Using implanted RFID chips for security purposes is a relatively new practice. Last summer, we wrote about the first company using RFID implants on a voluntary basis for high-security employees, and the California Senate is now responding to the burgeoning practice. Last week, it passed legislation that would bar employers from requiring workers to have ID devices implanted under their skin. The bill has been approved by the state assembly and will now go to the governor, according to the LA Times .

There's only one company currently authorized to sell RFID chips to be implanted in people, and according to its numbers, about 2,000 people have been implanted with the devices. While the bill's opponents say it's too early to legislate the technology since it hasn't yet produced problems, North Dakota and Wisconsin have already passed similar legislation.--Francine Kizner

As Americans continue to abandon sodas in search of healthier alternatives, PepsiCo is offering a new, lower-calorie Gatorade to keep customers coming back to its brand, according to an Associated Press story. The announcement follows Pepsi's July report of a 4 percent drop in carbonated drink sales in the second quarter, while non-carbonated products rose 3 percent. Last year, the percentage of non-carbonated drinks sold by Pepsi was more than twice the amount of its sodas.

The G2 drink is Gatorade's first new product in 40 years. Pepsi said G2 contains 25 calories per eight-ounce serving, compared to 50 calories in the regular lemon-lime drink. G2 will be released in December in fruit punch, grape and orange flavors. In addition, Pepsi said it plans to launch a caffeinated bottled water with vitamins called Propel Invigorating Water, as well as newer versions of its SoBe Life and Aquafina Alive drinks.--Kevin Manahan

Good news for parents sick of their kids talking up ridiculous cell phone bills: AT&T introduced a new service Tuesday that allows parents to place limits on the amount of air time minutes and text messages their kids use, among other things.

Available for a monthly $4.99 per phone, the new Smart Limits service also gives parents control over when their kids can use their phones, whom they can receive calls from, the amount of downloads they purchase and even the websites they visit using their phone browsers. The limits will be established online and can be adjusted for parent phone calls or emergency situations.

"We were certainly hearing from parents who were dismayed at overuse of text or phones," Carlton Hill, AT&T's vice president of wireless voice products, said in an AP story. "We want to find a way for kids to use phones without having to take the phone away."

Features of the Smart Limits service are similar to the ones introduced by Disney Mobile in 2006, although they don't include Disney's GPS tracking system.--Kevin Manahan