Google, Verizon clash over lobbying

Illustrating the high stakes of an upcoming auction of valuable wireless spectrum, Google and Verizon Wireless are in a dispute over methods used to lobby federal regulators over rules that will govern the sale, says Market Watch.

Google's attorney criticised Verizon for "behind the scenes" lobbying of Federal Communications Commission officials. Both companies have indicated they would like to acquire chunks of the 700MHz spectrum that will be offered for bidding in January.

Companies are allowed to meet privately with regulators, so long as they file written disclosures detailing those meetings soon afterward.

Nokia's recent purchase of Navteq is evidence of continued consolidation among map data providers, and will pave the way for cellphone-based GPS systems to replace portable and vehicular mapping devices, according to analysts and industry executives, reports PC Mag.

On Monday, Nokia agreed to pay $8.1 billion in cash for Navteq in a deal that will likely help the cellphone-maker break into the GPS/navigational space.

After the deal closes in the first quarter of 2008, Navteq's map data business will continue to operate independently, but will be known as a Nokia Group company, Nokia said.

Sales of the Halo 3 video game topped $300 million worldwide in its first week on the market, amid rumours that Microsoft's close relationship with the game's maker may be coming to an end, says The Street.

The popular game series, which is exclusively developed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 game player, was developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft.

Several game blogs were trying to confirm a rumour this week that Bungie may break from the software company, or develop games for competing platforms. Bungie reportedly has declined to comment, while Microsoft denies the rumour.

Yahoo is working with eBay and its PayPal payments unit to block fake e-mails to users purporting to be from eBay and PayPal, hoping to spur on an industry that has been slow to fight the scourge of phishing attacks, reports Reuters.

eBay and PayPal have upgraded their computer systems to support an emerging technology standard known as DomainKeys. Invented by Yahoo, it authenticates e-mail senders are who they say they are, allowing Yahoo to block fake e-mails.

The technology upgrade will be made available to Yahoo Mail users worldwide over the next several weeks, the company said.