Top technology news headlines

The sunshine business in the Golden State

photos In San Diego, the solar industry's annual confab shows the diversity of solar gear for power plants, commercial roofs, or homes.
• Home energy monitors getting wise to solar

'Prototype This' invents the future

video CNET's Kara Tsuboi spent a day on location with the new Discovery Channel show to learn about gear like the pyro-pack and a robot that can climb stairs.

FCC chairman backs use of 'white space' spectrum

The chairman of the FCC said Wednesday that he supports the use of unused "white space" spectrum for wireless broadband services.

Verizon, AT&T put up cell towers at McCain ranch

Verizon and AT&T have installed temporary communications towers at the Arizona ranch of Sen. John McCain to provide cellular telephone coverage there.
(From The New York Times)

Discovery's 'Prototype This!' debuts tonight

The new show from the producers of MythBusters highlights innovative product design from the minds of a group of creative, yet telegenic hosts.
• Video: 'Prototype This' invents the future
• Photos: Prototyping for TV

FBI targets rise in cybercrime from U.S. and abroad

A rise in cybercrime prompts the FBI to work more closely with foreign law enforcement to crack down on attacks that impact the United States.

IMDB turns 18

You might not know it, but the site that has become the definitive repository of information about movies is older than the Web.

Apple executive parade not prelude to change

Just because CEO Steve Jobs shared the stage with several of his top lieutenants at Tuesday's notebook announcement doesn't mean he's ready to give up control.
• Three things Apple won't do
• Roundup: Apple polishes laptops
• Video: Is Steve Jobs slowly passing the baton?

Has Storm stopped sending spam?

Researchers find that spam output produced by the once prolific botnet has dwindled to almost nothing in the last month.

Poptub: Google tries best-of-YouTube TV show

A Pepsi-sponsored show featuring YouTube highlights and celebrity interviews delivers an audience to advertisers.

Microsoft to ditch MSN Groups?

An e-mail forwarded to LiveSide.net seems to indicate that Microsoft will be closing its MSN Groups service and replacing it with a new Windows Live Groups--but the two won't be compatible.

IDC: Netbook shipments up, expect constrained IT budgets

Economic turmoil drives lowered consumer and professional spending on PCs, but makes cheaper Netbooks more attractive.

Get ready for Microsoft's PDC

With questions swirling around Windows 7 and "Windows Cloud," Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference will be the place to be. Even if you can't be there, our shiny PDC page will keep you up-to-date.

eBay issues gloomy forecast as tech stocks tank again

Web auctioneer says fourth-quarter profit could be as low as 25 cents per share. The company earned 39 cents per share during the same quarter last year.

Technorati makes another acquisition, launches ad platform

It's another move in the direction of being an advertising company rather than a search company, now that Google Blog Search has taken a big bite out of its influence.