Research links ancient 'analog computer' to Archimedes
The Antikythera Mechanism, a surviving marvel of ancient Greek technology, not only predicted solar eclipses but also organized the calendar in the four-year cycles.

Britain seeks movielike ratings for video games
Ministers have come under pressure to tighten regulation with the release of violent games like "Grand Theft Auto 4," a sprawling gangster adventure featuring carjackings, prostitutes and drive-by shootings.

Motorola surprises investors with a profit
The company earned $4 million, less than 1 cent per share, in the three months ended June 30. That includes accounting charges of 2 cents per share.

Scrabulous back of Facebook -- as Wordscraper
The return - with some modest changes - came less than two days after the creators of Scrabulous blocked their popular version of the word game from U.S. and Canadian users of Facebook.

Calling all spies, geeks and gadget freaks
Two companies - Sound ID and CallPod - now make tiny, wireless earpieces that let you and an unseen buddy have a spoken, hands-free conversation. Invisible intercom, anyone?

Security flaw threatens the Internet
Next week, a security expert will lay out details of the flaw in an effort to force computer network administrators to fix millions of affected systems.

ESPN and theme parks help lift profit at Disney
Walt Disney, a U.S. media company, said Wednesday that third-quarter profit rose 9 percent as its theme parks withstood the slowing U.S. economy and the ESPN sports network collected more subscriber fees.

Vtech takes Wii effect o school
Also: A fashionable camera from Fujifilm; wireless home-theater speakers from Polk Audio.

IOC agrees to Internet blocking at the Games
Officials of the International Olympic Committee have negotiated an agreement with China to allow the blocking of sensitive Web sites to the news media during the Beijing Games, a senior IOC official said Wednesday.
- Gender tests for Olympians: A relic that persists
- Group provides censorship guide for Olympic reporters

Want a free laptop with that mobile deal?
European service producers used to lure customers with free mobiles. Now they're throwing in computers, too.