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Grid set for rechargeable cars

Associated Press
Praveen Mandal, President of Coulomb Technologies, demonstrates how to use a Smartlet charging station for a plug-in hybrid vehicle at the Plug-In 2008 conference on plug-in hybrid vehicles on Tuesday in San Jose, Calif.

FCC vote trickling in on XM-Sirius merger

A Federal Communications Commission member who sought further concessions in a pending satellite radio buyout has withdrawn his offer after it failed to draw support.

Because of this, Democratic commissioner Jonathan Adesltein voted against Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s proposed takeover of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. This also means the vote on the regulatory body now stands at 2-2, with Republican member Deborah Taylor Tate still undecided.

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TechBits package: The movie-rental service Netflix Inc. is closing a small unit that finances independent movies, partly to avoid competing with Hollywood studios with which it partners for DVD and Internet distribution.

Review: TextBuyIt fun, easy to use, but limited: TextBuyIt, a recently launched shop-by-cell phone service from Amazon.com Inc., seemed like the ultimate comparison shopping tool – perfect for an unabashed bargain hunter like myself.

Court affirms online content law unconstitutional: A federal appeals court Tuesday agreed with a lower court ruling that struck down as unconstitutional a 1998 law intended to protect children from sexual material and other objectionable content on the Internet.

Romanian pleads guilty in Conn. over phishing scam: One of 38 people charged in a global crime ring that allegedly stole personal information from unsuspecting Internet users pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal fraud charge.

Breaking up not so hard to do with Slydial: The old song had it right: Breaking up is hard to do. But a free new phone service called Slydial might make it easier to get through that and other awkward moments – without actually having to talk to anyone.

Apple stock drops despite jump in Q3 profit: Shares of Apple Inc. fell sharply as investors focused more on the company's cautious guidance for the current quarter than on the blockbuster Macintosh and iPod sales during the previous three-month period.

N.Y. AG pushes Comcast to block child-porn access: New York's attorney general notified Comcast Corp. on Monday that the state will take legal action if the company – the nation's second-largest Internet service provider – doesn't agree to eliminate access to child pornography.

Yahoo settles with Icahn to avert August showdown: Yahoo Inc. is relinquishing three seats on its board of directors to activist investor Carl Icahn, ending a battle for control of the Internet company while still leaving the door open for a possible sale to Microsoft Corp.

Electronic Arts extends deadline to buy Take-Two: Video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. has again extended the deadline for its $2 billion tender offer to buy smaller rival Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.

Investors eye health of Apple's Steve Jobs, report says: Industry and investor concerns about the health of Apple Inc's Chief Executive Steve Jobs have not dimmed more than a month after he appeared dramatically thinner at the firm's annual developers' conference, The New York Post said Monday.

Antigua, U.S. extend deadline for compromise on Internet gambling feud: Antigua's finance minister says it could take several more months to resolve an Internet gambling feud with the U.S.

IBM selling $80 million of Lenovo shares -term sheet: U.S. computer giant IBM shed more of its stake in top Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd, offloading up to $80 million worth of stock at a 3.9 percent to 7 percent discount to its closing price on Monday, according to a document sent to investors.

iPhones hot even in places Apple has yet to reach: In the Soviet days, Russians asked their American friends to bring blue jeans, rock records and other Western goods into the country. Today Russians can buy almost anything they want here – but they are still begging for one item: Apple Inc.'s slick iPhone.

Web networking photos come back to bite defendants: Two weeks after Joshua Lipton was charged in a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a woman, the 20-year-old college junior attended a Halloween party dressed as a prisoner. Pictures from the party showed him in a black-and-white striped shirt and an orange jumpsuit labeled “Jail Bird.”

Twitterers atwitter about updates: What are you doing? No. Really. Are you reading? Spreading cream cheese on your bagel? Watching paint dry?

EU warns of tricks by ring tone Websites: Eight out of ten Web sites selling mobile phone ring tones and graphics are tricking consumers with hidden fees or false advertising for free products, the EU said Thursday.

Video game industry tries to broaden its appeal: A tough little blob must splash color over a town wallowing in gray. Bug-eyed rabbits do a dance routine. And then there's the “perfect equine farm” of wild horses for little girls to tame and train.

Wireless microphones flap causing static: Consumer groups are accusing Broadway actors, mega-church pastors, karaoke DJs and others who use popular wireless microphones of unwittingly violating Federal Communications Commission rules that require government licenses for such devices.

Verizon gets final go-ahead for FiOS TV in NYC: Verizon Communications Inc won final regulatory approval Wednesday to sell its FiOS TV service in New York City, and plans to launch in the coming weeks to compete with cable service providers.

Review: Facebook Scrabble flashy, but not better: A sanctioned version of Scrabble for Facebook, released this week by video game maker Electronic Arts Inc., boasts animated graphics and true-to-the-board-game design.

Intel 2Q profit jump reflects healthy PC demand: Worried that the ailing U.S. economy has spilled abroad and hurt global PC sales, investors had subdued expectations for Intel Corp. in the second quarter. Intel is the world's largest computer chip maker, and its fortunes rise and fall with swings in PC demand.

Big 3 mimic each other at E3: more, more and more: One word sums up the announcements made by the Big Three gaming companies at the E3 this week: more.

Japan cautious in iPhone's bid for world dominance: Kentaro Tohyama is proud of his new iPhone. He stood overnight in line to get it when the device became available in Japan for the first time. But the 29-year-old computer engineer isn't about to part with his made-in-Japan cell phone either.

Britain stands by EU biofuels 2020 target -diplomat: Britain still supports a European Union target to get a tenth of the bloc's road transport fuel from biofuels by 2020, a British diplomat who declined to be named said on Wednesday.

Ex-Samsung boss avoids prison: Former Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee saw the suspension Wednesday of his prison sentence in a tax-evasion conviction, a move that confirmed South Koreans' view that tycoons are immune from jail.

YouTube, Viacom agree to anonymize viewer data: The video-sharing site YouTube will be allowed to mask the identities of individual users when it provides viewership records to Viacom Inc. and other copyright holders behind a $1 billion copyright-infringement lawsuit.

Nintendo unveils Wii Remote upgrade, new games: The Wii Remote is getting in touch with its sensitive side. Nintendo unveiled Wii MotionPlus at the E3 Business and Media Summit on Tuesday. The new accessory plugs into the base of the Wii Remote and will provide more intuitive motion controls.

EU wants to cap costs on phone text messages: Are mobile phone companies taking advantage of teenagers' addiction to chatting in text messages? The top telecommunications regulator for the European Union believes so, and said Tuesday that a limit should be placed on the cost of international texts.

Evergreen Solar gets $1.2B contract with IBC Solar: Solar panel maker Evergreen Solar Inc. said Tuesday it has signed a sales contract with Germany's IBC Solar AG worth $1.2 billion – the biggest deal in the company's history.

Apple sells 1 million iPhones in first 3 days: Apple Inc. said Monday it sold 1 million iPhones in the first three days its newest model was on the market.

Intel shows off laptop chip package to counter AMD: Intel Corp. rolled out a new batch of chips for laptops Monday that promises longer battery life and better graphics-rendering abilities, the company's latest salvo against smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Netflix to be carried on Microsoft's Xbox console: A long-rumored tie-up between online movie rental company Netflix Inc and Microsoft Corp to let Netflix subscribers watch streamed movies and TV shows on Xbox 360 game consoles will become a reality this fall, the companies said Monday.

eBay beats Tiffany in court case over trademarks: EBay Inc. scored an important victory in court Monday, as a federal judge said companies such as jeweler Tiffany & Co. are responsible for policing their trademarks online, not auction platforms like eBay.

XBox 360 to stream Netflix movies: Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 video game console will be able to stream thousands of movies over the Internet, thanks to a deal announced Monday with Netflix Inc. that highlights the way gaming devices are expanding into all-purpose home-entertainment hubs.

Icahn: Replace Yahoo board to get Microsoft deal: Activist investor Carl Icahn said Monday that replacing Yahoo Inc.'s current board of directors would ensure an acquisition deal with Microsoft Corp.

Palm launches new Treo on Sprint network: Palm Inc., which has been struggling to maintain its position in the hot market for “smart” phones, introduced a new Treo model Monday with Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities.

Software problems bug Apple's launch of new iPhone: The launch of Apple Inc.'s much-anticipated new iPhone turned into an information-technology meltdown on Friday, as customers were unable to get their phones working.

E-mail public documents get erased, disappear: Laws in all but a handful of states give the public access to government e-mail. But what if that e-mail was intentionally deleted or routinely purged?

Cell phone companies scramble to halt trafficking: For less than $15, you can buy a cell phone loaded with minutes. You can buy more as you go whenever those minutes run out. Best of all, you aren't locked into a long-term contract.

Game characters get smarter – and less predictable: In the upcoming video game “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed,” the evil Stormtroopers are smart enough to keep players guessing.

Canadian customers say iPhone is worth the wait: Neither rain nor controversy discouraged a hardy band of gadget lovers who lined up for up to 16 hours on a downtown street to become among the first in Canada to buy Apple Inc's iPhone 3G on Friday.

Asia underground market awaits iPhone: As Apple Inc. rolled out its newest iPhone on Friday, dealers and buyers were anticipating the popular device in Asia's thriving underground marketplace in as little as a few days.

FCC chief says Comcast violated Internet rules: The head of the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday he will recommend that the nation's largest cable company be punished for violating agency principles that guarantee customers open access to the Internet.

Privacy protections disappear with a judge's order: Credit card companies know what you've bought. Phone companies know whom you've called. Electronic toll services know where you've gone. Internet search companies know what you've sought.

PREVIEW-Holiday titles, price cuts in focus at game show: As top video game makers gather next week in Los Angeles for the E3 trade show, they will be touting hot titles, new online offerings and, potentially, console price cuts to drum up gamers' support.

More Web companies agree to block child porn sites: AT&T Inc and Time Warner Inc's AOL unit have agreed to purge their Internet servers of Web sites that traffic child pornography, New York state's attorney general said Thursday.

Apple iPhone debuts to lines in Japan, elsewhere: Gadget lovers worldwide are already camped out ahead of Friday's global rollout of the new model of Apple Inc.'s iPhone, which is also the first iPhone to go on sale in many countries.

Intel gets FDA OK for personal health system: Intel Corp, the world's biggest computer chip maker, Thursday won clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to sell an in-home health monitoring system for patients with chronic conditions.

Japan to scrap iPod copyright fee: Japan will stop pushing for legislation to charge royalties on the sales of iPods and other portable digital music players, giving in to opposition from electronics makers, officials said Thursday.

Yahoo opens search toolkit in quest for more ads: Having fallen so far behind Google Inc. that it became a takeover target, Yahoo Inc. is banking on the creativity of other Web developers to help preserve its independence and regain ground in the lucrative Internet search advertising market.

High gas prices fuel boom in online classes: Laurel Ranticelli considered driving 40 miles round-trip to take education classes at the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst. Then she realized she could take the same courses from her computer at home and save on fuel costs.

Amid hype, Apple iPhone expansion also runs risks: Apple Inc.'s iPhone has had a remarkable run over the past year, shaking up the stodgy design of cell phones and securing Apple a lucrative slice of the wireless business.

Review: Wi-Fi radios bring the world home: What are you going to listen to? Norway's 24-hour folk music channel Allttid Folkemusikk? The public hearings of the California Integrated Waste Management Board? Radio Banadir – the Most Trusted News in Somalia?

Senate to pass bill overhauling eavesdropping regs: The Senate finally is expected to pass a bill overhauling rules on secret government eavesdropping, completing a lengthy and bitter debate that pitted privacy and civil liberties concerns against the desire to prevent terrorist attacks.

NebuAd to come under spotlight at Senate hearing: Executives from major Internet players – Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. – are due for a grilling about online privacy in a Senate committee Wednesday, but the company likely to get the most scrutiny is a small Silicon Valley startup called NebuAd Inc.

DreamWorks Animation goes from AMD to Intel chips: DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., maker of the “Shrek” movies and “Kung Fu Panda,” announced Tuesday it will switch from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. computer chips to Intel Corp.'s as it moves toward making all 3-D movies.

Facebook could see a standoff over Scrabble: C-O-M-P-E-T-E. Developers of a highly popular but unauthorized version of Scrabble for the online hangout Facebook vowed Tuesday to do just that, now that a video game maker has weighed in with an official version of the word game.

Microsoft expands its response to hosted software: Microsoft Corp. is strengthening its early-stage push to fend off competition by offering more Internet-based software, a change from its traditional method of selling programs that run on individual desktops or corporate servers.

Uncertainty aplenty as Web, media leaders convene: When media and technology tycoons convene Tuesday in idyllic southern Idaho for five days of dealmaking and outdoor recreation, the mountain air will carry more than a whiff of uncertainty as most arrive with their businesses in various states of disarray.

Dreamworks to use Intel technology for 3-D movies: DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc plans to use chips from Intel Corp for the creation of 3-D movies, the companies said Tuesday.

'Public' online spaces don't carry speech, rights: Rant all you want in a public park. A police officer generally won't eject you for your remarks alone, however unpopular or provocative.

Microsoft wants to negotiate with new Yahoo board: Microsoft Corp. threw its weight behind investor Carl Icahn's effort to oust Yahoo Inc.'s board next month, saying Monday that a successful rebellion would encourage the software maker to renew its takeover bid for Yahoo or negotiate another multibillion-dollar deal.

Web site designed to ease workday stress: For 25 years, Vista resident Sherry Zak Morris and Gayna Scott of Tucson, were self-described “corporate warriors.”

Internet addressing agency loses its own addresses: This doesn't sound good: The nonprofit agency in charge of the Internet's addresses recently lost track of its own.

Sony PS3 catching up to Wii in Japanese sales: Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii game console once again outsold Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 in Japan in June, but its lead is fading, a game magazine publisher said.

Police wnt u to fight crime w/txt msgs: Police in the 1970s urged citizens to “drop a dime” in a pay phone to report crimes anonymously. Now in an increasing number of cities, tipsters are being invited to use their thumbs – to identify criminals using text messages.

Study says many dial-up users don't want broadband: A new study suggests that attitude rather than availability may be the key reason why more Americans don't have high-speed Internet access.

U.S. contradicts itself over its own ID theft advice: The government doesn't have to look very far to see who's ignoring its advice on preventing identity theft.

Microsoft to sell Office, OneCare for $70 a year: Microsoft Corp. will begin selling its Office programs to consumers on a subscription basis starting mid-July, in a bid to reach thrifty PC buyers who would otherwise pass on productivity software.

Microsoft and Yahoo rise on deal talks report: Shares of Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. rose Wednesday as The Wall Street Journal reported Microsoft has talked to other media companies about teaming up to buy Yahoo's search business.

Monster founder sets sites on online obituaries: Fourteen years ago, Jeff Taylor helped set off a tectonic shift in recruitment advertising by founding Monster.com, one of the first online companies to challenge a big profit source of newspapers.

Pentagon will buy satellites to do more spying: The Pentagon will buy and operate one or two commercial imagery satellites and plans to design and build another with more sophisticated spying capabilities, according to government and private industry officials.

'Grid' takes the checkered flag in racing games: With gasoline prices at $4 a gallon and rising, the leisurely Sunday drive is turning back into a luxury. But there is an alternative: The automotive video game. And the only fuel you need is the electricity that powers your TV and your game console.

Overland purchases Snap Server:Overland Storage, a San Diego maker of data storage devices, has purchased the Snap Server storage appliance business from Adaptec for $3.6 million.

eBay told to pay $61M to fashion brand for fakes: A French commercial court Monday ordered eBay Inc. to pay more than $61 million to a high-end fashion company because counterfeit goods were sold on the auction site.

Microsoft stops selling Windows XP today: Microsoft Corp. is scheduled to stop selling its Windows XP operating system to retailers and major computer makers Monday, despite protests from a slice of PC users who don't want to be forced into using XP's successor, Vista.

Swedes e-mail lawmakers, protest eavesdropping law: Swedes have bombarded lawmakers with more than 1 million e-mails protesting the country's new eavesdropping law, adding to the growing public outcry over the measure, an official said Monday.

NBC offers wide online access for Beijing: NBC is making more than 2,200 hours of live competition from Beijing available online, giving Olympic junkies more action than they could ever devour in a day.

Ballmer becomes lone voice at Microsoft's helm: Steve Ballmer has been CEO at Microsoft Corp for eight years, but he will finally get to move into the corner office vacated by Bill Gates, the college friend who brought him to the company nearly three decades ago.

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Qualcomm and Nokia make deal over fees: Qualcomm resolved a nearly three-year, unprecedented challenge to its royalty-based business model yesterday when the world's largest phone maker, Nokia, agreed to cease hostilities and sign on the dotted line.

Biotechnology

Gene tests raise legal and ethical questions: Do your personal genetics make it more likely that you could develop cancer or Alzheimer's disease? Or do you need a personalized nutrition plan because your genetic profile shows you are unable to absorb certain vitamins properly?

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Dean Calbreath

Dean Calbreath Weighing in with other ways to cut driving costs: After more than a year and a half of writing this column, I've found that sometimes the best ideas come from readers.

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