IN THE NEWS: SONY RECALLS VAIO LAPTOPS FOR OVERHEATING

TOKYO (AP) -- Sony is recalling 440,000 Vaio laptops worldwide because improperly placed wires could cause overheating. Sony says the recall involves 19 models in the Vaio TZ series made between May 2007 and July 2008. Sony says wires near the hinge connecting the body of the laptop and its display could wear quickly, which could cause a short circuit. A flaw in the circuit board inside the display could also overheat its rim. Sony has received 209 reports of overheating and seven cases of people getting minor burns.

IN THE NEWS: COMCAST APPEALS FCC DECISION

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Comcast is appealing an FCC ruling that it's improperly blocking customers' Web traffic. The FCC decided last month that Comcast is violating a federal policy that guarantees unrestricted access to the Internet. The case arose from complaints from users of a type of file-sharing softwware often used to downlaod large data files, usually video. Tests by The Associated Press and others found that file-sharing transmissions were aborting prematurely. It was later discovered Comcast cut off transfers without informing customers.

ON THE WEB: DIRECTOR WILL RELEASE MOVIE ON MYSPACE

CYBERSPACE (AP) -- Director Craig Ross Junior plans to release the first movie on MySpace. Ross will release "The Mannsfield 12" on MySpace on September 29th. The film won awards for best director and best screenplay at the 2007 American Black Film Festival. It's about 12 criminals housed in a high-risk wing of a state pentitentiary who are faced with crucial choices.

On the 'Net:

"The Mannsfield 12" site: http://www.myspace.com/themannsfield12

ON THE WEB: NASTIA LIUKIN LOOKS FOR FRIENDS ON BEACON STREET GIRLS

LEXINGTON, Mass. (AP) -- Olympic gold medal gymnast Nastia Liukin is a friend to tween girls. Liukin serves as a role model on the social networking site Beacon Street Girls, which offers a safe place for young girls to hang out on the Web. It's based on a junior high school, and Liukin will have a locker there. Her friends on the site can leave her messages on her whiteboard and read exclusive interviews with her. Liukin says she loves reading the notes girls leave on her board and she plans to talk about self-esteem and fitness on the site.

On the 'Net:

Beacon Street Girls site: http://www.beaconstreetgirls.com