MySpace sold to Specific Media by Murdoch’s News Corp

News Corporation has sold its ailing social networking site MySpace to online advertising firm Specific Media. News Corp paid $580m (£361m) for MySpace in 2005, but users and advertisers left the site for rival social sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The sale terms were not disclosed, but there were unconfirmed reports that price paid was as low as $35m. Pop star and actor Justin Timberlake will take a stake in the business, Specific Media said. He will play “a major role in developing the creative direction and strategy for the company moving forward,” the company said.

Sony’s new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video)

Now that we’ve seen Sony’s new VAIO Z in its luscious press shots, it’s time to face reality and lay our itchy hands on this 13-inch ultraportable laptop, along with its eccentric expansion dock that packs both a Blu-ray drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics chip (with 1GB of video RAM). Just as we were told by our little birdie, said dock is connected to the notebook via Light Peak — a first for Sony — but there’s a catch: Sony’s only implementing the architecture and not the connector, so for the time being, this sweet high speed connection is only compatible with the docking unit and nothing else.

George Michael to stage HIV charity concert

The show will be part of George Michael's Symphonica orchestral tour

George Michael is to stage a special concert for Sir Elton John’s Aids foundation. The gig at London’s Royal Opera House will benefit the charity’s newly created Elizabeth Taylor Memorial Fund.

Michael said he “really wanted to honour the inspiring efforts” made by the actress in raising awareness of the disease. The charity show on 6 November is part of the singer’s European Symphonica orchestral tour.

Dame Elizabeth, who died in March, was a prominent Aids campaigner and founded the American Foundation for Aids

Chelsea target Andre Villas-Boas resigns from Porto job

Villas-Boas looks likely to join Chelsea

Chelsea target Andre Villas-Boas has tendered his resignation as Porto coach, the Portuguese club have said. They made the announcement in a statement to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission.

Villas-Boas, 33, has been linked with Chelsea in recent days following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti in May. Porto insisted on Monday that Villas-Boas could leave if a rival club paid £13.2m to activate a release clause in his contract.

“FC Porto was today notified of the intention of Andre Villas-Boas to resign from his contract with the club by triggering the release

FDA releases 9 dire tobacco warning labels

n this computer-generated image provided by the Minister for Health and Ageing of Australia, proposed cigarette packaging stripped of all logos and replaced with graphic images that tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to use is shown. (AP Photo/Minister for Health and Ageing)

In the most significant change to U.S. cigarette packs in 25 years, the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released nine new warning labels that depict in graphic detail the negative health effects of tobacco use. Among the images to appear on cigarette packs are rotting and diseased teeth and gums and a man with a tracheotomy smoking.

Stradivarius violin sold for £9.8m at charity auction

The Lady Blunt is admired by experts for its exceptionally good condition

A well-preserved Stradivarius violin has been sold in an online auction for £9.8m ($15.9m) to raise money for disaster relief in Japan. The violin was made in 1721 and is known as the Lady Blunt after Lord Byron’s granddaughter Lady Anne Blunt who owned it for 30 years.

It was sold by a music foundation in Japan for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in March. The price is more than four times the previous record for a Stradivarius.

Premier League fixtures: West Brom first up for Man Utd

Manchester United won their 19th league title last season, surpassing Liverpool

Manchester United will start the defence of their Premier League title with a trip to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, 13 August. Arsenal begin with a match at Newcastle, while Chelsea, last season’s runners-up, travel to Stoke and Liverpool host Sunderland.

Acer unveils Aspire Ethos laptops built to please eyes and ears in the US and Canada

We got acquainted with Acer’s new Aspire Ethos 8951G and 5951G laptops a week ago, and told you all about its hot hardware and its £999 price in the UK.

Well, now these marvelous multimedia machines have journeyed across the Atlantic and brought their nifty detachable touchpads,

Arsenal set for Benfica pre-season friendly

Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce a pre-season friendly against Portuguese side Benfica, to be played in Lisbon on Saturday, August 6 – kick off time TBC.

The Gunners will be taking on the 32-time Portugese Liga winners at their 65,000 capacity Estadio da Luz in an evening match.

Gyan For Sale

Asamoah Gyan

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is ready to sell star striker Asamoah Gyan – after the Ghanaian hit man’s name was circulated to clubs yesterday.