Big change ahead for PayPal, eBay

PayPal, the ubiquitous electronic online payment system, could become a stronger presence at brick-and-mortar stores now that eBay will spin off the business into a separate publicly traded company, a move the e-commerce giant announced Tuesday.

As an independent company, PayPal can better persuade more consumers to leave their wallets at home when they shop, analysts say.

The auction site acquired PayPal in 2002. One-third of PayPal business comes from eBay today.

No Windows 9

The next version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system will be called Windows 10, as the company skips version 9 to emphasize advances it is making toward a world centered on mobile devices and Internet services.

The current version, Windows 8, has been derided for forcing radical changes. Microsoft is restoring traditional ways of doing things and promises that Windows 10 will be familiar for all Windows users.

— From wire reports