• It was only a matter of time before all of those irritating and ridiculous games got Facebook in trouble. The social networking site has reportedly been named in a $5 million class-action lawsuit, together with gaming firm Zynga, for allowing scam ads to appear during games like 'Mafia Wars' and 'Farmville.' [From: Business Insider]
• Oprah's Twitter entrance created an instant and massive surge of activity on the site back in April. Yesterday, Oprah was once again the focus of a tweeting frenzy (over 8,000 in just one hour), but this flurry centered on the anticipated, solemn end of her 23-year-old television show. [From: Mashable]
• The four-year-old acquisition drama between Skype and eBay has officially come to a close. eBay once claimed that it paid about $1 billion more than it should have with its $2.6 billion purchase of the VoIP service in 2005. Skype, though, has actually now been valued at a whopping $2.75 billion. [From: Mashable]
• Despite a 19-percent plummet in console and video game sales in October, 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' earned a staggering $550 million during its first five days on the market. The numbers have topped the record-breaking $500 million that 'Grand Theft Auto IV' generated during its first week last year. So, if manufacturers want to make money during the recession, they apparently just need to let consumers virtually take out their frustrations by annihilating everything in sight. [From: Reuters]
• While some already exist, Google is hoping to steadily and automatically add captions to the bottom of every YouTube video. The site will utilize speech-recognition software to generate captions in order to aid deaf and hearing-impaired viewers. [From: USA Today]
• Rupert Murdoch's recent threat to remove News Corp. stories from Google has prompted a response from Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Stone attested that the childish and antiquated return to a "ridiculously closed" approach would "fail fast." Harumph. What would that impudent whippersnapper possibly know about integrating the media and the Internets? [From: Mashable]

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....

• Apple still hasn't officially commented on its rumored development of a Tablet e-reader, but that silence hasn't stopped other professionals from spilling. The Executive Editor of the New York Times already revealed knowledge of the gadget's existence, and Conde Nast, publisher of magazines like GQ and Wired, has now claimed that it will offer 18 of its publications through the currently nonexistent Tablet. [From: Brand Republic]
• Despite numerous warnings about peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing sites like Limewire, the government has experienced several instances of leaked classified information that could affect the President's safety. But, so far, action has predictably amounted to nothing more than harsh words. Congressman Edolphus Towns of New York, though, has introduced a bill that would finally ban the use of P2P software by government employees. [From: Ars Technica]
• Google and Apple continue to inch closer and closer to an inevitable cage match over tech superiority rights. Google has already announced the addition of VoIP service Gizmo5 to its Google Voice feature, and rumors are swirling that the company may actually be developing its own data-only, VoIP-driven Android phone. [From: Tech Crunch]
• American Express has been in existence for over 150 years, but the aging company definitely isn't shying away from technology. Reportedly, it's purchasing online payment service Revolution Money, prompting AmEx chief Kenneth I. Chenault to say, "It's important for us to keep identifying cutting edge technologies that can extend our leadership beyond the traditional payments arena." [From: The New York Times]
• California state regulators have been investigating the energy efficiency standards on televisions, and the plan to ban wasteful TVs is actually now in effect. The California Energy Commission unanimously approved the regulations, which will force manufacturers to develop models that use 33-percent less energy by 2011. [From: CNET]

• Rumors that Hulu may start charging for content have elicited negative responses from many of the site's loyal viewers, but new additions may actually make the content worth a monthly subscription fee. The site is expected to announce today that it will introduce music channels, beginning with one devoted to singer Norah Jones [From: The New York Times]
• Recovery.gov, the site which provides data on stimulus spending and unemployment rates, has earned heated criticism for reportedly listing inflated and fictitious numbers. Is it possible to get a moratorium on the phrase "government accountability, honesty, and transparency?" [From: The Daily Beast and ABC News]
• Twitter has apparently relented to incessant conservative whining, and will be eliminating the site's "suggested user" list. Unrepresented California Republicans decried the list because they believed it wasn't fair, so Twitter boss Biz Stone said the site will replace it with one that provides "more relevant suggestions." [From: Beta News]
• It hasn't taken long for Microsoft's fledgling Bing to make some noise in the search engine arena, as the site's market share increased again in September, giving it an overall 9.9-percent portion. While Google continued to increase its overall lead, as well, Yahoo!'s share dropped by 3-percent. [From: Boy Genius Report]
• Google Labs is currently experimenting with a new feature known as Google Swirl. The image search function, which is in test phase, categorizes relevant images into groups based on "similar appearance and meaning." [From: Google Labs, via Google]
• How about paying for "Free" Internet? The FCC is apparently trying to force Internet providers to raise phone fees for the sake of an expanded, less expensive national broadband service. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• Although Twitter can be an incredibly effective and efficient method of interacting with customers, a good number of the old fuddy-duddies on the Fortune 100 list still aren't using the service. While some of the big names, like Walmart and Chevron, have designated employees that tweet often, only 73 of the businesses on the list even have accounts. And some of those are certainly impostors. [From: CNET]

• In communist Russia, video games play you -- by being a source of discord and controversy. In the new 'Modern Warfare 2,' much ado has been made over a level in which a group of Russian terrorists massacre an entire airport of civilians, and over general Russian antagonism. Despite the fact that producer Infinity Ward offers a non-playable patch for the level, the government still recalled all copies and banned the sale of the game until further notice. [From: Destructoid] [Ed. note: According to recent reports, Activision denies that Russia has banned the game. The company removed the controversial "No Russian" scene from the game. From: The Escapist and Joystiq]
• Microsoft co-founder (and Seahawks/Trailblazers owner) Paul Allen has announced that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer affecting the immune system. The 56-year-old multi-billionaire battled Hodgkin's lymphoma over 20 years ago with success, and hopefully will be victorious this time around, too. [From: Huffington Post]
• There's big news in the world of Adobe. The maker of Flash will roll out a beta version of Flash 10.1, offering bug fixes and multi-touch support across all platforms. Windows users, however, will get an additional boost with HD acceleration for Web video (just in time for the YouTube revamp). That seems strange, seeing as Adobe has always been in Apple's back pocket. [From: Lifehacker]
• In its quest for more professionally produced content (which lures advertisers way better than teenagers hyperventilating over 'Modern Warfare'), YouTube has acquired the rights to Univision, America's most-watched Spanish language TV channel. [From: NYTimes.com]
• Language lovers might have noticed a change in Google Translator, which has updated its look with more streamlined, easy-to-read content. For those translating into English, audio pronunciation is now available, as is phonetic spelling for non-Roman words. The multi-language-ization of the Net is almost complete. [From: Download Squad]

• Time's '[Blank] of the Year' issue draws near, and the honoree could be everyone's favorite micro-blogging site. Wired writes that Twitter may be in the running for the yearly accolade, because the mundane musings of Ashton and Miley are significantly more newsworthy than record-high unemployment rates. [From: Wired]
• Ya Hala! ICANN, the organization which regulates Web addresses, decided last month to end Net segregation by allowing non-Latin alphabet characters in domain names. Egypt will apparently pioneer the integration movement, as it plans to establish the first Arabic language domain with ".masr," which translates to ".Egypt." Unfortunately, the site will immediately be thrust into conflict when it has to fight Israel's new domain for the rights to ".Gaza." [From: The BBC]
• Google's recently announced SPDY protocol could significantly speed up how we surf the Web. According to a Google spokesperson, the site may also start basing search results on the time it takes for a page to load, meaning that the fastest loading sites will appear first. [From: Download Squad]
• In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Cray Jaguar raced past the IBM Roadrunner to claim the title of world's fastest supercomputer. We'd tell you exactly how fast, but if you're unfamiliar with Linpack, petaflops, or six-core Opteron processors, just know that it's really fast. [From: Engadget]
• Apparently, Obama's lauded tech knowledge doesn't carry over to Twitter. Even though the Barack Obama account has issued 418 tweets and amassed over 2 million followers, the President has yet to actually tweet. The President made the not-so-startling admission while advocating an open Web in China, where access to many sites, including Twitter, is restricted. [From: Tech Crunch]
• During a recent CNBC special with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Gates fielded a question about Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Gates effusively praised the work Jobs has done, saying he has been "an incredible force in doing good things" -- heavy praise considering Gates' significant philanthropic accomplishments. [From: The Huffington Post]

• This has been a big year for science and tech, but with the media focusing on political squabbling and celebrity fluff, the significant advancements of the past year aren't on everyone's radar. Popular Science, though, has compiled an exhaustive list of 2009's 'Greatest Innovations,' including an electromagnetic helmet that may help cure depression. [From: Popular Science]
• The Gartner mobile phone statistics are in for the third quarter of 2009, and, no surprise here, the iPhone continued its steady climb up the smartphone rankings. It experienced a 4-percent increase over the previous quarter, giving it an overall 17-percent share of the smartphone market. [From: Gartner]
• YouTube has announced that it will be stepping up from 720p to 1080p next week, so you'll be able to see crazy teens pulling stupid stunts in highly defined, acne-covered pubescent glory. [From: Engadget]
• A Johns Hopkins University student photographer snapped some shots during filming of the upcoming Mark Zuckerberg biopic, and the clandestine pics reveal some monotonous details about the Facebook founder's collegiate wardrobe. He apparently admired the fashion sense of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, because the social networking pioneer is portrayed sporting numerous plain, gray hoodies. [From: Gawker]
• Add another malady to the growing list of texting disorders: At least one researcher believes that extensive texting can cause neck and shoulder pain, so expect an entire generation of hunched, illiterate terrible drivers with gnarled fingers. [From: Science Daily]
• CNN's foray into live Web newscasts came to an unceremonious end yesterday, as the news organization fired its four Web anchors, as well as an unknown number of production crew. CNN said it will instead focus on on-demand video services. [From: Boing Boing and The New York Times]
• Rumors swirled earlier this week that Google was set to purchase VoIP service Gizmo5, and the news is now official. While specific details haven't been released, the buy will enable the site to provide PC-to-phone calls through the Google Voice feature. [From: Download Squad]

• Joe Hewitt, the software engineer responsible for developing Facebook's popular iPhone app, has quit the project over Apple's tyrannical App Store review process. Refusing to be encumbered by the company's stifling and intrusive policies, Hewitt plans to return to Web development, saying that at least the Net is still "unrestricted and free." [From: Tech Crunch]
• Microsoft is already testing a social networking function for the Xbox, and, if the leaked screen shots are accurate, Sony is doing the same thing with Facebook for the PS3. Nintendo needs to step it up soon. Motion controls may not provide enough ammunition against Blu-ray, Facebook, and the other features its competitors offer. [From: Mashable]
• Searching for authorized, high-quality videos or television shows online typically involves visiting two or three well-known sites -- which may start charging for content soon. Finding other, free options can be difficult. Clicker, which launches today, is the self-proclaimed 'TV Guide of the Web' and aims to ease that hunt by acting as an up-to-the-minute portal for online video content. For a full, hands-on review, check back with us later. [From: Clicker, via: CNET and The New York Times]
• Amid the intense ad battle between the Droid and the iPhone, Palm's products have been lost in the smartphone shuffle. The company is stealthily returning to the fracas, though, with its new Pixi handheld, but initial reviews aren't too glowing. [From: Engadget]
• Beginning today, the FDA and pharmaceutical companies will engage in discussions about Internet drug marketing. Great. Just what we need: yet more online reminders that, in a few years, we'll be sexually dysfunctional and constantly peeing. [From: Huffington Post]
• Although other companies offer numerous smartphone options, and Apple only holds a 2.5-percent mobile phone market share, it still leads the way in generating revenue. Apple and its iPhone brought in more than $1.5 billion in just the third quarter of 2009, displacing Nokia as the most profitable mobile manufacturer. [From: TUAW]

• Pizza Hut's annoying, spamming Facebook app earned the company some criticism last year, but the response to its three-month-old iPhone app has been somewhat different. So far, the mobile ordering system has reportedly brought in over $1 million in revenue. [From: Textually]
• Since the onset of the recession, many folks have considered the video game marketplace to be immune from the economic downturn. EA, one of the industry's biggest and most enduring names, has suffered significant losses over the last year, though, and is being forced to completely shutter some facilities. The closings will unfortunately result in the termination of 1,500 employees by April of next year. [From: TUAW]
• Although the holidays are supposed to be a time of cheer and goodwill, the economy is instead creating turmoil, hardship, and worry. After firing 600 employees last December (Seriously? Are you just trying to avoid giving out holiday bonuses?), Adobe is prepared to lay off another 680 this year -- approximately nine-percent of the company's workforce. Where's Cousin Eddie when you need him? [From: TUAW]
• Thankfully, some companies know how to act appropriately during the season of giving. Google is now offering significant discounts on additional storage for GMail and Picasa Web users, including a $5 deal for 20 additional gigabytes. [From: Download Squad]
• A recent Razorfish consumer survey revealed that 25-percent of Twitter users follow corporate brands, while 40-percent of Facebook and MySpace members have done so. The study also determined that social networkers are a thrifty bunch; approximately 40-percent of each group follow the companies for the sake of exclusive deals and discounts. [From: Read Write Web]
• Mac OS X 10.6.2 is officially available, and the update reportedly provides numerous fixes and corrections. It will not, however, run on consoles with ATOM CPUs. [From: Download Squad]
• Photo tagging provides a much needed security blanket for Facebook members -- particularly those who need alerts so potentially incriminating tagged photos from those Delta house days don't appear on any in-laws' pages. Beginning today, Face.com will apparently be offering a new, free app that uses facial recognition software to identify likenesses, even on photos that have not been tagged. That was just a huge sigh of relief you heard. [From: Tech Crunch]

• Conrad Hilton revolutionized the hotel business in the early 20th century, and his namesake chain is aiming to do the same in the '00s with promises of technological evolution. Yesterday, Hilton Worldwide announced the release of iPhone and iPod touch apps that will enable guests to remotely check in, choose beds, and order food. [From: USA Today]
• Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry apparently first learned of lead singer Steven Tyler's plans to go solo by reading it on the Web, so he has angrily responded and spread the news via Twitter. (We're pretty sure, anyway. Let's keep in mind that the account is not verified). It's a shame to watch a legendary band squabble after so many years. Maybe, to prevent such turmoil and pain, they should have handled this by fax -- about 15 years ago. [From: The Daily Beast]
• The hilarious, humbling, and vulgar Twitter sensation 'Sh*t My Dad Says' has scored a TV gig with CBS, joining 'Texts From Last Night' and 'Awkward Family Photos' in the ranks of sites and Twitter pages that are hitting the big time. But, don't expect a screen or book version of 'People of Walmart,' because someone has already made it. It's called 'Deliverance.' [From: THR Live Feed]
• Engaged in a battle with Apple to corner the market on everything, Google has reportedly purchased Gizmo5, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. The move will put the "world's biggest brand" in direct competition with the world's largest international call provider, Skype, which also recently considered purchasing Gizmo5. [From: Engadget and Tech Crunch]
• Hawaii is celebrating 50 years of statehood this year, and the newest member of the U.S.A. is once again the 50th in line for another honor: Street View on Google Maps. The maps of Oahu and Maui will feature well known landmarks and beaches, including Waimea Bay, Iolani Palace, and the favorite hotspots of local hero President Obama. [From: Google Blog]
• Coca-Cola has received a formal warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority for spamming mobile phones with 100,000 unsolicited text messages. Sadly, the company won't have to pay a fine for the annoying stunt, which was probably just the latest salvo in the tumultuous and devastating war between Coke Classic and Coke Zero. [From: News.com.au]

• Israel is currently developing a missile alert system that would identify the destinations of incoming rockets and notify residents in the impact zones via cell phone. University campuses in the States already use such services for emergency situations, but an organized system of public warnings definitely warrants investigation. [From: Breitbart, via Huffington Post]
• Just five years ago, Mozilla launched Firefox 1.0, and the fan-friendly company is urging folks to 'Light the World' and celebrate. The browser may not have eclipsed Internet Explorer in sheer numbers yet, but with one billion downloads already, it might not take another five years. [From: Mashable]
• While overall numbers aren't being broadcasted, Barnes & Noble says demand for its soon-to-be-released Nook e-reader is so high that the company is being forced to push back shipping dates. Of course, Apple will probably release its rumored Tablet right after the holidays -- just to make all those other freshly purchased e-readers obsolete. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• '60 Minutes' has been airing hard-hitting investigative pieces for over 40 years, but the cast, which looks more and more like an AARP gathering, hasn't exactly developed a reputation for tech acumen. Citing anonymous sources, last night's episode included a segment that claimed that massive power outages in Brazil during 2005 and 2007 were the result of orchestrated cyber attacks. The Brazilian government, the Brazilian power company, and the Brazilian homeland security office all deny the allegations. [From: Wired]
• Even though it has been dubbed the "world's biggest brand," Google sites still lag behind Microsoft sites in terms of usage. A global comScore study has revealed that people spent 3.9 billion hours on Microsoft sites during September -- primarily Live Messenger -- compared to the 2.5 billion on Google sites and 1.2 billion on YouTube. Facebook was, of course, the fastest riser, as it experienced an impressive 200-percent increase. [From: Download Squad and Seattle PI]
• Facebook membership hit the 300 million mark earlier this fall, and the interest and infatuation continue to climb. The site now claims that it's attracting 500,000 new users every day. And they all want you to join their 'Mafia Wars' crew. [From: Mashable]

• Fortune magazine has named Apple's Steve Jobs its 'CEO of the Decade,' due to the company's overwhelming success with iTunes, OS X, Pixar, and, of course, the iPhone. Jobs even persevered through serious health problems while Apple's worth skyrocketed -- from $5 billion to $170 billion in less than 10 years. [From: Cult of Mac and TUAW]
• Over the summer, a Chinese teenager tragically died after being severely beaten at a boot camp that aims to curb Internet addiction while teaching kids how to use the Web "in a healthy way." Yeah, sounds really healthy. Chinese officials are now seeking to ban the violent practice at such facilities. Apparently, it's too easy to take away the kids' computers and consoles for a little while. [From: The BBC]
• The Catalyst Group recently conducted a consumer survey about the live video streaming services offered by Amazon and Netflix. The group said that most people actually expressed shock, because they'd never even heard of video streaming (even though Catalyst only approached 11 people). [From: Fast Company]
• The Onion, 'America's Finest News Source,' is apparently developing a Comedy Central pilot that will focus solely on sports. The fake news outlet already creates its own hilarious podcasts, so come on, Comedy Central. Go ahead and sign The Onion up for at least one season. The show will immediately be better than most of your programming. [From: Variety]
• The DROID has officially dropped, and, at first glance, at least one of the free 'Market' apps looks and sounds pretty sweet. Slacker Radio, which is similar to other music-discovery services like Pandora, will allow users to stream live with the aid of preferences and selectable stations. [From: CNET]
• Authorities are moving quickly in the Bluebeat-Beatles battle, as a judge has ordered the site to immediately halt its sale of $0.25 Beatles songs. Bluebeat, quit cruelly and mercilessly taking money from the mouths of destitute and impoverished musicians. [From: Epicenter]
• 'LEGO Rock Band' hits the stores this week, and the development team has revealed that about half the staff was actually against the game's creation. But, hey, if Ziggy Stardust and the original Stooge are on board, it can't be all that bad. [From: Joystiq]

• Whippersnapper Firefox recently eclipsed the 1 billion download mark, and that monumental success seems to have helped the browser surpass the crotchety old Internet Explorer 6. (Seriously, people. It's time to upgrade.) Firefox is expected to celebrate tonight by T.P.'ing IE6's house and then leaving a flaming bag of poo on its doorstep. [From: Download Squad]
• Despite the spectacular cosmic arrays of color displayed in Hubble photographs, a group of scientists has determined that the average color of the universe is actually just a boring shade of beige. Proving that scientists do indeed have a sense of humor, some proposed names for the new space brown are "cosmic latte," "skyvory," and "univeige." [From: The Daily Mail]
• Forty years ago yesterday, Big Bird, Oscar, and Cookie Monster began entertaining (and creeping out) kids everywhere, so Google honored the 'Sesame Street' birthday on its home page. The site also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the claymation series 'Wallace and Gromit' with homepage caricatures. Man, Google. You're just trying to make us feel old. [From: The Independent and The Independent]
• Despite the rough economy, Google increased its lobbying expenditures last quarter, as it shelled out over $1 million for lobbyists to influence law and policy makers. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to us, but how exactly does one become a lobbyist, anyway? Other than selling your soul to the highest bidder, of course. [From: The Independent]
• The Web site Bluebeat has been selling Beatles downloads online for $0.25 per song, leading many people to question the legality of the practice. Record giant EMI now wants a judge to decide, so it's filing suit against Bluebeat (owned by Media Rights Technologies) for copyright infringement. [From: The Independent]
• The fledgling, yet burgeoning, Pirate Party recently gained its second seat in the European Parliament. The party focuses on copyright and patent reform, the rights to personal and Web privacy, and government transparency. With the constant childish bickering going on between the two dominant U.S. political parties, that sounds like change we can believe in. [From: Torrent Freak]

• The Winter Olympics are right around the corner, and NBC is adding some significant upgrades to its NBCOlympics site, including the incorporation of social networking via Facebook Connect. The HD video player will also now allow users to save their favorite moments from the games. [From: Tech Crunch]
• Who'd have thought 40 years ago that school kids would be allowed to access an infinite supply of knowledge and information during final exams? Probably no one, but 14 colleges in Denmark are experimenting with a new program that allows test takers to troll the Web, with only an honor code preventing them from e-mailing or IMing each other the answers. [From: The BBC]
• Despite its well known and wide-ranging benefits, CNET is asserting that the iPhone is 'The Worst Phone in the World,' and the writer provides some pretty compelling arguments to back up the premise. And, if you don't believe CNET, just ask an Apple owner living in New York. [From: CNET]
• Wii owners and 'Zelda' lovers have been waiting (sometimes) patiently for almost four years for a follow up to 'Twilight Princess,' and details about the next episode in the franchise, announced at E3 2009, are finally starting to emerge. Miyamoto, the resident ruler of Hyrule, recently revealed that with the incorporation of Motion Plus technology, swordplay will be much more realistic and precise so you're not just wildly flailing your arms. [From: Joystiq]
• We've been giving Microsoft a pretty hard time over its decision to lamely bail on a commitment to sponsor a 'Family Guy' special, but the company just redeemed itself (to dog lovers, at least). The company decided to reimburse an Xbox owner whose dog charged over $60 to his Live account while mangling a controller. The company even cutely created a gamertag for the canine. [From: The Consumerist]
• Apple Stores are integrating iPod Touches into the checkout process, so employees no longer have to lug around bulky Windows-based handheld computers. The first Apple Store opened in 2001, so it only took eight years to wean the shops of Microsoft technology. Nice. [From: Wired]

• Yesterday, Hulu debuted its new Coming Soon feature, which lists upcoming episodes and sends e-mail alerts when new shows are released. Real cool, Hulu. Get us hooked with awesome new features right before you make us pay for them. [From: CNET]
• Nielsen numbers indicate that while Blu-ray sales continue to steadily and significantly climb, the overall numbers still pale in comparison to those of regular DVDs. Some major players, including Best Buy, LG, and Samsung, will be providing an alluring and competitive new feature with their devices, though, by enabling live video streaming from online rental services. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• Politics Online is seeking a few heavyweights, including President Obama and Bill Gates, to back a proposed new Web site called Hope Plus that would be a "global eBay for caring" by offering super deals on sunbeams, rainbows, and unicorns. Seriously, though, the networking site would attempt to bring people together in order to perform needed social services, like building homes and cleaning the environment. [From: BBC]
• The Department of Justice recently disagreed with the American Booksellers Association's contention that online price wars involving major retailers are "anticompetitive," but Simon & Schuster is offering some new competitive deals of its own. The publisher has decided to release individual chapters of the Dr. Oz (of Oprah fame) 'You' series starting at $2. [From: Fast Company]
• Last week, after being oblivious to the true nature of the show, Microsoft bailed on its obligation to sponsor an upcoming 'Family Guy' special because of the episode's typically raunchy material. Proving that Warner Bros. is infinitely cooler than Microsoft, the special will now be sponsored by the studio's upcoming film, 'Sherlock Holmes,' starring Robert Downey Jr. [From: Seattle PI]
• Twitter rolled out its new Lists for (almost) everyone last week making it much easer for folks to follow different genres and groups of people. The site is also reportedly set to make the feature even better by creating Twitter list widgets, which you can embed anywhere for quick and east access to your favorite posters. [From: Download Squad]
• Jailbreaking an iPhone lets a user customize features and add capabilities, but it also makes the device vulnerable to hackers. One Dutch hacker recently targeted jailbroken iPhones, commandeered them, and then charged the owners ransom. The hacker charged almost $10 per gadget, which given the fanatical devotion of Apple owners, seems a little amateurish. [From: Ars Tecnica]

• Engaged in heated online price wars with Best Buy and Walmart, Amazon significantly bolstered its arsenal today with the official purchase of online retailer Zappos. Zappos, which was ranked by Forbes as one of the '100 Best Companies to Work For' in 2009, will continue to operate independently, from its own Las Vegas headquarters. [From: Business Wire]
• This month marks the first anniversary of the arrival of the Conficker virus. Although the rampant media discussion has abated and the creators still remain hidden, the virus continues to spread and now affects over 7 million computers. [From: Network World]
• To promote green transportation and healthy living, France installed a cheap bike rental program using over 20,000 $3,000 bicycles. Predictably, 80-percent of those bikes are now missing or damaged. Hippy towns in the United States have been experimenting with free bike-sharing programs for decades, but they actually use recovered, unclaimed, and donated bikes. Duh. [From: The New York Times]
• The iPhone continues to climb the smartphone charts as it now claims a 30-percent market share, just 10 percentage points shy of its primary competitor, the BlackBerry. The trend is prompting some market analysts to predict that Apple will soon be the most popular smartphone purveyor, but the DROID and its highly desirable features might have something to say about that. [From: The New York Times]
• Nokia is eliminating its N-Gage video game service next September, but already-purchased titles will continue to work. Instead, it will focus on Ovi, its version of Apple's App Store, as well as the development of other devices like netbooks. [From: The Wall Street Journal]
• It seems that everyone has been creating some form of e-reader recently, but many consumers may already have one and not realize it. New data indicates that more people are now downloading books for their iPhones than they are games. Maybe this is why Apple has been so slow to release its own rumored Tablet. [From: Gigaom]
• The British Crown Court sentenced 22-year-old Phillipa Curtis to 21 months in a high security prison on a "death by dangerous driving charge," because she'd caused a fatal accident by texting while driving. Time for the United States to adopt a similar stance. [From: The New York Times]