WRAL Tech Wire

FCC allows schools to provide federally funded Internet access to public

Commissioners also outline goals for national broadband initiative. Priorities include: economic development, jobs, educational opportunities, smart-grid energy technology and cutting-edge medicine to all corners of the country.

Many in N.C., S.C., Georgia don’t use or want Internet at any speed

Digital divide includes 35% of North Carolinians who don’t use Internet. In South Carolina, 38% aren’t on the Net. In Georgia, more than 31% don’t go online, new federal survey shows. Nationally, some 40% of population doesn’t use broadband – and many people don’t want it even where access is available. Meanwhile, FCC head calls for ultra high-speed access.

Tech Briefs – WebsiteBiz, L.A. Management land Web site deals; Apex Analytix upgrades financial software; Expression Analytics receives genomics certification

Secrets to Tekelec's success? The 'Patent Wall'

CEO Frank Plastina touts the company’s technical prowess and commitment to R&D while talking about Tekelec’s record year for profits. A focus on the “mobile IP core” for applications and services leads to sales and success in a world driven increasingly by mobile communications.

Tekelec's massive, growing "Patent Wall"

N.C. firms will showcase new products, wireless technologies at Mobile World Congress

TapRoot and RFMD roll out new products while Tekelec makes a couple of deals. Red Hat, Aviat, Qualcomm, Cisco and IBM are all exhibiting. However, PocketGear has no announcements this year.

Google aims to launch 'ultra high-speed' network

In a blog post, the search engine giant lays out its concept for the network that will offer "more than 100 times faster" speeds than most Americans now have.

How truly safe are PCs? Key encryption chip is hacked

"You've trusted this chip to hold your secrets, but your secrets aren't that safe," says Christopher Tarnovsky, 38, who runs the Flylogic security consultancy and demonstrated his hack last week at the Black Hat security conference. "It's sort of doing the impossible," says conference founder.

Chris Tarnovsky does the "impossible" hack. (AP)

Hot Off the Wire – Man convicted in first economic espionage case; iPhone market share grows; Electronic Arts shares falter after revenue forecast; Phone company wants to charge Google

‘Zero-day’ black market – Where hackers buy secrets to exploit tech flaws

The recent attack on Google brings new attention to the buying and trading of information technology vulnerabilities. Zero days refer to security vulnerabilities caused by programming errors that haven't been "patched," or fixed, by the products' developers. Often those companies don't know the weaknesses exist and have had zero days to work on closing the holes. And hackers are ready to pounce.

Hackers look for "zero-day" flaws

Looking for a mortgage? LendingTree offers an iPhone app

Malware research group spins off from Harvard as StopBadware

The organization issues what it calls "badware alerts" about corporations whose applications do what the organization deems unwanted and harmful things to users' computers.

‘Natural give and take’ before Google settles China dispute, Cisco’s Chambers says

AOL buys Tennessee-based Web video firm for $36.5M

Surging e-commerce sales mean more hiring at ChannelAdvisor

The venture-backed firm, now the largest third-party service provider to Amazon.com, is looking to hire 60 people in 2010, CEO Scot Wingo says.

Microsoft to cut storage of Web search data to 6 months from 18 months