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Sun Rises on Solar Panels on White House Roof

An array of solar panels blanketing the roof of the White House is getting its day in the sun.

Technicians have finished installing the panels at the nation's most famous address, capping a project that President Barack Obama hopes will send a clear signal that renewable energy is both feasible and environmentally shrewd.

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Appeal Court Revives Oracle-Google Copyright Battle

An appeals court on Friday breathed new life into Oracle's big-money lawsuit against Google by ruling that software commands can be copyrighted just like classic books.

The case stems from 2012 trial, in which Oracle claimed Google owed them billions in damages for using parts of the Java programming language in its Android smartphone operating system.

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Sony to Close E-Reading Store in Europe, Australia

Sony is to shutter its ebook Reader Store in Europe and Australia following a similar pullout in North America, the company has said, as the once-mighty electronics giant pulls in its horns.

The move comes on the heels of the sale of its struggling PC business and as Sony looks to plug gaping holes in its balance sheet.

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Japan to Export Robot Cat Doraemon to U.S.

One of Japan's most popular cartoon creations, Doraemon, a robot cat from the future with a magic pocket and a portal to anywhere, is to make his debut on U.S. TV this year, officials said Friday.

TV Asahi, which partially owns the rights to the character, has reached an agreement with Disney to air a version dubbed into English, said a spokeswoman with the Japanese broadcaster.

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Report: Apple Plans August Early Launch for iPhone 6

Apple plans to release its new iPhone in August, a month earlier than expected, after sales were hit by new big-screen models from its rivals, a major Taiwanese newspaper reported Friday, citing supply chain sources.

The Economic Daily News quoted unnamed sources as saying Apple had acquired parts from various Taiwanese suppliers such as wafer maker Visual Photonics Epitaxy Co and Largan Precision, a leading maker of lenses used in mobile phones, for the handset expected to be called iPhone 6.

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Apple Seen Eyeing Beats Electronics for $3.2 bln

Apple is eyeing a $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics, a California firm founded by rapper Dr. Dre and which makes products including headphones, news reports said Thursday.

A deal could be reached as early as next week, but the talks could also drag on, the New York Times said.

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Nintendo Says No to Virtual Equality in Life Game

Nintendo isn't allowing gamers to play as gay in an upcoming life simulator game.

The publisher of such gaming franchises as "The Legend of Zelda" and "Mario Bros." said Tuesday it wouldn't bow to pressure to allow players to engage in romantic activities with characters of the same sex in English editions of "Tomodachi Life." This follows a social media campaign launched by fans last month seeking virtual equality for the game's characters, which are modeled after real people.

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IBM Partners with Universities on Watson Projects

Watson is going to college.

Students at seven of the country's top computer science universities will get a chance to try out IBM's famous cognitive computing system as part of new classes set for next fall.

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Facebook Plans Campaign to 'Friend' Small Business

Facebook wants to increase its advertising and get more clicks on all kinds of ads. It believes tapping into the lucrative small business market will help it achieve those goals.

Sheryl Sandberg, the social media company's operating chief and "Lean In" author, says the key is showing business owners how to find new customers by creating Facebook pages and by buying ads that appear on individual Facebook users' pages. The company plans a campaign called Facebook Fit with workshops in five cities to show small business owners the nuts and bolts of using Facebook as a marketing tool.

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Google Chromebooks Get Boost from Chip-Computer Giants

Google's drive to put the future of personal computing firmly in the Internet "cloud" got a boost on Tuesday from chip titan Intel and hardware giants including Lenovo.

The leading computer maker joined Acer, Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Asus, and LG Electronics to introduce an array of new Chromebooks, many powered by newer-generation Intel chips that promise improved performance and battery life.

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