Apple's much-anticipated tablet device coming early next year After four years of meticulous developmental riddled with setbacks, Apple is now racing toward an early 2010 launch of a device that may see the electronics maker redefine the portable computing market for the second time in twice as many years. AppleInsider

Video game publishers invading Hollywood's turf For decades, Hollywood's relationship with video games has come down to one word: licensing. Game publishers have been licensing and adapting movies all the way back to 1984's "E.T.", and studios started doing the opposite with 1993's "Super Mario Bros." LA Times

Mozilla official urges openness for the Web While hailing the emergence of an "Open Web," a high-ranking Mozilla official on Friday nonetheless stressed that steps still must be taken to preserve openness in the face of potential threats. InfoWorld

Microsoft to fix critical hole in IE In a rare move, Microsoft on Friday said it would be releasing security updates on Tuesday--outside of its monthly patch cycle--for a critical vulnerability in Internet Explorer and a moderate vulnerability in Visual Studio. CNET News

Microsoft Q4 results show competitive pressure Microsoft's disappointing earnings for the past quarter point to signs of damage from competitive and global economic challenges that the software vendor had until recently largely deflected, analysts said. ITworld

10 Gadgets we’d like to throw into a black hole We love gadgets — we really do. And that’s why, when a gadget fails to measure up to its promise, doesn’t work as you’d expect, is locked down with DRM or crippled with a terrible user interface or hobbled by a stanky-ass design, we get angry. Wired

How palm re-enabled iTunes sync So the big question: How did Palm re-enable iTunes sync? The answer, so far as we can tell, is to go even deeper in their efforts to make the Pre look like an iPod. PreCentral