Several years of contentious litigation over Microsoft’s business practices in Europe have finally yielded a compromise between the two sides.

Google’s stock closed last week at $637.39, Wall Street thinks Google’s third quarter earnings announcement may come in 50 cents higher per share than last quarter, the company gets two-thirds of the web searches and 40 percent of the ad revenue. They’re screwed.

The GOOG spent a brief time over the $600 mark, putting it in some pretty good company for a few minutes.

Subways have a bad reputation, but Google’s not (too) afraid – at long last, the search giant is mapping New York City’s subway system, and this move is likely to draw in more users than all of Google’s other transit-related projects.

The patent battle between Microsoft and Alcatel-Lucent over digital music patents took a twist when a judge decided Microsoft won’t have to pay a $1.52 billion jury verdict.

The Federal Communications Commission will lay down the ground rules for the 700MHz auction coming in 2008, as Google and a host of telcos watch.

A lackluster financial announcement from CEO Jerry Yang has one industry observer stating the time is right for someone, likely Microsoft, to purchase the company.

Sumner Redstone, who controls Viacom and CBS, said Google’s YouTube Web site can live peacefully with companies like Viacom.