Microsoft Corp said on Friday it has paused offering downloads of the public test version of its new version of Windows due to "high demand." The "beta" launch of the highly anticipated update to Microsoft's Windows franchise began early on Friday, but the company had to halt downloads to add more servers. "We are adding

Toyota Motor Corp said it would launch an all-electric car for city commuting by 2012 in the United States as part of its plan to speed up the introduction of green cars as its global sales falter. The FT-EV concept made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Sunday, where the

Netbooks were everywhere and on everyone's lips at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, expanding as a category of small laptop PCs that are rewriting the rules for the struggling computer industry. While nearly every major PC makers had a new netbook on display at the four-day show ending on Sunday, no two companies

Top technology companies came to Las Vegas to show off their latest innovations in consumer electronics, but despite the plethora of TVs, computers, phones, cameras and other gadgets on display, it was clear the industry is bracing for a very tough year. While there were a few bright spots at this year's subdued Consumer Electronics

European shares were down in in early trade on Monday, with heavyweight energy stocks taking most points off the index, on concerns about the global economy as well as a worse than expected earnings season lying ahead. At 0943 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.6 percent at 861.93 points,

Equities kicked off the week on a down note and the euro fell on Monday with recurrent worries about the global economy pushing investors away from riskier assets and also driving oil below $40 a barrel. Friday's December U.S. payrolls report, which showed more than half a million jobs lost and the highest unemployment rate

The British state is to take a 43.4 percent stake in the combined Lloyds TSB-HBOS bank after shareholders largely shunned both lenders' rights issues, the two banks said on Monday. Existing shareholders bought just 0.5 percent of the Lloyds shares offered in its rights issue, and just 0.24 percent of the HBOS shares, leaving the

Australia's jobs market showed signs of cracking on Monday under the weight of the crumbling global economy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was set to pledge more help for the long-term unemployed. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama vowed to restructure a financial rescue plan to save more families from losing their homes, as politicians around