Oracle’s Profit Rises, but Shares Fall
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
The business software company reported a 30 percent rise in quarterly profit, but a lower-than-expected increase in new software licenses caused shares to fall in after-hours trading. (NYT)+++

Motorola Moves to Split Itself Into Two
By LAURA M. HOLSON 5:13 PM ET
Under pressure to raise its stock price, the company plans to split itself in two, spinning off its unprofitable mobile phone unit.(NYT)+++

Rambus Wins Memory Chip Patent Case
The memory chip technology developer said a jury ruled it did not violate antitrust laws or commit fraud in its attempt to protect memory chip patents, sending its shares higher.(NYT)+++

Take-Two Board Rejects Electronic Arts Bid
The video game company famous for its “Grand Theft Auto” games told its shareholders to reject a $2 billion buyout bid from Electronic Arts, saying it was not sufficient.(NYT)+++

Social Site’s New Friends Are Athletes
By TIM ARANGO
Creative Artists Agency is expected to launch WePlay.com, a social networking site for youth sports — something like Facebook for young athletes — in April.(NYT)+++

Worldwide PC Sales Could Still Grow by Double-Digits
By ERIC TAUB
While a further downturn could slow growth of PC sales to single digits, the industry is showing considerable strength across all segments from laptops to desktop replacements.(NYT)+++

Yahoo Is Joining an Alliance on Social Networks
By MIGUEL HELFT
Yahoo announced it would join an alliance that will try to make it easier for programmers to write software that can run on many social networking Web sites.(NYT)+++

Volunteering Abroad to Climb at I.B.M.
By CLAUDIA H. DEUTSCH
I.B.M.’s service program for fast-tracked employees helps raise the company’s profile in countries where it doesn’t have a strong presence.(NYT)+++

For Rich or Poor TV Buyers, It’s Price First
By ERIC TAUB 2:26 PM ET
With CRT TVs nearing extinction, many customers seem perfectly happy with plunking down even $2,000 for a wide-screen HDTV.(NYT)+++

I.B.M. Moves to Expedite Mashups for Mobile
Adrian Bridgwater, for ZDNet (UK)
I.B.M. has released a new version of its Lotus Expeditor software, which is targeted at mobile application developers building both business and consumer Web 2.0 mashups.(NYT)+++

Did Bill Gates Really Say That?
By KATIE HAFNER
Did Thomas J. Watson Jr., of I.B.M., really say, “I think there is a world market for about five computers?” Fred Shapiro, the editor of the “Yale Book of Quotations,” is trying to find out.(NYT)+++

Bringing Outlook and Gmail Together
By MIGUEL HELFT
A new service allows people to use Microsoft’s Outlook and Gmail interchangeably.(NYT)+++

COMCAST IS IN TALKS with BitTorrent on ways to run the file-sharing company’s technology more smoothly on its broadband network. (WSJ)+++

AMD plans to introduce a high-end microprocessor for desktop computers, a chip that had been expected in the second quarter. (WSJ)+++

Adobe is launching a basic version of popular photo-editing software Photoshop free online. (WSJ)+++

Oracle’s quarterly profit rose 30% for its fiscal third quarter, but its 21% revenue increase fell short of expectations. Investors are watching Oracle for clues on how an economic slowdown might impact the technology sector. (WSJ)+++

Motorola’s board said it will separate its troubled cellphone division from the rest of its operations, creating two publicly traded companies in a move long sought by activist investor Carl Icahn. (WSJ)+++

Cellphone giant Nokia is making mostly behind-the-scenes changes to regain market share in the U.S. as rival Motorola struggles. (WSJ)+++

A jury ruled Rambus wasn’t guilty of fraud or antitrust violations in a patent dispute with other memory-chip makers. (WSJ)+++

YouTube plans to announce a new tool that lets anyone who uploads a video to the Web site see detailed metrics about who is watching the video. (WSJ)+++

Netflix Offers Rebate
Online DVD rental leader will provide a 5% credit on monthly bills of customers affected by Monday outage.(SFC)+++

Yahoo Joins Widget Project
Company now also supports OpenSocial initiative aimed at making it easier for software developers to build features.(SFC)+++

Comcast Thinking Of Wireless
Corporation and Time Warner Cable reportedly discuss Net venture that would be run by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire.(SFC)+++

Hacking As A Matter Of Course
Su Gaustad and seven others signed up to become “ethical hackers.” A Redwood City class teaches that the best way to fight computer intruders is to learn to become one.(SFC)+++

Battery shortage hindering Dell
Dell Inc. said Tuesday that the computer industry was experiencing a shortage of batteries for laptop models in part because of a recent fire at a major supplier. The computer maker said it was working with other suppliers to limit any price increases.(LAT)+++

Yahoo backs Google social networking effort
The Internet firm also says it will help form a joint foundation to support OpenSocial.(LAT)+++

Another fake Craigslist post sends looters to victim’s house
The ability to post anonymously on Craigslist is being blamed for the looting of an Oregon man’s house after someone posted a phony notice saying all his possessions were free for the taking. It’s at least the second time such a stunt has happened over the past year.(DFP)+++

Proposals would help unlock social networks
Yahoo and Microsoft made separate moves Tuesday to remove some of the barriers that keep people and applications locked in to specific social…(TST)+++

Adobe to unveil online version of Photoshop
Adobe’s Photoshop is the premier photo software offline. Now the company is hoping to make a splash online as well. (SJM)+++

Rambus wins major court case
Rambus, the small Los Altos company whose memory-chip technology is inside virtually every personal computer, won a major court victory today in its decade-long effort to get royalties from the world’s major chip makers.(SJM)+++

Lawsuit claims switch to digital TV will bankrupt small station owners
Small television station owners are facing a “death sentence” because of a flaw in the government’s plan to force broadcasters to shift to digital broadcasting and have asked a federal judge for a reprieve. (SJM)+++

White House taps commissioner William Kovacic to chair FTC
The White House on Wednesday named William Kovacic as the next chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, replacing Deborah Platt Majoras, who resigns at the end of the month. (SJM)+++

Comcast, Sprint, Google in talks to fund WiMax wireless network
Major cable, telecom and Internet companies are in preliminary, but serious, talks to create a national wireless network that would link devices such as computers, televisions and cell phones, according to a person familiar with the talks. (SJM)+++

Firefox 3 should worry Microsoft
On the eve of the 10-year anniversary of its first code, Mozilla counts up to 160 million Firefox users and then some. (CNET)+++

Is Motorola putting lipstick on a pig?
The new plan to split up the troubled company may be an attempt to get potential buyers to focus on the merchandise.

Google paid-click figures up 3 percent in February
ComScore figures obtained by Reuters show that Google paid-click figures grew only 3.1 percent last month, pushing stock price down slightly.(CNET)+++

Rambus wins latest legal round, beats back fraud claims
Company has prevailed once again in a case claiming it obtained crucial patents on memory technology through fraudulent means, which could set the stage for future royalties.(CNET)+++

Silicon Valley and the Zen Way
ValleyZen blog explores the intersection of Zen and technology…and whether Microsoft will find its Zen by acquiring Yahoo.(CNET)+++

Another Googler gets in on pre-IPO Facebook
Former director of social media is latest to make the leap to the social-networking company.(CNET)+++

Is there such as thing as being fired for Twittering?
For years, bloggers have known that they have to be careful about what they say about work or their personal lives because they might get fired, or “Dooced.” Will the same become true for Twitter users?(CNET)+++

Oracle new software sales at low end of estimates
Company reported a higher quarterly profit, but its 16 percent rise in new software sales came in at the lower end of expectations.(CNET)+++

Teens turn deaf ear to risks of MP3 players
Researchers find teens are generally aware of MP3 player hearing risks. Yet most said they crank their devices at maximum volume.(CNET)+++

Why are people leaving Yahoo?
Headhunter provides list of top reasons people are fleeing Yahoo. Not surprisingly, Microsoft takeover bid is No. 1.(CNET)+++

Former Motorola employee blasts current, former management
Personal adviser to Motorola’s former CMO writes letter accusing former CEO Ed Zander of overworking his boss and current CEO Greg Brown of being in over his head.(CNET)+++

Does Microsoft need a value menu?
Software maker is said to be eyeing a new bundle of consumer products combining Office and its OneCare antivirus software. (CNET)+++