MARKETS / FINANCE

News Corp.-invested MySpace China aims to launch an online messaging service as soon as possible, its CEO said on Wednesday, as the venture fights for a bigger share of the world's second-largest Internet market.

Semiconductor firm Broadcom Corp. (NASDAQ: BRCM) announced on Tuesday an agreement to buy privately-held chip and software maker Global Locate Inc. for about $146 million in cash.

Mobile handset firm Nokia's ultra low power short-range wireless technology is to be developed as a new version of Bluetooth to connect devices such as watches and heart monitors, the company said on Tuesday.

Taiwan smartphone maker High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) said on Tuesday it will launch one of its own-brand touch-screen phones in the United States by the end of the year, as it seeks to compete with Apple's iPhone.

Flickr.com, one of the world's most popular online photo-sharing sites and owned by Yahoo Inc., is likely being blocked by the Chinese government, Yahoo's Hong Kong unit said on Tuesday.

Web search leader Google Inc. and semiconductor maker Intel Corp. launched a broad-based program on Tuesday to introduce more energy-efficient personal computers and server systems to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A strong minority of Yahoo Inc. shareholders challenged the Web company's direction on Tuesday by voting against board-nominated directors at the annual meeting, and investors confronted Chief Executive Terry Semel.

Openads, a supplier of free software used by Web sites to manage online ad campaigns, has received $5 million in initial funding, bolstering it to prepare for increasing competition globally with Google Inc.

A strong minority of Yahoo shareholders challenged the Web company's direction on Tuesday by voting against board-nominated directors at the annual meeting, and investors confronted Chief Executive Terry Semel.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who dropped out of Harvard about 30 years ago, received an honorary law doctorate from his old school on Thursday.

qA special committee within Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI) found it had improperly dated over 3000 stock options, resulting in a pre-tax charge of $66.7 million, according to a securities filing.

Sony's said Thursday that its computer entertainment unit laid off nearly 100 of its 1,600 U.S employees, with most coming from its headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

U.S. Online Ad Sales Up Sharply in 1Q U.S online advertising jumped 26 percent to a record $4.9 billion in the first quarter of 2007, the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers said Wednesday.

Electronics maker NEC said on Wednesday that it will begin selling a new notebook computer adorned with the Hello Kitty character.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is combining forces with Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), unveiling a much discussed partnership where Salesforce will resell Google's advertising tools to small and medium sized businesses.

The world's second largest electronics contactor, Flextronics International Ltd. (NASDAQ: FLEX), will acquire smaller rival, Solectron Corp. (NYSE: SLR for $3.6 billion in a move that will help consolidate an industry plagued by manufacturing overcapacity, as it strives for the top position.

The communications ministry in Japan plans to tighten regulations for Internet-Protocol (IP) telephony, after a blackout incident affected millions of customers last month, according to a report.

Corporate phone system maker Avaya Inc. (NYSE: AV) is reportedly in talks about selling all, or part of the company to a private equity firm and other bidders.

Internet advertising sales soared 35 percent to $16.9 billion in the U.S. last year according to a study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau noting figures from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Dell Inc.(NASDAQ: DELL) said yesterday it plans to start selling its personal computers through Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(NYSE: WMT) in North America next month, departing from the direct-to-consumer business model it was founded on.

Shares of Business software firm CA Inc. (NYSE: CA) fell more than 7 percent, a day after reporting a smaller fourth quarter loss, but also warning that its financial forecast for fiscal 2008 would be lower than Wall Street estimates.

Hard disk parts provider Komag Inc. (NASDAQ: KOMG) lowered its second quarter guidance on Wednesday, saying market pressures and product transitions have negatively impacted its quarter.

Computer Sciences Corp. (NYSE: CSC) said Tuesday that is delaying its fiscal fourth-quarter and full year 2007 earnings reports as it finalizes some accounting issues.

Shares in Nokia (NYSE: NOK) jumped on Monday after the company said its market share of mobile phones would increase for the year.

Semiconductor Company Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) posted a 44 percent rise in quarterly profit as the firm's operational margins improved, but missed analyst expectations.

Satellite television provider DirecTV Group, Inc. (NYSE: DTV) posted a 43 percent rise in profit on Wednesday, driven by a higher subscriber count and high-definition services, but missed analysts expectations.

Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA) unveiled a new cable modem capable of download speeds of up to 150 megabits, or 25 times faster than current models, according to a report.

Video game developer and publisher Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) said on Tuesday that its fourth quarter earnings were down, missing analysts estimates with few game titles to spur profits.

Shares of leading Internet portal Yahoo, Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), shot up more than 15 percent in pre-market trading on Friday after a published report stated that software giant Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) is seeking to renew formal acquisition talks.