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The coming of CES next week marks 30 years since one of the most beloved computer systems of all time was introduced to the world: the Commodore 64.

The Commodore 64, or C64, was an 8-bit computer that was a competitor to the more expensive Apple II. It would go on to dominate the PC world for almost 10 years.

The C64 featured 64k of memory, a MOS Technology 6510 processor running at 1MHz, a 16-color graphics chip, and a composite video output.

As a kid, I remember frittering away countless hours loading tapes into the Datasette peripheral to play the newest games such as Impossible Mission and Super Pipeline.

While the machine has enjoyed a resurgence in the last year with the release of the Commodore 64x PC, it's been a long and bumpy road. Here is a brief history of the little 64k marvel:… Read more

Toyota yesterday opened the order books for its smallest hybrid to thousands of space-conscious, fuel-weary Japanese buyers.

More then 60,000 buyers have signed up to purchase the Aqua subcompact hybrid, which achieves 83 mpg under Japan's JC08 test cycle and is expected to retail for $22,000. Known as the Prius c to the rest of the world, the 1.5-liter hatchback is the same length and width as the pint-sized Yaris, but a little bit shorter to increase aerodynamics.

Its dimensions may sound diminutive to American buyers, but its elfin size and fuel-sipping ways are exactly what'… Read more

Perhaps a name change can give a company a new life.

Indeed, that appears to have been the case for C Spire, the wireless carrier formerly known as Cellular South. Though the company wasn't suffering under its old name, its phone lineup wasn't exactly thrilling. But since the identity switch, it has made some bold handset moves.

First C Spire picked up the iPhone 4S and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, and now it is the first U.S. carrier to offer one of Sonim's extremely durable phones--the Armor XP3400.

Christmas came early for Sprint today when AT&T announced that it was abandoning its controversial $39 billion bid to acquire T-Mobile.

In a statement released moments ago, Vonya B. McCann, Sprint's senior vice president of Government Affairs, said AT&T made the "right decision for consumers, competition and innovation in the wireless industry."

"From the beginning, Sprint has stood with consumers who spoke loudly and clearly that AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile would create an undeniable duopoly that would have resulted in higher prices, less innovation and fewer choices for … Read more

CNET's newest TV editor, Ty Pendlebury, joins us on today's episode for a short lesson in Australian holidays and colloquialisms!

Today we're talking about another billionaire bitten by the space travel bug, even though Jeff seems reluctant to travel in outer space.

We'll also bug Ty to tell us why the FCC doesn't care about eardrums, and he'll join us throughout the second half where we'll premiere a new geek speed-dating show on TLC.

Also, be sure to tune in tomorrow to hear us announce the winners of Target's video voice mail competition. Two winners will get their choice of an Xbox 360/Kinect Bundle or an iPad 2!… Read more

By cutting out gasoline altogether, Ford may be the first production car to break the 100 miles per gallon mark.

Ford today said it has started production of the 2012 Focus Electric at its Michigan Assembly Plant, a sedan the company expects to be rated at more than 100 miles per gallon equivalent.

The electric version of its five-seater will be available early next year for just under $40,000 before a $7,500 federal tax rebate. Ford is making the car available first in California and the New York/New Jersey area and then will make it available in … Read more

Louis Szekely, the comedian better known as Louis C.K., has declared that his experiment selling an online video with no copy-protection restrictions is a success.

In the four days after putting "Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theater" for sale at $5, the stand-up comedian has made a profit of about $200,000 so far, he said in a statement yesterday. As a result, he said, he hopes all his future work will be distributed the same way.

Today's online entertainment world is a largely bipolar. On the one hand is legally sanctioned content that'… Read more

A chip analyst has written a sobering assessment of Intel's chip prowess vis-a-vis Apple in the mobile device race, an odd underdog position for the largest chipmaker.

In the brave new world of tablets and smartphones, chip competition isn't so much about Moore's Law but rather how the "blocks" of circuits are put together and the nexus with the software that runs on those circuits, Gus Richard, a senior research analyst at securities firm Piper Jaffray, wrote in a research note this week.

More specifically, tablets and smartphones use silicon called system-on-a-chip, or SoC, that … Read more

Sprint Nextel and C-Spire today agreed with AT&T to hold off on their lawsuit until AT&T has a chance to re-evaluate its options, following similar steps taken by the Department of Justice yesterday.

Sprint and the regional wireless carrier have sued to block AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA, drafting behind the larger--and more relevant--Justice Department lawsuit. But with AT&T reconsidering its strategy, Sprint and C-Spire have agreed to a delay until January 18.

The actions kicked off on Thanksgiving, when AT&T withdrew its merger application from the Federal Communications Commission. … Read more