A new Federal Communications Commission report found about 19 million Americans, mostly in rural areas of the U.S., still lack access to high-speed Internet services. The commission's eighth annual report on broadband access also said tribal areas also lack these services. The report is the first to include extensive data on mobile broadband and the availability of 4G networks.

Sony on Thursday said it plans to eliminate 1,000 jobs from its mobile division, equating to a 15% reduction of its total global workforce. The retrenchment comes six months after Sony completed its buyout of the Sony Ericsson joint venture, and three weeks after the company lowered its full-year forecast. Along with the layoffs, Sony Mobile will also move its headquarters from Sweden to Tokyo.

Apple has pulled its “Genius” TV spots from its YouTube channel and from the Apple.com marketing page for the Mac. The move comes after Apple stopped airing the controversial ads on TV, which were launched during the Opening Ceremonies of the London Olympics. The company's agency, TBWA/Media/Arts Lab, said at the time that the commercials were intended only for a “first run” during the Olympics. Critics complained the spots fell well short of Apple's best ad efforts in the past.

While it hasn't made a formal announcement, Facebook is telling marketers the new format for search ads, called “Sponsored Results,” has launched. It gives advertisers the ability to target search ads to users looking for a specific app, brand page or place on Facebook. The pay-per-click search results are marked as “Sponsored” at the top of the ad, and users have the option of hiding certain ads by clicking an “X” in the right hand corner. Zynga and Match.com are among the first companies to run Sponsored Results, which other advertisers will soon be able to buy through the Power …

Peter Burrows and Danielle Kucera believes Apple can grow bigger based on the entrance of new mobile devices, such as a smaller and cheaper iPad, and a high-tech television. The company hit a stock price of $665.15 on Aug. 20, with a market value of $623.5 billion, the highest ever for a U.S.- based company. Apple is in talks with at least one U.S. cable company about carrying live television and other media and content through an Apple-designed device, according to Burrows and Kucera, citing people in the know.

Games in Facebook seem to have run their course, but the social site recently rolled out a new feature that could revive games from developers like Zynga, according to Owen Thomas. Facebook added an in-game subscription service that allows game makers to charge users a recurring fee. Thomas believes that if games get designed correctly more people will pay to play.

There are many ways to video conference in several people, but Zoom Video Communications launched an offering that gives consumers free, high-def group video calls from any device. It works over cellular service, wired and Wi-Fi Internet connections. It also lets participants share content on their computer screen with the group and text chat. The service requires users to download an app. Walt Mossberg compares the platform to Google+.

Google will start selling gift cards consumers can use to purchase apps, movies, music and other media from Google Play. The cards will become available in denominations of $10, $25 and $50 from stores like RadioShack, Target and GameStop in the United States. Michele Lee says the cards will work similar to Apple's iTunes gift cards. Consumers won't have an option to purchase hardware, such as Nexus 7, with the cards, only online media. 

Danny Sullivan reports that Google is experimenting with another revision to its search results pages. He says Google appears to be "testing a move away from showing the traditional 10 listings to only displaying seven." What's more, Google also seems to be displaying more results from the same site -- meaning that "it’s even easier than ever for one site to dominates all those results," he notes. Google told Sullivan the company is "continuing to work out the best ways to show multiple results from a single site, when it’s clear users are interested in that site." The company also …

Seventeen magazine has started using e-commerce widgets that ask users to "shop now" in support of the anti-bullying group Stomp Out Bullying. Mulu is powering the widgets. If readers click through and make a purchase, Mulu and the nonprofit will each get a portion of the affiliate commission. But the program has drawbacks -- including that consumers must leave Seventeen.com in order to check out. Mashable also reports that a Seventeen reader complained that Mulu doesn't always take people to sites with the cheapest prices.