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AP Technology NewsBrief at 9:02 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Video rentals top sales for first time since 2000LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Americans spent more money renting home movies than buying them in the second quarter, marking only the second time that's happened in the DVD era. The big switch in consumer behavior shows the rising popularity of cheap alternatives like Netflix and Redbox and suggests people are pinching pennies in this economy. Rental revenue rose 11 percent from a year ago to $2.06 billion, while sales of discs and digital purchases fell 15 percent to $1.93 billion in the three months through June, according to a report released Friday by The Digital Entertainment Group, an industry consortium of studios and electronics makers. Google, Microsoft goes public with patent spatNEW YORK (AP) _ Tech heavyweights Microsoft and Google are acting like a couple of feuding starlets in a public online spat over _ wait for it _ patents. It's not the first time Microsoft and Google have gone at each other's throats, nor is it likely the last. Apple, Samsung smartphones outdo Nokia in 2QNEW YORK (AP) _ Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. zoomed to the top of the list of global smartphone makers in the second quarter, blowing past Nokia Corp. and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd., according to research firm IDC. Korea's Samsung made the biggest jump, from No. 4 in the first quarter to No. 2 in the second, on the strength of its Galaxy phones, which run Google Inc.'s Android software. It sold 17.3 million smartphones in the second quarter, up from 10.8 million in the first, IDC said. Insulin pumps, monitors vulnerable to hackingLAS VEGAS (AP) _ Even the human bloodstream isn't safe from computer hackers. A security researcher who is diabetic has identified flaws that could allow an attacker to remotely control insulin pumps and alter the readouts of blood-sugar monitors. As a result, diabetics could get too much or too little insulin, a hormone they need for proper metabolism. Las Vegas man accused of mass spamming on FacebookSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ A Las Vegas man accused of sending more than 27 million spam messages to Facebook users faces federal fraud and computer tampering charges that could send him to prison for more than 40 years, according to a grand jury indictment. Sanford Wallace, the self-proclaimed "Spam King," pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance Thursday after being indicted July 6 on six counts of electronic mail fraud, three counts of intentional damage to a protected computer and two counts of criminal contempt. Wikipedia says it's losing contributorsHAIFA, Israel (AP) _ Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that is written entirely by volunteers and allows anyone to edit its entries, is losing contributors, its founder complained Thursday. Speaking with The Associated Press on the sidelines of the website's annual conference, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said the nonprofit company that runs the site is scrambling to simplify editing procedures in an attempt to retain volunteers. Review: Acer media-center PC has built-in touchpadNEW YORK (AP) _ Flat-panel TVs and PCs go great together _ the PC gets a giant screen, and the TV gets access to tons of online video. But getting the two together in an elegant way has been difficult. PC makers haven't shown much interest in making computers that work really well when controlled from the couch. Randi Zuckerberg leaving Facebook to start companyNEW YORK (AP) _ Facebook says Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is leaving the company after six years. Facebook said Thursday that Zuckerberg, who had led Facebook's consumer marketing team, is leaving to start her own company. Facebook says the company is "grateful for her important service." T-Mobile USA loses subscribers in second quarterNEW YORK (AP) _ T-Mobile USA continued to lose wireless customers in the second quarter, but did a better job of keeping them than it had during the first three months of the year, when subscribers fled in record numbers. Still, the No. 4 wireless carrier in the U.S. on Thursday posted a record revenue decline of 6 percent from last year, as it sold fewer phones. LinkedIn's 2Q earnings climb as growth acceleratesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ In its first quarterly update since its sizzling IPO, online professional networking service LinkedIn Corp. reassured investors who have been buying into the hype surrounding a promising crop of Internet companies. The second-quarter results announced Thursday injected some hope into a grim stock market and could feed the mounting excitement for upcoming initial public offering of stocks from other rising Internet stars such as online coupon Groupon Inc. and Web game maker Zynga Inc. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |