NTT DoCoMo to Demo Prototype LTE Handset (PC World)

PC World - NTT DoCoMo plans to demonstrate a prototype cellular handset running next-generation LTE technology at this month's Mobile World Congress exhibition in Barcelona, one of the companies that co-developed the handset said Monday.

Asian companies hope to reap iPad boom (AFP)

AFP - The iPad may have been designed in the United States, but Apple's money-spinning products are manufactured in the high-tech factories of east Asia.

Amazon.com to capitulate to Macmillan price demand (AP)

AP - Amazon.com says it will give in to publishing giant Macmillan and agree to sell electronic versions of its books even at prices it considers too high.

Fears Australian piracy case could shut off net (AFP)

AFP - Australian Internet rights groups fear a piracy court case could force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to become "copyright cops" and cut web access to customers who make illegal downloads.

Apple iPad vs Kindle DX: Which is Better for Education? (PC World)

PC World - If the iPad doesn't succeed as a consumer electronics device--its initial target market--it may find a successful second career as an electronic textbook reader.

Rewriting European privacy law for digital age (AFP)

AFP - European legislation covering the protection of private data is being dragged into the digital age in a potential threat for social networking sites like Facebook where users display foibles, often without a thought for consequences.

Apple's own approach to iPad e-books could confuse (AP)

AP - Even as Apple's iPad will likely energize electronic reading, the new device is undermining a painstakingly constructed effort by the publishing industry to make it possible to move e-books between different electronic readers.

Novell bringing .Net developers to Apple iPad (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Novell is positioning its MonoTouch software development kit as a mechanism for building Microsoft .Net-based applications for Apple's new iPad device.

Oracle-Sun Merger Could Benefit Small Business (PC World)

PC World - Small business has reason the cheer Oracle's acquisition of Sun, now that it appears OpenOffice.org and MySQL look to do well--perhaps better--under new ownership.

Northey: Iowa shouldn't buy meatpacking plant (AP)

AP - Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said Friday he's willing to talk to other government officials about a soon-to-be-shuttered Sioux City meatpacking plant but private industry will have the final say on its future.

Apple Pulls Flash Content From iPad Promos (PC World)

PC World - It looks like Apple's iPad really is magical after all. Marketing materials for the iPad mysteriously morphed overnight following complaints that they misleadingly depicted the device showing Flash-based content. As of Saturday morning, presto-change-o: The Flash is gone.

Connecting Your iPhone or iPad with Your Business (PC World)

PC World - Despite its reputation as a consumer device, the presence of the iPhone, and soon the iPad, in the business environment cannot be ignored. IT Administrators at businesses of all sizes must address the challenge of integrating the devices and providing access to network resources.

Cell Phone Bans Don't Work? Try Duct Tape (PC World)

PC World - A new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute indicates that laws preventing motorists from texting or using handheld cell phones while driving haven't led to a large drop in the number of vehicle crashes. While the findings are questionable, let's say, for the sake of argument, that they're true.

Net Humorists Pit iPad Against Traditional Tools (PC World)

PC World - Within minutes of the iPad's announcement, fans and critics alike were playing a hypothetical comparison game, stacking the not-yet-released device against a host of competitors, from the Kindle DX to the Sony PSP Go, from netbooks to full-size laptops, and everything in between. The comedians of the Net were taking a different tack, comparing Apple's latest with more-traditional alternatives.

Apple's IPad, Oracle's Plan for Sun Share Limelight (PC World)

PC World - While it seemed that all eyes were on Apple's unveiling of the long-awaited iPad this week, Oracle on the same day revealed its plans for Sun Microsystems' technology, while those at Sun braced for the merger and began their public goodbyes. We also had a flurry of financial reports this week and some Internet weirdness associated with President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address.

Obama wants to repeal tax on company cell phones (AP)

AP - Ever make a personal call on your company cell phone? Did you record the value of that call as taxable income, as required by law?

China's online travel market booming (AFP)

AFP - China's online tourism market is booming as an increasingly wealthy middle class travels for pleasure and the use of credit cards and the Internet soars, analysts say.

Shiny gadget, icky name: iPad jokes fly on Web (AP)

AP - You have to wonder whether there were any women in the room when the marketing geniuses at Apple decided to call the company's new gadget the "iPad." Because the jokes about feminine hygiene products are flying.

Cyber crooks cashing in on iPad frenzy (AFP)

AFP - Hackers and scammers are cashing in on iPad fever by luring the curious to booby-trapped websites with false promises of information about Apple's new tablet computer.

Microsoft fiscal 2Q earns up 60 pct on PC rebound (AP)

AP - Microsoft Corp. said Thursday its earnings in the most recent quarter jumped 60 percent, as a rebound in the personal computer industry drove sales of the company's latest Windows operating system.

Amazon 4Q profit climbs 71 pct on strong holidays (AP)

AP - Amazon.com Inc.'s fourth-quarter earnings skyrocketed 71 percent, as shoppers spent more than ever during a holiday season that improved over the previous year for retailers on and off the Web.

Books pulled from Amazon.com in pricing dispute (AP)

AP - New copies of Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall," Andrew Young's "The Politician" and other books published by Macmillan were unavailable Saturday on Amazon.com, a drastic step in the ongoing dispute over e-book prices.

Nintendo chief unimpressed with Apple's iPad (AP)

AP - Nintendo's president shrugged off the just unveiled iPad tablet computer from Apple as delivering "no surprises," and displayed as little enthusiasm for 3-D technology and high-definition upgrades for games.

Study: Distracted driving laws don't stop crashes (AP)

AP - A new insurance industry study has found that state laws banning the use of handheld devices to make calls or send text messages while driving have not resulted in fewer vehicle crashes.