Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid Deadline Nears  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. &lt;A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"&gt;ORCL.O&lt;/A&gt; on Friday  won the backing of another key public pension fund in its  \$8.8-billion hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. &lt;A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"&gt;PSFT.O&lt;/A&gt; as the  17-month takeover battle between the two California-based  business software makers neared a key deadline.
Apple Has Loyalty -- But Where Is Its Future? Clearly Apple hopes the halo of its iPod can be used to tempt consumers to invest in its computers, after sales of the iPod earlier this year overtook those of its supposedly staple desktops and laptops.