Consumer Electronics

NEW YORK - The e-book reading device is the gadget gift of the season.

LOS ANGELES - Online music retailer Lala is preparing to launch an iPhone application that its co-founder says paves the way for the end of downloading songs in the MP3 format.

LOS ANGELES - Headbangers will have a reason to steady their gaze a bit starting Tuesday, when rock band Metallica makes its way onto iPhones with a finger-tapping music app called "Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica." In the game, players tap areas on the screen in time with the music, much like players strum or drum plastic instruments in video games such as "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero," except on a smaller scale.

CHICAGO - They think it's pointless, narcissistic.

FRANKFURT - While paper books still outnumber texts that can be read online or on dedicated readers like the Kindle or eBook, use of the electronic versions is growing.