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AP Technology NewsBrief at 1:24 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Windows plan lowers Microsoft profit but shares upSEATTLE (AP) _ Microsoft Corp. said Friday its net income fell 18 percent in the last quarter, largely because it deferred revenue when it let summertime PC buyers get free upgrades to Windows 7, which was released this week. Investors looked past that accounting decision, noting that if it had counted its deferred Windows revenue, Microsoft's earnings would have increased 8 percent from last year with the help of big cost cuts. Microsoft shares jumped $1.99, 7.5 percent, to $28.58 in morning trading, hitting a 52-week high. Shares surge as Amazon.com income up 68 pct in 3QSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Amazon.com Inc.'s shares surged Friday after the company reported third-quarter results that showed consumers comfortable opening their wallets to the online retailer despite the still-shaky economy. Thursday's report blew past analysts' expectations, and Amazon predicted more than 20 percent growth in the current quarter. In morning trading, shares rose $20.61, or 22 percent, to $114.06, well past the 52-week high of $97.82. Judge dismisses 'Adult Services' Craigslist suitCHICAGO (AP) _ A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit aimed at driving classified ads for prostitution off the Craigslist Web site. U.S. District Court Judge John Grady said not all postings on the Craigslist "Adult Services" section advertised prostitution and that other services could legitimately appear there. Netflix 3Q earnings rise 48 pct, but stock fallsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Netflix Inc. has been doing so well during the recession that it's getting tougher for the DVD-by-mail pioneer to live up to investors' lofty expectations. Following a familiar script, Netflix on Thursday delivered third-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded estimates as it added another 510,000 subscribers during its traditionally sluggish season. Microsoft hopes for a fresh start with Windows 7SEATTLE (AP) _ Microsoft Corp. finally got its chance to reboot its reputation Thursday, launching a new edition of Windows that it hopes will encourage more PC buyers to get back into stores. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer celebrated the arrival of Windows 7 in New York with a few hundred people who had helped test early versions of the software that runs PCs. One of them, technology consultant, Jonathan Kay, flew from Toronto to attend. Report: China building cyberwarfare capabilitiesWASHINGTON (AP) _ China is building its cyberwarfare capabilities and appears to be using the growing technical abilities to collect U.S. intelligence through a sophisticated and long-term computer attack campaign, according to an independent report. Released Thursday by a congressional advisory panel, the study found cases suggesting that China's elite hacker community has ties to the Beijing government, although there is little hard evidence. FCC votes to begin crafting `net neutrality' rulesWASHINGTON (AP) _ Federal regulators took an important step Thursday toward prohibiting broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain kinds of Internet traffic. Despite the concerns of the telecommunications industry and the agency's two Republicans, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin writing so-called "network neutrality" regulations to prevent phone and cable companies from abusing their control over the market for broadband access. News Corp. exec sees Hulu charging fees for accessHulu, the free online video site where television shows and movies can be watched in their entirety, will start charging fees at some point, one of its owners said. Hulu has struggled to make money despite its popularity as an ad-supported site. News Corp., which co-owns the site with NBC Universal, Walt Disney Co. and Providence Equity Partners, said it hasn't decided what form the subscription model would take. Review: Motorola's Cliq is a snappy smart phoneSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Imagine how you'd feel if you peaked in middle school. That's pretty much what happened to cell phone maker Motorola Inc., which had a megahit in 2005 with its Razr handset but has since failed to fashion another that can approach its popularity. Now that the rest of the cell phone market has matured and feature-packed "smart" phones are becoming the choice of many consumers, Motorola hopes to entice people with the Cliq, its first phone that uses Google's Android software. T-Mobile began selling the Cliq ($200 with a two-year contract) to existing customers on Monday, and it will be available to all comers starting Nov. 2. Microsoft's naming math: Vista plus 1 is 7NEW YORK (AP) _ Microsoft's new operating system launches Thursday, and you may be asking: How did we get to Windows 7? Did I miss 5 and 6? No, you didn't. But Microsoft Corp.'s names for the successive versions of Windows have been more than a little confusing. It's easy to get the impression that with every new version of Windows, Microsoft wants us to forget that there was a previous one. (c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |