps some Office users from their files
Microsoft posted a warning on Friday that some copy-protected files may now be inaccessible from Office 2003.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Google's speed freaks tweak suggestions, Chrome
New features in Google Suggest and Chrome allow searches to get the information they seek while saving a few (minor) steps in the process.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Friday, December 11

Report: PS3 design cost nearing break-even
After years of taking a big loss on each console sold, Sony appears to be getting closer to breaking even on the design cost, according to iSuppli.
(Posted in Geek Gestalt by Daniel Terdiman)

Apple files countersuit against Nokia
The iPhone maker says Nokia is violating 13 patents belonging to Apple. The filling is a response to the Finnish phone maker's October suit against Apple.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Microsoft buys data center software firm Opalis
The acquisition of the Toronto-based software maker will bolster Microsoft's lineup of management tools, Redmond says.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Amazon EC2 cloud service hit by botnet, outage
Amazon's EC2 cloud service has had to deal with a botnet released through its service and a data center power failure in the same week.
(Posted in Security by Lance Whitney)

WiGig group finalizes new wireless standard
New standard from Wireless Gigabit Alliance promises speeds up to 7 gigabits per second, ten times faster than Wireless N, but only works for short distances.
(Posted in Wireless by Lance Whitney)

Hamstrung by delays, Fitbit tries to deliver
It is a classic start-up story: entrepreneurs with a hot idea generate excitement, then run into problems making and delivering their product.
(From The New York Times)

Nielsen: More seniors becoming Web regulars
Number of people 65 and older using the Internet regularly increased by 55 percent in five years. Some of the biggest growth was in social networks and on blogs.
(Posted in Digital Media by Don Reisinger)

Ghosts of projects past haunt Intel graphics chip
The recent cancellation of Larrabee is a reminder that Intel has made major product missteps before. So where does it go from here?
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Facebook backtracks on public friend lists
Some members took issue with the fact that Facebook's new privacy settings exposed their list of connections, so Facebook has pulled back a bit on it.
• How to fix Facebook's new privacy settings
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

TechCrunch files suit over CrunchPad
The Web-browsing tablet, now known as the JooJoo, is the centerpiece of a lawsuit that charges Fusion Garage with fraud, misappropriation of business ideas, and more.
• CrunchPad reborn as JooJoo
• Hands-on with the JooJoo
(Posted in Business Tech by Don Reisinger)

Thursday, December 10

Deja vu all over again for AOL and Yahoo
With AOL's spin-off from Time Warner becoming official Thursday, the once-iconic media company finds itself face to face with old foe Yahoo as both try to resurrect media empires.

AT&T mulls curbs on heavy data usage
Wireless chief Ralph de la Vega says AT&T may consider alternatives to curb heavy wireless data usage.

Just in

Panasonic takes control of Sanyo

 Fuzzy blue monster welcomes you to new AOL.com

 The speed of technology's 'creative destruction'

 Does Apple need to refresh iTunes? Probably

 Think's electric cars start rolling off lines again

 A year on, Facebook Connect shows fast growth

 For AOL and Yahoo, it's deja vu all over again

Think's electric cars start rolling off lines again
Norway-based Think has resumed producing its small electric car after staving off financial crisis, with first car deliveries due before the end of the year.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Friendster finds buyer in Asian payment company
Pioneering social-networking site agrees to be purchased by MOL Global, a Malaysian online payment company.
(Posted in Digital Media by Steven Musil)

Does Apple need to refresh iTunes? Probably
With Lala now aboard, Apple aims to offer more ways to access and manage iTunes without a download of the software, according to The Wall Street Journal.
(Posted in Apple by Larry Dignan)

Microsoft reposts Windows 7 download tool
Software giant restores a tool that allows Windows 7 to be more easily installed on older Netbooks. This time, though, it is under an open-source license.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

A year on, Facebook Connect shows fast growth
The social identity service has attracted major sites and even more platforms. But where Facebook is planning to take Connect is a big unknown.
• Facebook details new privacy settings
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Obama directs $600 million to health centers
Of the funds the U.S. president is directing to help create jobs and overhaul the country's health system, $88 million is earmarked for helping digitize medical records.
(Posted in Health Tech by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore)

Mobile-app makers prepare for a gold rush
Mobile apps are on the rise, but it's becoming harder to stand out among the crowd. What are some companies doing to either be seen, or help others get the limelight?
(Posted in Web Crawler by Josh Lowensohn)

Twitter working on fix for 'misdirected' tweets
The microblogging service says it is looking into a problem causing users to see tweets in their timelines that don't seem intended for them.
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Black Friday PC sales up, but overall revenue down
Actual unit sales in many tech categories were up, but revenue for the week of Black Friday dipped thanks to lower average selling prices.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Analyst: Verizon is the iPhone's next big feature
Heading into 2010, financial analyst Gene Munster believes Apple will add Verizon to its list of U.S. carriers, ending the exclusive deal with AT&T.
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

'Small wind' market to double by 2013, study says
Pike Research sees industry of small wind turbines escalating to $412 million in revenue over the next three years.
(Posted in Green Tech by Candace Lombardi)

Milo.com and Google Products search store shelves
New tools for just-in-time shoppers find the things you need when you don't have time to wait for delivery.
(Posted in Rafe's Radar by Rafe Needleman)

Why Google's glad to dance to Vevo's tune
The Web titan's role in helping to build Vevo, the long-awaited music-video service, is yet another peace offering to the content industry.
• Photos: Bono, Lady Gaga, Schmidt at Vevo bash
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Wednesday, December 09

Tiered AT&T pricing to target heavy data usage
Wireless chief Ralph de la Vega says the company will soon offer new pricing for wireless-data services to curb heavy usage.

Facebook in Vietnam: Social-networking blues
CNET's Dong Ngo reports from Hanoi on troubles that local users have been facing in accessing the social network. But is the government to blame?

Just in

Mobile-app makers prepare for a gold rush
Mobile apps are on the rise, but it's becoming harder to stand out among the crowd. What are some companies doing to either be seen, or help others get the limelight?
(Posted in Web Crawler by Josh Lowensohn)

Twitter working on fix for 'misdirected' tweets
The microblogging service says it is looking into a problem causing users to see tweets in their timelines that don't seem intended for them.
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Black Friday PC sales up, but overall revenue down
Actual unit sales in many tech categories were up, but revenue for the week of Black Friday dipped thanks to lower average selling prices.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Analyst: Verizon is the iPhone's next big feature
Heading into 2010, financial analyst Gene Munster believes Apple will add Verizon to its list of U.S. carriers, ending the exclusive deal with AT&T.
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

'Small wind' market to double by 2013, study says
Pike Research sees industry of small wind turbines escalating to $412 million in revenue over the next three years.
(Posted in Green Tech by Candace Lombardi)

Milo.com and Google Products search store shelves
New tools for just-in-time shoppers find the things you need when you don't have time to wait for delivery.
(Posted in Rafe's Radar by Rafe Needleman)

Why Google's glad to dance to Vevo's tune
The Web titan's role in helping to build Vevo, the long-awaited music-video service, is yet another peace offering to the content industry.
• Photos: Bono, Lady Gaga, Schmidt at Vevo bash
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

First Mobile Firefox enters home stretch
Mozilla plans to release the first release candidate of Firefox for mobile phones next week. Coming next year: multitouch, Windows Mobile support, and more.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Geolocation wars heat up: Gowalla raises $8.4 million
The round was led by Greylock Partners with contributions from a handful of prominent individual investors--some of whom also back competitor Foursquare.
(Posted in The Social by Caroline McCarthy)

Facebook details new privacy settings
All Facebook users will soon be required to configure their privacy settings, though the company encourages people to keep some information public.
(Posted in Safe and Secure by Larry Magid)

Google Goggles' visual search headed for Chrome
A Google programmer is working on a Chrome browser interface to let people submit images as search terms.
• New Google Web Toolkit reveals Web-app speed
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Griffin taking the long way to CES
Five employees of the iPod accessory maker are heading from Tennessee to Las Vegas in a restored 1972 Volkswagen, meeting with gadget fans along the way.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Apple pitching tablet to publishing industry
Company has been offering book publishers "a very attractive proposal," according to an analyst. He says to expect the device to launch in the spring and cost $1,000.
(Posted in Apple by John Paczkowski, AllThingsD)



Tuesday, December 08

Behind the U.S. push to open government
q&a Deputy CTO Beth Noveck says online tech is helping the Obama administration affect a "sea change" in making federal agencies open and accountable.
• White House unveils open government directive

Visa, AmEx tangled in Web scam probe
Senate commerce committee wants the big credit card companies to explain how a Web marketing scam involving top retailers went on under their noses for years.
• Scam probe casts harsh light on Web retail

Just in

Dell earns $6.5 million, thanks to Twitter

 iTunes Rewind shows off best-selling content of 2009

 Did Apple pay $80 million or $17 million for Lala?

 Hubble peers deeper than ever into the universe

 iPhone apps to help parents keep tabs on kids

 Microsoft plugs zero-day IE hole

 Bionic fingers give amputees upper hand

Offline Gmail access now a full-fledged feature
A key part of Google's promise for the Gmail Web application--the ability to read and compose messages while offline--becomes a standard feature.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Hubble peers deeper than ever into the universe
NASA announces that Hubble Space Telescope has gone where no other camera has gone before: 600 million years after the Big Bang.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)

MIT floats ideas in DARPA balloon challenge
q&a Head of the team that conquered the geolocation contest reveals the winning techniques and tells how the Internet can be harnessed to tackle real-world problems.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Microsoft plugs zero-day IE hole
Cumulative Internet Explorer bulletin affects current Windows versions, including Windows 7.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

Dell earns $6.5 million, thanks to Twitter
Microblog might be a place to talk about the simple things in life, but it can also be an effective tool for promoting products. DellOutlet has almost 1.5 million followers.
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Google brings Chrome beta to Mac, Linux
Search giant issues the first beta versions of its browser for Mac OS X and Linux. Maturity could spread adoption, and the stable version is due in a month.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Patent Office puts green tech on fast track
The U.S. agency will accelerate review of green technology patent requests in an effort to perk up economic development in the nascent industry.
• EU moves closer to patent unification
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Hands-on with the JooJoo
Formerly known as the CrunchPad, this Web slate is a really cool device that everyone will want, though it's far too expensive.
• CrunchPad reborn as JooJoo
• Video: JooJoo Web slate
(Posted in Rafe's Radar by Rafe Needleman)

How to fit a pharmacist in your pocket
Evincii releases a new app that walks consumers through symptoms, allergies, and side effects to help choose the best medicine on the shelves of participating pharmacies.
(Posted in Health Tech by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore)

Seagate enters solid-state drive market
The storage giant is joining the likes of Intel and Micron Technology in the lucrative market for solid-state drives for servers.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Google sues over alleged work-at-home scams
Civil suit alleges that Pacific WebWorks and others are ripping people off with fake work-at-home ads using Google's name and unauthorized credit card charges.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)

Global warming isn't slowing, report says
The first decade of this century is very likely the warmest one in modern record, a global meteorological agency says.
(From The New York Times)

Google hopes to turn the river into a canal
Searching on real-time services like Twitter is like standing in front of a firehose on a hot day: you'll get cooled off, but knocked over. Google wants to change that.
• The launch of real-time search
• Google Goggles' search by sight
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Monday, December 07

Google launches real-time search
A new section of Google's search results page will go to so-called real-time searches with automatically refreshed updates from sources like Twitter.
• Google Goggles' search by sight

Today's green news
Greenhouse gas ruling sends message to world; Department of Energy offers $100 million for far-out energy tech; and IBM wires trucks and water lines in a smarter-city bid.

Just in

AT&T iPhone collects user complaints about crappy service

CNET News Daily Podcast: Apple's Lala buy confirmed, plus we talk

 a loss for words? Google offers search by sight

 Greenhouse gas ruling sends message to world

 Virgin Galactic unveils its latest thrill ride

Microsoft labs tests a Wikipedia of average Joes

 Google launches real-time search

Virgin Galactic unveils its latest thrill ride
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic finally unveils SpaceShipTwo, a commercial rocket plane designed to launch space tourists on the ultimate thrill ride--a suborbital flight into space.
(Posted in The Space Shot by William Harwood)

Microsoft labs tests a Wikipedia of average Joes
The company's researchers have launched EntityCube, an automated search tool that aims to pull together biographical information on even the not so famous.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

CrunchPad reborn as JooJoo
Chandra Rathakrishnan, the chief executive of former TechCrunch partner Fusion Garage, reveals plans to proceed with release of new Web-browsing tablet.
(Posted in Rafe's Radar by Rafe Needleman)

Barnes & Noble's Nook: The hands-on review
We get up close and personal with Barnes & Noble's hot e-reader, the Nook. Is it better than the Kindle? Read the full review to find out.
(Posted in Crave by David Carnoy)

I want my Vevo: Will video site be next-gen MTV?
The music video service, built by the big record labels with help from YouTube, debuts Tuesday. For the industry, it means no more middleman.
• Apple confirms Lala acquisition
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

On2 answers questions on Google merger
In SEC update, video compression software maker addresses key concerns about its proposed merger with the search giant. Company also sets date for related vote.
(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Study: Facebook users willingly give out data
Facebook users still haven't mastered the whole "privacy thing" when it comes to sharing personal information with others, a study from security firm Sophos finds.
• Facebook forms safety advisory board
(Posted in Webware by Don Reisinger)

Google Favorite Places coming to window near you
Businesses that are popular in Google's Local Business Center are receiving special decals denoting them "Favorite Places," with a scannable bar code that provides more information.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

IBM envisions world's fastest supercomputer
The Blue Waters project will tap IBM's upcoming Power7 processor for an ultrafast machine at the University of Illinois.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Navteq to supply Microsoft with 3D map data
It takes a long time to drive every street in the world to supply your online map service with 3D data. Navteq is giving Microsoft some help for its new Bing maps.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

MIT wins DARPA balloon challenge
MIT team first to identify locations of 10 red balloons scattered across United States, winning a $40,000 cash prize.(Posted in Digital Media by Lance Whitney)

Yahoo adds privacy tool, in time for FTC meetings
"Ad Interest Manager" lets consumers see how much is known about their surfing habits, computers, and personal data. It also offers an opt-out for "interest-based" ads.
(Posted in Digital Media by Kara Swisher, AllThingsD)

Greenhouse gas ruling sends message to world
Obama administration's decision Monday sends warning that with or without a law, Washington will tackle global warming in a serious way. Here are some ramifications.
(Posted in Green Tech by Reuters)

Sunday, December 06

Report: Iran Internet access down pre-protests
Two days in advance of Student Day, which marks the 1953 killing of students by Iranian police, the AFP reports that Internet access in Tehran is largely down due to "a decision by the authorities."
(Posted in Digital Media by Leslie Katz)

DARPA's giant red balloons officially at large
Start balloon hunting. Ten red weather balloons are now flying high at fixed locations around the continental U.S. as part of DARPA's Network Challenge. The first team to spot them wins $40,000.
(Posted in Crave by Chris Jacob)

Just In

@Uh-oh: Twoddler lets toddlers send tweets

DARPA's giant red balloons officially at large

The 30 most anticipated games of 2010

Iran Internet access down pre-protests, report says

Best Buy's little Black Friday the 13th

ShirtsMyWay: Like The Sims, but for menswear

Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the Toshiba mini NB205-N325BL, Samsung Omnia II, and the Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR.

Saturday, December 05

Apple in talks to buy Lala music service
Sources with knowledge of the talks say a deal for Lala, a streaming-music service, is close to being finalized. Does Apple plan to stream music?

Google edges toward Rosetta Stone status
Wonder what the French really think? The search giant offers a native-language view of the Web through translated search results. Also new: a dictionary service.

Just in

Sources: Apple wants technology from struggling Lala

 Google Chrome now bundled with Avast

 Google extends personalized search to all

 Microsoft decision brings it closer to settling case

 Dell forms communications unit

 Yahoo, Microsoft finalize search deal

 Windows 7 family pack starting to sell out

Intel: Initial Larrabee graphics chip canceled
Intel has delayed the release of its Larrabee graphics processor, saying it will initially appear as a software development platform only.
(Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

Yahoo, Microsoft finalize search deal
It's not over until the U.S. government says so, but Yahoo and Microsoft have finalized their agreement to install Microsoft as the search provider on Yahoo's network of sites.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Google extends personalized search to all
Previously, Google would only alter search results based on search history for those signed into Google accounts. Now, it plans to do that for everyone.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Friday, December 04

Windows 7 family pack starting to sell out
Microsoft had said it was a "while supplies last" offer and, sure enough, supplies are starting to run out. It's still available at Amazon, though.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

Dell forms communications unit
Following its smartphone launch, Dell sets up a separate business group. Consumer group will be combined with small and medium business.
(Posted in Circuit Breaker by Erica Ogg)

Microsoft decision brings it closer to settling case
To appease regulators and rival browser makers in Europe, the company says it will change the display of a ballot screen.
(From The New York Times)

Google acquires EtherPad online collaboration tool
The Net colossus is bolstering the Google Wave project by acquiring AppJet, a smaller rival with an online collaboration service. EtherPad will shut down in March.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

'Green' gas and diesel get boost in biofuel grants
Federal government pumps more than $600 million in projects to demonstrate advanced biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol and plant-based replacements for diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline.
(Posted in Green Tech by Martin LaMonica)

Video site Vevo close to signing EMI
Vevo, a site scheduled to launch Tuesday that hopes to become the MTV for the next generation, continues to sign licensing deals with the top labels.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)

Google adds streaming news to Google Finance
Google is betting that real-time news (or something closely resembling it) will attract more financially oriented visitors to its Google Finance pages.
(Posted in Relevant Results by Tom Krazit)

Apple grabs top U.S. retail sales spots in October
Apple secures 2 out of the top 3 desktop spots, in terms of retail sales, and 4 out of the top 10 notebook spots for computer sales in October, according to NPD Group's Stephen Baker.
(Posted in Apple by Jim Dalrymple)

Cisco works percentages toward Tandberg takeover
Just shy of 90 percent of Tandberg shares as it passes a self-imposed drop-dead deadline, Cisco says its acquisition plan is still very much alive.
(Posted in Business Tech by Lance Whitney)

Hardware for Gmail: The 'Gboard' keyboard
Gmail's got desktop hardware now, though not from Google. The Gboard is a new Gmail-centric keyboard with colored shortcut keys that let you zip around your in-box.
(Posted in Web Crawler by Josh Lowensohn)

Thursday, December 03

Last call for i-Booze delivery service

 Friendster gets a face-lift, looks for love?

 New Droid ad: iPhone is 'digitally clueless'

 Giving voice to a new artificial larynx

 Doctors told to say no to Facebook come-ons

 Defense Dept. pulls software over privacy issues

 FarmVille maker unleashes PetVille >

Phone photo quality interests Google, Microsoft
Want something more sophisticated than a megapixel count to judge a phone camera? Two tech titans have joined an effort to offer a better guide.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)

Disease-detecting device vibrates with potential

 Intel's 48-core processor debut (photos)

 Wicked online cash grab out of Tiger Woods scandal

 Wireless operators stop whining about ads

 Character limitations in passwords considered harmful

 Apple OKs Super Mario app; expect removal

 Google runs a fade pattern on home page

Nokia sues Samsung, LG over LCD prices

 A window into the Microsoft Store

 Peeking into Microsoft's retail store (photos)

 Inside the Apple, er, Microsoft Store

 Man loses job after searching too hard for aliens

 Google hosts energy experts amid climate talks

 Nintendo primed for holiday console dominance

Circuits, code, community in S.F. hacker space
The Noisebridge Hacker Space offers sewing and Mandarin classes, soldering workshops, Internet-controlled front door access, and a server room with no door.
• Photos: Circuits, code, community
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)