Amazon.com Inc, the largest Internet retailer, will launch a streaming video service in the next few weeks to augment its digital offerings, the company’s chief executive said on Wednesday.

Jeff Bezos, speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s three-day D: All Things Digital conference taking place north of San Diego, did not elaborate, and a company spokeswoman would not provide more information.

The Seattle-based company has been beefing up its digital media offerings in order to better compete with rivals such as Apple Inc, which dominates the category with the popular iTunes music download service.

Adobe Systems released beta versions of three key applications from its upcoming Creative Suite 4 package of graphic, Web and multimedia software on Tuesday. Preview versions of Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Southbound are available for download.

Adobe did not say when beta versions of Photoshop and Illustrator may be available. David Burkett, vice president of product management for Creative Suite, suggested Photoshop and Illustrator will not be released as beta previews like the other three applications. “Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Soundbooth are the major applications we’re unveiling as public betas before the next release of Creative Suite,” he said.

Current customers of CS3 can use the beta software until the final CS4 package ships. New users will only have 48 hours to try out the new programs. The final version of CS4 is expected in the last quarter of 2008 or the first quarter of 2009.

A New York judge concluded Tuesday that Dell Inc. engaged in repeated false and deceptive advertising of its promotional credit financing and warranties.

State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Teresi ordered the computer retailer to more clearly disclose that most customers don’t qualify for free financing or get “next day” repair service.

“It appears likely that there are many more New York consumers who are entitled to restitution who are not included in the complaints,” Teresi wrote.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo sued Dell last year. Teresi gave him until Dec. 1 to identify all consumer claims for third-party repairs, new computers or higher interest payments than they would have paid otherwise.

“For too long at Dell the promise of customer service was a bait and switch that left thousands of people paying for essentially no service at all,” Cuomo said. “This decision sends an important message that all corporations will be held accountable for the promises they make to consumers.”

Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday that its next operating system will be made for touch-screen applications, an alternative to the computer mouse.

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer unveiled the iPhone-like touch-screen feature at The Wall Street Journal’s “D: All Things Digital” conference, calling it “just the smallest snippet” of the Windows 7 operating system slated for release in late 2009.

A Microsoft employee showed possible applications like enlarging and shrinking photos and navigating a map of San Diego by stroking the screen.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates framed the new feature as an evolution away from the mouse.

“Today almost all the interaction is keyboard-mouse,” Gates said. “Over years to come, the role of speech, vision, ink - all of those - will be huge.”