BUSINESS BRIEFS.(TO THE POINT)

TECH/INTERNET

Google users also try out rivals

While Google is the leading search engine among Web browsers, its users also frequently use other search sites. A survey by Nielsen/NetRatings found that at least 58% of Google searchers also regularly used at least one of the other top 2 search engines, Yahoo and MSN. Google fell 1% to 186.06.

Subscriptions lift Wind River Q4

The software firm's stock shot up 16% to 15.58, its highest since Feb. '02, after Wind River Systems reported earning 7 cents a share, more than double the year-ago profit and 2 cents over views. Sales rose 14% to $63.6 mil as subscription sales more than doubled to $14.8 mil. The firm forecast 27-30 cents a share ex items for '05, above views of 24 cents.

** Yahoo plans to rename its Overture Web search ad unit, which it bought 17 months ago for $1.7 bil, to Yahoo Search Marketing Solutions. It's also launching a new unit where businesses can purchase search advertising. Shares edged up 3 cents to 32.30.

** Volterra Semiconductor said a former employee was arrested and charged with taking its computer chip design information, but it doesn't believe its intellectual property was materially impaired by the theft. Shares rose 3.5% to 15.23.