Internet

AOL's Tim Armstrong turns skeptics into believers

If new AOL CEO Tim Armstrong keeps talking, the company just might reemerge Phoenix-like on the Internet landscape. At least that's what the results of audience polling showed at Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference Thursday.

Fortune's David Kirkpatrick opened the interview by asking whether AOL would slowly "run out of juice, remain profitable but not a significant industry force,  or return to health as a major Internet player." Using devices provided by MORE

Kosmix searches for a new way around Google

By Yi-Wyn Yen

These days, getting a large handout from venture capitalists is rare. It's even tougher when your startup needs a lot of cash to compete with Google.

Kosmix, however, has defied the odds. In late October, the plucky startup raised $20 million, led by Fortune's parent company Time Warner (TWX), by assuring investors that Google is not the only way to search on the Web. Kosmix says it takes a MORE

Phone forecast calls for sales decline in 2009

By Scott Moritz

With clouds of economic gloom darkening the tech horizon, mobile phone sales - a former bright spot in the gadget world - look to be slowing.

Tech buyers went away early this fall, and as recession fears intensified, orders have continued to dry up.

There have been a number of ominous signs. First Cisco (CSCO) slashed its outlook and froze hiring. Then Wall Street analysts slashed Google's (GOOG) search ad sales MORE

Hewlett-Packard solid, Corning shattered

By Scott Moritz

It was a tale of two techs Tuesday. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) surprised Wall Street on Tuesday with a fourth-quarter earnings report that beat analysts' profit and sales targets. HP shares soared nearly 14% in early trading.

Meanwhile, glass maker Corning (GLW) warned of a sales shortfall in the current quarter as demand for its flat-screen TV and computer panels drops faster than anticipated. Shares fell nearly 12%.

HP posted preliminary adjusted earnings of $1.03 a share, which compares with MORE

Mark Cuban faces insider trading charges

By Scott Moritz

U.S. regulators on Monday charged Dallas Maverick owner and outspoken blogger Mark Cuban with using confidential information in 2004 to sell his stake in Mamma.com, a Montreal search engine now known as Copernic (CNIC). His sale of all 600,000 shares helped Cuban avoid a 10% dive in the stock, or about $750,000 in losses, the government contends.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Cuban on Monday. No criminal charges were MORE

Google hits 3-year low on growth fears

By Scott Moritz

What was a little fuzzy last month has become clearer of late: The sagging economy is weighing on Google (GOOG).

Goldman Sachs analyst James Mitchell cited signs of weakness in search advertising - Google's biggest moneymaker by far -- in cutting his revenue growth target for the current fourth quarter from 4% to 1%.

Mitchell is the second analyst this week to lower estimates for Google. On Monday Barclays analyst Doug Anmuth called MORE

Al Gore: Web 2.0 can help save the planet

By Michael V. Copeland and Yi-Wyn Yen

SAN FRANCISCO - Al Gore didn't take credit for inventing the Internet at the Web 2.0 Summit Friday, but he did credit it with enabling the victory of President-elect Barack Obama and helping restore faith in the principles upon which the United States was founded.

"The electrifying redemption of America's revolutionary declaration, that all human beings are created equal," Gore said to a cheering crowd, MORE

Yahoo back in the game

By Scott Moritz

Yahoo (YHOO) moves back to the deal market as its controversial advertising partnership with Google (GOOG) is now dead.

As Fortune's Legal Pad blogger Roger Parloff outlined last month, the legal footing was never very solid as the No.1 and No.2 Internet advertisers explored plans to work together on search advertising efforts.

The plan was first introduced in June as Yahoo was trying to fend off an unsolicited takeover bid from MORE

Nokia's 'iPhone killer' a 2009 event

By Scott Moritz

With touchscreen phones all the rage, and U.S. telcos following AT&T's (T) lead of cutting the price of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone, it would seem Nokia (NOK) will be left out of the smartphone party this year.

The Finnish phone giant won't have its closely-watched 5800 phone - Nokia's music-loaded take on the iPhone - available here until sometime in the first half of next year, according to people familiar with the phone. MORE

Tech comes back, for now

By Scott Moritz

Three of tech investors' favorite horses - Google (GOOG), Research in Motion (RIMM) and Apple (AAPL) - which led the stampede out of the Nasdaq Monday, came rushing back a bit Tuesday.

Panic sellers who sent the Nasdaq down 9%, its steepest one-day drop since the Internet bubble burst in 2000, were replaced by bargain hunters Tuesday. In mid-day trading Google shares were up 8% and RIM's stock bounced 10%. Apple was up 5%, while the Nasdaq as a MORE