Top Tech

PC World - Google is spending US$8.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed over the rollout of its Google Buzz social-networking service.

Reuters - Google Inc said on Friday it was the target of an investigation by the Texas Attorney General's office into the fairness of its search engine rankings.

Macworld.com - It’s a long weekend for many of us and, as you probably know, the term “long weekend” was in fact named after actor Justin Long, who played the part of Mac in the long running Get a Mac ads that concluded earlier this year.

Investor's Business Daily - The search giant is in talks with music labels on plans for a download store and a digital song locker that would let its mobile phone users play songs wherever they are. Google (NMS:GOOG) hopes to launch the service by Christmas, according to sources. Google is trying to compete with Apple, which dominates via its iTunes Music Stores, accounting for 70% of all U.S. digital music sales. It rose 1.5% to 470.30.

PC World - More people browsed the Internet last month with a device running Apple's mobile operating system, iOS, than used Linux to do so. That's a first for Apple, according to NetMarketShare, a firm that produces metrics on the market share of browsers, operating systems and search engines.

NewsFactor - Google's Chrome browser is now two years old, and the youngster -- and its proud parent -- are celebrating its steady rise in popularity. According to Net Applications, Chrome had 7.5 percent of the browser market in August -- putting it in third place behind Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox, and above Apple's Safari.

Mashable - In less than two days, Apple's Ping music social network has surpassed the 1 million user milestone.

Macworld.com - As you all know, it’s never a proper aftermath of an iPod event without some new cases, and we here at Macworld are more than happy to present some of the first options available for that iPod Touch or Nano in your pre-order basket. From protective covers to eighties-inspired wrist straps, we’ve got a little something for every kind of case lover—except maybe a wrist-watch adapter for the Nano (and if someone wants to get on that before Halloween, I would be much obliged).

PC World - A clever spammer found a glitch in Facebook's photo upload system and used it to post thousands of unwanted Wall messages this week.

Appolicious - The free WordPress for Android app was upgraded thanks to feedback from faithful users. Updates include fixes to numerous, annoying bugs like unexpected app crashes, log-in issues and more.Most notable in the recent upgrade is a new comment feature, which displays comments in real time as comments arrive in your Droid notification bar.

AP - The new iPhone application mTrip is a travel guide and then some: It uses the latest in smart phone technology to make it easier to stay on track in a foreign locale.

AP - Worries about spying by the U.S. and Israel spurred plans to sharply limit BlackBerry services in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai's police chief said in comments that suggest a tough line in talks with the smart phone maker.

AP - Dell Inc. doesn't have to start over in its quest to become a significant purveyor of technology for businesses after losing a multibillion dollar bidding contest for an obscure data-storage maker.

AFP - A video cartoon featuring Google's chief giving away ice cream to snoop on children aired on a giant screen in Times Square as a privacy group continued to hound the Internet giant.

AP - The showdown over 3Par Inc. that ended Thursday was a puzzling spectacle.

Macworld.com - As you’re aware, Apple just released iTunes 10. With that release has come some changes—both expected and not so.

PC World - For all of this year's chatter about the coming army of Android tablets, the near radio silence has been deafening. Until now. First, at consumer electronics show IFA in Berlin, came news of a global launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. And starting next week, you can hop onto Amazon.com to pre-order the Stream TV eLocity A7.

Investor's Business Daily - Electronic giants Samsung and Toshiba each unveiled new tablet PCs running Google's (NMS:GOOG) Android OS that aim to tap consumer demand ignited by the Apple (NMS:AAPL) iPad. Samsung's Galaxy Tab features a 7-inch touch screen and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Samsung said pricing will be $200-$300, depending on required 3G phone plans. Toshiba's Folio 100 features a larger 10-inch screen, but initially will only have WiFi connectivity. It'll be priced at $510. Apple rose 0.7% to 252.17.

Investor's Business Daily - Google (NMS:GOOG) will continue to provide the search results on AOL's Web site under a new, five-year deal. The deal will put AOL video content on Google's YouTube site for the first time. AOL edged up 0.7% to 23.05.

AP - ArcSight Inc. said Thursday its fiscal first-quarter profit tripled as the cybersecurity software and services company's sales jumped 39 percent.