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Disney, NBC latest to block shows from Google TV

Three of the biggest U.S. television broadcasters have blocked their shows from Google Inc.’s new Web TV service, throwing a wrench into the company’s plans to expand from computers to the living room.

Spokespeople from Walt Disney Co. and NBC Universal confirmed Thursday that they blocked access to its broadcast TV shows from Google TV. Disney owns network and cable TV businesses ABC and ESPN. Get the full story »

Facebook, Amazon launch $250M startup fund

Betting that the future of the Web is in social apps and services, venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, along with Amazon, Facebook and Zynga are launching a $250 million fund to help such startups grow. Get the full story »

Sex.com domain name sold for $13 million

Sex.com, widely considered to be among the most valuable web addresses in the world, was sold for $13 million by its bankrupt owner, Escom LLC.

In court papers filed on Monday, the company said Clover Holdings Ltd was the successful bidder for the domain name. The deal is yet to be approved by the bankruptcy court. Get the full story »

State incentives help Groupon add 250 jobs in Ill.

Groupon will receive $3.5 million in tax breaks and job training assistance in a state incentive package aimed at helping the fast-growing company create 250 jobs in Chicago rather than expand in other states.

The company allows nearly 25 million consumers to get discounts through group buying power over the internet. Groupon has grown from seven employees to 900 in Chicago over two years, with 2,500 workers worldwide. Get the full story »

Facebook apps like FarmVille share private info

A scene from the Facebook app FarmVille which was found to share private info with marketers. (Facebook)

Many of the most popular applications, or “apps,” on the social-networking site Facebook Inc. have been transmitting identifying information — in effect, providing access to people’s names and, in some cases, their friends’ names — to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies, a Wall Street Journal investigation has found.

The issue affects tens of millions of Facebook app users, including people who set their profiles to be completely private. The practice breaks Facebook’s rules, and renews questions about its ability to keep identifiable information about its users’ activities secure. Get the full story »

Google trumps street targets; shares surge

Google Inc. blew past Wall Street’s quarterly profit and revenue expectations as a 25 percent revenue surge offset rising expenses, sending its shares up 9 percent. Get the full story »

FCC weighs creating fund to boost broadband

A new fund could help bring high speed Internet to unserved and remote areas of the United States, U.S. telecommunications regulators said on Thursday.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed allocating universal service funds — fees consumers pay telephone companies to subsidize landline phone services for low-income and rural families — to create a “mobility fund” to expand broadband Internet to areas without service. Get the full story »

AOL, firms mull bid for Yahoo

AOL Inc. and several private equity firms are exploring the possibility of buying Yahoo Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.

Shares of Yahoo jumped more than 9 percent on Thursday on the news, fueled by the prospect that the Internet company could be the target of a buyout by private equity firms, possibly in conjunction with another media company like AOL or News Corp. Get the full story »

Wal-Mart to offer free shipping to Chicago FedEx offices

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to unveil Thursday free delivery of purchases made through its web site to Chicago FedEx offices — a move aimed at reaching urban consumers.

The world’s largest retailer launched the pilot program, called FedEx Site-to-Store, this summer in Boston and Los Angeles. The test expands this week to Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.. There will be 40 FedEx sites participating in the Chicago market, concentrated in the city with a smattering of sites in the suburbs, according to Wal-Mart spokesman Ravi Jariwala. Get the full story »

Cisco unveils $599 home videoconference system

Cisco Systems Inc. launched a $599 home version of its TelePresence videoconference system as the network equipment maker seeks to expand in the consumer market. Get the full story »

Facebook upgrades allow friend groups

Facebook is introducing tools that will make it easier for people to separate their online friendships into groups and copy all the personal information they have posted on the Web site.

The new features will start rolling out to Facebook’s more than 500 million worldwide users Wednesday. Get the full story »

Rosner’s back with official BuyWithMe launch

BuyWithMe, a group buying Web site helmed by former Chicagoan and TicketsNow Chief Executive Cheryl Rosner, is launching in Chicago Wednesday.

The New York-based company had conducted a “soft launch” locally, but is making Wednesday its official debut in Chicago and Los Angeles, bringing its number of cities to 11. BuyWithMe is competing in the same social commerce space crowded with daily deal startups, including Chicago-based Groupon and Washington D.C.-based LivingSocial. Get the full story »

Chase reports brief Web site outage

A few weeks after Chase had major technical issues with its online banking site, many of its users reported Tuesday that they were unable to log into the Web site. A Chase spokesman said that the site went down around 11:30 a.m. for several minutes, but is now back up.

Facebook splitting shares 5-to-1

Facebook, the world’s No.1 Internet social network, is splitting shares in the privately held company. A Facebook spokesman told Reuters on Friday that Facebook will enact a 5-for-1 split of the company’s shares, marking the third time Facebook has split its shares in its six-year history. Get the full story »

Google adds Latin translations

Google has added Latin to its automatic translation service, the 58th language supported by Google Translate and the first dead language in its repertoire, it said on Thursday.

“We are excited to announce our first translation system for a language with no native speakers at all,” the Web search and advertising company said in a statement. Get the full story »