ELECTRONICS

Stocks tumbled on Friday to close out the worst week since January as news of a criminal probe into Goldman Sachs unnerved investors already anxious about the prospects for heavy regulation from Washington.

Motorola Inc reported a surprising quarterly profit on better-than-expected demand for its higher-margin smartphones, so far vindicating its strategy of relying on Google Inc's Android software system.

(Corrects paragraph 14 to say Motorola was expected to rank seventh in the global mobile phone market, not fourth)

Apple Inc has acquired two small companies, a chip designer and personal assistant software maker, to bolster its advantage in the increasingly competitive mobile arena.

Hewlett-Packard Co announced a $1.2 billion deal to buy Palm Inc , betting it can resuscitate the struggling smartphone maker to compete with the likes of Apple Inc and RIM .

Hewlett-Packard Co said it has struck a $1.2 billion deal for Palm Inc , offering a 23 percent premium to expand into the smartphone market.

Google Inc said it no longer plans to offer a version of its Nexus One smartphone for the Verizon Wireless network and will change its distribution plans in Britain, underscoring the challenges facing the Internet search company as it expands into the mobile phone market.

Four major Japanese electronics companies will standardize their core software platform for next-generation cellphones aimed at reducing costs and raising competitiveness, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday.

Lenovo, the world's No.4 PC brand, has emerged as the leading candidate to buy struggling smartphone maker Palm, after the U.S. firm was rebuffed by other potential Asian buyers, sources said.

Diversified U.S. manufacturer Honeywell International Inc boosted its full-year earnings target after reporting a first-quarter profit that topped Wall Street's expectations.

The Nasdaq edged higher on Thursday as another steady stream of strong earnings from companies, including Starbucks Corp , overshadowed worries about Greece's ability to handle its debt.

AT&T Inc's earnings beat expectations on the back of strong iPhone sales, but questions over how much longer it would remain the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple Inc dampened investor enthusiasm.

Palm Inc shares tumbled on Monday, weighed down by the resignation of the chief of its webOS phone software and concerns that a sale of the company may not come as soon as some anticipate.

Palm Inc shares tumbled on Monday, weighed down by the resignation of the chief of its webOS phone software and signs a sale of the smartphone maker may not come as soon as some anticipate.

The videoconferencing industry is getting a boost in demand from the disruption to business travel across Europe caused by a volcano in Iceland, Cisco Systems said.

Lenovo Group, the world's No.4 PC brand, said mobile Internet products will account for 10-20 percent of revenue in five years, as it embarks on a new drive into wireless computing.

Dutch Philips Electronics on Monday reported first-quarter operating profit above the most optimistic forecast, driven by its lighting unit and cost cuts, sending shares to a 23-month high.

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson swung to a surprise first-quarter pretax profit on Friday as its push into the growing smartphone market and hefty cost cuts boosted margins.

The revolution of cell phones has been adding much functionality to its use. Its function varies from in-built camera, MP3 player, GPS to online service. What if, in the future, new functions on our cell phones could also protect us from toxic chemicals?

Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it was investigating charges that young workers at a factory in China making its mice, cameras and Xbox controllers suffer overlong working hours and harsh treatment.

The world's top memory chipmaker, Samsung Electronics, said it will launch independent reviews in response to reports that toxic materials used in chip making may have caused cancer in some of its employees.