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News

• Microsoft's big Bing theory targets Google

  With Microsoft and Yahoo officially teaming up in the search market this week, it's time to wait and see if this move could eat into Google's hearty lead over its top opponents.

• Ring! It's Gmail's new voice feature calling

  Google announced Wednesday it is offering the ability to make phone calls over the Internet via its popular Gmail service.

• Google tests instant search feature

  The Internet is abuzz with talk about a new search feature that Google has been trying out.

• Android book to be produced in wiki format

  Android has taken the mobile world by storm, so it's no surprise that Google's foray into the smartphone market would become the subject of numerous books written to explain the technology.

• Chrome OS tablet from HTC reported to ship in November

  An HTC tablet running Google's Chrome operating system will be sold by Verizon Wireless in late November, according to an unnamed source cited by the blog Downloadsquad.

• Yahoo grabs search share from Google

  While Google easily hung onto its first-place spot in the U.S. search engine market last month, Yahoo made a surprising, if slight, advance.

• Dell Streak teardown: Go ahead and drop the tablet

  The Dell Streak tablet, which goes on sale Friday in the United States, is a sturdy device just daring you to drop it. But if you do need to take it apart and fix it, that's not a problem, according to iFixit, which this week tore the device open for peek inside.

• Dell expands Wi-Fi reseller deal with Aruba

  Dell  plans to actively market and support WLAN products from Aruba Networks for the midsize and small enterprise market. Previously Dell was a reseller only, leaving marketing and support functions to Aruba.

• Hacked smartphones pose military threat

  Hacked smartphones could endanger troops by sending location data to the enemy using mechanisms similar to those employed by recently discovered Android malware, experts say.

• Delta customers can book flights on Facebook

  Looking to book a ticket on Delta Airlines? Now you can just go to the airline's Facebook page.

• In an emergency, would you tweet for help?

  If you couldn't reach 911 in an emergency, what would you do? Call a neighbor? Scream for help? Post a plea for <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9172378/Social_networking_addicts_updating_from_bed_bathroom">assistance on Facebook</a> ?

• Samsung Epic 4G smartphone to debut Aug. 31

  The Samsung Epic 4G will debut Aug. 31 for $250 after rebate and with a Sprint Nextel two-year agreement, the carrier announced today.

• 4G czar at Sprint backs WiMax 'singularly'

  Don't ask Matt Carter, president of 4G at Sprint Nextel, about LTE, a competing wireless technology. He wants to focus on Sprint's use of WiMax for 4G wireless networks.

• 'WiMAX 2' set to be finalized in November

  While LTE starts rolling out from major U.S. carriers in 2011, the WiMAX Forum is hoping to have the so-called WiMAX 2 standard up and ready to go by the start of 2012.

• Skype worries about iPhone, attracting business customers

  Skype is worried about whether the iPhone and other Apple products will undermine its VoIP services and is also insecure about whether it can achieve service levels good enough to lure business customers, according to the company's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation to offering public stock for the first time.