Roundup: Amazon vs eBay, YouTube search ads, and more

Here’s the latest action:

Amazon is like Apple, eBay is like Microsoft — Or at least that’s the tech-industry analogy that comes to mind when reading this piece about the increasingly competitive battle between the two e-commerce giants.

“Black” silicon is a better light receiver — A silicon variation discovered in Harvard University’s labs and licensed out to a company called SiOnyx, is far more receptive to light than ordinary silicon. The substance (pictured) may be useful for X-ray machines, transistors, night-vision goggles and a number of other devices. Solar cells are also a potential use, although it will be quite a few years before we see commercialization. Lots at Xconomy.

Egnyte file-sharing service gets iPhone interface — More here.

Fraud ring funnels credit card data to Pakistan – The Wall Street Journal has the story.

Google is testing out search ads on YouTube — YouTube has overtaken Yahoo as the number two destination for web searches, behind Google. Meanwhile, the video site is now broadcasting some full-length TV shows.

Video streaming company Joost launches new browserPaidContent isn’t all that impressed.

Add hearing loss to ways your iPhone can hurt youEarbuds, like the ones that come with the iPhone, hurt your hearing when you listen to loud music, researchers say. Already, other researchers are finding that keeping your phone in your pocket while you talk using such earbuds also reduces your sperm count, guys. And using a mobile phone in the first place may increase the chance of brain tumors.

Micron buys stake in memory-maker Inotera MemoryFor $400 million. That’ll make some memories.

Justice Department closes investigation into collusion by graphics chip makers
— Nvidia and ATI Technologies won’t be facing anti-trust charges.

President Bush signs “anti-piracy” bill — One man’s piracy is another man’s fuel for innovation.

Sun Microsystems and Fujitsu promise faster servers
— The companies intend to increase the performance of applications like databases and online transaction software.

Tech outsourcing firm Infosys cuts forecasts — The cause is the firm’s dependence on business from the now-weakened U.S. financial sector.

EA has Spore expansion packs coming — The game-maker has confirmed.

Image recognition company Eyealike launches video advertising platform
— TechCrunch has more.

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Photo of Eric Eldon

About the Author, Eric Eldon

Eric currently covers digital media technology and business, especially what's happening on social networks and their platforms. He writes and edits stories about lots of other stuff, too. He started at VentureBeat in the spring of 2007, half a year or so after Matt Marshall left his reporting job at the San Jose Mercury News to found the site. Eric previously cofounded a now-failed startup called Writewith, that was building editorial software for newspapers and other groups of writers.

  • The increase of efficiency of "black silicon" by doping it with sulfur and other elements is exciting. Even though commercial products are at least a few years off, an increase in efficiency and eventual drop in price from this technology could change the solar energy field.