Filed under: Technology , Investing , IBM , General Electric , Google , Intel , Microsoft , Berkshire Hathaway , Apple , Cisco Systems Leave it to Google ( GOOG ) to steal Apple’s ( AAPL ) thunder. Amid all the recent speculation about whether Apple would split its increasingly pricey shares — now topping $600 a share — it’s Google grabbing the spotlight and announcing last Thursday an effective stock split of its own . Google

If Walmart ( WMT ) has its way, its board will be a little Googlicious later this year. The world’s leading retailer is nominating Google’s ( GOOG ) Marissa Mayer to join the company’s board of directors. Mayer, vice president of Location and Local Services at Google, is one of the dot-com giant’s most visible executives

Filed under: Investing , Google , Investing Basics , Stocks in the News Accusations flew fast and furious in the hours after Google ( GOOG ) announced its first-ever stock split. Criticizing the plan to grant existing shareholders one new Class “C” share for every Class A or B share they currently own, CNN called the plan “wacky.” Reuters accused management of trying to maintain a “grip” on the company.

Filed under: Technology , Media , Google , Viacom There’s no point in letting an unresolved $1 billion lawsuit get in the way of a good thing. Even though Viacom ( VIA ) and Google’s ( GOOG ) YouTube are still embroiled in a five-year legal tussle over unauthorized clips showing up on the world’s leading video-sharing website, the two companies are coming together on a digital streaming deal . Viacom’s Paramount is now renting hundreds of its releases through YouTube’s fledgling premium video service

Filed under: Technology , Google , Apple , Amazon.com , Facebook Recently, word has spread that companies are beginning to ask potential employees to hand over their Facebook passwords, saying it’s just another piece of the all-important background check. Experts say that the requests may be legal. But that’s not necessarily what’s really worrying Internet companies