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AP Technology NewsBrief at 1:52 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Netflix separates DVD plans from online streamingSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Netflix is raising its prices for the millions of subscribers who use the service to rent DVDs through the mail and watch video over the Internet. Under rates introduced Tuesday, households that want both DVDs and Internet streaming will have to buy separate plans totaling at least $16 per month. It's effective immediately for new members and Sept. 1 for existing subscribers. Papuan strike halts world's biggest gold mineTIMIKA, Indonesia (AP) _ A few computer keystrokes were enough to get Simon Windesi and his friends riled up about the low wages a global mining giant pays them in this distant part of Indonesia. After years of toiling at Freeport-McMoRan's gold and copper mine in easternmost Papua province, many still get just $1.80 an hour. Last week, a strike of the mine's 10,000 employees brought operations to a standstill. Facebook teams with Time Warner to fight bulliesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Facebook and Time Warner are ganging up on bullies to address a problem that torments millions of children and young adults. The partnership announced Tuesday calls for Facebook and Time Warner to use their clout to raise awareness about bullying and encourage more people to report the abuses when they see them. Challenge to Groupon's model with trio of dealsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Groupon's online coupons save people cash, but they're not always great deals for merchants. Some businesses complain that bargain hunters rarely return after scoring a cheap meal or massage. A new site called LevelUp believes it has a way for restaurants, nail salons and other local businesses to keep people coming back. To drum up repeat business, the company offers consumers a series of three deals, each better than the one before. Clear Channel swipes at Pandora with iheart revampLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Radio station giant Clear Channel Communications Inc. is revamping its website and mobile products to imitate the personalized music offerings at Pandora, an online service that is growing in popularity. Bob Pittman, chairman of media and entertainment platforms for Clear Channel, said the success of Pandora Media Inc. proves that people like being able to stream songs according to their personal tastes on mobile devices. Judges in US, Canada approve Nortel patents saleWILMINGTON, Del. (AP) _ U.S. and Canadian judges on Monday approved a $4.5 billion cash bid from a consortium that includes smartphone makers Apple and Research In Motion for thousands of patents held by bankrupt telecom-equipment maker Nortel Networks Corp. The judges approved the results of Nortel's patent auction at a joint hearing Monday, just over a week after the consortium offered five times more than Google Inc.'s initial bid of $900 million for some 6,000 patents and patent applications. Amazon wants voters to decide on tax collectionSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Amazon.com Inc. wants California voters to decide whether to overturn a new law that forces online retailers to collect sales taxes there, setting the stage for a potentially high-dollar ballot fight next year that would pit business against business. A petition for a referendum was filed Friday with the state Attorney General's Office so that voters can decide on the requirement, which was included in a state budget signed into law in late June. Julian Assange back in court to fight extraditionLONDON (AP) _ WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was back in court Tuesday, fighting extradition to Sweden on the grounds allegations of sexual misconduct laid against him there don't amount to a crime. Assange's repeated disclosures of classified U.S. documents have infuriated the Pentagon and energized critics of American foreign policy, but allegations that the 40-year-old Australian molested two women during a trip to Scandinavia last year have tarnished his reputation and cast a shadow over his future. Security holes discovered in iPhones, iPadsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ A new security hole has opened up in Apple Inc.'s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, raising alarms about the susceptibility of some of the world's hottest tech gadgets to hacker attacks. Flaws in the software running those devices came to light after a German security agency warned that criminals could use them to steal confidential data off the devices. Apple, the world's largest technology company by market value, said Thursday that it is working on a fix that will be distributed in an upcoming software upgrade. Google to open research instituteBERLIN (AP) _ Berlin's oldest university says it is partnering with Google and three German institutions to start a research institute. Humboldt University announced Monday that the institute would open in the fall and examine the evolution of the Internet and its impact on society, science, politics and the economy. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |