Surf these sites: "Body scanner" aims to ease online shopping -- British computer scientists have developed a sophisticated body scanner they say provides shoppers with a "virtual changing room" where 300,000 points on the body can be measured with perfect precision. [News.com] "Java everywhere" mantra closer to reality -- The "Java everywhere" mantra is taking one more step toward reality. [News.com] ''Geek gods'' roll in wealth -- Warren Buffet took more than 30 years to make his millions, but the hike was far shorter for Internet entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar. [News.com] 2 firms push thin display technology -- [News.com] 24/7, sports firm strike ad deal -- Internet advertising network 24/7 Media and sports marketing firm American Cities Studios have teamed up to provide specialized advertising for professional sports organizations, the companies announced. [News.com] 3Com buys EuPhonics -- Networking giant 3Com will announce on Friday the acquisition of EuPhonics, a maker of audio software for audio chips and networking cards, for $8.3 million. [News.com] 3Com invests $6 million in wireless firm -- 3Com announced today that it is investing $6 million in wireless data service specialist Aether Technologies in an effort to make Palm handheld computers a platform for remote communication. [News.com] 3Com leads networking charge -- 3Com shares closed nearly 2 percent lower today, one day after the company gave investors an early Christmas present by beating consensus expectations for its fiscal 1999 second quarter. [News.com] 3Com pushes Y2K awareness -- Networking giant 3Com is rolling out a worldwide effort to further awareness of the Year 2000 technology problem among its small- and medium-sized business customers. [News.com] 3Com wins HP card deal -- 3Com said today it beat out Intel in an agreement to supply network interface cards across Hewlett-Packard''s entire line of personal computers. [News.com] 3Com, Siemens in $100 million venture -- Networking firm 3Com and systems giant Siemens are betting $100 million they can jumpstart use of internal corporate layouts for delivering voice, video, and data communications. [News.com] 3D Web developers watching Microsoft plans -- As Microsoft shuffles its strategy for Chromeffects, 3D developers are anxiously awaiting the outcome. [News.com] @Bigger.net customers without access -- Customers of one-time fee ISP @bigger.net have been without Internet access and email for more than a week, even after Brigadoon.com bailed out the failed Net access provider, Brigadoon executives confirmed. [News.com] @Home buys Full Force Systems -- @Home Network, a major provider of Internet access over the cable TV infrastructure, has acquired a company that will bolster @Home''s push into the interactive TV arena. [News.com] @Home buys Narrative Communications -- @Home Network, a leading provider of Internet services over cable, moved a step closer toward bringing more engaging Internet ads to its users by buying a company that creates high-impact advertising for the Web. [News.com] @Home in deal to boost subscriber base -- @Home Network announced here yesterday that it will start a new business aimed at making its high-speed data service available to small- and medium-sized cable operators, a move to expand the company''s subscriber base and marketing clout. [News.com] @Home seeks blended ads, commerce -- @Home''s decision to buy Narrative Communications has as much to do with the future of television advertising and e-commerce as it does with the future of the Net. [News.com] A chip market is born -- One of the world''s largest makers of Intel-compatible chips may be close to cutting a deal with the chip giant, indicating that the Pentium II chipset market may finally be open for competition. But the price of admission is high. [News.com] A good time for Net profit-taking -- Nasdaq stocks fell today as investors took profits from the high-flying Internet sector, which primarily was driven by retail investors, analysts said. [News.com] AOL climbs on S&P 500 addition -- Shares in America Online, the world''s largest Internet service provider, rose today after the stock was named a Standard & Poor''s 500 component. [News.com] AOL holiday shopping surges 350 percent -- America Online said today that holiday traffic on its shopping channel has been three and a half times higher than last year, with shoppers spending an average of 50 percent more than they did in 1997. [News.com] AOL may affect S&P index changes -- Standard & Poor''s may change the way it delivers news of index changes, after No. 1 online service America Online stock surged when certain traders were told it would join the S&P 500 Index. [News.com] AOL moves into Latin America -- America Online, the world''s largest Internet service and content provider, just got a little bigger. [News.com] AOL movie at a theater near you -- You''ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, hits the silver screen today with high expectations of becoming the feel-good romantic comedy of the year. [News.com] AOL now counts 15 million members -- America Online''s paying audience keeps growing. [News.com] AOL partners with GTE and BellAtlantic -- America Online, the world''s largest online service, has signed a three-year agreement to carry Bell Atlantic and GTE Yellow Pages in exchange for $31 million in guaranteed revenue. [News.com] AOL plans interactive TV, high-speed Net -- America Online is looking for a manufacturer to make television set-top boxes that would allow it to offer interactive television in competition with Microsoft''s Web TV, according to reports citing AOL Interactive Services president Barry Schuler. [News.com] AOL shares jump day before S&P debut -- Shares of America Online were trading higher today, the last trading day before replacing retailer Venator Group in the Standard & Poor''s 500 stock index. [News.com] AOL surpasses Disney in market value -- America Online ''s shares have jumped 55 percent in a week, valuing the No. 1 online service at more than Walt Disney and other major U.S. companies. [News.com] AOL throws the book at spammers -- In the latest chapter of its crusade against unsolicited bulk email, America Online today said it has won lawsuits against three spammers and it has filed nine more suits in five states. [News.com] AOL trading on NYSE disrupted -- America Online trading was disrupted several times on the New York Stocks Exchange because of an equipment malfunction. [News.com] AOL users get Reel access -- Online movie seller Reel.com, a unit of Hollywood Entertainment, said today it will open an Internet store on America Online and will offer discounted products to AOL''s customers. [News.com] AT&T WorldNet revamps pricing -- AT&T WorldNet service, AT&T''s Internet access service, today announced a new pricing plan and other special new features, including instant messaging and free holiday conference calls. [News.com] AT&T buys Big Blue unit for $5 billion -- AT&T is buying Big Blue''s Global Network unit for $5 billion in cash. [News.com] AT&T job cuts ahead of schedule -- AT&T, the largest U.S. long distance phone company, expects to eliminate 18,000 jobs in 1998 alone, putting chief executive C. Michael Armstrong''s job-cutting plan well ahead of schedule. [News.com] AT&T racing for the "last mile" -- As AT&T''s buying frenzy switches into high gear, the telco giant is rumored to be close to a deal with Time Warner to provide phone services over the media company''s cable wires. AT&T seems to be making a play to circumvent the Baby Bells in its race to reach the "last mile" into homes, and Wall Street and regulators are watching closely. [News.com] AT&T rolls out premium gaming service -- AT&T is launching a new service that''s all fun and games. [News.com] AT&T stock touches new high -- Ma Bell is on a roll as stock in telecommunications giant AT&T finished at an all-time high today. [News.com] AT&T tests wireless waters with Ericsson -- AT&T, the largest long distance phone company, said it is testing equipment made by Ericsson that will allow customers to place wireless phone calls to several people simultaneously. [News.com] AT&T, TCI challenge Portland authorities -- AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated said they won''t abide by a Portland, Oregon, ordinance that requires them to open TCI''s cable system to Internet companies. [News.com] AT&T, TCI merger almost a done deal -- The Justice Department has given a conditional seal of approval to the $48 billion merger deal between long distance giant AT&T and cable titan Tele-Communications Incorporated. While many believe the megamerger should clear final FCC scrutiny, consumers are left to wonder how the deal may affect them. [News.com] AT&T, Time Warner deal close -- AT&T and Time Warner are close to an agreement for the telecommunications giant to provide phone service over the media company''s cable wires, but no final deal has been reached, a source familiar with the negotiations said today. [News.com] AT&T, Time Warner near unveiling venture -- An AT&T and Time Warner joint venture agreement that would allow the phone giant to use Time Warner''s cable lines to provide Internet access could be announced as early as mid-January, according to reports. [News.com] ATI strengthens graphics lead -- ATI Technologies continued to strengthen its lead as the top supplier of speedy graphics chips to the computer industry in the third quarter of 1998, according to a report.. [News.com] Adjusting to life under AOL -- Netscape cofounder Marc Andreessen is considering a move from Silicon Valley to Virginia, while other Netscape employees mull AOL chairman Steve Case''s offer of a financial incentive to stay. [News.com] Administration blasts Baby Bells'' "stall ball" -- A key Clinton administration telecommunications adviser today lashed out at the slow pace of competition in local telecommunications markets, blasting the Baby Bells for dragging their heels in opening their local territories to rivals. [News.com] Adobe earnings beat expectations -- Adobe Systems, the top maker of desktop-graphics software, said its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 7 percent and beat expectations as a new version of its Illustrator software helped boost sales. [News.com] Adtran suffers from weaker sales -- Adtran shares tumbled after the phone-equipment maker said fourth-quarter sales and profit will be "substantially below" expectations because demand from large phone companies is slowing. [News.com] Allen gives Wink the nod -- Wink Communications said that Vulcan Ventures, a firm owned by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, will invest $10 million in the California-based interactive television communications firm. [News.com] Allen sells 3.5 million Microsoft shares -- Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen and ten other directors and executives sold a total of more than 4 million shares last month, as the stock of the world''s largest software maker climbed to records on optimism for new products. [News.com] Alltel sees gold mine in rural service -- Many telecommunications companies look at markets such as Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Hickory, North Carolina, and see corn or cotton. [News.com] Alltel to buy Aliant for $1.5 billion -- Rural telephone company Alltel said today that it would buy Aliant Communications, which provides phone, paging, and Internet service in Nebraska, for $1.5 billion in stock. [News.com] Alternative Resources in pact with IBM -- Alternative Resources said yesterday that it has reached an agreement with IBM to terminate a $20 million escrow agreement related to its November 1997 acquisition of CGI Systems, an IBM majority-owned company. [News.com] Amazon heads for Nasdaq 100 -- No. 1 online bookseller Amazon.com will be included in the Nasdaq 100 Index. Its stock spiked following the news today, hitting a 52-week high. [News.com] Amazon up 46 points; report "clarified" -- A Wall Street analyst is explaining the bullish report he issued this morning that sent shares of online bookseller Amazon.com soaring more than 46 points by the closing bell. [News.com] Amazon.com shares take a breather -- Shares of Amazon.com, the No. 1 online bookseller, fell as much as 9.8 percent amid concern that expectations for fourth quarter revenue may be too high. [News.com] Amazon.com to offer links to other retailers -- Amazon.com today launched a service that lets its users shop other sites on the Web using the company''s Junglee comparison-shopping technology, a move that brings Amazon closer to becoming a portal for Web shoppers. [News.com] America Online goes to the majors -- The online giant gets its due as its stock is named a Standard & Poor''s 500 component. At the same time, Oracle chief Larry Ellison uses the firm''s $4.3 billion buyout of Netscape as proof that Microsoft has seriously hurt its competitors. [News.com] Ameritech OKs SBC acquisition -- Telecommunications company Ameritech today said its shareholders overwhelmingly approved its acquisition by SBC Communications in a $61 billion stock transaction. [News.com] Analyst recommends services firms -- What should investors who are enjoying jaw-dropping gains this year on Internet service stocks like CMGI, Sapient, and USWeb do next? Buy more, said First Albany analyst Ullas Naik. [News.com] Analysts question "cyberterrorism" hype -- This morning Network Associates dramatically announced it had identified a new family of computer viruses--the first example, it claimed, of "cyberterrorism"--but victim MCI WorldCom downplayed the incident, saying the virus infection did not affect its customers or operations. [News.com] Andersen takes California Net shopping -- Andersen Consulting is taking some Californians Internet shopping. [News.com] Andersen, J. Baker settle Y2K suits -- Andersen Consulting and apparel retailer J. Baker have avoided a court battle by settling one of the industry''s first Year 2000 contract disputes. [News.com] Andreessen might go to Virginia -- Executives at America Online and Netscape are paying close attention to meshing their corporate cultures, according to Netscape cofounder Marc Andreessen, who revealed he''s not committed to remaining in Silicon Valley after the merger closes next spring. [News.com] Another beta for Windows 98 fixes -- Microsoft released a second beta of its Service Pack for Windows 98 for computer manufacturers, but the final version of the fix is still a long way off. [News.com] Another study forecasts holiday spending -- Time for another guess at online holiday spending: Internet retail purchases for the holiday season will reach $2.35 billion worldwide as more consumers find online shopping convenient and secure, according to a new study by Dataquest [News.com] Antec shares slump on earnings warning -- Antec shares fell 22 percent today after the international communications technology company said it expects to report fourth quarter earnings of 2 to 4 cents a share, falling short of estimates due to lower-than-expected sales. [News.com] App server shakeout demands specialization -- Application server makers are taking a lesson in anthropology: In the evolution of the market, only the fittest survive. [News.com] Apple cuts PowerBook prices to compete -- Apple slashed prices on its PowerBook G3 notebooks this weekend, but it''s playing catch-up with prices. [News.com] Apple posts Mac OS 8.5 fixes -- Apple has released an update to its Mac OS 8.5, addressing several bugs that have appeared since the release of the latest operating system, the company announced today. [News.com] Apple preps iMac, OS updates -- Apple Computer will kick off 1999 at the MacWorld trade show in San Francisco next week with a cavalcade of new products and a promise to start raking in the dough. [News.com] Apple preps snazzy new desktops -- Forget the iMac, snazzy business desktops are on the way from Apple. [News.com] Apple''s Jobs hints at ''99 products -- Apple Computer interim chief executive Steve Jobs today offered a view of Apple''s product direction at an education conference in Seattle, saying that a new version of the company''s QuickTime multimedia software will be introduced next month while a new consumer portable device would not. [News.com] Apple''s new computers coming into focus -- The thrust of the upcoming Macworld Expo trade show will be Apple''s bread and butter desktop computers. Meanwhile, details on the WebMate continue to trickle out. [News.com] Appointments to Net tax panel questioned -- U.S. congressional leaders are rethinking some appointments to a blue-ribbon panel on Internet taxation after the nation''s counties said the group was stacked with cyberspace industry reps. [News.com] Asia-Pacific PC market on the upswing -- Shipments of personal computers in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, dropped 2.3 percent in the third quarter of 1998, but the downward trend is expected to reverse in the fourth quarter, according to a marketing research firm. [News.com] Auction site eBay hiccups again -- Wall Street seems to have turned a blind eye to the series of prolonged outages that online auction site eBay has suffered this week. [News.com] Audiohighway.com signals end of IPO year -- The Internet class of 1998 will usher in at least one more member, with Web firm Audiohighway.com planning to price its initial public offering this week. [News.com] Aussie race officials call off search -- The search for two missing sailors off the coast of Australia has been called off, wire services are reporting. [News.com] AutoPC goes on sale Friday -- The first personal computer for the car, made by Clarion, will go on sale Friday, marking another bold Microsoft step outside of the PC industry. [News.com] Avantel looks to build local network -- Avantel, a Mexican telephone venture partly owned by MCI WorldCom, wants to build a local phone network in Mexico to forego the high fees it must pay a rival for carrying such services. [News.com] Baan to take back spin-off -- Baan is reining in its company to return to profitability. [News.com] Baby Bells ready to ring in the new year -- The face of the U.S. telecommunications industry changed more dramatically in 1998 than in any year since the breakup of Ma Bell, as deregulation and the Net explosion pushed companies to expand their traditional operations. [News.com] Baby Bells'' mergers may be blocked by FCC -- The Federal Communications Commission may not approve mergers between SBC Communications and Ameritech, and Bell Atlantic and GTE, because of concerns the mergers wouldn''t serve the public interest, according to reports. [News.com] Bandwidth boom to bust flat-rate Net -- The world is heading irrevocably toward a bandwidth boom. But since there will be a price tag on our megabits per second, today''s flat-rate Internet may be crushed under the weight of those thicker pipes, said MCI WorldCom vice chairman John Sidgmore. [News.com] Bangladesh promotes software development -- Bangladesh Commerce and Industries Minister Tofael Ahmed today said the Asian country will offer duty free imports and cash incentives as part of its undertaking to become a major developer of computer software. [News.com] Banks halt loans to LG Semicon -- Korean banks halted loans to LG Semicon today, accusing it of fighting a promised merger that would create the world''s second-largest computer memory chipmaker, according to the Associated Press. [News.com] Barnes & Noble shares enjoy Net spike -- Barnes & Noble''s stock has surged about 40 percent the past week on optimism for higher Internet sales by the largest U.S. book retailer. [News.com] Barnesandnoble.com stalls in heavy traffic -- Barnes & Noble said its Web site slowed and it had trouble completing online orders for several hours yesterday because of two technology glitches amid a sixfold increase in traffic from six months ago. [News.com] Bell Atlantic sues over state competition -- Bell Atlantic filed suit against the Maryland Public Service Commission, charging that regulators in that state were illegally forcing them to sell access to their networks to competitors at artificially low prices. [News.com] Bell Atlantic, AirTouch reportedly in talks -- Bell Atlantic is in talks to acquire AirTouch Communications, a wireless communications company, for $45 billion in stock, CNBC reported, citing people close to the negotiations. [News.com] BellSouth a contender to buy PointCast -- BellSouth has surfaced as a leading candidate to acquire PointCast, the push technology pioneer, which has been seeking a strategic partner since it scrapped its IPO plans in July, sources said. [News.com] BellSouth''s long distance appeal denied -- BellSouth lost its court challenge to legal restrictions that prevent former Bell operating system companies from entering the $70 billion long distance business until they open local markets to competition. [News.com] Bells enlist Intel, Compaq in data battle -- Five of the nation''s biggest local phone companies joined with Intel, Compaq, Microsoft and Gateway today to petition the federal government for new rules governing high-speed Internet access. [News.com] Bells still trying to go the distance -- The Baby Bells have enlisted another player in their fight to offer long distance services. Technology bellwethers Compaq and Intel today joined up with BellSouth and others to press the FCC to allow the regional Bell companies to build high-speed networks in order to ferry Internet traffic over long distances. [News.com] Big Blue courts small business -- Boosting its small-business offerings, IBM will offer a suite of online business tools put together by DigitalWork for small companies. [News.com] Blackout boosts Web outsourcing firms -- This week''s power outage in the San Francisco area has given Web-hosting companies new ammunition for pitching their services to potential customers that experienced difficulties during the blackout. [News.com] Bluefly shares buzz on Yahoo news -- Shares of Bluefly, an online name-brand fashion outlet store, surged by as much as 50 percent today after the company announced that it was launching a co-branded version of its online store on Yahoo Shopping. [News.com] Boeing sends market downward -- Stocks fell sharply as aerospace giant Boeing sent jitters through the market, pushing both the Dow and the Nasdaq lower in morning trading. [News.com] Bomb hoax sends EDS workers home -- Hundreds of Michigan employees of a data and computer services company went home early yesterday after a caller warned of a bomb planted in protest of U.S. air strikes on Iraq, company executives and police said. [News.com] Book describes Dell''s meteoric rise -- A book detailing some of the strategies and key events behind Dell Computer will come out in March, a release that will put CEO Michael Dell into the technology author''s club. [News.com] Brazil tries to sell telco licenses again -- Brazil said it would again attempt to sell two licenses to provide fixed-line telephone service in competition with established operators after failing to attract offers for the concessions on the first try. [News.com] Brilliant Digital inks deal with video retailer -- Brilliant Digital Entertainment, an interactive entertainment content and tools developer, signed a revenue sharing agreement with online video retailer DVD Express, to market its Multipath Movie Webisodes and CD-ROM episodes. [News.com] Broadcast.com aims for office users -- It''s all in the office. [News.com] Broadcast.com soars on Nasdaq deal -- Shares of Broadcast.com jumped more than 15 percent today after the Internet broadcasting company announced an investor conference call carriage deal with Nasdaq. [News.com] Broadcast.com, Hoover''s tap Amazon -- Broadcast.com and Hoover''s both sign agreements, tapping Amazon.com as each of the firm''s exclusive merchant for books. [News.com] Browser bundling takes center stage -- Microsoft abruptly cut short its cross-examination of a Princeton University computer expert after the judge criticized the company''s line of questioning. [News.com] Browser makers face developers'' complaints -- Netscape and Microsoft last night threw themselves to the lions of Web standards advocacy. [News.com] Bug fear may trigger panic in ''99 -- Even if the "millennium bomb" does not explode in the world''s computers just more than a year from now, the coming year is likely to see rising panic as people everywhere take precautions against computer failure triggered by the year 2000. [News.com] Bundling of IE, Windows debated -- The forced bundling of Microsoft''s Internet Explorer browser with Windows 98 creates more harm than benefit to software developers, computer vendors, and end users, a computer consultant hired by the government has testified. [News.com] Burns to reintroduce crypto legislation -- A key senator in the fight to loosen U.S. controls on encryption exports today said that he will again try to ease restrictions on the data scrambling technology. [News.com] Business app makers aim for small firms'' needs -- To lure the lucrative midtier market, service vendors are expanding their outsource offerings and tailoring their services to fit the needs of the not-so-giant. [News.com] Byte makes a comeback -- CMP is getting its Byte back. [News.com] C&W Optus signs outsourcing deal with IBM -- Australian telecommunications carrier Cable & Wireless Optus said today that it had signed a five-year $460 million outsourcing contract with IBM Australia for the provision of information technology services. [News.com] CA to buy Norwegian software maker -- Computer Associates, the fourth-largest U.S. software maker, said it''s buying closely held Aventura Systems ASA of Norway to expand its electronic commerce business. [News.com] CBS increases SportsLine stake -- SportsLine USA said today that CBS has exercised warrants to buy 380,000 of its common shares for $5.7 million, or $15 per share, boosting the network''s stake in the site to 10.4 percent. [News.com] CBS, Time Warner in digital TV deal -- CBS said today that the digital signals of its television stations will be carried on Time Warner Cable systems, the first agreement of its kind between a major cable operator and a television broadcaster. [News.com] CBT Group adds Knowledge -- CBT Group, an interactive software training company, just got a little smarter. [News.com] CD Warehouse launches Web site -- Music retailer CD Warehouse has opened its interactive Web site to sell new and used compact discs available from its chain of more than 300 retail outlets. [News.com] CERT downplays virus attack -- Downplaying a recent virus incident on MCI WorldCom''s network, a respected computer security clearinghouse has posted an "incident report" on the infection by the "Remote Explorer" virus. [News.com] CNBC suspends analyst after comments -- Cable TV business network CNBC has suspended guest analyst James Cramer in light of charges that he tried to "short" the stock of WavePhore, a broadcaster of news and information to personal computers. [News.com] CSC CEO sees new deals worth billions -- Computer Sciences is set to announce several computer services contracts in the coming weeks and is awaiting word on other commercial and government deals, its chief executive said. Analysts estimate the deals could produce several billion dollars in revenue. [News.com] CSC buys Dutch services firm -- Computer Sciences continued to feed its acquisition appetite yesterday, buying a small Dutch services and consulting firm to help boost CSC''s European business. [News.com] CSC inks deal with Computing Devices -- Computer Sciences has inked a 10-year, $62 million IT outsourcing contract with UK-based Computing Devices, a defense electronics systems provider acquired by General Dynamics last year. [News.com] CSC soars on IRS contract win -- The audit is over. [News.com] CSC to make takeover offer -- Systems integrator CSA Holdings said today that CSC Computer Sciences would make a mandatory takeover offer for CSA after acquiring 26.2 percent of its shares. [News.com] CTS to buy Motorola unit for $145 million -- CTS said it agreed to buy Motorola''s component products division for $145 million in cash and assumed debt, which will make CTS one of North America''s largest makers of wireless equipment components. [News.com] Cable companies work the pipes -- As cable companies chart a future course for the industry at the Western Cable show in Southern California this week, a study says worldwide shipments of cable modems skyrocketed in the first half of 1998, due in part to strong sales in North America. [News.com] Cable cowers under satellite shadow -- If there are any long faces at the Western Cable Show, it is because of the progress digital broadcast satellite companies have made in recent years. [News.com] Cable cozy with data, video insulation -- The ability of cable''s broadband pipes to carry voice, video, and data will help insulate the industry from falling prices as operators begin to offer IP telephony services, cable leaders assured the industry today. [News.com] Cable cringes at government controls -- ANAHEIM, Calif.--There is a dark cloud hanging over the bright, interactive future envisioned by the cable television industry--the federal government. [News.com] Cable modems double in 1998 -- Worldwide shipments of cable modems skyrocketed in the first half of 1998, due in large part to strong sales in North America, according to a report released today. [News.com] Cable modems get ready for retail -- Selling cable modems through retail stores could take longer than some cable operators had hoped as they work with retailers on how to not only market the technology but share the profits. [News.com] Cable rivals shake on satellite service -- Telstra and rival Cable & Wireless Optus have agreed to join forces to deliver pay television throughout Australia by satellite, avoiding the costly duplication of their cable roll-outs which has hit the industry with multibillion-dollar losses. [News.com] Cable slips amid satellite competition -- Although cable television operators remain the dominant route for accessing video programming, the industry has lost some ground to direct-to-home satellite broadcasters in the last year, a new study shows. [News.com] Cable: An end run for AT&T? -- AT&T, tired of waiting for local phone companies to open their markets to competition, seems to be escalating its end run around the Baby Bells. [News.com] Cabletron Systems continues stock slide -- Stock in network equipment provider Cabletron Systems fell more than 8 percent today, one day after the company posted quarterly results below revised estimates. [News.com] Cabletron expects third-quarter loss -- Networking equipment provider Cabletron Systems gave Wall Street some bad news today, revealing that results for its fiscal 1999 third quarter will come in far below consensus estimates, resulting in a loss. [News.com] Cabletron: Are the glory days over? -- The best days for networking pioneer Cabletron Systems may be over. [News.com] Cadence to acquire Quickturn -- Cadence Design Systems today moved to acquire Quickturn Design Systems in a $253 million stock deal, apparently topping a hostile bid from Mentor Graphics. [News.com] Callers care most about price, service -- In the midst of multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns from telecommunications companies touting new high-tech services, consumers still overwhelmingly care most about price and customer service, a new market research study found. [News.com] Can Disney still be Disney online? -- With the highly anticipated beta launch of the Disney-Infoseek joint portal around the corner, Disney is fighting to keep its brand unsullied by the darker elements of the Web. Wall Street appears to be reacting favorably--Infoseek''s stock soared after the company announced it would no longer accept adult-oriented advertising. [News.com] Can set-tops live up to the hype? -- Much hype has been bestowed upon the television set-top box as provider of interactive computer-like services, but with the upcoming roll-out of Scientific-Atlanta''s cable TV set-top box, the technology finally must prove its worth to consumers. [News.com] Cars vulnerable to PalmPilot signals? -- The PalmPilot has been touted as capable of doing almost anything--from organizing contacts and email to playing games and eventually providing two-way wireless communications. But these handhelds could now excel at another task--breaking into cars. [News.com] Catalog firm leaps on Excite deal -- Genesis Direct''s shares more than doubled after the mail-order catalog company said it will sell some merchandise through Excite, the second-biggest Internet directory. [News.com] Certicom creates standards body -- Elliptic curve cryptography firm Certicom has created body of customers to create a standard so that different implementations of ECC--considered more efficient for small or mobile devices--will interoperate. [News.com] Challenges mount for cable industry -- Cable''s biggest and brightest gathered at the Western Cable Show in Southern California this past week to discuss the industry''s prospects--and problems--in the months ahead. Cable executives put their collective heads together to discuss how to roll out innovative technology that is user-friendly yet affordable, while keeping other broadband competitors at bay. [News.com] China telecom breakup edging closer -- The Chinese government is considering breaking up its state telephone monopoly, a move that could inject a new dose of competition into the country''s rapidly growing telecommunications market. [News.com] Chinese hackers sentenced to death -- Two hackers who broke into a bank computer network and stole 260,000 yuan ($31,400) have been sentenced to death by a court in eastern China, the official Wenhui Daily said today. [News.com] Chip cavalcade coming from Intel -- January will be a big month for Intel as the chip giant plans to roll out a new high-end version of its Xeon processor, a Pentium II processor with integrated memory for mobile computers, and a series of Celeron chips for notebooks and desktops. [News.com] Chip industry group details position on Y2K -- As the Year 2000 spotlight turns to chips embedded in consumer electronics systems, a lobbyist group for the semiconductor industry has released a position paper to weed fact from fiction. [News.com] Chip industry, feds form research plan -- The U.S. semiconductor industry, the U.S. government and 14 top universities said they have created a network to conduct advanced research in semiconductors. [News.com] Christmas comes early for networkers -- A little holiday spirit helped networking stocks soar today, as shares in bellwether Cisco Systems hit a new 52-week high following a favorable analyst report. Cabletron Systems, however, got coal in its stocking for the third quarter, reporting a loss greater than previous estimates. [News.com] Ciena drops on loss -- Ciena''s stock took a double-digit tumble today, one day after the networking equipment company warned of possible losses next year. [News.com] Cincinnati Bell wants to stay solo -- Cincinnati Bell doesn''t believe bigger is better. [News.com] Cincinnati Financial sues over Y2K coverage -- Cincinnati Insurance has filed a complaint in federal court in what may be the first action concerning an insurance company''s Year 2000 obligations, according to a litigation newsletter. [News.com] Cisco Systems to acquire PipeLinks -- Networking giant Cisco Systems today said it has moved to acquire privately held PipeLinks, a maker of high-capacity routers, in a stock deal valued at about $126 million. [News.com] Cisco adds to networking lines -- Cisco Systems has got something for everyone, it seems. [News.com] Cisco builds strategy for home market -- Cisco Systems will soon disclose its plans to enter the consumer market, a major departure for a networking equipment firm normally associated with the highly technical workings of the Internet backbone. [News.com] Cisco offers advice on Net business -- Cisco has a thing or two to say about the business of the Internet. [News.com] Cisco shines after Wall Street report -- Cisco Systems shares rose as much as 6 percent to a record amid expectations that increased use of the Internet will mean higher sales and profit at the No. 1 network-equipment maker. [News.com] Civil liberties online--the year that was -- While major online companies relished their Wall Street wins this year, free speech advocates were busy fighting for the little guys on the Net. [News.com] Cognos buys Relational Matters -- Cognos is buying itself a $10 million Christmas gift. [News.com] Coke pours Y2K plan into place -- Beverage group Coca-Cola said yesterday it has a plan to ensure its worldwide distribution runs smoothly in the face of anticipated Year 2000 computer problems, but it has no control over some elements. [News.com] Comcast to boost Prime''s services -- Comcast today said it will provide expertise in developing and deploying new, advanced high-speed data and telephony services to Prime Communications LLC''s cable systems in parts of Maryland, Virginia, and Chicago. [News.com] Compaq to join rivals with thin notebook -- Later this month, Compaq Computer will join American rivals competing to meet Japanese demand for lightweight notebooks. [News.com] Compaq to license digital cash technology -- Compaq will license the technology for MilliCent, its digital cash product, to an outside partner. [News.com] Compaq trims Prosignia prices -- Compaq Computer cut prices on PCs it sells directly to users by 2 to 7 percent in an effort to woo customers from rival Dell Computer. [News.com] Competitors get fee break in Mexico -- Mexico today set new fees paid by upstart long-distance operators to the country''s largest telephone operator for use of its local network in a bid to resolve months of disputes. [News.com] Complaint: GoTo favors sister firms -- An Internet entrepreneur who made a bid for top billing in results from the GoTo.com shopping search engine funded in part by Bill Gross'' idealab contends that GoTo.com gave preferential treatment to a competing auto site that Gross also has invested in. [News.com] CompuServe makes portal play -- CompuServe rolled out the first phase of a Web site redesign, suggesting the online service will begin trying to cultivate a mainstream Web audience. [News.com] Computer 2000 meets pretax profit target -- Computer 2000 AG, Europe''s largest computer distributor, said it reached its pretax profit forecast of $89.4 million in fiscal 1998, boosted by strong demand for computers in the European market. [News.com] Computer Associates keeps it simple -- Business software giant Computer Associates wants to keep it simple. [News.com] Computer Sciences sales seen rising 20% -- Computer Sciences Corporation sales will rise by about 20 percent next year, fueled by several large commercial computer services contracts, an analyst said. [News.com] Compuware drives away with Ford contract -- Enterprise software and services company Compuware today drove away with an outsourcing deal with Ford that could boost the company''s future annual revenue by $100 million. [News.com] Concerns about AOL eased at Mozilla -- What, mozilla worry? [News.com] Concerns grow over next year''s e-rate -- School officials are happy to see hefty federal Net access subsidies finally arrive this month, but they are increasingly concerned that the Federal Communications Commission has yet to set funding levels for the so-called e-rate for next year. [News.com] Concord, Cisco in technology pact -- Concord Communications, a maker of software that evaluates computer networks, and Cisco Systems said today that they will work together to help customers monitor network performance. [News.com] Concur hooks up with ADP -- Concur is hooking up with a staple of corporate computing to advance its position: Automated Data Processing, the payroll processing firm. [News.com] Concur soars in first day of trading -- Concur Technologies, which makes software that automates corporate travel and entertainment expense management, rose 56 percent in its first day after a bigger-than-expected initial stock sale. [News.com] Congress spends the year online -- Within its critical agenda, not the least of which was impeaching President Clinton, Congress still made time this year for its blooming love affair with Net policy. [News.com] Congress takes aim at the FCC -- A group of influential members of Congress is gearing up for a run at the Federal Communications Commission next year, and it may even try to strip the agency of most of its regulatory powers, a congressman said today. [News.com] Consolidation marches through Net security -- A new wave of acquisitions, this time among smaller companies, is moving through the Internet security industry, with one acquisition yesterday, another today, and reports of merger talks between two European firms. [News.com] Consumers contemplate AT&T, TCI world -- Federal antitrust regulators'' approval of AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated''s pending merger sets the stage for a very different communications world, if not necessarily a cheaper one, for consumers. [News.com] Convergys seeks court backing in dispute -- Convergys, which provides billing and customer management services to telecommunications companies, asked a federal court to back its position in a dispute with wireless phone service company Alltel. [News.com] Copyright vote delayed by European Union -- A European Parliament committee has postponed a key vote on legislation aimed at deterring piracy on the Internet and other electronic networks, delaying action by the full assembly until at least February. [News.com] Corel settles with Hedy Lamarr -- Former Hollywood movie queen Hedy Lamarr has settled a lawsuit that alleged Canadian software maker Corel misappropriated her image. [News.com] Corel, GraphOn extend software pact -- Corel and GraphOn are bartering for mutual marketing position. [News.com] Countries follow U.S. on crypto -- Clinton administration officials today said they had persuaded other leading countries to impose strict new export controls on computer data-scrambling products under the guise of arms control. [News.com] Critics sound off in Bell merger hearings -- Opponents leveled a string of potentially damaging criticisms against two pending Baby Bell mergers today at a hearing in front of the Federal Communications Commission. [News.com] Crypto rules under assault -- Two Internet-governance groups protest new, U.S.-driven crypto-export controls. Meanwhile, RSA Data Security gears up for its third annual crypto-cracking contest. [News.com] Curtain rising on new Divx player -- The newest Divx player will hit stores this weekend, but analysts say chances for technology''s long-term success have not improved much. [News.com] Customers don''t want IE bundled, exec says -- An executive from computer maker Packard Bell NEC testified via video at the Microsoft antitrust trial that a majority of his customers do not want a Web browser forced on them.. [News.com] CyberShop snags position on MSN -- CyberShop International said today that it entered a pact with Microsoft to place two of its Internet shopping sites on the software giant''s MSN Shopping channel. [News.com] Cyberian Outpost narrows loss -- Cyberian Outpost posted a narrower-than-expected loss for its quarter ended in November as spending on merchandising systems and advertising were offset by surging Net sales. [News.com] Cypress warns of fourth-quarter loss -- Cypress Semiconductor, one of Silicon Valley''s oldest chipmakers, today said it would report a loss for the fourth quarter, instead of the profit that analysts had forecast, because of manufacturing problems. [News.com] DOJ points to Microsoft dictionary -- A dictionary published by Microsoft defines a Web browser as an "application," an admission a government attorney said helped bolster earlier testimony by a government witness. [News.com] DOJ: Microsoft may have withheld evidence -- The Justice Department wants to reinterview one of Microsoft''s highest-ranking executives to learn if the software giant withheld crucial evidence during the discovery phase of the landmark antitrust suit it is battling. [News.com] DSL to make its mark in 2000 -- Use of cable modems will continue to dominate digital subscriber line (DSL) in the near future, but two new studies show the high-speed data-over-copper technology may get increased play after 2000. [News.com] Danger on the Net? -- A "hole" in TCP/IP, the Net''s underlying language, could allow hackers to break into systems and damage targeted Web sites, according to CERT, which yesterday issued an advisory about the security concern. Most systems are not vulnerable, however. Separately, Network Associates yesterday dramatically announced it had identified a new family of computer viruses--the first example, it claimed, of "cyberterrorism"--but victim MCI WorldCom and analysts downplayed the incident. [News.com] Dassault Systemes to buy Matra unit -- Software company Dassault Systemes said today that it agreed to buy for an undisclosed sum a subsidiary of Matra Datavision, a unit of the Lagardere group. [News.com] Data Dimensions drops on warning -- Shares of Data Dimensions plunged as much as 25 percent in early trading after the Y2K consulting firm today warned that it expects its financial results for the fourth quarter to miss the mark due to Year 2000 budget pressures, delays in IT consulting agreements, and deferral of projects. [News.com] Debate rages over NT virus -- Network Associates'' handling of a new virus called "Remote Explorer" is prompting heated debate, with critics and rivals contending the company overhyped the problem and didn''t share the malicious code quickly enough. [News.com] Defining moments of the Internet, 1998 -- It was quite a year for the Internet, a medium that''s only recently emerged in the commercial form known to most users. [News.com] Dell adds "plain English" help to Web site -- Net software company Ask Jeeves entered an agreement for Dell Computer to use its "plain English" question-and-answer systems on the latter''s customer support Web site. [News.com] Dell business desktop down to $850 -- Dell will cut prices on corporate desktops computers on Monday, bringing these robust business systems to the $850 mark. [News.com] Dell moves up in workstation market -- Dell Computer bumped Compaq Computer out of second place in the booming Intel/Windows NT workstation market during the third quarter, according to a study released today, while the overall lead of Sun Microsystems in workstation revenue continued to shrink. [News.com] Dell revs fast PC modem strategy -- Dell Computer continues its push to offer more personal computers with faster Internet connections, now a crucial performance yardstick, by announcing today that its consumer PCs will come equipped with high-speed modems from 3Com. [News.com] Dell sells another 8 million shares -- Dell Computer founder Michael Dell sold 8 million company shares in November, boosting to more than $1 billion the value of shares sold by the 33-year-old chief executive this year. [News.com] Dell to feature AOL on consumer PCs -- Dell Computer and America Online have joined forces to bring AOL''s service to Dell home PCs, the companies said today. [News.com] Dell to sell 4 million more shares -- Dell chief executive Michael Dell has filed to sell 4 million shares of his company''s stock, a move that comes as the shares have slipped in recent months. [News.com] Dell, Compaq fight for corporate market -- Compaq and Dell this week took steps to make their products more appealing to large companies as they battle to win customers for new storage systems, the guts of corporate computer systems. [News.com] Dell, others face monitor patent suits -- Dell Computer, the top direct seller of personal computers, and Packard Bell NEC were sued by Britain''s Elonex for allegedly using its patented technology for reduced power-consuming color monitors. [News.com] Demand could threaten Net backbone -- The global Internet is on the verge of collapse, according to Ovum Research. [News.com] Details of Apple consumer portable emerge -- Unconfirmed details of Apple Computer''s forthcoming consumer portable have trickled out, though interim Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said the notebook would not debut at a trade show early next month. [News.com] Details of SGI''s Windows NT workstations emerging -- As Silicon Graphics prepares to realign its mainstay workstation business around the Windows-Intel architecture, new details about the company''s major strategic shift are emerging. [News.com] Did foreign firms miss Y2K liability amnesty? -- It''s sometimes called the Good Samaritan Act, but a new U.S. law may have unneighborly consequences for unwary foreign companies. [News.com] Digital Chef spices up product line -- Online gourmet food and kitchenware store Digital Chef has beefed up its kitchen-appliance offerings. The site announced plans to add "hundreds of brand-name kitchenware products" to its site. Digital Chef has made serious inroads into the online food niche. Its most recent deal is with America Online, which features its services as an anchor tenant. The $7.5 million deal, forged last October includes shared revenues. [News.com] Digital gadget revolution to grow -- The digital revolution in consumer electronics, including personal computer gadgets, began to gain attention in 1998, and it is expected to take a stronger hold of the market in the coming year. [News.com] Digital wireless phone sales top analogs -- U.S. sales of new-generation, digital wireless phones for the first time outpaced sales of traditional, analog phones during the first three quarters of 1998, a market research firm said today. [News.com] DirecTV links up with Hitachi''s HDTV -- Hitachi has developed a television set capable of receiving high-definition satellite television signals--an interim solution for bringing high-definition viewing to the market today. [News.com] Discounts under the Palm tree -- If you have a PalmPilot user on your holiday buying list this year, shopping should be a breeze, especially as discounts bring the highest-end PalmPilots under $300. [News.com] Disney adds online video sales -- Gearing up for the highly anticipated holiday e-commerce blitz, Disney''s network of Web sites is adding video retailer MovieStreet to its list of commerce partners. [News.com] Disney and Infoseek raise the curtain on Go -- Infoseek and Disney are launching a preliminary version of their highly anticipated Web search and content aggregation site, Go Network. [News.com] Disney bets on flower power -- Furthering its efforts to capitalize on online holiday shopping, Disney is taking on flowers. [News.com] Disney''s dilemma: Family values on the Web -- For Disney, image is everything--especially on the Web. [News.com] Distributor woes raise warning flags -- Computer distributor stocks got hammered today as two of the largest players said they would miss fourth-quarter revenue targets, a warning sign that PC demand may be slowing. [News.com] Dr. Laura concedes in photo lawsuit -- When radio celebrity Dr. Laura Schlessinger took her clothes off to pose for private pictures 20 years ago, she likely never imagined that the photos would end up on a global computer network--forever. [News.com] E*Trade bidding for Quote.com -- E*Trade has emerged as another bidder for financial Web site Quote.com, which also has held talks with CNBC and Intuit, sources said. [News.com] E*Trade goes shopping -- E*Trade today launched its foray into the bustling online shopping arena. [News.com] E*Trade launches bond trading -- E*Trade Group, said today that it''s introducing bond trading for retail customers through its Web site, matching larger rival Schwab, which launched online bond trading in 1996. [News.com] E*Trade taps financial Web sites -- Online brokerage E*Trade Group said today that it forged a marketing deal with CNNfn.com in a move to snare customers through partnerships with financial Web sites. [News.com] E*Trade targets offline investors -- E*Trade is looking to rope in more offline investors to its online brokerage. [News.com] E-Tek shares double in dynamic IPO -- E-Tek Dynamics, a maker of parts for fiber-optic networks, more than doubled in its first day of trading after selling its shares at a price one-third higher than expected. [News.com] E-greeting card firm wins Microsoft case -- A California judge ordered Microsoft to help a Colorado company revise its Internet greeting cards so they aren''t blocked by message filters. [News.com] E-shoppers: Be careful out there -- The Net is open 24 hours a day, but that doesn''t mean online holiday shoppers should wait until the last minute. [News.com] EDS board shake-up could bring change -- Electronic Data Systems could be ringing in the New Year with some new blood and a redefined direction. [News.com] EDS closer to state outsourcing deal -- Electronic Data Systems today grabbed negotiating rights to a $1 billion, seven-year outsourcing contract to take over computer systems for the state of Connecticut. [News.com] EDS gets Census Bureau contract -- The Census Bureau will be counting on EDS for its Year 2000 report. [News.com] EDS lures Richard Brown from C&W -- Electronic Data Systems named Richard Brown, the chief executive of Britain''s Cable & Wireless, as it chairman and chief executive. [News.com] EDS says credit card system is Y2K-ready -- Electronic Data Systems, the world''s second-largest provider of computer services, yesterday said its system for telling companies where, when, and why their employees use corporate credit cards is ready to handle the Year 2000 date change. [News.com] EDS vice chairman to retire -- Still searching for a replacement for its chairman and CEO, Electronic Data Systems will now need to find a new vice chairman as well. [News.com] EDS, Oracle team on billing services -- EDS wants to put money in the bank. [News.com] EPA backpedals on online data release -- Amid pressure from national security forces, the Environmental Protection Agency has scrapped plans to post online "worst-case" accident scenarios for about 66,000 chemical manufacturers around the country. [News.com] ERP vendors wake up and smell the Java -- Java is no longer a novelty. [News.com] EU approves AT&T-TCI merger -- The European Commission said today it has granted regulatory clearance to a $48 billion merger between U.S. telephone giant AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated. [News.com] EU urges utilities to tackle Y2K bug -- European Union leaders said that prompt action is needed to ensure that utilities and small businesses across the 15-member bloc are prepared for the Year 2000 computer glitch. [News.com] EU worried about bug preparations -- European Union governments should take urgent action to ensure that public authorities are prepared for the Year 2000 computer glitch, the European Commission says. [News.com] EU-U.S. privacy dispute won''t end soon -- Talks apparently broke down today between privacy advocates and U.S. officials who met in London to debate U.S. compliance with a strict European Union privacy directive that threatens to cut off data transfers between the two territories. [News.com] EarthLink plans stock offering -- Internet service provider EarthLink Network said it filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer 2.5 million shares of common stock. [News.com] Easy street for enterprise apps -- If you make it easy, they will come. As both the time and the cost of installing business software drops, smaller companies are jumping on the ERP bandwagon. SAP is mapping its own plan to make its software more user-friendly. At the same time, other ERP vendors are looking to supplement the drop in revenues by offering additional services and longer term maintenance. [News.com] EchoStar accused of copyright violations -- The four major U.S broadcast networks are seeking a preliminary injunction barring EchoStar Communications, the No. 3 U.S. satellite television operator, from transmitting television signals from their local affiliates. [News.com] Ellison: AOL deal shows Microsoft''s clout -- Oracle chairman and chief executive Larry Ellison said America Online''s $4.3 billion takeover of Netscape Communications proves Microsoft''s monopoly in the operating systems market has caused serious damage to its competitors. [News.com] Email shows Gates discussing IBM "hit team" -- Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, confronted with an email exchange between himself and a company executive discussing a "hit team to attack IBM," today said he couldn''t recall a plan to pressure International Business Machines. [News.com] Enterprise apps find niche in financial world -- In coming years, the lion''s share of the financial services market will be up for grabs to providers of enterprise software that links back-office and front-end operations, according to a report released today. [News.com] Entrust wins landmark Ontario contract -- Security software maker Entrust Technologies has won a contract with the Ontario government that could lead to its supplying digital privacy and identification technology for every resident of Canada''s most populous province. [News.com] Ericsson sees cash crop in data field -- Add wireless telecommunications giant Ericsson to the group of firms who see gold in data networking. [News.com] Ericsson warns of weaker earnings -- Ericsson AB, the world''s No. 3 mobile phone maker, said fourth-quarter pretax profit will be 15 percent to 20 percent below analysts'' estimates, because of weak demand for its fixed-line switches and mobile phones. [News.com] Exchange hits the Street -- Despite the bumpy ride lately for business software firms'' stock, Exchange Applications has decided hit the Street. [News.com] Excite Mail downed by hardware upgrade -- Excite''s free email system, Excite Mail, has been suffering from "intermittent" outages and network slowdowns for the past week, hindering many subscribers from accessing their email accounts, the company confirmed today. [News.com] Excite at a crossroads, CEO says -- Now that America Online is acquiring Netscape Communications, many observers of the technology industry are wondering what''s in store for Excite. [News.com] Excite teams with Seattle FilmWorks -- Excite is hoping that a picture is worth a thousand clicks. [News.com] Expert says IE can be removed from Windows -- It is possible to remove Web browsing from Microsoft''s Windows 95 and Windows 98 without harming the non-browser functionality of the operating systems, a computer consultant has testified. [News.com] Experts say Linux attacks not unusual -- [News.com] FCC adopts new anti-slamming rules -- The Federal Communications Commission adopted a new set of consumer-friendly rules today aimed at stamping out the practice of slamming, or changing a telephone customer''s long distance company without permission. [News.com] FCC assessing local telco competition -- Federal regulators are preparing a report on the state of competition in local telephone markets for the House Commerce committee, to be completed early this week. [News.com] FCC dissension likely over telco mergers -- In a move that may indicate dissension inside the Federal Communications Commission over the current round of telecommunication mega-mergers, FCC commissioner Michael Powell said today that regulators should be wary of exercising too much control over mergers. [News.com] FCC hits slammers with $1.2 million fine -- The Federal Communications Commission levied a $1.2 million fine against a New Jersey long distance telephone company today, marking the first punch in what is likely to be a one-two combination against telephone "slammers" this week. [News.com] FCC may not make AT&T, TCI open pipes -- Federal regulators are unlikely to require AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated to give Internet service providers unfettered access to their high-speed connections as a condition for approving AT&T''s $50 billion purchase of TCI, industry analysts say. [News.com] FCC not yet off the political hook -- With a stack of decisions that could reshape the telecommunications industry still on its plate, the Federal Communications Commission heads toward one of its stormiest political years in recent memory. [News.com] FCC questions AT&T, TCI unbundling -- Several FCC commissioners gave strong signs today that they are reluctant to force AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated to unbundle their cable Internet access system as a condition of their $48 billion merger. [News.com] FCC to stiffen antislamming rules -- Next week, U.S. regulators plan to adopt tougher rules to combat the problem of "slamming," when long-distance telephone companies switch consumers'' service without permission. [News.com] FCC walks tightrope over ISP calls -- Already a month past its own self-imposed deadline, the Federal Communications Commission is close to ruling that local calls to Internet service providers should be treated as long distance, sources say. [News.com] Falwell to preside over virtual wedding -- When Dale and Lorrie say, "I do" on New Year''s Eve, they''ll be virtually married. Married virtually, that is--by none other than the Rev. Jerry Falwell. [News.com] Fast modems, set-tops lead connection frenzy -- Dell makes a fast modem push while set-top box makers tout new devices. Getting customers connected to the Net through modems or set-tops is becoming increasingly important in the high-tech arena. [News.com] Fed orders bank to bolster Y2K readiness -- A New Mexico bank today became only the second U.S. financial institution ordered by the Federal Reserve to beef up its computer systems in preparation for potential Year 2000 problems. [News.com] FedEx sees a corporate future -- Federal Express sees its biggest e-commerce opportunity in linking its shipping software to corporate enterprise resource planning [ERP] systems, rather than in delivering documents electronically. [News.com] Federal agencies'' Y2K progress improves -- A number of agencies in the federal government are still lagging in their efforts to bring their computer systems into Year 2000 compliance, and the cost to rid all systems of the technology glitch will be $1 billion more than earlier estimates, according to the Clinton administration. [News.com] Feds surfing for bogus investment sites -- Federal and state regulators have examined hundreds of World Wide Web sites for bogus claims about investment opportunities and could follow up with enforcement action. [News.com] Fingerhut takes stake in FreeShop -- Direct marketer and online retailer Fingerhut said has acquired a 19.9 percent equity interest in FreeShop International, which operates an Internet shopping Web site. [News.com] Finnish insurers to limit bug coverage -- Finnish insurers will change the terms of voluntary corporate insurance policies to limit their exposure to risks relating to the millennium bug in computers, the Federation of Insurance Companies (SVK) said. [News.com] Firm pulls ad blocking software -- When Web software firm ClearWay Technologies posted the final beta version of its ad blocking product to its site this week, it naturally hoped to create an industry buzz. What it got was more like a hornet''s nest. [News.com] Firms unveil home network standard -- Hitachi, Sony, and Royal Philips Electronics are among the eight Japanese and European consumer electronics makers that will unveil a digital entertainment device standard early next year. [News.com] FlashNet files to go public -- FlashNet Communications, which combines the Internet business with Amway-style direct marketing, is the latest online competitor to test the initial public offering market. [News.com] Florida pushes online voting -- Florida residents may be the first to cast ballots for general elections using Net protocols, as a plan to set groundbreaking technical standards for online voting in the state moves forward. [News.com] Ford drives workers to Web for training -- Ford Motor Company is driving more of its employees to the Web for training. [News.com] Former Cascade execs launch start-up -- The brains behind one of the most successful independent networking companies in the post-Cisco Systems era have resurfaced. [News.com] Former Cisco exec starts VC incubator for women -- When Catherine Muther retired as a millionaire from Cisco Systems four years ago and became a philanthropist, a still-timely essay by Virginia Woolf called "Three Guineas" came to mind when she needed a name for her foundation. [News.com] French Netizens stage boycott over fees -- French Web surfers claimed success today for a weekend Internet strike they staged to let France Telecom know they were angry over soaring phone bills. [News.com] Future looking brighter for Cendant -- Direct marketer and franchiser Cendant today said its current expectations for the fourth quarter of 1998 and the full year 1999 are in line with Wall Street analysts'' estimates. [News.com] G8 ministers address high-tech crime -- Interior and justice ministers of the Group of Eight states held a video conference today on how to combat high-tech and organized crime, Britain''s Home Office announced. [News.com] GI set-tops to support Visa''s smart cards -- Cable-TV equipment manufacturer General Instrument will support smart cards in a souped-up version of its digital set-top box due to ship by mid-1999, including the ability to download and spend Visa Cash. [News.com] GI, Sony to form home networking alliance -- General Instrument and Sony today said they plan to integrate Sony''s home entertainment network technology with General Instrument''s advanced digital set-top terminals and systems. [News.com] Gadgets galore for the holidays -- If that special wireless-wearable-digital-device your loved one wants can be found on store shelves in late December, chances are it''s not the high-tech version of the Furby. [News.com] Gates gives $100 million to immunize kids -- Microsoft chairman and CEO Bill Gates, together with his wife Melinda, today announced that they are establishing a $100 million children''s vaccination program in hopes of giving children in developing nations quicker access to life-saving vaccines. [News.com] Gates invests $3 million in California estate -- Bill Gates, the world''s richest man, has invested $3 million in a two acre estate in a resort called the Reserve, in the California desert, according to reports. [News.com] Gates on the antitrust suit -- The following is Bill Gates''s statement to the press regarding the government''s antitrust suit against Microsoft. [News.com] Gates: DOJ "dismayed" by AOL-Netscape deal -- Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates apparently surmised that the Justice Department (DOJ) would be "very dismayed" by news of a merger agreement between America Online and Netscape Communications. [News.com] Gates: Free IE helped browser competition -- Microsoft''s chief executive painted a "pro-consumer" picture of the software giant today, saying the company was completely justified in giving its Internet Explorer away for free. [News.com] Gates: Government out to "destroy" Microsoft -- Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates said today that the government is out to "destroy" his company by selectively using portions of his sworn testimony in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit under way here. [News.com] Gates: Second baby in Q2 -- Microsoft''s billionaire chairman Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, are expecting their second child next June, a family spokeswoman said on Friday. [News.com] Gay advocacy groups join forces online -- In a move that shows just how crucial the Net has become for political and social activists, gay and lesbian media watchdog group GLAAD will absorb Digital Queers, a grass-roots advocacy organization for both gays and lesbians in high tech and gay nonprofit organizations. [News.com] General DataComm to cut 200 jobs -- Data-networking firm General DataComm Industries said today that it would cut 200 jobs, or 14 percent of its worldwide work force, and take a charge of about $2.5 million in a bid to return to profitability. [News.com] General Instrument up on takeover talks -- Shares of General Instrument, which makes cable television equipment such as set-top boxes, rose about 11 percent yesterday on rumors that it may be in talks to sell itself or form a joint venture with a larger communications equipment maker, analysts said. [News.com] German, French telcos shake hands -- Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, the dominant phone companies in France and Germany, sealed their alliance today, after buying 2 percent stakes in each other in a transaction with a combined value of $2.8 billion. [News.com] German, Italian firms buy U.S. company -- Italy''s Olivetti and Germany''s Mannesmann agreed to buy U.S.-based Cellular Communications International for $1.4 billion, in a bid to expand in the Italian wireless communications market, the companies said today. [News.com] Gingrich names five to Net group -- Preparing to leave his post, House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) has tied up one loose end by appointing five members to an Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce that will study Net taxation issues. [News.com] Global TeleSystems buys Esprit Telecom -- Global TeleSystems Group, a U.S. company backed by billionaire George Soros, agreed to buy rival Esprit Telecom Group for $985 million in stock and assumed debt to create a communications network spanning 19 European nations. [News.com] Global group pushes for mediation on Y2K -- Keeping in the peaceful holiday spirit, a multinational group of legal organizations have sparked a drive to get corporations to limit Y2K disputes by settling out of court through mediation. [News.com] Gov. Wilson: Keep Net taxes simple, low -- With the clock ticking down on the three-year moratorium on Internet taxes, California Gov. Pete Wilson today urged federal and state lawmakers to keep taxes on Internet transactions simple, not duplicative, and low. [News.com] Government e-commerce data scant -- Internet sales are racing ahead. Wall Street analysts are huffing and puffing to keep track. But the federal government has barely left the starting gate in providing sales data. [News.com] Government fighting Net voting rumor -- The U.S. government is launching a campaign on the Net to counter an email rumor saying the rights of black Americans to vote would expire in 2008. [News.com] Govs offer Net-tax panel slate -- The National Governors'' Association and other key state and local government groups today recommended a slate of nominees for a new congressionally mandated panel on Internet taxation. [News.com] Greet the new year on the Web -- You''ve decided to ring in the new year with a quiet night at home but you still want a little of that new year cheer--so long as the crowds are virtual only. [News.com] Group: Unplug nuclear plants not Y2K-ready -- An environmental group yesterday submitted a petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission asking that nuclear power plants be shut down if they cannot prove themselves free of Year 2000 computer bugs. [News.com] Groupe Videotron looks beyond cable -- Groupe Videotron, Canada''s second-largest cable television operator, said today it was set to launch a bold diversification into the integrated telecommunications services market. [News.com] HP "reassured" on AOL-Netscape deal -- Hewlett-Packard initially worried about the impact of America Online''s acquisition of Netscape, HP CEO Lewis Platt said today, but was soon told that HP could continue selling computer hardware to AOL and reselling Netscape''s software. [News.com] HP counts on Web for profit revival -- When Lewis Platt became Hewlett-Packard''s chief executive in November 1992, the world''s third-biggest computer maker was about to report a 27 percent drop in annual earnings. [News.com] HP to appeal part of verdict -- Hewlett-Packard said yesterday that it will immediately contest the $6 million portion of a jury verdict awarded to Colossal Graphics. [News.com] HP to cut desktop prices by 20 percent -- Hewlett-Packard will cut prices on desktop, notebook, and workstation computers by as much as 20 percent on Monday, matching this week''s price drops by rival Compaq Computer. [News.com] HP to use new graphics hardware -- Graphics card maker Evans and Sutherland has secured another major customer, Hewlett-Packard, in the burgeoning Intel-based workstation market. [News.com]