Technology
Calpers May Challenge Apple, BlackRock on Directors Over Election Methods The California Public Employees’
Retirement System, the biggest state-run U.S. public pension,
may use its financial clout to force BlackRock Inc., News Corp,
and other companies where it has large holdings to change the
way they elect directors.
Microsoft Xbox Overtakes Nintendo Wii to Become Top Console Seller in U.S. Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 overtook
Nintendo Co.’s Wii to become the best-selling game console in
the U.S. for the first time in more than two years, helped by
the introduction of the “BioShock 2” shooting title.
Elliott Said to Consider Sale of Unit If $2 Billion Novell Offer Succeeds Elliott Associates LP, the fund
manager that made an unsolicited $2 billion offer for Novell
Inc., may consider selling the NetWare networking-software unit
if its bid succeeds, a person familiar with the matter said.
New York Times Isn't Going to Be Sold or Split, Chairman Sulzberger Says New York Times Co. won’t be sold or
split apart and the company is “delighted” to have billionaire
Carlos Slim as an investor, Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. said.
Disney Reaches Pay-TV Deals to Put Films on Starz, Showtime Cable Networks Walt Disney Co., the world’s
largest media company, reached agreements with Liberty Media
Corp.’s Starz Entertainment and CBS Corp.’s Showtime to show
feature films on pay television.
Drugstore.com CEO Lepore Sees Takeovers After `Permanent' Consumer Shift Drugstore.com Inc. Chief Executive
Officer Dawn Lepore said she will pursue acquisitions to boost
growth in the company’s main businesses of vitamins, vision and
beauty products.
Battery Ventures Completes $750 Million Fund, Biggest So Far This Year Battery Ventures completed a $750
million venture-capital fund, the biggest so far this year,
raising money to invest in computing startups and clean-energy
deals.
TV-Internet Mergers Can't Drive Up Rates, Rockefeller Says at NBC Hearing Mergers involving television and
the Internet can’t leave consumers with “lesser programming and
higher rates,” Senator Jay Rockefeller said as the panel he
heads reviewed Comcast Corp.’s proposed purchase of General
Electric Co.’s NBC Universal unit.
Conan O'Brien Plans 30-City Comedy Tour After Ousting From `Tonight Show' Conan O’Brien, ousted as host of
“The Tonight Show” by NBC, plans a 30-city comedy and music
show beginning next month.
Obama's $79 Billion Technology Spending Plan May Favor Web-Based Programs Vivek Kundra, the Obama official
with $79 billion to spend on technology, said the government can
be more efficient by putting programs on the Web, paving the way
for companies like Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. to win
business.
Microsoft Xbox Takes U.S. Console Lead After 2 Year Lapse, Surpassing Wii Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 overtook
Nintendo Co.’s Wii to become the best-selling video-game console
in the U.S. for the first time in more than two years, helped by
the introduction of the “BioShock 2” shooting title.