Ex-Home Depot head named Chrysler CEO

Chrysler's new private owners say they have picked former Home Depot boss Bob Nardelli to head the No. 3 U.S. automaker in its effort to return to financial health.

The board of the reorganized Chrysler LLC elected Nardelli as chairman and chief executive, the company said in a news release Sunday night.

Tom LaSorda, Chrysler's chief executive since Jan. 1, 2006, was named vice chairman and president of Chrysler, reporting to Nardelli. LaSorda, who took over the top job when Dieter Zetsche returned to Germany to head DaimlerChrysler AG, had been expected to remain in that position once Cerberus took over.

Microsoft

Nokia to use DRM software

Mobile-phone giant Nokia will start to use Microsoft's copy-protection software to boost the use of wireless entertainment, like music and videos, the two firms said today.

Nokia will license Microsoft's PlayReady digital-rights-management (DRM) technology, and build it into its S60 software, the most widely used software platform in cellphone industry.

Microsoft's technology allows people to share protected pieces of content — such as music, games or videos — between mobile phones, PCs and other devices.

Napster

Former Blockbuster executive takes post

Napster Chief Operating Officer Laura Goldberg left the company after more than three years and will be replaced by Christopher Allen, a former Blockbuster Online executive.

Allen, 41, will be responsible for product strategy, development and marketing. He reports to CEO Chris Gorog, Los Angeles-based Napster said late last week in a regulatory filing.

IBM

Another software maker acquired

International Business Machines agreed to buy closely held Princeton Softech to add data-management software.

Princeton Softech has about 240 employees and more than 2,200 clients, Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM said in a statement. IBM didn't disclose the financial terms of the transaction, which it said it expects to complete this year.

Television makers

Court OKs challenge to "V-chip" patents

Sony, Matsushita Electric Industrial and other television makers can challenge a Texas company's patents it says cover the "V-chip" that helps block adult TV programming, an appeals court said late last week.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., revived a lawsuit that the companies filed against Guardian Media Technologies. They want a court to rule the patents are either invalid or not infringed.

Guardian claimed Tokyo-based Sony owed royalties of more than $31 million as of July 2005 and Matsushita and its JVC and Panasonic brands owed almost $26 million. The U.S. company was willing to settle the claims for $9 million from Sony and with Matsushita for $8.5 million. Mitsubishi Corp. and Thomson SA also received letters. All said they owed Guardian nothing.

Compiled from Bloomberg News, Reuters and The Associated Press