The recent success of Amazon's Kindle Fire has given Google hope that the small-screen, inexpensive tablet market is worth pursuing. Google has set the tech world abuzz by announcing its new Nexus 7 tablet, the result of a partnership with ASUS, a multinational computer hardware and electronics company.

SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. is snapping up YouTube Inc. for $1.65 billion in a deal that catapults the Internet search leader to a starring role in the online video revolution.

Q: I have thousands of songs in my iTunes at home that I would like to listen to at work and I don’t want to pay Apple to use iTunes Match. Any other suggestions? — Nicholas

Q: I have thousands of songs in my iTunes at home that I would like to listen to at work and I don’t want to pay Apple to use iTunes Match. Any other suggestions? - Nicholas

Q: Can you tell me the differences between the Zen, the iPod and Microsoft’s new MP3 player? — Jonathan

LAS VEGAS - Rival Google Inc. may be nipping at its heels, but Microsoft Corp. wasn't flashing any defeatist signs Wednesday as it showcased its latest plans to help make living in the digital world safer, easier and more fun.

Q: I’m strongly considering a jump from my iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy S III but concerned about getting all my stuff over. Is this an easy thing to do or is it going to be a nightmare? — Glen

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Yahoo Inc. on Thursday will begin testing a new search engine feature that will pore through millions of songs offered by popular Internet music services like iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster.

Q. I have a mountain of music CDs that I want to have transferred to my iTunes, but I don’t have the time to get it all in. Are there services out there that will do this for me? — Rob

SAN FRANCISCO - They're technology celebrities who are responsible for one of America's hottest products (the iPad 2), its most transformative cultural trend (Facebook), and one of the coolest additions to the national vocabulary (Googling).

MIAMI - Diddy will soon be adding some sizzle to Burger King's marketing efforts. Hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has agreed to join Burger King Corp.'s promotional efforts as the world's No. 2 hamburger chain reaches out into the entertainment, fashion and music world, the Miami-based company said in a statement Tuesday.

NEW YORK - The company responsible for introducing millions of people to the Internet is poised to undergo a transformation that would likely accelerate its decline as a gatekeeper of access to the information superhighway.

Q. Is there a way to quickly silence my computer, something like the mute button on a TV remote control?

NEW YORK - Instant-messaging software has evolved into the latest weapon in a fierce battle among major Internet companies to reap revenues off whatever you do, wherever you go online.

Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but I thought by now I'd be able to sit at any city cafe, park bench or airport bar across the country and jump on the Internet via a free Wi-Fi connection.

Ever wondered what percentage of the Earth’s weight is made up of Legos? The iconic plastic building brick turned 50 this year, and the Lego company estimates that in the course of five decades it has sold some 400 billion Legos.

Chip-maker Intel Corp. launched its Viiv entertainment PC platform Thursday and announced a slew of deals with entertainment and other tech companies to provide content for the new systems.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Apple Computer Inc. had no booth of its own at last week's massive annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It didn't need one. Apple's iPods were everywhere, the name of the company on myriad lips.

The big question Sunday night at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale was just how political the Dixie Chicks would be once they hit the stage.

Q. How can I request a return receipt for email I send using Outlook Express?

Jay Espano lived in Thailand and used those experiences for Theater Works’ production of “The King and I.”

Q: What are the features — pros and cons — of Windows XP Media Center Edition, and what can you do with it? — Lisa

Ken Colburn, Data Doctors

Ken Colburn, Data Doctors