EU drops APPL probe as Jobs drops prices

[NetworkWorld] Apple said that within six months it will lower the prices it charges for music on its U.K. iTunes Store to match its already standardized pricing across Europe in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain

APPL will provide movie rentals

[Bloomberg] Apple will announce the rental service Jan. 15, the people said. New releases and older titles will rent for $3.99 for 24 hours. The lower-priced rentals and additional titles may help boost the popularity of Apple's iPod media players, iPhone and Apple TV set-top box, which delivers shows to widescreen TV sets.

Frontline Wireless collapses for lack of funding

[NYT] Frontline Wireless, which wanted to build an innovative cellular network for both private use and local public safety agencies, has collapsed because it could not raise enough money to bid in the government auctions of wireless spectrum that start later this month.

The future of cars is computers

[Wired] General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner gave the first keynote address from the head of an automobile manufacturer in the 41-year history of the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday. Wagoner's message was clear: the car is no longer a mere mode of transportation, but has become a hybrid of sorts -- part vehicle and part consumer electronics device.

FCC to probe Comcast

[Reuters] Comcast Corp said on Wednesday that it would cooperate with an investigation by U.S. regulators into how it manages some Internet traffic on its network, but again denied it had interfered with file-sharing services.

OLPC developing dual-boot laptop

[ComputerWorld] The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project and Microsoft Corp. are working together to develop a dual-boot system to put both Linux and Windows on laptops aimed at kids in developing countries, the head of OLPC said in an interview Tuesday.

Subpoenas issued in MySpace suicide

[LAT] A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has begun issuing subpoenas in the case of a Missouri teenager who hanged herself after being rejected by the person she thought was a 16-year-old boy she met on MySpace, sources told The Times. The case set off a national furor when it was revealed that the "boyfriend" was really a neighbor who was the mother of one of the girl's former friends.