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Microsoft and Google have agreed to end a bitter five-month legal feud over Google's hiring of a former Microsoft executive. The two companies did not detail the terms of the settlement, which ends two separate suits. However, it is widely believed that Kai-Fu Lee, who had overseen Microsoft sales e...

Comcast, the nation's largest cable television company with 21.5 million subscribers, announced it would follow in the footsteps of No. 2 Time Warner Cable and offer a "family friendly" package of TV channels. Comcast's G-rated offering bundles 16 stations, including Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, ...

Citing free speech issues, a federal judge has blocked a California law outlawing sales of violent video games to minors that was scheduled to go into effect next week. The ruling hands the gaming industry a victory that may be short-lived, however, as similar legislation looms. The court order, wh...

Since the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act in 2002, there has been a great deal of confusion and fear in corporate boardrooms. Many of my peers are now reluctant to serve on boards, and some have actually resigned. In my opinion, much of this fear and confusion is unfounded. The fact of the matte...

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott yesterday bolstered his pending November lawsuit against Sony BMG Music Entertainment, adding a number of new allegations that reflect harm to consumers who purchased certain CDs. The original suit alleged the company surreptitiously installed spyware using so-call...

In a move that solidifies its market position and also eliminates a significant competitor in the hard disc drive space, Seagate Technology said it would buy Maxtor for US$1.9 billion. The all-stock deal brings together the number one and number four makers of hard disc drives in the world and will ...

Setting a firm deadline behind its oft-repeated threats to issue stiff fines against Microsoft, the European Commission has given the software giant just five weeks to bring itself into compliance with an order that found it engaged in anti-competitive behavior. Microsoft could face fines of up to U...

Nielsen Media Research yesterday announced that it would provide national TV audience estimates that include viewing from Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) beginning with the week of Dec. 26, 2005. "Nielsen is keeping pace with the evolving ways that people watch television, thereby ensuring that our r...

Before the advent of the Internet, telecommuting was considered an abnormality, something done in rare circumstances by select individuals. However, when broadband connectivity became widely available, telecommuting opportunities became more common. Surprisingly, after a few years of healthy growth,...

In a bold move to strengthen its grip on the money-making side of the Web search business, Google has finalized a deal to pay US$1 billion for a 5 percent stake in America Online and to deliver advertising to AOL sites. The deal, which came about after months of back-and-forth negotiations among AOL...

While credit card companies research and develop new anti-fraud measurements, alternative payment solutions providers are cashing in on the demand for online security and customer choice. Alternative payment solutions are often less expensive for the merchant and can be easier to use than setting up...

Congress is leaving a special gift under the tree for Hollywood's film industry. Just before closing for the holidays, legislators introduced a new proposal designed to curb redistribution of movies. The Digital Transition Content Security Act would embed anticopying technology into the next generat...

Worried that American companies -- notably Google and Yahoo -- are dominating a key part of the technology landscape, the Japanese government is considering starting up a rival search engine. Reports out of Tokyo say the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will convene a study group con...

Suggesting the patents at the heart of an adverse court ruling that could force it to shut down or alter its BlackBerry e-mail service are without merit, Research In Motion said it would continue to battle NTP in the courts and at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The defiant tone sounded by RIM...

For the last several days, Google has set the online and financial worlds buzzing with an expected deal with America Online that could be cut as early as today. Although opinion varies on the wisdom and impact of the move, there's one point on which everyone agrees: The maneuver will add fuel to the...