A broad array of technology news helped define 2010, from the launch of Apple's iPad to the arrival of the app to a supernova of Internet stock gains. Here's a look back at those major stories -- and a glimpse of some highlights you can expect next year.
Almost a year after Google's China servers got hacked, launching a standoff between Google and the Chinese government over censorship, a set of classified cables released by WikiLeaks confirms that the Chinese government was indeed involved in the cyberattacks.
Baidu's third-quarter profit more than doubled, year over year, as online advertising surged. The company also benefited from increased market share after Google closed its China-based search engine in March.
The name of Chinese-language search engine Baidu means "100-times," it's living up to it, turning in a 137% stock increase for the year. It's trading at its 52-week high, mainly on positive reports about the Chinese economy, and negative ones about rival Google's troubles with the government in Beijing.
A Google spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal that the company was having no technical problems with www.google.com.hk/wenda, but declined to comment on whether or not Chinese authorities had blocked the page.
Google caused a stir Thursday night by saying that Chinese access to its search engine had been "fully blocked" -- only to back down hours later and say that its systems had likely overestimated the extent of a minor outage. Service has since been restored.
Google's earnings came in below expectations, and its stock got pummelled. But there are many positive factors -- from Chrome and Android to its smart acquisitions -- that will help Google remain dominant in the future.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Thursday that the search giant expects its Chinese internet license to be renewed despite government statements that the company's attempts to avoid Chinese censorship are "unacceptable."
As China weighs whether to renew Google's Internet business license, the Web search giant said Wednesday that its Chinese-language search service has been partially blocked. One example: China-based searches using Google's "Suggest" tool.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has emerged as the key force behind the search giant's decision to close its China-based search engine, citing his experience growing up in the Soviet Union. Google may suffer in the long run, but in this case, Brin has put principle above profit.
Hours after Google's dramatic move to close its China-based search engine and redirect users to its Hong Kong-based site, China was already blocking politically sensitive searches on the new site, one expert said. Meanwhile, analysts say Google will likely experience long-term consequences from its decision.
In an apparently coordinated assault, Chinese media outlets have exacerbated an already tense situation in which Google and the Chinese government are locked in a stare-down over Web censorship. Both sides appear entrenched, and Google may be ready to make good on its threat to leave.
Two months after the Internet giant challenged Beijing to an epic game of chicken over censorship -- the U.S. company appears on the verge of backing down and packing up, says a Chinese media report.
Google could lose $500 million this year if it pulls out of China -- an outcome that looks all but certain. But that's only 2% of the search company's annual revenue, so most analysts aren't overly concerned.
Capping two months of high-stakes brinksmanship, Google appears ready to make good on its threat to shut its Chinese-language search engine after Beijing's unyielding resistance to ease Web censorship. But Google's mobile business in China will continue.
One way or another, Google's running battle with China could be over shortly. CEO Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday that "active negotiations" were nearing a conclusion, and Deputy General Counsel Nicole Wong said the search giant was committed to its position and was willing to quit China if necessary.
Google is now investigating whether some of its own employees helped carry out the recent cyber-attack in China, which exposed Gmail accounts of U.S. companies and Chinese dissidents. News reports also say foreign reporters based in China were targeted by the hackers, too.