Want to Copy iTunes Music? Go Ahead, Apple Says
Apple said it would begin selling song downloads without anticopying measures and change its pricing structure. (NYT)+++

Google Trends Falls Victim to Disturbing Stunt
Google Trends falls victim to stunt that shows a plane flying into two towers as a “Hot Trend.”(NYT)+++

Macworld Live Blog: Apple to Lift Copy Limits on iTunes Music
Apple’s annual presentation at Macworld was a dull affair. The big news: copy restrictions will be removed from iTunes songs.(NYT)+++

The Smart Home Is Still Looking for a Market
The vision of the smart home has been around for decades. Yet consumers remain deeply skeptical about the technology. (NYT)+++

SanDisk’s New Gadget
SanDisk is going after non-tech-savvy music listeners with a portable player that combines the best aspects of CDs and radio. (SFC)+++

Tough Times For VC
Liquifying investments harder than ever amid global economic downturn and financial turmoil. (WSJ)+++

Job Test Spawns Culture of Cheating
Online personality tests have helped retailers to automate hiring. But the tests are also creating a culture of cheating and raising questions about their fairness.(WSJ)+++

Bowl Game Goes 3-D
Theaters nationwide will broadcast the BCS National Championship Game live and in 3-D. But it’s unclear if it will be merely a novelty, or a whole new way to experience game day.(WSJ)+++

Cisco Woos Entertainment Firms
Cisco is using the Consumer Electronics Show to deliver a high-profile service to manage social networks and to show off its first home audio system.(WSJ)+++

Tech Chiefs Vie to Run California
Silicon Valley veterans are setting their sights on the California capital. (WSJ)+++

A radar detector that also alerts drivers to red-light and speed cameras
Cobra Electronics has taught its radar detectors a new trick: they also detect red light cameras and speed cameras. (LAT)+++

Could new iPhoto person and location tagging carry over to iPhone?
Apple showed off the new version of its iPhoto image editing software today at the Macworld expo. (LAT)+++

Four technology trends at CES
The good folks at the Consumer Electronics Assn. were kind enough to give us clueless journalists a CliffsNotes version of the Consumer Electronics Show taking place this week in Las Vegas. (LAT)+++

Apple cuts copy protection and prices on iTunes
Apple Inc. closed its final appearance at the Macworld trade show Tuesday by cutting the price of some songs in its market-leading iTunes online store to as little as 69 cents and disclosing that soon every track will be available without copy protection.(DFP)+++

Apple announces new iTunes prices and an 8-hour laptop battery
With company icon Steve Jobs a no-show at the 25th annual Macworld, Apple on Tuesday unveiled a radically new pricing plan for music sold through its online iTunes store that could give a boost to the sagging recording industry and secure iTunes’ standing as the leading outlet for music. (SV)+++

CES: The Vegas economy through the eyes of a cab driver
Lim Seng, 45, has been driving a cab in this city for 15 years. When he picked me up at the airport today, I peppered him with questions about the International Consumer Electronics Show (“everything is smaller than usual”) to his outlook on the Vegas economy (not so good). (TST)+++

Apple: DRM-free tunes, unibody MacBook Pro
At Macworld, Phil Schiller touts 10 million songs sans DRM, plus songs at 69 cents, along with a unibody 17-inch notebook, iLife updates, and more.(CNET)+++

Obama taps RIAA lawyer for a top Justice post
Courtroom lawyer who has sued file swappers is President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for a top Justice Department position. (CNET)+++
‘MacHeads’ documentary looks at Mac faithful
The new documentary, by two Israeli brothers, is an interesting look at the passion behind the millions-strong Mac community. But it lacks clarity. (CNET)+++

Cisco adds social networking to its forte
The world’s largest maker of Internet infrastructure equipment is now helping big media companies build social networking Web sites.(CNET)+++

Yelp user faces lawsuit over negative review
Community reviewer who suggested a chiropractor was less than honest in his billing practices is accused of defamation in a lawsuit.(CNET)+++

iPhoto update helps show merits of geotagging
With new software version, Apple starts unlocking more of the promise of location tags: use a map to browse photos or create a photo book based on where you were.(CNET)+++

Obama supporters downplay CTO’s near-term role
The economic priorities of the incoming Obama administration may mean that fleshing out the role of a chief technology officer could become a lesser priority.(CNET)+++

A quick recap of Apple news at Macworld 2009
This year’s Macworld keynote presentation was not the most exciting event Apple has ever put on, but there were still some noteworthy announcements. Here’s a quick look.(CNET)+++

Fake celeb LinkedIn profiles lead to malware
Beware links on the network purporting to offer nude shots of Knowles, Beckham, Ricci, Dunst, Hayek, and Hudson; they lead to malware, security researchers say.(CNET)+++

VMware hires away Borland CEO
Tod Nielsen to become COO at virtualization company where he hooks up with former boss from his Microsoft days, VMware CEO Paul Maritz(CNET)+++

Doctors will make Web calls in Hawaii
Physicians will be able to make face-to-face calls via Webcam on patients in the state of Pacific islands, starting January 15.(CNET)+++

Hackers hit MacRumors keynote coverage
Mischievous Internet forum 4Chan appears to have hacked into the popular Apple blog just as executive Phil Schiller took the stage at the Macworld Expo.(CNET)+++

Truphone adds Skype, Twitter to iPhone client
Starting next week, the App Store download will incorporate functionality for Skype, Twitter, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger communications.(CNET)+++

LiveJournal deletes ‘about a dozen’ jobs
The staff cuts hit its San Francisco and Moscow offices, the company confirms after a rumor on Gawker hinted at a much more significant layoff.(CNET)+++

HP offers money for old tech equipment
Recycling program in United States expands recycling program from a trade-in credit system to no-strings checks. Consumers must pay for shipments, though.(CNET)+++