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AP Technology NewsBrief at 6:11 p.m. EST
(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) 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."
Review: A riff on robotics with self-tuning guitarLOS ANGELES (AP) _ New cars have been tuning themselves for the better part of two decades now, so it should feel less impressive that Gibson has built a guitar that can smoothly do the same. And yet when you strum the Dark Fire for the first time, causing its tuning pegs to spin like the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughan is twirling them over your shoulder, your "wow" knob goes to 11. The perfect pitch it attains in about three seconds is a nice bonus, too.
Senators press EU to speed its Oracle-Sun probeSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ U.S. senators are pressuring European antitrust regulators to hurry their investigation of Oracle Corp.'s proposed acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc., citing Sun's "precarious" financial condition and fears about more layoffs at the struggling computing company. A group of 59 senators outlined the concerns in a letter Tuesday to the European Commission, which has held up the $7.4 billion deal over worries that Oracle would be too dominant in the market for database software.
EU assembly adopts Internet, phone user rightsSTRASBOURG, France (AP) _ The European Parliament has endorsed new telecom rules that would give phone and Internet users more rights and allow them to appeal to national courts if they are cut off for illegal file-sharing. The rules endorsed Tuesday are part of a broad telecommunications package that also aims to boost competition for Internet and phone services. As a last resort, telecom companies could be required to separate their infrastructure and services businesses, giving other companies a shot at providing rival services on the same networks.
Internet activists push for greater democracyBARCELONA, Spain (AP) _ The Internet can be a powerful medium for politicians to get their message across but it is also a vital means for civilians to have a say in what politicians do, participants in a political conference say. Andrew Rasiej, founder of the Personal Democracy Forum series, said tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube help people organize "in order to have an impact on the political process and to petition governments to be more responsive to their everyday needs."
(c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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