Technology Report: Apple hit by rare Wall St. downgrade as Japan looms

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	03/16/2011
Good afternoon Bit Online video and DVD rental service Netflix is breaking away from its traditional role as a licensor of movies and TV shows , negotiating with actor Kevin Spacey and director David Fincher for the exclusive rights to a two-season, 26-episode remake of British political drama "House of Cards", a source said. Media execs who say they haven't seen evidence of cable or satellite television subscribers canceling because of TV shows and movies available online may not want to break out the champagne, writes Paul Thomasch. The best devices to help cut your household's dependence on pay TV are an ATSC tuner, digital media receivers Boxee Box and Roku XDR, digital video recorder Tivo Premiere, and small desktop computers Dell Zino and Apple Mac Mini, according to TechCrunch's Matt Burns. Electronics manufacturers warned production would be hobbled by further supply and distribution problems as companies struggle with power blackouts after the disaster in Japan. And the impact could be felt in higher prices or shortages of gadgets such as tablets, smartphones and computers for months to come. News Corp aims to build its own social-gaming business as valuations of games companies, such as FarmVille maker Zynga skyrocket, its head of digital media said. Indian security agencies are not satisfied with a plan offered by Research in Motion for access to data on its BlackBerry Messenger services, a junior telecoms minister told the country's parliament. Challengers to Apple's iPad have flawed product strategies, according to a report on the state of the tablet marketplace by market research firm Forrester. Sam Grobart of The New York Times weighed in on the report's main conclusions that competitors fall short in pricing, distribution and product differentiation. LATEST NEWS Apple hit by rare Wall St. downgrade as Japan looms March 16, 2011 02:46 PM ET LOS ANGELES/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A rare Wall Street downgrade stoked fears that Apple Inc's torrid pace of growth is slowing, sending shares in the world's largest technology company sliding for the second straight day. | Full Article Websense exploring a sale: report March 16, 2011 02:47 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Security software company Websense Inc is exploring selling itself and has hired Frank Quattrone's Qatalyst Partners to help with the process, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. | Full Article EU wants Facebook, Google to comply with new data rules March 16, 2011 12:33 PM ET BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Social-networking sites such as Facebook, or search engines such as Google, may face court action if they fail to obey planned EU data privacy rules, European Union justice chief Viviane Reding said on Wednesday. | Full Article S&P, Nasdaq wipe out year's gains March 16, 2011 04:14 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq turned negative for the year on 2011's highest volume and the Dow suffered its worst performance since August on Wednesday as investors sold stocks on fears Japan's nuclear crisis could worsen. | Full Article Inflation pressure bubbles, home building dives March 16, 2011 03:45 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Producer prices surged in February at their fastest pace in 1-1/2 years, data showed on Wednesday, a day after the Federal Reserve said it had a watchful eye on inflation pressures it expects to subside. | Full Article BUSINESS NEWS Special report: On borrowed time: budget delays start to hurt March 16, 2011 03:28 PM ET STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - When they finally completed their new control tower last November, officials at University Park Airport hoped it would provide a needed safety upgrade. | Full Article Economic hit from Japan quake seen up to $200 billion March 16, 2011 02:30 PM ET TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's devastating earthquake and deepening nuclear crisis could result in losses of up to $200 billion for the world's third largest economy but the global impact remains hard to gauge five days after a massive tsunami battered the northeast coast. | Full Article Mortgage applications fell last week: MBA March 16, 2011 08:05 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home mortgages dipped last week despite increased refinancing, an industry report said on Wednesday, suggesting still-stunted demand as the spring selling season nears. | Full Article Japan scrambles to pull nuclear plant back from brink March 16, 2011 01:48 PM ET TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's nuclear crisis appeared to be spinning out of control on Wednesday after workers withdrew briefly from a stricken power plant because of surging radiation levels and a helicopter failed to drop water on the most troubled reactor. | Full Article Snow muffles rescue work in Japan's devastated northeast March 16, 2011 07:46 AM ET SENDAI, Japan (Reuters) - - Heavy snow blanketed Japan's devastated northeast on Wednesday, hindering rescue workers and adding to the woes of the few, mainly elderly, residents who remained in the area worst hit by last week's massive earthquake and tsunami. | Full Article U.S. TOP NEWS Bahrain, Gulf allies, "on the wrong track": Clinton Pakistan court acquits CIA contractor after "blood money" deal Obama to refocus on Latin America amid Chinese push Gottfried, ex-Aflac voice, apologizes for tweets Medical marijuana growers accused of trafficking RELATED VIDEO Sleeping pods for a daytime snooze Van Gogh's moods get darker with time, researchers show Japan disaster hits tech supplies A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. 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