Today we talk acquisitions. Between the confirmation of Yahoo's acquisition of Xoopit, and Amazon's Wednesday surprise acquisition of online retailer Zappos it's been a busy week. We also get CNET Reporter Caroline McCarthy on the phone to talk about what it means for both Amazon and Zappos, as well as their respective customers.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
Yahoo confirms it's scooping up Xoopit
Intel appeals massive antitrust fine
eBay earnings drop but beat estimates
Apple releases new Final Cut Studio
Today some of our top stories include rumors of a new camera and microphone-equipped iPod coming from Apple, cheaper and faster solid state hard drives from Intel, and a new e-book store from Barnes & Noble.
Also, CNET senior editor Stephen Shankland joins me in the studio to talk about Yahoo's fancy new home page that lets users control what they see.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
iPod Touch with camera, mic coming soon?
Google playing around with YouTube in 3D
Adobe rolls out new open-source projects
Intel boosts speed, cuts prices on SSD
Coming soon: Downloaded 3D movies at home
Finally, Barnes & Noble returns to e-books
Los Angeles officials question Google Apps plan after Twitter breach
CNET News' Declan McCullagh explains the patchwork of statutes governing the tax treatment of digital downloads as well as the online purchase of goods and services. The long and short of it: make sure you know what to do before mailing in that envelope.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
The final frontier: Solar energy from space
Microsoft seeks Windows Mobile update leader
Symantec: Security holes, malware spike in 2008
Microsoft closes Excel, Windows and Word holes targeted by exploits
Even though Google bought and subsequently shuttered niche mobile app Dodgeball early this year, the location-based apps category is going strong. Dodgeball's creator has a very similar follow-up product out that's gaining lots of buzz due to its debut at the SXSW conference last month. Foursquare, as this one is called, is a mobile app that helps people find old friends and make new friends while out on the town. CNET's Josh Lowensohn stops by to talk about the broader appeal of this newly popular category of mobile applications.
Also in today's podcast: the Conficker worm comes out of hiding; the French parliament votes against antipiracy law; and Major League Baseball's new video-streaming platform already sees glitches.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
French parliament unexpectedly kills Net piracy bill
Obama announced e-health records for vets
More universities join Yahoo for Net-scale research
Conficker wakes up, updates via P2P, drops payload
David Carnoy sat down with Amazon's latest Kindle and runs through the features and the upgrades from the original. Take a listen as he discusses Amazon's e-book and how the product introduction may be received by consumers.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
Marvell makes ultrasmall wall plug computer
Google apologizes for Gmail outage
Solar-power prices slide toward 'grid parity'
Check out Daniel Terdiman's post on how a tiff over "Bristlebots" escalated into an online novella. Happily, the feuding factions have apparently reached an accord. And now we can return to the rest of today's news.
Listen now:
Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
Makers, book publisher reach 'bristlebots' accord
Report: Yahoo CTO's duties may expand
Protests stall New Zealand copyright rule
Wall Street will have a bevy of questions as newly-installed CEO Carol Bartz oversees her first conference call as Yahoo's boss. CNET News' Stephen Shankland explains what investors hope to hear--as well as the near-term expectations Bartz is likely to set.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
2K Sports is known for its action-filled titles, but next week it will be making its foray into the statistics side of sports. MLB Front Office will be released, starring Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A's. CNET News' Daniel Terdiman got a sneak peek and says it's unlike any sports video game he's ever played. He stops by to tell us about it.
Also in today's podcast: Intel's chairman calls it a career, Forbes releases its list of the most wired cities in America, the Facebook/MySpace debate goes on, and we look back at Apple's iconic 1984 Super Bowl ad, now 25 years old.
Listen now:
Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
You, too, can be a baseball GM
Intel Chairman Craig Barrett to retire in May
Yahoo suspends employee pay raises
Seattle tops 'Forbes' most-wired cities list
Facebook now twice as big as MySpace?
A federal judge in Rhode Island has postponed a hearing in a case that may test the legal underpinnings of the Recording Industry Association of America's suits against file swapping. CNET News' Declan McCullagh explains what's at stake.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Today's stories:
Report: Mac sales hit a slowdown
Judge postpones hearing in key RIAA lawsuit
Toshiba, SanDisk to cut flash chip output
Mobile phone market to shrink in `09
In less than one month, the Consumer Electronics Show will get underway in Las Vegas against the backdrop of an economic recession and a major political transition. But while the macro economy may impact attendance, what about the usual cornucopia of tech toys on display? CNET News' Erica Ogg offers a preview of the 2009 CES.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
... Read more
Rafe Needleman is editor of CNET's Webware. He's been covering technology since 1988, and has interviewed thousands of tech execs. He blogs at 
Leslie Katz is senior editor of CNET News' Crave blog, which focuses on gadgets, games, and all other digital distractions.
Erica Ogg keeps up on the latest consumer electronics and PC goings-on as chief correspondent for CNET News' Crave blog.
Jennifer Guevin is assistant managing editor for CNET News and focuses on science and green tech.
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and
services. 
