AP Technology NewsBrief at 5:16 a.m. EST

(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Amid gun debate, weapons trade show opens in VegasLAS VEGAS (AP) _ A weapons industry group based in the Connecticut town where a gunman killed 20 children, six adults and himself last month is hosting a Las Vegas trade show for tens of thousands of gun and gear manufacturers and enthusiasts. The National Shooting Sports Foundation is focusing its 35th annual SHOT Show beginning Tuesday on products and services new to what it calls a $4.1 billion industry. It comes amid a raging national debate over assault weapons.

What's Facebook's secret Company tells all todaySAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Facebook's mystery "press event" on Tuesday could reveal a more robust search feature that would intensify the competition between the social networking giant and its rival Google Inc. Facebook is holding the event at 10 a.m. (1 p.m. EST) at its Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters. The company has not said what it plans to announce. Last week, it invited bloggers and journalists to "come see what we're building." Apple stock wilts on worries about iPhone demandSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Apple's stock slipped below $500 for the first time in 11 months on Monday as investors reacted to reports signaling the company's latest iPhone is falling further behind a slew of sleek alternatives running Google's Android software. The latest indication that Apple, the world's most valuable company, is seeing sluggish demand for its iPhone 5 emerged in separate stories published Monday in the Japanese newspaper Nikkei and The Wall Street Journal. Both publications cited unnamed people familiar with the situation saying Apple has dramatically reduced its orders for the parts needed to build the newest iPhone because the device isn't selling as well as the company hoped.

Troubled Calif. nuke plant inches toward restartSAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (AP) _ After a year of gathering dust and negative headlines, the troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant shows stirrings toward a possible restart, though big barriers remain, officials said. Nuclear Regulatory Commission senior inspector Greg Warnick said the agency is beginning to prepare a detailed plan of what would need to be done to bring San Onofre safely back to service.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma stepping down as CEOBEIJING (AP) _ One of China's most successful Internet entrepreneurs, Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, says he is stepping down as chief executive but will remain chairman. Ma said in a letter to employees on Tuesday that he would no longer be CEO after May 10 but would remain active as executive chairman of Alibaba Group. The company's business-to-business Alibaba and consumer-oriented Taobao and Tmall platforms are among the world's busiest e-commerce outlets.

Oracle says Java is fixed; feds maintain warningLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Oracle Corp. said Monday it has released a fix for the flaw in its Java software that raised an alarm from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security last week. Even after the patch was issued, the federal agency continued to recommend that users disable Java in their Web browsers. "This and previous Java vulnerabilities have been widely targeted by attackers, and new Java vulnerabilities are likely to be discovered," DHS said Monday in an updated alert published on the website of its Computer Emergency Readiness Team. "To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities, consider disabling Java in Web browsers until adequate updates are available." Dell's stock soars on report of possible buyoutROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) _ Dell's stock soared 13 percent Monday on a report that the struggling personal computer maker is in talks to take the company private. Citing unidentified people familiar with the situation, Bloomberg News said Dell has discussed a potential sale with at least two firms that specialize in buying companies whose stocks have fallen out of favor. The report didn't name the interested firms.

Samsung sells 100 million Galaxy S smartphonesSEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday that global sales of its Galaxy S smartphones surpassed 100 million units since the first model in the series was released less than three years ago. Samsung said it has sold more than 25 million Galaxy S smartphones, 40 million Galaxy S II smartphones and 41 million Galaxy S III smartphones.

Mass. lawyer: Told prosecutor Swartz suicidalBOSTON (AP) _ A lawyer who formerly represented Internet freedom activist Aaron Swartz on hacking charges said Monday he told federal prosecutors about a year ago that Swartz was a suicide risk. Swartz, 26, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his New York apartment Friday.

CNET reporter quits over CBS interferenceLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Technology reviews by website CNET have long been respected for their thoroughness and integrity, but that reputation has come under scrutiny after a top reporter quit over what he says is editorial interference by its parent company, CBS Corp. The dispute centers on CNET's choice of best gadgets from last week's International CES show in Las Vegas.

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