CNET News Daily Podcast

Today: Windows 7 news, a new venture fund from the creator of the Mosaic browser, ABC goes live on Hulu, Toyota says yes to plug-in cars, and a short conversation about URL shortening services with CNET writer Stephen Shankland.

Today's stories:

Will Windows 7 be finalized next week?

IE market share plummeting! (Or is it?)

Marc Andreessen launches new venture fund

EMC raises bid for Data Domain

ABC content starts arriving on Hulu

Report: Toyota to mass produce plug-ins in 2012

Best Buy shifts into electric vehicles sales

Large Hadron Collider grid stress-tested

URL shortening is hot, but look before you leap

Robotics engineer Ronald Arkin of Georgia Tech just finished a three-year contract with the U.S. Army designing software to create ethical robots. His thesis is that robots can be configured with a built-in "guilt system" that eventually could make them better at avoiding civilian casualties than human soldiers. CNET intern Dara Kerr talks to Arkin about his work.

Also in today's podcast: Jammie Thomas-Rasset's lawyers say she plans to appeal her RIAA case; MySpace--and presumably other community-based Web services--cannot be held liable in assault charges stemming from people meeting on its Web site; and watch out for Waledac over the 4th of July weekend.

Today's stories:

Jammie Thomas will appeal, lawyer says

Court: MySpace not liable for offline assaults

Waledac worm targeting July 4 spam offensive

ATM vendor gets security talk pulled from confabs

Some Vista owners feel ripped off

Google's e-mail security service unit, called Postini, monitors 3 billion messages per day. They flow in and out of customer systems and pass through Postini's thousands of machines in data centers around the U.S. and in Europe before hitting the Internet.

That and other headlines of the day, on Wednesday's edition of the CNET News Daily Podcast.

Today's stories:

Google's take on e-mail defense

RIAA triumphs in Usenet copyright case

Analyst: Intel-based thin laptops have design issues

Bing's first month produces small share gain

Greenpeace guide frowns on HP, still loves Nokia

Gmail labels get higher placement, drag-and-drop

Facebook cleans up its privacy controls

Windows 7 doesn't arrive on retail shelves and new PCs until October, but Microsoft has announced two programs designed to give a head start to those who know they want the new operating system. CNET News reporter Ina Fried helps us make sense of the somewhat complicated Windows 7 upgrade options.

That and other headlines of the day, on Tuesday's CNET News Daily Podcast.

Today's stories:

China delays rule for Net-screening software

Swedish company to buy Pirate Bay

Maine: A MacBook for each student in grades 7-12

Mozilla releases Firefox 3.5

FAQ: Making sense of Windows 7 upgrade options

Study: Quarter of all online adults own gaming consoles

Killer robots can be taught ethics

A major update to the Firefox browser, version 3.5, is on track to launch tomorrow. CNET News senior writer Stephen Shankland tells us what to expect, why it matters, and how Firefox is faring against Microsoft and the new browser up-start, Google.

Also, how Michael Jackson's death swamped Google, how to run OLPC software on your laptop, Shaq's Twitter challenge, and a look deep inside the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.

Today's stories:

Firefox 3.5 to ship on Tuesday?

DOJ extends investigation into Oracle-Sun deal

Report: Microsoft to cut Razorfish loose

Report: Sony considers adding phone to PSP

OLPC operating system free on a stick

Is Apple's Mac Mini a MacBook inside?

Sprint takes gloves off, aims for Apple's chin

YouTube hoops star accepts Shaq's Twitter challenge

America's Fortress: Cheyenne Mountain, NORAD live on

What are the best destination spots for globetrotting geeks? Programmer John Graham-Cumming traveled the world to find out. His recently published book, "The Geek Atlas," is a travel guide for lovers of science, math, and technology. CNET intern Dara Kerr got Graham-Cumming on the phone from London to talk about the book, and some of his favorite geek hotspots.

Also on today's podcast: Quashing rumors about the future of the Beatles' catalogue in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, Windows 7 might come to Netbooks via a thumb drive, Apple makes a statement about yesterday's iPhone porn app flap, and HP turns the iPhone into one of its classic calculators.

Today's stories:

Thumbing Windows 7 onto Netbooks

Jackson death won't affect a Beatles-iTunes deal

Apple confirms it banned iPhone porn app

ICANN names new CEO

Latest PS3 and Xbox price cut rumors

HP calculators reincarnated on iPhone

CNET News intern Mats Lewan checks in with editor Rafe Needleman, who recently tested out a whole bunch of tools for getting information in real time and came up with some favorites.

Plus, Carol Bartz's first shareholder meeting as Yahoo CEO, and other headlines of the day.

Today's stories:

Microsoft sets Windows 7 pricing, upgrade programs

MPAA says Real's patent attempt saps RealDVD argument

Showtime for Yahoo's Bartz

Yahoo shareholders content to wait and see

VC's automated Twitter feed spreads malware

Twitter search sites: The three best, and all the rest

Road test shows texting slows reaction time

What happened to Mars?

Reporter Ina Fried stops by the podcast studio to talk about Hohm, Microsoft's new Web service for helping consumers identify areas where they can save on energy.

Also in this podcast: Comcast and Time Warner are teaming up to bring cable subscribers TV shows online; why you might want to hold off on buying a Windows Vista machine; and a few of the hidden features in iPhone OS 3.0 that Apple hasn't publicized.

Today's stories:

Microsoft dials Hohm to cut home energy use

Comcast, Time Warner team up to deliver TV online

Windows 7 upgrade program nears launch

Judge gives Apple green light against Psystar

Sacramento getting smart grid

Oracle beats expectations as sales, earnings dip

Finding iPhone OS 3.0's small changes

AT&T's 3G upgrades to improve iPhone service

Intel's deal with Nokia is important for the chipmaker as it forges its path into the competitive (and profitable) mobile market. Also in today's podcast: MySpace layoffs hit the company's overseas offices; expedited airport-security service shuts down; and how to tell if you're really buying an American-made car.

Today's stories:

Intel forms pact with Nokia

MySpace slashing two-thirds of international staff

Report: Verizon, T-Mobile to offer Motorola Android smartphones

Flash Player 10 beta coming to most smartphones

Apple updates MacBook Pro firmware

Reports: Steve Jobs returns to Apple

Expedited airport-security service shuts down

Government loans for green cars awarded to Ford, Nissan, Tesla

Are you really buying American?

Kodak winds last rolls of Kodachrome