News For Tuesday Oct 7, 2008 News For Tuesday Oct 7, 2008

Science  & Technology Science  & Technology

Internet traffic grows 53 percent from mid-2007 - Added 4 weeks ago

International Internet traffic kept growing in the last year, but at a slower rate than before, and carriers more than kept pace by adding more capacity, a research firm said Wednesday. The findings by TeleGeography...

Review: Google Chrome lacks polish under the hood - Added 4 weeks ago

Google Inc.'s new Web browser, called Chrome, does much of what a browser needs to do these days: It presents a sleek appearance, groups pages into easy-to-manage "tabs" and offers several ways for people to control...

AT&T wireless data network goes out in East - Added 4 weeks ago

AT&T Inc.'s wireless data network was down Wednesday morning in parts of the eastern U.S., according to user reports and the company. AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said access was restored just before noon Eastern...

New music site gives fans a cut of tune sales - Added 4 weeks ago

Being a trendsetter can be pricey. As any fashionista or gadget hound knows, the latest frocks and tech toys don't pay for themselves. But a new Web site is trying to make it profitable for music lovers to stay ahead of...

CEO of embattled Web-tracking firm NebuAd leaves - Added 4 weeks ago

The chief executive of NebuAd Inc., whose Web tracking technology raised a privacy backlash, has left the company to be chief financial officer at Verifone Holdings Inc., a maker of payment processing equipment. ...

Summary Box: Review finds Chrome lacking polish - Added 4 weeks ago

GOOGLE'S BROWSER: Chrome has the right bells and whistles and a few cosmetic enhancements over its main rivals, Firefox and Internet Explorer. But under the hood its performance fell a bit short in initial tests. ...

Google polishes product line with Chrome browser - Added 4 weeks ago

The new Web browser that Google Inc. released Tuesday is designed to expand its huge lead in the Internet search market and reduce Microsoft Corp.'s imprint on personal computers. The free browser, called "Chrome," is...

Deal reached to help Kootenai sturgeon spawn - Added 4 weeks ago

The government and environmentalists have reached an agreement to help the endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon spawn for the first time since the 1970s, the parties say. The deal will end six years of litigation...

New eBay site has social, environmental aim - Added 4 weeks ago

Most consumers probably associate eBay Inc. more with vintage lunch boxes and low-priced electronics than with laptop bags made from recycled plastic by women in New Delhi. The online auction operator is trying to...

Review: Google Chrome lacks polish under the hood - Added 4 weeks ago

Google Inc.'s new Web browser, called Chrome, does much of what a browser needs to do these days: It presents a sleek appearance, groups pages into easy-to-manage "tabs" and offers several ways for people to control...

Google polishes product line with Chrome browser - Added 4 weeks ago

The new Web browser that Google Inc. released Tuesday is designed to expand its huge lead in the Internet search market and reduce Microsoft Corp.'s imprint on personal computers. The free browser, called "Chrome," is...

Gustav brings down cell, Internet service - Added 5 weeks ago

Power outages caused by Hurricane Gustav brought down cellular and Internet service in parts of Louisiana, but its impact was much milder than that of Katrina. AT&T Inc., the main landline phone company in the...

VMware EVP of R&D goes back to Oracle - Added 5 weeks ago

Software company VMware Inc. said Tuesday that its executive vice president of research and development, Richard Sarwal, has resigned. Sarwal is returning to Oracle Corp., which he left in December to join VMware. ...

Russia's MegaFon to sell iPhone - Added 5 weeks ago

MegaFon, Russia's third-largest mobile phone company, said Tuesday it will start selling Apple's iPhone 3G in Russia later this year. MegaFon did not provide further details of the deal. iPhones have not gone on sale...

Sony unveils improved PlayStation Portable - Added 5 weeks ago

Sales are improving in Japan for Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable handheld video game machine, and a beefed up version with a clearer display is expected to add momentum, a senior executive said Tuesday. The portable...

Ad targeting based on ISP tracking now in doubt - Added 5 weeks ago

It sounded like a winning proposition _ free money _ for Internet access providers. By tracking their subscribers' personal Web surfing habits, they could help deliver ads targeted to the consumers' interests, and claim...

UN chief: Next US president must lead on climate - Added 5 weeks ago

The next U.S. president must show greater leadership than previous administrations in tackling climate change, the head of the United Nations said Sunday. "All the countries in the international community are looking...

6 Internet providers disclose Web tracking for ads - Added 5 weeks ago

The nation's largest Internet service providers all say they haven't partnered with Silicon Valley startup NebuAd Inc. to monitor Web surfing and deliver targeted advertising to their subscribers. Here is a look at six...

Phone companies prepare backup plans for Gustav - Added 5 weeks ago

The hurricane bearing down on the Gulf Coast could be a test for the country's wireless carriers, which faced criticism and a regulatory push after Hurricane Katrina took out networks. Sprint Nextel Corp. spokeswoman...

Soft economy speeds newspaper decline, job cuts - Added 5 weeks ago

The newspaper industry's downward spiral is accelerating as the weak U.S. economy depresses already-tumbling advertising revenue and forces more rounds of job cuts and other trims. The developments of recent weeks come...

FAA outage reveals odd computing practices - Added 5 weeks ago

When a computer glitch at a Federal Aviation Administration center caused widespread airline delays this week, it served as a reminder that the U.S. flight system is waiting for a modernizing overhaul. But it also...

Gustav headed for current that fuels big storms - Added 5 weeks ago

The difference between a monster and a wimp for Gulf of Mexico hurricanes often comes down to a small patch of warm deep water that's easy to miss. It's called the Loop Current, and hurricane trackers say Gustav is...

GM to offer radios with ports for music players - Added 5 weeks ago

General Motors Corp. says it will offer optional radios with USB ports for personal music players on some of its 2009 models. The new radios will allow customers to play music from iPods or MP3 players while charging...

Tips for staying connected in disasters - Added 5 weeks ago

Tips on how to keep your communications alive in a disaster such as a hurricane: _ Keep your cell phones charged. Buy extra batteries if you can, and remember to charge them. _ A car adapter will let you recharge from...

Dell 2Q profit drops 17 percent and stock plunges - Added 5 weeks ago

Slashing computer prices helped Dell Inc. boost sales in its fiscal second quarter, but the No. 2 PC maker's bottom line took a hit when efforts to cut costs failed to make up the difference. Investors punished the...

Comcast to make monthly Internet use cap official - Added 5 weeks ago

Comcast Corp., the nation's second-largest Internet service provider, Thursday said it would set an official limit on the amount of data subscribers can download and upload each month. On Oct. 1, the cable company will...

Microsoft to buy Web-comparison shopping sites - Added 5 weeks ago

Microsoft Corp. is buying a Munich, Germany-based Web comparison shopping site and its parent company for about $486 million in cash. The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker says the acquisition of Greenfield Online...

Comcast to make monthly Internet use cap official - Added 5 weeks ago

Comcast Corp., the nation's second-largest Internet service provider, Thursday said it would set an official limit on the amount of data subscribers can download and upload each month. On Oct. 1, the cable company will...

Lifestyles of Brazil's ancient urbanites revealed - Added 5 weeks ago

Roads and canals connected walled cities and villages. The communities were laid out around central plazas. Nearby, smaller settlements focused on agriculture and fish farming. The place: the now-overgrown jungles of...

Summary Box: iPhone woes likely won't dent Apple - Added 5 weeks ago

WHAT'S WRONG: The new iPhone 3G has been marred by bugs, spotty service and other oddities. WHY IT MATTERS: Apple Inc. has had many missteps before, but it enjoys a reputation for well-designed, sleek products that...

Even critics give Apple a pass on iPhone 3G woes - Added 5 weeks ago

First an iPhone price cut left early buyers feeling foolish, and then came reports that some iPods were spitting sparks. Now the new iPhone 3G has been marred by bugs, spotty service, disappearing programs for the...

Sector Snap: Chinese online gaming stocks - Added 5 weeks ago

Chinese online gaming stocks traded lower Thursday after Giant Interactive Group Inc. reported second-quarter profit that met Wall Street views but was downgraded by one analyst after failing to issue third-quarter...

Reborn retail site fires salvo in shipping war - Added 5 weeks ago

With gas prices high and consumers stretching shopping dollars, competition is heating up online for deals _ and a discount retail site hopes to fan the flames by shipping orders for $1.95. Chicago-based Enable...

China Telecom says profit slips 8 percent - Added 5 weeks ago

China Telecom Ltd. said Thursday its first-half earnings slipped 8 percent as revenues for fixed-line voice service shrank and warned it faces pressure on profits as Beijing carries out a planned restructuring of its...

TiVo shows another profit, but outlook weak - Added 5 weeks ago

TiVo Inc. managed consecutive quarters of profitability for the first time ever despite eroding subscriptions, demonstrating that the pioneer in digital video recorders is on track in reducing marketing expenses and...

Malaysia blocks anti-government news Web site - Added 5 weeks ago

Malaysia has blocked access to a popular news Web site that often runs afoul of authorities for its sensational political reporting, sparking complaints Thursday that the government has reneged on its pledge to keep...

Microsoft's newest browser may block ads - Added 5 weeks ago

The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s Web browser makes it easier for people to surf the Internet without leaving a trace. Companies that sell advertisements online _ including Microsoft _ can electronically gather...

Arctic sea ice drops to 2nd lowest level on record - Added 5 weeks ago

More ominous signs Wednesday have scientists saying that a global warming "tipping point" in the Arctic seems to be happening before their eyes: Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is at its second lowest level in about 30...

Consumers picked to test hydrogen car prototypes - Added 5 weeks ago

Tom Albert drove his loaner Chevrolet Equinox like any other car. He took it to work during the week, picked up groceries, and loaded up the back with bags of soil at the garden store. When his infant son was fussy,...

Researchers offer new way to avoid bogus Web sites - Added 5 weeks ago

Intercepting Internet traffic, and spying on the communication between two computers, is a gold mine for hackers. Now Carnegie Mellon University researchers hope software they've built will make it harder for criminals...

Summary Box: Consumers testing hydrogen vehicles - Added 5 weeks ago

TEST PROGRAMS: General Motors, Honda and BMW are letting a small number of consumers road test hydrogen-powered vehicles to gain feedback and see how the advanced vehicles might fare in day-to-day driving conditions. ...

Microsoft's newest browser may block ads - Added 5 weeks ago

The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s Web browser makes it easier for people to surf the Internet without leaving a trace. Companies that sell advertisements online _ including Microsoft _ can electronically gather...

TiVo issues 3Q revenue guidance below Wall Street - Added 5 weeks ago

TiVo Inc. says its revenue in this quarter will fall short of analysts' current expectations. The digital video recording company said Wednesday that its revenue for services and technology should be in the range of...

Printer maker offers to help people print less - Added 5 weeks ago

A leading printer maker wants to help you do less printing. Printing an article off the Web often produces several pages of waste, including ads, links and boxes for entering text. So the latest version of a Web...

New Nikon SLR camera shoots high-def movies, too - Added 5 weeks ago

Nikon Corp. on Wednesday launched the first digital still camera with interchangeable lenses that also shoots movies. The D90 single-lens reflex camera, or SLR, takes 12.3 megapixel stills, but can also shoot movies in...

Arctic sea ice melts to second worst on record - Added 5 weeks ago

New satellite measurements show that crucial sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has plummeted to its second lowest level on record. The National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo., announced Wednesday that the extent...

Mystery 'iPhone Girl' generates Internet intrigue - Added 5 weeks ago

!!-- pobj:XKC801-0827081519 -->Who is the "iPhone Girl"? Pictures of an Asian factory worker found on a new iPhone sold to a British customer have generated keen discussion on the Internet about her identity _ and her...

Dell unveils new PCs targeting emerging markets - Added 5 weeks ago

Dell Inc. unveiled four low-cost computer models for China, India and other emerging economies Wednesday in a new bid to tap the potential of high-growth markets outside the United States. The two notebook and two...

Best Western rebuts claims of massive data breach - Added 5 weeks ago

Did a computer intrusion at a Best Western hotel in Germany open the door for a hacker to steal the records of 8 million customers and pull off "the greatest cyber-heist in world history," as a Scottish newspaper put...

Mars rover leaving crater after yearlong probe - Added 6 weeks ago

The plucky Mars rover Opportunity is driving out of a giant crater nearly a year after a dangerous descent to examine exposed bedrock. NASA said Tuesday that engineers noticed a power surge in Opportunity's left front...