eBay may be acquiring a Taiwanese auction site called NeoCom Technology Company. (It's no secret that eBay's top priority is international expansion, and that a logical way to break into China - a very big market - is through Taiwan.) eBay's PR office has not gotten back to me yet to confirm this report from the Wall Street Journal.

TimeBLASTER tells me that eBay has changed its search function. On the Advanced Search page, the "EXCLUDE" field is longer (good), but the results limit the search in terms of geography (not so good). More to come in Sunday's AuctionBytes-Update newsletter (you can subscribe to TimeBLASTER's "Dr. Search" newsletter yourself at http://www.timeblaster.com).

Phil Davies told me his company, TIAS.com, has developed a very affordable way to sell an item called TIAS Exchange. An ad gets listed for a month in the TIAS Exchange and includes 4 photos and a 60 word description. The ad is also listed in the TIAS.com search engine (100,000 users/day) and is also included in the classified listings in "The collectors newsletter" (190,000 subscribers) twice a week. If you've got an antique or collectible and want to try it, see: http://www.tias.com/stores/tiasexchange/ads/boywithvase.html

Ron McCoy is hosting an Antique Rugs expert from Butterfield's auction house in a chat scheduled for tonight from 9-10 pm EST in the Meet the Experts Chat Room. (http://www.collectingchannel.com ) Ron also reminded me that Judith Katz-Schwartz (one of my favorite "online" colleagues) is on today's "The Sally Jessy Raphael Show." The show, titled "More Cash For Trash!" features Judith along with John Bruno and Allen Shrem.

Tomorrow night, the Kovel's "Flea Market Finds" airs on HGTV and will feature old fishing collectibles, egg cups, antique coffee grinders, Couroc serving trays for the '50s, rustic washstands from France, antique cameras and collectible wedding photographs. Ralph and Terry will visit Metrolina Expo in Charlotte, NC, Renninger's flea markets in Kutztown, PA and Mount Dora, FL, Atlantique City Mega Fair in Atlantic City, NJ, and J&J Flea Market in Brimfield, MA. Tomorrow night on Home and Garden Television, 8 pm AND 11 pm EST.

Boston readers, mark down on your calendar Sunday March 3rd for The Collectibles Extravaganza, Suffolk Downs Racetrack, Boston. The event will feature 200 tables of fun and valuable pop culture collectibles. There will be a Munchkin sighting, and maybe even an AuctionBytes siting.

When I have rumors, tips and news that just won't fit into an article format, I will publish a "Bits & Bytes" section in Newsflash - let me know how you like it. And if you have any hot tips, email me at ina@auctionbytes.com.