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Intel's Penryn line of chips shipped. The Between the Lines blog emphasizes their eco-friendly angle, while the New York Times stresses the new line's promise for online video, which lies in a new instruction set that speeds video compression. Finally, eWeek argues that the really exciting innovations are coming next year - including a future chip line that will give notebooks better battery life and run cooler.

Also debuting this week is the software development kit for Google's Android phone. This is all you need to start writing applications for phones following the Android spec, which are expected next year. Check out the hardware too!

Google is on the brink of buying Sprint. OK that's a rumor. Rich Tehrani got the ball rolling this weekend, citing "Rumors I've been hearing." Om Malik conjured up a provocative scenario in which Sprint spins out its beleagured WiMAX business.

Two House Democrats have introduced a bill to withhold federal financial aid from all students at universities that don't adopt policies targeting music and movie piracy. The bill requires universities to inform students about the criminal risks of piracy, and to take anti-piracy measures that could include making building music subscription services like Napster or Rhapsody with the cost of tuition.

LEGO speakers. Love it!

Fortune broke the news that Al Gore has become a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins. Gore will focus on green investments, which are earmarked to draw over a third of KP's current fund.

Google and Simon Fuller are in discussions with the humble goal of changing the way TV is viewed over the Internet.

The new Zune has earned a smattering of polite applause, mainly because of the images customers can have etched on the case. But I have to say, some of the designs are kind of fun. Brier Dudley at the Seattle Times says it's a huge improvement on the first Zune line.