After years of jealously guarding access to its AOL Instant Messenger network, America Online is openly flirting with third-party developers looking to connect to its AIM service. AOL said that it has launched Open AIM, a free developer kit that allows the creation of plug-ins, mashups and third-party applications that connect to AOL’s 63 million […]

Gates still world’s richest man despite competition Forbes Magazine has released its annual report of the world’s richest people, and for the twelfth year in a row, the founder of Microsoft, Chairman Bill Gates, ranked number one, making him the richest man on earth, followed by perennial No. 2 Warren Buffett, the famed investor of […]

@Last Software, makers of the 3D sketch software SketchUp, has been acquired by Google Inc. Google Inc. said it has bought 3D modeler @Last Software, the second acquisition announced in less than a week by the search engine giant as it builds out its expanding Web services platform. The news comes in an announcement posted […]

StreamCast Networks, creator of the Morpheus file-swapping software, has filed a lawsuit naming Kazaa and Skype Technologies, among others, as defendants Racketeering charges have been filed against founders of Skype and developers of Kazaa by StreamCast Networks, maker of the Morpheus file-swapping software. Alleging that the defendants committed numerous violations of the Racketeer Influences and […]

Deal Also Includes CBS Television Network VOD Content Less than two months after CBS Corp. president Leslie Moonves told Wall Street he wanted the company to be paid for its signal, CBS snagged its first major deal with Verizon and its fledgling TV service. Verizon and CBS recently announced a comprehensive retransmission consent and video-on-demand […]

Mobile network operator 3 Group said it will offer Microsoft’s MSN messenger and Hotmail e-mail to its customers. Microsoft and Hutchison 3G have recently announced a deal that will make it easier for 3G users to access MSN Messenger and Hotmail on the move. The mobile telco will make both services available on its portal. […]

Amazon.com came under fire from Britain’s book publishing and retailing industries lately even as the debate raged over a perceived threat presented by Google Inc. The chief executive of HarperCollins UK, said she feared the online book seller more than the Web search leader, which has created a stir with plans to digitize every book. […]

Google is inviting UK and US publishers to sign up for a forthcoming e-book store on its website. Google Inc. plans to let people buy online versions of books, but only make them available for reading through a browser. The company wants to partner with publishers in the United States and United Kingdom to sell […]

Amazon.com Inc. is reportedly in advanced talks with several major Hollywood studios about creating a service that would allow consumers to download and copy movies and television programs, sources familiar with the discussions said. Sources reveal that Amazon is close to completing a deal with three Hollywood studios; Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Brothers. […]

Blinkx, the smartest thing on your computer and on the Web, launched Pico, an entirely new way to navigate the next-generation Web. The search, known as Pico, is also being billed as the smallest search program available, taking up just 1MB of space. Pico, a free download available at http://www.blinkx.com, revolutionizes the search process, by […]