Bothell-based biotech company MDRNA signed a licensing deal with Swiss pharma giant Roche that sent its stock soaring 72 percent Friday. The company is developing RNA interference treatments.

The Authors Guild is warning members about Amazon.com's new electronic book reader, Kindle 2, saying the device's "Text to Speech" feature, which reads e-books aloud, could damage the market for audiobooks. "Until this issue is worked out, Amazon may be undermining your audio market as it exploits your e-books," the guild said in a Thursday message. [More after the jump]

Amazon.com is creating a romantic mood for Valentine's Day. The online retail giant is giving away a free MP3 download -- Marvin Gaye's 1973 hit "Let's Get It On."

Billionaire Paul Allen has sold his remaining shares in DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., with the AP reporting that it ends the Microsoft co-founder's involvement in the animation studio after more than a decade. In December 2007, Allen owned 18.7 percent of the Glendale, Calif.-based company.

Sprint Nextel is considering a WiMax-based handset that runs on Google's Android platform for release some time in 2010, a move that would certainly bolster the adoption of the Clearwire's mobile broadband service, according to Fierce Wireless. Sprint Nextel is the majority owner of Kirkland-based Clearwire, which raised $3.2 billion from Intel, Google and others last year.

We've reported before on how the video game business might hold up better than other tech industries in this recession. Now, VentureBeat reports that video game sales jumped 13 percent in January over the same period last year. Both Microsoft and Nintendo had strong months, according to the NPD figures.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is raising $1.2 billion, with much of the money to go towards clean tech. according to VentureBeat.