WRAL Tech Wire

Latest news on Bing, Google, TV, BlackBerry, e-commerce

Bing redesign has social focus; Google report says search results protected by First Amendment; TV stations explore broadcasting to phone, tablets; BlackBerry 7 smartphones get DoD approval; Online sales per user continue to climb in North America

Latest News on Xbox, Facebook, Google, AT&T, Rovio

Microsoft tests $99 Xbox deal; When Facebook Met Wall Street; Google extends Hangouts on Air broadcasts to all; AT&T chief regrets offering unlimited data for iPhone; Angry Birds maker Rovio makes $106M in 2011, considers IPO.

Big tech companies are hiring - but primarily overseas

As unemployment remains stubbornly high in North Carolina and the U.S., a Wall Street Journal study finds that 35 large international firms, including Cisco and Dell, are hiring. But nearly three quarters of the new positions are overseas.

New jobs

Microsoft selling most AOL patents to Facebook

Facebook is buying about 650 of the 925 AOL patents and patent applications that Microsoft bought for $550 million.

Microsoft's Windows propels pleasant 3Q surprise

Microsoft produced a surprisingly strong quarter to start the year on Thursday after the bell.

Latest news from Facebook, Microsoft, Lenovo, CrowdStrike, Zynga

Facebook targets May 17 for IPO date; Microsoft's earnings could help stock reach $38 fair value; Lenovo roadmap leaks Ivy Bridge laptops on June 5; FBI cyber expert joins private firm CrowdStrike; Zynga listens to users with Draw Something update

It's official: Windows 8 is Microsoft's next OS

Windows 8 is the official name of the next version of Windows client, which as of Monday, only has three SKUs in the pipeline.

The patent scramble: Microsoft-AOL deal is just latest

AOL's $1 billion deal to sell and license patents to Microsoft is another in a series of "Antiques Roadshow" moments in the technology world. Faded companies have been rummaging through their assets recently, and some of them have found musty old patents that turn out to be worth a great deal.

Microsoft buys 800 AOL patents for $1B

Microsoft refused to say what the patents cover. Benchmark analyst Clayton Moran said they revolve around Internet technology, including advertising, search and mapping. This would help Microsoft go up against Google Inc., a big rival that is ahead of it in all three areas.

After inspections, Apple manufacturer raises Chinese worker wages up to 25%

The raises were announced after inspections were launched by the Fair Labor Association. Apple asked for the inspections.

Want to track Internet buzz? Microsoft launches msnNOW

The trend-tracking service tunes into the buzz by sifting through millions of Internet searches and links circulating among the hordes on Facebook and Twitter. The chatter is then distilled into the equivalent of a digital water cooler -- a place where people can go to keep in touch without taking up a lot of their time.

A screen shot from msnNOW

Cisco challenges Microsoft-Skype over video conferencing concerns

"Cisco does not oppose the merger, but believes the European Commission should have placed conditions that would ensure greater standards-based interoperability," Marthin De Beer, the head of Cisco's video conferencing division, says.

Microsoft cuts some 200 people in marketing positions

"Some of these changes involved the reduction of a small percentage of marketing positions to better align our resources with our business needs and clarify roles across the marketing function," the company said.

Microsoft CEO touts Windows 8 in swan song at Consumer Electronics Show

Steve Ballmer and his top executives spent most of the presentation offering product previews and boasting about plans that had been previously seen and heard. Ballmer also updated a few statistics on the usage of Windows and Xbox, the popular video game console that Microsoft is transforming into a vehicle for showing Internet video and other online content on television sets.

Ryan Seacrist, left, on stage with Steve Ballmer at CES

Jury appears confused in Novell's $1B suit against Microsoft

Throughout the trial, Novell lawyers argued that because its office products worked on multiple operating systems, Microsoft's snub of WordPerfect for Windows 95 was an illegal effort to maintain its monopoly.