PC World - Tivo on Tuesday took a step forward in marrying TV with the Web, introducing a new set-top box that will bring cable programming and streaming content from the Internet to TV screens.

AFP - Authorities are investigating an official in southern China after his purported diaries appeared on the Internet, describing acts of alleged bribery and sexual misconduct, state media said Wednesday.

PC World - China Unicom, the only mobile network operator selling iPhones in China, is in talks with Apple to sell a version of the popular smartphone with Wi-Fi, something the companies could not do previously due to government regulations.

PC Magazine - On Tuesday, Asus launched the M4A89GTD PRO motherboard, with a novel feature: the ability to 'unlock,' or enable processor cores that a user hasn't paid for.

AFP - Robots that teach Chinese, computers controlled by moving the eyes and flying alarm clocks were among the weird and wonderful gadgets wowing crowds Wednesday at the world's top high-tech fair.

AFP - A city in Kansas seeking to be a test hub for a high-speed broadband network being built by Google has temporarily changed its name to... Google.

Reuters - Internet telephony firm Skype took a second major leap into the wireless market in just a few weeks, unveiling software from top phone maker Nokia Oyj which could run on more than 200 million smartphones around the world.

PC World - Smartphone maker High Tech Computer (HTC) on Wednesday defended itself against accusations of patent infringement by Apple, saying it develops its own technology.

AP - For the last few years, Activision's 'Call of Duty' series has dominated video-game warfare. The latest chapter, 'Modern Warfare 2,' was the best-selling game of 2009, and it still leads the list of Xbox Live's most-played titles, joined in the top five by two earlier 'CoD' releases.

AP - Ignoring the health risks of heavy cell phone use invites a cancer epidemic, supporters of a bill requiring manufacturers to put labels on mobile phones and packaging said Tuesday.

AP - Rimage Corp. posted a 30 percent jump in fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday, due to improving sales of its higher-end CD and DVD recording equipment.

Reuters - Opera Software said on Wednesday it had seen a surge in downloads of its browser after Microsoft started to give Europeans the option of choosing smaller rivals' browsers.

PC World - Vimov is offering developers writing for the Apple iPad a head-start in testing their apps, using an iPhone as a multitouch controller for Apple's iPad simulator. The tool is designed to help developers who otherwise face problems testing some hardware-dependant features of their apps until they can get their hands on a real iPad.

PC World - Google, PayPal and Equifax are the first identity certifiers approved to offer secure access to government Web sites under a new trust framework operated by Open Identity Exchange. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will become the first government Web site to allow users to log in using the new system, the organizations announced Wednesday.

PC World - Apple may ship the Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad on March 26, a little more than three weeks from now, according to the latest rumors. The new claim comes on the heels of a rumor from earlier this week that Apple had to delay the iPad launch because of 'an unspecified production problem' in Apple's supply chain.

Reuters - Microsoft is still seeing a lot of interest in its Windows 7 computer software launched last year and a new budget cycle will help a gradual recovery in business spending, its chief operating officer said.

AFP - Spanish police said on Wednesday they had arrested three men suspected of building the world's biggest network of virus-infected computers which hijacked more than 13 million PCs.

AFP - The Washington Post launched a paid news application for Apple's iPhone and the iPod Touch on Wednesday.

AFP - Mobile phone giant Nokia said on Wednesday that its smartphone users could begin making free calls after it teamed up with Internet phone pioneer Skype which permits free calls.

NewsFactor - TiVo on Tuesday set out to reinvent itself with DVRs that blend television and Internet viewing experiences. The TiVo Premiere and TV Premiere XL combine access to cable programming, movies, web videos, and music.

PC World - With the introduction of TiVo Premiere, the DVR maker has a shot at staying relevant as Internet video grows.

InfoWorld - Can Google Android phones compete with the Apple iPhone? A few weeks ago, Google loaned me a Nexus One smartphone for experimentation, and I've spent the time since downloading applications and writing my own code. The good news is that the platform is not only competitive but is often a better choice than the iPhone for many programmers and the enterprises that employ them.

AP - Spanish authorities who dismantled a network of up to 12.7 million virus-infected, data-stealing computers said Wednesday the mastermind of the scam remains a mystery, even though three alleged ringleaders have been arrested.

AP - Because startups aren't required to report regular financial results the way publicly traded companies are, it can be hard for outsiders to get a sense of what hot ones like Facebook and Twitter are really worth.

NewsFactor - Nokia is making Skype available for the Symbian platform. A joint announcement Wednesday by the world's largest handset maker and the maker of the most popular VoIP calling software means that owners of select Nokia devices will be able to make phone calls over Wi-Fi or a mobile data connection at a fraction of the cost for normal calls.

AP - The comedians who played presidents on 'Saturday Night Live' have gathered for a comedic summit in a new Web video on FunnyOrDie.com.

Macworld.com - Apple on Tuesday released ProKit 5.1 for Leopard and Snow Leopard, an update for the company’s line of professional-level applications. According to the support release, the problems addressed range from a fix for improper scrolling behavior, a change to the “layout of interface elements in certain alert windows,” and a resolution for an issue involving “memory leaks.”

Reuters - The Israeli military called off a raid in Palestinian territory after a soldier posted details, including the time and place, on social networking website Facebook, Israel's Army Radio reported on Wednesday.

Reuters - Spanish criminals who stole bank details from computers around the world did not realize the power of the illegal network they had created which could have paralyzed an entire country's computer systems, police said.

Macworld.com - An unlikely combatant barged into the skirmish over the future of Flash on Tuesday: Virgin America. The airline unveiled its new Website, which replaces the use of Adobe’s technology with similar HTML-based capabilities.

AFP - The Washington Post, which launched a paid news application for Apple's iPhone on Wednesday, is also looking at other platforms but has no plans to charge for its website, a Post executive said.

PC World - After a pilot in Bangalore, Citibank is planning to expand its mobile payments program, using mobile phones with NFC (Near Field Communications), to other cities in India and around the world, a company executive said on Wednesday.

PC World - Apple claims that both HTC and Nokia are infringing on its iPhone-related patents with their smartphones. Nokia accuses Apple of infringing on its patents. Motorola is fighting with RIM over smartphone patents. And, Facebook was awarded a patent for the newsfeed. Either patent suits have become simply another business strategy, or the patent system itself is woefully inadequate, or both.

PC World - An Iowa State psychology professor is claiming--not for the first time--that his latest published study offers irrefutable evidence that exposure to violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior. And a Texas A&M psychology professor has responded--in the same publication--claiming that the Iowa State study is methodologically flawed.

Macworld.com - In an odd move, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said at an investor conference on Tuesday that the iPad would be primarily a “Wi-Fi driven device.” This despite Apple’s plans to release a 3G-enabled version that will run on AT&T’s own network.

NewsFactor - Microsoft is promoting alternative browsers to millions of Windows users across Europe -- and Opera is poised to pounce on the opportunity. With a brand-new, faster iteration of its open-source browser, Opera is working hard to gain the attention of Europeans looking for an Internet Explorer alternative.

AFP - Google on Wednesday threw its backing behind HTC, maker of the Internet giant's Nexus One smartphone, after Apple accused the Taiwan company of infringing on iPhone patents.

PC World - Apple's lawsuit against Nexus One maker HTC and its ongoing legal battles with Nokia and Kodak suggest a universal truth: that lawyers start where innovation stops. Maybe smartphone innovation has slowed so much that Apple now finds it easier to play defense than to invent cool new iPhone technology.

Macworld.com - With all the snow in the east and rain in the west, maybe what everyone needs is a nice software deal. You've now got two from which to choose. You don’t even have to leave your couch. For a limited time, you can find a couple of appealing and affordable bundles from MacHeist and the The Mac Sale.

PC World - TigerDirect is sweetening its offer of a refurbished Zune 4GB with an FM transmitter and charger, a dashboard grip pad, and a leather carrying case--all for $50 (you can find the new MP3 player by itself at Amazon for over $100).

PC World - If you're in the market for a new cell phone and a new digital camera, visit Wirefly.com, which is offering the Sony Ericsson C905a for free with activation of a new line of service with AT&T.

NewsFactor - The national broadband plan that the Federal Communications Commission submits to Congress later this month is now expected to cost up to $25 billion. But since the nation's lawmakers are looking for ways to reduce the national debt, the FCC is seeking ways to offset the cost through spectrum auctions and other measures.

NewsFactor - As Apple gets ready to ship its Pads with AT&T as the exclusive U.S. 3G carrier, the wireless giant's CEO seems to be downplaying expectations by saying the tablet computer will be 'largely a Wi-Fi-driven product.'

AP - Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. posted a smaller net loss for its fiscal first quarter Tuesday as its sales climbed and expenses declined.

NewsFactor - Spanish authorities say they have nabbed the hackers behind the Mariposa botnet. The botnet, which was developed for large-scale theft of information, took control of more than 13 million computers in 190 nations.

AP - Semiconductor maker Altera Corp. on Wednesday raised its guidance for first-quarter revenue, citing improving sales across its product lines. But even with the boost, the forecast fell short of Wall Street expectations and shares fell in after-hours trading.

AP - RealNetworks Inc. has settled lawsuits with six movie studios that sought to stop it from selling technology that let consumers copy DVDs to their computers.

PC World - The news from Chile on Saturday morning, appearing on the Associated Press app on my iPhone as I read it half-asleep, was tragic but distant: An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale had rocked central Chile and the capital city of Santiago, and dozens were already confirmed dead.

Macworld.com - Last week, enterprising gamers discovered some “evidence” that Steam, Valve's popular “App Store for games,” might be coming to the Mac. On Wednesday, Macworld and a number of other outlets scored screenshots that pretty much confirm it, and even hint that blockbuster series like Half Life and Left 4 Dead should be along for the ride.

AP - Hulu's days as a free online video site could be ending soon.

AP - Facebook and Omniture, the Web analytics software maker, said Wednesday they are working together to help companies use the world's largest social network as a marketing channel.

AP - A federal judge in Delaware has agreed to put a patent fight between Apple Inc. and Finnish phone maker Nokia on hold pending resolution of their competing claims before the International Trade Commission.

Reuters - Nortel Networks Corp said it received U.S. and Canadian court approval for the sale of its carrier Voice over Internet Protocol and application solutions business to Genband Inc for about $182 million.

Macworld.com - Larry Ellison may not be too keen on cloud computing, but his next-door neighbor Stephen P. Jobs certainly is. MobileMe (and its predecessor, .Mac) offer cloud storage and a range of other services for an annual fee. Apple’s acquisition of Lala suggested that iTunes may someday offer storage and streaming of music over the Internet—about which Apple has apparently been talking to content providers. Now there’s a new twist.

PC World - TiVo is taking a big step with its brand new TiVo Premiere. The Series 4 set-top box, officially unveiled this week, brings a refreshed design and host of added features to the decade-old DVR system.

PC World - One thing's for certain: Google isn't exactly bullish on the long-term prospects of the conventional desktop or laptop. When it comes to online search, the conventional PC will be 'irrelevant' within three years, or so claims Google vice-president of Global Ad Operations John Herlihy.

AP - A Los Angeles man charged with running a massive online concert ticket fraud has posted bail in New Jersey.

PC World - The Bluetooth 4.0 wireless specification could start to appear in devices such as headsets, smartphones and PCs by the fourth quarter, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group said on Wednesday.

Macworld.com - Western Digital on Wednesday announced a new line of 2.5-inch solid state drives (SSDs) that use a SATA 3GBps interface. The SiliconEdge Blue SSD is a consumer focused drive meant for use in both portable and desktop computers.

AP - Nortel Networks Corp. has been cleared to sell nearly all of its Carrier Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Application Solutions business globally to Genband Inc. for $282 million.

PC World - RealNetworks has agreed to pay US$4.5 million and permanently stop selling its RealDVD software as part of a legal settlement with six Hollywood movie studios, the company said Wednesday.

Reuters - Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is in no rush to take the popular social-networking site public, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.