Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up our office (and a visit to the Hard Rock Café in New Orleans about ten years ago) with such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something’s Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," has died, according to her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon. She was 73. She died from complications from leukemia with her husband, Artis Mills, and her sons by her side, De Leon said.

USA Today reports data downloads on wireless devices will become 500 times faster than on 3G phones — and devices will be much more responsive — under technology that has passed muster with the International Telecommunication Union, the U.N. telecom agency. The technology, which could begin showing up in smartphones and tablets by 2015, will allow users to load Web pages at a tap of a finger. Known as IMT-Advanced, the system is designed to deliver ultra-high-speed service through more efficient use of radio frequencies, meaning that wireless hardware will require less bandwidth to access the Web. <<…>>