Powerset on Sunday unveiled tools for searching Wikipedia that use conversational phrasing instead of keywords, marking the first step of its challenge to established Web search services such as Google.

For Kim Snider, it only takes one word to send participants in her monthly investment workshops into a near panic. The Dallas-based financial adviser gets the same reaction, without fail, every time she suggests using options as a way to protect stock portfolios and make money.

Stocks decline as AIG reveals need for cash, oil surges

Internet software and services stocks mostly declined Friday with the broader market as insurer American International Group Inc. reported a wider-than-anticipated loss and oil prices rose to a new peak.

Internet software and services stocks mostly declined Friday morning with the overall market after insurer American International Group Inc. reported wider-than-anticipated losses and oil prices continued to rise.

Google's top executives expressed hope that the Internet search leader will be able to form a potentially lucrative advertising partnership with Yahoo -- a deal that would lower the odds of Microsoft renewing its attempts to buy Yahoo.

Google Inc <GOOG.O> expects to launch new products for its YouTube Web video service in the next few months and sees reason for closer cooperation with Yahoo Inc <YHOO.O>, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Thursday.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) - Google Inc <GOOG.O> expects to launch new products for its YouTube Web video service in the next few months and sees reason for closer cooperation with Yahoo Inc <YHOO.O>, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Thursday.

News Corp's <NWSa.N> MySpace social network will let users choose to share their public profile information, such as pictures, videos, and text, across the Web to spread its service beyond its own borders.

News Corp's <NWSa.N> MySpace social network will let users choose to share their public profile information, such as pictures, videos, and text, across the Web to spread its service beyond its own borders.

By Kenneth Li

Pierre Avignon is no pirate, but he does not believe in paying for software. His computer is filled with programs like Symphony -- a free suite that he downloaded from an International Business Machines Corp <IBM.N> website (http://symphony.lotus.com).

Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> gauged Facebook's interest in a possible acquisition after the software giant's failed takeover attempt of Yahoo Inc <YHOO.O>, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> gauged Facebook's interest in a possible acquisition after the software giant's failed takeover attempt of Yahoo Inc <YHOO.O>, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.