First Bytes: Yahoo, Apple, Telecom Immunity

-- Yahoo is opening its doors to small Web search startups in hopes of putting together a coalition to take on Google, the Web search leader. It looks like a cool idea, by Yahoo standards, but don't expect the plan to overthrow Google's dominance any time soon. Still a welcome change-of-the-subject for Jerry Yang.  [NYT, Yahoo]

-- Apple is launching its iPhone App Store, where consumers can buy third party iPhone applications. Oh, and Friday, Apple is introducing some kind of new mobile phone, we've heard.  [WSJ]

-- Speaking of Apple, Steve Jobs -- the real one -- won't be charged by the federales over the company's backdated stock options. [WSJ]

-- More Apple: Check out some double super-secret photos of the company's next generation MacBook Pro laptops. [AppleInsider]

-- The U.S. Senate -- including Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama -- voted to give the nation's phone companies immunity over their role in the White House's domestic wiretapping program. President Bush said the new law would give the companies immunity "for past or future cooperation with the government." [AP] 

-Sam Gustin