Google's stock has dropped more than 160 points since peaking at $750 per share in early November. "Right now, Wall Street isn't in love with Google, or any other stock, for that matter," says Battelle. Indeed, "that's not something we're used to hearing." Google in early morning trading was hovering even lower, at around $560. Why the slide? Perhaps it's the latest search numbers from Nielsen Online, which said that Microsoft gained nearly 2 percent on Google Search last month. But more than likely it has to do with the economy at large. The [Google] culture …

The tech sector is reeling on Wall Street and could use some good news when Microsoft and Google deliver fourth-quarter earnings later this week. Analysts expect Microsoft to report a sharp rise in profit on Thursday, boosted by strong PC sales with bundled versions of its Windows operating system and Office software. Considering the widespread recession fears among investors, the company's full-year outlook will be key, but analysts expect that strong PC sales figures released last week indicate a healthy fourth quarter for the world's largest software maker. Reuters says that analysts on average expect Microsoft to deliver a …

The Motion Picture Association of America, which for years has blamed college students for a large portion of illegal downloading, has got its math wrong. Big time. In 2005, the MPAA released a study saying that 44 percent of the industry's domestic losses came from illegal downloading by college students. The organization used those astronomical figures to pressure universities into cleaning up illegal file-sharing over their networks and to support legislation forcing them to do so. However, it turns out that the 44 percent figure is dead wrong--college students actually account for 15 percent revenue loss. The prior figure was …

Apple got burned on Wall Street yesterday, shedding 11 percent its value after disappointing investors with a weak outlook and lower than expected iPod sales. The electronics giant is famous for issuing conservative forecasts, but when investors added together recession fears plus lower-than-expected iPod sales plus a 14 percent lower first quarter outlook, the company ended up with minus $20 billion in market cap. But investors were over hasty, pronouncing Apple "relatively well-insulated against chill" on closer inspection. Sure, iPod sales were a few million short, but Mac sales were "scorching," with desktop Macs growing 53 percent …