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In a week when the stock market dipped wildly and WorldCom filed for bankruptcy, Amazon's $94 million net loss for the second quarter of 2002 paled in comparison. The loss actually represented an improvement over the online bookseller's year-ago second quarter, in which it posted a net loss of $1...

The bursting of the high-tech bubble may already have done away with the weakest players in e-commerce, but experts say the sector's survivors still face tough times in the second half of 2002 and beyond. "We are seeing larger players gaining market share against a background of shrinking demand,...

The Federal Trade Commission must be lacking work these days. Maybe the slowed economy and depressed market have given the FTC too few mergers to squash. How else do you explain the decision to convene a three-day powwow to engage the never-ending debate over whether states or private companies a...

Even as the major U.S. stock markets dipped to new lows, Ameritrade -- the second largest online broker -- said it squeezed out a quarterly profit of $5.7 million. The company noted that order volume has plummeted as consumers have turned away from stock trading in large numbers, reducing revenue...

PayPal has reported that its second-quarter earnings and net income have increased, doubling in key areas compared with year-ago results. The Internet payment service reported second-quarter revenue of $53.8 million, a whopping 173 percent increase over the same period last year. Net income total...

Few companies in recent history, with the exception of spectacular flameouts like Enron, have inspired the kind of loathing that Microsoft has in its climb to the top. "They have a tendency to be like a fighter who gets his knees and elbows into everything," IDC vice president Dan Kusnetzky told ...

In a move to compete with rival Oracle's new 9i database management software, IBM has released a beta version of its new DB2 database. According to IBM executives, the latest software is faster and more reliable than its predecessor, with improved support for Web services. Much of the DB2 buzz cen...

Expanding its service offerings as it awaits eBay's buyout, PayPal said it will begin offering users direct access to U.S. postage through an alliance with Stamps.com. The two companies said the new service, which will let users buy and print U.S. Postal Service stamps through their PayPal accoun...

Following a second-quarter loss that reportedly was mediated by the effects of an aggressive pricing strategy, PC maker Gateway has announced it will knock another $100 off the price of its desktop and mobile computers. Specifically, Gateway said it will reduce the prices of its 300SE and 500SE d...

After suffering a series of security flaws that have shaken customer confidence, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has taken to e-mail to reassure customers that Microsoft has heavily invested in its "Trustworthy Computing" initiative and is on track to ensure the security of its products. Writing to...

Sifting through the stock market wreckage in search of wireless gems has not been a fruitful pursuit in recent weeks. For the most part, experts say, companies in the sector -- especially wireless service carriers -- will need to undergo drastic shifts before wireless stocks again become "must-ha...

Further strengthening its position atop the search engine hierarchy, Google has inked a $100 million, three-year deal to provide paid search results to search engine Ask Jeeves, where it will displace rival Overture as of September. Lisa Strand, director and chief e-commerce analyst at Nielsen//NetR...

AOL chief operating officer Robert Pittman has resigned amid questions about how AOL structured ad revenue between 2000 and 2002. According to the Washington Post, the company attempted to make its long-term profit picture appear rosier than it really was in order to avoid jeopardizing its takeove...

Spending on Web security is expected to triple in the next four years, according to a new report released by research firm IDC. The report predicted that Web security spending will increase 60.5 percent annually to nearly $700 million by 2006, compared with just $65 million in 2001. "The Web pres...

WorldCom has agreed in U.S. district court to freeze its assets for 80 days if the banks pursuing its debt will refrain from legal proceedings for 70 days. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also has given its blessing to the freeze. At the center of the banks' suit are accusations that ...