Pre-weekend misc. news

Opera browsing, as seen on TV.

The asking price for use of a network of 20,000 zombie PCs: $2,000 to $3,000. Such networks typically are used to broadcast spam and phishing scams and to spread e-mail viruses designed mainly to create yet more zombies.

Microsoft's New Mice Get Touchy - Latest line of keyboards and mice include some with fingerprint readers for added security.

U.S. Open Puts Serve in Server - Sure, the players get all the attention at the U.S. Open championship. But hidden in the depths of the tournament stadium, a team of techies and their servers keep the whole event running. Michael Myser reports from New York.

Tiny Hard Drives Need New Plug - Portable consumer electronics and handhelds need a smaller more efficient interface for hard drives, so Intel and others are working to define a new spec, CE-ATA.

Altnet Fights Back, Sues RIAA - Peer-to-peer company accuses RIAA and its partners of infringing upon its patents.

Intel looks ahead - Chipmaker talks up its plans for dual-core and wireless tech, and sketches out "the Internet of tomorrow."

Skype releases Pocket PC software - Software allows users of personal digital assistants to make free calls using Wi-Fi networks.