Around the Web 1.28.09: Arrington takes leave, AT&T’s profit slides

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-- Someone spits in Michael Arrington’s face and he decides it’s time to take a break. TechCrunch

-- AT&T profit falls 24% in the fourth quarter, even though 1.9 million iPhones were activated. CNet

-- Bloggers weigh in on Google’s Knol, the Wikipedia competitor that has 100,000 articles. MattCutts

-- Mozilla and Wikimedia join forces to find an open-source video format. Bits

-- Autonomous robots are helping in the backrooms of retail stores. Err, unless they too got laid off. Wired

-- Confused about the digital transition? Here are some answers. LAT

-- Google now lets you use Gmail offline, kinda like how you can use Outlook without a Web connection. VentureBeat

-- Symantec Chief Executive John Thompson may be the next secretary of Commerce. Mercury News

-- Only four days left to the Super Bowl! Here are some ways to get your HD TV ready for your guests. CNet

-- Marketers are stepping up their digital game in Super Bowl ads, trying to make them live for more than 30 seconds. WSJ

-- Oddly, people aren’t buying high-quality, expensive cameras in this economy. Canon’s profits slide.
Silicon Alley Insider

-- NYT ad revenues continue to shrink, and the company looks into selling its share of the Red Sox. Anyone want to go in on that? I’ve got $20 in my pocket. Silicon Alley Insider

-- Alana Semuels