Facebook dims Beacon ... Google releases iPhone Web app ... Santa please bring me an HDTV

In this issue:
- Facebook tweaks Beacon again, Zuckerberg apologizes
- Tech groups call on Congress to extend R&D tax credit
- Novell delays financial results due to SEC inquiry
- Google releases iPhone Web app
- Big brands slip up in antivirus tests
- Santa please bring me an HDTV
- Ron Paul spam traced to Ukrainian botnet
- Google integrates AIM into Gmail
- Ten highest-radiation cell phones


TODAY'S NEWS

Facebook tweaks Beacon again, Zuckerberg apologizes
Facebook is giving members of its social network the ability to completely decline participating in the company's controversial Beacon ad system, a reaction to intense criticism that Beacon is too intrusive and compromises people's privacy.

Tech groups call on Congress to extend R&D tax credit
More than 40 trade groups, many representing the IT industry, have renewed their calls for Congress to extend a research and development tax credit that expires this month, saying the tax break protects U.S. jobs.

Novell delays financial results due to SEC inquiry
Novell on Wednesday said it has postponed announcing its fiscal fourth quarter and year-end 2007 results due to an SEC review of its accounting practices.

Google releases iPhone Web app
Google on Wednesday announced the release of a new interface to enable iPhone users to navigate Google's various services through a unified interface.

Big brands slip up in antivirus tests
Many big-brand security products fail to spot commonly-circulating malware, testing outfit has Virus Bulletin found in its latest tests.

Santa please bring me an HDTV
High-definition televisions and high-end game consoles are at the top of holiday wish lists in 2007, according to the results of a new web poll conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

Ron Paul spam traced to Ukrainian botnet
Security researchers have shut down a network of computers responsible for sending out nearly 200 million spam messages supporting the U.S. presidential candidate last month, and after analyzing the server's software, it's clear that there is no such thing as a Ron Paul botnet, according to Joe Stewart, a senior security researcher with SecureWorks. "It probably wasn't even set up by a Ron Paul supporter," he said. "This whole system has been around since 2004. This [spam] somehow just landed in this underground spam economy."

Google integrates AIM into Gmail
Google has integrated AOL's popular AIM instant-messaging service into its Gmail Web-based e-mail client, the company announced on Tuesday.


OPINION

Tim Berners-Lee on Redefining the Web
Dan Blacharski, ITworld

Tim Berners-Lee coins a new term "giant global graph", and gets the joint a buzzin.


ITWHIRLED

Ten highest-radiation cell phones
Worried about all those power emissions coming off of your phone and going straight into your brain, but can't untether yourself from the gadget? This list lets you know which models you should be most freaked out about.


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