News - Online Archives - CNET News.com RSA lobbies for S/MIME standard - Pushing its flavor of secure email, RSA Data Security launched a campaign today designed to make its S/MIME security protocol for electronic messaging the market's de facto standard and to win the official blessing as an Internet standard, too. [News.com] PSINet peers with smaller ISPs - PSINet (PSIX) came through with its promise today to let small Internet service providers interconnect with its network for free. [News.com] Power Computing files for IPO - Power Computing, the largest Macintosh clone maker, today filed for an initial public offering in hopes of raising as much as $30 million in capital and fueling its push to build on the Microsoft-Intel platform. [News.com] ISPs may face charges over child porn - As many as five Internet service providers may face serious legal charges for providing access to newsgroups used by child pornographers in cases that critics are calling election-eve politics. [News.com] FCC opens up wireless Net - Companies that offer video programming over wireless networks can now jump into the fast Net access business, the Federal Communications Commission said today. [News.com] Altera, Xilinx primed for growth - In case you haven't noticed, the entire semiconductor industry has been getting pounded for the last year. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, the industry is expected to post a 1.8 percent decline in unit sales to $134.7 billion in 1998, due largely to a combination of overcapacity, weak demand from Asia, and a slackening in PC sales. [News.com] Playing the stock options game - Doling out stock options to employees is nothing new in Silicon Valley, but a number of high-tech companies have modified that concept and are using stock options as a way to sidestep the hassles of hard currency. [News.com] Sun "encourages" SGI users to swap - It didn't take long for the vultures to start circling over Silicon Graphics (SGI), the embattled high-end workstation and server vendor. [News.com] AOL buys rival service - The $1.2 billion sale of CompuServe will reshape the industry's landscape, strengthening America Online as the leading online service and bolstering WorldCom in the backbone business. NEWS.COM examines what the deal means for the Internet service market and its consumers. [News.com] Webcasting Hong Kong's transition - More than 20 major broadcasters launched Webcasts today to help cover Hong Kong's return to China, the latest example of news organizations using the Web to report high-profile events. [News.com] Anti-fraud group spams by mistake - The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) accidentally sent numerous unsolicited emails, or "spam," to investors who sent inquiries to its anti-fraud email address, the group said. [News.com] Weak demand, low prices wreak havoc - PC and chip titans are feeling the strain of world events. HP says job cuts are coming while two companies halt plans for chip plants. [News.com] AltaVista debuts Discovery search app - Compaq is continuing where Digital Equipment left off with the AltaVista search site, beefing it up to compete in the cutthroat portal market. [News.com] Japan to cut chip plant spending - Japanese semiconductor makers are expected to sharply reduce their capital investment, a move that may affect the entire Japanese economy, business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said today. [News.com] 3Com networks small business - With the growing use of networking cards that speed data at 10 times the rate of traditional desktop Ethernet technology, the need for small-office networking gear that supports this faster standard is growing. [News.com] EU official seeks global Net charter - The top telecommunications official of the European Union today called for an international charter to regulate the Internet and other electronic networks. [News.com] Incentive programs meet email ads - Steve Markowitz thinks he has found a foolproof way of not only delivering email advertising to Netizens but also getting them to ask for it. The idea: Pay surfers to receive the ads. [News.com] Intel hosts Beijing speech forum - Intel will host the first International Speech Forum in Beijing on Monday, an effort to advance speech recognition technology for Chinese markets. [News.com] Sweet deals for high-tech execs - This year's run-up in Internet stocks has made America Online chief executive Stephen Case the $160 million man, in just the latest example of hefty compensation packages for high-tech executives. [News.com] New face for Net security? - Remembering computer passwords may become a thing of the past. [News.com] Apple's Newton in doubt again - The Apple Computer (AAPL) group that develops handheld computers based on the Newton operating system may be facing staff attrition and consequently losing development momentum. [News.com] SportsLine to launch IPO - SportsLine USA said it wants to raise as much as $38.5 million in its initial public offering. [News.com] Upgraded SiteMinder toughens security - Netegrity (NETE) today released a new version of its SiteMinder software for security management of intranets and extranets. [News.com] New chips for low-cost PCs - Cyrix and SGS Thomson today announced new processors for consumer computers that unite system functions and multimedia features on a single processor. [News.com] Argentine chamber outlaws piracy - Acting to catch up with modern standards, Argentina's Chamber of Deputies has unanimously approved changing the country's legal code to penalize software theft as a crime. [News.com] HP, Motorola face critical test - Hewlett-Packard and Motorola, two technology industry titans, continue to struggle with the impact of economic uncertainty in Asia. How they deal with those uncertainties could provide others with a roadmap for how--or how not--to react to market forces. [News.com] Uneasy software alliances - The now-infamous bug battle between RealNetworks and Microsoft represents a problematic part of the software industry: how competitors' products work together. Microsoft, for example, may take on Apple's popular multimedia platform QuickTime even though the software giant is an investor in the Mac maker. [News.com] Sun, MS: 100 percent pure slugfest - To sum up the year's headlines about Java, one need only look back at the year-end summary for 1996: "MS, Sun battle for Java." The two titans fought tooth and nail again in 1997 to direct--or deflect--the momentum behind Java, but Sun ended the year a step closer in its campaign to turn its nascent programming language-cum-platform into an international standard. [News.com] Microsoft under the gun - [News.com] Umax gains Mac OS 8 license - Umax Computer Company officials today confirmed for the first time that they have reached an agreement with Apple Computer to sell computers with the newest version of the Macintosh operating system, called Mac OS 8. [News.com] Proxy Server 2.0 crowds firewalls - Though Microsoft (MSFT) says it doesn't plan to compete with firewall vendors, its plans to add firewall security features to the latest version of its Proxy Server software could shake up the firewall software market. [News.com] FCC: ADSL is interstate service - The Federal Communications Commission ruled that GTE's new advanced digital subscriber line (ADSL) service should be classified as a long-distance service, meaning this kind of high-speed Net access will be regulated but not taxed by Washington. [News.com] The lights will stay on--probably - Here's the good news: Your lights will probably still work on January 1, 2000. [News.com] Activerse updates messaging - Messaging software maker Activerse today rolled out the next version of its Java-based instant messaging application. [News.com] Xmas sales up for Net merchants - Offline retailers were disappointed by holiday sales, but the same might not be true in the burgeoning online retail market. [News.com] 6 PC leaders preview notebooks - Hewlett-Packard (HWP), Dell Computer (DELL), IBM (IBM), Digital (DEC), NEC, and Toshiba are announcing new notebook PCs today, paving the way for a high-profile exhibition of these products at Comdex in November. [News.com] New Cisco router to unclog ISPs - Networking giant Cisco Systems (CSCO) next month will ship a long-awaited router line intended to unclog congested Internet service provider (ISP) networks. [News.com] Excite inks Ticketmaster deal - Excite (XCIT) announced today that it will provide direct online ticketing and live event information through an agreement with Ticketmaster (TKTM), the search engine's second big step this month to bolster its content offerings. [News.com] The week's news: iMacs for cheap, IBMs for $599 - Apple will unveil a leasing program for its hugely popular consumer desktop next month, News.com reported, offering iMacs for $30 a month in an effort to maintain sales momentum. Meanwhile IBM introduced a $599 Internet-ready PC, becoming the first major vendor to go under this price point. [News.com] Onsale tweaks its business plan - Back in the early days of electronic commerce, Onsale championed the idea that an auction conducted over the Internet could sell a lot more than dusty antiques or million-dollar paintings. [News.com] Microsoft updates DirectX tools - Microsoft is giving multimedia and game developers an easier way to program on Windows today in releasing its software development kit for the DirectX 6.0 technology. [News.com] Microsoft connects Net properties - Here's just one of the hard lessons Microsoft learned on the Web this year: money might buy a lot, but it can't buy love and apparently, it can't buy an audience, either. [News.com] Roller-coaster week for tech stocks - roundup  In this week's market madness, the technology industry was among the sectors hardest hit by Monday's stock drubbing on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrials and Nasdaq seeing their largest one-day point declines ever. The tables would only turn Tuesday when the market made a record-breaking rebound. The sizzle was squelched, however, by glitches at online trading firms that executed trades long after they were placed and by analysts' war of words, which pulled investors in opposite directions and drove PC and chip stocks down. [News.com] Sybase revamps PowerBuilder - Sybase (SYBS) is making good on its promise to deliver Web-ready development tools to its users. [News.com] Tool maker overcome by Progress - Application development tool maker Progress Software (PRGS) will acquire Apptivity, a privately held Java tool specialist, in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $13 million. [News.com] Netcom belt-tightening pays off - Netcom (NETC) today posted a smaller loss than expected due to tightened up operating expenses and ramped up revenues. [News.com] The Web goes too far, military says - The military's efforts to put information on the Internet may have gone too far, the Pentagon said today, pointing out that snoopers can read details on personnel, military facilities, and even weapons under development. [News.com] Pentium II portables below $2,000 - Just as last year saw the rise of the sub-$1,000 PC in the desktop market, this year is witnessing a similar phenomenon in notebooks: A spate of sub-$2,000 notebooks with the newest mobile Pentium II processors. [News.com] Microsoft aims new content at IE users - As the new year approaches, Microsoft is jumping onto the Web with more free editorial content, but some of the best material still is available only through later versions of its own browser, Internet Explorer, rather than Netscape's Navigator. [News.com] Micron releases high-end servers - Micron (MUEI) has announced two new Pentium Pro-based servers as the company continues to reap benefits from its acquisition of NetFrame. [News.com] Bertelsmann sees AOL deal as a win-win - German media conglomerate Bertelsmann said today that its European joint venture with America Online (AOL) would benefit from the takeover of rival CompuServe (CSRV). [News.com] Public urged to help domain mess - In the face of an impasse, the Commerce Department is asking for public input on the future of the Internet's domain name system, releasing a request for comment on how the administration of the Internet's naming system should be handled. [News.com] NSF bows out of domain names - The National Science Foundation will bow out of assigning domain names no later than March 1998, the federal agency announced today. [News.com] Compaq eyes Yahoo, Time Warner - Compaq is reportedly in talks with Yahoo and also Time Warner about a joint venture involving its recently acquired AltaVista search engine. [News.com] Profits expected for AOL - Wall Street expects America Online to post a fourth-quarter profit tomorrow and to focus growth in e-commerce transactions and subscribers. [News.com] DOJ: Microsoft is "unreasonable" - The Justice Department today accused Microsoft of applying a "twisted" and "patently unreasonable" interpretation to a judge's order forbidding the software giant from packaging Web browsing software with its dominant Windows 95 operating system. [News.com] @Home user files may be at risk - @Home (ATHM) has updated its software to prevent subscribers of its cable-modem service from sharing each other's files or viewing them without permission. [News.com] HP, Mitsubishi form notebook team - Hewlett-Packard (HWP) and Mitsubishi announced they will partner in producing a superlight notebook computer using Intel's new Tillamook microprocessor. [News.com] SGI, Kodak help explore Mars - Silicon Graphics and Kodak are providing the technology to drive a high-tech microrover that will traverse the surface of Mars on a mission for NASA. [News.com] IBM leads tech stock charge - Shares of IBM (IBM) jumped ahead nearly 8 percent today, but failed to propel the technology-laden Nasdaq to great heights or move the Dow forward. [News.com] CBS to advertise on AOL - While executives in the portal industry have touted television as a crucial medium for advertising their services, it seems that the tables are beginning to turn. [News.com] Confab explores DSL, cable - In the race to provide high-speed data access to Internet users, DSL will win over cable modems, an analyst at a BancAmerica Robertson Stephens conference on the subject said today. [News.com] PowerTools files suit against Umax - A Texas-based start-up that saw its nascent Mac-cloning business affected dramatically when Apple changed its licensing practices this summer has struck back with a $50 million lawsuit. [News.com] AlterNIC founder arrested - An FBI official confirmed today that AlterNIC founder Eugene Kashpureff was arrested Friday in Toronto on U.S. charges related to wire fraud. [News.com] Domain plan takes database bids - The interim Policy Oversight Committee (iPOC) will soon open bidding for plans to build the central database for a new Internet domain name registration system that aims to replace the InterNIC. [News.com] Gore frees access to medical info - A new service providing all Americans free access to cutting-edge medical research on the Web has been launched by Vice President Al Gore. [News.com] WebSite jazzes up server pages - O'Reilly and Associates is jazzing up Web server pages in a bid to compete more closely with Microsoft (MSFT). [News.com] Chip slump hits NEC - Japanese electronics giant NEC said today that it would plunge deep into the red in the first half of this business year, succumbing to a global chip slump and joining a long list of industry peers that have issued harsh loss warnings. [News.com] HP offers stripped-down $799 PC - Continuing its effort to reach the cost-conscious customer, Hewlett-Packard today released a new series of "microtower" computers that start at $799, as well as a $2,199 400-MHz Pentium II machine with a recordable CD-ROM drive. [News.com] IBM succeeding in NC market - IBM's (IBM) Network Computer (NC) appears to be making headway in the corporate market, while Sun Microsystems and Oracle's Network Computer Incorporated (NCI) have yet to make an impact. [News.com] Disney to launch email for kids - The Walt Disney Company said it is on course to bring "D-mail," its branded version of email for children, to a personal computer near you in time for Thanksgiving. [News.com] Infoseek latest to get patent - Search engine and Internet guide Infoseek (SEEK) said today it has received a patent for its method of searching multiple databases on the Web. [News.com] MS betas support ECMA Script - Microsoft (MSFT) may not have been the first to introduce a scripting language for the Internet, but it says it's the first to support a standard Internet scripting language. [News.com] CA sales propelling earnings - Bolstered by a jump in sales of client-server products, Computer Associates (CA) expects to beat the street when it reports its earnings next month. [News.com] The lights will stay on--probably - Here's the good news: Your lights will probably still work on January 1, 2000. [News.com] Spammers jump gun on legislation - A growing number of spammers have started using disclaimers that imply their mass emailings comply with a new law, the Consumer Antislamming Act. There's only one problem: The legislation is not yet law. [News.com] SNET to use Net-based EDI service - Southern New England Telecommunications (SNG) will use the Internet-based EDI service of DynamicWeb to allow its suppliers to take orders and submit invoices over the Net. [News.com] Yahoo guides Scandinavia - Enlarging its global expansion binge, Yahoo said today it has launched localized Internet guides in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. [News.com] Avant, TMA announce merger - Avant (AVNT) and Technology Modeling Associates (TMAI) (TMAI) announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to merge in a $150 million stock deal. [News.com] NEC: $285 million more for Packard Bell - NEC will invest an additional $285 million in Packard Bell NEC to crank up plans to sell directly to customers. [News.com] CompuServe indictment protested - International cyberliberties groups are protesting the indictment of a German CompuServe executive who's being held accountable for pornography found on the online service. [News.com] Packard Bell signs on CEO - Personal computer maker Packard Bell NEC announced it has tapped Alain Couder to be president and CEO. [News.com] Compaq cuts flat-panel prices - Compaq today announced price cuts on its flat-panel and traditional computer monitors, bringing its lowest-priced LCD display under $1,000. [News.com] Satellite networks get boost - Two-way data communications via satellite got another boost today when Orbital Sciences said it had started the in-orbit testing of all eight of its recently launched satellites. [News.com] News providers merge - Desktop Data (DTOP) and Individual (INDV) announced today an agreement to merge and form a new company, NewsEdge, with an estimated $75 million in annual revenues. [News.com] It's official: Apple keeps Newton - After much internal confusion, Apple Computer (AAPL) said today that it will not spin off its Newton subsidiary. [News.com] Notebooks may get built to order - Fujitsu PC may translate some of the build-to-order techniques used to cut desktop PC costs to its notebook production process. [News.com] Apps built without writing code - Netscape Communications and Forte Software said they will work together to help customers develop high-performance applications that can work with the Internet. [News.com] Pac Bell fined for withholding data - The California Public Utilities Commission said it fined Pacific Bell $309,000 for holding back data on "poor" ISDN product quality. [News.com] E*Trade warns of losses - Online brokerage E*Trade Group expects to add one million accounts to its current base of 460,000 over the next four to eight months, senior vice president Rebecca Patton told investors today. [News.com] IBM, Monsanto in genetics tie-up - ST. LOUIS--Monsanto (MTC) and IBM (IBM) have entered into a wide-ranging technology alliance that features genomics research collaboration, the companies said today. [News.com] Doubling dial-up speeds - Diamond Multimedia Systems (DIMD) plans to unveil today a proprietary technology it says can double the speed of current Internet dial-up connections by using two standard phone lines at once. [News.com] White House crypto controls make rounds - Despite public statements to the contrary, the Clinton administration is helping pave the way for mandatory controls on the domestic use of encryption through proposed legislation that may be offered up to Congress as early as tomorrow, according to staffers on Capitol Hill. [News.com] 3Com debuts e-commerce site - 3Com (COMS) wants to blaze a new Internet commerce trail. [News.com] U.S. Robotics posts gains - Modem maker U.S. Robotics (USRX), which is planning to merge with 3Com (COMS), today reported a stronger second quarter, partly because of better profits on some of its modem products. [News.com] Adaptec expects charge for reorg - Adaptec, a maker of data input-output devices, said it expects to record a charge of about $22 million to $28 million post-tax in the second quarter to cover recent restructuring moves. [News.com] SAP sees American gains - German software group SAP said today that it expected a clear increase in its market share in the United States in the next few years. [News.com] Site shows graphic music video - By yanking a music video laced with graphic images, MTV Networks appeared to be sweating heated protests earlier this month against the song "Smack My Bitch Up." [News.com] Hitachi launches mini-notebook - Hitachi has announced a mini-notebook, following in the footsteps of Toshiba and Mitsubishi. [News.com] Subcommittee still worries about SSA site - Just days after the Social Security Administration announced the reopening of its Internet site that offers taxpayers access to calculations of their future retirement benefits, a congressional subcommittee has asked that the agency delay the move until further measures are taken to protect users' privacy. [News.com] Armada sails into retail channel - Compaq (CPQ) today released a business notebook for the retail channel as part of its never-ending quest to grab market share. [News.com] NetPC specifications final - A coalition of the PC industry's heavyweights have completed the long-awaited specification for the NetPC, a specification they hope will define a new generation of networked PCs. [News.com] U.S. markets zigzag - Wall Street surged late in the day to close higher, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose as much as 56.9 points and dipped as much as 45.83 earlier on. [News.com] Markets slide on profit worries - U.S. stocks fell today, hit by worries that a further slide in the yen and a slowing domestic economy will put more pressure on corporate earnings. [News.com] New twist: Low-cost PC bundle - Gateway 2000 (GTW) is adding a new twist to the low-cost PC: A low-cost bundle including a monitor and printer to compete with no-frills sub-$1,000 offerings. [News.com] A home for Ethernets - Microsoft (MSFT) has teamed up with a small networking equipment maker to bring big-system networking to home users. [News.com] Motorola looks beyond Macs - Motorola's (MOT) Semiconductor Products group, which is responsible for PowerPC processors, signaled it will shift its business increasingly away from computers and further toward non-PC markets. [News.com] Motorola, IBM eye India investments - IBM and Motorola have shown interest in making fresh investments in India, the chief minister of the southern state of Karnataka said today. [News.com] Gemplus boosts smart cards - In a big boost to the slow-moving smart card initiative, French manufacturer Gemplus says it will license chips for smart-card readers to high-volume manufacturers of keyboards, PCs, phones, vending machines, and personal digital assistants, for less than $10 per device. [News.com] Fuji Electric to cut 1,000 jobs - Fuji Electric said today it plans to eliminate 1,000 jobs by March of 2000. [News.com] Chip crunch hits Siemens plant - The decision by Germanys Siemens to close a semiconductor plant in England just 15 months after opening the facility is the latest in a series of wrenching consolidation moves in the global chip industry. [News.com] Online PC sales look strong - While the final numbers haven't yet been tallied, there appears to be early cause for celebration about holiday sales among online PC resellers and vendors. [News.com] Asia's turmoil affects Intel - Intel (INTC) said today it was starting to feel the impact of financial turmoil in Southeast Asia, but was still unclear on what the long-term effects would be. [News.com] New site for women in works - In the latest effort to deliver content to the growing numbers of female Web surfers, online content and community company iVillage has announced the launch of its newest site, Life Soup: The Women's Network. [News.com] Senators urge Microsoft OS probe - Three Republican senators are asking the Federal Trade Commission to look into Microsoft's (MSFT) operating system licensing structure. [News.com] Digital plans China NC venture - Digital (DEC) and China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) are planning to work together to develop, manufacture, and sell network computers (NCs) in China. [News.com] Iomega sued over Zip drive noise - Iomega said today that a lawsuit has been filed against the company alleging that a clicking sound in its Zip drive for personal computers may indicate damage to the drive and the disks on which information is stored. [News.com] CA wins NCI enterprise contract - Computer Associates International said today that NCI Information Systems, a $100 million network and systems firm, has selected Computer Associates' Unicenter TNG as the foundation for its new enterprise management center. [News.com] Netscape late to leverage traffic - When it comes to Netscape Communications (NSCP) taking advantage of its heavily visited Web site to make money, the motto that comes to mind is "better late than never." [News.com] Dell CEO invests in start-up - Networking start-up Jato Technologies said it has raised $3.5 million from private investors, including Michael Dell, chief executive officer of Dell Computer. [News.com] IBM drops NetPC - The stampede to provide corporate customers with a NetPC thinned out today as IBM (IBM) decided to drop its version of the product. [News.com] Next Windows goes into full beta - The Windows 95 successor, an upgrade code-named Memphis, has just entered its first full-scale beta-testing program. [News.com] QuarkXPress 4.0 drawn up - Quark is preparing to roll out QuarkXPress 4.0, though it's keeping the release date a secret. [News.com] Pact speeds printing of digital pics - Photo Access and FotoWire have joined forces to allow consumers to order prints directly from digital cameras using the Internet and the Microsoft Windows CE operating system. [News.com] Intel gets cheap - PC vendors are jumping on the cheap chip bandwagon. Earlier this year, AMD made ground on Intel, but lately low-cost systems have been incorporating the Celeron, while Pentium II notebook prices have been dropping. In the future, Intel will develop an even cheaper line of StrongARM processors. [News.com] Cabletron, Cisco eye Yago - Networking start-up Yago Systems is in play. [News.com] Compaq cuts notebook prices - Compaq Computer (CPQ) today announced price cuts up to 16 percent on notebook computers. [News.com] Amazon.com stock jumps 20% - Leaping over its previous all-time high, the stock of online bookseller Amazon.com (AMZN) jumped 20 percent today, after the company announced a new incentive in an effort to bolster its Web presence. [News.com] Dirty domain spree no joke - It wasn't a prank and it wasn't a publicity stunt, says the 21-year-old college student who has been registering naughty domain names to the Microsoft Network. He says he's just casting his net as widely as possible to draw Web surfers to his site. [News.com] Monitor makers settle over size - When Keith Long unpacked his new Packard Bell computer monitor in September of 1993, there was one thing missing. An inch. [News.com] Asyst hurt by chip sector slump - Asyst Technologies, an equipment supplier for chipmakers, said today that it expects its second-quarter revenues to fall 65 percent from the same period a year earlier and to drop even further for the third quarter due to the slump in the semiconductor industry. [News.com] N2K tries multifaceted promotion - The search for a formula to make money selling music on the Net got a boost today by Net music firm N2K. [News.com] Intel invests in Platinum - Seeking to broaden the reach of its management software products, microchip powerhouse Intel (INTC) today announced a far-reaching partnership with enterprise software maker Platinum Technology (PLAT). [News.com] Eloquent offers Net presentations - A two-year-old private company whose multimedia presentation services have attracted blue chip clients today unveiled its first product for use over the Internet. [News.com] Cylink to buy Israeli security firm - Expanding its network security offerings, Cylink (CYLK) today said it will acquire Israel-based Algorithmic Research for $44 million in cash and 2.9 million shares of common stock. [News.com] Candle ships MQSecure middleware - Software maker Candle has shipped MQSecure, a new tool for securing networked communications using IBM's MQSeries message queuing middleware. [News.com] Ingram revenues grow 33 percent - Computer component distributor Ingram Micro (IM) said strong PC sales and continued strength in its distribution channel helped to boost its quarterly earnings. [News.com] Congress facing broad Net issues - Between budget bills and impeachment issues, Congress may find time to advance new Net regulations on broad fronts. [News.com] Is push still dead? - When PointCast pulled its IPO last month, some thought it signaled the end of the era of overhyped push technology. [News.com] China's Net regulations begin - China clamped sweeping new controls on the Internet today, warning that the network was being used to leak state secrets and to spread "harmful information." [News.com] AT&T tests Net music delivery - AT&T will begin testing its A2B Music platform today, delivering a compressed and encrypted single from the band The Verve Pipe to trial participants. [News.com] Netscape takes standard control - Politics and sausage are ugly to watch in the making, as the saying goes. One could add technical standards to that list. [News.com] Asymetrix will buy fellow toolmaker - Tools developer Asymetrix today announced plans to buy competitor Aimtech in a stock transaction, creating the world's largest developer of online learning tools and services. [News.com] HP now an e-commerce power - Call it a one-two punch. [News.com] Net agenda in Congress - In spite of budgetary issues and the ubiquitous White House sex scandal, Congress is finding time to focus on high tech and the Internet. Lawmakers are tackling an array of issues from child protection to spam and copyrights. [News.com] Panasonic set to ship HDTV - This week, Panasonic will begin shipping high-definition televisions (HDTVs), next-generation TVs that are capable of displaying high-resolution digital television broadcasts. [News.com] IBM touts high-capacity disk drive - IBM (IBM) today said its scientists have broken their own record in hard-disk data-storage density at 11.6 billion bits, or gigabits (GB), per square inch of disk space. [News.com] Apple peels off new systems - As Apple Computer (AAPL) prepares to roll out its first desktop systems with the new PowerPC 750 processor next week, the company today announced plans that could help customers get those systems more quickly. [News.com] New software to shield privacy - Symantec (SYMC) today introduced new software that protects the privacy and PCs of Internet users. [News.com] Death marks The Spot - Beset by unrelenting financial woes, the adored Web episodic The Spot is taking its final bow, its producers confirmed yesterday. [News.com] Symantec claims McAfee stole code - Symantec (SYMC) has filed a copyright infringement suit against its rival McAfee Associates (MCAF), alleging that McAfee has pirated code from the company. [News.com] Y2K and pensions, mutual funds - The Y2K front man in the Senate is concerned that the Year 2000 technology problem could create serious risks for citizens' pensions and investments in mutual funds. [News.com] Why are Net stocks deflating? - The stock market has been busy shedding points in recent weeks, dragging down Internet stocks along the way. [News.com] Hong Kong free of China Net controls - Communist China's sweeping new controls on the World Wide Web won't affect Hong Kong's Internet surfers and providers, Anthony Wong, director general of the territory's telecommunications, said today. [News.com] Warner Bros. to launch interactive cartoons - Warner Brothers today announced a deal with togglethis that will bring the New York-based start-up's animation technology and signature character to the Warner Brothers cartoon lineup. [News.com] Three-way deal skirts the taxman - In a roundabout way, following months of speculation, America Online (AOL) today got what it was after: CompuServe's (CSRV) subscriber base. It also got it at minimal tax expense, according to tax specialists. [News.com] Cyrix stock down on missed earnings - Cyrix (CYRX) stock fell as much as 12 percent in early trading today following yesterday's announcement that it would fail to meet second-quarter expectations. Cyrix blamed the shortfall on sluggish sales and price competition on non-MMX processors. [News.com] Cirrus: Losses mean layoffs - Cirrus Logic (CRUS) has announced it will cut 15 percent of its workforce as part of its effort to focus on core products and edge back towards profitability. [News.com] Y2K and pensions, mutual funds - The Y2K front man in the Senate is concerned that the Year 2000 technology problem could create serious risks for citizens' pensions and investments in mutual funds. [News.com] Odetics patent ruling overturned - Odetics, a supplier of communications equipment for the television broadcast, video security, telecommunications, and intelligent traffic solutions markets, said today the judge in its case against Storage Technology has overturned the $70.6 million jury verdict previously awarded to Odetics. [News.com] AOL to offer takeout service - America Online (AOL) members who work up an appetite while logged on to the online service soon will be able to order a pizza or perhaps some Chinese food without picking up the phone. [News.com] Mutual funds do the math online - It comes down to simple mathematics. [News.com] Sony releases DVD drive bundle - Sony Computer (SNE) today announced the availability of its first DVD drive kit. [News.com] Net searching gets eyes and ears - Progressive Networks announced a partnership with search company Netword so that users can type in simple words to link to audio and video clips on the Internet. [News.com] FTC guns for online scams - The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on get-rich-quick schemes on the Net, and 37 online ads already have vanished. [News.com] DVD your way through traffic - Matsushita Electric Industrial said today a subsidiary would launch the world's first digital video disk (DVD) car navigation system that can play video. [News.com] Intel hit by $500 million lawsuit - A technological consulting group is seeking approximately $500 million from Intel for alleged infringement on a patent relating to a now-defunct effort to develop Pentium-class chip clone. [News.com] Upgrade to ease E*Trade's load - Early next year, E*Trade (EGRP) will roll out a new system architecture designed both to address capacity problems that have emerged on heavy trading days and to add new services quickly. [News.com] IBM cuts workstation prices - IBM (IBM) reduced wholesale prices on its IntelliStation line of workstations, in an effort to boost its position in a market increasingly dominated by Compaq and Hewlett-Packard. [News.com] Gore calls for piracy crackdown - Addressing the Software Publishers Association this morning, Vice President Al Gore issued a directive to federal agencies, ordering them to crack down on pirated software in their departments, a hot-button issue for the industry. [News.com] PowerBuilder embraces Java - Sybase (SYBS) on Monday will introduce a major new version of its PowerBuilder application development tool with built-in support for generating Java and C++ objects. [News.com] First Cyrix 6x86 notebook ships - Direct reseller TigerDirect has begun selling the first notebook PCs based on Cyrix (CYRX) 6x86 processors. [News.com] Exec exodus continues at Disney - Another high-level executive is splitting from the ranks at a Disney Internet site. [News.com] iDot squeezes in DVD-ROM - Startup PC manufacturer iDot announced it has started including third-generation DVD-ROM drives from Toshiba on select systems. [News.com] CompuServe launches "C" trial - After months of anticipation, CompuServe (CSRV) today rolled out its new service, "C from CompuServe," just one day before the company's self-imposed deadline of the year's end. [News.com] Intel battles networking big four - Intel (INTC) says it will continue its barrage of networking products next year, heightening the chip giant's play for a piece of the huge infrastructure market. [News.com] Japan to get cheaper Compaq PCs - Compaq Computer (CPQ) said today that it will begin shipping its first low-priced personal computer for the Japanese market on Friday. [News.com] Fore misses the mark--again - Fore Systems (FORE) will miss again. [News.com] IBM rolls out NC software - IBM (IBM) today announced software that makes its Network Station network computers easier to set up and manage. [News.com] Dell eyes shipment milestone - In an industry fraught with turmoil, Dell Computer continues to do well as it races toward a new shipment milestone, selling lines of highly profitable computers and making strides internationally. [News.com] Net metrics inching along - Web audience measurements have become the golden fleece of the Internet, the underlying fabric behind the way companies spin eyeballs into revenues. [News.com] British firm claims Pentium "bug" - A British software company says it has found a flaw that negatively impacts the performance of Pentium processors, but the alleged glitch appears to have been identified and documented years ago by Intel engineers. [News.com] It's all Java to start-up - A database software start-up led by a who's who of industry heavyweights will this month deliver database software for mobile systems written completely in Java. [News.com] Valley breeding ground for laws - A breeding ground for Internet development and high-tech start-ups, California has quickly become a hotbed for online politics with a batch of new Net laws moving toward passage this week. [News.com] Clinton sets e-commerce course - After years of courting the Internet, the Clinton administration today is announcing its long-awaited electronic commerce policy, which would make buying and selling easier and more popular online. [News.com] USR fills in 56-kbps upgrade gaps - U.S. Robotics (USRX) today expanded its upgrade program for 56-kbps modems, but the experience of current customers indicates that buyers might face hurdles in obtaining rebates. [News.com] Net a boon for marketers - For companies in need of marketing information, the Internet offers a means of reaching consumers without having to call them away from the dinner table. [News.com] Oracle offers Year 2000 software - Oracle, the world's largest maker of database software, is unveiling a group of software programs to help midsized companies ready their computers for the turn of the century. [News.com] Netscape sharpens Javagator plans - Netscape Communications (NSCP) says it will have an all-Java browser ready for network computers and other clients by July. [News.com] Compaq becomes notebook leader - Aggressive pricing and wider array of products boosted Compaq Computer into the No. 1 market share position for notebooks, the first time in roughly three years that the notebook leader has not been Toshiba, acccording to a major market research firm. [News.com] Microsoft locks up online banking - Microsoft (MSFT) today announced new 128-bit encryption software intended to secure online financial transactions. [News.com] Is Microsoft eyeing CBS? - Microsoft (MSFT) is reviewing the finances of Westinghouse Electric's CBS unit as it considers making a bid to buy the network, the New York Post reported today. [News.com] Digital to use AMD K6 chip - Advanced Micro Devices(AMD) has enlisted Digital Equipment as a customer for its K6 processor, the first major U.S. computer manufacturer to sign on. [News.com] The week's news: Keep your eye on Intel - Intel's developer conference in Palm Springs, California, produced a raft of news about the chipmaker's plans for several different computing markets. [News.com] Lucent aims to expand in Asia - Lucent Technologies said today that it would expand its business in the Asia Pacific region including Japan by introducing its fast-growing data networking products and other communications software. [News.com] DVD-Audio standard near - An industry standard for DVD-Audio, the next-generation audio technology with seven times the storage capacity of a compact disc (CD), looms near and may already have been settled. [News.com] HP reduces PC prices - Hewlett-Packard (HWP) announced selected price cuts on its Brio line of small-business PCs. [News.com] Intel aims to put the PC on the road - Intel (INTC) wants you to surf the information highway--even if you are cruising on the autobahn. [News.com] Microsoft posts another bug fix - Microsoft (MSFT) posted a patch today for the second security hole that hackers exploited in its servers in less than two weeks. [News.com] Baan moves into new terrain - Baan, a business applications maker based in the Netherlands, has long toiled in the shadow of its better-known competitor, SAP. But the company is now making a move into new markets that could give it a higher profile. [News.com] Sites prepare for Clinton video - Online media companies, many of which posted the Starr report last week, now are grappling with new complications in the wake of the House Judiciary Committee's decision to release the president's videotaped grand jury testimony today. [News.com] FCC to hold hearings on e-rate - Federal Communications Commission chairman William Kennard said yesterday that public hearings would be held later this year on community access to communications. [News.com] Memory price drops batter TI-Acer - TI-Acer, a joint venture of Acer of Taiwan and Texas Instruments), today said it was further lowering its 1997 financial forecasts due to slumping world prices for memory chips. [News.com] Net tax debate continues - Under the gun of federal legislation to impose a temporary ban on new Net taxes, a majority of the legislators at the first Internet Summit of the States agreed that skimming money from the budding industry could cripple the future of electronic commerce. [News.com] Bug delays Domino Go release - A security flaw is delaying the release of Lotus's Domino Go Webserver and Domino Go Webserver Pro 4.6. [News.com] CheckFree sells management business - CheckFree (CKFR) today said it will sell its management business for $35 million, tightening its focus on a core strategy of electronic commerce. [News.com] Oracle server features VRML - Oracle (ORCL) next week will ship a revised version of its Web Application Server that will include a demonstration of VRML (virtual reality modeling language) technology. [News.com] More Xeon systems arriving - A variety of computers based on Intel's Xeon processor are coming to the market as the high-end server and workstation chip moves into volume production. [News.com] No quick fix for Year 2000 bug - The race to fix the millennium bug in computers has become easier with high-speed technologies, but there is no wonder cure, the India head of a leading software firm said today. [News.com] MS wins expedited appeal request - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia today granted Microsoft (MSFT) its request for an expedited hearing to appeal a temporary injunction that prevents it from requiring computer vendors to bundle its Internet Explorer browser with its Windows operating system. [News.com] AOL suffers email lapse - America Online (AOL) suffered its second email outage in two weeks this morning when a router failed after routine system maintenance, according to the company. [News.com] 3Com rolls out ADSL products - Networking company 3Com (COMS) is giving high-speed Net access a boost this week with the launch of a second generation of ADSL products. [News.com] Compaq announces stock split - Compaq Computer (CPQ) today announced a five-for-two stock split in the form of a stock dividend. [News.com] Mustang bucks losses - Mustang Software (MSTG) narrowed its first-quarter net loss as it tightened company spending. [News.com] Another glitch in BofA Net service - Some Netizens have turned to their banks' Internet offerings to avoid going to the bank and waiting on line. But many have found themselves instead merely waiting online. [News.com] Amazon to buy two companies - Online book and music retailer Amazon.com today announced it is acquiring two Internet companies to strengthen and broaden the services available at its Web site. [News.com] Database firms face bleak 1998 - The database software industry, long a lucrative field for investors, will face a tough year in 1998. [News.com] Why Toshiba is losing notebook share - Toshiba's once-unassailable spot at the top of the notebook world appears to be eroding. [News.com] Booksellers: partner or perish? - BarnesandNoble.com, the online division of bookstore giant Barnes & Noble (BKS), announced partnerships with more than 40 companies today. [News.com] Netcom serves USR's 56 kbps - Netcom On-Line Communications Services (NETC) today became the latest ISP to offer widespread deployment of 56-kbps modem technology. [News.com] FTP won't meet growth target - FTP Software (FTPS) posted another loss for its first quarter and pushed off its goal of reaching 25 to 30 percent growth this year due to slower-than-expected sales of its gateway products. [News.com] Pitfalls of e-commerce - Competition is heating up between banks and brokerages for market share in the online personal financial services space, but technical troubles still plague many firms. [News.com] Street expects profits for AOL - Wall Street expects America Online to post a fourth-quarter profit today, and analysts will focus on AOL's growth in e-commerce transactions and subscribers. [News.com] Bill Gates as soothsayer? - Microsoft CEO Bill Gates's technology predictions for the new year are out: fast DSL connections and DVD will make a big splash in 1998, he says. [News.com] Lotus unveils Java office suite - Lotus Development joined a growing league of Java endorsers in unveiling its long-awaited Java-based business applets and tools package here today. [News.com] Sun SET on the horizon - Sun Microsystems (SUNW) announced an agreement with GlobeSet to deliver electronic commerce packages using the Java programming language and the emerging SET standard for secure transactions. [News.com] Cheaper Gateways to get DVD - Gateway 2000 will use DVD hardware from Chromatic Research and Toshiba in its desktop computers, according to an announcement today by Chromatic. [News.com] Rivalries taken to court - After years of feuding, some technology companies seem more ready than ever to tell it to the judge. [News.com] Windows 98 hits 2.5 million mark - Microsoft today said it has sold more than 2.5 million upgrades of its Windows 98 operating system worldwide since it was launched on June 25. [News.com] JDA Software adds e-commerce - JDA Software is energizing its business with a new e-commerce division. [News.com] Compaq hits new low: $699 - A Presario model from Compaq (CPQ) has pushed the price of a full-featured PC to as low as $699, as sales of low-cost PCs continue apace. [News.com] Supreme Court denies copyright appeal - The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an appeal by a publishing company in a copyright infringement dispute with a computer software firm over a compilation of information about cable television systems. [News.com] Lucent unveils chips for telecom gear - MURRAY HILL, N.J.--Lucent Technologies has unveiled a family of computer chips designed to lower the cost of making telecommunications gear by reducing power consumption. [News.com] Memory chip prices fall - Memory chip prices DRAM slid again in June, continuing a trend that started last year, as U.S. makers become more of a force in the market. [News.com] Penthouse rolls Net video - As the sex industry continues to thrive on the Net, Penthouse is betting that adult video will also find a huge Web audience. [News.com] PC forecast: The big get bigger - Current trends in the PC market point to a seemingly inevitable conclusion: The big will get only bigger. [News.com] Free tool evaluates Y2K issues - Software and services provider Accelr8 Technology today debuted a free scanning tool designed to get companies started on Year 2000-related computer fixes. [News.com] AlterNIC cofounder ready for trial - AlterNIC cofounder Eugene Kashpureff, recently released from jail on a bond, wants to face the feds in court, he said today. [News.com] RSA under fire from IETF - RSA Data Security has come under fire from key members of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), who charge that RSA is pushing a proprietary agenda and taking undue credit for pushing S/MIME along the IETF standards route. [News.com] Small investors to get shot at IPOs - Developments on Wall Street and in Washington combined today to level the financial playing field a bit more for the individual investor. [News.com] Cisco module melds routing and switching - The marriage of simple network switching functions with complex routing in a single box gained legitimacy today when networking kingpin Cisco Systems joined the emerging market, announcing plans to offer a routing module for its popular Catalyst switch line. [News.com] Indonesian site attacked - Portuguese hackers yesterday capped a two-month protest over the Indonesian government's treatment of East Timor by breaking into the Indonesian Military Network Homepage and altering the page. [News.com] Win 98 bug alert feature improved - Microsoft is testing a new feature that will alert users of the Windows 98 operating system to critical updates as soon as they log on to the Internet, the company said. [News.com] Motorola dials in voice activation - Motorola formed a new business unit called the Internet and Connectivity Services Division (ICSD), focused on developing and providing integrated mobile communication and information services. [News.com] CompuServe special meeting set - CompuServe (CSRV) and H&R Block today announced that a special shareholders meeting will be held January 30 to consider CompuServe's agreement to be acquired by WorldCom. [News.com] Dell reduces desktop prices - Dell Computer (DELL) reduced prices on its corporate desktops by up to 20 percent, the latest in a flurry of pricing announcements today from vendors including Compaq, Digital Equipment, and Toshiba. [News.com] Zenith trumpets Divx for DVD - Thomson Consumer Electronics and Zenith (ZE) announced plans to make DVD players next year with new technology that could reduce the threat of pirated content and make playback of high-quality movies more affordable for consumers. [News.com] Motorola scraps DRAM business - Following up on its promise to cut underperforming business lines, Motorola (MOT) said today that its Semiconductor Product Sector would get out of the dynamic random access memory market. [News.com] Valley to join digital TV panel - Over the objections of broadcasters, the Clinton administration today reaffirmed its intention of appointing computer industry reps to a panel that will decide what extra public-interest obligations TV stations will inherit with their new digital licenses, according to the trade publication Variety. [News.com] Swedish political site hacked - Hackers sabotaged the Web site of Sweden's main opposition party last night, only hours before election voting began, a party spokesman said today. [News.com] Fake Viagra selling online - Fake copies of the impotence drug Viagra reportedly are being manufactured in Thailand and India and sold around the world via the Internet. [News.com] Symantec shrugs off suit setback - A judge has denied Symantec's (SYMC) request for a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against antivirus rival McAfee, according to Network Associates (NETA). [News.com] Web sites still just brochures - Consumer goods manufacturers are embracing the Internet by setting up Web sites, but most haven't moved beyond "brochureware" to sell goods or to strengthen ties to distributors, suppliers, or trading partners, according to an industry survey. [News.com] Court says state can regulate Net gambling - In a case sparked by controversy over Internet gambling sites, Minnesota's Court of Appeals has ruled that the state has jurisdiction over online activity originating outside its borders. [News.com] High tech christens lobby group - Technology executives, investment bankers, and venture capitalists officially came of political age today with the formation of a bipartisan lobby group called the Technology Network. [News.com] Ireland's high-tech success - Silicon Valley is not unique to California. The tiny Republic of Ireland, with its population of 3.6 million, has attracted a list of major international names that reads like a "who's who" in the high-technology arena. [News.com] Economic report defies pessimism - A leading German economic institute forecasts solid growth to continue in Western Europe and in the United States despite world economic turnmoil and recession in Japan. [News.com] 80-gbps cable to span Japan, U.S. - A unit of Japan's Kokusai Denshin Denwa today said that it and three other companies had jointly won a $1.15 billion order to build an undersea cable system connecting Japan and the United States. [News.com] Tech stocks and Nasdaq in 1997 - As 1997 comes to a close, a number of tech companies have managed to stay above the fray and outperform the tech-heavy Nasdaq, which gained 20 percent by the end of the year. As the new year approaches, analysts expect Internet stocks to continue to soar, chip stocks to maintain their upward swing, and networking stocks to remain unpredictable. [News.com] Hitachi downsizes desktop - Hitachi PC announced it will merge desktop and portable features into one unit today, offering a 22-pound, "all-in-one" package that is likely to be duplicated by other vendors in the coming weeks. [News.com] New spec for data warehousing - Microsoft (MSFT) today introduced a new specification aimed at making esoteric data-warehousing technology as easy to use as its packaged application software. [News.com] Intel releases server management specs - Intel has released the server computer section of the Wired for Management (WFM) baseline specification, which prescribes an infrastructure for PC manufacturers to implement better server management technology. [News.com] Oracle making proxy server line - Furthering its goal of becoming a one-stop source for Web technology, Oracle (ORCL) is building its own proxy server software, which it plans to ship by summer. [News.com] Lockheed plans to buy Comsat - Stock in defense contractor Lockheed Martin closed lower today after it agreed to acquire satellite communications provider Comsat yesterday in a two-step deal worth about $2.7 billion. [News.com] Lycos acquires GuestWorld - Internet directory Lycos announced today that it has acquired GuestWorld, an online guestbook provider, for $3.9 million in stock. [News.com] The courting of CompuServe - It took a year and a round of suitors that stepped on and off the dance floor, before CompuServe (CSRV) wrapped its arms around a merger deal, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. [News.com] NEC to offer Net PC - NEC's Computer Systems Division (CSD) today announced a Net PC product, becoming the second major vendor to announce a computer that conforms to this specification. [News.com] Compaq buys into Ramp Networks - Compaq (CPQ) has made an undisclosed equity investment in Ramp Networks, which makes network connectivity devices for small and medium-sized businesses. It's the second major investment Compaq has made in networking this year. [News.com] AOL, SportsLine team up for traffic - America Online (AOL) and CBS SportsLine today announced a partnership to make SportsLine a prominent tenant on the AOL Sports Channel. [News.com] Iowa students still surf free - Free Internet access for Iowa's public universities was salvaged today by the state governor, Terry Branstad, when he vetoed a bill that would have made students pay to surf. [News.com] Japan weighs U.S. accounting - Japanese companies are considering U.S.-style accountability to shareholders to help jolt the Tokyo stock market out of its long-term torpor, executives and legal experts say. [News.com] British insurance firm sees Net surge - Eagle Star Direct, a unit of B.A.T.'s large British insurance subsidiary Eagle Star, forecast a 260 percent rise in Internet insurance buying over the next 18 months as it launched its own home cyberpolicy. [News.com] Acma loses Hayes as associate - Computer products supplier Acma said today that U.S.-based Hayes Microcomputer Products (HAYZ), in which it invested $22.75 million for a 28 percent stake in 1996, is no longer an associated company. [News.com] ABC site adds news search - ABCNews.com will announce next week a new audio and video search tool to help users navigate the multimedia-heavy site. [News.com] Barksdale, Homer pitch strategy - Offering a glimpse into its nascent, aggressive enterprise strategy, Netscape Communications (NSCP) CEO Jim Barksdale and vice president of sales and marketing Mike Homer spoke to a gathered group of analysts and press here today. [News.com] Gates: Apple still strong in schools - The Microsoft Windows operating systems are making inroads in the education market, but Chairman Bill Gates acknowledged Monday that rival Apple Computer remains a significant force in schools. [News.com] Companies covet tech grads - IBM (IBM) hit the beach this year, setting up a tent near sunbathers at Florida college spring break hot spot Daytona Beach. [News.com] Excite gets new email partner - Excite said today that it has agreed to license technology from Software.com to power its Web-based email service, MailExcite. [News.com] Net marketing firms merge - Interactive advertising firm Agency.com said it was merging with Eagle River Interactive to form the world's largest agency specializing in marketing on the Internet. [News.com] Ringing in 1998 on the Net - If you don't want to fight the traffic or crowds, New Year's Eve is coming to the Web. [News.com] Umax debuts two Mac clones - Umax Computer continued to expand its presence in the low end of the PC market with today's introduction of a new Mac clone that will sell for under $1,300, but Umax hasn't given up on the high end of the market. [News.com] Micronics shakes up management - Floundering system-board manufacturer Micronics (MCRN) announced a shake-up of its senior management today that officials say will restore the companys status as a Silicon Valley success story. [News.com] Microsoft standards: Windows to W3C - Traditionally, Microsoft's (MSFT) forte has been establishing de facto technology standards like Windows, but increasingly the company is positioning itself as a leading supporter of officially sanctioned Net technologies. [News.com] MMX sales spur Gateway profits - Even as competition heats up in the direct-sales market, Gateway 2000 posted a 34 percent jump in profits, due to strength in international markets and the popularity of Intel's (INTC) processor with MMX capabilities. [News.com] The Net's critical role in scandal - From the day that online gossip sheet Drudge Report broke the story eight months ago, the Internet has played a crucial and controversial role in the national uproar over the investigation of President Clinton. [News.com] Dow and Nasdaq plummet - The stock market took a nose dive today, continuing its recent weakness. [News.com] Pundit sees Apple decline - Another industry pundit has weighed in with an opinion on the fate of Apple Computer (AAPL), stating it faces a bleak future and is destined to slowly fade from its former position of prominence in the PC industry. [News.com] Product lets parents choose, not filter - One of the most argued points about the Internet is whether to filter its unruly content to shield minors from viewing sexually graphic or violent content. Those in favor of filtering see it as a simple solution, while those opposed call it "censorware" that sometimes blocks out valuable content. [News.com] HP sets sights on Compaq - Hewlett-Packard (HPW) has revamped, refreshed, and reorganized its desktop and notebook computer lines in an effort to become a leader in nearly all markets by year 2000. [News.com] Apple stock hits ten-year low - Shares of Apple Computer (AAPL) today hit a ten-year low, following news that its largest Macintosh clone vendor will also build computers on the Microsoft-Intel platform. [News.com] NYU student pulls Web site - An online trademark spat with New York University is teaching fist-year law student Barry Edwards more about his future profession than any professor could. [News.com] Spinning banner ads with audio - Net radio firm Spinner.com is using its format to coordinate banner ads with audio programming, the firm said. [News.com] Data, voice-in-one race continues - Upping the ante in the race to provide technology for a converged networking future, data player Ascend Communications has looked to a veteran provider of high-end server computers for help. [News.com] Net business to dazzle in 1998 - The hottest Internet properties are expected to sizzle in 1998, but the year also will see some dramatic implosions as Web entrepreneurs face the challenge to "show me the money" to be made on the Web. [News.com] Intel making digital camera parts - Intel will release chipsets and software for digital cameras to manufacturers this week, which could lead to relatively inexpensive PC-compatible digital cameras by next summer. [News.com] Pandesic e-business system debuts - Pandesic, the joint e-commerce venture of Intel (INTC) and SAP will roll out its first e-business system by month's end, the company said today at the Internet Commerce Expo in Los Angeles. [News.com] Hitachi delivers 24X CD-ROM - Hitachi today announced a new high-speed CD-ROM drive for personal computers that reads at speeds up to 24X and can access data in 90 milliseconds. [News.com] Open Market loss widens - Internet commerce software provider Open Market (OMKT) today reported a widening first-quarter loss it attributed in large part on acquisitions. [News.com] IBM mum on NetObjects IPO - IBM on Friday declined to comment on a report the company plans to take public its NetObjects Internet software affiliate. [News.com] Firm offers certified email - Certifiedemail.com today launched a service aimed at keeping important email messages from getting lost in the cyberspace abyss. [News.com] Netscape may miss quarter - Morgan Stanley analyst Mary Meeker said today there was a 60 percent chance Netscape Communications (NSCP) might report earnings that fall short of estimates in the upcoming quarter. [News.com] U.N. eyes Net regulation - Following the lead of countless other groups, the United Nations is getting into the problematic business of Internet regulation. [News.com] Hitachi weighs in on DVD-RAM - Hitachi announced today that it has developed DVD-RAM technology that provides a capacity of 4.7GB per side, almost doubling the amount of data which can be stored and offering a challenge to renegade manufacturers such as Sony. [News.com] Apple ally seeks independence - Rising Macintosh clone maker Power Computing is making plans to get out from under Apple's (AAPL) thumb and looking to protect itself on a couple of fronts, as evidence surfaces about Apple's unyielding ways. [News.com] Cyber Promotions hosts hate site - One of the Net's most controversial Web sites has found a new place to call home: one of the Internet's most hated hosts. [News.com] Info-tech age challenges Japan - The ongoing digital revolution and an emerging network age have posed a serious challenge to Japanese businesses, which are still mired in a "post-war" business mode, Sony president Nobuyuki Idei said today. [News.com] Oblix readies software update - Intranet software start-up Oblix plans to roll out, later in the month, new versions of its corporate resource management software packages which help users organize and simplify business changes and the task of providing corporate services. [News.com] Site auctioning celeb memorabilia - First Auction, an online auction site, has launched a celebrity memorabilia auction to benefit charity. [News.com] AMD bundles K6, cuts prices - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), hoping to spark sales of its K6 MMX processors, said it will sell its processors with bundled components, even as it cut K6 processor prices, as reported last week by CNET's NEWS.COM. [News.com] Lycos picked for Explorer channels - Lycos (LCOS) and Microsoft (MSFT) get cozy in an exclusive deal that makes Lycos the sole search engine for the Active Channel Guide in Internet Explorer 4.0, set to be released later this month. [News.com] Lucent sues Acer over patents - Lucent Technologies (LU) has sued Acer, claiming the Taiwan-based PC maker has infringed Lucent patents. [News.com] Fore disappoints Wall Street - Fore Systems (FORE) today missed Wall Street's fourth-quarter expectations due to increasing competition and a strong dollar. [News.com] Lucent wins $30 million deal - Lucent Technologies said it received a $30 million contract to build Jabatan Telekom Brunei's telecommunications network infrastructure. [News.com] Wall Street Journal seeks affiliates - In an effort to increase both readership and revenues, the Wall Street Journal today launched an affiliate program in which Web sites get money for bringing in subscriptions. [News.com] Activerse to ship Ding and Ding Switchboard - Messaging software maker Activerse is set to roll out the complete public version of its Java-based collaboration package, Ding and Ding Switchboard. [News.com] IE deals made with empires - The world's two largest media empires are making some of their best and latest entertainment content available only through newer versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, underscoring the software giant's growing clout in the delivery of information on the Internet. [News.com] USWeb snares 6 companies - Six more companies have gotten snared by USWeb. [News.com] Microsoft cracks down on piracy - Microsoft (MSFT) has filed lawsuits against two Arizona-based resellers as part of a heightened campaign against piracy of the company's server-based software. [News.com] Developer CD-ROM delayed - Apparently, Microsoft's (MSFT) developer support organization is not abiding by one of its own slogans: Time is money. [News.com] Infoseek, Disney plan portal - Web firm Infoseek and Walt Disney's online division today announced plans to start a new Internet site to better position themselves in the ever-escalating portal competition. [News.com] NetObjects acquires a Lotus tool - NetObjects has added to its Web tool collection, courtesy of Lotus Development. [News.com] CompUSA's sales top $5 billion - CompUSA (CPU) said today that its 1997 sales topped $5 billion for the first time as sales for the three months ended December 27 jumped 22 percent. [News.com] Kashpureff to face federal charges - AlterNIC founder Eugene Kashpureff is facing federal charges of wire and computer fraud, according to an FBI warrant. [News.com] Overhaul of SAFE bill approved - In a setback to the high-tech industry and privacy advocates in cyberspace, a House committee today overwhelmingly approved an amendment that would overhaul the Security and Freedom through Encryption Act. [News.com] HP rethinks notebook strategy - After years of lackluster performance, Hewlett-Packard (HPW) is trying to light a fire under its notebook computer division. [News.com] UUNet, Whole Earth make up - Whole Earth Networks and UUNet Technologies today said they have agreed to continue the interconnection of their networks, ending a dispute over Net connection fees. [News.com] Clinton video rolls online - As the president's videotaped grand jury testimony is released, news sites grapple with both bandwidth and ethical issues in posting it. [News.com] Microsoft rebuts DOJ in filing - Contending that the source code for Windows 98 is "the software equivalent to the formula for Coca-Cola," Microsoft today argued why it should be allowed to deliver that code to the Justice Department on its own terms, not anyone else's. [News.com] Sales lead to WebTV service snags - WebTV users have been experiencing delays in accessing the Net, apparently because the number of subscribers has increased following strong holiday sales of the first-generation set-top device. [News.com] More storage, less $$$ - SyQuest (SYQT) upped the ante in the market for removable storage devices with a new $199 drive that accommodates one gigabyte (GB) of storage, bettering comparable offerings from Iomega. [News.com] Compaq debuts low-end workstation - Compaq (CPQ) continued its onslaught on the workstation market today by releasing the Professional Workstation 5100, a Pentium II-based workstation starting at under $3,500 without monitor. [News.com] Network management for all - Small offices with little or no management software expertise will soon be able to dissect their networking gear. [News.com] Survey says: We hate spam - Although many online users feel passionately about keeping the Internet free for all types of speech, that doesn't necessarily mean they want it delivered to their electronic mailbox. [News.com] Clinton video hits the Web - President Clinton's videotaped testimony about his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky hit the Internet today, adding to the piles of digital material that sparked the online fever for full disclosure about the scandal. [News.com] Next-gen Net consulting - A new generation of Internet consulting firms is emerging, each aiming to take advantage of the Net to become the next EDS or Andersen Consulting. [News.com] Glitches found in Norton software - Utility software maker Symantec (SYMC) acknowledged today there are glitches within its Norton Utilities 3.0 software, but the company is cautious about committing to a fix. [News.com] SEC: Make Y2K issues No. 1 - Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Arthur Levitt is telling all the nation's securities firms to make bracing for Year 2000 computer glitches a top priority. [News.com] High-tech firms set sights on Egypt - Computer firms are laying the groundwork for increased market share and investment in Egypt by lobbying to end software piracy and lax laws on intellectual property rights, executives said today. [News.com] Ascend stock jumps on upgrade - Ascend Communications (ASND) shares jumped 5-3/8 today after an analyst expressed faith in the company after its megamerger with Cascade Communications. [News.com] AGIS moves to bag spam - Executives at Apex Global Information Services, who have been criticized for hosting spam-generating companies, think they've found a solution their dilemma: create a master list for people who don't want to get junk email. [News.com] An end to mile-long searches? - When IBM scientist Prabhakar Raghavan was planning a vacation to Thailand about a year ago, he did what many of us in the Internet age now do. He turned to cyberspace. [News.com] Compaq, HP update servers - Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are offering up new takes on familiar server products. [News.com] Cybex faces post-acquisition loss - Cybex Computer Products (CBXC), a provider of switching solutions and PC peripherals, said yesterday that it expected to post a fiscal third-quarter loss as the result of a one-time charge arising from the acquisition of two privately held German companies. [News.com] Trio launches tape technology - Hewlett-Packard (HWP), IBM (IBM), and Seagate Technology (SEG) said today they have agreed to develop a standardized tape technology designed to simplify the network storage industry. [News.com] AOL: Why CompuServe will stand alone - America Online (AOL) executives assured CompuServe (CSRV) employees today that the company plans to keep CompuServe as a separate unit with its own brand identity. [News.com] UUNet repairs Net outages - UUNet Technologies (UUNT) has fixed widespread Internet access problems created by problems with the ISP's routers. [News.com] Microsoft tries to toughen NT - Microsoft (MSFT) wants to prove it can tip the scales. [News.com] Markets react to Clinton video - Wall Street stocks fell hard at the opening bell, as investors gauged what damage the release of President Clinton's videotaped grand jury testimony would inflict on already jittery markets, but recovered later after investors absorbed the initial shock. [News.com] Microsoft sweetens own java deal - Microsoft is embracing java these days--but not the well-known programming language. [News.com] Clinton touts "supercomputer on a chip" - Speaking at a White House awards ceremony today, President Clinton touted federal funding for research into a "supercomputer on a chip," a billion-transistor microprocessor that would dwarf today's most powerful processor. [News.com] Net's one-stop mortgage shop - Intuit (INTU) said it would launch today a service on the Web that offers U.S. home buyers and owners a single site for finding mortgages from leading national lenders. [News.com] AMD targets NCs with chip - Advanced Micro Devices will work with IGS Technologies to offer building blocks for Intel-compatible, low-cost Internet access devices, network computers, and digital set-top boxes--a market that arch-rival Intel has yet to enter. [News.com] Seagate buys storage developer - Seagate Technology (SEG) today announced a $230 million cash acquisition of Quinta, a developer of high-capacity drive technologies. [News.com] Unisys investors reject spin-off - Unisys (UIS) shareholders voted against a proposal to sell or spin off the company's computer hardware operation at its annual meeting in Philadelphia yesterday. [News.com] Clinton regrets "intimate contact" - President Bill Clinton told a grand jury that he had "inappropriate intimate contact" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and he regretted his conduct, in a statement made to the grand jury on August 17 and released today on television and online. [News.com] Foes hammering away at e-rate - Defending federal Net connection discounts for low-income schools and libraries is becoming a full-time job for the Federal Communications Commission. [News.com] Compaq, HP add to lineups - On the eve of the PC Expo trade show here, Compaq Computer and Hewlett-Packard are offering new Pentium II-based business systems as the industry sorts through recent mergers and ongoing inventory control problems. [News.com] Judge backs AOL antispam efforts - A Virginia federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction in America Online's (AOL) suit against a Nevada-based company, which the online service claims spammed its members despite repeated requests to stop doing so. [News.com] IBM stock falls; currency fears cited - IBM (IBM) stock fell today after a late sell-off that traders attributed to market concerns about currency levels. [News.com] Congress may extend Microsoft probe - A request by three senators for an antitrust probe of Microsoft licensing practices could be the beginning of much larger inquiries into the threat of monopolies in the age of media convergence, including congressional hearings this summer. [News.com] Adobe fund pays dividends - Adobe Systems (ADBE) yesterday announced its first dividend of venture investment stock under its venture dividend program. [News.com] Platinum: No reason for stock drop - Financial management software maker Platinum Software said today that it was unable to explain the approximately 37 percent decline in its stock price on Friday. [News.com] E-rate issue still on table - The heavily debated e-rate is back before Congress, as FCC chairman William Kennard says hearings will be held to discuss the disparity in online access among poorer communities. But opponents across the political spectrum are slamming the Net access discounts as an unfair tax. [News.com] Is Year 2000 standard needed? - Weeks after computer giant Compaq was publicly challenged by a British firm over the Year 2000 compliance of its PCs, debate over the need for a global compliance standard is growing. [News.com] China sets smart card standards - China is expected to unveil standards for microchip or "smart" cards by the end of this year, Visa International said today. [News.com] Umax to make Intel notebook - Umax will enter the Intel-based notebook market with 233-MHz models later this year. [News.com] LCD screens to be in short supply - Liquid crystal display screens used in notebooks and desktop monitors will be in short supply until early 1999, continuing to affect the availability of laptops, according to a market research firm. [News.com] Intel breaks ground in Latin America - U.S. microchip giant Intel (INTC) expects to export more than $300 million worth of goods from Costa Rica in 1998 during its first year of operations, Costa Rican President Jose Maria Figueres said yesterday. [News.com] PageNet expects revenue jump - Wireless messaging service PageNet today announced that the company expects third quarter revenues to increase 10 to 12 percent compared to third quarter 1997. [News.com] Cisco income jumps - Networking giant Cisco Systems posted another profitable quarter and declared a 3-for-2 stock split. [News.com] Netscape's deal dependency - Netscape Communications' dealmaking ability is being put to the test, with or without help from the legal woes of rival Microsoft. [News.com] FTC settles Net phone scam - Thousands of surfers who unwittingly incurred millions of dollars in long distance phone bills while accessing adult entertainment Web sites earlier this year will be getting most of their money back, the Federal Trade Commission announced today. [News.com] Novatel has wireless modem for PalmPilot - Novatel Wireless has begun shipping a wireless modem for U.S. Robotics' popular PalmPilot handheld computer. [News.com] Software firms set up shop on Net - Software companies are following the lead of their hardware counterparts and setting up shop on the Web. [News.com] Sun formally enters gigabit race - Sun Microsystems (SUNW) announced its first foray into the lucrative switching market today, sending signals that it may play a larger role in the networking market while buoying the prospects of a Gigabit Ethernet start-up. [News.com] Allaire updates Web editing toolset - Allaire today debuted its latest release of its Web editing toolset. [News.com] Revenues rise for AOL - Fueled by a rise in advertising and e-commerce revenues, in addition to stronger-than-expected membership growth, America Online today soundly beat analysts' fourth-quarter earnings estimates. [News.com] Netscape to support Web ratings - The move to support Web site rating systems in Netscape Communications' Communicator 4.5--to be rolled out Wednesday, according to sources--will likely bolster the use of these online content controls. [News.com] S3 takes a hit due to restatement - Shares of S3 (SIII) tumbled more than 22 percent in trading this morning, following the chip maker's announcement that it would have to restate its financial results for several quarters. [News.com] Egghead redoes Web storefront - Retailer Egghead Computer (EGGS) announced today it has revamped its Web site in an effort to make online transactions easier and faster for customers. [News.com] King of spam meets its maker - Sanford Wallace is laughing today. [News.com] Software built for construction - Two niche accounting software makers have teamed up to develop a new software suite for the project-by-project accounting requirements of the construction industry. [News.com] Motorola mulls more closings - Motorola, which last week suspended construction of a $3 billion chip plant in Virginia, said it is continuing to evaluate its semiconductor business for possible other closures or postponements as the industry suffers an unprecedented slump. [News.com] House clears copyright act - In a landmark move, the House passed legislation today to safeguard copyrights for music, software, and written works on the Internet and to outlaw technologies that can crack devices protecting this property. [News.com] Micron getting back on track - Despite facing stiff competition, Micron Electronics appears to be making some headway in its business recovery. [News.com] 3Com offers NT speed from a distance - 3Com is betting that users of Microsoft Windows NT Server will jump on easy ways to implement the operating system's remote access capabilities. [News.com] Apple board eyes CEO candidate - As the beefed-up board of directors at Apple Computer (AAPL) holds its first face-to-face meeting, observers speculate that the group is mulling over candidates for a new CEO to head the beleaguered company. [News.com] Pol Pot hoax called experiment - A Swedish Internet marketing agency today claimed responsibility for a news hoax that claimed Khmer Rouge guerrilla leader Pol Pot had arrived in Sweden seeking political asylum. [News.com] CompuServe, Time settle suit - Time and CompuServe (CSRV) today settled a lawsuit the magazine filed against the beleaguered online service last month. [News.com] Broadcom preps modem chip - Broadcom, in a major boost for bringing the Internet to television screens, is expected to announce a single computer chip that contains the complicated circuitry needed for home connections. [News.com] No slowdown in sight for Onsale - Online auctioneer Onsale will continue to see rapid growth in sales and customers, chief executive Jerry Kaplan predicted today at BancAmerica Robertson Stephens' New Millennium Conference in San Francisco. [News.com] Outlook email can be abused - A new feature in Microsoft Outlook Express could result in users sending thousands of email messages to the same mailbox, the company confirmed today. [News.com] Gateway loads its 300-MHz Pentium II - Gateway 2000 (GTW) this week became the latest vendor to introduce a more affordable high-end system in time for the Christmas season, offering a 300-MHz Pentium II system and 17-inch monitor for $2,499. [News.com] MS buys stake in software maker - Microsoft (MSFT) says it has agreed to buy a 20 percent stake in Trados GmbH, a German-based maker of translation software. [News.com] The online mall that thinks it can - Hoping to shake off the sluggish sales that plague the sector, online mall iMall (IIML) today named a new CEO who outlined a strategy to boost sales. [News.com] FedEx goal: 100 percent online - Federal Express (FDX) has set its sights on weaning all its customers from paper and voice transactions and moving them to the Internet and other electronic conduits like corporate intranets, said Steve Braun, FedEx's manager of electronic marketing commerce. [News.com] Start-up offers billing for ISPs - Calling their process the missing link for making money on the Internet, Israeli software start-up XaCCT Technologies unveiled a billing system today. [News.com] AOL quietly tests community site - America Online this week quietly began a public test of Hometown AOL, a home page site aimed to compete with the likes of GeoCities, Tripod, and TheGlobe. [News.com] Dow closes at three-month low - The Dow slid to a three-month low by the close of markets today after rekindled worries about Asia's finances triggered a fresh rout in global stocks, with investors seeking safety in the dollar and bonds. [News.com] Borders enters Net book war - Borders Books has announced plans to launch an online bookstore in mid-January to compete with established players such as Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, joining the parade of traditional retail companies fighting for electronic commerce dollars. [News.com] Experian backs away from venture - One of the nation's largest credit bureaus is withdrawing from an online direct marketing venture in the face of Internet users' privacy concerns. [News.com] Boom in multimedia chips seen - A report released today by market research firm Dataquest predicts double-digit growth this year for the international PC graphics and audio processors. [News.com] Results mixed on for-pay content - Information may want to be free on the Internet, yet some Web sites say they are finding success charging users for access to content. [News.com] Spyglass crows about "Blackbird" - Spyglass today said it has agreed to provide software technologies for Motorola's recently detailed "Blackbird" interactive TV set-top box. [News.com] Ziff-Davis loss widens - Computer magazine publisher and trade show producer Ziff-Davis said today that its losses more than quadrupled during the second quarter as weakened technology companies cut advertising budgets. [News.com] Gateway cuts PC prices - Gateway 2000 said today it cut prices by up to 9 percent on its business PCs. [News.com] Small banks SET to be paid - Systems integrator EDS will launch a service in January to process Internet card transactions for financial institutions. [News.com] Corel sees $32 million loss - Software maker Corel (COSFF) today said it will report a loss of about $32 million for the third quarter, following an accounting change. [News.com] Object management revamped - Visigenic Software (VSGN) is revamping its object management software to better work with companies' existing applications and databases. [News.com] Compaq launches PC Theater - Compaq (CPQ) today announced a PC-TV hybrid, called the PC Theater, as part of a plan to dominate the emerging convergence market of computers and consumer electronics. [News.com] Portals under pressure - As the financial quarter comes to a close, several portal power plays are brewing, stepping up competition in the closely watched space. [News.com] Norton upgrades for Windows 98 - Symantec will introduce the latest version of its popular antivirus suite next week, the first of its Norton utilities for Windows 98 users. [News.com] PC industry in Big Apple - The computing industry, wracked by price wars, parts gluts, and inventory issues, is putting on its best face to corporate buyers at this week's PC Expo in New York. [News.com] Senate reviews IE contract with ISP - In a licensing and cross-promotion agreement involving Microsoft's (MSFT) Internet Explorer, a national Internet service provider was forbidden from telling some subscribers about the availability of competing browsers and was permitted to offer them only if the customer requested them, accor