In other Apple acquisition news, it looks like the company has picked up a mobile “assistantâ€� app maker named Siri. According to Business Insider, the deal “puts Apple in even closer competition with Google, as we believe that mobile assistant apps are one of the many ways that search will look on mobile platforms … So, in a sense, Apple just got into the search business.â€� According to Siri itself: “You can ask Siri to find a romantic place for dinner, tell you what’s playing at a local jazz club or get tickets to a movie for Saturday night.â€� …

Toshiba is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Toshiba 1100, the first mass-produced consumer laptop, with a series of social media contests challenging consumers to be creative with Toshiba laptops of the past and future. The first contest asks fans to submit photos or videos that adhere to the theme, "Quest for the World's Oldest Toshiba Laptop." The videos are to be submitted through the company's Facebook page or at 25.toshiba.com.--Aaron Baar

Audi, whose vehicles are featured in "Iron Man 2" is launching a marketing program around the Marvel Entertainment film that backs the movie's national run with a social media competition, “The Tony Stark Innovation Challengeâ€� and advertising. Besides running a month-long late night TV and national cable campaign, and an online presence on Fandango.com and Movies.com. The automaker also ran an Iron Man-themed TV spot in cinemas in the month leading up to the release. Audi is also sponsoring the re-launch of Marvel.com that will include a digital comic book featuring the R8 Spyder convertible. In the film, …

The Washington Post today unveiled its answer to Politico, PostPolitics.com, a new site led by Chris Cillizza, who writes the newspaper's The Fix blog, and aggregating political stories and blog posts from across the Post newsroom. Over time, PostPolitics promises to offer more original video, contributions from an expanded number of bloggers, content-sharing via social networks, and reader polling. But will it have its version of Politico's Playbook?

Barclays Capital predicting a 20% increase in total upfront volume to $8.26 billion for the Big Four networks this summer. Factors include the current strong scatter market and resurgence of the auto category. For individual networks, Barclays predicts CBS will land a 27.5% increase in volume to $2.43 billion; Fox will be up 22% to $1.96 billion; ABC to increase 16.2% to $2.21 billion; and NBC will have a 12.8% bump to $1.65 billion. CPMs? Barclays says look for high single digit increases. Barclays noted that a 20% increase in 2010 would be in line with what …

Microsoft says it has reached an agreement with HTC that allows the handset maker to use its patents to build mobile phones running the Android mobile platform. Apparently the deal entitles the Redmond, Wash., company to licensing revenue from Android phones.

AstraZeneca has completed a deal to pay $520 million to settle federal investigations into its marketing practices for its schizophrenia drug, Seroquel. The London-based company was accused of paying kickbacks to doctors as part of an illegal scheme to market the drugs for unapproved uses such as by children, the elderly, veterans and prisoners. Glenn Engelmann, AstraZeneca’s U.S. general counsel, released a statement saying the company denies the allegations but settled the investigation with the payment. AstraZeneca agreed to sign a corporate integrity agreement with the federal government over its marketing of Seroquel for unapproved uses, …

Big sports events, big nature specials seem ripe of 3D TV. But other stuff – not so much. “Probably no need to see 'The View' in 3D,â€� says Bryan Burns, vp of strategic business planning and development for ESPN, during a panel session at the MediaPost Outfront event. Burns says you can also throw out local TV newscasts. “You probably don't need to see your local anchors in 3D.â€� ESPN's first in-house produced 3D event for its new 3D channel will be its “Home Run Derbyâ€� contest around All-Star weekend in July. What about 3D ads in that …

The Pew Internet Project released a new report today on the state of Government Online. You can view/download a copy at http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Government-Online.aspx. The report documents how government efforts to make their data available are resonating with the public. Surprisingly large numbers of Americans are going online for data about government spending and activities. Our national survey finds that many online adults are engaging with government using tools such as blogs and social networking sites, and are participating in the online debate around government policies and issues.