Top technology news headlines

• 

  BlackBerry Storm packs
  more of a drizzle

  review Phone features an innovative touch screen that provides tactile feedback, but the onscreen keyboard is a bit cramped, and the smartphone can be sluggish, and speakerphone quality is choppy.
  • Verizon's answer to the iPhone

  Read full story
• 

  Gadgets for which
  we're thankful, part 1

  photos Some of your favorite Crave contributors reveal which gadget or aspect of technology they're feeling most grateful for these days.

  Read full story

• Samsung launches 256GB solid-state drive

  Electronics maker begins mass-producing its largest-capacity SSD product to date. Its single-platform design includes a chip controller, NAND flash, and special drive firmware.

  (Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

• What to expect from Dell's quarterly progress report

  Dell's third-quarter earnings results aren't expected to be nearly as impressive as rival HP's.
  • Why Dell has its head in the clouds

  (Posted in Business Tech by Erica Ogg)

• Going solar? Seven sites map your plans

  Consumers and business owners seeking to install solar power can turn to these Web sites for interactive maps and cost estimates.
  • Start-up Meraki to sell solar-powered Wi-Fi gear

  (Posted in Webware by Elsa Wenzel)

• Akamai to cut 7 percent of workforce

  Web content delivery company to slice 110 positions, as a means to reduce expenses in weakening economy.

  (Posted in Business Tech by Dawn Kawamoto)

• Google shutting down virtual world 'Lively'

  Search giant's virtual world project, which launched over the summer but never really got off the ground, will shut down at year's end.

  (Posted in Gaming and Culture by Daniel Terdiman)

• Microsoft, labels try to revive subscriptions

  Those who pay for a $14.95 a month Zune Pass will now get to keep 10 songs a month regardless of whether they remain subscribers.
  • Sources: Apple, music labels talk DRM-free songs
  • iTunes customers angry over copy protection moves at Apple

  (Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

• China to tax virtual goods

  Individuals who gain income from virtual-currency transactions in China are now expected to pay in taxes 20 percent of their profits, or 3 percent of the total value of the transaction.

  (Posted in Negative Approach by Dave Rosenberg)

• Guns N' Roses album to debut on MySpace

  Members of the social-networking site will be able to listen to the band's new album for free online before it goes on sale next week.

  (Posted in Digital Media by Steven Musil)

• Analyst: 'big 'bang' to hit PC, handset industry

  PC and handset industry will clash on tweener products like Netbooks and smartphones.
  • Chip group sees first sales decline since 2001

  (Posted in Nanotech - The Circuits Blog by Brooke Crothers)

• IBM gets DARPA cognitive computing contract

  Initiative is first of several phases intended to eventually reproduce the computing power of the brain, as well as its efficiency.

  (Posted in Gaming and Culture by Daniel Terdiman)

• Obama transition team names tech policy group

  Two former Federal Communications Commission staffers and the head of Google.org will help president-elect's transition team write tech policy.

  (Posted in Politics and Law by Stephanie Condon)

• Netflix streaming service suffers licensing setback

  update Some reports say Sony discriminated against Xbox. Not true. Netflix just didn't get a deal done with Sony that included Xbox.

  (Posted in Digital Media by Greg Sandoval)

• U of Tennessee blocked P2P sites before RIAA law

  RIAA didn't need a law to persuade Tennessee, the home of country music, to block P2P sites back in August.

  (Posted in Digital Media by Greg Sandoval)
• All CNET News headlines

Multimedia

Additional features