High Impact stories from CNET News.com

Gloves come off in Symantec, Microsoft dispute

Legal dispute over storage patent is about to get going in earnest, part of a wider skirmish over security software turf.

Apple recalls 1.8 million batteries

update Company's recall, not as big as Dell's, affects many iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 laptop models.
Photos: Checking for recalled batteries

YouTube could be a steal at $1 billion

news analysis Sony's acquisition of video-sharing company Grouper could mean big bucks to others in online video.

Can a Vista coupon save holiday PC sales?

Microsoft plans to offer some kind of Vista-related promotion, but it's unclear whether promises of upgrades will fend off sluggish sales.

Here comes the biodegradable fork

A start-up develops new plastics derived from cornstarch. Stick the fork in the ground, it'll turn into compost.
Photos: Earth-friendly plastic

A divide over the future of hard drives

Room temperatures should derail the current line of disk drive development soon, so changes are coming.

Can German engineering fix Wikipedia?

An experiment planned for the country's version of the online encyclopedia could be a blueprint for improved accuracy.

Qwest calls for mandatory data retention laws

Broadband provider becomes first to embrace federal proposal to keep track of what its own customers are doing online.

Linux heavies plan lightweight virtualization

Novell and Red Hat have concrete plans to build "container" virtualization into their Linux products.

Industry shift to services fuels IBM spree

IBM uses its fat checkbook to cash in on services-oriented architecture--and run from downward price pressure.

Now playing on the Net: War propaganda

Video-sharing sites allow combatants on both sides to tell their story, much to the chagrin of the Pentagon.
Images: War caught on video

Homeland Security chief promises privacy safeguards

Law enforcement will take care not to overstep privacy bounds as intelligence gathering is increased, Michael Chertoff says.

Spying an intelligent search engine

Innovation in Web search using artificial intelligence may lead to the day when you could expect the Web to do the tedious tasks for you.

Federal judge orders halt to NSA spy program

Authorized yet warrantless surveillance is ruled unconstitutional, but gets a stay of execution.

Flaw finders to software makers: It's payback time

Bug hunters have listened to software firms about how to make flaws public. Now it's time for those companies to give them something back, they say.

Virtual wireless carriers face tough times

They may offer carefully developed services, but the new breed of mobile virtual carriers still faces stiff competition.

Dell to recall 4 million batteries

Inspiron, Latitude and Precision owners should check to see if they qualify for recall offer.
Photos: Dell's recalled batteries

Turning server communication inside out

Sun bets customers will reward it for technology called ExpressModule, which moves PCI outside the computer.

Open source grows beyond its roots

Zimbra shows off wiki as the start-up and its cohorts push into new areas and compete on features, not just price.

Speedier wireless on the way via 4G

Sprint Nextel says a souped-up network, coming soon, will use WiMax to offer customers a new wireless experience.