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AP Technology NewsBrief at 3:59 a.m. EST
(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Food banks go high-tech to feed the hungrySEATTLE (AP) _ Food banks across the country are undergoing a high-tech revolution, adopting sophisticated databases, bar coding, GPS tracking, automated warehouses and other technologies used in the food industry that increasingly supplies their goods. It's a long way from handing out macaroni and canned soup from a church basement.
Holiday Web shopping looks brighter than last yearSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Internet retailers hope the convenience of the Web, plus discounts and deals, spur still-nervous shoppers to spend more online this holiday season _ even as traditional retailers brace for mediocre sales. Internet analysts at comScore Inc. expect online retail revenue to rise 3 percent to $28.8 billion for the months of November and December. That includes the Web sites of traditional retailers, such as Macy's, but excludes auctions, travel and large corporate purchases.
Gift Guide: Accessories to jazz up mobile phonesPeople you know have spent small fortunes on shiny new smart phones such as the iPhone 3GS, a BlackBerry or the Droid. But the devices still don't have all the features they want. The battery runs out too quickly when they surf the Web, watch a movie or play a video game. They wish the phone offered turn-by-turn directions like a true GPS unit and without monthly payments. A tripod would come in handy when they want to take a group photo on the phone for Facebook.
Sony optimistic on 3-D TVs, in-house displayTOKYO (AP) _ A third to a half of the Sony Corp. TV sets sold annually will be packed with 3-D features by the year ending March 2013, a senior executive said Thursday. But Sony Executive Deputy President Hiroshi Yoshioka acknowledged that what Sony may really need for itstype:bold,italic; money-losing TV business is its own display technology and the ability to make its own TV displays.
Time Warner Cable asks help on rising program feesTime Warner Cable Inc. is asking the public for help as it tries to curtail increases in the programming fees it has to pay to carry cable channels and broadcast stations on its systems. The nation's second-largest cable TV operator unveiled an advertising campaign Wednesday asking cable subscribers to vote online on whether it should "roll over" or "get tough" in negotiations over the fees.
AT&T and Verizon ads duel on airwaves and in courtNEW YORK (AP) _ What would the holidays be without bickering between siblings? AT&T and Verizon are swamping TV with ads attacking facets of each other's wireless networks. While the ads stick fairly close to the truth, there's a lot they don't say. AT&T Inc. has been running ads with actor Luke Wilson checking off points in AT&T's favor over Verizon Wireless. It's the continuation of a spat that started a month ago, when Verizon started airing cheeky commercials that highlighted how its fast, third-generation ("3G") network has wider coverage than AT&T's 3G system.
US online ad revenue down 5.4 pct in third quarterOnline advertising revenue in the U.S. fell 5.4 percent in the third quarter from a year ago, as the sputtering economy kept its tight grip on even the fastest growing segment of industry, according to a report released Wednesday. But there's a glimmer of hope: Revenue was up 1.7 percent from the second quarter, the first sequential increase since late 2008, the industry trade group Interactive Advertising Bureau said in a report prepared by PriceWaterHouseCoopers LLP.
Facebook creates dual-class structure, but no IPONEW YORK (AP) _ Facebook has created a dual-class stock structure designed to give founder Mark Zuckerberg and other existing shareholders control over the company. The move could be seen as laying the groundwork for an initial public offering, though the social network said Tuesday it had no plans to go public "at this time."
Microsoft says cost-cutting CFO to step downSEATTLE (AP) _ Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday said its chief financial officer is departing at the end of the year and will be replaced by the man now responsible for the books at the division that produces Microsoft Office and other business programs. CFO Chris Liddell led an effort this year to slice $3 billion in costs at Microsoft after it became clear the technology sector would not be immune from the effects of the economic meltdown. The plan included Microsoft's first mass layoffs, wage freezes as well as cuts to employee travel and other expenses.
Google apologizes for offensive first lady imageSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Google Inc. is apologizing for a racially offensive image of the first lady that appears at the top of the list when users search for pictures of Michelle Obama on its site. Google placed a text ad above the image titled "Offensive Search Results" that states "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree."
(c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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