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News

• HP quashes rumors of Slate demise

  Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday quashed rumors of HP Slate's demise, saying the tablet with the Windows 7 OS may still be sold to customers.

• 11 million iPad-like tablets in 2010

  11 million tablets, led by Apple's iPad, are expected to be sold by the end of 2010. This is three times the estimate ABI Research made just six months ago.

• USB 3.0: Five Things You Need to Know

  USB-perhaps the most successful, versatile computer interface yet-is getting a major overhaul. The third version brings big improvements, including higher speeds and better power management. The first devices began hitting stores this year, and a flood of new products is expected to follow. Adoption of USB 3.0 could bring an end to interfaces that use serial ports like e-SATA, which, while fast, require an additional power cable.

• Microsoft's Q4 Earnings: Seven Facts Likely to Be Spun

  Microsoft will announce its fiscal 2010 earnings Thursday afternoon, and the pressure is on Redmond to deliver big numbers now that PCs sales have jumped this year, Windows 7 is the "fastest selling OS ever" and Office 2010 is generally available.

• Texas, IBM spar over IT contract

  The state of Texas may be preparing to terminate a contract signed with IBM four years ago to consolidate the state government's IT operations because of missed goals and excessive employee attrition.

• Original Mac software source code now available for download

  Fire up your Pascal compilers! The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California has the source code of two software components from the original Macintosh available for your download and study with Apple's blessing.

• Dell warns of malware on server motherboards

  Dell is warning customers that "a small number" of its server motherboards may contain malicious software.

• iSuppli raises iPad sales forecast after Apple's strong Q3

  Market researcher iSuppli sharply increased its forecast for sales of Apple's popular iPad to 12.9 million by the end of this year, from an earlier target of 7.1 million.

• Gartner calls for IT maintenance bill of rights

  Analyst firm Gartner has formed a new advocacy council around the issue of IT maintenance contracts and issued a "code of conduct" it wants vendors to follow, actions that could further intensify an already hot topic.

• HP seeks PalmPad trademark; Is a WebOS-based iPad killer on the way?

  Hewlett Packard is seeking to trademark the name "PalmPad" for computer hardware and mobile devices, providing a solid indication that a tablet computer based on HP's purchase of Palm and its WebOS is under development.

• HP lists HP Slate 500, requests PalmPad trademark

  Hewlett-Packard has listed the Windows-based HP Slate 500 on its website, and also applied to trademark the term Palmpad, fueling speculation surrounding the company's tablet plans.

• Lenovo to release tablet PC at year's end

  After releasing its own handset to compete with Apple's iPhone, Lenovo looks like it may be preparing to take on the iPad. The Chinese company plans on releasing its own tablet PC at the end of the year.

• IBM net income jumps 9 percent

  IBM's second-quarter profits were up 9 percent from a year earlier, the company announced on Monday, with increased sales in the U.S. and Asia helping to offset weaker spending in Europe.

• Intel's success signals a 'refresh' for tech industry

  When Intel Corp. posted its best quarter ever this past week, industry watchers noted that the good news extends beyond the chip maker and touches on the high-tech industry and possibly the U.S. economy.

• Apple's iPad to reach nine more countries Friday

  Apple's popular iPad tablet computer will Friday become available in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.