Tesla sues Michigan officials over state bar on sales

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc Thursday sued Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and other state officials in federal court over the state's refusal to allow the Palo Alto, California automaker to sell vehicles directly to consumers.

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Uber rival Grab partners with driverless car firm in Singapore

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Users of ride-hailing firm Grab will be able to book driverless cars from Friday as it partners with a start-up testing the technology in Singapore, just days after rival Uber [UBER.UL] debuted its self-driving vehicles in the United States.

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Instagram says advertisers more than double in six months

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc's Instagram said on Thursday its advertising base more than doubled to exceed 500,000 in the last six months.

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Yahoo set to confirm massive data breach: Recode

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc will confirm this week a massive data breach of its service, technology news website Recode reported on Thursday, citing several sources close to the situation.

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Rocket Internet trims losses, increases debt buyback

BERLIN (Reuters) - German e-commerce investor Rocket Internet reported progress on Thursday in cutting losses at its main start-ups with three set to generate profits by the end of 2017, while its shares were lifted by a plan to buy back convertible bonds.

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Google launches Allo, bets on AI to spice up chats

(Reuters) - Google-parent Alphabet Inc launched Allo, a messaging app that incorporates Google's search feature and a chatbot that uses machine learning to "improve" itself over time.

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South Korea orders battery safety measures for Samsung Note 7

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Thursday it ordered Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to take additional measures to ensure that batteries used in Galaxy Note 7 handsets are safe, as the firm prepares to resume sales of the smartphone in South Korea.

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Apple eyes British supercar maker McLaren: FT

(Reuters) - Apple Inc has approached British Formula One team owner McLaren Technology Group for a strategic investment or a potential buyout, the Financial Times reported, citing sources.

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Viacom slashes dividend; says interim CEO to leave

(Reuters) - Viacom Inc slashed its quarterly dividend by 50 percent on Wednesday and said interim Chief Executive Tom Dooley would leave the company.

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U.S. carrier Verizon starts taking orders for new Samsung Note 7 phones

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. carrier Verizon Communications Inc has begun taking orders for Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, after having stopped sales of the device earlier due to fire-prone batteries.

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BlackBerry to resell app from startup that found major Android bug

TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd has agreed to offer anti-hacking software from a startup that last year discovered a major Android bug, it said on Wednesday, as the once-dominant smartphone company seeks to leverage ties to corporate and government clients to boost its software revenue.

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SAP and Bosch team up on Internet of Things

WALLDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Europe's biggest software firm SAP and German car parts maker Robert Bosch [ROBG.UL] have signed an agreement to partner to connect everything from screwdrivers to cars to the internet.

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Microsoft raises dividend, plans $40 billion share buyback

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Tuesday raised its quarterly dividend by 8 percent and said it would buy back up to $40 billion as part of a new share repurchase program.

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Apple's iPhone 7 more expensive to make: IHS Markit

(Reuters) - Apple Inc is spending more to manufacture its iPhone 7 smartphone than predecessor iPhone 6S due to features such as a bigger battery and larger storage capacity, according to a teardown by IHS Markit Ltd .

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Tesla fixes security bugs after claims of Model S hack

(Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc has rolled out a security patch for its electric cars after Chinese security researchers uncovered vulnerabilities they said allowed them to remotely attack a Tesla Model S sedan.

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Google gets more time to counter EU antitrust charge on Android

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google has been given an extra three weeks to respond to EU antitrust charges that it abused its dominant Android mobile operating system to squeeze out rivals, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

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Accenture breaks blockchain taboo with editing system

LONDON (Reuters) - Accenture is challenging a defining feature of blockchain, its immutability, by patenting a system that will allow data processed and stored using the technology to be edited.

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JPMorgan hires and takes stake in InvestCloud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co said it had hired and would take a stake in InvestCloud, which provides software that makes online transactions easier for customers with banking and investment accounts.

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Grab raises $750 million to take on Uber in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Grab, the biggest rival to ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] in Southeast Asia, has raised $750 million in a funding round, turning up the heat on the U.S. firm now seeking to expand in the region after exiting China.

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Chip designer ARM launches processor fit for driverless cars

LONDON (Reuters) - ARM, the British chip designer powering the global mobile phone industry, launched a new processor on Tuesday for driverless cars, seeking to secure its place at the heart of the burgeoning industry.

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Netflix CEO says no progress in entering China

WARSAW (Reuters) - Netflix Inc has made no progress in its plan to enter the potentially lucrative Chinese market as it needs to obtain a government license, its Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings said on Tuesday.

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U.S. may seek power to pre-approve self-driving car technology

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration said Monday it was considering seeking the power to review and approve technology for self-driving cars before they hit the road and said U.S. states should not set separate rules.

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Israel chip designer Ceva rallies as iPhone win to boost profit

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Shares in Israel's Ceva Inc hit a record high after firms specializing in dissecting and analyzing electronic devices revealed its chip technology is used in Apple Inc's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus phones.

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Twilio buys video messaging software; unveils call-quality features

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Twilio Inc. isn't a name many consumers will recognize, even though it has recently led a modest revival in the U.S. market for technology initial public offerings by nearly quadrupling in value since its stock market debut in June.

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GM sets Bolt electric car price at $37,495

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co on Tuesday announced its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle will cost under $30,000 after tax breaks, a price that makes it significantly cheaper than the average new U.S. vehicle and sets up a test of whether the technology can go mainstream in the United States.

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Roboats ahoy: Amsterdam canals picked to test self-driving fleet

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Self-driving boats and assemblies of robotic platforms will one day shuttle people and goods along Amsterdam's centuries-old canals - if a project part-funded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology bears fruit.

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Abu Dhabi to introduce new regulations for ride-hailing apps

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Ride-hailing services such as Uber [UBER.UL] and others will have to register their apps and heed new regulations to operate in Abu Dhabi, a top official at the Gulf emirate's taxi regulator said on Monday.

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Tesla says lawsuits could delay SolarCity deal

(Reuters) - Elon Musk-led Tesla Motor Inc said on Monday its proposed acquisition of SolarCity Corp could be delayed due to shareholder lawsuits challenging the deal.

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Avnet to sell IT business to Tech Data for $2.6 billion

(Reuters) - U.S. electrical components distributor Avnet Inc said it would sell its IT business to technology products distributor Tech Data Corp for about $2.6 billion.

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Exclusive: Google may face over $400 million Indonesia tax bill for 2015 - government official

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to pursue Alphabet Inc's Google for five years of back taxes, and the search giant could face a bill of more than $400 million for 2015 alone if it is found to have avoided payments, a senior tax official said.

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Samsung carrying out 'internal review' after China Galaxy Note 7 fire report: JD.com

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese online retailer JD.com Inc said on Monday Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is carrying out an internal review, after the e-commerce firm referred a customer report of a Galaxy Note 7 battery fire to the South Korean company.

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UPS, Fast Radius to open 3D printing factory in Singapore

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc said on Monday it will expand its 3D printing services to Asia with a new facility in Singapore run by its partner Fast Radius that will open by the end of 2016.

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Apple fans hit the NYC flagship store for iPhone 7

The first Apple customers in New York City to snap the new iPhone 7 off the shelves cheered as they entered its flagship store on Friday (September 16), flanked by applauding sales staff.

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Daimler should make e-car components to protect jobs: labor boss

FRANKFURT, Germany (Reuters) - Daimler should avert possible job losses resulting from the expected substitution of conventional cars by electronic vehicles in coming years by making components for electric engines, the carmaker's top labor representative said.

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Fans cheer, but iPhone 7 gets a subdued welcome

SHANGHAI/SYDNEY/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple employees enthusiastically counted down the last moments before stores from San Francisco to Shanghai opened on Friday to launch the iPhone 7, but the ranks of shoppers were notably thinner than in previous years.

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Twitter grabs average 243,000 viewers in NFL livestream debut

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Twitter Inc attracted an average of 243,000 viewers to Thursday's National Football League livestream of the New York Jets triumph over the Buffalo Bills, the first time the social media platform has broadcast an NFL game.

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Mobileye says it warned Tesla against enabling 'hands-free' driving

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Mobileye NV said in a U.S. securities filing on Friday that its top executives were assured by Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk that drivers of the company's electric cars would not be allowed to take their hands off the wheel when using the "Autopilot" driving assistance system, but Tesla later allowed hands-free driving over Mobileye's objections. Mobileye said that in product-planning communications between the top executives of Mobileye and Tesla going back

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Central banks confirm formed task force on payments fraud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A committee of the world's major central banks said on Friday it has launched a task force to examine cyber security in cross-border banking and to ensure interbank payments are protected, confirming an earlier Reuters report.

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Court approves U.S. request to extradite Briton suspected of hacking FBI, Fed

LONDON (Reuters) - A court in London on Friday approved the extradition of a British man to the United States to face trial for hacking high-security state computers, despite warnings he might kill himself if sent to a U.S. jail.

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At gamers' meet in Tokyo, absent Nintendo is talk of the town

TOKYO (Reuters) - This week's Tokyo Game Show is one of the world's biggest draws for gamers and developers, but the talk amid the virtual reality headsets and robot arms is of the industry giant that never turns up: Nintendo Co Ltd.

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Samsung to replace or refund 1 million U.S. Galaxy Note 7 phones

(Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd formally recalled 1 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones sold in the United States, replacing or refunding the flagship phones, whose susceptibility to catching fire has damaged the image of the Korean powerhouse.

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Apple says initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus sold out

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Initial quantities of the iPhone 7 Plus have sold out globally as Apple Inc prepares to roll out its new gadget in stores, the company said Wednesday.

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Twitter abuzz as live-video test of Thursday Night Football nears

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Social media users were buzzing on Thursday as Twitter Inc prepared for its first broadcast of a National Football League game, a match up between the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, which tests Twitter's strategy of putting big games on small screens.

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Baidu receives approval from California DMV to test self-driving cars

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - China-based internet company Baidu has received a permit to test its self-driving cars in California from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, as the race to introduce driverless automobiles accelerates.

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Apple stock heads for best four days since 2014; short sellers flee

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple extended its Wall Street rally on Thursday, with enthusiasm over demand for its newest iPhone putting the stock on track for its strongest four-day streak in over two years and clobbering short sellers who bet against it.

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Obama administration targets corporate offshore tax avoidance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday took aim at the use of foreign tax credits by American multinational companies to reduce their U.S. tax bills, in an action that closely followed a European Union order that Apple Inc pay back taxes to Ireland.

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Toyota engineer aims to recharge sales for Prius plug-in

TOKYO (Reuters) - The chief engineer of Toyota Motor Corp's Prius gasoline hybrid cars said he would like to see the automaker sell 1 million units of the new plug-in version over its product life cycle, saying the vehicle is set to become its showpiece "eco" car in the next decade or so.

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Indonesia to investigate Google for possible unpaid taxes

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's tax office will investigate Alphabet Inc's Google for alleged unpaid taxes in Southeast Asia's largest economy, a senior finance ministry official said on Thursday.

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Sony aims to extend VR content to films, no plans for smartphone-based headset

CHIBA (Reuters) - Sony Corp aims to extend content for its dedicated virtual-reality (VR) headset into non-gaming areas such as TV and film, and has no plans to join the burgeoning market for smartphone-based headsets, its gaming division chief said.

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Mobileye says Tesla was 'pushing the envelope in terms of safety'

FRANKFURT/TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Mobileye broke ties with Tesla Motors because the Silicon Valley firm was “pushing the envelope in terms of safety” with the design of its Autopilot driver-assistance system, Mobileye’s chairman said on Wednesday.

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Labels release cut-rate music streaming service amid shift to flexible pricing

(Reuters) - Two major record labels are rolling out a low-priced music streaming service in the United Kingdom, a rare foray by record companies directly into the field and another sign the industry is finally moving toward more flexible pricing.

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iPhone optimism blasts Apple stock to 2016 high

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple's stock hit a 2016 high on Wednesday, with its market value peaking above $600 billion for the first time since April as Wall Street bet the technology company's newest iPhone would help shore up falling sales.

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Tesla says it is investigating cause of fatal China crash

(Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc is investigating the cause of a fatal crash in China involving one of its vehicles, but has "no way of knowing" if its semi-automated Autopilot system was engaged at the time of the accident, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Twitter launches video app for Apple and Amazon TV, Xbox One

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc launched a new video streaming application for Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc TV platforms, as well as Microsoft Corp's Xbox One gaming console as it brings its video content to the forefront.

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Mobileye poised to seal more marquee deals for self-driving cars

TEL AVIV/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Mobileye, a leading supplier of collision-avoidance car sensor systems, expects to seal its second alliance with a leading carmaker for self-driving vehicles in the next few months, the company's chairman said on Wednesday.

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Uber debuts self-driving vehicles in landmark Pittsburgh trial

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - When Pittsburgh wakes up on Wednesday morning, some residents will have the choice of going about their day in an Uber that drives itself.

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Pirate booty? Startups see new ad market in illegal downloaders

(Reuters) - A small number of U.S.-based startups are harvesting data about the hundreds of millions people who illegally stream movies, TV shows and music in a bid to create a new advertising market.

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Ford charts cautious path toward self-driving, shared vehicles

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Mark Fields is looking for more deals to advance the automaker's expansion into ride services and autonomous vehicles, but will not rush to match big spending by auto industry rivals, he told Reuters.

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Volkswagen sets up cyber security firm with ex-Israeli spy chief

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Volkswagen is forming a company with the former head of Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency to develop cyber security systems for Internet-connected cars and self-driving vehicles, the partners said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Samsung China to recall 1,858 Galaxy Note 7 smartphones: watchdog

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's quality watchdog said on Wednesday Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's local unit will recall 1,858 units of its Galaxy Note 7 phones, after the Korean firm's product was found to have fire-prone batteries.

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Sprint, T-Mobile iPhone pre-orders boost Apple shares

(Reuters) - U.S. wireless carriers Sprint Corp and T-Mobile US Inc said on Tuesday they received strong pre-orders for Apple Inc's iPhone 7, sending shares of the world's most valuable listed company up 3 percent.

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SpaceX aims to resume launches in November, president says

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - SpaceX is aiming to resume flights in November following a launch pad fire that destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and an Israeli communications satellite it was due to lift into orbit, the company’s president said on Tuesday.

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Lawmakers aim to delay U.S. ceding control of Internet's management

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Critics of a plan for the U.S. government to cede control of the Internet's technical management to other countries might succeed in delaying such a move in Congress, a senior lawmaker said on Tuesday.

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Facebook, Twitter join network to tackle fake news

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc have joined a network of over 30 news and technology companies to tackle fake news and improve the quality of information on social media, the group said on Tuesday.

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Silicon Valley online course to mint self-driving car engineers

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Silicon Valley is creating a crash course in self-driving car technology to address a shortage of engineers with help from a startup in a different field: online education.

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GM says Bolt EV to have 238-mile range, more than Tesla Model 3

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Tuesday its electric subcompact Chevrolet Bolt EV will have an average range of 238 miles on a full charge, farther than rival Tesla Motors Inc expects for its upcoming Model 3.

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McCain vows to block proposed separation of NSA, cyber command

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain said on Tuesday he would use his power to block the confirmation of a key cybersecurity official if necessary to prevent any Obama administration move to separate the U.S. Cyber Command from the National Security Agency.

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UBS tests using face-reading technology to help clients

ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS, the world's biggest wealth manager, is looking at using artificial intelligence to help clients decide how to invest their money by watching their facial expressions.

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Pandora signs license deals with Sony, Universal Music

(Reuters) - Pandora Media Inc said on Tuesday it had signed direct licensing deals with a number of music labels, including heavyweights Sony Music and Universal Music Group, beefing up its music collection to compete with Spotify and Apple Music.

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China's ATL to become main battery supplier for Samsung's Galaxy Note 7: source

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) will become the main supplier of batteries for Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy Note 7 phones, a person with knowledge of the plans said on Tuesday.

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AOL CEO Tim Armstrong says Yahoo deal will spark 'job changes'

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The mission to merge Yahoo's assets with AOL and Verizon's will lead to "some job changes" according to AOL CEO Tim Armstrong.

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Nvidia shows off smaller artificial intelligence computer for Baidu car

(Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp showed off on Monday a smaller and more efficient artificial intelligence computer for self-driving cars, saying it would power Baidu's mapping and autonomous vehicle technology.

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Japan's Renesas Electronics to buy U.S. chipmaker Intersil for $3.2 billion

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Renesas Electronics Corp said on Tuesday that it would buy U.S. chipmaker Intersil Corp for $3.219 billion amid a wave of consolidation in the global semiconductor industry.

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Samsung, LG sued over U.S. employee recruiting policies

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and LG Electronics were accused of agreeing to avoid poaching each other's U.S. employees, according to a U.S. civil lawsuit filed last week, in what has become a familiar allegation in Silicon Valley.

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Tesla's Musk says new Autopilot likely would have prevented death

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Co Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Sunday the automaker was updating its semi-autonomous driving system Autopilot with new limits on hands-off driving and other improvements that likely would have prevented a fatality in May.

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Jeff Bezos unveils new rocket to compete with SpaceX

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Jeff Bezos on Monday unveiled a heavy-lift reusable rocket expected to compete against Elon Musk’s SpaceX and other companies for commercial satellite launches before the end of the decade.

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Facebook says will learn from mistake over Vietnam photo

OSLO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc will learn from a mistake it made by deleting a historic Vietnam War photo of a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack, the company's chief operating officer said.

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New wheelchair lets you cruise through town standing

YOQNEAM, Israel (Reuters) - Israeli technology start-up UPnRIDE Robotics is launching an innovative upright, self-stabilizing wheelchair at a medical conference in Germany next month and the company hopes the device will hit the market next year.

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OpenText to buy Dell EMC's enterprise content unit for $1.62 billion

(Reuters) - Canadian business software maker OpenText Corp said it agreed to buy Dell-EMC's enterprise content division for $1.62 billion to beef up its offerings for large businesses.

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EU antitrust regulators see no issues with Midea, Kuka deal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union antitrust regulators do not expect Chinese household appliances company Midea Group's bid for German industrial robot maker Kuka to pose any competition issues and will do a routine check before approving the deal.

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Payments app Venmo launches ads, ramps up competition for banks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Payments app Venmo will roll out its first major promotional campaign on Monday, intensifying its battle over young customers' wallets with big banks.

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Samsung scion to take board role at flagship amid Note 7 shock

SEOUL (Reuters) - The Samsung Group's de facto leader and heir apparent is poised to join the board of crown jewel Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, a step towards formalizing his role as head of the conglomerate as it reels from a massive smartphone recall.

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Samsung Elec shares touch near two-month low on Note 7 worries

SEOUL (Reuters) - Shares of tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd fell to their lowest level in nearly two months on Monday, hurt by worries the fallout from a recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone may deal a bigger blow than anticipated.

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Amazon and Pandora set to launch new music streaming services: NY Times

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc and Pandora Media Inc are planning to launch new versions of their streaming music services in coming weeks, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing several anonymous people with knowledge of the matter.

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VW's Audi steps up collaboration with Chinese tech groups

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen's luxury car unit Audi has agreed to deepen collaboration with Chinese internet technology groups to offer more digital services in the world's largest car market.

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Univision deletes Gawker Media posts subject to lawsuits

(Reuters) - Univision Communications Inc said on Saturday it has deleted postings subject to active litigation against Gawker Media Group Inc to create a "clean slate" for the online publishing company acquired for $135 million in a bankruptcy auction last month.

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Samsung urges Note 7 users to switch off phones and turn them in

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Saturday urged users of its Galaxy Note 7 phones to turn in their handsets as soon as possible as part of a recall aimed at limiting the damage caused by the fire-prone devices.

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Justice Dept. group studying national security threats of internet-linked devices

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department has formed a threat analysis team to study potential national security challenges posed by self-driving cars, medical devices and other Internet-connected tools, a senior official said.

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Elon Musk calls SpaceX blast a ‘most difficult, complex failure’

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - SpaceX founder and chief Elon Musk said on Friday he was unsure why one of the company’s Falcon rockets burst into flames on its Florida launch pad last week, destroying both the rocket and an Israeli communications satellite it was due to lift into orbit.

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Norway's PM attacks Facebook 'censorship' over Vietnam photo

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's prime minister accused Facebook Inc on Friday of censorship after it deleted an iconic Vietnam War era news photograph of a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack from pages, including her own.

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Seagate Tech invites ValueAct in as major shareholder

(Reuters) - Seagate Technology Plc has invited ValueAct Capital in as an investor, selling a roughly 4 percent stake to the activist hedge fund, which will also get a front-row view of its board meetings, the hard-drive maker said on Friday.

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Uber performs U-turn on Macau exit plan

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Global ride-hailing company Uber Technologies has aborted plans to pull out of Macau, citing support from residents in the Chinese-ruled gambling hub.

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Airbnb revamps anti-discrimination policy

(Reuters) - Online rental marketplace Airbnb will address reports of widespread racial discrimination against non-white guests by displaying photos less prominently on its website, promoting instant bookings and changing some of its technology, according to a report commissioned by the company.

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Google to buy cloud software company Apigee for $625 million

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it is acquiring cloud software company Apigee Corp in a deal valued at about $625 million, the tech giant’s latest effort to claim a greater share of the lucrative cloud business.

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Samsung Electronics seeks U.S. court help to get Hanjin cargo

(Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Thursday asked a U.S. judge to allow it to pay cargo handlers to remove its goods from Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd's vessels stationed near U.S. ports after the failure of the world's seventh-largest container carrier.

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Google to buy software developer Apigee for $625 million

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it is acquiring software developer Apigee Corp in a deal valued at about $625 million, the tech giant’s latest effort to claim a greater share of the lucrative cloud business.

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White House names retired Air Force general as first cyber security chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday named a retired U.S. Air Force general as the government’s first federal cyber security chief, a position announced eight months ago that is intended to improve defenses against hackers.

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Dell to cut 2,000-3,000 jobs as EMC deal closes: Bloomberg

(Reuters) - Dell Technologies, which completed the acquisition of data storage company EMC Corp on Wednesday, will cut 2,000-3,000 jobs, Bloomberg reported.

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EU to extend some telecom security rules to WhatsApp, Skype: draft

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is set to extend some security rules currently only applicable to telecom operators to web services such as WhatsApp , Skype and Apple Inc's FaceTime , according to a draft proposal seen by Reuters.

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Tesla says Netherlands crash vehicle not operating on 'Autopilot'

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A Tesla electric car involved in a fatal crash in the Netherlands this week was not using the "Autopilot" function at the time of the accident, Tesla said on Thursday.

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Apple unveils iPhone 7 but some still waiting for iPhone 8

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc unveiled an iPhone 7 with high-resolution cameras and no headphone jack at its annual launch event Wednesday, though the biggest surprise was the debut of a three-decade-old Nintendo game franchise, Super Mario Bros, on the smartphone.

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Australian airlines ban use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones after battery fires

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Three Australian airlines have banned passengers from using or charging Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights due to concerns over the phone's fire-prone batteries.

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Apple hones marketing for Watch with focus on fitness

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Two years after unveiling the Apple Watch with apps and styles that tried to appeal to every need and every customer, Apple Inc has honed its marketing strategy, debuting a second generation product aimed squarely at the health and athletic audience.

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Intel to spin out security unit, sell stake in business to TPG

(Reuters) - Intel Corp said it would spin out its cybersecurity division, formerly known as McAfee, and sell a majority stake in it to investment firm TPG for $3.1 billion in cash.

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Sony unveils new versions of PlayStation 4

(Reuters) - Sony Interactive Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp , unveiled on Wednesday two new versions of its PlayStation 4 Console in an effort to help Sony maintain its sales lead over Microsoft Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd .

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Brussels calling: tech firms add lobby strength as EU gets tough

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. tech giants Google and Facebook are among multinationals spending more in Brussels as the European Commission eyes new business regulation after last week handing Apple a 13-billion-euro tax demand.

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HP Enterprise nears deal to sell software division: source

(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) is nearing a deal to sell its software division to British software group Micro Focus International Plc , according to a person familiar with the matter on Wednesday, as the company focuses on networking, storage and data centers.

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Snapchat cuts several curator positions in New York and LA

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Messaging app Snapchat said on Wednesday it has cut a number of jobs in New York and Los Angeles responsible for pulling together user-generated content in its local stories section, as the company shifts its focus to covering bigger events like award shows and sports.

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Exclusive: Uber says Didi deal frees resources for key Indian market - letter

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - U.S. ride-hailing firm Uber said that the recent deal to fold its China operations into local rival Didi Chuxing would allow it to invest more in India, where it has recorded rapid growth this year, according to a letter to investors obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

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Spacecom, Xinwei eye amended takeover deal after satellite destroyed

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Space Communications Ltd and Beijing Xinwei Technology Group have given themselves 30 days to salvage a deal that was contingent on the launch of a satellite destroyed in an explosion last week.

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Dutchman dies in Tesla crash; firefighters feared electrocution

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutchman died on Wednesday after his Tesla collided with a tree, according to local authorities, and it took firefighters hours to remove his body from the vehicle due to fears they could be electrocuted.

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IBM wins dismissal of investor lawsuits over 2014 write-down

NEW YORK (Reuters) - IBM Corp on Wednesday won the dismissal of a pair of proposed class action lawsuits filed after the company in 2014 announced it would take a $2.4 billion write-down in connection with selling its semiconductor unit.

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Ireland fights to restore investment reputation after Apple ruling

DUBLIN (Reuters) - The European Union's demand that Ireland claw back billions in tax from Apple has hit the country's reputation as an investment destination just as it eyes up opportunities from Brexit, but officials say the damage will be limited.

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Volkswagen says van drivers' electric eureka moment yet to come

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen will launch its first battery-powered van later this month as it shifts to zero-emission vehicles following its diesel cheating scandal, but customers are still skeptical about the benefits of going electric.

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Amazon to start restaurant deliveries in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Amazon said it would start delivering meals from restaurants direct to customers in some parts of London, the newest entrant to an increasingly competitive market which includes Just East, UberEats and Deliveroo.

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LG Electronics seeks mobile spark from new V20 smartphone

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Electronics Inc, reeling from continued losses from its smartphone business, unveiled its new V20 premium smartphone on Wednesday, hoping for a pick-up in the second half.

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China's online chatter muted ahead of Apple iPhone 7 launch

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Judging by the volume of online chatter, there's a lot less buzz in China ahead of this week's expected launch of the new Apple Inc iPhone, and people on the street say they're more likely to "wait and see" what the latest device offers than rush out to buy.

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PayPal, MasterCard reach deal for store payments

(Reuters) - MasterCard Inc said on Tuesday it had expanded its deal with payment processor PayPal Holdings Inc, which would allow customers to use PayPal's payment services in stores.

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Samsung trips on quality control in rush to pip Apple

SEOUL (Reuters) - In its rush to beat rival products to market, notably Apple's new iPhone, Samsung Electronics has accelerated new phone launch cycles, but its haste is raising concerns that it fell short on quality testing.

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Geely's Volvo and Autoliv team up in autonomous driving

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Chinese-owned Volvo Car Group and auto safety group Autoliv said on Tuesday they would form a joint venture to develop autonomous driving software as automotive firms across the industry race to embrace the emerging technology.

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Europe's mobile payment players braced for battle as U.S. rivals move in

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - European mobile payment providers iZettle and SumUp are among a handful of start-ups that have encouraged European small businesses to kick their cash-only habits.

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GE to buy SLM, Arcam for $1.4 billion in 3D printing push

FRANKFURT/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - General Electric announced plans on Tuesday to buy two European 3D printing groups - Sweden's Arcam and Germany's SLM Solutions - for a total of $1.4 billion to tap into manufacturers' growing demand for digital technologies.

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Ubisoft says Guillemot Brothers in deal to buy 4 million Ubisoft shares

PARIS (Reuters) - Ubisoft said on Monday that Guillemot Brothers SE and a bank had entered into an agreement related to the purchase of up to 4,000,008 shares in the French video game maker, representing 3.5 percent of Ubisoft's total share capital.

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Satellite owner says SpaceX owes $50 million or free flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla./JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Space Communication Ltd said on Sunday it could seek $50 million or a free flight from Elon Musk's SpaceX after a Spacecom communications satellite was destroyed last week by an explosion at SpaceX's Florida launch site.

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Japan, Israel upgrade relations as Arab oil influence wanes

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Japanese executives say they are increasingly drawn to investments in Israel as the price of oil falls and, with it, the influence Arab oil suppliers have on Japan's decision-making.

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EU's Juncker says Apple tax decision is clearly based on facts, rules

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - The EU's ruling that Apple Inc must pay a huge tax bill to Ireland was clearly based on facts and existing rules and was not a decision aimed against the United States, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Sunday.

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LG Electronics says to invest in robot technology

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Electronics Inc said on Sunday it will aggressively invest in robots, seeking to capitalize on advancing artificial intelligence that may eventually lead to sophisticated machines performing everyday human tasks.

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Daimler plans at least six electric car models: source

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German carmaker Daimler plans to roll out at least six, and possibly as many as nine, electric car models as part of its push to compete with Tesla and Volkswagen's Audi, a person familiar with Daimler's plans told Reuters.

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Microsoft gets support in gag order lawsuit from U.S. companies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Technology, media, pharmaceutical and other companies, along with major corporate lobbying groups, filed legal briefs on Friday in support of a Microsoft Corp lawsuit that aims to strike down a law preventing companies from telling customers the government is seeking their data.

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Brazil's Oi to file bankruptcy reorganization on Monday: sources

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian telecom provider Oi SA is set to file its bankruptcy reorganization plan with a Rio de Janeiro court on Monday, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

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Samsung issues recall for Galaxy Note 7 after battery fires

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will replace all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with fire-prone batteries and halt sales of the flagship product in 10 markets, a devastating blow for what had been a revival in the firm's mobile business.

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Divided Irish cabinet to meet on whether to fight EU on Apple tax

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's fragile coalition government will try on Friday to overcome cabinet divisions on whether to join Apple in appealing against a multi-billion-euro back tax demand that the European Commission has slapped on the iPhone maker.

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Exclusive: Google shelves plan for phone with interchangeable parts - sources

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc’s Google has suspended Project Ara, its ambitious effort to build what is known as a modular smartphone with interchangeable components, as part of a broader push to streamline the company's hardware efforts, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

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China says probing Didi, Uber merger on anti-trust concern

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's commerce ministry is investigating the planned merger of ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing and the Chinese unit of U.S. rival Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] over anti-monopoly concerns, the ministry's spokesman said on Friday.

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LG Electronics says to partner with Amazon on smart homes

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Electronics Inc said on Friday it is partnering with Amazon.com Inc on smart-home services, enabling the U.S. company's services such as the Alexa virtual assistant on some of the electronics maker's devices.

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Samsung Electronics considering recall of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones: source

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is considering a recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices amid reports that some of the premium phones are catching fire due to battery problems, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

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EU's Vestager warns others, says Apple could cut bill

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Other multinationals which do not employ as extreme Irish tax schemes as Apple but shift profits via the country to tax havens could also be breaching EU rules, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday.

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Pennsylvania reinstates Uber's record $11.4 million fine

(Reuters) - A Pennsylvania regulator on Thursday reinstated a record $11.4 million fine against the popular ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc for operating illegally in the state in 2014.

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Exclusive: HP Enterprise in talks to sell software unit to Thoma Bravo - sources

(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) is in talks with buyout firm Thoma Bravo LLC to sell its software division, hoping it can fetch between $8 billion and $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

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EU ruling on Apple's Irish tax is 'total political crap': CEO

DUBLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook described an EU ruling that it must pay a huge tax bill to Ireland as "total political crap", but France joined Germany on Thursday in backing Brussels as transatlantic tensions grow.

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French finance minister says 'normal that Apple should pay normal taxes'

PARIS (Reuters) - The European Commission was right to order Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($14.48 billion) in back tax, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Thursday, backing Brussels as tensions flare with Washington over the ruling.

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