Week in review: Last call for BlackBerry?

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However, the search giant may have more luck with its court fight with the feds. Some believe the U.S. Department of Justice's attempt to compel Google to divulge millions of search records could backfire on police and prosecutors.

If Google convinces California courts that a federal privacy law protects Internet users' search terms from a subpoena, it would become more difficult for law enforcement to seek such records in future criminal investigations, legal experts are saying.

That's "absolutely" a concern, said Paul Ohm, a former Justice Department prosecutor who now teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "There's a lot of precedent for that kind of thing."

Google is also looking for a favorable ruling from the city of San Francisco. The search giant is teaming with EarthLink on a bid to offer free wireless Internet access throughout the city. Under the plan, Google would manage the free Wi-Fi service, which will run at 300 kilobits per second, while EarthLink would offer a 1-megabit-per-second service with customer support for $20 a month or less.

The Google-EarthLink bid was among six presented to the city. The other proposals were submitted by Communication Bridge Global, MetroFi, NextWLAN, Razortooth Communications (dba RedTAP) and SF Metro Connect (a joint venture of community-computing nonprofit SeaKay and Cisco Systems and IBM).

Mac moves
A serious flaw in Mac OS X could be a conduit for attackers to install malicious code on computers running the Apple Computer software, experts warn. It exposes Mac users to risks that are more familiar to Windows users: Visiting a malicious Web site using Apple's Safari Web browser could result in a rootkit, a backdoor or other malicious software being installed on the computer without the user noticing anything, experts said. Apple is developing a patch for the flaw, a company representative said. Word of the new vulnerability comes after the recent discovery of a Trojan horse and a worm that target Mac users. The operating system had not been in the security crosshairs previously.

Apple confirmed that it plans to introduce some "fun new products " next week, but declined to say more about what those products might be. In an e-mail sent to journalists, the company merely said the invited scribes should come to the company's headquarters Tuesday to learn more.

"Come see some fun, new products from Apple," the company said in its invitation. Unlike past invitations, which hinted at which product Apple was targeting, the current invitation includes just a picture of a calendar with only the date Feb. 28 on it.

Apple's celebrating its 30th birthday, and you're invited. Tell us how the company's products have impacted you over the years. And be sure to include photos of you with your favorite Apple computers or gadgets. We'll include a sampling of your submissions in an upcoming CNET News.com report. E-mail your pictures and anecdotes to [e-mail].

Also of note
A bulk e-mailer who looted more than a billion records with personal information from a data warehouse has been sentenced to eight years in prison...Americans' home adoption of the Internet has stalled, and doesn't appear likely to increase much in the next few years, according to a new research report...During an open house celebrating its 40th anniversary, HP Labs showed off Misto, the hybrid of coffee table and tablet PC that promises to either entertain or rile up family members next Thanksgiving.