Intel and Microsoft, the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world's personal computers, are throwing their support behind the next-generation DVD standard known as HD DVD.
After taking a neutral stance for months in the battle between the competing HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats, the companies have joined the HD DVD Promotion Group that includes Toshiba, Universal Studios and others.
The move means upcoming PCs running Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista operating system or Intel's Viiv entertainment technology will come with support for HD DVD drives.
The decision by Microsoft (MSFT) and Intel (INTC) pits the two largest makers of equipment for PCs against many of the companies that build and sell computers. Blu-ray is backed by Sony (SNE), Apple (AAPL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Dell (DELL), along with a variety of other tech companies and studios.
It was not clear how Microsoft and Intel's move would affect the stance of computer makers, but the PC industry has managed to skirt confusion over dueling standards in the past by offering drives that can handle multiple formats.
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Channel Google: Google is delving deeper into an unconventional business, offering an internet streamcast of last week's television premiere of Chris Rock's new comedy.
Other online outlets have made network prime-time shows available before, but Everybody Hates Chris marks Google's most high-profile video offering so far.
Through Google Video, professionals and amateurs alike may submit video that is indexed and then displayed through a browser-based video player. All the currently available videos are free, but Google hopes to eventually charge for some of material in partnership with the content providers.
Google also has been recording television shows off the air, but largely because of copyright restrictions it is displaying only still images and portions of transcripts from those shows.
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The demure deity of discovery: Google will stop boasting on its home page about the number of web pages it has stored in its index, even as the online search engine leader continues a crusade to prove it scans substantially more material than its rivals.
The removal will mark the first time in more than five years that Google hasn't listed the size of its search index on its sparse home page.
When Google (GOOG) started the practice in mid-2000, the index spanned 1 billion pages; as of Monday afternoon, Google's home page said the search index contained 8.17 billion pages.
That figure qualified it as the largest in the industry until last month, when nemesis Yahoo (YHOO) revealed its database included 20.8 billion documents and images. Unlike Google, Yahoo never listed that figure on its home page, disclosing it only in a web posting by one of its executives.
Yahoo's claim nevertheless came under immediate fire from Google executives, who questioned its accuracy before finally concluding that the two companies are counting things differently.
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Back off or we'll zap you: Taser said U.S. regulators have stepped up their investigation into the stun gun maker and have expanded the probe into new activities.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has now upgraded its probe to a formal investigation, allowing it to subpoena documents. The SEC had opened an informal probe of the company over statements about the safety of its stun guns and a distribution deal struck in December 2004.
Taser (TASR) also said it understands the SEC is looking into the possible unauthorized acquisition of material nonpublic information by individuals outside the company in an effort to manipulate Taser's stock price.
Taser has stood by the safety of its weapons, saying the stun guns have never been named as the primary cause of death when suspects were in custody.
Taser's chief executive, Rick Smith, said in a statement that he hoped the SEC probe would address "all pertinent issues," including what he said was data indicating that "there may be a large, improper, naked short position" in the stock.
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Compiled by Keith Axline. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
