Microsoft and Best Buy plan mini "Windows Stores."

Amtrak hires esteemed chefs to ramp up its train food.

YouTube becomes overwhelming platform for fan-made branded content.

US Supreme Court strikes down gene patents.

Airbus lifts A350 to maiden flight ahead of schedule even as it copes with losses from aircraft's predecessor model.

Arby's franchisees helped get CMO ousted.

Audi is top choice of marriage cheaters in UK, survey says.

BMI sues Pandora over fees.

Bloomberg sees reporters' practices become critical issue for company.

Cadillac boosts sticker on new CTS by whopping $6,000.

Chevrolet believes racing on Sunday still sells on Monday.

Chrysler recalls sprinkling of trucks, Darts.Continue reading...

Following the official split of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. into separate news and entertainment companies, the man in charge has unveiled the new logo for its News division—one that's very familiar to the Aussie media mogul.

The delicate script logo is based off of the handwriting of Rupert Murdoch himself along with that of his father, according to a company memo sent by CEO Robert Thomson. "The name is historic and the script is based on the writing of Rupert and his father, who have provided us all with not only a name, but a remarkable professional platform," Thomson wrote.

Earlier this month, the company revealed the name and logo for its independent entertainment division, which will be called 21st Century Fox following the spin-off. The name and logo are a clean update on the existing identity of News Corp's iconic Twentieth Century Fox brand.Continue reading...

YouTube launches paid channels after rumors swirled earlier this week about subscription partners.

ESPN may subsidize wireless-data plans.

JPMorgan Chase is sued by California over credit-card cases.

AT&T returns to chatty kids for Mother's Day ads.

Amazon is reportedly developing a smartphone with 3-D screen.

Caterpillar and union suspend talks.

Chrysler faces uphill climb for Jeep in China.

Costco now offers travel packages to members.

Dell may see rival bid by Carl Icahn group.

Delta sees new terminal as symbol of air-travel makeover.Continue reading...

The $60 billion-a-year television broadcast industry is up for grabs as billionaire magnates Barry Diller and Rupert Murdoch square off as consumers continue to cut ties with traditional TV services.

While attending the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas this week, News Corp.'s COO Chase Carey threatened it may end Fox’s 26-year run as a free broadcast channel if US courts continue to allow the Diller-backed Internet startup Aereo to retransmit broadcast programming for free.

News Corp. and Aereo are goalposts at opposite ends of the television playing field. The former pays billions for quality content ranging from NFL games to The Simpsons, Glee, The Following and New Girl. Aereo pays nothing for content that it captures from over-the-air broadcast TV signals via small antennas, which it delivers to computers and smartphones—comparatively cheaply. 

News Corp., defending its fee model for cable and satellite companies, says it is willing to lose viewers and switch to a pay-TV-only offering to undermine and protest Aereo.Continue reading...

Aereo TV streaming service from Barry Diller faces showdown with News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch, who threatens to take FOX cable-only, as Intel cooks up its vision of future of TV.

Apple, which can now trademark iPad mini in U.S. and captured 74% of mobile app revenue in Q1, reportedly will release new iPhone 5S in "at least" two screen sizes.

Billabong in talks to sell out for $300 million.

Airbus juggles order book to meet record demand for A320neo Jet.

AT&T joins Boeing in backing U.S. cyber bill facing privacy fight.

Audi promotes in-vehicle Wi-Fi in new TV campaign.Continue reading...

Samsung appoints co-CEOs.

Wall Street Journal was subject of Justice Department investigation tied to News Corp. hacking scandals.

Nike is propelled by basketball shoes and ties to NFL.

Adidas brings girls together in new worldwide social-media program.

Apple's next iPhone may be unlockable by fingerprint.

Beechcraft is dealt a new setback by Pentagon in Afghan contract.

BuzzFeed plans to launch a business section.

Chrysler plans to launch an all-new version of the Chrysler 200.Continue reading...

In a deal that looks to dramatically change the complexion of the media business, U.S.-based Liberty Global will buy the U.K.'s Virgin Media to create a broadband company that will supplant Comcast as the world's biggest cable operator.

The $23 billion deal, if approved, will give Liberty Global a strong foothold in the UK. In an intriguing twist, it will also pit Liberty Global's John Malone against his former partner, the media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who operates British Sky Broadcasting (widely known as "BSkyB"). BSkyB has been a bright spot in an otherwise difficult time or Murdoch.

"This deal is good news for the company, its customers and our people," commented another media titan: Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who founded the Virgin empire. "Together, Liberty Global and Virgin Media are in a great position to shake up the industry and bring the full power of digital technology to UK consumers."

The largest media acquisition of its kind since 2007 "will make the U.K. the ring for a straight slug fest between two global pay-TV heavyweights, John Malone and Rupert Murdoch, as they battle for UK fixed broadband, fixed voice and pay-TV subscribers," according to Adrian Drury, principal analyst at the global consulting firm Ovum.Continue reading...

Disney sees higher TV ad revenues drive quarter and considers ESPN exit from U.K. sports coverage.

Dell seeks to transform brand, going private in $24 billion buyout under founder Michael Dell, as Microsoft gambles on involvement.

U.S. Postal Service plans to cut Saturday mail as Hallmark fights the cuts.

Apple loses right to iPhone brand in Brazil.

Arby's launches "fan of the week" promo via Facebook.

Lance Armstrong reportedly under investigation for obstruction and other serious crimes.

BP is hit by new $34 billion claim from U.S. state governments over Gulf spill.Continue reading...