Technology News

Verizon picks Microsoft search over Google, Yahoo (Reuters)
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Reuters - Verizon Communications Inc has chosen Microsoft Corp to provide Internet search services for cell phones, in what is seen as a blow to rivals Google Inc and Yahoo Inc.
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Is it the end of the desktop PC? (Reuters)
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Reuters - The age of the desktop PC appears to be over as its more portable cousin, the laptop, surges ahead with consumers clamoring for light-weight computers in funky designs for use at home, in cafes and on the train to work.
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Apple disappoints: No Jobs or big news at Macworld (Reuters)
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Reuters - Apple Inc said on Tuesday it was dropping copy protection from songs sold on the Internet and debuted its slimmest 17-inch laptop yet, but with no dramatic products or master pitchman Steve Jobs, the company's final Macworld pe...
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TVs, toys, and translators among inventive CES gadgets (AFP)
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AFP - From a palm-size DJ studio to a monitor that lets mute people make telephone calls, hot gadgets headed for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) floor had early debuts on Tuesday.
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Internet portals targeted by Chinese crackdown apologise (AFP)
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AFP - Google and other major Internet sites apologised on Wednesday after the Chinese government accused them of failing to police links on their web pages that could lead to pornographic material.
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Orbitz Worldwide names CEO, plans cost cuts (Reuters)
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Reuters - Online travel agency Orbitz Worldwide on Wednesday said it named Barney Harford as president and chief executive and added that it would cut costs an additional $20 million to $25 million a year.
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Wii boosts UK games sales, music resilient (Reuters)
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Reuters - British retailers sold a record combined number of DVDs, games and music in 2008 despite the economic gloom, boosted by the popularity of Nintendo's Wii and single downloads, trade bodies said on Wednesday.
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Time Warner sees $25 billion fourth-quarter charge (Reuters)
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Reuters - Time Warner Inc expects a fourth quarter loss due to a $25 billion charge, largely related to the depressed value of its cable assets, and said advertising at its AOL and publishing units were weaker than expected.
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Apple to sell copy protection-free songs (Reuters)
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Reuters - Apple Inc has reached a deal with major record labels to sell digital songs without the copy protection software that had prevented fans from sharing music bought from its iTunes store, the maker of the iPod and iPhone said on ...
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Satyam Computer head quits, admits doctoring books (AP)
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AP - The chairman of India's Satyam Computer Services Ltd. quit Wednesday after admitting the company's profits had been doctored for several years, shaking faith in the country's corporate giants as shares of the software services provi...
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Apple cuts copy protection and prices on iTunes (AP)
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AP - Apple Inc. is cutting the price of some songs in its market-leading iTunes online store to as little as 69 cents and plans to make every track available without copy protection.
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Billions at stake as China issues 3G licences (AFP)
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AFP - China issued long-awaited third-generation mobile phone licences Wednesday, a move that will pour billions of dollars into new networks as consumers buy video- and Internet-enabled handsets.
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LG shows off `Dick Tracy' wristwatch phone (AP)
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AP - It looks like Dick Tracy may finally get his wristwatch cell phone, the one that does video calls.
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China blogger population exceeds 50 mln: report (AFP)
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AFP - China now has more than 50 million bloggers as increasing numbers of people seek an outlet for their views, state press reported.
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Chinese net companies apologize for lewd content (Reuters)
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Reuters - Three Chinese Internet operators have apologized for failing to purge "vulgar" content following a government pledge this week to expose and shut down offending websites.
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