Massachusetts lawmakers have easily overridden the state governor's veto of a bill aimed at encouraging embryonic stem cell research.
The new law bans cloning for reproductive purposes, but allows so-called "therapeutic cloning" of human embryos to extract stem cells. It was this provision that led to Governor Mitt Romney's veto.
As a result of today's vote, the stem cell measure immediately becomes law in Massachusetts.
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Battery bonanza
Battery makers are charging up for a future of computing-on-the-go as a new generation of mobile devices takes over for traditional desk-bound PCs.
The battery boom is coming as slimmer laptops, some weighing as little as 2.6 pounds, are expected to overtake traditional computers in unit sales by 2009.
Strong growth for other portable devices, such as game and music players, personal digital assistants and mobile phones, is also expected to propel battery sales.
Further down the corporate food chain, the boom is expected to support a new group of after-market players to the forefront as demand grows for replacement batteries after initial ones lose their rechargeability.
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The clock is ticking
The European Union head office said Tuesday it expects to make a decision by the end of July on whether to impose new fines on Microsoft, which faces a Wednesday deadline for complying with an earlier order aimed at assuring that rivals can compete to supply accessories for its Windows platform.
EU officials said Monday that regulators might need several weeks to decide whether to slap Microsoft with huge fines once the Wednesday deadline for the software maker to comply with a landmark ruling expires.
"We're in regular contact with Microsoft and we have no reason to believe they will not make their final offer before midnight tonight," EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said. "It will take time to analyze this proposal. I can't say whether they're going to fall into line or not."
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Begetting violence: A state in Japan has decided to ban a U.S. video game from being sold or rented to minors, after officials deemed it harmful and capable of inciting violence.
Grand Theft Auto III, produced by Rockstar Games, has sold about 350,000 copies in Japan. It depicts random acts of violence that officials fear teens might try to mimic.
The game will receive a "harmful" product label in Kanagawa prefecture, or state, where retailers will be barred from selling the game to anyone under 18 years of age. The game also will have to be displayed separately from other titles.
While other products have faced similar restrictions due to explicit sexual content, it is the first time Japan has placed such measures on a game because of violence.
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Makeover: Sun Microsystems is getting a little help from its friends in a new $50 million advertising campaign to bring its brand out of the dark.
In its biggest brand overhaul, Sun's advertising incorporates such clients as eBay, General Motors and Major League Baseball to illustrate how its products and services help connect people.
The rebrand centers on a slim S-curve to signify "Sharing," highlighting the use of computer networks to do everything from play video games on cellular phones, keep up on the latest sports match or buy a car online.
Sun still seeks to recover from a bruising technology downturn in which it lost market share to rivals such as IBM. and Dell.
Sun was harder hit than its competitors in the wake of the 2001 dotcom bust as two key customer segments, telecommunications and financial services, proved more vulnerable than other industries.
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Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
