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AP Technology NewsBrief at 9:45 p.m. EDT
(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Adobe releases tools to improve Flash video searchNEW YORK (AP) _ Internet users will now have an easier time finding sites that rely heavily on the popular Flash video format. Adobe Systems Inc., the format's developer, has released a customized version of its Flash Player software that allows Google Inc.'s search engine and others to see the elements of Web pages embedded with Flash content the same way a human would.
Microsoft to sell Office, OneCare for $70 a yearSEATTLE (AP) _ Microsoft Corp. will begin selling its Office programs to consumers on a subscription basis starting mid-July, in a bid to reach thrifty PC buyers who would otherwise pass on productivity software. The move may also set the stage for Microsoft to offer its consumer-oriented programs as "services" over the Web, by acclimating people now to the new pricing model such a shift could require.
Police wnt u to fight crime w/txt msgsTAMPA, Fla. (AP) _ Police in the 1970s urged citizens to "drop a dime" in a pay phone to report crimes anonymously. Now in an increasing number of cities, tipsters are being invited to use their thumbs _ to identify criminals using text messages. Police hope the idea helps recruit teens and 20-somethings who wouldn't normally dial a Crime Stoppers hot line to share information with authorities.
Michael Dell buys $100 million in stockDALLAS (AP) _ In recent days, Chief Executive Michael Dell has bought about $100 million worth of stock in Dell Inc., the shares of which rallied this spring but are still near a five-year low. Shares in Dell rose 4.5 percent Wednesday, the day after Dell's investment was disclosed, but they settled back to close at $22.70, for a gain of 52 cents or 2.3 percent.
EU, US near deal on pact on protecting privacyBRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) _ Privacy rights vs. terror fights: The EU and the United States are close to agreeing on how to protect personal and private data while still letting law enforcement officials share information to combat organized crime and terrorism. Eighteen months of closed-door talks between European and American officials have already led to agreement on key principles for data-sharing, according to Jonathan Faull, director of the European Commission's justice and interior affairs department.
Report: Microsoft seeks help for another Yahoo bidSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Unable to strike a deal on its own, Microsoft Corp. reportedly is hoping to snap up Yahoo's online search operations with the help of News Corp. and Time Warner Inc. The latest twist in Microsoft's convoluted courtship caused Yahoo's shares to rise more than 3 percent in Wednesday's sinking stock market, even though the chances of a deal getting done still seemed remote.
Report: Fiber Internet growth overtakes cableNEW YORK (AP) _ For the first time, more people around the world are signing up for fiber-optic broadband service than for cable Internet service, according to a British research firm. Fiber providers added 4.2 million customers in the first quarter, while 2.5 million customers signed up for cable modems, according to a report released Wednesday by Point Topic.
Review: Banking site MoneyAisle shows promiseBOSTON (AP) _ MoneyAisle is a free new Web service that makes a bold claim: It says it will maximize the interest rates consumers can get on savings accounts, by running online auctions in which banks bid for consumers' business. The idea makes some sense, because a bank generally should find it cheaper to sign up a new customer through MoneyAisle's auction engine than through advertising. In theory, those banks could pass some of those lower costs to customers in the form of higher interest rates.
Citibank ATM breach reveals PIN security problemsSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) _ Hackers broke into Citibank's network of ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores and stole customers' PIN codes, according to recent court filings that revealed a disturbing security hole in the most sensitive part of a banking record. The scam netted the alleged identity thieves millions of dollars. But more importantly for consumers, it indicates criminals were able to access PINs _ the numeric passwords that theoretically are among the most closely guarded elements of banking transactions _ by attacking the back-end computers responsible for approving the cash withdrawals.
Bayreuth's Wagner festival will offer opera onlineBERLIN (AP) _ Germany's annual Bayreuth opera festival is going digital, streaming video and audio of its opening performance of "Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg" live via the Internet. The catch is the price _ $77. Organizers hope the online screening will draw new fans to an annual event devoted entirely to the 10 mature stage works by Richard Wagner, where fans often wait seven years or more for the opportunity to buy tickets.
Copyright ? 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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