Demand for Lithium Is Poised to Take Off
As awareness spreads that lithium is an ingredient for hybrid cars, a hunt is under way for sources of the metal.

Using Computing Might, Google Improves Translation Tool
The company’s network pushes the limits of translation technology and has become a favored source for millions.

For the Afflicted, a Little Black Box to Jog Failing Memory
Researchers have tested the Sensecam, which contains a digital camera and an accelerometer, as an aid to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders.

France Télécom Needs 'Radical Change' After Suicides, Report Says
France Télécom has already stopped several practices identified as being particularly disruptive, like forcing employees to change jobs and closing work sites.

Google Opens App Store For Business Software
Google unveiled a marketplace of business software to help to spur the adoption of its own suite of productivity applications.

What We're Reading: Barbie, Steve and Carly
Our daily roundup of Web gems includes a deeper look at Barbie the engineer, Carly Fiorina's tenure at Hewlett-Packard, Jonathan Schwartz's battles with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and a pricing glitch at Amazon.com.

H.P. Barks, Then Bites Apple on the iPad
Two of the world's computing powerhouses have started a war of words around their forthcoming tablet computers.

A Talk With Charles Thacker, the Turing Winner
Charles Thacker, the lead designer on the Alto, the Xerox PARC prototype of the modern personal computer, won the Turing Award.

After Boom and Bust, Solar Power Has a Place in the Spanish Sun
A national commitment to solar power transformed one community but big subsidies led to unsustainable growth.

A Bike Theft in the Time of Twitter
An alarm goes out online, and a messenger is soon reunited with his stolen bike.

How Pandora Avoided the Junkyard, and Found Success
After a decade of near-death experiences, the Internet music service is attracting attention from investment bankers who think it could go public.

EBay Highlights the Environmental Appeal of Buying Used
EBay, recovering from unprofitable quarters and falling market share, has recast its site to make it more attractive to new kinds of shoppers, like the carbon conscious.

Microsoft Gives Rival Browsers a Lift
As Microsoft complies with new European rules to offer a choice of browsers to Windows users, smaller browsers are getting a boost.

U.S. Hopes Exports Will Help Open Closed Societies
The Treasury Department will issue a general license for the export of free personal Internet services and software geared toward Iran, Cuba and Sudan.

Major League Baseball to Stream ESPN Events
Major League Baseball Advanced Media will handle the technology infrastructure and customer support for the nearly 3,500 live events that ESPN streams each year.

ITVS to Offer Short Films to Draw Young Viewers
An attempt by a public television stalwart to bring the young into the fold with punchy takes on social issues.

Link by Link: ChatRoulette Tests the Boundaries of Social Networking
ChatRoulette, a nascent Internet phenomenon, is providing Web researchers with a social networking case study into the nature of online togetherness.

Drilling Down: Rapid Rise of Children With Cellphones
Though girls still have more cellphones than boys, the gap is about half as large as it was in 2005.

Getting the Most Out of Twitter, No Posting Necessary
Even the most prolific users say Twitter has become more useful as a way to tap in to the discussions of the day than to broadcast their own thoughts.

App of the Week: Recipes for All
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner Pro adds 40,000 dishes you don't get with the free version plus new features like recipe sharing over Bluetooth.

Google Maps Adds Directions for Cylists
Google adds biking directions to its digital maps for 150 American cities, to the acclaim of cycling activists.

Panasonic Adds Micro Four Thirds Cameras
Panasonic has added two new Micro Four Thirds cameras to its line-up, including a model with a touch-screen and one that is the smallest interchangeable lens camera with a viewfinder.

New Palm OS 1.4 Adds Video
Palm has added new features in its Web OS 1.4 upgrade. Here's how to get it.