Technology

FTC Said to Ask Google Rivals for Statement on AdMob, May Signal Challenge U.S. regulators are seeking sworn declarations from Google Inc. competitors and advertisers as part of their probe of the Internet company’s bid to buy AdMob Inc., indicating the government may challenge the deal, said people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Sony Challenges Nintendo's Wii With `Move' Motion-Sensing PS3 Controller Sony Corp. demonstrated “Move,” the motion-sensing PlayStation 3 controller it plans to introduce this year to challenge Nintendo Co.’s market-leading Wii.

Global Box-Office Sales Rose to a Record $29.9 Billion in 2009, MPAA Says Global box-office sales increased 7.6 percent to a record $29.9 billion last year, helped by 3-D movies and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

AOL Chief Armstrong Targets Web Ad Billions With Sales, Content Hirings AOL Inc. said it’s “laser focused” on getting a share of an estimated $20 billion gap in online advertising, as marketers race to catch up with consumers on the Internet.

Google Chief Says Talks With China's Government Will Yield Results `Soon' Google Inc., in talks with China after threatening to stop censoring Internet search results there, said the discussions will yield results soon.

Slim Overtakes Gates, Buffett for Top Spot on Forbes's Billionaires List Mexico’s Carlos Slim beat Bill Gates and Warren Buffett for the top spot on Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires, becoming the first person from outside the U.S. to lead the rankings in 16 years.

Console Challenger OnLive to Start $15-a-Month Web Gaming Service in June OnLive Inc., the Silicon Valley company creating a Web-based video-game system, said it will offer a $14.95-a-month subscription, challenging console makers Microsoft Corp., Nintendo Co. and Sony Corp.

NHN Said to be Among Final Bidders for Assets of Morgan Stanley-Owned LDH NHN Corp., the owner of South Korea’s biggest Web search engine, is among the final bidders for LDH Corp.’s Livedoor Co. Internet unit, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

EMI Music Says Chief Executive Leoni-Sceti to Step Down From Record Label EMI Music, the U.K. recording company controlled by Guy Hands’s Terra Firma Capital Partners Ltd., said Chief Executive Officer Elio Leoni-Sceti will leave the company on March 31.

Solar Prospectors Chase `Gold Mine' Deals in Chinese, Israeli Subsidies Olivier de Vergnies quit managing family fortunes at Dexia Private Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. in 2008 to run a New York start-up at 100 Wall St. that’s trying to tap riches in solar energy.