On Feb. 14, 176 million shares of Google stock, which have been locked up under the company's complex stock-release program, are scheduled to hit the market. As economists never tire of pointing out, more supply without more demand means that the price will drop.

Mark Jen, a blogger whose candid comments about life on the job at Google sparked controversy last month, has left the company. "Mark is no longer an employee at Google," a Google representative said in response to an inquiry Tuesday. Jen's departure comes less than a month after he joined Google as part of a wave of new hires and began recording his impressions of his new employer, including criticisms, in his blog.

Big tech and media companies could not have foreseen this potentially disruptive hitch to their grand strategies. Like the blogging phenomenon, podcasts have come out of nowhere to attract an enthusiastic grassroots following. They're being generated by a wide cast of characters - from professional broadcasters to rank amateurs. Listeners can download shows to their computers, or, with a bit of know-how, automatically export shows to an Apple iPod - hence the term "podcast" - or any MP3 player.

AP, February 8, 2005 The Federal Communications Commission on Monday published a list of Web sites that the agency says transmits unwanted e-mail and text messages to cell phones.

Cnet, February 8, 2005 In its latest play in the ongoing search wars, Google on Tuesday quietly launched a beta site for a new map service. Google Maps offers maps, driving directions and the ability to search for local businesses. The search giant appears to be working with TeleAtlas for the mapping products. Neither Google nor TeleAtlas could be reached for comment.

Wired, February 8, 2005 If you're designing a website aimed at teenagers, you'd better not make the text too small. That's not because teens have bad eyes, but because teenagers tend to lean back in their chairs when they're at their computers. That advice and much more about how websites for teens should be different from those for adults can be found in a study recently completed by Jakob Nielsen, a principal at the Nielsen Norman Group. Since three-quarters of American teens are web users, the economic incentive for web designers to get it right is huge.

ClickZ, February 7, 2005 U.K.-based Aegis Group, the parent of interactive marketing unit Isobar, has named Robert Lerwill as its new CEO. Lerwill replaces Doug Flynn, who is leaving to join business services firm Rentokil Initial. The changeover will happen in late March.

Cnet, February 7, 2005 Gmail, the Web mail service operated by search engine Google, could be gearing up for its official launch, as people using the service have found recently that the number of invitations they can send out has increased from four to 50.

AdAge.com, February 7, 2005 Advertisers looking for proof that online entertainment can help boost interest in a brand and as well as ring up additional revenues may have to look no further than Converse.

AdAge.com, February 7, 2005 Even though GoDaddy's Super Bowl ad is what they're talking about aroung the water coolers this morning, its ultimate impact may be negative, according to an instant online survey conducted during the game last night.