IBT Staff Reporter

Stocks racked up a fourth straight week of gains on Thursday, as investors expected optimism about the economic recovery to support equities through year-end.

According to the blog TorrentFreak, the most downloaded movie that wasn't pornography is Avatar.

The Federal Communications Commission's top official has given his approval to Comcast Corp's purchase of NBC Universal with a number of tough and narrowly tailored conditions on the deal.

Internet calling service Skype said its system was still down for around 20 percent of users on the second day of its biggest outage in more than three years, although service was gradually recovering.

President Barack Obama will again nominate economist Peter Diamond to the Federal Reserve Board next year, a White House official said on Thursday, setting up a potential clash with Republicans who will have more influence in the new Senate.

Stocks racked up a fourth straight week of gains on Thursday, as investors expected optimism about the economic recovery to support equities through year-end.

Internet calling service Skype said its system was still down for around 20 percent of users on the second day of its biggest outage in more than three years, although service was gradually recovering.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs was named Person of the Year by the Financial Times, largely for his success in making Apple one of the most talked-about - and profitable - tech companies in the world.

President Barack Obama will again nominate economist Peter Diamond to the Federal Reserve Board next year, a White House official said on Thursday, setting up a potential clash with Republicans, who will have more influence in the new Senate.

Amid large-scale South Korean military drills near the border with North Korea, a top official from the North warned against intrusion into its territory, threatening war and citing possible use of nuclear weapons, while an unofficial U.S. ambassador said the situation was like a tinderbox.

The Federal Communications Commission's top official has given his approval to Comcast Corp's NBC Universal purchase, but would require several crucial conditions.

The app can tell user's where there are open metered parking spaces and parking garages.

Apple TV and Roku looking at a million connected TV devices sold; Google TV not looking as promising.

Apple won't be including some of its most popular downloads on its MacBook App Store, set to debut in January.

Sony announced its monthly subscription based streaming music service, Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity, has made its official debut in the United Kingdom.

Demand for a range of long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods surged in November and consumer spending rose for a fifth straight month, cementing views of a solid economic growth pace in the fourth quarter.

Medicare’s open enrollment season ends on Dec. 31 and the popular government-run healthcare system is reminding members that now is the time to enroll, re-enroll or change their Medicare Part D, or prescription drug plan, for 2011.

The Gold Price in Euros has risen more than 38% so far in 2010. The Gold Price in Swiss Francs has also hit record highs. It looks as if the SNB will have to revoke its decision to stop intervening, says Steven Barrow, chief currency strategist at Standard Bank in London today.

Online casino CasinoRewards.com has hit its target of giving away $10 million.

American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) launched the Kizashi™ Ring of Fire racing game app, bringing it on both the iPad and iPhone as a free download from the App Store for the holidays.

Consumer confidence in the U.S. improved to its best level in six months during December but the state of consumers' finances still remains grim, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey said on Thursday.

Hoping for some monetary damages, Hopewell Culture & Design have sued Apple and Android makers for the infringement of double-click patent.

Investors kept an upbeat outlook in light preholiday trade on Thursday as data buttressed views of steady economic growth, with stocks on track for a fourth straight week of gains.

In the latest blow to the euro zone, Fitch Ratings on Thursday downgraded Portugal, citing burgeoning debt levels and a tough financing environment.

Both Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron have moved on after their split.

Viacom Inc has sold Harmonix Music Systems, the developer behind the Rock Band franchise, to the investment firm Columbus Nova and gained up to an estimated $200 million in the deal, ending a failed foray into the video game business.

Christian will play an American priest who saves many Chinese during the Nanjing massacre

This time Google, in its journey of exploration, has sent its Nexus S to the near space to collect some interesting data about the sensors in Nexus S – GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer, said a Google blog post.

A group of shareholders in Blockbuster Inc are considering an investment in the bankrupt video chain and are seeking information about its push into digital, according to court documents.