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.