AFP - A Chinese court has issued tough sentences to members of a huge software counterfeiting ring, which distributed more than two billion dollars' worth of fake Microsoft goods, the company said.

AFP - A Chinese court has issued tough sentences to members of a huge software counterfeiting ring, which distributed more than two billion dollars' worth of fake Microsoft goods, the company said.

PC Magazine - Several users reported Wednesday that their original 30-Gbyte Microsoft Zune MP3 players crashed soon after midnight on the morning of Dec. 31. Microsoft said late in the day that the problem was tied to the leap year, but should be fixed on Thursday.

InfoWorld - Imagine how different the tech industry might have been had Gary Kildall accepted IBM's offer, back in 1980, to license his computer operating system for a top-secret project. CP/M would have been the OS that shipped with the original IBM PC, and the world might never have heard the name of Kildall's competitor, who eventually accepted the contract: a Mr. Bill Gates.

Reuters - A malfunction of some Microsoft Corp Zune music players was caused by an error in the way the device accounts for leap years, Microsoft said.

CNET - The Mac operating system in December made a stronger showing among users accessing the Web, according to preliminary figures from Net Applications.Fortune's report on Net Applications' findings, which are based on browser data. The iPhone's toehold also is a record, more than tripling its December 2007 figure of 0.12 percent.

PC World - Zune owners now have a fix for their failing devices thanks to Microsoft that has posted instructions on how to start the new year off with a working digital music player.

CNET - Mark January 15 in your calendar: Rumors of layoffs at Microsoft peg that as the day the bad news will come.

AP - Web-savvy moms who breast-feed are irate that social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace restrict photos of nursing babies. The disputes reveal how the sites' community policing techniques sometimes struggle to keep up with the booming number and diversity of their members.

AP - Many of Microsoft's Zune media players that froze up on the last day of 2008 because of a glitch involving their internal clock were functioning properly Thursday as the new year was ushered in, according to the company. However, a few people were still complaining of problems operating the devices.

AP - This is not just a place people are born and live. Las Vegas is an enterprise.

Reuters - For videogame publishers the start of 2009 marks a new phase in gaming with the release of new titles no longer confined to the top holiday sale months but spread throughout the year.

Reuters - Nokia will focus on profit development amid falling cellphone market, Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo told the Financial Times.

CNET - Digital music, long the bane of the music industry, may finally be something that record label executives can smile about.

Reuters - China Mobile (0941.HK), the world's top wireless carrier, jumped more than 3 percent on Friday, helping extend gains in the broader market, after China approved the issuance of licenses for next generation (3G) mobile networks.