Stories by: Tom Spring

The tech-world's epicenter shifts to Las Vegas this week as the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show kicks off. Over the next week expect a parade of shiny, tiny, and wireless gadgets from CES exhibitors -including a 3G watch-phone from LG Electronics, a wafer-thin TV from Samsung that's 6.5-millimeters thick, and an emphasis on emerging technology such as environmentally friendly green technologies and Wi-Tricity, a technology that allows wire-free power charging of small devices.

The nonprofit One Laptop Per Child Project has shown the first images of its next-generation touch-screen laptop that goes by the name XO-2. According to Nicholas Negroponte, chairman of OLPC, the laptop is under development and has a goal of costing US$75. Negroponte showed off images of the XO-2 at an OLPC event here at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He says the first XO-2 is slated to be built by 2010.

US consumers using an expanding array of broadband services, including movie downloads, video games, online backup, and streaming audio and video, are flooding the nation's broadband pipes with data--and it could cost them.

When Seattle, Washington resident David Ruggiero heard about an opportunity to get his hands on the innovative XO laptop made by the One Laptop Per Child charitable organization, he hopped on it. Within two hours after the promotion began on Nov. 12 he snapped one up.

Which browser is more secure Internet Explorer or Firefox? We all have our opinions, but rarely do we get a chance to hear Microsoft and the makers of the Firefox browser, Mozilla, debate the issue.

Authorities are warning of yet another scam targeting online loan applicants. This time it's an advance fee loan scheme involving MortgageTree Lending, a company that is finding plenty of victims online.

If you're running Vista and you need a multifunction printer, Brother's MFC-5860CN might seem like a great choice. After all, it's proudly sold as "Certified for Windows Vista."

The case against alleged illegal file swapper Jammie Thomas goes to the jury Thursday. Thomas is accused of illegally distributing 1702 music files using the service Kazaa by the Recording Industry Association of America. The trade association is suing Thomas in a Duluth, Minnesota federal court. Wednesday was the second day of testimony and prosecutors put Thomas on the stand.

Hewlett-Packard says it's delaying the release of its HP MediaSmart Home Server by possibly months to give Microsoft more time to fix and make small improvements to the Windows Home Server operating system.

Sony has showed models of flat panel TVs that were as thin as 8 millimeters -- less than the width of a pen -- at the CES show.

Palm last week announced a new series of Treo smart phones designed to appeal to "price-sensitive" customers. The company also announced the immediate availability of a new, free Google Maps application for Treos based on the Palm operating system.