Technology report / CNN buys iPad ezine Zite, which customizes by topic

CNN has acquired Zite, an iPad service that learns about readers' tastes and customizes a digital magazine with stories from hundreds of different websites.

CNN, a cable news channel owned by Time Warner Inc., has no plans to change Zite's format, said K.C. Estenson, general manager of CNN's digital division.

"This is a product that people love," Estenson said. "It just needs to be in the hands of more people."

Zite delivers different editions to different readers based on their individual interests. After downloading Zite's free iPad application, readers can specify certain topics they want to read about, such as stories about the Pittsburgh Steelers or Lady Gaga. The magazine is programmed to learn more about readers over time, based on the kinds of stories they tend to click on.

The same technology may be used to help CNN customize its news on the iPad and other mobile devices, Estenson said.

Comcast offers low-cost Internet access

Fulfilling a pledge to the federal government when it acquired NBC Universal Inc., Comcast Corp. is launching a program to offer $9.95-a-month Internet service for low-income families with school children.

David Cohen, an executive vice president and the chief proponent of Internet Essentials inside the cable company, said Tuesday that Comcast has been rolling out the Internet Essentials program nationally in its cable-TV franchises. The program will be available to 2.5 million to 3 million children in the United States.

Qualifying for the service is simple, company officials say. Children eligible for free lunches under the federal National School Lunch Program also qualify for Internet Essentials. In an attempt to inform parents about the program, thousands of school districts have been asked to distribute pamphlets about Internet Essentials in packets sent home with children.

Along with the discounted monthly Internet service, Comcast will provide qualifying families with a voucher that enables them to purchase a $150 Internet-ready laptop computer from Dell or Acer.