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Wed, 4 Jun 08
Report: Icahn more determined to oust Yahoo board
(AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080603/ap_on_hi_te/yahoo_icahn
AP - Outraged by new details about Yahoo Inc.'s efforts to complicate Microsoft Corp.'s takeover bid, activist investor Carl Icahn says he believes Yahoo's board will have to be fired to lure Microsoft back to the bargaining table.
Thu, 8 May 08
AMD Must Rebuild Momentum, Despite Customer Loyalty
(PC World)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20080508/tc_pcworld/145621
PC World - Advanced Micro Devices must work hard to rebuild its momentum in the Asian server market, even though the chip maker managed...
Sat, 20 Sep 08
Comcast details changes for managing Web traffic
(Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080920/wr_nm/comcast_dc
Reuters - Comcast Corp has provided U.S. regulators details of how it plans to change the way it manages Web traffic over its high speed Internet network without blocking any applications or content.
Tue, 2 Sep 08
Labels, game developers feud over fees
(Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080902/tc_nm/videogames_dc
Reuters - When you contrast the financial struggles of the music industry with the skyrocketing success of the videogame market, it's no surprise record labels are ready to play hardball on future music licensing.
Fri, 21 Nov 08
Microsoft Lures Zune Subscribers With Free Tracks
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/65221.html
Sat, 30 Aug 08
Apple Won't Fix iPhone Passcode Hole Until September
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=61613
The latest iPhone embarrassment is a security hole that makes it simple to access stored data on supposedly locked iPhones. Apple said Thursday that a software patch to solve the problem is in the works.
An unauthorized user can exploit the security hole simply by double-pressing the button to make an emergency call. That behavior brings up the owner's preferred contacts and clicking on a number provides full access to the phone's features. Clicking on an e-mail provides access to all e-mail. And clicking on a contact name provides full access to all contacts data.
Apple spokesperson Jennifer Bowcock said, "The minor iPhone security issue which surfaced this week is fixed in a software update which will be released in September."
There is a simple workaround, Bowcock said: iPhone owners can simply change the settings so double-clicking the emergency button returns a user to the home screen, which will present a password login field if password protection is turned on.
While an attacker must be in physical possession of the iPhone to exploit the security bug, it "highlights a fundamental design deficiency with the iPhone," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations with nCircle Network Security.
"Despite Steve Jobs from day one saying the iPhone was secure, functionality and aesthetics of the device seem to always win out over security," Storms said. A case in point, Storms said, "Apple quickly released updates to fix 3G connectivity issues this year, but consistently takes many months to release security updates."
This particular security hole -- a simple bypass of access restrictions -- was created by Apple's preference for functionality over security, he added. "Even when a user chooses to physically secure the device with a four-digit passcode, Apple has chosen to still permit the user to use some functionality," Storms said. "By selecting to perform...
Tue, 6 May 08
T-Mobile and Nokia Offer Joint Mobile Services in Europe
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=59601
T-Mobile and Nokia are joining to offer new Internet services and social communities on mobile devices in Europe. The mobile-technology giants said their efforts will offer all their European customers access to T-Mobile's web'n'walk as well as Nokia's Ovi Internet services.
The companies said users' access to mobile social networks will be enhanced by offering T-Mobile's community-oriented MyFaves service, fronted by Nokia's user experience. The alliance will also enable what they describe as "widget cooperation" between the mini-programs offered by both companies.
Nokia will customize its devices to optimize them for a dedicated suite of services from T-Mobile, and T-Mobile customers can similarly get enhanced access to Nokia services.
Christopher Schlaffer of Deustche Telekom -- which owns T-Mobile -- said his company's MyFaves and web'n'walk were complementary to Nokia service offerings such as maps or games. Similarly, Nokia Executive Vice President Anssi Vanjoki described T-Mobile's services as "a prefect match" for Ovi.
Asked if the alliance between Nokia and T-Mobile in Europe could impact the U.S. market, Avi Greengart of industry research firm Current Analysis quipped that "what happens in Europe stays in Europe."
He noted that T-Mobile in Europe is essentially run as a separate company from its American counterpart. Deutsche Telekom, however, does see its mobile communications companies as having a worldwide service. In its announcement with Nokia, for instance, it emphasized that its companies use the GSM standard, making "T-Mobile the only mobile communications provider with a seamless transatlantic service."
Greengart sees the big winner from this alliance as Nokia, since this is "another major European carrier who has signed on to their Ovi services in one form or another." Greengart noted that Nokia has "managed to create a suite of services in Ovi and to get a number of European operators onboard," including Vodafone.
Eventually, said IDC's Chris Hazelton,...
Sat, 11 Oct 08
Apple will repair MacBooks that have faulty Nvidia GPUs
(CNET)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cnet/20081011/tc_cnet/83011357931006384437
CNET - An investigation by Apple shows some MacBook Pros may have faulty Nvidia graphics processors after all, despite Nvidia's earlier assurances to the contrary, the computer maker has announced.
Wed, 16 Jul 08
Outraged Icahn Refocuses on Ousting Yahoo Board
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=60772
Apparently abandoning hopes for a truce with Yahoo Inc., investor Carl Icahn sharpened his focus on replacing the Internet company's board Monday after his attempt to negotiate a deal with Microsoft Corp. was angrily rejected.
Icahn filed the final nominating papers for a slate of candidates that will oppose Yahoo's current nine directors in a showdown scheduled for an Aug. 1 shareholder vote. In separate letter to Yahoo shareholders, Icahn accused the incumbent board of being more interested in protecting its jobs than evaluating the merits of Microsoft's latest offer for Yahoo's online search operations.
Icahn, who owns a 5 percent stake in Yahoo, also accused the board of misleading shareholders about some aspects of the proposal, which was rebuffed late Saturday.
"Our company is on a precipice and our board seems ready to take the risk of seeing it topple," Icahn wrote to Yahoo shareholders.
Yahoo reiterated its disdain for Microsoft's "ludicrous" offer in its own shareholder letter, which underscored the Silicon Valley company's determination to fend off Icahn's attempted coup.
"We are prepared to let you, our stockholders, not Microsoft and Carl Icahn, decide what is in your best interests and we look forward to the upcoming vote," Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock and Chief Executive Jerry Yang wrote.
Yang advised Yahoo's employees to brace for even more turbulence during the next few weeks, predicting that Microsoft may make more buyout proposals as Icahn ridicules the board.
"The last few months and weeks have certainly been challenging, and the waters are not likely to calm before our stockholder meeting," Yang wrote in one of two e-mails Monday to Yahoo employees and senior managers.
The standoff caused Yahoo shares to fall $1, or 4.2 percent, to finish at $22.57 in Monday's trading. The stock price had surged 10 percent last week on hopes that Icahn might be able...
Fri, 6 Jun 08
Alltel customers worry about Verizon deal
(AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/ap_on_hi_te/verizon_wireless_alltel
AP - Verizon Wireless' deal to buy Alltel Corp. for $5.9 billion was applauded by investors and should mean a greater range of choices for Alltel subscribers, but some worried that Alltel's commitment to rural coverage will get lost.
Fri, 14 Nov 08
AT&T, Nokia Launch Smart Flip Phone with Symbian
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=63023
AT&T and Nokia on Thursday brought the Nokia 6650 to market to compete against other devices launching in time for the holiday shopping season. The small folding device runs on the Symbian-based S60 platform, which lets users personalize their mobile experience with third-party application downloads, themes and profile settings.
AT&T has a board seat on the Symbian Foundation that oversees development of the open-source mobile-phone platform.
The phone taps into AT&T's 3G network and pushes AT&T's mobile services, including video and mobile music. The 6650 will be available Nov. 14 in red and silver, and offers up to four hours of talk time.
"AT&T's reputation of offering the best and broadest choice of mobile phones is strengthened with the addition of the Nokia 6650," said Carlton Hill, vice president of consumer devices and product development for AT&T's mobility and consumer markets. "Adding another Symbian-based device to our lineup underscores our commitment to customer choice."
The Nokia 6650 gives consumers access to tens of thousands of applications from gaming to productivity. The S60 platform also has the most expansive set of developer languages available, thanks in part to its open-source nature.
The Nokia 6650 also offers all the multimedia and entertainment bells and whistles consumers expect from a smartphone, including a two-megapixel camera, 2.2-inch display, a dedicated key that allows customers to access AT&T Navigator with one click, AT&T video-sharing services, and AT&T Mobile Music.
"Nokia created this device for the thriving consumer appetite for navigation, multimedia and entertainment essentials in one stylish, affordable package," said Ian Laing, vice president of sales at Nokia.
The Nokia 6650 doubles as a portable entertainment device with external audio-playback keys. The 6650 also offers a 1.36-inch display that allows customers to capture photos, control music and change profile settings without having to open the flip device.
Sat, 27 Sep 08
Android-Ready Apps Flood Mobile Market
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=62142
The first Android-powered phone isn't the only big news on the mobile front this week. Applications for the Android operating system are already making their way to market.
On Thursday, Visa announced plans to make mobile payment-related services for the Android platform, while PacketVideo stepped out on Wednesday with news that it would launch CORE, a multimedia application framework that powers more than 260 million devices worldwide, for Android.
Meanwhile, Namco launched PacMan for the Android operating system. Glu Mobile announced that Bonsai Blast, an all-new action-puzzle game, will launch on Android. And
Big in Japan announced ShopSavvy, an application designed to help people do comparative shopping via the Android Market.
"There's money to be made in the Android marketplace," said Bill Ho, an analyst at Current Analysis. "Developers, while they are intellectually stimulated by programming, at end of the day they are going into this to make money. So what we see is an ecosystem that's been built for this."
While developers are gearing up for mobile apps, others are exhorting companies to get their Web sites ready for mobile handset viewing. Most businesses have yet to investigate whether their Web site is accessible to handheld users, according to an M:Metrics survey.
But 85 percent of iPhone users access the Web for information and are 10 times more likely to search the mobile Web than cell-phone owners. Mobile technology experts say that the release of the Google Android-powered T-Mobile G1 phone made by HTC signals an acceleration of the trend.
"What we've seen with the BlackBerry and the iPhone is a shift away from cell phones to smartphones, and the G1 is going to further spur that shift," said Chuck Sacco, CEO of mobile-technology company PhindMe.net. "With Google's Android technology also available to other cell-phone manufacturers who want to...
Sat, 18 Oct 08
Google, eBay up, but indexes down
(CNET)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cnet/20081017/tc_cnet/8301102331006913693
CNET - Despite a down day for the broader markets Friday, a handful of tech stocks swam against the tide, posting modest single-digit gains.
Thu, 22 May 08
Google's Search-Within-a-Site Feature: Let the E-Tailer Beware
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/63081.html
It all used to be so simple -- at least for retailers. Back in the day, it was enough to have your catalog online; then interactivity and rich media came along. Now, we're in an age of personalization, where buyer patterns are predicted and mapped to up-sell and cross-sell options. The Internet has indelibly changed the way retailers engage with prospects, and how products are sold.
Wed, 12 Sep 07
Sony unveils new Blu-ray recorders to fight HD DVD
(Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070912/tc_nm/sony_blu_ray_dc
Reuters - Sony Corp (6758.T) said it will launch
four models of new Blu-ray high-definition optical disc
recorders in November in Japan, as its format battle with the
HD DVD camp heats up.