Corporate & legal

Updated at 2 p.m. PST with quotes from the earnings call.

Hewlett-Packard on Monday officially announced it recorded $33.6 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter of 2008, up 19 percent from a year ago, or 16 percent when adjusted for currency effects.

HP's profit came out to $2.1 billion, or 84 cents per share. That's down slightly from $2.2 billion a year ago, though up from 81 cents per share.

The company pre-released its results last week. The results are the rare bright spot for the PC industry, which is expected to bear … Read more

Facebook has been awarded $873 million in damages against a Canadian man accused of sending spam messages to its members.

The default judgment was issued in federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Friday against Adam Guerbuez, of Montreal, and his company, Atlantis Blue Capital. The ruling also forbids Guerbuez from using Facebook or interacting with its members ever again.

Facebook doesn't expect to necessarily collect the money because "it's unlikely that Geurbez and Atlantis Blue Capital could ever honor the judgment rendered against them," Max Kelly, Facebook's director of security, wrote in a blog posting … Read more

Police in Pembroke Pines, Fla., are trying to determine whether those who goaded a Florida 19-year-old to commit suicide bear any responsibility in his death, according to several reports.

"There is an active investigation," Sgt. John Gazzano of the Pembroke Pines Police Department told CNET News. He did not provide any other details.

Last week, the teenager set up a Webcam to broadcast himself taking an overdose of drugs on Web video service Justin.tv. The 12-hour ordeal was watched by hundreds of people, some who encouraged the young man to do away with himself.

"You want … Read more

If you thought that watching football in high definition seemed more realistic, just wait until you can view a game in 3D.

Next week the National Football League is broadcasting live in 3D a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders to theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. The event, to be held December 4, is a demonstration to show how the technology can be used to provide a more realistic experience in a theater or in the home.

The NFL has invited representatives from consumer electronics companies to view the event in an effort … Read more

IBM on Monday unveiled consulting and implementation services for cloud computing, as well as a related validation program.

Cloud computing is designed to cut costs for companies by moving such functions as data storage, security, and enterprise applications onto the Internet. A company can control its own cloud system, outsource it in its entirety, or adopt a hybrid model.

IBM Global Business Services, seeking to capitalize on the rising popularity of Internet-based storage and computing, will oversee the company's cloud-consulting services, aiming to provide customers with assessments as to whether building their own so-called cloud, or transferring data and … Read more

Update, Monday 7:08 a.m. PST: Added information on Wal-Mart's Black Friday deals.

Usually Black Friday is a good time of year for consumers and retailers. It's when retailers get "in the black" by getting rid of a lot of excess inventory through offering drastic discounts.

This year is different. The economy has crumbled, consumers plan on spending less, and at least for those shopping for electronics, there are fewer viable options with many Circuit City stores set to close.

Some bargain hunters have complained that, so far, they haven't seen as many great … Read more

Verizon Wireless has fired the workers tied to the breach of records for a cell phone used by Barack Obama, according to CNN.

A source told CNN on Friday about the firings. The source wouldn't say how many people were involved. The workers had been placed on leave earlier this week during Verizon's internal investigation.

"We now consider this matter closed," the source told CNN.

The breach was publicly reported Thursday; President-elect Obama's transition team was informed a day earlier. Obama's spokesman told CNN that the flip phone, which didn't have e-mail, had … Read more

Two Silicon Valley engineers from China have been sentenced to prison for stealing chip designs and attempting to smuggle them back into their native country, the Associated Press reported.

The two men, Fei Ye and Ming Zhong, pleaded guilty two years ago. They were sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif. According to the AP, they are the first ones convicted of the most serious violations under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996.

Ye is a U.S. citizen, the AP said, and Zhong is a permanent resident of the U.S.

Prosecutors did not allege … Read more

A judge on Friday ruled that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will have to testify in a class action suit over the "Vista Capable" logo program that Microsoft ran ahead of the launch of Windows Vista.

Microsoft had sought to limit depositions in the case to former Windows executives Jim Allchin and Will Poole, both of whom have since left the company. However, the judge ruled against the software maker.

"The court appreciates that there are severe demands on Mr. Ballmer's time; however, a busy schedule cannot 'shield' an executive from discovery," Judge Marsha J. Pechman … Read more