Top technology news headlines

• 

  SXSWi confronts explosive growth

  While many conferences are shrinking, the Austin, Texas, tech fest is expected to grow at least 20 percent. Here's how organizers are handling the uptick.
  • What to expect: SXSW panels
  • What to expect: SXSW launches

  Read full story
• 

  The robot wars
  have arrived

  q&a Brookings Institution fellow P.W. Singer warns that we need a plan for the robot war games many don't realize are already under way.

  Read full story

• Yahoo: Easier SearchMonkey means better search

  SearchMonkey offers publishers fancier Yahoo search results, but now Yahoo is trying to make it easier for mainstream Web site operators to use.

  (Posted in Digital Media by Stephen Shankland)

• Apple holding iPhone 3.0 special event next week

  The company plans to discuss a new iPhone SDK and an updated version of the iPhone software on March 17, according to an invitation.

  (Posted in Apple by Tom Krazit)

• FBI raids former offices of Obama's choice for CIO

  President Obama last week chose Vivek Kundra, former District of Columbia CTO, as federal CIO. On Thursday, the FBI raided Kundra's old offices, which coincided with two arrests as part of a bribery sting.

  (Posted in Politics and Law by Declan McCullagh)

• Microsoft's complex Netbook dance

  The software maker has done the technical work to make Windows 7 work on Netbooks, but the low-cost laptops remain a thorny business challenge.

  (Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)

• Yahoo Messenger encroaches on Facebook turf

  Pingbox application from Yahoo lets you chat with visitors to your Facebook page using Yahoo's IM service.

  (Posted in Webware by Stephen Shankland)

• T-Mobile's G1 Android to get new features

  Updates from the "Cupcake" development branch--which include browser enhancements like include cut-and-paste--will be pushed out onto G1 handsets next month.

  (Posted in Wireless by David Meyer)

• eBay retooling marketplace division

  The company announces plans to revise its struggling core auction-based used goods business. Analysts take a wait-and-see approach.

  (Posted in Digital Media by Dawn Kawamoto)

• A new spin on battery technology

  Researchers have discovered a new battery form charged by the application of a very strong magnetic field, the Magnetic Tunnel Junction.

  (Posted in Cutting Edge by Rupert Goodwins)

• Google Voice: A push to rewire phone service

  Revamping its GrandCentral service, Google wants to become a useful middleman for phone calls. Step one: automatically transcribed voice mails.

  (Posted in Webware by Stephen Shankland)

• Outlook for cell phone makers worsens

  The worldwide recession will mean gloomier-than-expected sales for all cell phone makers and devices in 2009, say market research firms.

  (Posted in Wireless by Marguerite Reardon)

• Nokia retains top spot in smartphone market

  Finnish manufacturer claims the biggest smartphone market share in 2008, but rivals gain ground with their high-profile handsets, according to Gartner.
  • Turning cheap cell phones into smarter phones

  (Posted in Crave by Kent German)

• Google establishes Android team in Taiwan

  Technical support staff will help Taiwanese hardware makers fit Google's operating system onto mobile phones and Netbooks.
  • Google Apps outage brings down Gmail for some

  (Posted in Wireless by Stephen Shankland)

• Report: Nortel may sell off two key businesses

  Talks on letting go of two units raises the question of whether the telecommunications equipment maker will emerge from bankruptcy protection, according to The Wall Street Journal.

  (Posted in Wireless by Dawn Kawamoto)
• All CNET News headlines

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