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Steve Jobs Returns To Part-Time Work as Apple's CEO
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67449
Apple CEO Steve Jobs returned to work Monday, ending a controversial medical leave of absence. Apple said Jobs will work in Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters a few days each week and from home on the other days.
Last October, Jobs, a survivor of pancreatic cancer, said his weight loss was the result of a hormone imbalance, and he went on medical leave in January. In April the Apple cofounder received a liver transplant at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tenn. Apple COO Tim Cook filled in for Jobs, who planned to return to work at the end of June.
Apple's stock was affected by Jobs' health, but the company has continued to function, announcing the new iPhone 3GS and MacBook upgrades at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month. Some investors have questioned whether Apple's board should have released more information on Jobs' health.
While the hormone imbalance was disclosed, Apple's board did not disclose that Jobs was sick enough to need the liver transplant. Some observers think that may have violated federal securities laws.
"If they tried to lessen the disclosure and make it misleading by omission, that's just as bad as telling something that flat isn't true," Jeffrey C. Soza, a securities lawyer, told The Los Angeles Times. Other lawyers have said Jobs' health is a private matter.
Investor Warren Buffet appeared to agree with Soza, telling a CNBC-TV interviewer, "Certainly Steve Jobs is important to Apple. Whether he is facing serious surgery or not is a material fact."
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Sony Ships Green Dam-Equipped PCs with Disclaimer
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67446
Sony has begun shipping personal computers equipped with the Chinese-government mandated filtering software days before the July 1 deadline. Shipments of the PCs equipped with Green Dam software also include a disclaimer that Sony is not responsible for damage from the software, according to a University of Hong Kong journalism professor and blogger, Rebecca MacKinnon.
She posted a photo of the disclaimer, which says Sony is not responsible for the authenticity, legality and functionality of the Green Dam software. Sony also said the software does not work with a 64-bit operating system.
Sony didn't respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
The Green Dam software has stirred up much controversy since the directive was sent to PC manufacturers by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Beijing nearly six weeks ago. China says the software is to block lewd content such as pornography from the eyes of young Internet users in China.
Others, however, say the software was developed to censor other content, including political propaganda.
Sony's disclaimer may be based on recent reports that the software can be dangerous. An independent analysis by the University of Michigan's Computer Science and Engineering division found vulnerabilities that coauthors Scott Wolchok, Randy Yao, and Alex Halderman said were due to programming errors.
"Once Green Dam is installed, any Web site the user visits can exploit these problems to take control of the computer," they wrote. "This could allow malicious sites to steal private data, send spam, or enlist the computer in a botnet."
"In addition, we found vulnerabilities in the way Green Dam processes blacklist updates that could allow the software makers or others to install malicious code during the update process," they wrote.
Not long after researchers announced their findings, Chinese officials said the use of Green Dam...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Mobile-Phone Chargers Will Become Universal
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67445
Bowing to a request from the European Commission, 10 major device manufacturers have agreed to adopt a universal battery-charging design for their mobile handsets. Though the agreement only applies to mobile-device sales within the member states of the European Union, the standard is expected to have a far wider impact since the mobile-device market is essentially global.
Phone-charger compatibility will make life much simpler for consumers, noted EU Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen. They will be able to charge mobile phones anywhere from the new common charger, Verheugen said. This also means considerably less electronic waste, because people will no longer have to throw away chargers when buying new phones.
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Eliminating Waste
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Today's plethora of external power supplies for mobile phones means there are many chargers that can only interface with a particular handset. Any user buying a replacement handset today must get a new charger -- even though the charger for the previous phone may be in perfect condition.
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According to the EC, the disposal of old chargers generates several thousand tons of waste each year. Moreover, consumers are paying for an accessory they shouldn't have to replace.
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Beginning in 2010, consumers will be able to charge mobile phones from any external power supply compatible with the new common charger specs. Additionally, the agreement will protect consumers from unsafe operations, which can occur if an incompatible external power supply is used to charge a phone.
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A new memorandum of understanding governing the changes has been signed by representatives of Apple, LG Electronics, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Texas Instruments. Verheugen said he was very pleased with the self-regulation agreement. As a result, the commission does not consider it necessary to introduce legislation, he said.
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Preferred Charging Rate
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All 10 signatories have agreed to provide standardized chargers equipped with a...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Windows 7 Upgrades for Businesses Will Be Limited
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67443
ASUSTeK Computer is joining other manufacturers in offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 on a number of its PCs as more details about the rollout to the Vista successor emerge.
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Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo have already said they will participate in the upgrade program, where customers who purchase Vista machines can, until the release of Windows 7 in late October, receive a free or low-cost upgrade.
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ASUS' offer will include its Eee PC 1101HA and Eee PC 1005HA netbooks, but the free upgrade doesn't apply if the buyers of those machines initially chose Windows XP, Windows Vista Home Basic, or Windows Vista Starter Edition. A variety of ASUS desktop and laptop models also are included in the offer.
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25-License Limit
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Other details for the new OS are being revealed. Upgrade plans for businesses will allow only 25 licenses for Windows 7, after which companies will need to obtain Software Assurance maintenance contracts.
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According to news reports, customers in Europe will see prices between 40 and 100 percent more that U.S. customers will pay. In Japan, there are reports that the limited number of discounted Windows 7 upgrades, which went on pre-order sale on Friday, have already sold out.
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A special two-week promotion in the U.S., with a limited number of pre-orders for a low-priced upgrade, is doing well. Last week, the software giant said it would offer through several retailers, such as Amazon, an upgrade from Windows Vista or XP to Windows 7 Premium at $49.99 or to Windows 7 Professional for $99.99.
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Microsoft said the normal purchase price for the Home Premium upgrade will be $119.99, compared to $129.99 charged for Vista. The Windows 7 Professional Upgrade is $199.99, and the Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade costs $219.99.
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The scheduled release for Windows 7 begins Oct. 22. Retail prices for the full...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Hot iPhone 3GS Is Getting Too Hot, Reports Say
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67421
News reports have cited overheating problems with the iPhone 3GS, but are the reports justified? Or is Apple's latest device headed for a major recall?
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Le Journal du Geek, a French technology Web site, posted a story and a photo describing one consumer's issues with the iPhone 3GS. The story says the consumer purchased an iPhone 3GS and the phone got very hot while using the GPS service. The consumer later noticed reddish marks around the circumference of the battery.
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The posted photo shows a white iPhone 3GS with a rectangular glow on the backside. Nowhere Else, another French site, posted a series of photos of the iPhone 3GS with the same marks. It isn't clear if this is the same phone photographed multiple times.
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Overheating iPhones
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Apple's discussion forum is also beginning to see complaints from iPhone 3GS users citing overheating. Some are calling the trouble proof that Apple needs to fix iPhone OS 3.0 power-management issues. Others are blaming the 3G capability.
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I've had my iPhone 3Gs running on 3.0 for a week now, and it still overheats. I've rebooted, restored, drained my battery, and switched chargers, and still it burns. I know I'm not alone; I've seen photos of white iPhones with pink heat marks on its back. Additionally, my battery life only last about four hours of use, wrote a forum user named jcampos1908.
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Although there are only a few posts on the topic on the Apple forum, apparently the overheating issue isn't new. iPhone 3G users previously reported some overheating. Some users reported getting burned by the device, while others reported problems charging the battery without the device heating up.
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Battery Recall Coming?
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Is Apple in for a major recall? Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret, doesn't think so. So many of these things become overblown Internet legends. Who knows what...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
PSP Game Players May Be Able To Phone Home
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67420
In a move to compete with Apple's iPhone and iPod, Sony may develop a hybrid cell phone-video game handheld with the PlayStation Portable device at its core.
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The Nikkei business daily on Saturday reported that the Japanese electronics maker is looking for ways to regain its dominance in the portable electronics market. Sony introduced the Walkman 30 years ago, but Apple has overtaken the entertainment company since the rise of the MP3 format. A PSP phone may be a competitive solution.
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According to Nikkei, Sony is planning to set up a project team this summer to develop a new electronics device that melds the capabilities of the PSP with its Sony Ericsson mobile phones.
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Increasingly the phone is being used for more than just making phone calls. Games are one of those features, said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. It is not surprising that Sony is looking at the possibility of integrating a telephony device or a connected device into the rest of the PSP ecosystem.
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Who Can Beat the iPod?
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This would not be Sony's first attempt to challenge the iPod's success. In 2004, Sony launched a MP3 compatible player under the Walkman flag in Europe. It was Sony's first flash-memory foray into a realm dominated by Apple. At the time, a Sony executive predicted the new models would further develop the credibility of the Walkman brand in the personal audio market. The product did little to grab market share from Apple.
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Even though iPod sales were down 16 percent year-to-year in February, Apple sold more than 11 million iPods in the non-holiday quarter alone. The NPD Group reports that Apple's digital-media-player market share is holding steady at more than 70 percent. Some analysts have speculated that the iPhone has cannibalized iPod sales, making the iPhone the closest device to an iPod-killer...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Guatemalan Fears a Tweet Will Make Him a Jailbird
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67414
Jean Anleu was so fed up with corruption in his country that he decided to vent on the Internet, sending a 96-character message on the social-networking site Twitter.
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That message has now earned him a potential five-year prison sentence and the unfortunate distinction of becoming one of the first people in the world to be arrested for a tweet.
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Writing under his Internet alias jeanfer, Anleu urged depositors to pull their money from Guatemala's rural development bank, whose management has been challenged in a political scandal: First concrete action should be take cash out of Banrural and bankrupt the bank of the corrupt.
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These words illegally undermined public trust in Guatemala's banking system, according to prosecutor Genaro Pacheco. Authorities proved Anleu sent the message by searching his Guatemala City home, and then put him in prison with kidnappers, extortionists and other dangerous criminals for a day and a half before letting him out on bail.
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Anleu's lawyer, Jose Toledo, believes the government wants to make an example of him.
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Clearly, the message was: Watch out, any of you guys that want to post messages, this can happen to you. ... It was a dissuasive measure, Toledo said.
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Guatemala, whose democracy is still emerging from a genocidal civil war, isn't the only government concerned about the potential of lightning-fast tweets to spread stinging words.
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More recently, Iran has shown its determination to clamp down on huge protests over its disputed presidential election, banning firsthand reporting by international journalists and blocking access inside the country to Web sites such as Twitter and Facebook as well as many sites linked to the political opposition. Text messaging has been blacked out and cell phone service in Tehran is frequently down.
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More than 2,000 people have been arrested in Iran, many of them for Internet activity, estimates Hadi Ghaemi, director of the New...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Big Software Plans for Amazon's Kindle?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67413
Giant online retailer Amazon.com may be plotting a broader foray into software for smartphones.
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The company already offers a handful of mobile applications. One lets users of Apple's iPhone read electronic books on their screens. Another lets BlackBerry users snap photos of products in stores, then find similar items on Amazon. Those may be just the start of Amazon's mobile efforts.
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In the past several months the online retailer has been expanding its team of mobile engineers. It's also acquiring companies whose products and knowhow could help Amazon turn out new software for cell phones. The goals may be to sell new programs that can run on Amazon's Kindle e-book reader, make Amazon's digital titles available for more devices, and ring up revenue from sales of mobile applications, say several software executives and analysts.
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Amazon won't comment on its mobile-software ambitions. We don't discuss future plans or developments, spokeswoman Cinthia Portugal says in an e-mail.
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A push by Amazon into mobile software may make sense. Right now, smartphone users often buy applications from makers of their devices. But that may change if consumers' loyalties shift from smartphone vendors to online stores that supply software for these phones, says Alex Bloom, CEO of mobile-application vendor Handango. Devices change, and what's hot today isn't necessarily hot tomorrow, he says. Consumers will shift among devices but maybe stay with one retailer. Handango runs an online PC software store within Amazon's site.
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If Amazon can create an online store for Kindle applications that complement the roughly 300,000 e-book titles it already sells for the device, it could beef up profit margins for its Kindle business. Currently, Amazon has to sell seven e-books, many of which are priced at $10, to make as much money as it makes on a sale of one regular hardcover book through its site, according...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Who Moved My 'Delete' Key? Lenovo Did. Here's Why.
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67409
Lenovo put nearly a year of research into two design changes that debuted on an updated ThinkPad laptop this week. No, not the thinner, lighter form or the textured touchpad -- rather, the extra-large Delete and Escape keys.
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It may seem like a small change, but David Hill, vice president of corporate identity and design at Lenovo, points out, Any time you start messing around with the keyboard, people get nervous.
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Computers get smaller and faster every year, but keyboard design remains largely stuck in the 19th century. When Beijing-based Lenovo, which bought IBM Corp.'s personal-computer business in 2005, looked into improving the keyboard on the new ThinkPad T400s, a $1,600-and-up laptop for businesspeople, it knew it had to proceed with caution.
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To understand Lenovo's concern, turn the clock back to the 1800s.
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Back then, fast typing would jam typewriters, so a keyboard layout that slowed down flying fingers was devised. The commonly used A key, for example, was banished to the spot under the relatively uncoordinated left pinky.
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Typewriter technology evolved. Mainframe computing led to function keys and others of uncertain use today. The PC era dawned. Yet many laws of keyboard layout remain sacred, like the 19-millimeter distance between the centers of the letter keys.
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Tom Hardy, who designed the original IBM PC of 1981, said companies have tried many times to change the sizes of keys. That first PC had a smaller Shift key than IBM's popular Selectric typewriter did, and it was placed in a different spot, in part because the industry didn't think computers would replace typewriters for high-volume typing tasks.
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IBM reversed course with the next version to quiet the outcry from skilled touch-typists.
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Customers have responded with a resounding, 'Don't fool with the key unless you can you can improve it,' said Hardy, now a design strategist based in Atlanta.
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PC makers...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Yahoo CEO Promises Shareholders To Get 'Mojo Back'
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67408
Yahoo Chief Executive Carol Bartz echoed the turnaround promises of her predecessors as she presided over the first shareholder meeting since her hiring, yet she left little doubt the slumping Internet company's new boss isn't the same as the old bosses.
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Like Terry Semel did in 2007 and Jerry Yang again last year, Bartz assured shareholders Thursday that she will polish Yahoo's tarnished brand and end a three-year financial funk that has depressed the Sunnyvale-based company's stock.
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But her message resonated with more flair and spunk than the more circumspect styles of Semel and Yang.
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And Bartz made it clear she didn't want to hear any questions about Microsoft Corp., whose convoluted courtship of Yahoo began while Semel was still CEO in 2007 and intensified while company co-founder Yang was in charge last year.
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Bartz, a Silicon Valley veteran who joined Yahoo six months ago, left little doubt who is calling the shots now as she seized the podium Thursday to set the meeting agenda instead of Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock. At last year's meeting, Yang deferred to Bostock, who didn't even talk at this year's meeting.
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During the question-and-answer session, she often gave blunt responses. She dissed crappy ads and concurred with a shareholder who complained about Yahoo posting too many entertainment stories on the front page of its Web site.
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If I see another Britney Spears thing, I am going to throw up, she said. As part of a makeover of Yahoo's home page this fall, Bartz indicated the company might include a fluff-o-meter to let Web surfers signal whether they wanted more hard-hitting news.
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Bartz didn't mince words when two shareholders wondered why Yahoo isn't doing more to protect human rights and free speech in China, where the company has previously faced harsh criticism for turning over e-mails that help convict government critics.
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Yahoo was...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
ICANN Hires Former Cybersecurity Chief As New CEO
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67406
The Internet agency with key oversight of the monikers behind every Web site, e-mail address and Twitter post named former U.S. cybersecurity chief Rod Beckstrom Friday as its next chief executive.
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The board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers approved his hiring in a voice vote Friday as ICANN capped weeklong meetings in Sydney, Australia. Beckstrom becomes CEO next Wednesday.
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Beckstrom, who had resigned after less than a year as cybersecurity director amid persistent turf battles, brings credentials in industry, government and diplomacy -- but little direct experience with domain names and broader Internet addressing issues, ICANN's chief mission.
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In an interview with The Associated Press, Beckstrom said that won't be a problem because he saw his job as bringing various constituencies with various expertise together, rather than creating policies himself.
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Our job at ICANN is to facilitate that dialogue and process, he said. I don't see myself as being the leading source or expert.
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Beckstrom, 48, replaces Paul Twomey, ICANN's third and longest-serving chief executive. Twomey, an Australian who became CEO in March 2003, plans to stay with the organization in the newly created position of senior president until the end of the year to help with the transition.
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The U.S. government, which funded much of the Internet's early development, selected ICANN in 1998 to oversee policies on domain names -- the .com and other suffixes that define zones on the Internet.
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Based in Marina del Rey, California, the nonprofit organization is in the midst of revamping procedures for adding domain name suffixes, a move likely to spawn hundreds or thousands of new Internet addresses in the coming years.
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A launch, though, has been delayed as objections were raised over such issues as whether trademark owners could wind up having to buy thousands of new domain names simply to protect their intellectual-property rights.
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ICANN also...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
Businesses Get Cheap Help From a Little Birdie
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67404
When a Stanley Cup broadcast suddenly went black in late April, many Comcast subscribers simply scooted to Twitter to find out why.
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It was there -- not on a phone system with multiple options -- they discovered that a lightning storm in Atlanta had caused a power outage during the Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins hockey playoff game, and that the transmission would be restored soon.
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I did a search on Twitter as soon as the game went off the air, says Dave Decker, 31, a Web developer in Pittsburgh who regularly tweets while watching sporting events. The mystery was resolved in minutes. Before Twitter, it would have been a nightmare trying to find out what happened on the phone.
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Comcast's deft use of Twitter underscores what is becoming a staple in modern-day customer service. Increasingly, corporate giants such as Comcast, PepsiCo, JetBlue Airways, Whole Foods Market and others are beefing up direct communications with customers through social-media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
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The popular communications technology has helped companies quickly and inexpensively respond to customer complaints, answer questions and tailor products and services. It has supplemented current customer services, easing the load on call centers and expensive mailers that most consumers abhor. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and online software services such as LiveOps, Salesforce.com and RightNow Technologies are all are being used to improve customer service, retain users and gain a competitive advantage.
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If you're trying to hide from your customers, don't use Twitter, says Demian Sellfors, CEO of Media Temple, a Web-hosting service. We want to know what our customers think, both good and bad. That's a good thing.
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As more companies effectively use social-media tools for customer care, it also is becoming easier to shift customer-relations resources to the U.S. and feed into the fledgling homeshoring trend. Home-based workers have become de rigueur among...
Tue, 30 Jun 09
GPS Can Provide Antidote To Stalking
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67402
Car owners with Global Positioning System (GPS) are feeling more secure these days that they will get to their destinations without getting lost. But the technology is also being used to provide real security for many people who otherwise might be in danger.
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Currently, in 13 states, judges can require stalkers or abusive former spouses or companions -- who are under restraining orders or as a condition for bail -- to wear GPS devices to monitor their movements. Law enforcement officials are then alerted anytime the perpetrator goes near his victim.
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Massachusetts' program is in many respects similar to other programs. The cell phone-like device there costs about $8 per day to monitor. The offender -- not taxpayers -- foots the bill. Anytime that person enters a protected area, the victim also is notified by cellphone. Data are gathered at central locations by independent contractors.
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Part of the GPS attraction is money. Locking someone up for a year in Massachusetts can cost up to $40,000, while GPS monitoring is about $3,400.
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So why don't more states have programs? Again, blame the economy. Slashed budgets have put strains on states that have considered GPS programs. That's unfortunate. A recent Justice Department study found that more than 3 million adults reported being stalked in a 12-month period. The last major study was 11 years ago; it estimated that 1.4 million people had been stalked annually. That's another reason why more states must address this growing threat.
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While all 50 states have anti-stalking laws, those vary widely, and some are outdated. Michelle Garcia, director for the Stalking Resource Center, says if an agency has a Justice Department Violence Against Women grant, its officers are eligible for training and technical assistance with issues such as GPS monitoring. Garcia says, Our mission ... includes educating the public and enhancing the...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Purchases Tie Mobile-Tech Company Closer To Apple
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67418
Apple is poised to acquire 2.2 million new shares of Imagination Technologies on July 1 at $2.36 per share. Those shares, together with Apple's latest purchases on the open market, will boost the iPhone maker's ownership interest in Imagination to 9.5 percent -- up from just 3.6 percent in December.
Apple's deal follows in the wake of Intel's announcement that it had upped its stake in Imagination to 16 percent.
Though the U.K.-based company's intellectual property (IP) for mobile applications has attracted a lot of attention, the current interest in Imagination is about more that just technology, said Jordan Selburn, iSuppli's principal analyst for semiconductor designs.
"Imagination is also attractive on a business basis," Selburn said. "In both cases, Apple and Intel looked at the company and thought it was a good investment."
Generally speaking, Imagination plays in the semiconductor arena at a very high level, Selburn observed. "If you look at the IP space in chips, a lot of it is nuts and bolts stuff: Logic gates, memory interfaces, memory generators, and so on, and on a technical basis, there is very little to stop anyone from duplicating that," Selburn said. But processor cores and high-speed interfaces represent "a bigger part of the end chip and therefore command more value, and that is what Imagination is providing."
Imagination's IP covers entire graphics and video systems, very flexible communications interfaces, and processor flows at a very application-focused level, Selburn said. "And if someone wanted to put together a high-level SoC, they could do it almost entirely with Imagination Technologies, which is pretty much alone in the space where they are competing," Selburn added. "Their high-level IP is the sort of stuff that would have been an entire chip several years ago."
Although the details are somewhat sketchy about Imagination's exact...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Jackson Probe Continues as Traffic Slows Web Sites
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67417
Authorities continued to investigate the mysterious death of pop singer Michael Jackson, whose death Thursday threatened to overwhelm online news sites as traffic from Jackson's fans soared.
Keynote Systems, which tracks Web-site performance, said the time needed to access media sites rose to 8.9 seconds from a normal 4.2-second average. It said the biggest drops in performance were at the sites of ABC, CBS and the Los Angeles Times.
Google confirmed that its news site and searches were sluggish Thursday afternoon. Other national news contributed to the slowdowns, including the death of actress Farrah Fawcett and a scandal involving South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
In Los Angeles, the 911 tape of a man's urgent call to paramedics about Jackson was released.
"We're trying to pump him, he's not breathing," the caller said. "He's not responding to CPR, he's not responding to anything. Please hurry."
Los Angeles police were looking to question Jackson's personal doctor. A physician's BMW was towed from Jackson's house because, police said, "it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner." The doctor is not suspected of criminal conduct.
An autopsy was being performed Friday, but toxicology tests could take several weeks. Jackson reportedly had been rehearsing for a planned comeback.
Sat, 27 Jun 09
HTC Sense Will Not Be an Upgrade for Older Phones
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67416
Handset manufacturer HTC officially announced its newest Android device, the HTC Hero, at a press event in London Thursday, along with its innovative user interface, HTC Sense. But Sense will not be available as an upgrade for Google-branded Android phones, and its availability for even non-branded Androids is still being worked out.
Earlier this week, HTC had confirmed both products even before the official release, and Sense in particular has been making headlines for its user-centric approach to content -- including customizable widgets and profiles, all-in-one views of any communication from one person, and other features.
Some observers had described the Sense interface as a fulfillment of Android's promise of innovation. On Thursday, HTC told news media that some of its future Android handsets would use Sense, but only phones that are not Google-branded.
HTC said its licensing agreement prevents it from using Sense on "Google experience" phones, such as the first Android device, T-Mobile's G1, or the newer T-Mobile myTouch 3G, both made by HTC.
The manufacturer also said it is working to get Sense on other HTC-made Android devices that are not Google-branded, such as the Magic that Rogers Communications is selling in Canada.
Sense, according to HTC, was designed around three basic principles: Make It Mine, Stay Close, and Discover the Unexpected.
The first principle encourages personalization, such as "glance view widgets" that push favorite content to the top level. The Stay Close approach emphasizes people in one's life, so that all communications relating to an individual can be integrated into one view, with a friend's Facebook status updates, Flickr photos, call history, and e-mails all grouped under that person's name.
Under Discover the Unexpected, HTC includes the ability to turn the phone over to silence its ringtone, making calls quicker with a smart dialer,...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Hottest Girls App Pulled by Apple, Not the Developer
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67415
Apple has confirmed it pulled the controversial Hottest Girls app from its App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch because the developer added nude pictures after the app was approved.
Developer Allan Leung had claimed he pulled the app Thursday because his servers were being overloaded by demand for the pictures. The images are pulled and updated from Leung's servers.
"Apple will not distribute applications that contain inappropriate content," an Apple spokesperson said. "The developer of this application added inappropriate content directly from their server after the application had been approved and distributed, and after the developer had subsequently been asked to remove some offensive content. This was a direct violation of the terms of the iPhone Developer Program. The application is no longer available on the App Store."
Reportedly, the Hottest Girls app was submitted with the maximum rating of 17+ and featuring girls in underwear. Topless pictures were added to the servers after approval. And that's how the first porn app got approved for the App Store -- but not for long.
Apparently Apple will continue its censorship on the App Store rather than rely on the iPhone OS 3.0 parental controls. Hottest Girls had been offered for $1.99.
Other apps by Leung appear to have been removed from the store as well, including Hottest Guys. The developer's Web site, http://www.allenthegeek.com/index.html, now only shows his e-mail address.
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Analysts Critical of High Regular Prices for Windows 7
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67412
It's the day after Microsoft announced Windows 7 pricing, and the reaction is mixed. A special two-week promotion, with a limited number of advance orders for a low-priced upgrade, is doing well.
On Thursday, the software giant said it would offer through several retailers an upgrade from Windows Vista or XP to Windows 7 Home Premium at $49.99 or to Windows 7 Professional for $99.99. The discounted OS is already a best-seller in Amazon's software category.
The company said the normal price for the Home Premium upgrade will be $119.99, compared to $129.99 charged for Vista. The Windows 7 Professional Upgrade will be priced at $199.99, and the Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade at $219.99.
Some observers are not happy about these prices.
NPD Group Vice President for Industry Analysis Stephen Baker wrote Thursday on his company's blog that "$119 is a price point that fits nowhere in these economic times." He wrote that the price is still "way too much for the software."
Baker acknowledged that this upgrade price is lower than Vista's was, but said that is "damning with faint praise." Microsoft's best interest, Baker added, is to "erase all vestiges of Vista from consumers' homes," but by making the upgrade expensive, the company is creating a "large disincentive" to move to the new OS. In addition, he noted, it's only one user license, while many homes have more than one computer.
Baker pointed out that Apple's Snow Leopard upgrade will be $29 for one user license and $49 for five users. Some observers have suggested, however, that Snow Leopard is more of an upgrade, while Windows 7 is a new OS. Apple's computers are generally more expensive than comparable Windows-based ones.
Laura DiDio, an analyst with Information Technology Intelligence Corp., said that, despite Windows 7's...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Palm Adopts Apple Strategy with Limited Information
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67401
Palm on Thursday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss, but the smartphone maker's shares rose sharply Friday morning on news of lower-than-expected deficits.
Palm's revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, ended May 29, were $86.8 million. Gross profit was $20.1 million. Palm posted a loss of $105 million on the quarter, or 78 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $43.4 million, or 40 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.
"The launch of Palm webOS and Palm Pre was a major milestone in Palm's transformation; we have now officially reentered the race," said Jon Rubinstein, Palm's chairman and CEO. "We have more to accomplish, but the groundwork is laid for a very promising future here at Palm."
Rubinstein, a former Apple hardware executive, said Palm's senior management team is capable, motivated and focused on execution. He pointed to a large group of developers waiting to build applications for Palm webOS and a new product pipeline he is betting will set a standard for the industry.
Palm shipped 351,000 smartphones during the quarter, a six percent increase from the third quarter but a 62 percent year-over-year decline. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter totaled 460,000 units, down five percent versus the third quarter and down 52 percent year-over-year.
Palm's cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments balance was $255.1 million at the end of the fourth quarter. This total includes $103.5 million in net proceeds from the company's public equity offering in March. Cash used in operations for the fourth quarter was $72.4 million. This news helped buoy Palm's stock because analysts expected Palm to have less cash on hand.
For the full fiscal year 2009, Palm's revenues totaled $735.9 million. The company shipped 2,407,000 smartphones during the year, a 25 percent decline from the year-ago...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
iPhone Jailbreaking Returns, But Can Be Expensive
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67400
The iPhone jailbreakers are at it again. Two different outfits are announcing iPhone software hacks that allow consumers to use their phones on networks other than the exclusive carriers.
In the U.S., the iPhone Dev Team (not affiliated with Apple) has released an unlock code for iPhone 3.0 software. The free hack is called Ultrasn0w and allows users of original iPhones or iPhone 3Gs upgraded to the 3.0 operating system to unlock the handsets and install jailbreak applications so they can use the phone on T-Mobile's network. The team's hack doesn't work with the iPhone 3GS.
"As soon as you start messing with the innards of your iPhone with anything other than an Apple-sanctioned software release, there is always the potential of running into problems," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. "In the U.S. in particular, jailbreaking is almost a nonissue because the only other carrier you can use the iPhone on is T-Mobile. If you unlock a 3G or a 3GS, you can't even run it on 3G because the hardware isn't designed for T-Mobile's 3G network."
But what about outside the U.S.? In the United Kingdom, iPhone Unlocking Ltd. Is promoting software it says allows iPhone 3GS users to unlock their 3.0 OS and use their handsets on any network provider. Consumers in the U.K. are otherwise restricted to Apple's exclusive wireless partner, O2.
"Our new software will unlock any iPhone, in any country, running any firmware version, including the latest 3.0," said Mark Scott, director of iPhone Unlocking. "The software can unlock iPhones, even unlock the iPhone 3.0 that have been damaged by other unlocking methods, and also iPhones that have been previously unlocked but have been relocked due to upgrading through iTunes."
iPhone Unlocking opened its doors in August 2007 and claims to have sold more...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Time Warner, Comcast Plan To Wall Off Online TV
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67387
Amid the rush to make programming available for free online, Time Warner and Comcast are fighting back. The companies on June 24 announced a new model that will require viewers to prove they are cable subscribers before they can stream hit shows online. The announcement puts both companies squarely into the fray of a growing debate over whether people should be forced to pay for content online instead of getting it for free.
In outlining their plans at a press briefing, Time Warner and Comcast carefully framed the initiative as just another way to give consumers programming when and where they want it. "This marks the very logical next evolution of cable TV," Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes said. "Consumers have spoken, no, more like yelled."
What the executives didn't address is the direct threat to their business model because consumers can already get a lot of programming for free, on such sites as Hulu.com, owned by News Corp., NBC Universal, and Disney. The concern for cable is that as more programming becomes available at no charge, consumers will drop pay-TV subscriptions. Such so-called cord-cutting is not occurring yet in big numbers; Time Warner and Comcast want to keep it that way.
They hope other TV networks and service providers will join the effort. A big incentive: More than half of cable networks' revenue comes from the fees that service providers such as Time Warner and DirecTV pay. Nobody wants to jeopardize those dollars in tough negotiations with angry service providers upset that programming they pay for is also being given away by the channels for free.
Here's how the trial will work: Starting in July, 5,000 Comcast subscribers will be able to see shows online from Turner Broadcasting's TNT and TBS channels, like The Closer and Tyler Perry's Meet...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Pro-Iranian Regime Hackers Invade U.S. Computers
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67383
Hackers posted a caustic message telling President Barack Obama to mind his own business and stop talking about the disputed Iranian election on a U.S. university home page Wednesday.
Attempts to access the Oregon University System's Web site were automatically redirected to another page, where readers viewed a message said to be from Iran that asserted there was no cheating in the election. That message was up for 90 minutes before university system technicians intervened Wednesday morning.
The hackers apparently took advantage of third-party software that had not been properly updated, university system spokeswoman Diane Saunders said. Hackers frequently attack the system's computers, but technicians usually beat back their efforts, she said.
"They are able to stomp on most of them," Saunders said.
She said nobody's personal computers were attacked. Also, no malicious software -- which could give hackers remote access to computer hard drives -- was introduced.
There was no immediate indication why the hackers targeted the system, which oversees Oregon's seven public universities.
The message that was posted on the Web site, made available to The Associated Press by the university system, addressed Obama and said it was being posted from Iran. The text, in red on a black background, calls on Obama to focus on the economic crisis instead of commenting on the Iranian election.
The message also makes derogatory comments about Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has contended the June 12 vote was rigged.
Sat, 27 Jun 09
Sources: Ex-Cyberchief Is Top Pick To Head ICANN
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67382
Rod Beckstrom, the former U.S. cybersecurity chief who resigned in March amid persistent turf battles, is the leading candidate to run an international organization with oversight of the monikers behind every Web site and e-mail address, The Associated Press has learned.
Beckstrom's approval as chief executive of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers could come with a board vote Friday as ICANN caps weeklong meetings in Sydney, Australia, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. They spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has yet to be made, and negotiations could still fall through.
Beckstrom has been attending some public sessions and meeting privately with board members this week.
If approved, he would replace Paul Twomey, ICANN's third and longest-serving chief executive. Twomey, an Australian who became CEO in March 2003, plans to stay with the organization until the end of the year to help with the transition.
The U.S. government, which funded much of the Internet's early development, selected ICANN in 1998 to oversee policies on domain names -- the ".com" and other suffixes that define zones on the Internet.
The Marina del Rey, Calif.-based nonprofit organization is in the midst of revamping procedures for adding domain name suffixes, a move likely to spawn hundreds or thousands of new Internet addresses in the coming years.
ICANN had wanted to start taking applications for new names early this year, but that timetable proved too ambitious as objections were raised over such issues as whether trademark owners could wind up having to buy thousands of new domain names simply to protect their intellectual-property rights.
A launch next year is more likely, under the new chief's tenure.
ICANN also is close to allowing entire Internet addresses to be in languages besides English for the first time. That could begin as early as year's end.
In...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
China Accuses Google of Spreading Pornography
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67379
China accused Google Inc. on Thursday of spreading pornography after Chinese users were unable to connect to the search giant's Web site, while Washington called on Beijing to scrap its order for personal computers to be equipped with Internet-filtering software.
"We have found that the English version of google.com has spread lots of pornographic, lewd and vulgar content, which is in serious violation of Chinese laws and regulations," said foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a news briefing. He said authorities summoned Google representatives and told them to "remove the material immediately."
Chinese Internet users were unable to connect to Google's main search site or its China-based service, google.cn, beginning Wednesday evening. Qin did not respond to questions about whether the government was responsible for the outage. But he said he hoped the problem can be "resolved immediately."
Meanwhile, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Trade Representative Ron Kirk, in a letter to Chinese officials, called on Beijing to revoke its order for the "Green Dam Youth Escort" filtering software to be pre-installed or supplied on a disc with all new PCs in China starting July 1. They warned the rule "poses a serious barrier to trade" and said the software might pose security risks.
"China is putting companies in an untenable position by requiring them, with virtually no public notice, to pre-install software that appears to have broad-based censorship implications and network security issues," Locke said in a statement.
China encourages Internet use for education and business, and has the largest population of Internet users at more than 298 million. But the communist government tries to block material deemed obscene or subversive and operates the world's most extensive Web monitoring and filtering system.
Locke and Kirk's letter said Beijing might have violated World Trade Organization rules that require governments to give companies advance notice of...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
U.K .Looks to Young Geeks To Secure Cyberspace
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67378
Britain is hiring former computer hackers to join a new security unit aimed at protecting cyberspace from foreign spies, thieves and terrorists, the country's terrorism minister said.
Alan West said the technology-savvy staff will join efforts to trace the source of -- and prevent -- cyber attacks on Britain's government, businesses and individuals. The country also will develop its capability to wage cyber warfare against the country's foes, he said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the creation of the unit Thursday as he published an updated national security strategy, detailing Britain's response to global terrorism and emerging threats.
"Just as in the 19th century we had to secure the seas for our national safety and prosperity, and in the 20th century we had to secure the air, in the 21st century we also have to secure our position in cyberspace," Brown said.
West said British government systems had probably come under cyber attack but that he did not know of any specific cases where sensitive data had been lost. British telecom BT Group PLC, one of the world's largest telecommunications providers, estimates it has about 1,000 attempted cyber attacks per day on its systems, West said.
Jonathan Evans, the head of Britain's domestic spy agency MI5, has previously warned that both China and Russia are using new technology to spy on Britain. Russia is accused of mounting large-scale attacks on Estonia's computer systems in 2007.
British officials are concerned that some terrorist groups, including those linked to al-Qaida, are likely to soon develop the capability to use cyber warfare to attempt attacks on Western targets. "So far, the terrorists have not been the biggest threat in that area, but they are learning quickly," West said.
Britain estimates about 52 billion pounds ($86 billion) is lost to the world economy each year as a result of malicious attacks...
Sat, 27 Jun 09
PC Makers Race To Comply With China's Web Filter
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67376
Days before a deadline abruptly imposed by China, computer makers are scrambling to comply with an order to supply Web-filtering software with PCs and worrying what it might do to their reputations.
Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Inc. and Taiwan's Acer Inc. -- the top three global producers -- are asking regulators for details of the order that takes effect July 1 to provide the "Green Dam Youth Escort" software with every laptop and desktop PC sold in China.
China is important to PC suppliers both as a major manufacturing site and a fast-growing market. It accounts for up to 80 percent of world production and sales that state media say rose to 147 billion yuan ($21 billion), up 12.8 percent from 2007.
Washington called on Beijing to revoke the rule as a "serious barrier to trade" and says the software could pose a security risk.
The conflict reflects the clash between the authoritarian government's efforts to control information and China's high-tech ambitions.
Beijing also launched new criticisms this week against search giant Google Inc., which a foreign ministry spokesman accused Thursday of spreading pornography. Chinese users were unable to connect to Google's main site or its China-based service, google.cn, from late Wednesday into Thursday. But spokesman Qin Gang, speaking at a regular briefing, sidestepped questions about whether the government was blocking access.
Government regulators say Green Dam is to be installed on every computer to prevent children from surfing the Internet for pornography. But technical analyses of the software -- developed by a previously unknown Chinese company -- has shown embedded programs to filter out content the government deems politically objectionable.
Manufacturers could face the same criticism that U.S. Internet services did in 2006 after complaints they cooperated with Chinese censorship, said David Wolf, a technology consultant in Beijing. At that time, Congress held hearings and some lawmakers...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Microsoft Security Beta 'Sells Out' Within 24 Hours
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67390
The beta version of Microsoft's security software is a hit. The software giant announced Wednesday on its Web site that it had reached the U.S. limit on downloads for Microsoft Security Essentials -- which was only made available Tuesday.
The general release of the free software is expected this fall.
"Alert!" said a posting on the Web page for the security software. "Thank you for your interest in joining the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta. We are not accepting additional participants at this time. Please check back at a later date for possible additional availability."
The beta became available Tuesday morning and reached the limit for the U.S. and Israel within twenty-four hours. Microsoft had said it would allow 75,000 downloads for users in the U.S., Israel and Brazil.
According to news reports, the limit for the U.S. and Israel was reached at about 5 a.m. PDT Wednesday. The limit of 20,000 downloads for Brazilian users hadn't been reached, meaning 55,000 downloads were reserved for U.S. and Israel.
Microsoft said the cap was "based on our ability to support the beta while still maintaining our commitment to delivering a quality product in the time frame promised."
The free software, which helps protect a PC against viruses, spyware, Trojans, rootkits and other malware, was developed under the code name of Morro. It consists of the anti-malware components of Windows Live OneCare, for which there has been an annual charge of $49.95.
Security Essentials will regularly update itself with signatures of new malware through its online signature service. To do so, auto updates need to be enabled in Windows. The software is designed for PCs running Windows Vista, Windows XP, and the upcoming Windows 7.
The free service is expected to compete directly with the lower-end offerings of McAfee and Symantec, two...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Windows 7 Will Cost Less, with Advance Order Discounts
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67375
Microsoft on Thursday announced pricing for its Windows 7 operating system, which is set to be released on Oct. 22. Prices are about 10 percent lower than Microsoft's launch prices for Windows Vista.
"Overall, customers will be paying less and getting more with Windows 7," wrote Brandon LeBlanc in The Windows Blog. "This includes fun new features such as HomeGroup, Device Stage, Aero Shake, Snap, Peek, Jump Lists, and our completely redesigned Windows Taskbar."
Details of Microsoft's previously disclosed Windows 7 Upgrade Option were also unveiled. Consumers who buy a PC from a participating OEM or retailer with Windows Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate installed will get an upgrade to Windows 7 at "little or no cost."
There has been speculation about just when the upgrade program would begin. "What I'm here to tell you is that it's going to start tomorrow, June 26," said Brad Brooks, a Microsoft spokesperson. The upgrade program will continue until Jan. 31.
Microsoft is also offering, for a limited time, a discounted price for advance orders of Windows 7.
The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium will be priced at $199, with an upgrade from Vista or Windows XP costing $119. The full version of Windows 7 Professional will be $299, with upgrades priced at $199. Windows 7 Ultimate will be $319, with the upgrade priced at $219.
To cash in on the back-to-school period, Microsoft said consumers can order Windows 7 through online retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon.com and the Microsoft Store for an even lower price for a limited time.
From June 26 through July 11, consumers in the U.S. can order the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade for $49.99 and the Windows 7 Professional upgrade for $99.99.
The offer applies to consumers in Canada for the same period as in the...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Google Rolls Out AdSense for Mobile in Growing Market
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67374
Google launched the Android mobile operating system last year to tap into the growing demand for smartphones and the applications that run on them. Now Google is launching a beta of its AdSense program for mobile applications.
Appropriately dubbed AdSense for Mobile Applications, the platform allows developers to earn revenue by displaying text and image ads on their iPhone and Android applications.
"Lower prices, faster network speeds, and unlimited data plans mean that people often reach for their cell phone rather than their computer when they are seeking information," said Susan Wojcicki, vice president of product management at Google. "As a result, mobile applications have become more and more popular, helping people find music, make restaurant reservations or check bank balances -- all on their phone."
Wojcicki said Google launched AdSense for Mobile as a means of contributing to the growth of mobile applications. Google sees a strong, and growing, demand. On one hand, the company noted, advertisers are looking for ways to reach potential customers when they are engaged with mobile content. On the other hand, application developers are looking for ways to show the best ads to their users.
Google has been testing the service behind the scenes. Wojcicki said the company has already completed a successful trial of the new service with a small number of partners. She promised new features for mobile advertisers and publishers in upcoming releases.
Google may be moving in with this AdSense for Mobile now because the mobile market is defying current market trends. According to a Jupiter Research report entitled Mobile Advertising: Delivery Channels, Business Models & Forecasts, the mobile advertising market is expected to grow to $5.7 billion by 2014.
Is AdSense for Mobile long overdue? Is it groundbreaking in the mobile advertising space? Greg...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Ten Years After Napster, Online Pirates Alive and Well
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67358
A file-sharing fine against a Minnesota woman that mushroomed from $220,000 to nearly $2 million last week is just the latest evidence that illegally trading music and videos online is still with us in a big way.
In the spring, while pirates off the coast of Somalia were getting all the high-seas attention, four Swedish pirates of a totally different sort were being sentenced to pay more than $3 million in fines and serve a year in the brig. Their crime: running The Pirate Bay, one of the Web's most-visited file-sharing communities.
The Pirate Bay is part of the trend of peer-to-peer technologies used to illegally swap music, videos and applications. Public sites such as Pirate Bay, IsoHunt and Mininova index and track BitTorrent files, which allow computers to connect and download content. People go to these sites to search for and grab music or videos.
Private "torrent" communities, such as PassThePopcorn.org, What.cd and Waffles.fm are so popular that there are many Web sites devoted solely to gaining entry to these cyberguilds. What.cd, for instance, has more than 96,000 registered users.
The legal ramifications of peer-to-peer file-sharing are still being worked out, but copyright infringement is a crime. Anyone who widely distributes copyrighted material runs a risk of being fined -- or worse. Part of the appeal of peer-to-peer file-sharing is that it is difficult to shut down because pirated files are never kept on a single server that can easily be targeted by law enforcement.
Web sites such as The Pirate Bay argue that they don't actually take part in the transfer of illegal content, they simply help users who are looking for the same files get connected.
While The Pirate Bay and other public sites get the most news coverage, the momentum now is toward the private torrent communities: Web sites that are...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
TJX Reaches Settlement With States on Data Theft
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67357
The parent company of retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshall's will pay $9.75 million in a settlement with multiple states related to a massive data theft that exposed tens of millions of payment card numbers.
Framingham, Mass.-based TJX Cos. said Tuesday it will pay $2.5 million to create a data security fund for states as well as a settlement amount of $5.5 million and $1.75 million to cover expenses related to the states' investigations. But TJX stressed that it "firmly believes" that it did not violate any consumer protection or data security laws.
TJX said the settlement's costs are already accounted for in a 2007 reserve it created. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission filing earlier this month, as of May 2 -- before the settlement was announced -- the reserve was $39.5 million, the company's estimate of the total potential costs related to pending litigation, investigations and other costs.
"The decision to enter into this settlement reflects TJX's desire to concentrate on its core business without distraction and to promote cyber security measures that will benefit all consumers," the company said in a statement.
The breach -- disclosed in January 2007 -- and exposed at least 45.7 million credit and debit cards to possible fraud in the computer systems breach that began in July 2005. The breach wasn't detected until December 2006.
Under the settlement with a multistate group of 41 Attorneys General, TJX must also certify that its computer system meets detailed data security requirements specified by the states and must encourage the development of new technologies to address weaknesses in the U.S. payment card system.
In April 2008, TJX Cos. offered to set aside $24 million to reimburse customers who through their MasterCard credit cards were defrauded because of a data breach last year. A similar agreement was made with...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Threats Made to Maker of China Filtering Software
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67351
The Chinese manufacturer of Internet-filtering software that must be distributed with all new computers next week has received death threats, state media said Wednesday.
Workers at Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co. received more than 1,000 harassing phone calls this month, according to Zhang Chenmin, the general manager of the company. He said personal information of some of the programmers had been leaked online, and one caller threatened to kill his wife and child.
"Most of the calls came late at night, cursing our staff and uttering obscenities, voicing their resentment against the software," Zhang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
Phones rang unanswered Wednesday at company headquarters in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou.
China, which has the world's largest population of Internet users at more than 298 million, also has among the tightest controls on the Internet in the world, including on political content deemed challenging to the ruling Communist Party.
The government has historically used such mechanisms as network-level filters installed at the nation's Internet service providers. Censorship experts say that by moving the filters closer to the user, censorship can be more effective.
The Chinese government has come under pressure to scrap its plan to require that manufacturers distribute the Green Dam Youth Escort software with computers sold in China. The filtering software is to be pre-installed or included on a compact disc with all PCs sold in China starting July 1.
Many Chinese Internet users have mocked the software, which is already available as a free download. The U.S. Embassy said Monday that Washington urged Beijing to reconsider its plan, saying it would restrict "the internationally recognized right to freedom of expression."
Zhang was quoted as saying that he "never expected the software to have brought us so many troubles. Our aim is simply to protect children from Internet pornography."
The...
Fri, 26 Jun 09
Oracle's Earnings: A Good Omen for Tech?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67348
Wall Street took heart from a report showing better-than-expected earnings from Oracle, the Silicon Valley software giant. Technology stocks have been on a roll this spring, and investors eyed Oracle's fourth-quarter report on June 23 for signs the rally might continue.
Sales, profits, and new software bookings for Oracle's fiscal fourth quarter ended on May 31 exceeded Wall Street's forecasts. That sent shares of Oracle up 2.7 percent in extended trading, after closing on June 23 down 10 percent, or 0.5 percent, at $19.87. The shares have gained 8.8 percent in the past three months.
Profits declined 7 percent and revenues fell 5 percent in the period, though results would have been better if not for the effects of translating overseas sales into a rising U.S. currency. On Wall Street, analysts said Oracle's recurring revenues from technical support contracts and prudent control of expenses during the quarter helped offset currency-related declines. "Oracle continues to be a high-quality investment," says Andy Miedler, a senior technology analyst at Edward Jones who rates Oracle a "buy."
Investors are lifting the shares of tech outfits including IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Adobe Systems that reported relatively healthy results during the recession by taking advantage of companies' need to buy products that can boost productivity, Miedler says. "Investors see tech companies posting fairly decent results in this environment, and they're rewarding them for it," he says. The Nasdaq composite index has risen 13.4 percent since Mar. 24, outpacing other indices.
Oracle executives told Wall Street analysts in a conference call that customers are beginning to buy more software, and pointed to deals closed during the quarter with Wal-Mart, American Express, Vodafone Group, and Perry Ellis. "The sense of panic and deer-in-the-headlights kind of feeling" has subsided, said Oracle President Charles Phillips.
For the fourth quarter, Oracle earned $1.9...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Testing Puts iPhone 3GS Closest To Laptop Speeds
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67373
Apple's iPhone 3GS is much faster than Apple has claimed, according to testing by Medialets, a mobile analytics company. In tests using JavaScript, the iPhone 3GS proved nearly three times faster than its predecessor, the iPhone 3G -- not twice as fast, as Apple has boasted.
Medialets also compared the iPhone 3GS speed against the Palm Pre and an Android-based smartphone. Its tests used JavaScript executed by the smartphones' browsers, which all use WebKit open-source technology.
The WebKit project provides a JavaScript test script called SunSpider that was used in the Medialets tests. The baseline was established using Safari on a white MacBook.
The testing found that the iPhone OS 3.0 update for the iPhone 3G made it nearly three times faster than when using the previous 2.21 operating system. Medialets said the iPhone 3GS, which comes with the 3.0 OS, boosted speed another three times.
According to the Medialets results, the MacBook set the baseline at 1.36 seconds and the iPhone 3GS needed 16.5 seconds, or about 12 times as long. By comparison, the iPhone 3G with the 2.21 OS needed 132.3 seconds, or 96 times as long, but that dropped to 48.7 seconds, or 36 times, with the 3.0 operating system.
Medialets also tested the Palm Pre and found it needed 48.6 seconds, or 36 times as long, about the same as the iPhone 3G with OS 3.0. Also tested was a T-Mobile G1 with the cupcake Android 1.5 operating system, and that device needed 91.1 seconds, or 67 times as long.
AppleInsider reports that the iPhone 3GS has a 600-MHz processor and 256MB of RAM, up from the iPhone 3G's 400-MHz processor and 128MB of RAM.
Meantime, iSuppli reported that the 16GB iPhone 3GS costs $178.96 to make, compared to $174.33 for the iPhone 3G. The cost is mainly for parts, with manufacturing costing...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Microsoft's Hohm Will Help Trim Your Utility Costs
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67371
Microsoft has released a beta of Hohm to help consumers save energy and reduce their utility bills. The free application is built on the Windows Azure cloud operating system and was developed with help from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Department of Energy.
Together with Pugent Sound Energy, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, and Xcel Energy, Microsoft is offering Hohm through rebate and conservation programs. The application allows utility companies, who acquire Microsoft's software development kit, to supply customers with information about their energy consumption.
Consumers who are customers of a Microsoft Hohm utility partner will be able to upload energy-usage data into the application in the not-too-distant future, according to software giant.
"Microsoft saw a need for a solution that could not only help support consumers' conservation efforts, but that was widely accessible, user friendly, and tailored to the user's actual energy usage," said Troy Batterberry, product unit manager for Microsoft Hohm. "Microsoft Hohm attempts to meet those needs."
Given the right tools, consumers are willing to participate in energy-saving programs. Eighty percent of U.S. consumers would participate in an energy program if offered by utilities, according to a Gartner report in May.
Microsoft's application will provide recommendations tailored to the specific energy use in a consumer's home. The software uses information such as the home's design and features, the appliances used, and usage patterns.
Recommendations from Hohm include everything from removing air leaks and replacing window caulking to installing automated thermostats. For users who do not enter specific information about their home, the application will provide recommendations based on local and national averages.
Another feature in Microsoft's Hohm is a community link that allows consumers to connect, exchange ideas with, and find referrals from others in their area.
Hohm's beta launch comes four months after rival Google introduced its...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Steve Jobs Faces Mortality, and Apple has a Dilemma
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67370
The mystery surrounding Apple CEO Steve Jobs' health issues has been solved. But on the eve of his return to the helm of the company he founded, the mystery of what happens to Apple in a post-Jobs era is still a matter of speculation.
Jobs had a liver transplant about two months ago, confirmed Dr. James Easton, program director at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tenn., and chief of transplantation. Jobs was the sickest patient of his blood type in line for a liver transplant. Easton said Jobs is recovering well and has an "excellent prognosis."
The Methodist institute performed 120 liver transplants last year, making it one of the 10 largest liver-transplant centers in the United States. The hospital's one-year patient and graft survival rates are among the best in the nation and were a dominant reason in Jobs' choice of transplant centers, Easton said. However, many patients die within a year of a transplant.
In January, Jobs took a six-month leave of absence to take himself out of the limelight and focus on his health -- and to allow Apple to focus on executing product delivery. At that time, Jobs said his leave would extend to the end of June.
A survivor of pancreatic cancer, Jobs' decision to step down followed speculation, analysis and finger-pointing around his health after he continued to lose weight last year. It was initially reported that a hormone imbalance was the culprit, but later Jobs admitted the issues were more complex than once thought. There was even a misprinted obituary about Jobs.
Jobs may not return full-time, either. Tim Cook, Apple's COO, has been trying to fill Jobs' CEO shoes since January. Industry watchers expect Cook to continue that role for some period after Jobs returns. Apple has performed well in the public...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Android-Based HTC Hero Comes with Sense
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67360
There's a new Hero, he's an Android, and he's got Sense. On Tuesday, handset manufacturer HTC introduced its third Android-based smartphone, Hero, which sports a new interface called Sense.
The handset features a touch-sensitive, 3.2-inch HVGA display, GPS, a digital compass, a gravity sensor, a 3.5mm stereo headset jack, a five-megapixel autofocus camera, and expandable microSD memory. A dedicated search button is contextual, so it works for basic search, searching a contact list, finding e-mails, and other uses.
Hero's new HTC Sense interface, the company said, puts people in the center of an experience that works "in a more simple and natural way."
HTC said Sense was designed around three basic principles: Make It Mine, Stay Close, and Discover the Unexpected.
The first principle encourages personalization, such as "glance view widgets" that push favorite content to the top level. The Stay Close approach emphasizes people in one's life, so all communications relating to an individual can be integrated into one view, with a friend's Facebook status updates, Flickr photos, call history, and e-mails all grouped under that person's name.
Under Discover the Unexpected, HTC includes the ability to turn the phone over to silence its ringtone, making calls quicker with a smart dialer, and other ways to view content.
Innovations in user interaction have been seen as a possible benefit of Android's open-source software, since manufacturers can customize the interface as they like. China Mobile, for instance, has announced it will be customizing an Android phone it's releasing, as has Rogers Communications in Canada, but HTC Sense moves the ball much more in the direction of innovation.
Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, has previously wondered when Android would begin to show the innovation Google and others had said to expect.
HTC's Sense, he said, is...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Netbook Targets Mobile Business Professionals
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67359
Hewlett-Packard is previewing a new netbook designed with mobile professionals in mind. HP, which claimed the number-one spot in U.S. PC sales during the first quarter due to solid demand for its consumer notebook products, is taking its netbook strategy one step further by specifically targeting enterprise customers with the new Mini 5101.
"For HP to introduce such a model, it sees a clear market for such a device, and has had feedback on the demand for such a model," said Matthew Wilkins, a principal analyst at iSuppli.
Though netbooks typically offer fewer computing capabilities than standard notebooks, Wilkins sees an opening for more mini-notebook applications within the enterprise space. "For example, for a traveling sales rep who just needs a simple platform from which to present their materials, there is a viable market," Wilkins said. "They can connect the netbook to a projector and run their presentation."
HP's new machine combines visually pleasing design accents with several structural elements that improve durability, including an anodized aluminum display enclosure, the use of a magnesium alloy in the lower case, and the covering of the keyboard's individual keys with a wear-resistant clear coating. The HP Mini 5101 also integrates a three-axis digital accelerometer chip that can sense any sudden movement or shock and send a signal to instantly shut down the hard drive.
The 10.1-inch diagonal screen is available in two iterations: a back-lit LED display featuring 1024x600-pixel resolution, and a panoramic, high-definition screen featuring 1,366x768-pixel resolution. The compact machine also has a spill-resistant QWERTY keyboard that scales to 95 percent of the standard size.
HP also hopes to capitalize on the increasing need among mobile professionals to maintain an always-on connection wherever they may go. As an option, the Mini 5101 will offer Gobi -- a 3G platform from Qualcomm...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Microsoft Gains in Search Market as Bing Stays Strong
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67345
Bing is still building momentum. The new decision engine from Microsoft is gaining ground on many fronts, including search-engine marketing.
Almost two weeks ago, Efficient Frontier, a marketing firm that places about $750 million in text ads on search engines around the world, reported that Bing saw a more than eight percent lift in paid clicks compared to the week before the launch. While Microsoft's click share remains at less than five percent and continues to lag Yahoo and Google, the company called Bing's gains a positive step.
"If this share lift holds, we can expect advertisers to allocate additional budget to Microsoft over the coming months. Paid-click growth lagging search-query growth could be due to organic listings in Bing delivering stronger relevancy," said Justin Merickel, marketing vice president at Efficient Frontier.
Merickel pointed to Bing features, such as query-specific drill-down categories available on the top left of the results page, as factors that may be allowing consumers to more easily find a relevant result. The question is whether Bing's success is sustainable.
Recent comScore research suggests it is, at least so far. Microsoft sites' average daily penetration among U.S. searchers reached 16.7 percent during the week of June 8-12, up three percentage points from the May 25-29 week before Bing's introduction, comScore reports. The search-engine world is waiting for comScore's June 2009 U.S. Search Engine Rankings because it will be the first to include search activity at Bing, which was launched June 1.
Efficient Frontier isn't waiting for the rankings. The firm was too curious to learn if Bing's click share is gaining, holding or falling back to Microsoft's previous levels. The latest analysis is good news for the software giant: Bing expanded its share of paid clicks for the two weeks after launch. Bing's share of paid clicks is...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Apple Fans Are Prepared for a Part-Time Jobs
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67327
Five and a half months ago, word that Steve Jobs would only work part-time as he recovered from a liver transplant would have sent investors into a selling frenzy, so closely linked was Apple's charismatic co-founder and CEO to the company's success.
But now, with Jobs' return to Apple just days away that prospect is a lot less daunting.
Wall Street has grappled with the implications of Jobs' illness since August 2004, when investors learned the CEO had kept a cancer diagnosis secret until after he underwent surgery. Investors feared a half-year absence would leave one of the oldest computer makers adrift, because Jobs had become the essence of the company he started in 1976. But in the last few months, the company released must-have gadgets and software improvements with nary a public hiccup. Its shares have almost doubled, raising the question of how central Jobs is to Apple today?
The company's past silence on matters of Jobs' health made shareholders jittery when Jobs appeared increasingly, even alarmingly, thin last year. Easily spooked, investors sent the stock tumbling 5 percent to its lowest point in a year on a rumor last October that Jobs had suffered a heart attack.
Then shares slipped 2 percent in December when Apple said that Jobs would not speak as usual the next month at the annual Macworld conference, then bounced up 4 percent on Jan. 5 when Jobs explained his weight loss as a treatable hormone imbalance. They sank 7 percent a week later after Apple said he would be taking six months off because his medical problems were more complex than he initially thought.
Since then, Wall Street's whiplash has had time to heal, especially because Apple's stock has weathered the recession better than those of most of its competitors. Shares have improved 76 percent since the dark...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Redbox's Machines Take on Netflix's Red Envelopes
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67326
With more subscribers than ever flocking to its DVD-by-mail service, Netflix Inc. is one of the few companies to prosper during the worst U.S. recession in 70 years. Yet Netflix CEO Reed Hastings still has something to worry about: an even cheaper DVD rental service run by one of his former lieutenants.
Once just an incongruous experiment amid the burgers and fries at McDonald's restaurants, Redbox has emerged as the largest operator of DVD-rental kiosks, with more than 15,400 vending machines set up to dispense $1-per-day discs in supermarkets and discount stores.
With Redbox opening an average of one kiosk per hour to lure budget-conscious consumers, Hastings is concerned that this upstart might upstage Netflix, whose cheapest mail-order plan costs $5 for two movie rentals in a month.
"By the end of the year, kiosks will likely be our No. 1 competitor," Hastings said in a recent conference call. "There are already more kiosks in America than video stores."
The fight for DVD-rental loyalties figures to intensify as Netflix, Redbox, Blockbuster Inc. and others vie for the attention of frugal consumers looking for inexpensive home entertainment. According to research from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Americans last year spent less money buying DVDs and more on rentals from stores, kiosks and online services like Netflix. The trend is expected to continue this year.
Redbox began in 2002 as a way for McDonald's Corp. to expand beyond the burger business. A strategy group inside the company tested a few "automated retail" ideas, as it called them.
"Vending sounded so last-century," said Gregg Kaplan, who led Redbox from inception until April, when he became chief operating officer of its parent company, Coinstar Inc.
McDonald's also tried a machine that made fresh french fries and an 18-foot-wide automated convenience store that sold everything from toilet paper to fancy sandwiches. Only the DVD kiosk stuck.
The...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
China Says Web-Filtering Software Launch Unchanged
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67321
China is sticking to its planned launch of a controversial Internet censoring software in about one week, an official newspaper said Tuesday, despite Washington's concerns over the move's possible impact on trade and access to information.
The China Daily said the plan to require the Web-filtering Green Dam Youth Escort software on all personal computers sold in China starting July 1 remains unchanged, citing an unnamed source from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It is to be pre-installed or included on a compact disc with all PCs sold in China.
The ministry did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment. Calls to Zhang Chenmin, head of one of the software's developers, Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co., rang unanswered.
The report came amid efforts by Chinese Web surfers to lobby the communist government to scrap its plan and after the U.S. Embassy said American diplomats met Friday with officials of China's ministries of commerce and information technology to express concern and seek more information about the system.
"The U.S. is concerned about actions that seek to restrict access to the Internet as well as restrictions on the internationally recognized right to freedom of expression," the embassy said in a statement Monday.
"The U.S. Government is concerned about Green Dam both in terms of its potential impact on trade and the serious technical issues raised by use of the software," it said. "We have asked the Chinese to engage in a dialogue on how to address these concerns."
Chinese officials say the Internet filtering is an effort to block access to violent and pornographic material. But Internet users have ridiculed the system and some are circulating petitions appealing to the government to scrap it.
China, which has the world's largest population of Internet users at more than 298 million, also has one of the world's...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
IBM Aims for a Battery Breakthrough
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67319
Eager to place itself at the forefront of technology considered crucial to transportation's future, Big Blue is throwing its weight behind batteries.
On June 23, IBM announced a multiyear effort to increase the performance of rechargeable batteries by a factor of 10. The aim is to design batteries that will make it possible for electric vehicles to travel 300 to 500 miles on a single charge, up from 50 to 100 miles currently. "We want to see if we can find a radically different battery technology," says Chandrasekhar "Spike" Narayan, who manages the Science & Technology Organization at IBM Research's Almaden lab in San Jose, Calif.
To do that, IBM is leading a consortium that will create batteries using a combination of lithium and oxygen rather than the potentially combustible lithium-ion mix that now dominates advanced consumer electronics and early electric-vehicle batteries. The new batteries could be used to store energy in electric grids as well.
IBM is also eager to reclaim U.S. leadership in battery tech from Asia. While many of the original breakthroughs for the batteries that power today's laptop computers and cell phones happened in the U.S., those batteries now come primarily from Japan and Korea.
Industry leaders have called for just this kind of concerted effort amid concern that the U.S. will miss out on one of the most important technology shifts in history -- the switch from gasoline to electricity as the primary power source for light vehicles. The worry is that the U.S. will trade its current dependency on the Middle East for oil with a new dependency on Asia for vehicle batteries. "We lost control of battery technology in the 1970s," laments Andy Grove, former chairman of chip giant Intel. "Battery technology will define the future, and if we don't act quickly it will go to China...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Alice.com: Not Just Another Web Retailer
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67316
Two serial entrepreneurs are poised to launch an online marketplace for brand-name household items that boldly aims to compete not only with the likes of Amazon and drugstore.com, but mega-retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS Caremark as well. It's also up against something else that might be just as powerful: memories of past online consumer-goods debacles.
On June 23, after a beta test period that was prolonged by tortuous negotiations with big consumer-goods makers, many of whom are still not on board with the venture, Alice.com will make its debut. The site will offer 7,000 products made by 55 manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Clorox. It is the brainchild of Mark McGuire and Brian Wiegand, who sold their last endeavor, online ad business Jellyfish, to Microsoft for a reported $50 million in 2007.
The pair readily admit to having absolutely no experience in retail. What prompted them to enter the stodgy, $350 billion consumer-products realm? "When we left Microsoft we wanted to swing for the fences," says Wiegand.
No question, the odds seem to be running against success. Some previous attempts to deliver low-margin household goods online, most notably Webvan, blew up in spectacular fashion. Today there are plenty of well-capitalized competitors in related areas of online retailing: Amazon offers thousands of packaged goods like cereal, coffee, diapers, and detergent alongside its traditional books and electronics, but does not break out sales of those items.
Drugstore.com has been around since 1998 and now carries more than 45,000 over-the-counter (nonprescription) products, but has struggled to turn a profit, posting a net loss of $8.3 million last year. Nearly 100 grocery chains also offer some form of online ordering through an e-commerce outfit called MyWebGrocer, which was founded in 1999. "The competition is broader than they think," says Mike...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Samsung Smartphones Take On iPhones, BlackBerrys
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67315
Samsung Electronics has emerged as a power providing credible challenges to the mobile-phone king Nokia. But when it comes to smartphones, the South Korean giant is a minnow. While Apple and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion are setting new trends in the fast-growing segment of the global handset market, Samsung has had a hard time trying to grab consumer attention.
Now, executives at the company seek to shoulder their way into the smartphone big leagues. Samsung last week introduced five new models sporting features comparable to Apple's iPhone. "Our business focus this year is to establish a strong presence and lay a foundation for further growth in the smartphone area," says Hong Won Pyo, executive vice-president in charge of product strategy at Samsung's mobile communication division.
The rush to bolster its standing in the highest end of the handset market is understandable given Samsung's disappointing presence there. Although the Korean company overtook troubled Motorola as the world's second-largest mobile-phone maker in 2007, and increased its share in the overall handset market to more than 18 percent in the first quarter of this year from around 12 percent two years earlier, its smartphone share stood at only 3.5 percent, according to researcher Strategy Analytics. That's a big problem since the research firm forecasts global sales of smartphones will rise 31 percent this year, almost five times faster than the total handset industry.
Samsung's approach is starkly different from Apple's. While the real beauty of the iPhone and its latest successor, the iPhone 3G S, lies in the creative use of the iTunes Store to inspire a myriad of third-party developers to write applications for the phones, Samsung's emphasis is more on hardware. To expand its presence, Samsung plans to keep rolling out new lineups of smartphones -- more than...
Thu, 25 Jun 09
Google Clamps Down on 'Malvertising'
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67304
Google has made several enhancements to its anti-malvertising site to help its ad network customers prevent attempts to distribute malware through advertising.
The web giant launched an initial custom search engine at the beginning of the year, which is designed to allow ad networks to perform quick background checks on prospective advertisers to minimize the risk of malware.
"It checks a variety of independent, third party sites that track possible attempts to distribute malware through advertising," said a statement on the site.
"Its search results should not be considered the last word on a prospective customer, but one potential source of helpful information. If a party you're researching comes up in a search result here, we recommend you take a closer look at the party in question before rendering judgment."
Now the Anti-Malvertising.com site has been enhanced with additional educational materials relevant to "all web publishers, ad operations teams and Internet users", according to Google.
Among the recommendations for publishers is that they always perform comprehensive QA on creatives and that they avoid ad networks without strong anti-malware measures in place.
Also on the site are incident response tactics for small to medium sized publishers, including sample scripts for customer service and notifying ad networks and other third parties in the event of malware being discovered.
There are links to free online security scanning services, recommended further reading and forums.
"The world of online advertising, like the offline world, is a dynamic environment that contains a diverse mix of people with different goals -- both good and bad," the site reads. "This Web site focuses on malvertising (the threat of malware being distributed through advertising) and how you can help prevent it."
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Intel, Nokia Partner for Smartphones of the Future
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67341
Intel and Nokia on Tuesday announced a shared vision and a partnership to develop a new class of smartphones and other computing devices that will run on Intel's chipsets. The devices promise to combine the performance of powerful computers with high-bandwidth mobile broadband communications.
The new mobile platform aims to make way for innovative hardware, software and mobile Internet services through open-standards-based technologies.
"With the convergence of the Internet and mobility as the team's only barrier, I can only imagine the innovation that will come out of our unique relationship with Nokia," said Anand Chandrasekher, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the ultra mobility group. "The possibilities are endless."
The Intel-Nokia partnership includes technology development and cooperation in several open-source software initiatives with the goal of developing common technologies for use in the Moblin and Maemo projects. The technologies will deliver Linux-based operating systems for the yet-to-be-announced mobile-computing devices.
Moblin is an optimized open-source Linux operating system that delivers visually rich Internet media experiences on Intel Atom processor-based devices, including netbooks. Maemo is a Linux operating system, mostly based on open-source code, that powers mobile computers such as the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet.
Nokia and Intel are coordinating their open-source technology selection and development. Collectively, the companies said these technologies will provide an open source, standards-based means to deliver mobile Internet and communication experiences with rich graphics and multimedia capabilities.
"Today's announcement represents a significant commitment to work together on the future of mobile computing, and we plan to turn our joint research into action," said Kai Öistämö, executive vice president of devices at Nokia. We will explore new ideas in designs, materials and displays that will go far beyond devices and services on the market today. This collaboration will be compelling not only for our companies, but also for our...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Verizon, T-Mobile Likely To Offer Motorola Android Phone
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67340
Amid layoffs and plunging profits, Motorola is reportedly seizing the opportunity to expand its reach in the smartphone market. The mobile-phone maker, which developed a Windows-based smartphone, is expected to offer an Android-based smartphone through two top-tier wireless carriers.
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Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile will carry Motorola's new smartphone running Google's open-source operating system, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
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T-Mobile will sell a touchscreen phone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard that will have a variety of built-in social-networking software from providers such as Twitter and Facebook, the source said. Verizon plans to carry a device with similar hardware, including a touchscreen and slide-out keyboard.
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I think we are getting closer and closer to what Co-CEO Sanjay Jha said about the company's smartphone strategy back in October of 2008: That Motorola would utilize the Android platform for smartphones, and that new phones would be available before the end of 2009, said Ramon Llamas, an IDC mobile-phone analyst.
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subheadGetting It Right/subhead
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Motorola's move to enter the Android market isn't a surprise since the company has been hinting about an Android-based phone for the past several months. Motorola, which saw its profit plunge in 2008 and cut more than 4,000 employees this year, will have a tough fight on its hands against smartphone developers and competitors who are already selling Android-based phones.
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Taiwan-based HTC developed a second Android-based smartphone and is making it available through T-Mobile, beginning July 8. T-Mobile on Monday announced the myTouch 3G Android smartphone, which is thinner than the T-Mobile G1, smaller than the iPhone, and comes with a 3.2-inch touchscreen.
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Many factors will have to be in line for Motorola to be successful.
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The company will have to have great distribution partners, offer end users a compelling experience, and timing will have to be perfect. If Verizon and T-Mobile really will carry...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
ATT Will Offer Motorola Karma for Mobile Socializing
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67330
ATT is poised to launch a new Motorola handset later this month that is expressly designed to deliver mobile socializing capabilities. Called the Karma, the 3G handset with QWERTY keyboard -- which will retail for $79.99 after the mail-in rebate -- combines text messaging and instant messaging with one-click Facebook and MySpace icons on the device's home screen.
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Unique visitors to Facebook from ATT's Media Net portal grew over 100 percent in 2008, said ATT Vice President Michael Woodward. Karma's one-click access to Facebook and MySpace will resonate with customers who are committed to keeping up with social-networking sites on the go.
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subhead
Hitting the Sweet Spot
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Mobile-phone users are looking for more from their devices than just an easy way to text, said Motorola Vice President Jeff Miller. They want to update their social-networking status, instant-message multiple friends, make calls, and, of course, text, all while on the go, Miller said.
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Gartner Research Director Carolina Milanesi agrees. Messaging is a really a sweet spot in the United States right now and specifically in the mid-tier, she said.
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But simply offering social-networking features on mobile devices isn't enough, Milanesi said. We'll need to try the device to see how well integrated the applications actually are, she observed. Last November, British mobile operator 3 introduced INQ's Facebook phone, which offers a well-integrated experience.
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Up until now, users have typically associated QWERTY-style keyboards with higher-priced handsets. However, the Motorola Karma indicates that this particular feature will be heading down-market going forward. I think QWERTY is no longer synonymous with expensive, Milanesi said.
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QWERTY keyboards add a level of integration and accuracy that touchscreen technology simply cannot bring to handsets, noted William Stofega, program manager of mobile-device technology and trends at IDC.
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Keyboards in general are more suitable for message-based phones, and that is especially true with the new...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
HP Printer Surfs and Prints Direct From the Web
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67329
Peripherals of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chain to the PC, following Hewlett-Packard's announcement Monday of the world's first Web-connected home printer.
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The HP Photosmart Premium with the company's TouchSmart technology allows users to print directly from online sources. A 4.33-inch TouchSmart panel on the printer -- which HP described as the largest LCD touchscreen of any all-in-one inkjet printer -- helps users navigate to the content they want to turn into hard copies.
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'An Entirely New Printing Platform'
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Twenty-five years ago, said HP Executive Vice President Vyomesh Joshi, HP invented consumer printing, and the company has now reinvented the category with an entirely new printing platform -- powered by touch and empowered by the Web.
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The Photosmart Premium printer comes with HP applications, but users can also download new ones from the HP Apps Studio. After browsing through the touch interface, users can go to a Web site and launch an app for customizing and printing the content.
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HP said its first app partners for what it described as this new content-on-demand delivery platform include USA TODAY, Google, Fandango, Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku, and Weathernews. These partners enable Photosmart Premium owners to customize and print news, maps, coupons, coloring pages, movie tickets, recipes and personal calendars, among other things.
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The printer can also connect directly to a user's Snapfish account to upload, print and view photos. The company hopes a community of users will develop and share new apps, which can be distributed through the Apps Studio beginning later this year.
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The printer, priced at $399, also offers a variety of ways to connect to devices, both wired and wireless. It can print, copy, fax and scan on wires as well as from Wi-Fi-enabled PCs or Bluetooth-enabled devices.
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'Peripherals Becoming More Important'
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Michael Gartenberg, vice president at industry research firm Interpret,...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Apple's iPhone 3GS Sales Strong Even in a Recession
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67314
Apple sold one million iPhone 3GS devices during its launch weekend, leading many to wonder whether the iPhone is recession-proof. Although it's not clear how many of those phones went to consumers who canceled wireless contracts with companies like Verizon and Sprint to get in on the exclusive ATT deal, it's clear that many people may be ready to purchase an iPhone.
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Specifically, four out of 10 BlackBerry and other smartphone users would switch to Apple's iPhone as their next smartphone purchase, according to a survey by Crowd Science. On the other hand, only 14 percent of non-BlackBerry smartphone users would switch to a BlackBerry for their next purchase. Meanwhile, 82 percent of iPhone users are loyal to Apple's device.
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These results reflect the great challenges BlackBerry faces in stemming the iPhone stampede, said John Martin, CEO of Crowd Science. In the days ahead, we'll lean on our research platform and continue to gauge the mindset of smartphone users and address the changing mobile landscape, including the Palm Pre, the iPhone 3GS, and other up-to-the-minute developments.
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subhead
BlackBerry Still Dominates
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Crowd Science offered additional insights into the smartphone population. For starters, iPhone users outpace other smartphone owners in their use of a wide variety of phone functions, from Internet and e-mail to music, Wi-Fi and GPS.
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What's more, when compared with BlackBerry users, iPhone users report a significantly higher overall satisfaction level with their phone. In particular, iPhone users are more satisfied than other smartphone users with the screen size, navigation, availability of add-ons, and video playback. Finally, 71 percent of smartphone owners use their devices for both business and personal matters, with only three percent using them for business alone.
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Apple isn't dominating the smartphone market, though, at least not yet. According to Gartner, Apple doubled its share of the worldwide smartphone market in the first...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Google Service Helps Businesses With Data Mining
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67303
Popular Internet sites like Facebook and Amazon track use of their Web services to better target advertising.
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Now local businesses, even those without Web sites, can monitor customers' online behavior, too.
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This month, Google launched its online Local Business Center to help small businesses manage their Google search listings and track information about their customers.
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The free company listings show up in relevant search queries at the top of Google search results, often accompanied by a business address, contact information and sometimes reviews. They also appear in Google Maps.
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Companies can now monitor how often their business listings appear within Google results, how many times users click through to their Web sites and the most popular search words that lead users to their listings.
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The free tool also lets local businesses see where customers are coming from by giving the ZIP codes of origin when people search for directions using Google Maps.
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With people using Google to find out where to eat and who's the most reliable mechanic, companies could have a lot to gain with the new business tool.
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A lot of these companies that are going to be using the Local Business Center don't have Web sites, said John Zajac, a spokesman for the Better Business Bureau of West Florida. It doesn't mean that they could not benefit from the exposure and from search engine optimization.
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Not only will they be able to customize their listings and provide more information about their services businesses can also use search data to attract new clientele.
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I don't think anybody uses the Yellow Pages anymore, said Charlie Urbizu, owner of Charlie's Scooter Depot in Tampa.
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Everyone is going to the Web, even the old guys like me. In fact, they delivered the Yellow Pages to the house, and I just threw them in the garbage.
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Urbizu opened his store in 1983, and...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
City Drops Request for Internet Passwords
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67300
A flood of criticism has prompted a Montana city to drop its request that government job applicants turn over their user names and passwords to Internet social networking and Web groups.
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The city of Bozeman abruptly suspended the practice Friday, saying it appears to have exceeded that which is acceptable to our community.
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We appreciate the concern many citizens have expressed regarding this practice and apologize for the negative impact this issue is having on the City of Bozeman, City Manager Chris A. Kukulski said in a release.
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Since KBZK-TV of Bozeman reported on the policy Wednesday, Web forums have been abuzz over the issue. The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana immediately questioned the legality of the policy.
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I liken it to them saying they want to look at your love letters and your family photos, said Amy Cannata of the Montana ACLU. I think this policy certainly crosses the privacy line.
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The city initially argued that it only used the information to verify application information. People who refused to provide the information wouldn't be penalized, the city said.
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An excerpt from the city application form said, Please list any and all current personal or business Web sites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.
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Rep. Brady Wiseman, a Bozeman Democrat, led the state's fight against the Patriot Act when the Legislature issued a harsh critique of the federal act, arguing it trampled civil liberties and put the government into a position of snooping on citizens.
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Wiseman said Bozeman had gone too far.
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Asking for passwords is over the line, Wiseman said. I think that this notion opens up a whole new line of debate on privacy.
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The ACLU has not found another government body that asks for such information, Cannata...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Web Support Pours Out for Iran Protesters
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67298
Google and Facebook have rushed out services in Farsi. Twitter users have changed their home cities to Tehran to provide cover for Internet users there. Others have configured their computers to serve as relay points to bypass Iranian censorship.
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In the aftermath of the disputed Iranian election, Internet companies and individuals around the world have stepped in to help Iranians communicate and organize.
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Twitter delayed a scheduled maintenance shutdown so that people could continue to access the microblogging site while scores of Americans set up remote proxy servers so Iranians could access blocked Web sites from inside their country.
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All week, Internet users in the U.S. and around the world fixed their eyes on the events unfolding in Iran, the way viewers might have been glued to their television sets 30 years ago. But unlike 30, or even five years ago, this time they could participate.
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Even if we can't help directly, this is a way of helping indirectly, said Ian Souter, 24, an unemployed computer animator in Lafayette, Ind.
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He and other U.S. Web users set up ways for Iranians to access the Internet using Tor, a service that allows people use the Internet anonymously.
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Even the file-sharing site Pirate Bay, best known for its run-ins with the law over copyright infringement, has jumped in with the launch of a network that helps Iranians surf anonymously.
p
Still, it was difficult to tell just how much of this information was accessible to people inside Iran. The government has restricted communications channels, and cell phone service has been spotty. Many sites were blocked and service has been much slower than normal. Even the use of proxies has grown more difficult as the government finds them, and the country's Revolutionary Guard has sternly warned people against posting objectionable content on Web sites.
p
Craig Labovitz, chief scientist at Chelmsford, Mass.-based Arbor...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
FTC Plans To Monitor Blogs for Claims, Payments
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67294
Savvy consumers often go online for independent consumer reviews of products and services, scouring through comments from everyday Joes and Janes to help them find a gem or shun a lemon.
p
What some fail to realize, though, is that such reviews can be tainted: Many bloggers have accepted perks such as free laptops, trips to Europe, $500 gift cards or even thousands of dollars for a 200-word post. Bloggers vary in how they disclose such freebies, if they do so at all.
p
The practice has grown to the degree that the Federal Trade Commission is paying attention. New guidelines, expected to be approved late this summer with possible modifications, would clarify that the agency can go after bloggers -- as well as the companies that compensate them -- for any false claims or failure to disclose conflicts of interest.
p
It would be the first time the FTC tries to patrol systematically what bloggers say and do online. The common practice of posting a graphical ad or a link to an online retailer -- and getting commissions for any sales from it -- would be enough to trigger oversight.
p
If you walk into a department store, you know the (sales) clerk is a clerk, said Rich Cleland, assistant director in the FTC's division of advertising practices. Online, if you think that somebody is providing you with independent advice and ... they have an economic motive for what they're saying, that's information a consumer should know.
p
The guidelines also would bring uniformity to a community that has shunned that.
p
As blogging rises in importance and sophistication, it has taken on characteristics of community journalism -- but without consensus on the types of ethical practices typically found in traditional media.
p
Journalists who work for newspapers and broadcasters are held accountable by their employers, and they generally cannot receive payments from...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
Building European Brands Through Social Media
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67290
When British confectionary giant Cadbury wanted to promote its new Crème Egg Twisted bar recently, it turned to social media. Dubbed Operation Goo, the initiative invites British consumers to become CIA agents. (That's Cadbury Intelligence Agents, of which there are now 9,082.) Their mission, if they choose to accept it, is to track down Twisted bars across Britain via clues sent on microblogging site Twitter. Cadbury then selected 10 so-called super-agents, who use online clues to track down the goo. Supplied with Flip cameras by Cadbury, the agents then film their exploits, upload them on YouTube, and win points for generating the most social media exposure via tweets and videos. The agent with the most points by mid-July gets $33,000.
p
It's the kind of buzz money just can't buy. And Cadbury isn't the only major European brand experimenting with social media. Cell-phone operator Vodafone, for instance, uses Twitter as both a marketing and customer-service tool. British consumer products company Unilever is creating online communities aimed at the brand's target customers, urging teenage girls or new moms to create original content from Web films to new product ideas. Social media is reinventing the way brands engage with their customers, says Norm Johnston, global digital leader at WPP-owned ad agency Mindshare in London.
p
Moreover, companies such as Cadbury are finding that the likes of Twitter, YouTube, and Bebo are inexpensive and effective ways to advertise. By creating a fun online environment that meshes various social media applications, companies are attempting to attract a powerful army of brand ambassadors whose online tweets and videos are more effective than any 30-second television ad. Cadbury declined to comment on the grounds it is too early to judge the success of its promotional initiative.
p
subhead
Testing Out Twitter
/subhead
p
Considering that Twitter itself is just three years old, it's understandable that companies...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
My PC Shrunk the Hard Drive: IT Measurements Confuse
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67289
The packaging says 500 gigabytes of storage, yet when that new hard drive is plugged into a computer it only shows up as having 465 gigabytes available.
p
Where's the rest of the space, bewildered buyers might ask. The answer is both simple and complicated: The difference is based on different calculation methods employed by manufacturers of storage media and operating system developers.
p
The bigger the storage, the more the difference becomes obvious -- as much as ten percent for a one terabyte hard drive. And to make matters worse, another small portion of the hard drive is lost when the device is formatted.
p
Many consumers presume that 1,000 bytes is a kilobyte, and that 1,000 kilobytes are a megabyte. After all, 1,000 metres make one kilometre, and 1,000 grams make one kilogram. Things are calculated differently in the world of IT, says Gerhard Henninger, an expert in multimedia standards at the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic, Information Technologies (DKE) in Frankfurt.
p
Computers work on a base two, not a base ten system. Properly speaking, that means that a kilobyte is not 1,000, but rather 1,024 bytes.
p
Just as engine makers typically round up displacement sizes, many producers of storage media -- hard drives, flash drives, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and so on -- make their products out to be bigger than they really are. They do so by listing the size as a factor of ten instead of a factor of two. That means making 1000 bytes into a kilobyte.
p
Yet nothing they say will convince an actual computer that 1024 bytes are a kilobyte. The operating system nevertheless requires more kilobytes to produce that gigabyte or terabyte figure quoted by the manufacturer.
p
Because the difference between 1000 and 1024 bytes is only 2.4 percent, the difference is not that noticeable at the kilobyte level. Yet at...
Wed, 24 Jun 09
New Crop of Rivals Challenge Apple's iPhone
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67288
In the roughly two years since the launch of the iPhone, Apple has done a good job of shaking up the mobile phone industry.
p
While many have tried to imitate the now iconic device, none have succeeded yet in seriously challenging the iPhone in terms of reputation and lasting popularity. A new spate of serious challengers has recently entered the market, however, meaning that the chase is back on.
p
The new Palm Pre from smartphone specialist Palm is generally viewed in the industry as a strong iPhone competitor. The device received a good deal of positive press prior to its recent release in an exclusive distribution deal with cellular service provider Sprint.
p
The Pre offers several benefits compared with the iPhone, starting with its ability to run multiple programs at once. Another major selling point: a real hardware keyboard to accompany the virtual one. However, the Pre did have to launch without anywhere near the critical mass of applications now available through Apple's App Store.
p
The G1 from HTC hit the market some time ago as the first phone running Google's Android operating system. Some saw in it the potential to challenge the iPhone for its crown. Yet it never awakened the wave of enthusiasm that the iPhone did.
p
The Taiwanese manufacturer is now releasing its second Android phone, the HTC Magic, to be followed shortly thereafter by Samsung's Galaxy, that company's first Android cell.
p
All of the devices are designed for direct access to the Internet and feature applications from Google, like Maps and Gmail. Because Android is an open source operating system, developers can program their own applications for download from the Android Market, akin to the App Store.
p
Canadian hardware maker BlackBerry boasted a 19.9 percent market share in a recent report from Gartner, putting it significantly ahead of Apple.
p
The Blackberry started out as...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Impatient Palm Pre Developers Are Hacking webOS
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67312
Palm indicated last week that is working to make its Mojo software development kit for the new Palm Pre available to all developers before the end of the summer. Though Palm initially restricted SDK access to a limited number of partners, the company now says it is ready to take a limited number of applications from developers.
But Palm said not everyone will receive the new SDK right away because it wants a small group of developers to kick the tires on its APIs, tools and docs before releasing them to the rest of the world.
"Our goal is to make the SDK available to everyone by the end of this summer, and to get there in stages," said Palm Developer Community Manager Chuq Von Rospach. "Beginning immediately, we'll accelerate the growth of the early-access program," which "will grow from hundreds to thousands of developers."
According to Medialets, the Palm Pre application catalog has already grown from 18 applications at the smartphone's launch June 6 to 30 applications as of last week. During this period, the Palm Pre catalog generated more than 650,000 software downloads, the mobile analytics firm said.
Medialets notes that one of the major holdups behind Palm's release of a public SDK is the Palm Pre app catalog itself. Developers have been continually jockeying to position themselves at the top of the catalog's "most recent" category by simply posting an upgrade, which changes the date of the app and moves it up the list, the mobile analytics firm observed.
"After all the gaming we've seen take place in the app store, this issue, coupled with a lack of a payment system in the store itself, are two of the major reasons why the app catalog isn't ready to handle the volume of submissions that a public SDK...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Baidu Seeks To Grow Amid China's Criticism of Google
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67311
The Chinese government's criticism of Google's China service, google.cn, is helping its Chinese rival grow stronger.
Baidu, the number-one search engine in China, now may have an even bigger competitive lead thanks to the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center. CIIIRC, a Chinese watchdog group, last week accused Google of allowing pornography and other vulgar content to be viewed in China.
Google executives met with Chinese officials over the weekend to discuss their concerns. "We will continue to meet with the government to address their concerns, and we wish to communicate directly with them in regard to our services and progress in addressing this problem, Google China spokesperson Cui Jin told the Global Times.
While Google attempts to settle the allegations from Chinese officials, Baidu.com, often referred to as the Google of China because of its resemblance to Google's design and layout, continues to gain strength.
Baidu has grown over the past few years with 62.2 percent market share in 2008, up from 59.3 percent in 2007, according to Analysys International, a research company in Beijing. Google's share in China for 2008 was much lower, 27.8 percent.
The Chinese search giant, which was ranked the third-largest search company worldwide in 2008, is considering how to increase its lead over Google. The company is luring advertisers to its Web sites and considering several acquisitions, according to the Bloomberg news service.
"Internet is at an early stage of its development; it's dynamic and we need to stay ahead," Baidu CFO Jennifer Li told Bloomberg on Friday.
Currently, users of Baidu.com can both link to and download unlicensed music. That service is often considered one of the main factors behind its success in China over Google, which doesn't offer a similar service.
For Baidu, staying ahead might mean finding legal ways to offer...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Microsoft Offers Tool To Decide on Windows 7 Upgrades
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67310
Microsoft has released a beta version of a application that aims to make it easier for its customers and partners to identify what servers, workstations and network devices are in their IT environment. The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 (MAP) is designed for companies that are considering whether to upgrade their desktop operating systems to Windows 7.
The software giant describes MAP as an agentless and scalable toolkit IT administrators can rely on to discover all computers within Active Directory and workgroup environments.
The toolkit conducts hardware and device inventory and hardware-compatibility analysis. MAP also generates actionable, environment-specific IT proposals for migration to most major Microsoft technologies. It even identifies candidates for power-saving opportunities, virtualization and security vulnerabilities.
Microsoft said more than 680,000 of its customers and partners, including Costco, Continental Airlines, and Banque de Luxembourg have already downloaded and used the toolkit. Companies can download MAP from Microsoft's TechNet Web site.
But will enterprises adopt Windows 7? Should they? Any CIO worth his or her salt normally would never migrate to a new version of Windows before it has been proven stable, according to Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates.
Conventional wisdom says to wait for Service Pack 1. Since SP1 usually doesn't arrive until a year after a new OS launch, most of Microsoft's early shipments traditionally go to consumers buying new PCs with the latest OS installed. In the first year, the percentage of commercial buyers who adopt a new OS usually remains in the single digits. However, Kay said, it may be different this time around.
"Microsoft has learned from its mistakes, and a new methodology has been put in place by Steven Sinofsky, head of the Windows development effort. Most importantly, Windows 7's feature set was 98 percent locked early in the process," Kay said....
Tue, 23 Jun 09
T-Mobile's myTouch 3G Is Its Second Android Phone
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67309
The number of Android phones available in the U.S. doubled with T-Mobile's launch Monday of the myTouch 3G. The smartphone follows the successful launch last year of the T-Mobile G1, the first device to use the Google-backed, open-source mobile operating system.
Samsung was to release an Android phone, the i7500, in Europe, and other manufacturers are expected to release more devices this year.
The new myTouch 3G features a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen, and a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one like the G1. There's also a 3.2-megapixel camera, a preinstalled 4GB microSD memory card, and Wi-Fi as well as 3G connectivity.
The name is intended to emphasize the company's promotion of myTouch as a personalized phone. "There's no cookie-cutter approach" with this device, said T-Mobile USA Chief Marketing Officer Denny Marie Post. She added that there are "boundless possibilities" to make the phone "uniquely yours."
Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said the emphasis on personalization includes case-customization options, which are "generally not available on competing smartphone platforms." He said T-Mobile told him the goal is "when you pick up someone's myTouch, it reflects that person."
Another opportunity for customization includes GENIE, a "learning engine" application from Geodelic that comes with myTouch and automatically customizes the user experience based on user behavior and feedback.
GENIE, which stands for Geodelic ENgine for Interest Evaluation, tracks a user's likes and dislikes through a combination of behavior recognition, a recommendation engine, and location-based information, providing recommendations for stories, restaurants and other offerings.
As an Android phone, myTouch also has access to other third-party applications in the Android Market.
Greengart noted that the phone is a rebranding of the HTC model otherwise known as the Magic, previously available outside the U.S. The myTouch was referred to as the G2 in early...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Internet Boycott Urged To Protest China's Blocking
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67308
Chinese Web surfers are being asked to stay off the Internet on July 1 to protest the Chinese government's demand that blocking software Green Dam Youth Escort be installed on all PCs sold in China.
That is the date the software filter sold by Jinhui Computer System Engineering is due to debut. All PCs sold in China on and after this date must have the software. It's also the anniversary date of the founding of the Communist Party in China.
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology insists the software is needed to block pornography, and has mandated that it either be installed on new PCs or the installer CDs be included in the PC package. Computer makers, including Dell and Hewlett-Packard, have protested the order.
Boycott organizer Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist, reportedly believes an Internet boycott will be a safe way to protest the Chinese government's censorship plans. In a Twitter post, he wrote in Chinese, "Stop any online activities, including working, reading, chatting, blogging, gaming and mailing. Don't explain your behavior."
In a survey by the Beijing Times, a majority of respondents said Green Dam violates privacy. They said that after a free one-year subscription expires, they are not willing to pay for it.
The Chinese government has been waging a campaign against an open Internet. Last week it accused Google's Chinese version and other sites of "disseminating pornographic and vulgar information" and asked them to remove it.
The government is apparently concerned about dissent during important anniversaries this year, including the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests leading to the Tiananmen Square massacre, referred to in China as the June 4th Incident. Tanks were used to clear the square, and the Red Cross has estimated that 2,500 people died and 7,000 to 10,000 were wounded.
Tue, 23 Jun 09
iPhone 3GS Sales Top One Million Over Weekend
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67287
The initial iPhone 3GS numbers are in -- and Apple's CEO is back in the news. Apple said it sold more than one million iPhone 3GS smartphones over the weekend.
Those numbers fly in the face of analysts who predicted the latest device would not meet with the same level of demand as previous versions because the upgrade wasn't as dramatic as the last one, the iPhone 3G.
Apple also reported six million downloads of the new iPhone OS 3.0 software in the first five days since its release. The iPhone 3GS is now available in eight countries, with the software download available to users worldwide.
"Customers are voting, and the iPhone is winning. With over 50,000 applications available from Apple's revolutionary App Store, iPhone momentum is stronger than ever," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported Jobs underwent a liver transplant two months ago and is still expected to return to Apple, at least part-time, this month.
The new iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most powerful iPhone to date -- twice as fast as the iPhone 3G. The 3GS has longer battery life, a high-quality three-megapixel autofocus camera, video recording, and hands-free voice control. The iPhone 3GS 16GB model is selling for $199 and the 32GB model for $299 with a new two-year contract with AT&T.
"The 3GS is an incremental increase in the hardware. It's faster. It has a compass. It has a better camera," said Mike Disabato, a senior analyst at The Burton Group. "I don't need a compass. What I need is more memory, and the one thing Apple didn't include with the new iPhone is the microSD card."
A microSD card is a removable flash-memory card. Disabato would like the ability to give his iPhone a partial dual personality by putting his private...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
GTA: Chinatown Wars Will Be Adapted To Sony PSP
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67286
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is coming to Sony's PlayStation Portable. Rockstar Games said the Nintendo DS game will be adapted to the PSP platform and be available this fall.
New story missions, enhanced lighting and animation, and upscale widescreen graphics are promised for the PSP version. It will be developed by the Rockstar Leeds studio.
The violent game for the Nintendo DS has been a slow seller, with only 163,000 copies purchased by mid-May. The game released in March has received good reviews.
The PSP version will be available on UMD for older disc-based PSPs and on the PlayStation Network.
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Stanford Indicted in Alleged $7B Fraud Scheme
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67280
Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford, whose sprawling banking empire collapsed this year, was indicted Friday for what prosecutors call a $7 billion scheme to defraud investors.
Justice Department officials announced the fraud charges against Stanford, who ran Stanford Financial Group, and six others at a news conference Friday. Also indicted were executives of the company and a former Antiguan bank regulator.
The Securities and Exchange Commission, in court papers Friday, offered new details about the alleged Ponzi scheme, including the bribing of a regulator to turn a blind eye. The agency's enforcement director, Robert Khuzami, said investigators have built "an impressive criminal case from the rubble of this massive fraud."
If convicted of all charges in the 21-count indictment, Stanford could face as much as 250 years in prison, officials said.
Dick DeGuerin, Stanford's lawyer, said in a written statement that Stanford was "confident that a fair jury will find him not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing."
The indictment unsealed Friday in Houston charged Stanford and other executives at his firm "would cause the movement of millions of dollars of fraudulently obtained investors' funds from and among bank accounts."
The firm would give money to some investors "to perpetuate the false appearance that (Stanford's business) was financially sound," according to the indictment.
Court papers charge Stanford and top executives orchestrated a massive fraud by advising clients to buy certificates of deposit from the Antigua-based Stanford International Bank.
Stanford has been working since February to challenge what his attorney called "the false accusations against him." DeGuerin said that rather than resulting from fraud or a Ponzi scheme, "the present insolvency of the Stanford Companies was caused by the SEC heavy-handed actions, which have destroyed and continue to destroy much of the value" of the companies and their investors.
Stanford, in FBI custody after surrendering Thursday, was to appear in federal...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Google Invests $2.6M in Startup Tied to Brin
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67276
Google Inc. loves 23andMe Inc., a biotechnology startup conceived by co-founder Sergey Brin's wife.
In its latest showing of financial affinity, Google disclosed Thursday that it has invested another $2.6 million in a company that analyzes people's DNA to detect potential health problems before they occur.
Anne Wojcicki, who married Brin two years ago, started 23andMe while the couple was still dating.
Just a few weeks after Brin's marriage, Google announced that it had bought a minority stake in 23andMe for $3.9 million. The Internet search leader placed another $500,000 in 23andMe in late 2007.
Part of Google's original investment was used to repay $2.6 million in financing that Brin had provided 23andMe.
Since then, Brin has also used a sliver of his $12 billion fortune to invest about $10 million in his wife's venture, according to Google's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Brin, 35, discovered from a 23andMe scan that he carries a genetic mutation increasing his risk of developing Parkinson's.
Google's decision to invest in a startup near and dear to Brin hasn't yet raised complaints about nepotism among the Mountain View-based company's major shareholders.
The $7 million that Google has invested in 23andMe barely dented the Internet search leader's bank account. Google had nearly $18 billion in cash and marketable securities at the end of March.
Besides its investment, Google also agreed to lease some of its office space to 23andMe, which also is based in Mountain View.
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Microsoft Readies Free PC Security Software
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67275
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it plans to release a beta test of its free computer security program next week and is on track to launch a finished product in the fall.
The program, Microsoft Security Essentials, is designed to find and kill malicious software that can steal passwords and other personal information or turn PCs into spam distribution hubs.
Once the PC security software is installed, Microsoft said it will download updated lists of identified malware daily, but will keep a low profile unless it detects dangerous software.
Theresa Burch, a director on the security software team, said the program tries to spot malicious software even if it's not on the list of known corrupters. When it encounters something suspicious, it checks with a Microsoft server for updated intelligence before allowing the program to run, a process Burch said is almost instantaneous.
Microsoft also maintains a database of trusted software sources, so the tool won't accidentally block items like Google Inc.'s Web browser toolbar, she said.
Security Essentials will compete with rival subscription programs from McAfee Inc. and Symantec Corp., and with several other free packages. But Burch said Microsoft isn't going after those company's customers -- instead, the goal is to improve security overall by getting people who don't have current antivirus software to protect their PCs.
In fact, it's important that Microsoft's competitors stay in business, Burch said.
"If there was only one solution out there addressing threats, all the malicious software developers out there would have a very easy target," she said.
The security software will come as a free download, but it won't be part of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, which goes on sale in October. Bundling the two could be fodder for antitrust complaints.
After the final version launches, Microsoft will discontinue its existing security program, the more robust $50 Windows Live OneCare.
In...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Thief View: Police Nab Twins Snapped on Google
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67272
Dutch police have arrested twin brothers on suspicion of robbery after their alleged victim spotted a picture of them following him on Google's Street View map application, a spokesman said Friday.
Paul Eidanus, a police spokesman in the town of Groningen, said he believed the case was the first time Street View images had been used in a Dutch criminal investigation.
"For us, it is unique," he said.
A 14-year-old boy told police last September he had been robbed of euro165 ($230) and his cell phone after two men dragged him off his bicycle in Groningen, 180 kilometers (110 miles) northeast of the capital, Amsterdam.
The victim called again in March after seeing an image of himself and two men he believed were his attackers on Street View, police said in a statement.
Eidanus said police asked Google for the original photo because people's faces are blurred on Street View.
"You must tell Google clearly why you want them," Eidanus said of the photo request. In this case, "the photo could provide an important contribution to solving a crime."
The company complied, and a robbery squad detective immediately recognized one of the twins.
Prosecutors will now decide whether to charge the suspects, whose identities were not released.
Since it was launched in 2007, Street View has expanded to more than 100 cities worldwide. But it has drawn complaints from individuals and institutions that have been photographed, including the Pentagon, which barred Google from photographing U.S. military bases for the application.
A spokesman for Google in the Netherlands did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Tue, 23 Jun 09
Internet Marketing: Is Regulation Coming?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67269
The impetus to regulate online marketing may be gathering steam. On June 18 a House of Representatives subcommittee held a hearing to take a closer look at how advertisers gather and use information on consumers' Web-surfing habits.
Up to now the government has had a hands-off policy toward online marketing, giving companies relatively free rein in how they use tools that track what people do online and then use that data to deliver tailored marketing messages. Although regulation is likely to be far off, it would surely rewrite how Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Facebook, and a wide range of other Internet companies grapple for share in the $25.7 billion online ad market.
The hearing, which brought together representatives of Web companies and online privacy advocates, may mark "the beginning of the end of self-regulation for online advertising," says Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center [EPIC].
Advocates of regulation say Internet companies need to be more up-front about their use of so-called behavioral targeting, which includes placing "cookies" and other software designed to discern a computer user's tastes and preferences -- information that marketers can use to better deliver online ads. Representative Rick Boucher [D-Va.], who chairs the House subcommittee on communications, technology, and the Internet, has stated publicly since February that he plans to draft legislation on targeting practices this year. He says sites should maintain plain-language privacy policies, visitors should be able to opt out of data collection, and any third-party companies working with publishers must obtain permission from Web users before acquiring or using their information.
Privacy advocates say behavioral targeting is becoming more prevalent with increased use of ad-supported Web sites and services and that it's getting easier to disguise the practice as technologies become increasingly sophisticated. "The current model is going to collapse because the...
Tue, 23 Jun 09
RIM: Big Plans for the Second Half
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67268
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is benefiting from buoyant demand for smartphones, but not as much as some investors had hoped.
The Canadian company said on June 18 that fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 33 percent, to $1.12 a share, as sales jumped 53 percent from a year earlier.
RIM's performance reflects rising demand for smartphones, the handheld devices that offer e-mail and other features along with voice calling, even as consumers curtail spending on traditional cell phones and other electronics. The results also demonstrate that RIM is holding its own against formidable rivals, including Apple, maker of the newly updated iPhone, and Palm, which earlier this month began selling the long-awaited Pre.
Still, RIM shares initially slumped in extended trading after the report was released, when the company's projections for the current quarter failed to match expectations of the most optimistic Wall Street analysts. "The hopes were so high that they were impossible to meet," says Peter Misek, an analyst at Canaccord Adams. "Even a super-athlete can't jump over a 4-meter bar The expectations just got out of hand." RIM said it expects to sell 8.1 million to 8.7 million devices, adding 3.8 million to 4.1 million subscribers, in the quarter ending on Aug. 29. Both figures were less than some of the more optimistic analysts had predicted.
RIM also called for sales of $3.45 billion to $3.7 billion this quarter and expects gross margins, which measure profitability, in the 43 percent-44 percent range. Those forecasts were in keeping with analysts' average projections. Shares of RIM initially fell 7 percent but recovered to $76.06. In regular trading the stock had slipped less than 1 percent, to $76.55.
RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie allayed concerns in a conference call with analysts, saying he expects a surge in the second half of the calendar year and...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
New Search Engines Offer Real-Time Results
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67285
Despite the overwhelming market dominance of Google and the media hype surrounding the launch of Microsoft's snazzy new service, Bing, not everyone is convinced that Internet search has reached the end of its evolutionary path.
That's the theory, at least, of new search engines like Collecta and CrowdEye, which argue that, like prehistoric dinosaurs, Google, Bing and Yahoo are simply too slow to keep up with today's rapid-fire Internet. Instead, they argue, searchers can get better and more timely information from real-time search results.
"The industry is abuzz with the idea of real-time search," said Gerry Campbell, CEO of Collecta. "But for most companies touting these services, 'real time' equates to timely or recent, not necessarily now. From a structural standpoint, Collecta is the only true real-time search solution out there."
CrowdEye, for one, begs to differ. Developed by Ken and Becca Moss, two former Microsoft employees, the search engine concentrates on searching the millions of tweets that flow through Twitter each hour. In the process, it compiles a list of popular related words, hash tags, and links posted by Twitter users. The resulting information is presented in a simple, uncluttered grid.
The chief difference between the two lies in the fact that Collecta is designed to be dynamic, in the sense that results are constantly updated and flow down the screen as new results come in. In appearance, it's more of a search feed than a search engine. CrowdEye, by contrast, provides a more traditional snapshot of Web activity.
For analyst Greg Sterling, founding principal of Sterling Market Intelligence, the jury is still out on how successful these search engines will be. "Twitter-based search engines have limited utility right now," Sterling said. "They're very interesting, and real-time search is clearly here to stay. How the public reacts to services like these,...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
FCC To Probe Carriers' Exclusive Handset Deals
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67282
Responding to concerns expressed on Capitol Hill this week concerning exclusive arrangements between the cellular industry's biggest carriers and handset manufacturers, acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps said Thursday that he has instructed the FCC's Communication Bureau to begin crafting an official investigation.
"The commission as the expert agency should determine whether some of these arrangements adversely restrict consumer choice or harm the development of innovative devices, and it should take appropriate action if it finds harm," Copps said. "In the fast-changing wireless handset market, we must ensure that consumers are able to reap the benefits that a robust and innovative competitive marketplace can bestow."
According to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the question at the heart of the exclusivity debate is whether the practice "is better or worse for competition, for innovation, and for the American consumer if the carrier controls the decision over what devices can and cannot operate on their network." He added, "I think the Commerce Committee should consider how the wireless industry is functioning and whether current practices are in the best interest of competition and the consumer."
AT&T defended its exclusivity deal for Apple's iPhone before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet on Wednesday, saying that such arrangements encourage the necessary collaboration that accelerates the delivery of next-generation features and leads to optimal handset performance.
"They increase a carrier's incentives to make purchase commitments and to invest in promotions, network improvements, and special training of sales staff," said Paul Roth, president of retail sales and services at AT&T Services. "They lower manufacturer entry barriers and serve as a key tool to maintain brand value and, as an important form of competition, they encourage other carriers and manufacturers to do better by improving their own handset portfolios or the prices, features and...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
City Wants Job Seekers' Social-Network Passwords
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67281
One city in Montana wants more than a job applicant's telephone number and address. Along with their job experience, city officials in Bozeman, Montana, are asking job seekers to provide passwords to social-network Web sites and other online groups to which they belong.
Job applicants are being asked to sign a waiver that allows the city to not only check prior work experience, education and credit history, but also to check their social networks, blogs, and Internet chat rooms or forums.
"Please list any and all current personal or business Web sites, Web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.," the application states, according to KBZK, the Montana news station that received a tip from a job applicant.
Bozeman's city attorney, Greg Sullivan, is defending the practice, saying the government has a responsibility to protect the public, and therefore asking for the information is necessary.
"So we have positions ranging from fire and police, which require people of high integrity for those positions all the way down to the lifeguards and the folks that work in city hall here," Sullivan told KBZK. "So we do those types of investigations to make sure the people that we hire have the highest moral character and are a good fit for the city."
Bozeman began requiring the information approximately three to four years ago, when social-networking Web sites became mainstream and popular for people to use, according to Sullivan.
Aside from job seekers having their own privacy threatened, applicants are worried that government officials will also have access to their friends' and family's information, because social-networking sites such as Facebook include a user's list of friends and information about those friends.
To deal with that concern, Sullivan was asked...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
China Demands Google Block Pornographic Content
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67279
As part of its ongoing crackdown on Web activity, the Chinese government is demanding that Google's Chinese operation (google.cn) block the access of Chinese citizens to overseas content that is "pornographic and vulgar."
The China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center, an Internet watchdog run by Chinese authorities, harshly criticized Google in the state press, saying it allows "foreign Internet pornographic information." Similar charges were broadcast on a state-run television station.
In response, Google issued an e-mail statement saying it is working with Chinese authorities to limit access to "pornographic content and material that is harmful to children on the Web in China."
"We are undertaking a thorough review of our service," Google said, "and taking all necessary steps to fix any problems with our results. We believe we have addressed a large majority of the problem results."
The New York Times reported that Chinese authorities blocked the ability of the Chinese Google site to provide a drop-down menu of suggested search terms, on the grounds that many of the search suggestions were lewd and indecent. Chinese state media also said the government blocked the ability of Chinese citizens to search foreign Web sites, but the Times said overseas sites were still accessible as of Thursday night.
The issue of censorship in the world's most populous nation has received considerable attention lately, following reports that China planned to require all PCs sold in the country to include a software filter program known as Green Dam-Youth Escort.
The announcement caused a sharp backlash in the international community, in part because the software blocks politically sensitive content as well as pornography, and in part because the software is riddled with security flaws that could allow unauthorized installation of malware or even remote PC control.
As criticism of the Green Dam initiative mounted, Chinese authorities moderated their...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Free Microsoft Security Software Due Out Next Week
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67278
Microsoft's free software to battle malware will be released Tuesday through its Web site, the company has confirmed. Called Microsoft Security Essentials, it consists of the anti-malware components of Windows Live OneCare, for which there has been an annual charge of $49.95.
Security Essentials helps protect a PC against viruses, spyware, Trojans, rootkits and other harmful software. The free service is expected to compete directly with the lower-end offerings of McAfee and Symantec, two of the leading providers of security software.
Security Essentials will be available for PCs running Windows Vista, XP and the upcoming Windows 7 operating system, and will initially be available for users in U.S., Israel and Brazil, in English and Portuguese.
Last week, the software giant said Morro, as the security program was then called, was being tested internally among employees and would be released at an unspecified point this year.
Microsoft offered similar security software through its Live OneCare, which it said last year would be discontinued. The software giant has announced that retail sales for OneCare will be discontinued by the end of June, with support continuing through the end of current subscriptions. As Security Essentials rolls out, all OneCare sales, including online, will be phased out.
The new Security Essentials can regularly update itself with signatures of new malware through its online signature service. To do so, auto updates will need to be enabled in Windows.
Chris Christiansen, an analyst with industry research firm IDC, described the software as "a good thing" because there are "fairly low levels" of security subscription rates among PC users.
According to industry observers, this has been a concern at Microsoft because PCs have been getting infected, and it has been impacting the Microsoft experience as well as the operating system's reputation. Some analysts have also noted that...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Illegal Song Sharing Costs Single Mom $1.92 Million
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67266
In what turned out to be a nightmare for the defendant, a federal jury on Thursday ruled that Jammie Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs. Record companies were awarded $80,000 per song, for a total of $1.92 million.
This is the second time Thomas-Rasset went to trial on the matter. The single mother from Minnesota had planned to appeal the first ruling that came down from a different federal court in October 2007. But the judge in that case decided he had given the jury erroneous instructions and a new trial was ordered.
Thomas-Rasset may wish she had settled for the original verdict. The recompense for sharing copyright-protected music online in the first trial was only $220,000. Either way, she has said publicly that the record labels can't collect money she doesn't have.
The plaintiffs, which include Virgin Records, Sony BMG, Capitol Records, Arista Records, Warner Bros., UMG Recordings, and Interscope Records, claimed Thomas-Rasset distributed 1,702 copyrighted audio files on file-sharing network Kazaa in 2005.
"We appreciate the jury's service and that they take this as seriously as we do," the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said. "We are pleased that the jury agreed with the evidence and found the defendant liable. Since day one, we have been willing to settle this case, and we remain willing to do so."
Under oath, Thomas-Rasset denied that a folder on the Kazaa network that contained illegal files of copyrighted songs belonged to her. But experts testified that the Internet address used by "tereastarr," the name of the Kazaa user who infringed, belonged to Thomas-Rasset.
The RIAA had reportedly given Thomas-Rasset the opportunity to settle the case for between $3,000 and $5,000, but she declined. The jury could have awarded up to $150,000 per song under federal law.
The precedent-setting case is part of the...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
iPhone 3GS Challenges BlackBerry for Business Use
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67265
The new iPhone 3GS went on sale Friday morning with new and improved features that may draw more business users as Apple moves to challenge the dominance of BlackBerry.
The lines are not as long and the frenzy not as strong as Apple saw with previous iPhone launches, but the demand on the street seems healthy. Advance orders may have helped reduce the long waits in lines at retail stores across the country.
"We understand that customers are eager to get their hands on this great new device," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets. "So we've worked hard to make the experience as easy as possible."
Despite the preparation on AT&T's part, reports of Apple's servers lagging under the strain of new iPhone 3GS activations are widespread. Complicating matters is older iPhone owners trying to download the iPhone OS 3.0 software to their devices. But it's the new operating system that may help draw business users to the new iPhone.
Beyond the speed of the iPhone 3GS, the OS 3.0 software offers mobile-phone users a slew of new features that are driving downloads, more than 100 in all. Some analysts expect the upgraded hardware-software combination to cause some business users to consider the device ready for corporate prime time.
Features like Cut, Copy and Paste that are found on the BlackBerry were previously missing from the iPhone. The ability to capture and send audio recordings on the go with a new Voice Memo app may also be attractive to business users. On the security front, a feature called Remote Wipe lets you erase all the data on an iPhone that gets lost, reducing the possibility of proprietary information getting into the wrong hands.
A feature called Spotlight Search lets users search across the iPhone or within...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Back Up Or Tune In: Thumb Drives Make It Easy
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67256
It's easy to take thumb drives for granted. These cheap little chunks of flash memory, which plug into a computer's USB port, are almost as plentiful as popcorn. I've got a plastic bag full of them at home, sent out as electronic press releases by various technology companies.
When a gadget becomes this commonplace, we can lose sight of its value. A thumb drive is more than a handy way to tote data files between home and office. Loaded with the right software, these drives can automatically preserve your critical data files, scan your computer for viruses, or tune in your favorite Internet audio streams.
Let's begin with dessert. There's lots of audio entertainment online, and a new USB thumb drive from Aluratek Inc. makes it easy to tune in.
The Aluratek USB Internet Radio Jukebox has been programmed with the addresses of 13,000 online audio streams. When plugged in, it displays tuning software that lets you quickly find every conceivable kind of music, as well as news, sports, and weather reports.
You can find these Internet broadcasters for free, if you know where to look, or you can pay about $20 for Aluratek's thumb drive and let the software find it for you.
File backup is serious business, and it's now practical to save your backups to a large-capacity thumb drive, like SanDisk Corp.'s Ultra Backup.
You can buy one with storage capacity of up to 64 gigabytes, and with the backup software programmed right into the drive. Just plug it into a USB port to install it. You can set the drive to back up every file in sight.
Or you can set it to copy only certain types of files -- documents, photos, music. Then, just push the "backup" button on top of the thumb drive and go have a cup of coffee.
That's the...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
As Broadband Expands Rapidly, America's Poor Lag
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67253
Recession or no, more Americans are getting online via fast, higher-priced connections, a closely watched study of U.S. Internet use has found. As of April, 63 percent of U.S. adults had broadband Internet connections in their homes, according to the Pew Research Center. That's a big jump from a year earlier, when a comparable survey found that only 55 percent of U.S. adults had broadband access at home.
Survey participants reported they're paying an average of $39 a month for broadband service, up from $34.50 a year earlier. At $39 per month, the average price is as high as it was in 2004 before it fell for the next four years. More consumers regard a broadband Internet connection as a necessity akin to electricity or water service, says John Horrigan, associate director for the Pew center.
"Not very many people said they were cutting back on Internet service," Horrigan says. "They were more likely to be cutting back on their cell-phone plan or their cable TV service plan. It seems like broadband has a special place in the minds of people as something they would prefer not to give up."
The fresh research helps outline the challenges facing the Obama Administration as it determines how to distribute $7.2 billion in economic stimulus money for expanding broadband access. Despite deeper penetration and a growing willingness to spend more money on Internet access, 37 percent of U.S. adults remain without broadband.
Income remains one of the largest barriers. Of those respondents classified as non-Internet users, 82 percent reported incomes of $40,000 a year or less; almost half earn less than $20,000 annually. Only one-quarter live in rural areas, where telecom companies often view low population density as a disincentive to building broadband systems.
Pew's findings were presented at the National Broadband Strategy Symposium...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
AT&T Relents on iPhone Pricing for Upgraders
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67252
AT&T Inc. will allow some current iPhone owners to upgrade to a new model at the same price as new buyers when it is released Friday.
Wednesday's announcement comes after AT&T took some criticism from iPhone owners who felt that its prices were unfair. Current owners would have to pay $399 for the cheapest version of the new iPhone 3G S, compared with $199 for new buyers.
The Dallas-based carrier heavily subsidizes the purchase price of the phone, and it takes a while for it to make that money back through monthly service fees. That means it doesn't want to sell new, subsidized phones to customers who haven't "paid off" their old phones.
Customers qualify for the "new buyer" price after a certain period, determined by a formula. Factors include how much they pay per month and whether they're current on their payments. Those who pay at least $100 a month generally qualify 12 to 18 months after purchase, AT&T said.
But the most recent iPhone model, the 3G, went on sale 11 months ago, meaning people who bought it then have been ineligible for the lowest price on the new phone.
On Wednesday, AT&T said current customers who would otherwise qualify for the lowest price by September will qualify on Friday, when the new phone goes on sale.
The iPhone 3G S, made by Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc., includes a faster processor, longer battery life and an auto-focusing camera.
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Ericsson CEO Says Telecoms Weathering Recession
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67250
The chief executive of Sweden's LM Ericsson said Thursday he was confident the mobile telecommunications sector was in a stronger position than most to weather the global economic downturn.
"I think it is clear that telecommunications, mobile telecommunications in particular, have become such a necessity," Ericsson CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg told The Associated Press.
With so many new technologies entering the market, "it's quite clear for everyone that our sector will be much better off than other sectors," Svanberg said. "That doesn't mean that we won't feel it somehow, but we will be one of the better sectors."
The wireless equipment maker reported in April a 35 percent drop in first-quarter profit as weak results from its handset unit Sony Ericsson and higher restructuring costs took their toll. Still, it posted a net gain of $210 million and Svanberg said at the time that the effects of the global recession on the mobile network market were so far limited.
He referred to that guidance Tuesday on the sidelines of a disaster prevention conference in Geneva.
On the company's struggling mobile phone division, Sony Ericsson, he said that both Ericsson and Japan's Sony were "overall happy with the joint venture" and were working hard to revive it. Sony Ericsson posted a EU293 million loss in the first quarter as demand for its handsets fell by around 35 percent, which the company attributed to the global financial crisis.
"Now that we've had such a dramatic fall in demand, it forces the companies to do dramatic adjustments and that is going on," Svanberg said. "It's looking good so far."
He brushed aside as speculation the idea that the joint venture could be dissolved.
"I think there's always speculation around joint ventures because they aren't seen as something that will go on for 1,000 years," Svanberg said.
Ericsson will report its second quarter profit...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Dungeons & Dragons Handbooks Subject of Lawsuits
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67249
Dungeons & Dragons & lawyers, oh my -- eight people face accusations they illegally posted the pioneering role-playing game's newest handbook for download on the Internet.
Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., is seeking unspecified damages in three copyright infringement lawsuits naming a total of eight defendants in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
More than 2,600 copes of "Player's Handbook 2," released March 17 with a suggested retail price of $39.95 a copy, were downloaded from Scribd.com, and more than 4,200 copies were viewed online before the material was pulled from the document-sharing site at Wizards' request, according to two of the lawsuits.
One of those cases, which names as defendants Thomas Patrick Nolan of Milton, Fla., and Stefan Osmena of the Philippines, is headed for mediation, according to a court filing Tuesday.
Another case is against Mike Becker of Bartlesville, Okla., and Arthur Le of San Jose, Calif.
The third, filed against Krysztof Radzikowski of Poland and three people whose identities remain unknown, did not cite any numbers but asserted that unauthorized copies of that handbook and "Manual of the Planes," "Open Grave: Secrets of the Undead" and "Dungeon Delve," each retailing for $29.95, also were found on document-sharing Web sites.
Tolena Thorburn, a Wizards spokeswoman, would not give the home towns or other personal or contact information for Osmena or Radzikowski.
Dungeons & Dragons, created in 1974 and described in the lawsuit as "the first role-playing game," involves the use of pen, paper and dice to create imaginary characters of varying attributes and randomly determined levels of skill as players search for treasure and battle monsters in magical lands.
According to the lawsuits, all filed on April 6, about 20 million people worldwide are believed to have played the game, including 6 million at present.
The handbook, which includes 242 pages of rules,...
Sat, 20 Jun 09
Transcepta: Banking on E-Invoicing
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67244
These days when companies are going green and streamlining workflows, the time for e-invoicing may have arrived.
Accounts payable invoicing represents the single largest driver of paper drain for most businesses, according to Shan Haq, vice president of marketing and product management for Transcepta. Many companies are still using paper-based invoicing systems, "a process that is expensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors," he says. Using Transcepta patent-pending technology, community vendors and buyers can meet online to share their invoices electronically. The company, which was founded in June 2005 by a team of ex-Microsoft employees, specializes in electronic invoice presentment and payment (EIPP) solutions.
"Most companies see OCR [optical character recognition] as a better solution than most systems being used right now," says Haq. "It does offer a better way than typing all of the data into the system. But at the end of the day, it's still a paper process." OCR can also be fraught with problems that can slow down invoicing or bring it to a complete standstill when bills can't be processed automatically because the document to be scanned is smudged or the paper is creased, he says. "And you still need humans to validate the system."
As Transcepta targets Fortune 2000 companies, Haq sees value in reducing costs, increasing efficiencies, and building stronger trading relationships with e-invoicing. Transcepta's technology doesn't necessarily have to replace OCR or EDI (electronic data integration) systems; it can complement them, says Haq.
The company's technology features the same integration that hooks EDI and XML to the accounting system. "We sign up the customer and reach out to the suppliers," he says. "Then when we get the suppliers connected, we have a monster EDI that's fed directly to the customers.
"We can connect suppliers in minutes, not months," he says, adding that the system can be up and...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Collecta Joins Search Wars with Real-Time Results
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67264
Gerry Campbell, former senior vice president of search for AOL and a former president of search and content at Reuters, and his team of technology veterans have brought a different kind of search to users. On Thursday, they launched the beta version of Collecta, a real-time search service that allows users to type in queries to find results that are happening in real time.
Collecta sifts through the Web for information and tracks results from news stories, blog posts, micro-blogging updates and social-status messages. It provides real-time streams of results at Collecta.com, using its Extensible Messaging and Performance Protocol (XMPP) platform. Unlike other instant-messaging protocols, XMPP is an open standard.
The service relies heavily on information flowing from high-velocity sources such as Twitter.com, a micro-blogging site, and WordPress.com, a blogging service.
The new service will have to compete with the likes of Google, Yahoo, Bing and other Web sites that offer search, but Campbell said Collecta offers something different from its competitors.
"What Collecta is doing that is different is instead of gathering, indexing and analysis and ranking, what it is all about is taking something from one point (the publishers) and sending it to the other (our users' browsers)," Campbell said. "You could watch messages, posts and pictures flow through."
Once users receive the results, they can also manage the collections of searches on stories and conversations they care most about, including their company, a car they may be considering, or a favorite actor. It also displays which search queries are considered popular at the time of search.
Just hours after launching the service, Campbell said the team has been busy. "We are getting hammered; it is fantastic, exciting and nerve-wracking," Campbell said.
Part of offering real-time information is also receiving real-time feedback.
Entering the search query "Gerry Campbell" to...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Paid SIRIUS Service Delivers To iPhone and iPod Touch
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67263
Microsoft debuted its Zune with an FM radio that gave it favor with loyal broadcasting fans, but SIRIUS XM Radio is delivering an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that may one-up the Zune.
On Thursday, SIRIUS announced the first application to deliver its exclusive sports, entertainment, comedy and commercial-free music channels to iPhone and iPod touch users. SIRIUS is a paid subscription service offering 120 channels of radio content.
SIRIUS programming includes Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, Martha Stewart, SIRIUS NFL Radio, Opie & Anthony, Blue Collar Comedy, E Street Radio, The Grateful Dead Channel, Eminem's Shade 45, Elvis Radio, Siriusly Sinatra, Metropolitan Opera Radio, and many others.
"Getting SIRIUS XM's superior programming on your iPhone or iPod touch is now convenient and easy," said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS. "The SIRIUS XM app allows new and existing subscribers to access great music, talk and sports almost anywhere they go. For millions of users, the best radio on radio is now the best audio content on their iPhone or iPod touch."
iPhone and iPod touch users who download the SIRIUS app will get access to exclusive, Internet-only showcase channels. Those include SIRIUS XM Bootlegs, SIRIUS XM Talk Showcase, SIRIUS XM Music Showcase, and SIRIUS XM Comedy Showcase.
Exclusive programming from SIRIUS XM's satellite radio service, such as Here's Barbara with Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey's Soul Series, The Jamie Foxx Show, specials from Raw Dog Comedy, selections from Artist Confidential series, and selections from exclusive live SIRIUS XM music performances will also be available on the iPhone and iPod touch.
Beyond the Internet programming, SIRIUS subscribers can also listen to commercial-free music featuring exclusive shows from Sirius XM's satellite radio service such as Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour and Tom Petty's Buried Treasure, as well as 24/7 music channels such as Bruce...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Bing Branding Boosts Microsoft's Search Results
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67261
Whether the rumors about Google working overtime to reverse-engineer Microsoft's Bing "decision engine" are true or false, one thing is certain: Bing is still booming.
During the second week of its public launch, comScore data shows Microsoft continued to increase its positioning in the search market. The average daily search penetration and Bing's share of search-result pages in the U.S. continue to rise.
"This is Microsoft's best chance so far to gain traction," said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft. "Microsoft has continued to improve the basic features of their search engine over time. The original search engine, MSN Search, wasn't as good as Google, but over the years Microsoft has gotten much closer to parity and added travel search and product search and some user-interface features."
Microsoft sites' average daily penetration among U.S. searchers reached 16.7 percent during the week of June 8-12. That's up a full three percentage points from the May 25-29 week before Bing's introduction.
Microsoft's share of search-result pages in the U.S., a proxy for overall search intensity, increased to 12.1 percent during the period of June 8-12, also climbing three percentage points from May 25-29.
That compares to average daily penetration among U.S. searchers from 13.8 percent during May 26-30 to 15.5 percent during June 2-6, 2009. Microsoft's share of search-result pages in the U.S. in that period increased from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent.
"It appears that Microsoft Bing has continued to generate interest from the market for the second consecutive week," said Mike Hurt, comScore senior vice president. "These early data reflect a continued positive market reaction to Bing in the initial stages of its launch."
Of course, Bing still has a long way to go to overtake Google -- or even Yahoo, for that matter. In May, Americans conducted 14.3 billion core searches,...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Intel Will Simplify Core Branding with Three Classes
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67260
Intel is simplifying its branding strategy for microprocessors by limiting the number of names it uses in its marketing campaigns to just three chip classifications from the company's Intel Core lineup. Older PC processor names such as Pentium and Centrino will be phased out as these earlier chips reach the end of their natural product lifetimes, Intel Vice President Deborah Conrad said.
"We looked at all of the different brands we had on the market and realized there were too many and it was too confusing -- so we really are going back to basics," Conrad explained. "Truthfully, we are really trying to help the consumer make the best technology purchase they can."
When the chipmaker coined the phrase "Intel Inside" two decades ago, it was intended to help the consumer through a pretty confusing process, Conrad noted. "Computers were exotic, and people were buying their very first computer thinking, 'I don't know whether this one is better than that one,'" she said. "So 'Intel Inside' was invented to help consumers through the process."
However, over the years Intel has muddied the waters by launching a variety of different names for its microprocessor products for PC applications.
"We realize that the confusion we often created is preventing the consumer from getting the best value for their investment," Conrad said. "It's not that people are buying their first computer, it's because they are buying their seventh or eighth and it hasn't gotten any easier."
So for the past year or so Intel has been looking at how its processors come to market, from its entry-level products all the way up to its high-performance chips. Under the new branding strategy, Intel is taking the "same 'good, better, best' kind of approach" that consumers already know, whether "buying light...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
T-Mobile Dashes To Update Its 3G Smartphone Lineup
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67243
T-Mobile USA is expanding its lineup of 3G phones. On Wednesday, it announced the Dash 3G, which updates its popular Dash smartphone.
The Dash 3G, available in glossy black with touches of red, is built by HTC and uses the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. It features a full QWERTY keyboard, a trackball, a QVGA 2.4-inch, 320x240 display, GPS, messaging, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), a microSDHC expansion card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, and a fixed-focus two-megapixel camera.
As one might expect from a Windows Mobile phone, the Dash 3G offers synchronization with Microsoft Exchange for coordinating contacts, appointments and other information.
Travis Warren, product marketing director T-Mobile USA, said the new Dash is the company's "first 3G-enabled Windows Mobile smartphone to help customers stay connected, organized and traveling in the right direction."
Avi Greengart, an analyst for industry research firm Current Analysis, said "there's been a surprising lack of 3G phones" in T-Mobile's product lineup.
The company has 3G phones, he said, but not with Windows Mobile, and not that many compared with its major competitors. "AT&T, Sprint and Verizon," he said, "have 3G phones throughout their lineup."
He described the new smartphone as a "welcome development," but added that, since the company hasn't announced pricing, it's hard to tell where it fits in the lineup.
Greengart noted that, although he hasn't personally used the Dash 3G, he's used a similar model also made by HTC, the Snap. "The keyboard is much better than the one on the original Dash," he said, "and the smartphone looks and feels a lot better in your hand than it looks in the photos."
The Dash 3G is coming in July to T-Mobile retail stores and other dealers, as well as to T-Mobile's online store.
This new model doesn't offer touchscreen interaction, as do many...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
iPhone Gulps AT&T Network Capacity
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67232
AT&T's wireless network is having a hard time keeping up with the Apple iPhone, a top wireless analyst says.
That's the reason AT&T isn't offering multimedia messaging and "tethering" options for the new $199 iPhone 3G S -- lack of network juice, says Roger Entner, head of telecom research for Nielsen.
When the iPhone 3G S was unveiled last week, Apple said it would offer both those features. "Tethering" allows a wireless device to serve as a broadband modem to provide over-the-air support for laptops, PCs and the like. Multimedia messaging, or MMS, enables users to attach video clips, audio files, pictures, etc. to text messages.
But when the list of global carriers offering the features was unveiled, AT&T wasn't on it. AT&T is the exclusive U.S. distributor.
AT&T says it plans to offer MMS "by the end of the summer," but it has so far declined to say when tethering might become available. As of Tuesday, that was still the case. The 3G S goes on sale Friday.
"Tethering will be available at some point," AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel told USA TODAY.
Meantime, iPhone users are gobbling up AT&T's network capacity at a record clip.
According to Entner, the average iPhone user eats up around 400 megabytes of capacity each month. Average smartphone usage is 40 to 80 megabytes.
Entner says the high usage is a testament to the power and popularity of the iPhone. "People really love that device and are using it intensively."
And network demands are only going to increase as pricing on the current iPhone 3G drops to $99, he says.
Part of the problem is due to iPhone's engineering. The device constantly checks back with the AT&T network, he says, making adjustments as necessary. The iPhone's "chatty" nature is one reason it performs so well. But the back and forth also eats up a...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Is There a Virtual Worker Personality?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67229
For years the workplace commentariat has been nattering about the no-collar workplace. Companies will hire brains, not bodies. Work will go to the talent -- instead of the talent extreme-commuting to the work. Teams will go transnational, warming the undersea cables with their space-and-time shifting video meetings.The workplace of the future, they've said, will be no workplace at all. Technology will turn the globe into one giant Wi-Fi-enabled kibbutz. A post-face-time world where everybody can Tivo their work.
This is one of those dreams that has actually panned out. The office -- in our pocket! (Or pocketbook!) But for every miraculous solution, there's another problem created. And so it is with the wonder of wireless work.
Five years into the mainstreaming of mobile work, there's a growing enlightenment, buttressed by new research, that the benefits of working remotely are actually a bit more complicated, and nuanced, than the cheerleaders said. In all the effusive rah-rah'ing over this great employee unleashing, many managers overlooked a simple fact: Some of us are simply not -- by temperament, psychology, or personality type -- wired for the life of the digital nomad.
Indeed, what is to some a broadband Nirvana is to others a Sartre-esque exercise in alienation. "I'll be candid with you: If I work at home for more than two days, I feel a bit isolated," says Cisco European Marketing Manager Tim Stone. "I tend to go to the office a couple of days a week just to have human interaction."
And this from the guy who markets all that Cisco gear that's supposed to make the virtual Valhalla happen. Over the past couple of years, the London-based Stone has become increasingly intrigued by the psychology surrounding mobile work. Was there a genome for the ideal mobile worker? And a genome for one who would fail?
Three...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Germany Settles With Google Over Street View
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67225
Germany has settled a dispute with Internet giant Google over its Street View facility, meaning that photos of homes, shops and offices in Europe's biggest nation will soon appear on Google Maps, an official said Wednesday.
Although users of the Web site can currently see snapshots of British, French and other European streets, Germany has been a blank in the service so far, after government commissioners accused Google of breaching privacy law.
But where objections are filed about particular pictures of persons, properties or cars, Google will make the image unusable, said the state of Hamburg data privacy commissioner, Johannes Caspar, who led the negotiations for Germany.
Privacy officials said the undertaking now applied as well to the original images made by Google's fleet of camera cars. That had been a sticking point in the talks.
In most countries, Google blurs the web images on request so that people and homes are unrecognizable. But in Germany, people will be able to request that private properties not even be photographed in the first place.
Caspar said, "Google used its chance before it was too late and accepted all our compromise proposals."
Last week, Google agreed with European Union privacy officials to announce in advance when the camera cars visit each town. The cameras, mounted over the car roof, take panoramic still-images of streets as the cars move.
On Wednesday for example, a Hamburg newspaper reported that the cars would soon tour the northern suburb of Norderstedt and gave the web address for those raising objections.
Street View has been popular with web users for virtual tourism of foreign places they would like to see, but is also useful for real-estate purchasers eyeing up property.
Fri, 19 Jun 09
IRS, Treasury Want Cell-Phone Tax Repealed
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67220
Remember the last time you used a company cell phone for a quick personal call -- or text or e-mail? Did you record the value of that call and pay taxes on it as income?
A widely ignored law from 1989 says you should have. But don't worry, the IRS thinks it's a stupid law, too.
The Obama administration asked Congress on Tuesday to repeal the tax on the personal use of company cell phones after sparking an outcry last week when it sought ideas for enforcing the law.
The law says that personal use of a company cell phone should be taxed like other fringe benefits, such as a company car. The cell phone tax, however, can be a pain for workers who increasingly use mobile devices for texting, e-mailing and browsing the Internet -- sometimes for work, sometimes for personal use.
IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman called the tax burdensome, confusing and "poorly understood by taxpayers." He acknowledged it was difficult to enforce consistently.
"The passage of time, advances in technology and the nature of communication in the modern workplace have rendered this law obsolete," Shulman said in a statement.
Shulman said he and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner were asking Congress to repeal the tax, which has been widely criticized as outdated by the mobile industry and lawmakers.
"We just think that this law was put into effect in a bygone era," said John Walls, vice president of public affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group.
"In 1989, cell phones were considered a luxury item that were actually referred to as car phones," Walls said. "Now, we have unlimited calling on our cell phones. We have free nights and weekends. The company is not even paying for that. Why should I get taxed for that?"
The House passed a bill to repeal the tax last year, but...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Reception Problems Linger After DTV Transition
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67219
The shutdown of U.S. analog TV service on Friday appears to have gone relatively smoothly, but as expected, a lot of viewers are having problems getting the stations they want.
The problems have ensnared even the technologically sophisticated.
Wally Grotophorst in Hamilton, Va., got a "digital" antenna for his digital TV last year. But on Friday, he lost the Washington-based ABC and CBS stations, channels 7 and 9, which he could pick up digitally before the transition.
That's because those stations, like dozens of others, switched their digital signals from the UHF frequency band to the VHF band as they cut their analog signals Friday. But Grotophorst's antenna, like many others branded as "digital" and sold over the past few years, was designed only for UHF stations. Nearly all TV stations were using the UHF band for the digital broadcasts until Friday.
"This moving down to the VHF spectrum was news. The stations didn't advertise the fact," Grotophorst said.
He's now regretting that he recycled his old rooftop VHF antenna.
"The station did warn viewers about this change but not everyone got the word," said Bill Lord, vice president of news at ABC7. "The station has made the switch and there is no going back."
There are TV antennas that can receive both UHF and VHF bands. In the indoor version, these have long extendable poles -- the "rabbit ears" -- for VHF reception and a loop for UHF.
Brett Whitten, a technology consultant in Philadelphia, lost the ABC-affiliated Channel 6 for the same reason. He was unsuccessful in attempts to improvise a VHF antenna out of wire, helped by instructions he found online.
According to a Monday evening newscast, that station was talking to the Federal Communications Commission to see if it could increase its output power. That could help with reception, at least for those who have...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
How Fast R U? Teen Iowa Girl Wins U.S. Texting Title
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67216
The nation's newest texting champion has a message for parents across the land -- although they might not want to hear it.
"Let your kid text during dinner! Let your kid text during school! It pays off," 15-year-old Kate Moore said Tuesday after winning the LG U.S. National Texting Championship.
After all, she said: "Your kid could win money and publicity and a phone."
For the Des Moines, Iowa, teenager, her 14,000 texts-per-month habit reaped its own rewards, landing her the competition prize of $50,000 just eight months after she got her first cell phone.
Moore, with a speedy and accurate performance, beat out 20 other finalists from around the country over two days of challenges such as texting blindfolded and texting while maneuvering through a moving obstacle course.
In the final showdown, she outtexted 14-year-old Morgan Dynda, of Savannah, Ga. Both girls had to text three lengthy phrases without making any mistakes on the required abbreviations, capitalization or punctuation. Moore squeaked through by a few seconds on the tiebreaking text, getting the best two out of three. As she anxiously waited for confirmation of her win, tears streamed down her face.
The teen dismisses the idea that she focuses too much on virtual communications, saying that while she has sometimes had her phone taken away from her in school, she keeps good grades, performs in school plays and socializes with friends -- in person -- on the weekends.
In between, she finds time to send about 400 to 470 texts a day. Among her uses of the text messages? Studying for exams with friends, which she says is better done by text because she can look back at the messages to review.
The finalists, all 22 or younger, were among 250,000 people who tried to get spots in the competition. Some won their spots at the Manhattan...
Fri, 19 Jun 09
Guessing Game: How Much Money Is YouTube Losing?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67215
Internet video leader YouTube Inc.'s losses have been overblown by some analysts, but corporate parent Google Inc. doesn't mind the misperception, according to a study being released Wednesday.
Technology consultants at RampRate Inc. project YouTube's operating losses this year at $174.2 million -- far below the $470.6 million estimated by Credit Suisse analysts Spencer Wang and Kenneth Sena in an April research report that became a hot topic on Wall Street and the Internet.
The dueling forecasts are the latest twist in a guessing game that has intrigued investors since Google bought YouTube for $1.76 billion in late 2006.
Although YouTube has become an even more popular diversion since the Google deal, it still hasn't proven it can make money.
Google has acknowledged YouTube isn't profitable, but has refused to provide any specifics, leaving it to outsiders to figure out.
And the number crunching usually leads to inaccurate conclusions, according to Google's chief financial officer, Patrick Pichette.
"Most people build outside views of what it costs us to do things, and often they exaggerate," Pichette said in an interview with the Canadian magazine Maclean's shortly after Credit Suisse released its YouTube report.
But Google has little incentive to set the record straight about YouTube's actual losses, according to RampRate, which specializes in managing technology costs.
RampRate reasons the perception of large losses at YouTube helps Google negotiate more favorable contracts with movie, TV and music studios licensing their video. What's more, copyright owners also are less likely to go to court in pursuit of unpaid royalties and damages if they believe YouTube is a big money loser, according to RampRate's thesis.
"Google is no doubt thrilled to let YouTube be known as a financial folly," RampRate's report said.
YouTube spokesman Aaron Zamost wouldn't comment directly on RampRate's report, but he stressed that Google has been running ads near or in...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
China Backs Down on Installing Blocking Software
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67240
Facing a barrage of international criticism, the Chinese government is apparently backing down from its earlier announcement that all PCs sold in the country must have censoring software installed.
According to an anonymous official in the government's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), it's "misleading" to say that China is requiring PC owners to use the software.
"PC makers are only required to save the setup files of the program in the hard drives of the computers, or provide CD-ROMS containing the program with their PC packages," the official said. "The government's role is limited to having the software developed and providing it free."
The software package, known as Green Dam-Youth Escort, has been fiercely criticized by human-rights and free-speech groups around the world. Although ostensibly designed to block pornography, the software also is designed to limit access to Web sites containing material critical of the Chinese government.
Software researchers in the United States and elsewhere have asserted that the Green Dam software contains numerous security holes that could permit the installation of malware on PCs that install the program, or even permit a remote user to gain control of the computer.
On top of everything else, software manufacturer Solid Oak, publisher of the well-known Cybersitter software, is threatening copyright infringement litigation against the Chinese government, Jinhui Computer System Engineering (which produced Green Dam), and any PC manufacturer that installs the censorware. Solid Oak alleges that significant portions of its code was stolen by Jinhui. Others allege that chunks of open-source code were incorporated into Green Dam without credit.
The Green Dam controversy is seen by many as part of a troubling trend of censorship, with both eastern and western governments going to greater lengths to control online activity. Many argue that the companies that manufacture personal computers (such as Hewlett-Packard and Dell)...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Some iPhone 3GS Buyers Face Delivery Delays
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67239
Reports are surfacing that customers who ordered the new iPhone 3GS online may have delayed gratification. Consumers checking their package tracking status were shocked to discover that the delivery date, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was quietly shifted to Friday or even Monday.
A few unlucky souls were left with no shipping date but an ambiguous message: "the receiver requested a hold for a future delivery date" or "the package is being held for a future delivery date."
According to UPS's "package progress" feed, "The receiver [i.e., Apple] requested a hold for a future delivery date. UPS will attempt delivery on date requested."
Meantime, Apple has released the iPhone OS 3.0 software update as expected. And AT&T, the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone, on Wednesday decided to let more customers buy the iPhone 3GS at the fully subsidized price. That price was originally only for new customers or those who qualified for an upgrade a year after buying the iPhone 3G, but the company said those who would qualify in July through September will be able to buy the 16GB iPhone 3GS for $199 and the 32GB iPhone 3GS for $299.
Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret, said Apple's request to UPS was not a sign of production difficulties, but simply an effort to better regulate deliveries.
"I don't think we're seeing delays as much as an effort to make sure devices don't ship before they're supposed to," Gartenberg said. "In terms of demand, we've seen pre-orders sell out, it seems, from AT&T, so it appears that consumers are appreciating the performance enhancements along with the new features."
While noting that Apple has occasionally had production issues in the past, analyst Greg Sterling, founding principal of Sterling Market Intelligence, agreed that the delays are a minor issue. The bigger story, he said, is the...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Bing Growing, But Microsoft Slips Back To Third in Search
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67236
Microsoft's new search engine continues to gain market traction, but it may not be for long. Bing, the service debuted just more than two weeks ago, continued to attract daily users for a second week.
Microsoft sites' average daily penetration among U.S. searches reached 16.7 percent during the week of June 8-12, up three percentage points from May 25-29, the week before Bing's debut, according to a study by comScore, an Internet traffic tracking company.
In its second week, Microsoft's share of search-result pages in the U.S. increased 12.1 percent, also up three percentage points from the week before its launch.
One week after its May 28 debut, Bing's market share rocketed past that of rival Yahoo, both in the U.S. and globally. Bing took second place behind Google, which has 71.47 percent of the U.S. market, and beat Yahoo's 10.22 percent with 16.28 percent, according to StatCounter, a New York daily Internet tracking company.
Globally, Bing had 5.62 percent of the market while Yahoo had 5.13 percent. Google held first place globally with 87.62 percent.
Even with a successful launch, it wasn't all smiles for Microsoft. Just after Bing launched, scandal ensued, giving the service some negative attention. A feature in Bing called smart motion preview, which plays videos when a user navigates over it, landed Microsoft in hot water with both child-advocacy groups and countries such as China. Microsoft defended the service and provided its customers with an extra layer of control over the content.
The question in many observers' minds is how long Bing's traction will last.
"It is just out of the gate, so it won't be until the next few months that we will be able to tell whether they have taken some real percentage points," said Aodhan Cullen, founder of StatCounter, from...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Dell Aims To Become One-Stop Virtualization Shop
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67235
Dell is moving forward into the growing virtualization market, with the announcement Wednesday of a major new initiative. The company said it is seeking to help businesses "become more efficient" through its flexible and modular virtualization and data-center consulting services, "business-ready" virtualization configurations, new PowerEdge servers, and EqualLogic PS4000 storage arrays.
Dell said "the expanded lineup attacks cost and complexity for two key areas of enterprise computing -- virtualization and high-performance computing (HPC)," with "differentiated solutions" for small to midsize businesses.
Its virtualization consulting services, the company said, are intended to "help holistically optimize data centers." The services are aimed at reducing the cost to plan and operate data centers, and include platform optimization and virtualization, data-center planning and management, disaster recovery, data management, and facilities efficiency.
Consulting services also include ready-to-go virtualization hardware and software configurations.
The data-center virtualization configuration includes Dell PowerEdge M-series blade servers, EqualLogic PS6000 iSCSI storage, Cisco Catalyst networking switches, and VMware vSphere 4.
The other configuration is designed for small and midsize businesses. It uses the PowerEdge R710, Dell PowerVault MD3000i, and Microsoft's virtualization suite.
The company is also introducing the EqualLogic PS4000 storage array and PowerVault NX3000 network attached storage device to help small- and midsize businesses and remote offices. The PS4000 is intended to address such customer requirements as server virtualization, consolidation, data protection, and data recovery.
Other Dell virtualization solutions include support for VMware vSphere 4, Citrix Essentials for XenServer 5.0, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V. The company said it is supporting VMware vSphere 4 across 37 Dell PowerEdge platforms, which will help "customers of all sizes transform their data centers into private clouds."
The Round Rock, Texas-based company is also offering services to help decision-making for virtualizing applications, using Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SQL Server. For management needs, Dell is offering...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Broadband Is Becoming Essential for Many Americans
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67234
A report from the Pew Research Center indicates that the adoption of broadband services in the United States appears to have been largely unaffected by the economic downturn.
The research firm reports that 63 percent of the adult American respondents it surveyed in April had broadband Internet connections at home, versus just 55 percent 12 months earlier. Only seven percent of American Internet users said they still use dial-up connections -- down from 14 percent two years ago.
"Broadband is now in the 'must keep' category for Americans, even when economic times are tough," said Pew Internet Project Associate Director John Horrigan.
The substantial rise in home broadband adoption rates may seem surprising at first blush. However, researchers note that many Americans are finding the Web to be the best place for accessing information as well as community resources relating to important personal issues such as health care.
Pew reports that 61 percent of American adults are looking online for health information and most are accessing reviews and comments posted by fellow consumers. Health concerns also may help explain why the home broadband adoption rate among American senior citizens aged 65 or older grew from 19 percent in the year-ago period to 30 percent in April.
Many resources for finding and applying for jobs also have become Internet-based, making broadband a necessity rather than a luxury for job-seekers, Horrigan noted. "Many consumers view their home broadband connection as a conduit for connecting to community and economic opportunities," he said.
Many survey respondents indicated they were more likely to economize on communication services than cut back on Internet connectivity. Just nine percent of American Web users said in April that they had canceled or cut back on their Internet services in the previous 12 months.
"For low-income people,...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Stagnant MySpace Lays Off 400 To Become Nimble
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67211
MySpace is looking to return to its online upstart roots -- and the first step is to shave 400 people from its workforce.
By reducing staff nearly 30 percent, MySpace hopes to restructure into a more innovative, efficient and entrepreneurial business. The plan crosses all U.S. divisions of the company and cuts the total number of domestic MySpace staff to 1,000.
"Simply put, our staffing levels were bloated and hindered our ability to be an efficient and nimble team-oriented company," said MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta. "I understand that these changes are painful for many. They are also necessary for the long-term health and culture of MySpace. Our intent is to return to an environment of innovation that is centered on our user and our product."
The move to lay off staff comes as Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul who owns MySpace parent News Corp., looks for ways to revive his digital business assets. News Corp. acquired MySpace in 2005 for $580 million at the beginning of the social-networking craze. At the time, it was the leading social-media portal, but Facebook and Twitter have taken some of the shine off the brand and the company isn't meeting its financial goals.
"MySpace grew too big, considering the realities of today's marketplace," said Jonathan Miller, News Corp.'s CEO of digital media and chief digital officer. "I believe this restructuring will help MySpace operate much more effectively both structurally and financially moving forward. I am confident in MySpace's next phase under the leadership of Owen and his team."
Van Natta took the CEO reins from Chris DeWolfe in April. DeWolfe, who was responsible for growing MySpace from a seven-person firm to a leader in social networking, continues to serve on the board of MySpace China and is a strategic adviser to the company, but News...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Disney Will Offer Kid Computer with Parental Controls
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67210
Despite a down economy, The Walt Disney Company is getting a jump-start on the back to school shopping season with a line of products aimed at high-tech kiddies aged six to 12.
On Wednesday, Disney announced a partnership with ASUSTeK Computer to develop the Disney Netpal, a netbook computer for children designed to be Web-safe and user-friendly. ASUS makes the Eee PC netbook and leveraged its industry experience to help Disney develop the Netpal with parents and kids in mind. The netbook will list for $350 at retailers like Toys "R" Us and Amazon.com and will be available in late July.
"Today's kids are a digital generation," said Chris Heatherly, head of Disney's Toymorrow team and vice president of toys and consumer electronics for Disney Consumer Products. "Parents are comfortable with their kids using the Internet, but they want to be assured that their kids are having a safe online experience."
Heatherly said the Disney Netpal is a "no-compromise" collaboration between ASUS and the Disney Toymorrow team with features and applications designed just for kids. However, he stressed that parents have the ultimate control over the experience, with the power to set limits on how their kids are using the netbook.
Netpal offers more than 40 parental-control options, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows XP Home, and kid-friendly software featuring Disney characters and icons. Browsers and e-mail have extra filters that allow parents to control online safety and content. For example, parents can select who their children can correspond with via e-mail.
Parents can also select browsers, the Web sites their kids visit, and the programs they use. These permissions can be scheduled on a calendar, providing parents with an automated means of granting access on the days and times they choose. Parents can even review where children spent...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Family Time Eroding in U.S. As Internet Use Soars
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67198
Whether it's around the dinner table or just in front of the TV, U.S. families say they are spending less time together.
The decline in family time coincides with a rise in Internet use and the popularity of social networks, though a new study stopped just short of assigning blame.
The Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California is reporting this week that 28 percent of Americans it interviewed last year said they have been spending less time with members of their households. That's nearly triple the 11 percent who said that in 2006.
These people did not report spending less time with their friends, however.
Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the center, said people report spending less time with family members just as social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are booming, along with the importance people place on them.
Five-year-old Facebook's active user base, for example, has surged to more than 200 million active users, up from 100 million last August.
Meanwhile, more people say they are worried about how much time kids and teenagers spend online. In 2000, when the center began its annual surveys on Americans and the Internet, only 11 percent of respondents said that family members under 18 were spending too much time online. By 2008, that grew to 28 percent.
"Most people think of the Internet and (our) digital future as boundless, and I do too," Gilbert said.
But, he added, "it can't be a good thing that families are spending less face-to-face time together. Ultimately it leads to less cohesive and less communicative families."
In the first half of the decade, people reported spending an average of 26 hours per month with their families. By 2008, however, that shared time had dropped by more than 30 percent, to about 18 hours.
The advent of new technologies...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
RIAA Vows To Show Woman Shared 24 Songs
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67196
The recording industry began its second attempt at proving that a Minnesota woman engaged in illegal sharing of copyrighted music on the Internet and should be held accountable.
Attorney Tim Reynolds told a jury Monday that the record companies would prove that Jammie Thomas-Rasset, 32, of Brainerd, illegally shared songs on the Kazaa network. He told jurors illegal downloading has cost the music industry billions of dollars and thousands of jobs and made it harder to find and groom new artists.
"Record companies are made up of real people. ... People who deliver the music we all enjoy," Reynolds said in his opening statement as Thomas-Rasset's retrial got under way in federal court here.
Defense attorney Kiwi Camara countered that Thomas-Rasset would testify she never shared songs illegally, and that the record companies can't prove she did. He called her one of the industry's best customers, with a collection of over 200 CDs. He said the industry should be courting people like her, instead of seeking up to $3.6 million in damages from her.
"Ms. Thomas buys music, she doesn't steal it," Camara said.
Camara said the industry, at best, could prove only that her IP address -- the Internet equivalent of a street address or phone number -- was used in the alleged illegal file-sharing. He said they could not prove that Thomas herself swapped any music.
The plaintiffs' lawyers said they plan to call her to the stand Tuesday.
This case remains the only one out of more than 30,000 similar lawsuits the industry has filed that has made it to trial. The vast majority of the other defendants settled for an average of about $3,500 rather than risk huge judgments and legal bills; Thomas-Rasset's first lawyer put in nearly $130,000 worth of time for which she couldn't pay. Her new lawyers, Camara and Joe...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
China Says Unpopular Filtering Software Optional
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67195
China appeared to cave in to public pressure Tuesday by announcing that computer users are not required to install Internet-filtering software -- though it will still come with all PCs sold on the mainland.
A Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official reached by telephone told The Associated Press that use of the "Green Dam Youth Escort" software is "not compulsory." He would not give his name as is customary with Chinese officials.
The apparent reversal of the government's position marked a small victory for a burgeoning anti-censorship movement in China. Internet users in particular have expressed growing frustration with official efforts to monitor and restrict online content.
Although the government says the software is aimed at blocking violence and pornography, users who have tried it say it prevents access beyond those topics to discussions of homosexuality, images of comic book characters, mentions of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group and, according to Hong Kong media reports, images of pigs because the software confuses them with naked human flesh.
The government had said the new software must be packaged with all computers sold in China beginning July 1, and installation was widely believed to be required. However, the ministry official and state media both said Tuesday that computer users are free to decide whether to use the new software.
"The government is clearly responding to public pressure," said Yang Hengjun, 45, a well-known blogger and novelist based in the southern city of Guangzhou. "People, including myself, have argued strongly that while parental controls are useful, picking which one to use must be a personal choice."
The regulation had sparked public outcry, with lawyers, bloggers and academics formally challenging the mandate with lawsuits and petitions while average Internet users viciously mocked it.
Green Dam is just the latest attempt to rein in China's increasingly lively Internet forums.
China already...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
U.K. Plans Universal Access to High-Speed Internet
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67194
Britain's government pledged Tuesday to provide universal access to broadband Internet connections as part of a plan to spur the country's technology sector and boost the economy.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Tuesday that high-speed Internet access has become as "indispensable as electricity, gas and water" for most of the public.
"Just as the bridges, roads and railways built in the 19th century were the foundations of an Industrial Revolution that helped Britain to become the workshop of the world, so investment now in the information and communications industries can underpin our emergence from recession," he wrote in an op-ed piece for the Times of London.
Brown's comments came ahead of the release of the government's "Digital Britain" report, which was expected to propose major investments aimed at giving every home broadband access and suggest policies aimed at developing new jobs in the information and communications industries.
Over 70 percent of British adults now have some form of access to the Internet at home but authorities want to reach those who are reluctant to get online -- either because they cannot afford it or because they do not feel they benefit from it.
Broadband access in Britain is patchy and many households in rural areas can only access the Internet through slow or unreliable connections that cannot be used to watch movies, shop online or access other services that would be useful to people living far from larger towns.
The government now wants to ensure every household can have broadband access at 2 megabytes per second -- fast enough to use the Internet to buy products online and use social networking sites like Facebook.
Britain is not the only country to try to expand Internet access. Germany announced a similar plan in December, as part of its first economic stimulus package. India's President Pratibha Patil recently...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Micropayments: Where Charity and Social Networks Meet
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67191
Micropayments for microbloggers -- it sounds like a no-brainer. In a community based on real-time content, social causes, and brand awareness, users will want to execute real-time transactions with the same enthusiasm with which they tweet about their favorite daily activities.
So goes the thinking behind a host of startups that aim to help users of microblogging site Twitter make payments and carry out online transactions as conveniently as appending 140-character updates to their profile pages. "It's about making a statement in the stream and telling everyone what you stand for," says Michael Ivey, chief executive of one such site, Twitpay, which lets Twitter users make online donations and pay for downloadable content. "When you donate to a charity or cause, you're making it public. Look at it as payments attached to our intentions and aspirations."
Another site, Twollars, lets users transact with virtual currencies, exchangeable for real money, in support of a cause, such as Lance Armstrong's Livestrong or the Water Project, which aims to provide access to clean drinking water in developing nations. "There are no transaction charges if you are a donor," says Twollars co-founder Eso Kant. The company relies on corporate sponsorships and charges fees for widgets, promotions, and microsites for charities, Kant explains. "We're also educating charities on how to raise funds," he says. "You want exposure? You want to bring your own charity -- like the Pepsi Foundation? No problem -- we'll do it for you."
The micropayments model goes to the core of who we are as people -- our passions, political beliefs, cultural preferences, and aspirations. It's no longer just about George Soros making a million-dollar donation to a drug treatment program and getting a lot of press for it; it's about the millions of Twitter users making small donations and getting peer recognition for...
Thu, 18 Jun 09
Weak Security Enables Credit Card Hacks
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67162
Every time you swipe your credit card and wait for the transaction to be approved, sensitive data including your name and account number are ferried from store to bank through computer networks, each step a potential opening for hackers.
And while you may take steps to protect yourself against identity theft, an Associated Press investigation has found the banks and other companies that handle your information are not being nearly as cautious as they could.
The government leaves it to card companies to design security rules that protect the nation's 50 billion annual transactions. Yet an examination of those industry requirements explains why so many breaches occur: The rules are cursory at best and all but meaningless at worst, according to the AP's analysis of data breaches dating to 2005.
It means every time you pay with plastic, companies are gambling with your personal data. If hackers intercept your numbers, you'll spend weeks straightening your mangled credit, though you can't be held liable for unauthorized charges. Even if your transaction isn't hacked, you still lose: Merchants pass to all their customers the costs they incur from fraud.
More than 70 retailers and payment processors have disclosed breaches since 2006, involving tens of millions of credit and debit card numbers, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Meanwhile, many others likely have been breached and didn't detect it. Even the companies that had the payment industry's top rating for computer security, a seal of approval known as PCI compliance, have fallen victim to huge heists.
Companies that are not compliant with the PCI standards -- including one in 10 of the medium-sized and large retailers in the United States -- face fines but are left free to process credit and debit card payments. Most retailers don't have to endure security audits, but can evaluate themselves.
Credit card providers...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Senator Tells FCC Nominee: Fix FCC or We'll Fix It for You
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67209
At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Julius Genachowski, President Obama's nominee to lead the Federal Communications Commission, appeared before the powerful Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It didn't take long for members of the committee to make clear their deep dissatisfaction with how the agency has been operating.
"Time and again, the FCC has shortchanged consumers and the public interest," said committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.V. "The influence of special interests at the agency is especially troubling, even noteworthy in the distasteful way they clamor for their preferred candidates for FCC office."
"Fix the agency or we will fix it for you," he warned.
Rockefeller drew particular attention to the profound influence of special interests on the FCC. "Too often," Rockefeller said, "FCC commissioners have focused on making sure that the policies they advocate serve the needs of the companies they regulate and their bottom lines."
Despite the agency's dubious record in recent years and overall lack of transparency, Rockefeller said he is optimistic about the future of the FCC.
"I have met the administration's nominee for chairman," Rockefeller said, "and am thoroughly impressed. Mr. Genachowski brings to the job both public- and private-sector experience. He has enthusiasm for the power of communications."
One area of particular agreement among the senators and nominee was that the FCC should do more to enforce indecency laws. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, a Republican from Texas, told Genachowski that the agency must do more to regulate what can be broadcast.
"I do think there is a role [for the FCC] to play in enforcing indecency," she said. "I am amazed to see what is on the networks."
Rockefeller agreed. "Show us that parents can have confidence to view programming in their homes," he urged the nominee, "without their children being exposed to violent...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Twitter Plays Critical Role in Iran Election Coverage
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67208
Twitter, the social-networking service derided for being the last refuge of the banal, has gained a new currency on the world stage. The stream of micro-blog postings has proven an important source of real-time news and images of the violence that erupted following the contested presidential election in Iran.
Iranian protesters turned to Twitter -- and other social-networking sites, including Facebook -- after Iranian censors ordered foreign journalists to stop live reporting of the protests. Now, according the Middle Eastern news outlet Al Jazeera, the government of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is trying to filter Twitter and Facebook traffic to stop the reports.
In the United States, the tweets from the streets of Iran caught the attention of the State Department. With old media shut down and no formal diplomatic presence, the department was just as reliant on the Twitterverse as everyone else -- so much so, in fact, that a "low-level State Department official" contacted Twitter and asked it to delay a long-scheduled maintenance shutdown. State Department officials stressed that it was not Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who made the call.
As Twitter cofounder Biz Stone later tweeted, "NTT America proves again why they are such an awesome partner and reschedules urgent network maintenance."
As he explained in a linked blog post, "A critical network upgrade must be performed to ensure continued operation of Twitter. In coordination with Twitter, our network host had planned this upgrade for tonight. However, our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran. Today's decision and actions continue to prove why NTT America is such a powerful partner for Twitter."
The Electronic Frontier Foundation's John Gilmore once famously said that "The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it." The tweeting in Iran...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Senators Will Probe Carrier-Phone Exclusivity Deals
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67205
Four members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation are expressing concern about exclusive deals between the nation's dominant wireless carriers and handset makers. On Monday they asked acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps to review the practice.
Currently, several wireless carriers hold exclusive arrangements with handset manufacturers to offer devices through their networks, noted Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
"We ask that you examine this issue carefully and act expeditiously should you find that exclusivity agreements unfairly restrict consumer choice or adversely impact competition in the commercial wireless marketplace," the senators wrote in a letter to Copps.
The senators' letter follows an FCC filing from the Rural Cellular Association (RCA), which believes that exclusivity agreements -- such as AT&T's U.S. monopoly on sales of Apple's iPhone and Sprint's lock on the new Palm Pre -- end up harming consumers and impeding marketplace competition.
"We hope that the commission will recognize the increasing use of these restrictive agreements and act expeditiously to benefit consumers and promote competition among wireless competitors," the RCA said.
In its latest FCC filing, the RCA noted that a recent U.S. Court of Appeals decision affirmed the commission's right to prohibit exclusivity deals in the cable-TV industry that restrict the provision of service in multiple dwelling units and other private real-estate developments.
"The D.C. circuit endorsed the commission's finding that exclusivity agreements between cable companies and apartment owners 'would likely raise prices, limit access to certain programming, and delay deployment of fiber-optic and broadband technologies,'" the RCA said.
Now the RCA wants the FCC to apply the approach to regulating the wireless industry. The appeals-court decision "lends support to the commission for similar action that could be taken to ban exclusive...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Microsoft Sues Family for Alleged Advertising Click Fraud
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67204
Microsoft has acted to stop what it says is an illegal family advertising scheme. The software giant filed suit in U.S. District Court for Western Washington against three Canadian family members, accusing the trio of massive click fraud.
Click fraud is committed when a person, computer program, or automated script imitates a Web surfer by clicking on an online ad to get a fraudulent "charge per click" without any interest in the ad's link, according to Tim Cranton, Microsoft's associate general counsel for Microsoft Internet Safety Enforcement.
"With this legal action we can aim to seek an injunction to help stop this particular activity, recover damages as well as send a message -- both to perpetrators of fraud and to the online advertising community -- that Microsoft does not tolerate click fraud and will take action to protect its network and advertisers," Cranton said.
Microsoft alleges that Eric Chuen Lam, working with his brother, Gordon Lam, and mother Melanie Suen, as well as Super Continental US, committed click fraud on online ads related to both auto insurance and World of Warcraft, a multiplayer online role-playing game. Along with the injunction, Microsoft is seeking $750,000 in damages.
"Today's action is one more step to expand that effort by utilizing the legal system to combat click fraud," Cranton said. "Enforcement can play a critical safety role, supplementing technology and industry best practices, by using lawsuits and criminal prosecutions to stop the most egregious violators and hold them accountable for the fraud they commit."
Microsoft said the family members benefited from the fraud in two ways:
By repeatedly clicking on a sponsored site through what the industry refers to as a click farm, where users continuously click on a competitor's ad to deplete the competitor's ad budget and lower the placement of the competitor's sponsored...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Shortages of Apple's iPhone 3GS Expected at Launch
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67203
Apple will officially begin selling its iPhone 3GS on Friday, but some analysts are predicting shortages that could leave some consumers disappointed. If advance orders are any indication, the demand for the iPhone 3GS may outstrip the at-launch supply.
Both AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the United States, and Best Buy have sold out of inventories for Apple's latest smartphone.
Apple was still taking orders on its Web site Tuesday, but the June 19 delivery date is not a guarantee. Likewise, AT&T posted a message on its Web site that indicates advance orders will shop seven to 14 days after the order is placed -- on a first-come, first-served basis.
"It's no surprise that the 3GS, which is going to be one of the hottest technology products of the year, is seeing strong demand despite the current economic situation," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. "That bodes well for Apple and reaffirms the position that consumers care about the overall value of a product, not necessarily the overall price of the product."
Long lines of consumers waiting outside retail stores and subsequent shortages have characterized past iPhone launches, and few expect the iPhone 3GS launch to be any different. Gartenberg expects spot shortages in various locations, noting that Apple store locations in Manhattan and San Francisco may receive a larger allotment than smaller stores in other parts of the country.
"In terms of buying, as with previous iPhone generations, the advice is the same. Get up early, get to the store nearest you as quickly as you can," Gartenberg said. "Be patient, and if you don't get a device the first day, Apple has historically shown they've been pretty good about restocking and posting availability on their Web site of stores where the units...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Opera Unite Offers a Personalized Internet Cloud
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67188
Opera on Tuesday unveiled a technology that aims to disrupt the client-server computing model of the Web. Dubbed Opera Unite, the technology turns any computer into both a client and a server so it can interact with and serve content to other computers directly across the Web. Unite eliminates the need for third-party servers.
Opera CEO John von Tetzchner said Opera is opening up the full potential of the Web to everyone. PCs decentralized computing from large mainframes, he said, and Opera Unite is taking the next step by decentralizing the cloud.
"With server capability in the browser, Web developers can create Web applications with profound ease," von Tetzchner said. "Consumers have the flexibility to choose private and efficient ways of sharing information. We believe Opera Unite is one of our most significant innovations yet, because it changes forever the fundamental fabric of the Web."
Opera pointed to the benefits of Unite for both consumers and Web developers. For consumers, the company said Unite's cadre of services offers greater control of private data and makes it possible to share data with any device equipped with a modern Web browser.
On the Web developer side, Opera Unite simplifies the equation. Since Opera Unite services are based on the same open Web standards as Web sites today, creating cutting-edge Web services is less complex. Opera said Unite makes creating a full Web service as easy as coding a Web page.
"What interests me about Opera Unite is how current technology and the social world are now interconnected," said Molly Holzschlag, an Opera Web evangelist. "Using open standards, including HTML, CSS and JavaScript, developers and even enthusiasts with a little standards savvy can make their own Opera Unite service. Opera Unite allows people the ability to be imaginative with their skills and create a...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
BlackBerry Tour Connects To World Networks
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67187
Research in Motion wants you to take the Tour -- the BlackBerry Tour 9630, which was announced Tuesday. The new smartphone from RIM is a feature-filled 3G device that will work on CDMA networks in North America as well as on other networks abroad.
Mike Lazaridis, president and Co-CEO at the Ontario-based company, said the new BlackBerry, with "its striking design and exceptional performance," offers a "compelling choice for the growing number of wireless customers looking to upgrade their existing cell phone to a smartphone."
In the U.S., the Tour will be available through Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless this summer. According to news reports, Sprint's price will be about $200 with a two-year contract after rebates, although there is no word yet on what Verizon will charge.
The new black-and-chrome smartphone supports high-speed 3G EV-DO Rev A networks for the U.S. and Canada, and, for use in Europe and elsewhere, 3G UMTS/HSPA (2100 Mhz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks.
There's a full QWERTY keyboard with what the company described as "chrome frets and finely sculpted keys," a 2.44-inch, 480x360 screen, and a 3.2-megapixel camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording. The company said the screen offers the highest resolution available on any BlackBerry device.
A full HTML browser has support for streaming media, there's 256MB of flash memory, and memory can be expanded through a microSD/SDHC memory card slot that handles up to 16GB. RIM said the Tour is "expected" to be able to support 32GB next-generation cards when they come out.
For getting around, there's built-in GPS, geotagging, and BlackBerry Maps. Users can download applications from BlackBerry App World, and the Tour comes loaded with Documents to Go so users can work with Microsoft Office documents. A MediaSync program makes it easier to move music from Apple's iTunes...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Welches, Microsoft Detail 'Everybody's Business'
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67169
Microsoft is taking a novel approach to promote business-to-business products and services with a 30-minute online business show going live today that features Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, and his wife, Suzy.
In the first show, the duo, who also do a weekly BusinessWeek column and consulting, help the Hertz car rental company hash out an information technology issue using a Welch method known as a "work out."
Welch devised the process in the 1990s at GE. It pits people with a conflict across from each other at a table. The Welches ask questions to get to the heart of the issue. They go at it until the two sides come together on a solution.
"When (Microsoft CEO) Steve Ballmer called me and took me through what he was trying to do there with business-to-business, it sounded like fun," says Welch, who led GE from 1981 until 2001.
It's Everybody's Business is available at http://EverybodysBusiness.msn.com. Aimed at business IT executives, it was created by reality show producer Reveille Productions, maker of The Biggest Loser. The reality show builds on Microsoft's current "b-to-b" ad campaign, It's Everybody's Business by agency JWT, which also helped develop the show. Two more shows are in the works, but Microsoft would not disclose the subject companies.
"Marketing in business-to-business is hugely important to Microsoft's mission," says Gayle Troberman, Microsoft's general manager, advertising and customer engagement.
The tech giant spent $13 billion in sales and marketing in 2008. Traditionally, business-to-business efforts have received the bulk of the budget, but lately, the company has stepped up its consumer marketing. A new campaign by Crispin Porter + Bogusky helps Windows PCs take on Macs. And Microsoft search engine Bing, a Google rival, now is being promoted with teaser ads by JWT, with a full campaign to follow through the summer. New...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
EA Creates a Racket (and a Golf Club) on the Wii
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67167
The "Wiimote" -- the motion-sensing wand that controls the action on Nintendo's Wii -- serves many purposes. It doubles as a sword, a gun, a racket, a steering wheel or whatever else a game designer might dream up.
What it doesn't do is mimic any of those devices accurately. So if you were expecting the Wii to provide a realistic simulacrum of, say, a golf swing, you were disappointed. Yes, you had to wave the Wiimote around to get your on-screen avatar to act, but only rarely would your character duplicate your reality-based flailing.
Nintendo promises to fix that with the Wii MotionPlus, a $25 attachment that snaps onto one end of the wand. It's supposed to create a true one-to-one correspondence between your actions and those onscreen -- something we had expected the Wii to do when Nintendo introduced it three years ago.
The MotionPlus is in stores now, as are the first games to take advantage of the technology. Two of the titles come from Electronic Arts Inc.'s reliable EA Sports label, and they wisely involve sports that require a lot of swinging: "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10" ($49.99; $59.99 with MotionPlus) and "Grand Slam Tennis" ($49.99).
EA's Tiburon studio made great strides last year with the Wii version of the "Tiger" golf franchise, delivering an experience that gave your arms a real workout. The addition of MotionPlus brings finesse to an already solid swing mechanic. You can adjust Tiger's backswing in minute increments, and add fade or draw by twisting the club.
The increased accuracy is more obvious once you reach the green. The new "precision putting" technique gauges the speed of your forward swing as well as the length of your backswing. It takes awhile to get used to the subtlety, so be prepared to overshoot most holes at first.
Duffers and...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Sprint Nextel To Sell Parts of Midwest Network
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67166
Sprint Nextel Corp. said Friday it plans to sell a chunk of its cellular network in the Midwest to comply with an Illinois court decision.
The Overland Park, Kan.-based wireless provider said it is working with financial adviser Citi to find interested buyers for its Nextel-branded network in parts of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska.
It said the sale would have minimal effect on its financial results and customers would not see a change in service.
The sale of the network comes following a lawsuit from Schaumburg, Ill.-based iPCS Inc., a Sprint affiliate. IPCS claimed Sprint's purchase of Nextel Communications Inc. in 2005 violated an exclusivity agreement between the companies.
A Cook County Circuit Court judge agreed and, in February, gave Sprint until Jan. 25, 2010, "to cease owning, operating and managing" the Nextel network in iPCS' territory.
Sprint said it expected the sale to be completed before the 2010 deadline. It also said that the sale would not involve any of its Sprint-branded network, which uses a different cellular technology than that of Nextel.
iPCS didn't immediately have a comment on Sprint's announcement.
The two companies are also fighting over Sprint's partnership with Clearwire Corp. to develop a high-speed wireless Internet service using WiMax technology. Sprint merged its WiMax network with Kirkland, Wash.-based Clearwire last fall.
iPCS claims the partnership violates its exclusivity agreement as well, although it agreed in November to not oppose the merger after Clearwire agreed not to offer WiMax service in iPCS' territory before June 30.
The lawsuit is continuing, however, and iPCS has amended the suit to allege that Sprint is providing "advanced technologies" to Clearwire in violation of its affiliation agreement and will seek damages.
Sprint shares rose 21 cents, or 4 percent, to $5.29 Friday.
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Minn. Woman Who Lost Music-Share Suit Gets Replay
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67163
The Minnesota woman who became the nation's only music file-sharing defendant so far to go to trial is getting a replay two years after losing the case.
Jammie Thomas-Rasset, a 32-year-old mother of four and self-described "huge music fan," will be armed with aggressive new lawyers when her retrial begins in federal court here Monday.
The lawsuit is among the last vestiges of an anti-piracy campaign that the recording industry ultimately dropped amid widespread criticism. The Recording Industry Association of America said in December it had stopped filing lawsuits like these and would work instead with Internet service providers to cut access to those it deems illegal file-sharers. But the recording industry plans to proceed with already-filed cases.
Thomas-Rasset is the rare defendant who has fought back.
Music companies have filed more than 30,000 similar copyright lawsuits in recent years against people they accused of illegally swapping songs through Internet file-sharing services such as Kazaa. None of the others has made it to trial yet.
Faced with huge legal bills, most settled for an average of about $3,500, even if they insisted they had done nothing wrong. Thomas-Rasset's new lawyer, K.A.D. Camara, notes the settlements add up to more than $100 million; the RIAA contends its legal costs exceeded the settlement money it brought in.
The lawsuits have turned into a public relations nightmare for the recording industry, putting music companies in the position of going after their most ardent fans. Blogs and media reports have highlighted heavy-handed tactics against several improbable targets.
In 2006, for example, the industry dropped a lawsuit against Tanya Andersen, a disabled single mother in Oregon. Andersen said she had been misidentified and never downloaded the music she was accused of stealing. Industry representatives allegedly threatened to question her 10-year-old daughter if she didn't pay up.
And in 2007, the companies backed off...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
Apple and AT&T Show Hints of Strain
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67158
I would not want to have been an AT&T employee at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. There were at least three moments when comments by Apple executives betrayed thinly veiled criticism of the phone company, leaving me to wonder about the state of the relationship between Apple and the exclusive U.S. iPhone provider.
Both companies say they're plenty happy with the alliance, and people at Apple familiar with the matter say the speakers didn't intend to poke fun at AT&T. Nevertheless, comments by Scott Forstall and Phil Schiller underscored potential areas of strain.
The first moment came as Forstall laid out features of the new iPhone operating system, iPhone 3.0. Among them is support for Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS -- the ability to send pictures, videos, contacts, audio recordings, and other content embedded within a phone-to-phone message.
But, Forstall noted, the feature "requires carrier support," meaning it can't work without the cooperation of the wireless service provider. And even though 29 wireless companies in 76 countries will support MMS when iPhone 3.0 launches on June 17, two days before the launch of the new iPhone 3G S, it won't be available in the U.S., through AT&T, until "later this summer," he said before quickly moving on to the next topic. Audience laughter ensued.
Another feature the new iPhone is designed to offer is tethering, which lets a wireless phone act like a modem and share its wireless Internet connection with a nearby notebook PC. This handy feature has been available on Palm's Treo, Research In Motion's BlackBerry, and scores of other devices for years. Slides presented by Forstall at the conference showed that while 22 carriers in 42 countries will support tethering on the iPhone right away, AT&T will not. More laughter at AT&T's expense.
Later, after introducing the iPhone's video...
Wed, 17 Jun 09
STEC Founders Enjoy Near Monopoly on Drives
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67155
"We dominate this market. There's no one in the same hemisphere."
STEC Inc. Chief Executive Manouch Moshayedi is fond of sweeping, bold pronouncements. But it's hard to argue with him on this one.
Santa Ana-based STEC enjoys a rare position for a technology company these days: a near monopoly.
The company's hold is on an emerging market for drives that insiders call "solid state" because they have no moving parts.
Last year, STEC rolled out a line of solid state drives that are set to be built into servers made by EMC Corp., Hitachi Data Systems Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. and others. It also recently announced design wins with IBM Corp. and a unit of Fujitsu America Inc.
Analysts see more deals on the horizon
"We continue to believe that STEC remains in the driver's seat with a significant lead in enterprise solid state drive solutions," said Richard Kugele, an analyst at Needham & Co. in Boston. "Beyond the company's solid supply relationship with EMC, many additional tier-one customers are far from their potential in terms of production shipments, leaving us (with) the expectation for more material growth later in 2009 and into 2010."
Right now, STEC is the only game in town for solid state drives, which are seen as eventually replacing traditional disk drives as the primary storage devices for companies.
Server makers are attracted to solid state drives because they typically are smaller, more durable and require less electricity to power up and operate, making them ideal for end users that need to keep and serve up lots of data.
Early adopters include government agencies, insurance companies, trading services, freight companies and other financial institutions.
Some potential competitors have entered the fray in the past year, including Lake Forest's Western Digital Corp. and Fountain Valley's Kingston Technology Co.
Scotts Valley-based Seagate Technology LLC also is rumored to be...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Virgin Media Will Offer Unlimited MP3 Downloads
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67176
Virgin Media, Britain's largest provider of broadband services, has announced it will launch an unlimited music download program later this year. The company is initially partnering with Universal Music, the world's leading music company, although other labels and are expected to sign up when more details are announced.
In return for what Virgin Media describes as "a great value monthly subscription fee," consumers will be able to download as much music as they like. All of the MP3 downloads will be DRM-free, which means consumers will be able to play them indefinitely on whatever device they choose.
No estimate was provided for the possible cost of the service. However, Virgin Media did say an entry-level subscription would be available for consumers who want to download some music but who don't need unlimited access.
"In terms of both convenience and value," Virgin Media CEO Neil Berkett said, "our new music service will be superior to anything that's available online today and provides a fair deal for both consumers and artists. There is no better example of Virgin Media's commitment to harnessing digital technology to give customers what they want, when they want and how they want."
One of the goals of the program, Virgin said, is to bring about "a material reduction" in the piracy of Universal Music content across Virgin Media's network. The initial step will be to educate (or presumably remind) consumers that music piracy is illegal, and to promote the availability of a legal low-cost alternative.
If those steps are insufficient, then Virgin Media will implement a "graduated response system" for persistent music pirates. Ultimately, the company said, continued piracy could result in temporary suspension of Internet access. The company made it clear, however, that no one will permanently lose their Internet access, and the company will not monitor customer traffic to...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Nokia Unveils E72 Business Smartphone
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67175
Nokia has unveiled a new smartphone for business users that also integrates music and video players as well as GPS-based personal navigation aids, such as an integrated compass, on-screen maps and turn-by-turn instructions.
Called the Nokia E72, the new smartphone sports a higher-resolution five-megapixel camera/camcorder; desktop-style e-mail delivery; and instant-messaging connections to Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and Ovi.
"We included the desktop-like e-mail experience from the Nokia E75 and gave it a new optical navigation key for more intuitive scrolling through menus, e-mails and fast panning of images," said Ilari Nurmi, Nokia vice president.
The Nokia E72 is equipped with a sleek and stylish Qwerty keyboard, a 2.36-inch color TFT display with 320x240-pixel resolution, a high-speed USB 2.0 port and a microSD memory card slot featuring a hot-swap capability. Under the hood, the device integrates Wi-Fi (802.11b,g) and Bluetooth 2.0 radios, 250MB free user disk space, a still-image camera with flash and digital zoom, and a camcorder that supports video-calling capabilities.
Featuring an integrated hands-free speakerphone and active noise-cancellation technology, the quad-band smartphone bristles with wireless capabilities on both the voice and data sides. Beyond supporting GSM and GPRS calling, the E72 integrates the latest HSUPA and HSDPA technologies, which support data uploads and downloads at maximum speeds of up to 2Mbps and 10.2Mbps, respectively. A 4GB microSD memory card ships with the device, which offers support for a maximum 16GB of storage.
The new smartphone, which can double as a wireless modem, even supports VoIP calls over Wi-Fi connections. Moreover, additional technology is on tap to enable the device to become integrated into enterprise private branch exchange infrastructures and home wireless networks.
On the software side, the Nokia E72 ships with music and multimedia players, a Web browser, two dedicated e-mail clients, and other applications that provide integrated...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Apple Confirms Shipping of Pre-Ordered iPhone 3GS
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67174
Apple's new speedy iPhone 3GS will soon be in the hands of owners who pre-ordered the device just one week after it debuted at the Worldwide Developers Conference. People with orders through the Apple Store have received an e-mail that their device has been shipped, AppleInsider says.
"My 32GB black iPhone that I ordered the second I could on the Apple iPhone store has officially shipped," said DiscoNomad, a forum member of AppleInsider. "I found out this morning via an e-mail, which included a tracking number."
People were encouraged by Apple to reserve their iPhone at an Apple retail store and pick it up Friday, or order it from the online Apple Store to arrive on Friday.
The tracking information in e-mails from Apple show phones being shipped out of Shenzhen, China, home to Foxconn, one of the largest manufacturers of electronics worldwide and the company that manufactures iPhones and iPods for Apple.
There is, however, no confirmation on exactly when the online future iPhone 3GS owners will receive their devices. On one iPhone forum, bloggers said they have received confirmation from Apple that the arrival day will be no later than June 19.
Some are reporting that they haven't received any confirmation from Apple, while others say they are receiving conflicting information. One poster named Zach reported seeing his order processing on AT&T's main site and backordered on another AT&T site.
One thing for sure, however, is that phones are slated to be available through retail stores, including Best Buy, AT&T, Wal-Mart and Apple's own retail stores on Friday.
Some are already predicting a shortage and saying Apple needs to get devices into the hands of customers on time.
"It is important because every cycle is an opportunity to grow your customer base," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
FCC Declares DTV Transition a Success
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67173
On Friday, the United States brought a formal end to more than 60 years of analog broadcast of television signals, when television stations across the nation complied with a Federal Communications Commission order to switch to digital transmission.
"Yesterday was a truly historic day," FCC Chairman Michael Copps said on Saturday. "Digital will do for television what it has done for every other communications technology it touches -- make it better, more efficient, more interactive, more competitive, and more exciting than ever before." He described that development as a "win-win for consumers," and one that would promote the long-term health of the broadcast industry.
The transition was originally scheduled to occur on February 17, but was postponed by Congress over concerns that millions of households were unprepared for the switch to digital transmissions. Particularly worrisome was the fact that a fund set up by Congress to subsidize converter boxes had run out of money.
Congress pumped more money into the converter box program, and newly appointed chairman Copps promised to intensify the FCC's efforts to alert viewers to the coming change.
On Saturday, Copps declared the agency's efforts a success. "In the less-than-five months we had since a new team took over," Copps said, "we cut the number of unprepared households in half. We put systems in place like in-home assistance and our National Call Center to help those who were still caught unprepared yesterday when analog transmissions stopped."
The FCC deployed a team of more than 4,000 workers to answer phone calls about the switch. Throughout the day, the FCC received a record 317,450 calls; an estimated one-third dealt specifically with the availability of analog-to-digital converter boxes.
Copps was not the only one who felt the transition was successful. Jonathan Collegio, the vice president for digital television for the National Association of Broadcasters, gave...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Samsung Plans Omnis, Camera Phone, Android Device
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67172
As the CommunicAsia conference gets ready to open Tuesday in Singapore, Samsung has announced some additions to its popular Omni smartphone line, including the Omnia Pro slider and the Omnia II, as well as a new 12-megapixel camera phone and the Samsung Jet.
Also know as the B7610 Louvre, the Omnia Pro features a 3.5-inch, 800x480 WVGA AMOLED screen, as well as a QWERTY keyboard and 5.1-megapixel camera with LED flash.
While some details have emerged on the company's Korean Web site, Samsung has not yet released the full specs of the Omnia Pro in English. According to news reports, the Pro will include an 800-MHz processor, a gigabyte of internal memory, HSDPA, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, TV out, FM radio, and support for H.264, DivX and WMV video.
The Pro will run Windows Mobile 6.1, upgradeable to 6.5 when it's out.
Ken Dulaney, vice president for mobile computing at industry research firm Gartner, said Samsung, like Nokia, is covering "pretty much every category in smartphones." He noted, however, that Gartner's research has shown that Windows Mobile devices have declined in market share in favor of more "touch-centric" phones.
The Android operating system, though, is growing, and Samsung is showing its i7500 smartphone with that open-source operating system. It offers a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, a five-megapixel camera, 8GB of internal memory, and HSDPA. It was first announced in the spring.
The Google-backed Android OS has begun to appear on selected phones, following a strong launch of the first one, the T-Mobile G1. More than a million G1s have been sold, and major manufacturers have announced plans to offer an Android device. Android phones generally offer Google services, can be customized by the hardware maker or carrier, and can draw from a growing library of third-party applications.
In the category of super camera phones,...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Microsoft's Bing May Have Google Cofounder Worried
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67171
Does Bing have Google shaking in its boots? Google may indeed be concerned about Microsoft's breakout Bing launch, analysts said.
According to the New York Post, Google cofounder Sergey Brin is so rattled by the rival search engine that he has assembled a team of top engineers to work on urgent updates to the site. The Post also reported that Brin himself is leading the team to determine how Bing serves up its results.
"I do think Google is taking Bing very seriously," said Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence. "According to the early traffic indications, there has been some bump for Bing."
Microsoft launched Bing about two weeks ago and is sinking between $80 million to $100 million to market its so-called decision engine. The early results are impressive.
Microsoft increased its average daily penetration among U.S. searchers from 13.8 percent during May 26-30 to 15.5 percent during June 2-6, according to comScore. The research firm concluded this is an indication that the search engine is reaching more people than before. Microsoft's share of search-result pages in the U.S., a proxy for overall search intensity, increased from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent during the same time frame.
Meanwhile, StatCounter is reporting that Bing has overtaken Yahoo to secure the number-two spot in the search market. StatCounter said Bing grabbed market share from Google. StatCounter's analysis reveals that in the U.S., Bing leapfrogged Yahoo to take second place with 16.28 percent. Yahoo had 10.22 percent. Google still dominates the U.S. search market with 71.47 percent.
In the U.S., Bing ranked 17th out of more than 450,000 Web sites, up from 5,120 the week before the official launch when the Web site was merely a placeholder, according to Hitwise. Within the search-engines category, Bing ranked fourth out of the search engines tracked by Hitwise,...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Flickr Founder's Hunch May Help You Make Decisions
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67154
Caterina Fake has a hunch. She is betting Internet users want help making decisions, and she thinks she can do a better job of offering advice than the flip of a coin, rock-paper-scissors, or even Yahoo Answers.
Fake, the founder of the popular photo-sharing site Flickr, launched her latest venture to help people answer questions like "What should I be for Halloween?", "Do I need a Porsche?", "Should I dump that loser?", and "Is Phoenix a good place to retire?" The new Web site, Hunch.com, officially launched Monday.
"Hunch helps you make decisions and gives you results it wouldn't give other people, getting smarter over time as more people use it. We would like it very much it if you would like it. We like it! So very much!" Fake said.
In 10 questions or less, Hunch promises to offer a great solution to your problem, concern or dilemma. Hunch results are based on the collective knowledge of the Hunch community, and Hunch learns something new every time people use it.
The theory behind Hunch is based on research that shows decisions made by diverse and independent groups of people are often superior to those made by individuals -- even experts. That's because knowledge is often spread among many people. Hunch takes on the challenge of identifying it, collecting it, and effectively using it.
Colleges serve as one example. In a large group of people, almost everyone knows something about a college in their city, whether they attended or not. However, most of them aren't experts in choosing a college. Hunch works on the premise that if you were able to collect and organize all the various pieces of individual knowledge that the overall group possesses, the result is a fairly complete picture of the topic. The same theory holds true...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Yahoo Picks a New CFO Likely to Shake Things Up
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67141
Yahoo Inc. has hired a cost-cutting specialist as its new chief financial officer, signaling the Internet company's determination to weed out the bureaucracy that has been dragging down its profits for the past three years.
The Sunnyvale-based company said Thursday that it had lured Tim Morse away from Altera Corp., a computer chip maker based in nearby San Jose. He became Altera's CFO in 2007 after a 15-year career at General Electric Co., where he held various jobs.
Morse's hiring ends Yahoo's 3 1/2-month search to replace its current CFO Blake Jorgensen, who announced his plans to leave a few weeks after the company hired Carol Bartz as its new chief executive.
Since she took the job in January, Bartz has been focused on streamlining Yahoo's management as she tries to remove stumbling blocks that have contributed to the company's inability to keep pace with more nimble rivals such as Internet search leader Google Inc. and the online social hangout Facebook Inc.
Morse seems likely to shake things up even more at Yahoo, said Global Crown Capital analyst David Wu.
"If Carol Bartz wants a leaner and meaner Yahoo, then she got the right guy," said Wu, who followed Morse while he was at Altera. "His mantra is 'Cost control is a journey, not a destination.' And the journey never seems to end for him."
With Morse overseeing the finances, Altera's selling, general and administrative expenses dropped 16 percent from more than $304 million in 2006 to $255 million last year.
Even before she picked her new CFO, Bartz began to pare Yahoo's expenses by laying off 700 employees, or about 5 percent of the work force.
Bartz has said she doesn't anticipate another mass layoff this year, and Morse's experience at Altera suggests he can extract significant savings without pruning the payroll. Altera ended 2008 with more...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Rambus Settles EU Antitrust Probe, Avoids Fines
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67140
Memory chip company Rambus Inc. said Friday that European Union antitrust regulators had provisionally agreed to drop a probe and any fines if the company reduced its royalty rates for DRAM memory chip patents.
The European Commission in 2007 charged Rambus with monopoly abuse, alleging that the company set "unreasonable" royalties for DRAM patents fraudulently set as industry standards.
Any company that wanted to make DRAM, or Dynamic Random Access Memory, had to pay Rambus for the design it developed. The chips were used in personal computers, servers, printers, personal digital assistants and cameras.
Rambus said it would now offer licenses with maximum royalty rates for certain memory types and memory controllers.
The EU must check with other industry players that this satisfies antitrust concerns before the deal can be finalized.
This would end the company's antitrust disputes on both sides of the Atlantic over allegations of "patent abuse," where a company deceives a standards body by keeping secret the fact that it holds patents on technology that all players will later be forced to license.
Rambus said last month that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission had dropped a similar probe.
Chip manufacturers claimed that Rambus was seeking royalties in the early 1990s even as it took part in industry-wide talks that set standards for chips that were to be made mandatory -- giving the company a monopoly over key technology patents.
Los Altos, California-based Rambus has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Rambus was last year cleared of these charges by a U.S federal court which dismissed legal action by chip makers Micron Technology Inc. of Boise, Idaho, Hynix Semiconductor Inc. of Icheon, South Korea, and Nanya Technology Corp. of Kueishan, Taiwan.
They said Rambus had deliberately withheld information from the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, or JEDEC, which counted Rambus as a member as it established guidelines for the computer memory...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Business World Not Immune to Twitter Craze
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67136
In the world of people management, Twitter is getting people talking in a whole new way.
Recent signs that the 3-year-old micro-blogging tool is making a mark in HR include:
* The Internet buzz that was created when a person landed a job at Cisco, said on Twitter that she'd hate the work and was called out on her remarks by another Twitterer.
* The fact that the Society for Human Resource Management used Twitter to announce that Jack Welch would speak at its annual conference in New Orleans in late June.
* The way discussions have broken out about using Twitter as a tool for both training and benefits communication.
But businesspeople are flocking to Twitter without much thought about its true benefits and risks, says Alison Davis, head of employee communications consultancy Davis & Co.
"The problem with Twitter is, it's so cool," Davis says. "People in organizations are jumping on the bandwagon without knowing what the bandwagon is."
Twitter allows people to post messages of no more than 140 characters to the Internet, and individuals sign up to follow one another's postings. But the free service also can act as a viral communication tool as individuals repost, or "re-tweet," messages they receive to their networks of followers.
Unique visitors to Twitter soared from 475,000 in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009, according to research firm Nielsen Online. What's more, Nielsen found that Twitter is most popular among working adults.
Organizations are starting to tap Twitter as a marketing and customer service tool. Among them is SHRM. On March 19, SHRM chief operating officer China Miner Gorman broke the news via Twitter that Welch, the legendary former CEO at General Electric, would speak at the group's annual conference. "Great news!" the tweet reads. "Jack Welch is kicking off SHRM's annual conference in New Orleans in...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Google Updates iGoogle for iPhone and Android
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67135
Google has announced a new beta version of its iGoogle mobile offering for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch devices, as well as its own Android-based handsets.
Google mobile software engineers Dan Zivkovic and Zhen Wang said in a blog post that most users search on the handsets as a sort of "information snack."
"That's why iGoogle is so convenient on mobile devices. When you're waiting in line, you can check iGoogle on your phone for a quick 'info snack' even in areas with mediocre network coverage," they noted.
The improved version of iGoogle adds common elements such as tabs and quick access to frequently used gadgets, which should further speed up the experience, according to the engineers.
"Many of you have told us that you wanted to use more of your iGoogle gadgets on your phone. You wanted to see your tabs, too. We read your blog comments and forum posts and put your requests at the top of our to-do list," they explained.
The new version of iGoogle comes in 38 languages, and can be accessed by visiting igoogle.com in a mobile browser and selecting "Try the new Mobile iGoogle."
The mobile version of Google's browser has had its own additions this week, including improvements to the auto-complete tools and new keyboard shortcuts for Android devices.
"We'd like to introduce the Iterative Webapp, a series where we will continue to release features for Gmail for mobile. Today: Faster address auto-completion and keyboard shortcuts," said Shyam Sheth, product manager for Google Mobile, in a blog post.
The improvements to the address auto-complete tools mean that users will have to type in fewer letters before the relevant contact information is presented. The firm said that this was made possible through the study of previous searches.
Android users will also benefit from access to common Gmail keyboard shortcuts used to navigate...
Tue, 16 Jun 09
Amazon Ready To Ship Large-Format Kindle DX
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67116
Amazon has begun taking orders for its new Kindle DX e-reader, which is slated to begin shipping on Wednesday. The device has enough storage capacity to accommodate 3,500 books, the company said.
The wireless device -- which sports a big 9.7-inch diagonal screen but is just one-third of an inch thick -- delivers instant access to magazines, newspapers and more than 285,000 books without users having to pay a monthly cellular bill. Amazon says e-books purchased for the device are delivered in less than 60 seconds over a built-in 3G wireless link that is widely available in all 50 states.
Still, analysts note that the new device's purchase price is hefty. "The Kindle DX retails for a whopping $489," said Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps. "While other premium products will launch in the price range of the DX, there will also be a race to get to a $199 price point with simpler models."
The Kindle DX arrives at a time when analysts say the e-reader market is poised for liftoff. "By 2011, we expect five million U.S. consumers to own an e-reader," and "by 2013, we expect 13 million U.S. consumers to own" one, said Rotman Epps.
Struggling magazines and newspapers such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Washington Post are hoping to counter slowing ad sales and subscriber growth by jumping on the Kindle DX bandwagon. "By offering a subscription through the Kindle DX to readers who live outside of our delivery areas, we will extend our reach," said Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
USA Today also remains on track to begin delivering an electronic edition of its national newspaper by e-mail to paperless subscribers on Aug. 3, said the daily newspaper's Director of Communications Alex Nicholson. The Kindle DX offers native PDF...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Facebook Will Offer 'Vanity URLs' To Users' Sites
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67151
At 12:01 EST Friday, a new cyber landrush will get under way, as the social-networking giant Facebook introduces so-called "vanity URLs" to its popular service. On a first-come, first-served basis, Facebook subscribers will be able to choose customized descriptors for their profiles.
According to Facebook designer Blaise Dispersia, the change will mean that instead of having a Facebook URL ending in a randomly assigned number -- such as http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456789 -- users can create a profile link that more clearly indicates their identity -- for example, http://www.facebook.com/blaise.dispersia.
"When your friends, family members or coworkers visit your profile or pages on Facebook," Dispersia said in a recent blog post, "they will be able to enter your username as part of the URL in their browser. This way people will have an easy-to-remember way to find you. We expect to offer even more ways to use your Facebook username in the future."
In an effort to minimize the problem of cybersquatting that has plagued domain-name registrars, Facebook has given businesses the opportunity to preregister trademarked business names to prevent them from being claimed by others.
According to reports, tens of thousands of businesses have already preregistered trademarks. In addition, the company has quietly provided vanity URLs in advance to Facebook employees and "certain celebrities."
A company that fails to preregister its trademark before Friday's rush can probably get it back, but will probably need to obtain a court order, which can be both time-consuming and expensive.
Facebook's decision to incorporate vanity URLs into its site is another indication that despite its success, the social-networking site is uneasy about other upstart competitors, particularly the rapidly growing Twitter. Since its inception, Twitter has offered short URL links to profiles that match each user's screen name, which generally makes it easier to find people on the site...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
China's Software Blocks Terms, Opens Door To Malware
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67150
In its ongoing effort to regulate citizen access to Internet content, China has announced that all new computers sold in the country will be required to have preinstalled filtering software known as Green Dam-Youth Escort.
According to a statement published in a state-run newspaper, the Liberation Daily, the government's objective is to protect the nation's young people, who are flocking to the Web in ever-increasing numbers. "The state encourages research into Internet products that help minors surf the Web in a healthy manner," the statement said. Requests for additional explanation have gone unanswered.
Not surprisingly, the news of the new mandatory software requirement has generated considerable protest inside and outside of China.
According to The Wall Street Journal, an online petition was launched at midnight on Thursday to protest Green Dam. Although the number of signers is small (just more than a thousand in a nation with more than a billion residents), the comments are openly critical of the government's policy. At least one protester referenced the specter of Big Brother by writing, "I don't want to live in 1984."
While the ostensible purpose of the filtering requirement is to protect children from pornography and violent material (in fairness, similar steps have been proposed in the United States), researchers have discovered that politically sensitive terms are blocked as well.
For instance, efforts to connect to sites about the meditation technique Falun Gong trigger a pop-up message that declares the site harmful and then shuts down the browser. Similar shutdowns occur in response to other phrases deemed subversive by the Chinese government.
Other researchers report that similar shutdowns occur when sensitive terms are typed into various Microsoft software products, including Word, Notepad and MSN's instant messaging. That implies a degree of keystroke monitoring that may be unprecedented for a central government.
Of greater concern to...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Dell Pulls in $3 Million Using Free Tweets on Twitter
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67149
Biz Stone, Twitter's cofounder and CEO, continues to look for ways for the micro-blogging Web site to make money. While he's looking for the best business model, other companies are using Twitter to make millions.
Computer maker Dell has cashed in on Twitter's popularity by posting deals on Twitter.com/DellOutlet and several other Twitter accounts, and it has not cost the company a single penny.
Dell Outlet uses Twitter as a way to message coupons, clearance events, and new arrival information to those looking for Dell technology at a discounted price, according to Dell's Stephanie Nelson, who blogged about Dell's success with Twitter.
"Since we started back in 2007, we've earned more than $2 million in revenue at DellOutlet, attributed directly to our Twitter activity," Nelson said. "We've surpassed $2 million in revenue in terms of Dell Outlet sales, but we're also seeing that it's driving interest in new products as well."
Dell's Twitter site is also moving people to Dell.com, Nelson said. When those sales are factored in, Dell has actually reached $3 million in overall sales just from tweets on Twitter.
Dell employees saw the impact tweeting had on Dell's sales, so they decided to tweet more regularly and offer more Twitter-exclusive offers through its now-34 Twitter accounts. The move created even more buzz for Dell and helped the company lure a follower base that grown to more than 600,000.
"Our followers responded by re-tweeting DellOutlet messages to their followers, and our numbers rose even more," Nelson wrote in her blog.
The number of followers has made Dell one of the top 100 most-followed accounts on Twitter, according to TwitterCounter. The account is now climbing close to the top 50 accounts.
Dell isn't the only company with a large number of followers. Brands such as Jet Blue, Whole Foods, and Zappos have also...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Microsoft Decrees a Separate IE, But Critics Object
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67148
European Union antitrust authorities reacted coolly to Microsoft's surprise announcement on Thursday that it will not include Internet Explorer as an integral part of the Windows 7 products it will distribute within the EU beginning later this year.
Microsoft said it had decided to offer unique versions of Windows 7 that do not include the software giant's browser to PC manufacturers and users in Europe. But the European Commission said it has a more appropriate remedy in mind should Microsoft be found guilty of abusing its dominant market position to promote its own browser technology.
"The commission has suggested that consumers should be offered a choice of browser, not that Windows should be supplied without a browser at all," the EC said. "Given that over 95 percent of consumers acquire Windows preinstalled on a PC, it is particularly important to ensure consumer choice through the computer manufacturer channel."
Microsoft believes its new approach is its best path forward in light of the software giant's ongoing legal dispute with Europe's antitrust authorities.
"We need to make the move in order to deliver Windows 7 in Europe at the same time that the new operating systems begins shipping in the rest of the world," said Microsoft Vice President Dave Heiner. "It will address the 'bundling' claim while providing European consumers with access to the full range of Windows 7 benefits that will be available in the rest of the world."
Heiner also noted that Microsoft's decision means computer OEMs will be able to add any browser they want to the machines shipped into Europe -- including Internet Explorer.
"European consumers who purchase new PCs will be able to access the Internet without any problem," Heiner said. "Consumers will also be able to add any Web browser to their PCs, to...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
AOL Targets Local Advertising with Two Acquisitions
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67147
Time Warner's AOL has acquired two companies. The New York-based Internet service provider announced Thursday the purchase of Patch Media, an online provider of local news and information, and Going, an online service enabling people to share information about cities and destination places.
AOL acquired the small businesses to extend its new online "local" network, which reaches more than 54 million unique visitors per month who are looking for information about their local neighborhood, according to the company.
"Local remains one of the most disaggregated experiences on the Web today -- there's a lot of information out there, but simply no way for consumers to find it quickly and easily," said Tim Armstrong, AOL's chairman and CEO. "Going forward, local will be a core area of focus and investment for AOL."
The New York-based Patch brings together community-based content with localized community news. The community "patches" give access to event listings and news and lets users check out photos and videos from the specific town. The company currently has services in five communities, with more in development.
"We are excited to join the AOL family," said Jon Brod, CEO of Patch. "AOL's substantial network will help us extend the reach of Patch into more and more communities."
Boston-based Going lets a specific demographic -- twentysomethings -- find things to do in various cities throughout the country and gives them the buzz about what events are cool and what is not. Going.com provides buzz about 30 cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and New York.
The company also gives local promoters and event organizers a service engine, allowing them to automatically manage ticketing, advertising and RSVPs for various events.
"Going allows young people in leading cities to discover upcoming events, parties and new hot spots -- and most importantly, connect with others who share...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Even PCers Like Apple's Safari as Downloads Top 11M
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67145
Most eyes may be on the iPhone 3GS this week (and a few on the new MacBook Pro family), but one of Apple's latest product launches is making plenty of noise beyond the hardware spotlight. More than 11 million copies of Safari 4, the latest version of Apple's Web browser, have been downloaded in the first three days of its release. That figure includes more than six million downloads of Safari for Windows.
Apple built Safari 4 on advanced browser technologies like the new Nitro JavaScript engine that executes JavaScript nearly eight times faster than Internet Explorer 8 and more than four times faster than Firefox 3, according to the SunSpider JavaScript Performance test. Safari loads HTML Web pages more than three times faster than IE8 and three times faster than Firefox 3, according to VeriTest's iBench Version 5.0.
"Safari 4 is an incredible success on Mac and Windows with more than 11 million downloads in the first three days," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. "Safari users love the incredible speed and innovative features like Top Sites, Full History Search, and Cover Flow."
Safari 4 includes HTML 5 support for offline technologies and support for advanced CSS effects. These features usher in the possibility of Web applications that feature a new class of rich media, graphics and fonts. Safari 4 is also the first browser to pass the Web Standards Project's Acid3 test, which examines how well a browser adheres to CSS, JavaScript, XML and SVG standards designed for dynamic Web applications.
Top Sites in Safari offers a visual preview of frequently visited and favorite pages. Full History Search allows users to search through titles, Web addresses and the complete text of recently viewed pages. Cover Flow flips through Web history or bookmarks.
Safari...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Simon & Schuster Picks Scribd To Sell E-Books
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67134
CBS may be the last major Hulu.com holdout, but one of its divisions is among the first to embrace e-books. The company's Simon & Schuster unit announced Friday a deal with Scribd to sell e-books on the new Scribd Store.
Scribd launched its e-commerce publishing marketplace in May as a complement to its free content-sharing platform. Scribd boasts more than 60 million readers a month.
"Simon & Schuster is a major force in book publishing and is again leading the industry by recognizing the power of the social Web to influence reading and buying behavior," said Trip Adler, CEO and cofounder of Scribd. "We are thrilled to offer our users a one-stop solution for discovering, sharing and buying written works of all kinds, including best-selling books by one of the world's top publishers."
Nearly 5,000 Simon & Schuster e-book titles will be available on Scribd at launch. Book lovers can purchase, download and read the books on Scribd.com, on a computer desktop, and on a selection of mobile devices.
The Simon & Schuster Scribd storefront will showcase best-selling books from authors like Stephen King, Dan Brown, Mary Higgins Clark, Chelsea Handler, and Steve Martin. Simon & Schuster will also make thousands of printed titles available for preview with links to purchase from the Simon & Schuster Web site and other retailers. Specific titles include Steve Martin's Born Standing Up and Jimmy Carter's We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land.
"With millions of visitors and an extraordinary number of posted documents, Scribd has become an important destination for readers seeking written information that is relevant to their lives," said Ellie Hirschhorn, executive vice president and chief digital officer of Simon & Schuster. "We are pleased to offer them this convenient, user-friendly option for discovering, sampling and purchasing Simon & Schuster books,...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Sales of Video-Game Consoles, Games Fall Again in May
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67133
According to market research firm NPD Group in a report Thursday, monthly sales for the video-game industry dipped below $1 billion in May for the first time since August 2007. This represented a 23 percent drop and the third straight month with a decline. Sales in May were $863.3 million, including both game and console sales.
Sales of consoles alone dropped 30 percent, to $302.5 million. In May 2008, sales of consoles were about $433 million.
A big reason for the drop in hardware was that sales of Nintendo's Wii were down by more than half. But Nintendo still topped its two main competitors with 289,500 Wiis sold compared to 175,000 Xbox 360s and 131,000 PlayStation 3s. The Nintendo DS held strong at about 633,000 units sold.
Games sales dropped 17 percent, compared with May 2008. The top game was THQ's UFC 2009 Undisputed for the Xbox 360, with about 679,000 units sold, and the second-place game, Wii Fit with Balance Board, sold 352,000.
The remaining games in the top 10, in order, were EA Sports Active Bundle for Wii, UFC 2009 Undisputed for PS3, Infamous for PS3, Pokemon Platinum Version for Nintendo DS, Mario Kart with wheel for Wii, Punch Out! for Wii, X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged for Xbox 360, and Wii Play with Remote.
Paul Jackson, an analyst at Forrester, said sales of the Wii have dipped recently in North America and Japan. One of the reasons for the drop in May, he said, is that "the Wii has gone from being a phenomenon to having a more normal console sales cycle."
The first quarter, he added, usually has "roll-over sales" from the holiday season in the fourth quarter as people redeem gift certificates or buy games for their new consoles. "We had a fairly strong Q1," he said, noting...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
USA Today Publisher Sees Hope in Mobile Platforms
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67127
USA Today's new publisher said Wednesday he hopes to expand the newspaper's revenue from mobile phones and portable electronic reading devices, and pledged to fight The Wall Street Journal's bid for readers in hotels.
The comments from David Hunke, named USA Today's publisher in April by Gannett Co., come as the top U.S. newspaper by circulation -- along with the rest of the media industry -- is grappling with steep advertising declines. Newspapers are struggling to find ways to get readers to pay for online content without killing the flow of traffic to their Web sites and devastating their Internet ad revenue.
As one step toward expanding its revenue sources, on Aug. 3 USA Today will start selling e-mailed replicas of its daily newspapers for about $10 a month, Hunke said at a gathering of reporters. USA Today already has been selling electronic editions for $13.95 a month, but now it is switching to a new technology provider and putting more resources into promoting the service.
Other newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, have similar products, which are not big producers of revenue. USA Today's previous incarnation of its electronic edition averaged 1,217 subscribers from October through March, the latest reporting period covered by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Hunke said it was not yet clear whether print subscribers would get the new electronic version included in their delivery service or whether they would be asked to pay the extra fee, which is the case now.
Hunke said he does not envision charging for access to the newspaper's main Web site, a step other publishers are contemplating. He added that USA Today was not represented at a recent meeting in Chicago where several newspaper executives discussed the idea.
But Hunke said mobile platforms, like Apple Inc.'s iPhone or digital reader devices being developed by Amazon.com Inc.,...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Google Unfazed By Three U.S. Government Inquiries
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67126
Google Inc. doesn't believe it needs to change its ways despite three separate U.S. government inquiries into whether some of the Internet search leader's actions are thwarting competition.
"There is no reason to be upset or surprised with the scrutiny," Dana Wagner, Google's competition counsel, told reporters Wednesday. "It comes with the territory."
With technology playing an increasingly important role in society and Google steering most of the Internet's traffic, Wagner said it's understandable why the Obama administration is taking a close look at the Mountain View, California-based company.
"They wouldn't be doing their job if they weren't taking a look at all the industries people are telling them to take a look at," said Wagner, who worked at the U.S. Justice Department for seven years before joining Google in 2007.
Wagner suggested the push to investigate Google is being propelled by "enemies" that the company has made as its search engine and other free or low-cost products siphon money away from other businesses in media and technology. Google reaped a $4.2 billion profit on revenue of nearly $22 billion last year.
Without getting into specifics of the various inquiries under way now, Wagner predicted Google would be able to amicably resolve any differences with the government.
"I am a lover, not a fighter," Wagner said. "One of the reasons we have haven't had a huge fight (with the government) is because we generally can find common ground."
Google's biggest clash with the U.S. government so far occurred last year when the Justice Department threatened a lawsuit to block the company's proposed advertising partnership with rival Yahoo Inc., which runs the Web's second most popular search engine.
Although Google still believes the government exaggerated the alliance's potential effect on the Internet ad market, the company ultimately abandoned the Yahoo partnership.
Google also has shortened the amount of time it...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Climate for Tech Mergers Warms Up
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67121
There could be a thaw in the months-long stagnant market for tech mergers and acquisitions.
Data-storage companies EMC and NetApp are dueling to buy Data Domain for at least $1.8 billion. Last week, chipmaker Intel said it would buy testing and development software maker Wind River Systems for $884 million.
The quarter's big catch was when Oracle snapped up Sun Microsystems for $7.4 billion.
While hardly a buying spree, the uptick could signal a break for what has been a sluggish tech M&A market since the third quarter of last year.
So far, $17.9 billion has been spent on tech mergers in the U.S. in the current quarter -- more than the previous two quarters combined, according to market researcher Thomson Reuters.
The activity reflects one byproduct of a sour economy: Big tech companies sitting on piles of cash are willing to spend some of it to aggressively pick up innovative start-ups as well as rivals with customers and market share.
The deals come at a time when venture capital funding is scarce for start-ups and there are scant initial public offerings.
"People historically make their money when they invest consistently, even during downturns," says Keith Larson, vice president of Intel Capital, the company's venture-capital arm. The company has said that it will spend $7 billion over two years to build advanced manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
"Almost the worst thing you can do is pull back during a downturn and miss out on buying opportunities," Larson says. "We have a multiyear road map on the technology side."
Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers, who has navigated the venerable network-equipment maker through several downturns, has said companies willing to take calculated risks often emerge stronger from recessions.
A few established companies with ample cash reserves this year have bolstered their war chests with the intention of snapping up companies.
Cisco, which sold...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
Smartphone Stock Battle: The Pros Like RIM
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67120
Early June has been a heady time for gadget lovers, with Palm's new Pre smartphone going on sale on June 6 and Apple unveiling its updated iPhone 3G S on June 8. Shares of both companies shot up in anticipation of the sexy devices but sold off slightly once the news arrived.
The best bet for investors may be neither stock, however.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Robert W. Baird have all come out in recent days favoring the smartphone maker with nothing new or sexy to release in June: Research In Motion. The maker of the ubiquitous BlackBerry line of smartphones, RIM has been lingering in the shadows this week.
Analysts say checks with wireless retail stores show RIM's in no need of a sexy new model. Sales of its existing models, such as the touchscreen Storm and consumer-oriented Curve, are running ahead of expectations. It doesn't hurt that BlackBerrys are available from virtually every major carrier while Apple's iPhone can only run on AT&T's network in the U.S. and Palm's Pre is locked in with Sprint Nextel. Apple faithful are already griping about AT&T's trade-in prices and delays in offering MMS and broadband tethering features to the new iPhone.
Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski on June 10 increased her earnings per share estimates for RIM's fiscal 2010, which ended at the end of May, as well as the upcoming fiscal 2011. Better-than-expected sales and currency market trends are both helping bolster profits, she wrote in a research note. She thinks RIM should earn $5.34 a share, up from her previous estimate of $5.10, for 2010, and $6.45, up from $6.03, in 2011. Jankowski also increased her target price on the stock to $96, after it doubled in the past three months to about $83 a share.
Citigroup analyst Jim...
Sat, 13 Jun 09
For Many Workers, Fear of Layoff Is Big Motivator
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67031
Her job description says Madeline Adams is a social worker. But lately she's begun volunteering for tasks she never had before at the St. Louis marriage counseling agency where she works: planning events, ordering supplies, stocking shelves. She estimates she's put in hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime work.
Adams isn't gunning for a promotion. She just wants to keep her job.
Bosses around the country these days are discovering it's not too much ask for a little extra help around the office. Anything but.
More employees seem to be showing up early, forgoing vacation time, taking on extra projects -- and doing it all with a smile (whether real or otherwise).
It's hard to say just how widespread the phenomenon is. But Labor Department figures show workers have sharply boosted their productivity over the past year as layoffs mounted. Workers' output-per-hour jumped 2.7 percent during 2008 -- nearly double the increase during 2007 and triple the increase in 2006.
Not all that extra productivity has been voluntary. Some workers are simply forced to do more as co-workers leave, notes Steve Davis, an economist with the American Enterprise Institute.
The pressure mounted Friday, when the government said employers cut 345,000 jobs in May, and the nation's jobless rate hit a quarter-century high of 9.4 percent. Fear of being the next layoff is pushing some workers to fight harder to cling to their jobs, said Bruce Tulgan, founder of New Haven, Conn.-based Rainmaker Thinking Inc., workplace consultants.
Often, the efforts amount to common sense. People dress better and show up early. They say nice -- OK, flattering -- things to the boss. And they try to look busy.
"I've started to see a sea change," Tulgan said. "A growing number of people are saying: 'I've got to roll my sleeves up and do something now.' They're finding ways they...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
Microsoft Confirms Plans to Release Free Anti-Virus Service
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67113
As it gets ready to launch a new operating system, Microsoft confirmed Wednesday that it is getting ready to release a free anti-virus service later this year.
The new service is currently code-named Morro, apparently after the Morro de Sao Paolo beach area in Brazil. Observers are expecting the free service to compete directly with McAfee and Symantec, two of the leading companies in this field.
A Microsoft spokesperson told news media that the software giant is currently internally testing the new software among its employees, and then it will offer a public beta at some unspecified point in 2009. The software is expected to be available for computers running Windows Vista, XP, and the upcoming Windows 7.
Microsoft had previously launched security services with Live OneCare, for which retail sales will be discontinued by the end of this month, although support will continue to the end of current subscriptions. All OneCare sales, including those online, are expected to be phased out as Morro ramps up.
It is expected that Morro will only be available via online download, not as part of Windows 7.
Peter Firstbrook, an analyst with industry research firm Gartner, described Morro as "basic anti-malware software," using the OneCare engine. These days, he said, "signature-based anti-virus software is basically a commodity," and, with no price, Morro is likely to "get a really good reception."
"Microsoft originally got into anti-viral protection," he added, "because they felt that Symantec and McAfee weren't really getting enough penetration, people's machines were getting infected, and it was impacting the Microsoft experience."
If Morro provides good protection, he said, it could "provide a significant value for users." He added that, from Microsoft's perspective, free anti-viral software improves user experience with Microsoft-based products and, because the company will receive feedback in the form of...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
Apple Sets New Smartphone Pricing Standard
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67111
While consumers wait to find out how much AT&T is going to charge for iPhone 3GS data packages -- and how much the wireless carrier will ultimately charge existing iPhone customers to upgrade to the third generation of the market-shaking device -- Apple is setting new pricing standards in the smartphone industry.
The iPhone 3GS is up to twice as fast as the iPhone 3G. It offers twice the capacity for the same price with a 16GB model for $199 and a 32GB model for $299. The iPhone 3G is now available at $99 for the 8GB model. Keep in mind that the $99 price is not for a refurbished handset from Best Buy. These are brand new phones.
"Apple raised the bar once again in terms of technology and features and it remains the standard for everyone else to try to emulate," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. "But at the same point Apple redefined price performance as well with the $99 iPhone and that's going to put a lot of pressure on the competition to respond."
The newest competitor is the Palm Pre. Earlier this week, Sprint reported a record sales debut with the Pre. The Pre sells for $199 with a two-year Sprint contract. That puts it on par with the new 16GB iPhone 3GS, but Apple has the smartphone market beat on pricing with the cuts on the second-generation model.
"Nearly all of the signature phones that came out last year debuted at about $199, like the Bold or the Storm or the G1. The Pre met that expectation," Gartenberg said. "Now, Apple is setting the new bar at $99 -- and it's not for a stripped down product or a product that's feature-limited. This was Apple's flagship product as of a week ago. So...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
Palm Appoints New CEO for New Era
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67110
As the consumer market continues to rave about the new Palm Pre, the financial markets are reacting positively to another Palm bombshell: a new CEO.
On Wednesday, Palm appointed Jon Rubinstein, 52, as its new CEO. Ed Colligan, 48, who served as Palm's chief since 2005, is stepping down. Colligan served in leadership positions at Palm for 16 years.
Colligan plans to take some time off, then join Elevation Partners, a newly formed private equity firm that makes large-scale investments in market leading media, entertainment and consumer-related businesses.
"I'm very proud of what Palm has accomplished so far," Colligan said. "We pioneered two major product categories and I believe we are on our way to defining the standard for the mobile Web. I'm extremely proud of our team, and grateful to have played a role in turning Palm around. I know that Jon, the Board and the Palm executive team will do an incredible job driving Palm to new heights."
As for Rubenstein, he joined Palm as Executive Chairman in October 2007 to help bring innovation back to the company. He has been leading Palm's product development efforts sine his arrival. He will assume his role as CEO on June 12.
Rubenstein is widely known for launching some of the most influential computing products of the past decade. As a member of Apple's executive staff and head of hardware engineering, Rubenstein was instrumental in conceiving the iPod. Rubenstein launched his career at Apple in 1997 as a senior vie president for hardware engineering. In 1998, he led the rollout of the iMac, the model that revitalized Apple with its new design. Before he left Apple, Rubenstein was head of the iPod Division.
"I am very excited about taking on this expanded role at Palm," said Rubinstein. "Ed and I have worked very...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
Symantec Warns of Wireless Keyboard Security Threat
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67095
Security firm Symantec has uncovered a new form of attack aimed at users of wireless keyboards.
The warning follows the release of Keykeriki, an open-source "sniffer" project that allows users to remotely decode wireless transmissions.
Symantec said that this effectively creates a new type of key-logger that could be used by cybercriminals to steal sensitive data such as user names, passwords and bank details.
The project was created by a site called remote-exploit.org. "This open-source hardware and software project enables every person to verify the security level of their own keyboard transmissions, and/or demonstrate the sniffing attacks (for educational purpose only)," the site notes.
Symantec warned that, although the creator's intentions appear honorable, making the software code and hardware schematics open to everyone means that criminals could use the software to eavesdrop on wireless keyboard inputs.
The criminals would not have to install anything on the host system, but would simply have to be in range of the keyboard's wireless signal.
Remote-exploit.org claimed that it has plans for add-on modules that include an LCD display and an interface that works with an iPhone.
Symantec said that future wireless keyboards should introduce encrypted communication between the device and the receiver, and warned those working on office or public computers to resort to wired keyboards for the time being.
Fri, 12 Jun 09
AT&T's Fixer-Upper Joins General Motors
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67094
General Motors on Tuesday announced that retired AT&T CEO Edward Whitacre Jr. will become chairman of the "new" GM, handpicked by the government's auto task force to lead the smaller, leaner company once it emerges from bankruptcy.
Whitacre succeeded in turning the smallest of the seven regional Bell telephone companies into a telecommunications giant and accomplishing that in a highly competitive, highly regulated consumer products business. Those skills could help at GM, which is restructuring under government supervision with the help of $50 billion in government loans.
"You have to find someone who is as comfortable knowing consumers and what they want as they are walking the halls of Washington," says Clarke Murphy, head of CEO and Board Services at executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. "I think he's a pretty good choice."
Whitacre, 67, told USA TODAY that he was motivated by old-fashioned patriotism to come out of retirement and take the job.
"General Motors is a great company," says Whitacre, who owns two GM SUVs: a Chevy Tahoe and a GMC Yukon. GM "is part of the fabric of this country, and it shouldn't be allowed to go away."
Current interim Chairman Kent Kresa, who was named to the post when President Obama asked former CEO Rick Wagoner to step aside, says Whitacre was on a list of names he provided to the government's autos task force.
"The final decision was the government's, and I am very positive about the way it came out," Kresa said Tuesday.
GM filed for bankruptcy protection June 1 and is attempting to use the process to split itself into a "new" GM and an "old" GM. The old GM will retain parts of the business the company can no longer sustain -- plants to be closed, dealers to be shuttered and brands to be divested. It will sell the...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
Bing Swing: New Search Engine Ups Redmond's Share
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67089
In the week since Microsoft Corp. launched Bing, its new search engine, the software maker's share of U.S. Web searches has crept into double digits for the first time in two years.
But Bing's early gain is no predictor of future success. After all, the last time that happened, Microsoft had resorted to paying people to use Bing's predecessor, known as Live Search.
Bing went live June 3, though some people had access earlier. According to a report Tuesday from research group comScore Inc., Microsoft snagged 11.1 percent of U.S. searches from June 2 to June 6. A week earlier, its share was 9.1 percent.
That still leaves Microsoft a distant third behind Google Inc., which was used for more than 60 percent of searches in April, and Yahoo Inc., which topped 20 percent. ComScore did not release more recent figures for those companies.
Search traffic is key because advertisers who place pitches alongside search results will pay more to reach a larger audience. This is the key to Google's profits, while Microsoft's online business is losing money.
Microsoft has tried several tactics to narrow the gap with Google, including the drawn-out but unsuccessful attempt to buy Yahoo.
In June 2007, Microsoft launched the "Live Search Club," a Web site where people could play games, rack up points and redeem them for prizes. Every move in an anagram game or a crossword puzzle would kick off a search on Microsoft's site.
That month, Microsoft's U.S. search share jumped to 12.2 percent, from 9.5 percent in May 2007, according to comScore. But by October 2007 it had fallen below 10 percent. And it remained there until Bing's heavily promoted launch last week.
Microsoft had no comment on the new analysis from comScore.
Fri, 12 Jun 09
June 12 Is Final Curtain for Analog TV Signals
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67088
The last major TV stations that are still broadcasting in analog will turn those signals off Friday and go all digital. And this time, they really mean it.
The original Feb. 17 deadline for the shutdown was delayed by the Obama administration after funding ran out for $40 coupons the government offered to help people buy converter boxes for old TVs.
Now officials say the country is much better prepared than in February, though they still expect some viewers to be confused.
About 3.1 million U.S. homes were unprepared to receive digital signals as of late last month, according to the Nielsen Co. That's half the number that were unprepared in February, and the number will probably decline further by Friday, as procrastinators get around to replacing old TVs or hooking them up to converter boxes or cable or satellite service.
Some people may believe the analog shutdown will be put off once again. But President Barack Obama debunked that with a statement last week: "I want to be clear: There will not be another delay."
Because digital signals are more efficient than the analog TV broadcasts that have been on the air for six decades, the transition will make room in the airwaves for wireless Internet and emergency communications services.
Nearly half of the nation's 1,760 full-power TV stations have already cut their analog signals, though they are mostly in thinly populated areas.
Come Friday, older, non-digital TV sets will lose all major channels unless they have an antenna and a converter box that allows them to accept digital signals, or if they are hooked up to cable or satellite.
A few low-power analog stations and rural relay stations known as "translators" will still be available in some areas. And about 100 stations will keep an analog "night light" on, informing viewers of the need to switch...
Fri, 12 Jun 09
What the Palm Pre Costs To Build
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67085
When the Palm Pre first hit store shelves on June 6, it took no time for analysts to take the device apart.
Among them was Andrew Rassweiler, director and principal analyst for teardown services at iSuppli, a market research firm based in El Segundo, Calif. His mission: to find out which suppliers made the smartphone's innards and come up with an estimate of how much it cost Palm to build it.
Rassweiler and his team estimate that it cost more than $140 to build the Pre, and possibly as much as $160. While that figure remains preliminary, it's already higher than an initial estimate of $138, issued in April before Palm released the Pre. Palm had no immediate comment on iSuppli's analysis.
ISuppli takes consumer electronic devices apart and estimates the cost of its various components -- including chips, displays, and packaging -- to come up with its so-called bill of materials. Once you know a product's bill of materials, you can more closely estimate how profitable the device is on a per-unit basis.
The main cost driver in the Pre, according to iSuppli's analysis, is the display. In the unit that iSuppli used for its analysis, Sony supplied the 16-million color 320-by-480 pixel liquid-crystal display. It's likely that other companies are supplying LCD displays to Palm as well.
Attached to the display is a touchscreen module that enables the user to touch the screen with more than one finger at a time in order to conduct "pinch" and "spread" motions that make items appear larger or smaller on the screen. It's not clear which company supplied this module, Rassweiler says. Candidates include Germany's TPK/Balda, which supplied the same technology for the first iPhone in 2007, and privately held Touch International, based in Austin, Tex.
"The supply chain on the...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
Google Admits DOJ Investigation into Book Deal
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67106
Google has confirmed it is being investigated by the Department of Justice for its October 2008 copyright settlement agreement with the Authors Guild, a group with 8,000 authors and the Association of American Publishers, which has more than 300,000 members.
The deal, being investigated because of its anticompetitive nature, would force Google to provide $125 million toward a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers could register their works and receive some form of compensation for their work from subscriptions or book sales.
"The Department of Justice and several state attorneys general have contacted us to learn more about the impact of the settlement, and we are happy to answer their questions," said Gabriel Stricker, a Google spokesperson. "It's important to note that this agreement is non-exclusive and if approved by the court, stands to expand access to millions of books in the U.S."
Google said it received Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) from the DOJ. A CID is a request for information in the course of a civil investigation and does not constitute the beginning of legal proceedings. David Drummund, Google's legal counsel sait it is the equivalent of a civil subpoena, he told Reuters.
Consumer groups have been outspoken about their disapproval of the deal between the Internet search giant and the authors and publishers groups, among them Public Knowledge, a Washington, DC-based public interest group.
The group said while it encourages access to orphan works, it believes the proposed settlement allows only the Book Rights Registry to grant licenses to use absent authors' works. This would allow only Google to use the licenses. Orphan works are copyrighted works where it is challenging or impossible to find the copyright holder.
"The Justice Department is free to see what it can see," Public Knowledge's Communication Director Art Brodsky said, declining to provide...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
Loyal iPhone Users Irate Over Upgrade Fee
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67105
The iPhone 3G S may spark a new wave of adoption for Apple thanks to price cuts on the legacy model, but iPhone loyalists are angry over AT&T's upgrade pricing.
Some are calling for a boycott on the device, while others are suggesting purchasing a phone and withholding payment to prove a collective point.
AT&T's pricing policy for the new iPhone 3G S calls for a $200 fee to existing iPhone 3G users that want to upgrade to the latest model. AT&T charges the fee to subscribers who have not fulfilled most, if not all, of their two-year contract.
The angry smartphone users are using Twitter as a vehicle to lodge their complaints against the wireless carrier. As of Wednesday afternoon, nearly 5,000 people have signed the "twitition" that states, "AT&T should give existing customers the same rate for the new iPhone 3Gs that they do for new customers. New customers or not, another two-year contract is being made."
Organizers are encouraging outraged consumers to spread the word about the Twitter petition through other social media sites like Facebook, Delicious, Digg, Reddit and Stumbleupon.
When the iPhone 3G S was announced earlier this week, consumers celebrated price drops on the iPhone 3G. The older model will sell for $99. The new iPhone 3G S will begin selling on Friday, June 19, for $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model -- for new AT&T customers and customers.
Customers who purchased an older iPhone with an current AT&T contract are not eligible for another subsidized phone. Those subscribers would be forced to pay full price for the iPhone 3G S, $399 for the 16GB and $599 for the 32GB model.
Beyond the Twitter petition, consumers are also complaining on other forums, including AT&T's own Apple forum. And the complaints are...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
Microsoft's Bing Gets Dinged by China
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67103
Microsoft's new "decision engine" Bing may help users get through clutter on the Internet to make better decisions, but officials in China have made it clear that the software behemoth has failed at one decision: to make snippets of sexually explicit material available in search results.
Bing includes a small video-preview feature called smart motion preview, which plays videos when a user navigates over it. The feature, while convenient for some, has landed Microsoft in hot water with some child-advocacy groups, including Virginia-based Enough is Enough.
And now, China has blocked Bing because of that same video-search feature.
In recent months, China's Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center, or CIIRC, has taken steps to filter and block images from the eyes of Internet users in China. Most recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has directed personal computers sold in the country to include filtering software to protect minors ages 10 through 16 by filtering pornographic and violent images and content.
Flickr and Twitter have also been blocked over the past several months, while Google-owned YouTube has been blocked since March.
Steven Lin, a marketing professional in Beijing and former journalist at the Economic Observer, has accounts on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and Google, which he could not access because they had been blocked recently.
Lin, however, said "Flickr and Twitter [have] come back to life in mainland [China] shortly after the sensitive period," referencing the 20-year anniversary of the attacks on Tiananmen Square.
Lin recently tweeted about Microsoft's Bing also being blocked in China.
"Microsoft's Bing.com was among several Internet services that were blocked for customers in China on June 2," said Kevin Kutz, Microsoft's director of public affairs. "We are reaching out to the government to understand this decision and to find a way to move forward. As a charter member of...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
Get Your Facebook Wagons Ready! It's Username Gold Rush!
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67100
Facebook users, get ready for the Username Gold Rush. One minute after midnight this Friday night, June 12, members of the popular social networking site will be able to claim a new username that can be used in the address of their profile.
The username will take the place of the string of letters and numbers that currently identify a member's profile. This "vanity URL" will allow a user to identify their Facebook page as www.facebook.com/youruniquename.
On the company blog, Facebook designer Blaise DiPersia noted Monday that, since the beginning of the social networking site, members have used their real names. But, he noted, the one place "where your identity wasn't reflected was in the Web address for your profile or the Facebook Pages you administer."
The URL, he pointed out, was just a randomly assigned number like "id=592952074." Users will have the same privacy settings for their username as they do for the profile name in Search, and will be able to edit their privacy settings.
Instructions on the user's home page will explain how to claim a username, as well as suggesting possibilities. Usernames will need to be at least five characters long, including only alphanumeric characters (letters and numbers) or a period, and there is only one username allowed per page. The company said it was looking into supporting non-Romanized characters at some point.
Each name will be unique, which is why the start immediately after midnight on Friday resembles one of the movies where the wagons line up and, at the gun shot, drive as fast as they can to claim land.
That username claiming, as in the days of yore when Web site URLs were first being gobbled up, can result in someone claiming a name that could legally infringe on rights holders, such as...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
Record-Breaking Patch Tuesday Announced
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67079
In a record-breaking Patch Tuesday, Microsoft issued 10 security bulletins and two security advisories this month. The bulletins address a total of 31 vulnerabilities, 17 of which are rated as critical. The previous record was 28 last December. Analysts said enterprises need all hands on deck to get systems patched as quickly as possible.
Of the patches issued this month, the most significant appear to be several that affect Internet Explorer, as the Web continues to be a preferred method of exploit by cybercriminals, according to Ben Greenbaum, senior research manager at Symantec Security Response.
"The four Internet Explorer fixes that address HTML object memory corruption vulnerabilities-the first ever patch for Internet Explorer 8 being among these-are of particular interest," Greenbaum said. "These weaknesses actually appear to be quite simple to exploit and we have observed malicious code being offered in malware toolkits that have taken advantage of very similar vulnerabilities."
As someone who's always interested in remote code execution, the MS09-018 bulletin is the most interesting to Tyler Reguly, a senior security engineer at nCircle. He also offered a "notable mention" MS09-022, which fixes the Windows Print Spooler vuln, because malicious servers that exploit the client are always technically interesting.
"I think it's important to call out the hair splitting that Microsoft seems to be doing these days around the term 'elevation of privilege.' MS09-020 allows access to pages requiring authentication when a 'specially crafted anonymous HTTP request' is sent," Reguly said. "Anonymous doesn't sound like 'elevation of privilege' to me, but Microsoft cites the fact that special permissions must be given to the anonymous user as justification."
Reguly also pointed out that June saw only six out of the 31 vulnerabilities related to listening services. He called this a trend that deserves special attention. If you add in...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
McAfee Pushes Unified Network Security Package
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67070
McAfee is making a major play for the network security market with a unified security suite offering an improved firewall technology that it hopes will make it an even competitor with Symantec and Cisco.
The company's Network Security Business Unit (NSBU) is looking to double its revenues to $1B per year by offering a complete network security software package with new management tools that it feels will cut operating security costs by better management.
"Our plan is to consolidate a full selection of network security products," said Dan Ryan, executive vice president of NSBU, and former chief executive of Secure Computing. "It's unique to the industry."
The consolidation of the security industry over the last ten years has seen single service providers swallowed up into more unified security offerings, he said. By offering a single point solution, McAfee was both mirroring current trends in the industry and taking them forward for network managers.
Key to the strategy is simplifying management by IT administrators. This approach is shown in McAfee's new firewall product and management suite, which uses a new graphical user interface to simplify the setting of firewall rules and policies using Firewall Enterprise Profiler.
"Previously [firewall rules] were something that took days to organize, or you blew a hole through your firewall," said Greg Brown, senior director of McAfee product marketing. "We were finding 5-10,000 firewalls in place in a typical installation, so that needed to be simplified."
The new firewalls use graphical tools to set up access conditions for desktops, laptops and mobile devices and allow IT administrators to be alerted should conditions change. In this way the company says it vastly reduces the amount of time and expertise to set up a firewall system.
Additional elements to the unified offering will be released over the next six months and McAfee is making a serious...
Thu, 11 Jun 09
A Pall Is Cast Over Palm's Pre
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67067
Expectations for Palm's newest smartphone proved too high to meet. In the days after the Pre went on sale on June 6, shoppers complained of shortages. Investors fretted that sales may suffer unless Palm does a better job of supplying handsets amid a fierce rivalry with Apple, which on June 8 cut the price of its iPhone.
Jen Resnick, a 44-year-old acupuncturist from Brooklyn, N.Y., embodies those concerns. By the time she stopped at a Sprint Nextel store in Manhattan on June 8, the Pre had been sold out for two days. "It makes me [want to] consider the iPhone instead," Resnick says.
Would-be Pre owners across the U.S. faced similar disappointment as they visited stores owned by Sprint, expected to be the exclusive Pre carrier through yearend. The Pre is also being sold through Radio Shack and Best Buy stores. In Portland, Ore., one Sprint store sold its initial shipment of 30 phones in the first 20 minutes. The supply hadn't been replenished as of June 8.
New phones may not arrive in major metropolitan areas until June 15, says UBS analyst Maynard Um. "I'd been waiting for a long time," said Elizabeth Wisker, a 23-year-old student in New York. Like many other disappointed customers, Wisker added her name to a waiting list for the Pre. As of June 8, 10,000 to 15,000 people joined such lists nationwide, analysts estimate. Auction site eBay listed nearly 100 Palm Pre devices for sale, going for $455 to $700, often without a Sprint contract. Sprint offers the Pre for $200 after a mail-in rebate and with a two-year contract. The wireless carrier sells the device for $550 without a contract.
Analysts estimate that 45,000 to 55,000 Pre units were sold the first weekend. Sprint says the Pre beat all of its earlier records for a first...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
FCC Flooded with Advice on a National Broadband Plan
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67076
The Federal Communications Commission is awash in advice from companies, industry associations, and public-interest groups after its Monday deadline for comments on a national broadband plan.
Most observers agree that the FCC's efforts to make broadband ubiquitous in the U.S. are both timely and laudable, but the devil is in the details. Battle lines are being drawn between network operators and public-interest groups.
Time Warner is advising the FCC to not rock the boat by adopting regulations that could hamper future investments. "At the same time that it acts to stimulate broadband availability and adoption where necessary, the commission must be cognizant of preserving and enhancing the pro-investment and innovation-conducive environment that is responsible for the growth of the broadband marketplace thus far," the cable-network operator said.
However, Free Press is warning the FCC not to simply choose to follow the wishes of the industries it regulates. "The national broadband plan should be designed around aspirations to particular social and economic outcomes, not the business models of the incumbent telecommunications carriers," Free Press Research Director Derek Turner advised.
The public-interest group is also calling on the FCC to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service. "This will rationalize broadband policy, reduce arbitrage, and give the commission the tools required to promote competition through the reinstatement of network-sharing rules if a competition analysis indicates this is needed," Turner said.
Others have an eye on the $7.2 billion that the Obama administration has set aside for broadband development. "If we want to get broadband networks and high-speed Internet everywhere in this nation, it will probably require some carefully targeted incentives and subsidies from the federal government," said Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen.
Comcast also wants to get the FCC to help boost adoption rates among households where cable service is available but which...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
China Insists Mandatory Software Blocks Bad Content
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67075
China is defending its directive forcing manufacturers to include blocking software in all personal computers sold there by July 1. The order from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is to filter out unhealthy content, including pornography and violence, according to ministry spokesperson Qin Gang.
China's MIIT issued the notice on May 19 that PCs to be sold in China must include the software dubbed Green Dam-Youth Escort. The software prevents computers from accessing Web sites with pornography, Zhan Chenmin, manager of Jinhui Computer Systems Engineering Co., the company behind the software, told Shanghai Daily.
Earlier this year, the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center cited several Web sites as having large amounts of lewd content. Since the center's campaign began in January, China has shut down up to 1,507 Web sites. Companies such as MSN China, and Sina and search engines, including Google and Baidu, have been warned to remove pornography, according to the portal of the People's Republic of China.
Critics, however, say the campaign is an attempt to stop Chinese Internet users from viewing political content.
That criticism is based on past issues, involving blocking of Web sites by the Chinese government. In March, China blocked YouTube after a video showed security guards beating Tibetans. Other sites, including Flickr, Twitter and Bing, have also been blocked at various times.
One of our readers in China wrote to us, indicating that while "a slew of sites are blocked," not all the sites mentioned above are actually being blocked -- despite the fact that the U.S. media is widely reporting the blockage.
This reader can still reach Twitter.com, Hotmail.com, Flickr.com, and Live.com without any trouble. YouTube, the reader said, is the only site that is unreachable in daily surfing of the Net.
Critics, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, believe China is putting...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Bing Bounces High in Early Search-Ranking Results
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67073
It may be too early to break out the champagne, but Microsoft has reason to celebrate this week. The early results for its Bing search engine are impressive.
According to comScore's preliminary study, Microsoft's latest effort to dethrone Google in the search-engine wars is posting gains. The results show substantial improvement in Microsoft's position in the search market in the days following Bing's launch.
"These initial data suggest that Microsoft Bing has generated early interest, resulting in a spike in search engagement and an immediate-term improvement to Microsoft's position in the search market," said Mike Hurt, comScore senior vice president. "So far it appears that the lifts in searcher penetration and engagement have held relatively steady throughout the five-day period."
Microsoft increased its average daily penetration among U.S. searchers from 13.8 percent during the period of May 26-30 to 15.5 percent during the period of June 2-6, according to comScore. The research firm concluded this is an indication that the search engine is reaching more people than before. Microsoft's share of search-result pages in the U.S., a proxy for overall search intensity, increased from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent during the same time frame.
"The ultimate performance of Bing depends on the extent to which it generates more trial through its extensive launch campaign and whether it retains those trial users," Hurt said. "It appears it is off to a good start."
Meanwhile, StatCounter is reporting that Bing has overtaken Yahoo to secure the number-two spot in the search market. StatCounter said Bing grabbed market share from Google. StatCounter's analysis reveals that in the U.S. Bing leapfrogged Yahoo to take second place with 16.28 percent. Yahoo had 10.22 percent. Google still dominates the U.S. search market with 71.47 percent.
"It remains to be seen if Bing falls away after the initial...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Safari 4 Runs Faster and Supports Web Standards
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67072
Stepping up the newly revived browser wars, Apple on Monday released the newest version of its Safari browser for Windows PCs as well as Macs. Philip Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said the free Safari 4, which was made available as a beta version in February, offers "blazing-fast speed, innovative features, and support for modern Web standards."
Apple emphasized that the newest Safari uses "advanced browser technologies," including a new Nitro JavaScript engine that processes JavaScript almost eight times as fast as Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and three times faster than Firefox 3.
The browser is built on the open-source WebKit browser engine, and includes support for HTML 5 and advanced CSS effects. Apple, which is touting Safari 4's support for Web standards, said the browser is the first to pass the Web Standards Project's Acid3 test. That test is used to determine compatibility for CSS, JavaScript, XML and SVG standards.
New features include Top Sites, which provides a visual preview of Web pages that are chosen as favorites or are frequently viewed, and Full History Search, for searching through titles, URLs and text of pages in the browser's history.
Cover Flow, which Apple has popularized on its computers and mobile devices, allows the user to flip through recent pages, and Smart Address Fields automatically complete Web addresses from a suggested list.
Search Fields is a feature that offers recommendations from Google Suggest or from recent searches and, with full-page zoom, a user can take a closer look at any site without lowering quality.
Apple also said that when Mac OS X Snow Leopard is available later this year, the new browser will run as a 64-bit application, which will boost the Nitro engine's performance by as much as 50 percent.
Al Hilwa, program director at industry...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Apple's Revamp Makes iPhone More Competitive
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67054
Steve Jobs didn't make his Apple return at the Worldwide Developers Conference, but the company kept the buzz machine humming with a brand-new iPhone and some value-added pricing.
The iPhone 3GS is up to twice as fast as the iPhone 3G. It offers twice the capacity for the same price with a 16GB model for $199 and a 32GB model for $299. The iPhone 3G is now available at $99 for the 8GB model.
The latest iPhone is based on the new iPhone OS 3.0. Just-introduced features include Cut, Copy and Paste, MMS, Spotlight Search, and a landscape keyboard. Hardware-wise, the "S" offers longer battery life, a three-megapixel autofocus camera, video recording, and hands-free voice control.
"iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, and we think people will love the incredible new features, including autofocus camera, video recording, and the freedom of voice control," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. "And with a breakthrough price of $99, we are thrilled to get iPhone 3G into the hands of even more users who want them."
The iPhone 3GS offers an enhanced multimedia experience. The three-megapixel camera adjusts focus, exposure, color and contrast, and includes an automatic macro focus for extra-close shots. A new "tap to focus" feature lets users touch the display to select an object or area of interest. The camera then automatically readjusts focus and exposure.
Users can also record high-quality video clips and edit them right on the iPhone 3GS by trimming the start and stop points. The device also lets users send photos and video by e-mail or MMS and post them to MobileMe or YouTube with a tap on the screen.
Meanwhile, the voice-control feature in iPhone 3GS paves the way for hands-free operation for both iPhone 3GS and iPod touch functions....
Wed, 10 Jun 09
TomTom Will Help iPhone Users Avoid Getting Lost
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67053
Apple is teaming up with developer TomTom to include navigation in the iPhone. TomTom will provide Apple with navigation software that can be downloaded through Apple's App Store, as well as a car kit in which the iPhone can be connected, the Amsterdam-based company announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference late Monday.
Peter-Frans Pauwels, chief technology officer at TomTom, demonstrated how the navigation software works on the iPhone. TomTom's offering includes turn-by-turn navigation software with routes and maps from Tele Atlas as well as the car kit, which comes with enhanced GPS, voice instructions, and hands-free calling.
Executives said the application will be available once Apple releases iPhone OS 3.0. Pricing and availability haven't yet been announced, although TomTom said they will be announced before the product's launch later this summer.
Whether the software and car kit will be compatible with Apple's newly announced iPhone 3GS is unknown. The iPhone 3GS is two times faster than the 3G and includes a digital compass that allows users to view a list of turn-by-turn directions. TomTom's application will give users turn-by-turn car navigation.
Making its navigation software available through the App Store and rolling out a car kit was a strategic move for TomTom as the smartphone market has continued to thrive despite a crumbling economy.
In the fourth quarter, worldwide sales of smartphones reached 38.1 million, an increase of 3.7 percent from the same quarter in 2007, according to Gartner. Global sales of smartphones for the year reached 139.3 million, up 13.9 percent from 2007.
That growth is expected to continue, according to NPD Group analyst Ross Rubin, who said smartphones, which represented 17 percent of handset sales in the first quarter of 2008, now are at 23 percent.
TomTom's roots are actually in developing software for other companies' devices, and it...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Jobs: Even Less Is 'Made in America'
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67035
Job announcements this week by two big U.S. companies provide a snapshot of the current state of U.S. employment. First General Motors, now in bankruptcy, said it would close or idle 14 plants across the country, putting as many as 20,000 out of work. Several days later, mega-retailer Wal-Mart announced plans to create 22,000 jobs in 2009 -- including cashiers, sales associates, and pharmacists -- to staff new and expanded stores.
The juxtaposition of these messages -- from the country's formerly largest employer, GM, and its successor, Wal-Mart -- sparked questions about how rapidly the economy is shedding well-paid jobs and to what extent they can be replaced. The U.S. Labor Dept.'s May jobs report, released June 5, provides more fodder for the debate. It showed that while job losses slowed in most private-sector industries, including retail, manufacturing employment fell at an accelerating pace -- by 156,000 jobs in May, compared with April's loss of 149,000 jobs.
So while the stock market was buoyed by May's less-than-expected overall job losses, many saw the report as grim. "The concern is that we're replacing $25-an-hour jobs with $12-an-hour jobs," says Peter Morici, a professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Morici says this trend has been going on for decades in the U.S., but that "the recession is exacerbating this weakness in the economy."
There are many reasons the U.S. manufacturing sector has been in decline. In GM's case, the cuts reflect the long slide in the company's sales and market share. Job automation and competition from countries with lower wage rates contribute to the general problem. And economists such as Morici also cite the low valuation of China's currency, which makes it much cheaper to produce goods in China than in the U.S....
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Smart Grid Is Buzz of the Electric-Power Industry
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67032
Thomas Alva Edison, meet the Internet.
More than a century after Edison invented a reliable light bulb, the nation's electricity distribution system, an aging spider web of power lines, is poised to move into the digital age.
The "smart grid" has become the buzz of the electric power industry, at the White House and among members of Congress. President Barack Obama says it's essential to boost development wind and solar power, get people to use less energy and tackle climate change.
What smart grid visionaries see coming are home thermostats and individual appliances that adjust automatically based on the cost of power, and water heaters that can draw power from a neighbor's rooftop solar panel. They see a time when, on a scorching hot day, a plug-in hybrid electric car charges one minute and a few moments later sends electricity back into the grid to help avert a brownout.
Also coming are utilities that get instant feedback on a transformer outage or shift easily among energy sources from wind turbines to coal-burning power plants and back to the turbines when the wind begins to blow again.
And, from miles away, power companies will peer into homes and businesses, then automatically lower thermostats or adjust power use, depending on demand and prearranged agreements.
"It's the marriage of information technology and automation technology with the existing electricity network. This is the energy Internet," said Bob Gilligan, vice president for transmission at GE Energy, one of many companies aggressively pursuing smart grid development. "There are going to be applications 10 years from now that you and I have no idea that we're going to want or need or think are essential to our lives."
Hundreds of technology companies, fledgling venture capitalists, longtime corporate icons and almost every major electric utility company want to be part of the grid modernization. Interest...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Japan Explores Using Cell Phones To Stop Pandemics
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67030
A few months from now, a highly contagious disease will spread through a Japanese elementary school. The epidemic will start with several unwitting children, who will infect others as they attend classes and wander the halls.
If nothing is done, it will quickly gain momentum and rip through the student body, then jump to parents and others in the community. But officials will attempt to stymie the disease and save the school -- using mobile phones.
The sickness will be a virtual one, in an experiment funded by the Japanese government. A subsidiary of Softbank Corp., a major Japanese Internet and cellular provider, has proposed a system that uses phones to limit pandemics.
The exact details have yet to be fixed, but Softbank hopes to pick an elementary school with about 1,000 students and give them phones equipped with GPS. The locations of the children will be recorded every minute of the day and stored on a central server.
A few students will be chosen to be considered "infected," and their movements over the previous few days will be compared with those of everyone else. The stored GPS data can then be used to determine which children have crossed paths with the infected students and are at risk of having contracted the disease.
The families of exposed students will be notified by messages to their mobile phones, instructing them to get checked out by doctors. In a real outbreak, that could limit the rate of new infections.
"The number of people infected by such a disease quickly doubles, triples and quadruples as it spreads. If this rate is decreased by even a small amount, it has a big effect in keeping the overall outbreak in check," said Masato Takahashi, who works on infrastructure strategy at Softbank.
He demonstrates with a calculation: If an infected person makes about...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Attract International Clients to Your Web Site
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67028
Can you explain the specific areas that need to be included in a Web site to assist global trade and attract potential clients? What languages should the site display? Should I use a program that displays the site content in various languages? -- S.V., Australia
Develop content for your Web site with an international clientele in mind. For instance, be sensitive to cultural nuance, use universal images and metaphors, and develop a slogan that reflects your global outreach, says Ayse Oge, president of Ultimate Trade, an international consultancy based in Encino, Calif. "Include testimonials from internationally known prominent people who use your products. If you have been written up in a well-known publication, include a short piece on it on your front page," she says.
All these factors will enhance your credibility and help you avoid major blunders. But you'll need more than an appealing Web site to find and keep international customers, says Peter Zapf, president of GlobalSources.com, a consulting and outsourcing firm based in Singapore. "Keep in mind -- in addition to the Web content -- customer service, logistics, and product delivery and payment," he says.
Smooth out issues ahead of time with customs duties and shipping procedures, and include UPS and FedEx international shipping rates on your site in a drop-down box, so your clients don't get sticker shock when they check out, Oge says.
Be aware that selling outside of your country exposes you to higher transaction fees and a higher likelihood of fraud, Zapf says: "At a minimum, you need to have good fraud management practices in place in order to minimize potential charge backs."
When it comes to multilingual Web site content, remember that if you include it, you'll also need a multilingual customer service team to answer telephone inquiries and reply to e-mail. "The key to attracting clients...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
Routers: Little Boxes With Lots of Talents
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67025
It wasn't all that long ago that the humble router led an uneventful existence. Its task was to distribute incoming data packets to attached computers. It was also entrusted with blocking the occasional packet off the Internet if it hadn't been ordered by one of the PCs.
But in recent years the diminutive network boxes have morphed into tidy little communication hubs combining network connectivity, a WLAN access point, and often even a telephone system as well. "That saves a lot of electricity and jumble of cables," says Johannes Endres from Hanover-based computer magazine c't.
Routers offer many other unexpected functions as well. Here's a rundown of a few.
INTERNET TELEPHONY: An analog phone connection has typically meant being stuck with just one phone line. One cost-effective way to work with multiple lines using your own phone number is to use a router with a built-in Internet telephony function (VoIP) and a corresponding switching box.
"It's significantly cheaper than an ISDN connection, although it also doesn't offer the same range of functions," Endres says. A VoIP provider can be selected as desired. You should first check whether your contract with your ISP already includes VoIP service -- such as a flat rate for all calls within your national landline network.
SERVER: Many routers also possess a USB port for connecting a printer, external hard drive, or USB stick. Those devices are then available to all computers on the home network. "That solution requires less electricity than using a computer as a network server. It is slower, though," Endres explains. For those who only occasionally swap data, the solution is often sufficient.
REMOTE ACCESS: Users who need to access data on their home network while on the go can use dynamic DNS (DynDS) and the port forwarding function on the router. DynDNS allows the router to be...
Wed, 10 Jun 09
How To Speed Up Your Windows PC
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67024
Keeping your Windows PC speedy means ensuring that it remains free of clutter.
That's not an easy task, since it's all too easy to wind up with a system full of free or low-cost software that seemed necessary and useful at the time but ended up being more of a nuisance than a gift.
And it can, at times, seem almost impossible to prevent applications you need from installing all kinds of "helper" applications that slow down your bootup process and increase overall system sluggishness.
Luckily, among the many free applications out there are some that can help restore your PC to the zippy state it was in when you first brought it home.
The best way to start decluttering your computer -- and thereby speeding it up -- is to remove any programs that you no longer need. Windows, of course, provides the Add/Remove Programs feature -- also called Programs and Features in recent versions -- that gives you an Uninstall option for most applications you have installed.
But Add/Remove Programs is notorious for leaving bits and pieces of applications behind -- including empty directories and registry entries that, cumulatively, can lengthen your PC's bootup time. Thankfully, the VS Revo group has created a free utility called Revo Uninstaller (http://www.revouninstaller.com) that improves on Windows' Add/Remove Programs utility in several respects.
Revo Uninstaller loads faster than the standard Windows application removal tool, and once it's loaded, it provides you with several levels of uninstallation that Windows' own uninstallation program does not, including "Built-in," "Safe," "Moderate," and "Advanced," with each level doing a bit more to root out all traces of an application on your computer, including identifying and removing registry entries. The uninstaller itself does a good job, but the tool also provides several other features that help you expunge unnecessary files from...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Apple Showcases iPhone 3GS, New MacBook Pros
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67052
The rumors have come to a halt now that Apple has showcased its new iPhone 3GS, touting it as the fastest and most powerful iPhone yet. The iPhone 3GS has all the features that have been leaked over the past several months, including an autofocus camera with video and audio recording, a built-in digital compass, and the ability to copy and paste.
Apple's Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, showcased the new iPhone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday. The device will be available in the U.S. and a few other countries next week.
The 3GS video-recording feature allows users to record, edit and share videos by tapping on the iPhone's onscreen controls and sending them through MMS, MobileMe or YouTube.
"It certainly was expected from the leaks, but performance and new features, including video capture and editing, adds up to a very nice upgrade," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret.
One of the newest features for the iPhone is a digital compass. The application is like a standard needle compass that tells the user which direction they are heading and uses the built-in GPS to give users their location.
Other improvements include faster launching of applications. Scrolling, zooming and panning through the iPhone and jumping between apps are also faster. The iPhone also received an upgrade to its battery, which is now designed to last longer.
One feature that has had iPhone users frustrated is the inability to cut, copy and paste from messages and photos. Apple has included this feature in the 3GS.
One surprise from Apple is its $99 price point for the 8GB iPhone 3G, which will be a very disruptive move in the smartphone market, according to Gartenberg.
Apple may have also caused some disruption by stealing some of the thunder from competitor Palm and...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Hackers Offer Alleged T-Mobile Data to Highest Bidder
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67048
Over the weekend, a provocative post appeared in the Full Disclosure section of Insecure.org, a Web site frequented by the hacking community, purportedly offering confidential T-Mobile customer and corporate data to the highest bidder. The anonymous message was signed "pwnmobile_at_safe-mail.net."
"Like Checkpoint," the author said, "Tmobile [sic] has been owned for some time. We have everything, their databases, confidental [sic] documents, scripts and programs from their servers, financial documents up to 2009."
"We already contacted with their competitors," the author added, "and they didn't show interest in buying their data -- probably because the mails got to the wrong people -- so now we are offering them for the highest bidder. Please only serious offers, don't waste our time."
The post ends with a lengthy list of data allegedly pulled from more than 500 T-Mobile servers. There is no way, however, to independently verify the validity of the posted information. The operators of the Full Disclosure mailing list warn that as many as 80 percent of the postings are "pure drivel."
T-Mobile is not offering any specific comment on the situation. However, the company said it is investigating whether a breach occurred.
"The protection of our customers' information, and the safety and security of our systems, is absolutely paramount at T-Mobile," the company said. "Regarding the recent claim, we are fully investigating the matter. As is our standard practice, if there is any evidence that customer information has been compromised, we would inform those affected as soon as possible."
Efforts to contact the company for additional comment were unsuccessful.
Nonetheless, T-Mobile has reason to be concerned. Not only are a number of the database names listed highly confidential -- customer billing, profiles, etc. -- but the company has been hacked before.
Back in 2004, a 21-year-old hacker named Nicolas Jacobsen broke into the T-Mobile...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Internet Ad Spending Outperforms Other Media
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67047
Internet advertising revenue in the U.S. dropped five percent to $5.5 billion during the first quarter, reports PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
However, several researchers covering the U.S. advertising market say Internet ad spending has been performing remarkably well in a challenging economic environment, even as the ad revenues generated by conventional print publications have crashed and burned.
"Current economic conditions are clearly challenging," said PricewaterhouseCoopers partner David Silverman. "Nonetheless, interactive media continues to consume a larger piece of the overall advertising pie."
A new report from Nielsen quantifies just how much better online sales are doing in comparison with other media. U.S. ad spending overall fell 12 percent year over year to $27.9 billion in the first quarter, with national print publications among the biggest revenue losers.
Print media ad sales fell 27.7 percent at national newspapers and were down 20.6 percent at the nation's magazines, Nielson reports. Syndicated TV ad spending fell 18.8 percent in the same period, though network TV ad sales were down only 4.8 percent.
"These first-quarter results will hardly come as a surprise to an advertising industry that's struggling just like many other areas of the American economy," said Nielsen Vice President Annie Touliatos. "Now more than ever, it's important for buyers and sellers to adjust to the changing competitive landscape."
By contrast, Internet ad spending fared significantly better than other media categories. According to Nielsen, online ad sales declined a comparatively modest 3.4 percent in the first quarter.
IAB Chief Executive Randall Rothenberg expressed confidence that interactive ad revenue growth will resume as the U.S. economic climate improves. "Interactive advertising is the most accountable way to reach consumers -- and in this economy, digital media will be a core component of any successful marketing campaign," Rothenberg said.
Forrester Research analysts say most...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
PCs Sold in China Must Include Blocking Software
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67044
Personal computers sold in China will have to include blocking software, beginning July 1. The directive from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Beijing has gone to manufacturers, but hasn't been made public.
The directive aims to block users from specific sites and content, including pornography, according to Jinhui Computer Systems Engineering, the software maker. But foreign industry officials who viewed the software told The Wall Street Journal the move will give the Chinese government even more control over what users are viewing on the Internet.
China has the world's largest Internet population with 179 million users, or 18 percent, as of December, according to comScore.
China is tightening its grip on lewd content available to those 179 million users. Earlier this year, the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center (CIIRC) cited several Web sites for having a large amount of lewd content.
China has shut out up to 1,507 Web sites since its CIIRC antiporn campaign launched on Jan. 5. More than 70 Web sites, including Sina, MSN China, and search engines Google and Baidu, have been given warnings to remove pornography, according to the official portal of the People's Republic of China.
The squeeze on content isn't a surprise. China already controls an Internet filtering system known as the Great Firewall, which blocks access to sites that have anything from pornography to political content.
The directive is a very unfortunate development, according to Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C.
"The problem with Internet filers has always been that a voluntary approach could be made mandatory," he said. "EPIC warned about this shortly after the Supreme Court decision back in 1997 that struck down the Communications Decency Act."
"It had already happened in the U.S. with respect to computers in schools and...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Microsoft Prepares To Push Windows 7 Aggressively
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67043
Bit by bit, more details are emerging about Microsoft's much-awaited Windows 7 operating system. Although the launch was initially projected for early 2010, Microsoft has been dropping hints for months implying earlier and earlier launch dates.
Last week, Microsoft announced during the Computex 2009 show in Taipei that release to manufacturing versions will be out in the second half of July, and Windows 7 will be "generally available" on Oct. 22. Other reports indicate the company is taking a very aggressive approach to marketing and launching the new OS.
One Web site, Engadget, published Friday what it said was a leaked memo from Best Buy.
The memo said PCs sold from June 26 to launch day with Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 7. For the upgrade alone, the memo said prices will be $49.99 for the Home Premium upgrade and $99.99 for the Professional upgrade.
Prices for Windows 7 haven't been released, but industry observers are speculating that its price could be very competitively priced around $100.
The published Best Buy memo also touts Windows 7 with a backhanded takedown of Windows Vista. Windows 7, it said, "isn't just a 'Vista that works' program -- it's a new operating system with improved productivity, functionality and creativity that uses less computer resources."
Laura DiDio, an analyst with Information Technology Intelligence Corp., said Microsoft has to be very aggressive with Windows 7's release, and it has to "hit it out of the park the first time." There can't be the kind of bad-mouthing that has dogged Vista, she said.
According to a survey her firm conducted, only about 10 percent of companies using Windows XP have upgraded to Vista, and about half -- 46 percent -- are waiting for Windows 7 to upgrade.
"This means...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Speed Is the Focus of Opera's New Mobile Browser
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67023
While the mobile world discusses the Palm Pre's debut and Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, Opera is singing its own mobile song. On Monday, Opera launched the latest iteration of its mobile browser.
Opera Mobile 9.7 beta is now available for download. The browser comes to market with a mandate to accelerate the browsing experience for Windows Mobile-based phones.
"There are other mobile browsers on the market that claim to be faster and more Web-site compatible on Windows-based phones, but I challenge users to take Opera Mobile for a test drive and discover a new standard for speed and compatibility," said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera Software. "Opera Mobile 9.7 leaves other 'sluggish and painfully slow browsers in the dust."
As Tetzchner hinted, speed is at the center of Opera's latest release. Under the hood, Opera Mobile off-loads rendering duties to Opera servers, which frees resources on a handheld device for improved download rates and overall performance.
The mobile browser is based on Opera Turbo, a recently launched technology that enables faster surfing. Opera Turbo relies on advanced compression technology to speed up data transfer and reduce the amount of data that needs to be downloaded by up to 80 percent even with network shortcomings, according to Opera.
Opera has also integrated its newly upgraded browser engine, dubbed Opera Presto 2.2, for faster page loads and better overall performance. Opera said the rendering engine displays Web pages on a mobile phone up to 25 percent faster. This is the same rendering engine used in Opera's desktop browser.
"It is our belief in one Web that challenges us to develop technology such as Opera Turbo," Tetzchner says. "Not everyone owns a 3G phone, and not everyone needs to. This is why Opera's focus is on improving our browser so that your EDGE network...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Will Palm Pre Shortages Help or Hurt Palm's Revival?
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67022
Palm has officially debuted its much-anticipated Pre smartphone complete with the webOS mobile platform. Early reports indicate a shortage of both the handset and the accessories.
Some view this as bad news for Palm, a brand that's trying to resurrect itself in light of heavy competition from Apple's iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry. Others view the shortage as a potential brand booster in the short term.
"It's always a balance. Having a little bit of a shortage is a good thing if it inspires people to want to get hold of a product. People always want what they can't have," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. "On the other hand, if it gets too frustrating and people really can't find what they are looking for, they eventually decide to purchase something else. The question is, at what point does their patience become tried?"
With the Pre, Palm is betting consumers will be patient. The webOS platform is a strong innovation in the mobile space. It automatically brings user information from the many places it resides -- on the phone, at work, or on the Web -- into one integrated view.
"For a company that most people were writing off six months ago, Palm came back very strong. There's definitely a lot of buzz about the device," Gartenberg said. "The early reviews were very positive in terms of the innovation that Palm has brought to the table. The Pre isn't an iPhone killer, nor is the iPhone a Pre killer. It doesn't have to be. There's certainly room in the market for more than one device."
Palm Synergy, a key feature of webOS, brings information from all the places it resides into one logical view. Users don't have to worry about tracking multiple calendars, contacts and messaging applications. Synergy...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Livio Radio Makes Streaming Easy
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67013
There is no shortage of ways to enjoy music -- from old-school CDs to conventional radio stations, Sirius XM satellite radio to MP3 players. There's also Internet radio -- a category that includes streams provided by radio broadcasters and standalone streaming music services like Accuradio.com.
Then there's the increasingly wide array of Web-based "music discovery" engines such as iLike, CBS's Last.fm, Slacker Radio, and Pandora. I especially like Pandora, a service that customizes streams based on a user's preferences. I use Pandora for listening to music at home or in the office, though the free service also runs on wireless devices like the iPhone, Research In Motion's BlackBerry, and phones running Microsoft Windows Mobile.
It's that affinity for Pandora that turned me on to Livio Radio, a simple, standalone Internet radio that connects to Web radio stations and is designed to work specifically with Pandora. Made by Livio, the $149 Livio Radio comes with support for Pandora built in, and connects to some 11,000 other Internet streams via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection. The compact, table-top unit has a single speaker and a large round knob that controls the volume and activates an on-screen menu.
Setup was surprisingly simple. With other radios, I have struggled to get the radio to give the network password in the correct format. But I had practically no difficulty getting the Livio Radio on my Wi-Fi network. I did encounter a hiccup pairing the radio with my Pandora account, however. To do this you must sign in at the Livio Web site, give your Pandora account information, the serial number of the radio, and a unique string of characters called a registration ID. The first weekend I had the radio, I was unable to register and was told to try later. I set it aside for...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Group Says Online Job Ads Increased by 250K
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67008
Online job advertisements rose by 250,000 in May, the largest monthly increase since October 2006, a private research group says.
The Conference Board report said there were about 3.36 million online job ads last month, up from about 3.11 million in April but down from 3.79 million online ads a year earlier.
The May gain was the first monthly increase since a rise of 21,000 in October 2008. And it was the largest since online ads rose 198,300 in October 2006.
While the apparent bounce in labor demand is a welcome sign following sharp declines in the past year, Gad Levanon, senior economist at the New York-based research group, said the May data doesn't mean the unemployment rate is likely to fall.
"Even with the current positive signs, the likely outlook is for unemployment to continue to rise and employment to fall at more modest levels throughout the summer," Levanon said this week in a news release. "In April, there were 10.6 million more unemployed workers than advertised vacancies."
Online job ads were up in 43 states last month and Levanon said labor demand, which was plummeting in December and January, now appears to be leveling off.
"Labor demand typically leads the trend in both employment and unemployment, so positive signals on labor demand are always important," Levanon said. "April and May are both months when businesses typically step up their demand for workers. This year, while April was weak, by May employers were placing ads for workers in numerous locations across the nation."
The latest numbers follow a dip of 131,000 ads in April, which was well below the record declines of 507,000 and 506,000 in December and January.
Online job ads had declined by more than 1.32 million from November 2008 to April, according to the report.
The Conference Board's monthly Help-Wanted Online Data Series measures the...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Web Site Tracks Policy Changes at Popular Sites
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67007
A new Web site unveiled Thursday will track policies imposed by popular Internet sites such as Facebook and Google, hoping to help users spot potentially harmful changes.
TOSBack.org, the brainchild of privacy advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation, will track terms of service modifications within hours of an update.
The site will compare old and new policies side by side and highlight changes. With about two dozen sites covered already, TOSBack.org plans to add more agreements, from credit card, bank, cable TV and other companies.
Tim Jones, the EFF's activism and technology manager, hopes the site will help avoid debacles such as the one faced by Facebook in February.
Changes to Facebook's terms of use over control of content went unnoticed at first. But amid protests that Facebook might hold sway over content indefinitely, the company agreed to solicit user feedback. The site reverted to the previous terms of use policies as it tried to resolve the issues raised. Ultimately, Facebook let users vote on revised terms, which clarify that users own their information, not Facebook.
But Jones said many Web sites change their terms of service all the time and often don't notify their users.
"Terms of service policies are obviously really important. They form the foundation of your relationship with almost every site you visit on the Internet," he said. "But almost no one really has time to read them or the legal background to read them."
TOSBack.org aims to make the general public more aware of user agreements and how it affects them, Jones said.
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Boeing's Dreamliner Nears Takeoff
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67002
When the long-delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner finally takes wing above Washington State in its first test flight later this month, much will be riding on its sleek, carbon-fiber back. Some 56 buyers, ranging from Etihad Airways in the United Arab Emirates to Northwest Airlines, have ordered 866 of the planes -- enough to keep Boeing busy for more than a decade. This state-of-the-art plane, slated to make its first commercial flights with Japan's All Nippon Airways early next year, will set the Chicago-based manufacturer apart from Airbus and other rivals for years to come.
But one thing the plane won't do is give Boeing much of a financial lift -- at least not for several years. First, Boeing will need to recover its research-and-development costs, estimated at $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion. What's more, initial customers are expected to pay a discounted price of $130 million to $170 million per plane. That's far less than what Boeing pulls in on such tried-and-true models as the 747, a bigger plane that can retail for more than $300 million. At first, a Boeing spokesman says, the new plane will be a "zero-margin" affair.
Even when the Dreamliner is up and running, most carriers are likely to stick with a workhorse jet, such as the 737, with seats for 130 to 200 passengers. The new Dreamliner will be stunning in terms of fuel-saving technology -- it burns 20 percent less fuel than similar planes -- and offer such passenger-friendly features as a touch more humidity in the air. But the twin-aisle plane, with room for 210 to 300 passengers, is best-suited to intercontinental flights. It would make little economic sense to use it on the workaday, short-haul flights that are the mainstays of the airline industry.
More immediately, the Dreamliner will do little to raise overall...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
Cisco Aims New Switches and IP Kit at SMEs
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67000
Networking giant Cisco has unveiled several new products designed specifically for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), including switches, an IP telephony gateway and an IP video surveillance camera.
Forming part of the Cisco Small Business Pro series, the ESW 500 Series Switches come with an enhanced five-year warranty, including next business day hardware replacement where available, free software fixes, 90 days of complimentary tech support and one year of click-to-chat support.
The SPA8800 IP Telephony Gateway, meanwhile, is aimed at helping SMEs make the transition to VoIP by allowing them to connect an open-source IP PBX to existing analogue phones and fax machines.
For SMEs with physical security concerns, Cisco launched its PVC300 IP Camera, a networkable surveillance device that can be viewed from virtually anywhere, even on an Internet-enabled mobile phone. It includes software to control and manage up to 16 cameras, as well as motion detection and integration with recording to Cisco network attached storage devices.
"In order for small businesses to successfully move forward, it's necessary that they have access to the right kinds of services, support and communities of experts and peers they need when they need it," said Rick Moran, vice president of small business solutions marketing at Cisco.
"We are delivering this in various ways through our web site with click-to-chat and 'buy now' features, and through our Web 2.0 support community so that small businesses get the service and support they need when they need it and how they need it."
The company also announced several changes to its Smart Business Communications System. New features include TimeCardView, which allows staff to clock in and out, track hours and download information to payroll applications from their IP phone, as well as greater WebEx integration, single-number call routing and third-party network monitoring and management.
The products are all available now across...
Tue, 9 Jun 09
What You Need To Know About Windows 7 RC
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66999
Millions around the world have downloaded the free release candidate (RC) of Windows 7, Microsoft's planned successor to Windows Vista.
So many downloads of Windows 7 RC have been processed, in fact, that the yet-to-be-officially-released operating system already accounts for almost 1 percent of the current operating system market, by some estimates.
That's no doubt music to the ears of the programmers in Redmond who are putting the finishing touches on Windows 7, but for legions of early adopters, it could also mean trouble.
While Windows 7 RC is free, it's still a pre-release version of the operating system, so it's important to understand the limitations of the software if you're planning to use it on a regular basis.
Don't expect to be able to install Windows 7 RC on top of your existing operating system, even if that operating system is an earlier beta version of Windows 7. The RC version requires a fresh installation, which means wiping out and then reinstalling all of your applications, settings, and data.
Likewise, if you adopt Windows 7 RC and like it so much that you decide to move to the final release of Windows 7 when it's available, you'll need to do another clean installation of the release version. You will not be able to "upgrade" the RC version with the final version.
Windows 7's built-in Windows Easy Transfer utility should make the process of backing up and restoring your data and settings fairly simple, however. Easy Transfer will create a backup of your user accounts, documents, music, pictures, e-mail, Internet favorites, and videos. You can save the backup file to an external drive. Then, once your release version of Windows 7 is installed, you can use the same Easy Transfer utility to restore the data.
The RC version of Window 7 will "expire" on...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Yahoo Adds Third-Party Widgets To Keep Users on Site
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67020
For the last six months, struggling Web portal Yahoo has been promoting a more social approach to its various properties, an initiative dubbed Open Strategy by CEO Carol Bartz.
Last December, Yahoo launched the initiative by opening Yahoo Mail to a variety of third-party applications, including Yahoo Greetings, Flixster Movies, Flickr, Photos by Spit, Family Journal, and WordPress. Now the company is allowing third-party applications on its personalized home pages.
"This week," said Tapan Bhat, senior vice president of Yahoo's Integrated Consumer Experiences, "you'll find a number of new third-party 'apps' and 'widgets' on Yahoo! Mail, My Yahoo!, Yahoo! Connected TV, and Zimbra e-mail to give you quicker access to the things you do online every day -- whether planning your dinner menu, sharing photos with friends, or looking for YouTube videos."
According to Bhat, the average consumer visits 85 different Web sites per month (which actually sounds low). The goal of Open Strategy, he said, is to figure out how to help consumers do more things at once.
The real purpose, of course, is to make the Yahoo home pages "stickier" and, well, "Googlier." Yahoo was long ago overtaken as the dominant online search engine by Google, and is now chasing to catch up with iGoogle, the widget-enabled home pages that Google offers its users.
This is the second significant home-page announcement from Yahoo recently. On May 26, Bhat outlined the company's efforts to improve the overall personalization of Yahoo home pages.
"We recently started testing some new designs based on your feedback," Bhat said. "We recognize that many of you like your home page just the way it is, thank you very much, so the overall look and feel of the page will be familiar. But take a closer look, and you'll see that we've made some fundamental improvements and packed...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
FTC Shuts Down Notorious ISP That Recruited Criminals
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67019
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday shut down a rogue Internet service provider that recruited, knowingly hosted, and actively broke laws. With the crackdown, the FTC also took down one of the most notorious botnets.
According to the FTC, Pricewert LLC participated in the distribution of spam, child pornography, and "other harmful electronic content." A U.S. District Court judge shut down Pricewert and the businesses it operates, including 3FN and APS Telecom, at the FTC's request. The ISP's upstream providers and data centers have disconnected its servers from the Internet.
The charges against Pricewert are many. The firm is accused of actively recruiting and colluding with criminals seeking to distribute illegal and malicious content, including child pornography, spyware, viruses, Trojan horses, phishing and pornography featuring violence, bestiality and incest. The FTC alleges the defendant advertised its services in the darkest corners of the Internet, including a forum established to facilitate communication between criminals.
The FTC's complaint alleges Pricewert actively shielded its criminal clients by either ignoring takedown requests from the online security community or shifting its criminal elements to other Internet protocol addresses to evade detection.
Pricewert also allegedly engaged operating botnets, large networks of computers that have been compromised and taken over by attackers. Botnets can be used to send spam and launch denial-of-service attacks, among other nefarious purposes. According to the FTC, Pricewert recruited bot herders and hosted the command-and-control servers -- the computers that relay commands from the bot herders to the compromised computers known as "zombie drones."
In filings with the district court, the FTC alleges that more than 4,500 malicious software programs are controlled by command-and-control servers hosted by 3FN. This malware includes programs capable of keystroke logging, password stealing, and data stealing, programs with hidden backdoor remote-control activity, and programs involved in spam distribution.
The...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Verizon's Palm Pre Noise Is Pre-Mature, Sprint Says
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67018
It certainly didn't take long for a few storm clouds to appear over the otherwise glittering launch of the Palm Pre. At a press conference Friday, Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse took issue with media suggestions that the much-anticipated smartphone would be available from Verizon Wireless in six months or so.
"They need to check their facts," Hesse said. "That just is not the case. Both Palm and Sprint have agreed not to discuss the length of the exclusivity deal. But I can tell you it's not six months."
Some analysts have suggested that while Sprint may have a contractual lock on the Pre hardware, other companies (such as Verizon) will soon have the ability to offer devices that use Palm's new mobile operating system, webOS. So far, however, those speculations are unconfirmed.
The spat over just how long Sprint will have exclusive rights to the Pre helps underscore just how important this product launch is to the beleaguered telecommunications company. In fact, the mere suggestion that Sprint's exclusive rights might be shorter than anticipated caused a sharp drop in the company's stock price Thursday.
Over the last couple of years, the company has been struggling to retain customers in the face of lagging technology and reports of poor customer service. In fact, Hesse came on board specifically to help burnish the company's tarnished reputation.
During his presentation of the Palm Pre, Hesse praised the "new Sprint," which he said is reflected in much better customer service, an increasingly powerful and reliable cellular network, and growing capital resources.
"We're a very different company than we were 12 months ago," Hesse declared. "The Pre is the coming-out party for the new Sprint, to show off the new Sprint."
Although the Pre has routinely been described in the tech media as a potential "iPhone killer,"...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Mac and Linux Users Can Use Chrome -- But Beware!
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67017
Google has released Chrome browser test builds for Mac OS X and Linux, but is warning users to beware.
"Unless, of course, you are a developer or take great pleasure in incomplete, unpredictable and potentially crashing software," said product managers Mike Smith and Karen Grunberg. "Among other things, you won't yet be able to view YouTube videos, change your privacy settings, set your default search provider, or even print."
Google has been promising to deliver browser releases for Mac OS X and Linux machines since the company unleashed Chrome last September. However, when it comes to revealing any definitive release dates, Google continues to be reticent.
"We are working hard on adding functionality to the Mac and Linux builds of Google Chrome and promoting them to the beta and stable channels soon, but we have nothing to announce at this time," a Google spokesperson said Friday in an e-mail. "Since Google Chrome is open source and all the development is done in the open, you can track our progress on these versions in our developer site."
One reason why Google is taking its time is because the "sandboxing" technique Chrome uses to make its Windows browser more secure does not play nice with Linux, noted Chrome software engineer Jeremy Moskovich.
"On Linux there are a number of different sandboxing mechanisms available," with the various Linux distributions shipping with different -- or even no -- sandboxing APIs, Moskovich noted. This means "finding a mechanism that is guaranteed to work on end users' machines is a challenge."
Fortunately, the APIs for sandboxing on Mac OS X are easy to use and straightforward, Moskovich observed. Still, Google is being careful not to rush its development of Chrome for machines running Mac OS X. "It's important to us that the Mac port feels and...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
With E3 Over, Video Games Will Get You Off the Couch
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67016
The hustle and bustle in Los Angeles is over for this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show, which closed Thursday, and the future of video gaming can be summarized with one word: Motion.
After letting Nintendo's Wii have most of the motion-sensing fun for some time with its revolutionary motion-detecting sensor, this year Microsoft and Sony showed their own initiatives to get players moving.
Microsoft's innovation was introduced by movie director Stephen Spielberg, who proclaimed that interactive entertainment's next step is "to make the controller disappear." Microsoft's Project Natal -- pronounced "nuh-tall" -- uses speech and facial recognition,
along with navigation by bodily motion, for game control.
The system combines a RGB camera, a depth sensor, a multi-array microphone, and a custom processor running proprietary software. It is compatible with any Xbox 360 system.
"It can recognize you just by looking at your face," Microsoft said, "and it doesn't just react to key words, but understands what you're saying." And, again following Nintendo's lead of including the family, Microsoft set the bar for using its system quite low. "If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips, or speak, you and your friends can jump into the fun."
"Clearly," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret, "Nintendo's success with the Wii has resonated with the industry." He added that, if Project Natal "can be delivered to the market in a timely fashion," it could be "potentially a huge thing."
Nintendo, which began the motion craze, previewed its soon-to-be-released Wii Motion Plus, which enables smaller hand motions and better targeting for players. It is also continuing to expand the Wii into new directions with, for instance, the Wii Vitality Sensor, which detects the pulse in your finger and could be used for relaxation feedback -- or, as Nintendo's president suggested to...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Pulling Windows XP Gets Microsoft in Russian Hot Water
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=67014
Microsoft faces charges of breaking antimonopoly laws in Russia. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of the Russian Federation initiated a case against the software behemoth alleging that Microsoft violated Russian law when it took its Windows XP operating system off new PCs and the boxed versions off store shelves.
The FAS said it suspects the Redmond, Wash.-based company of terminating the production and supplies of Windows XP to the Russian Federation and reducing supplies of the preset operating system for new computers. Microsoft also faces allegations of fixing different prices for Windows XP.
"Having analyzed the market of proprietary operational systems for PC (bound software products when the rights holder reserves the monopoly for their use, copying and modification, and the source code of software products is protected by copyright), FAS Russia established that Microsoft has a dominant position on the market in question," the organization said.
Microsoft Russia Ltd. has provided information to the FAS that showed the same version of operating systems have different prices when distributed through OEMs.
By doing so, the FAS said, Microsoft violated elements of antimonopoly laws. "This contains elements of antimonopoly violations, in terms of economically, technologically and otherwise unjustified fixing of different prices (rates) for the same goods," said the FAS.
Microsoft is to answer the allegations at a hearing on July 24.
Microsoft is also dealing with additional allegations of being anticompetitive in Europe. Recently, the European Commission alleged that Microsoft's inclusion of its Internet Explorer browser in Windows broke competition laws in Europe.
The EC brought the case against Microsoft after Opera Software ASA, the Norway-based company behind the Internet browser Opera, filed a complaint in December 2007. Opera's complaint alleged ongoing competitive harm from Microsoft's practices. In addition to tying in Internet Explorer, other software inclusions, such as desktop...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Steve Jobs Due Back at Apple, Perhaps at WWDC
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66997
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is scheduled to make his comeback this month, and some are speculating he will make his first public appearance at the Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
Jobs took a six-month leave of absence in January to take himself out of the limelight and focus on his health -- and to allow Apple to focus on executing product delivery. At that time, Jobs said his leave would extend to the end of June.
A survivor of pancreatic cancer, Jobs' decision to step down followed speculation, analysis and finger-pointing around his health after he continued to lose weight last year. It was initially reported that a hormone imbalance was the culprit, but later Jobs admitted the issues were more complex than once thought. There was even a misprinted obituary about Jobs.
That was the last of the public disclosures about Jobs' health. Now The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Jobs' problems involved an inability to digest protein. The paper cites people familiar with the matter as saying Jobs is recovering and plans to return to Apple later this month as promised.
Despite Apple's public statements that Jobs will return in late June, some believe he will make at least an appearance at the WWDC, perhaps in conjunction with a new iPhone introduction. What he won't do is give the keynote address. Apple said Philip Schiller, the company's chief marketing officer, will pinch-hit for Jobs this year.
Jobs may not return full-time, either. Tim Cook, Apple's COO, has been trying to fill Jobs' CEO shoes since January. Industry watchers expect Cook to continue that role for some period after Jobs returns. Apple has performed well in the public markets since Jobs' departure. The company's shares have risen 68 percent in the past six months.
Michael Gartenberg, a vice...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Bing Zips Past Yahoo To Be Number Two in Search
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66994
Microsoft's new search service, Bing, has hit the Internet with a bang. The search engine made available on May 28 has surpassed Yahoo search in its first week, according to StatCounter Global Status, an Internet research firm that tracks page loads.
Its Internet traffic has made Bing number two on the list of top search engines in the U.S. and worldwide. In the U.S., Bing passed Yahoo on Thursday for second place with 16.28 percent of the market, while Yahoo dropped to third with 10.22 percent.
Microsoft brought Bing to the search-engine table to solve several problems it found with search, including a report that said 30 percent of searches are abandoned without a satisfactory result.
Bing uses features such as Best Match to find the best answer for a search, Deep Links to give searchers information on what a Web site offers, and Quick Preview, an additional window that expands over a search caption to give users more information about the site's relevancy. The search engine also incorporates Instant Answers, a feature designed to provide information within the body of the search-results page.
Google still dominates the U.S. search market with 71.47 percent, according to StatCounter. Globally, Bing has taken a smaller lead over Yahoo at 5.62 percent, while Yahoo has 5.13 percent and Google 87.62 percent.
"It is big news and is a big change," said Aodhan Cullen, chief executive of StatCounter, from his office in Ireland. "Bing just came on a few days ago and has taken the number-two slot both in the U.S. and worldwide."
While Bing began its leap from day one with 2.07 percent, then climbed to 3.65 percent, it did drop off on its third day to 3.46 percent. As of Thursday, however, Bing regained its footing and had 5.56 percent of the market,...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
New Opera Web Browser Offers More Tab Options
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66990
Web browsers from the Norwegian company Opera Software ASA have been better known for their innovation than their usage.
For instance, they sported the ability to open multiple tabs in a single window long before that became standard practice. Now a new version available as a "beta" test lets you work with those tabs more easily.
A resizable tab bar in Opera 10 lets you stretch the row of tabs at the top so that mini, "thumbnail" versions of your open pages appear inside. That way, you can choose which tab to switch to based on the appearance of the Web page, not just its name.
Thumbnails aren't new to browsers. Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer offers them, as do previous versions of Opera. But Opera 10 lets you see those thumbnails up top while you continue to browse a Web site normally in the larger space below. IE lets you do one or the other.
Opera 10 retains the Speed Dial feature, which displays thumbnails of your favorite sites, not just your open ones -- similar to what's available on Google Inc.'s Chrome and Apple Inc.'s Safari browsers. You simply click on any thumbnail to load the full site.
The new version is more customizable: Instead of just nine Speed Dial sites, you can choose four to 25.
The new Opera browser also has built-in compression technology that can help improve browsing speeds, particularly for those with dial-up Internet access. Such technology is commonly offered by Internet service providers, but not by browsers.
It's not clear whether any of these features will significantly improve Opera's market share, which is tiny compared with market leader Internet Explorer and the increasingly popular Firefox. Unlike IE, though, Opera has versions for Mac and Linux computers as well.
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Sony Ericsson Joins the App Store Crowd
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66983
On June 3 mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson used the occasion of the annual JavaOne software developers' conference in San Francisco to announce that it, too, will launch an online software applications store. By August, Sony Ericsson customers will be able to personalize their phones with a range of downloadable programs such as utilities, tools, and games.
In announcing its own virtual software mall, Sony Ericsson -- a joint venture of Japan's Sony and Sweden's Ericsson -- joins an increasingly crowded field of rivals jostling to replicate the huge success of the Apple iTunes App Store, which offers thousands of programs for the popular iPhone. In recent weeks, both Nokia, the world's No. 1 handset maker, and Vodafone, the world's largest mobile operator by revenue, have jumped into the fray, following the path of other handset makers and carriers such as BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion and France Telecom's Orange unit.
One way Sony Ericsson hopes to stand out is by supporting a wide range of software environments in its phones -- including not just internally developed platforms but also the Symbian operating system, the mobile version of Microsoft Windows, and the new open-source Android system backed by Google. To help independent developers get around the complexity of supporting so many options, Sony Ericsson is putting a heavy emphasis on mobile Java, an intermediary layer from Sun Microsystems -- soon to be owned by Oracle -- that lets authors write a program once and run it on many different platforms.
Sony Ericsson's new app store will initially lean toward programs written for Java or directly for Symbian, but the company says it will expand support to other platforms later this year. Starting on July 1, developers will be able to submit programs to Sony Ericsson for testing and approval, and if the...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
NetApp Claims Victory in Bidding for Data Domain
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66980
NetApp Inc. has claimed victory over EMC Corp. in a bidding battle for Data Domain Inc., a company whose products help cut unnecessary data storage.
The showdown over a technology that seems an odd fit for both companies might not be over, though.
NetApp and Data Domain said Wednesday they reached a deal for Data Domain to be acquired for $1.9 billion in cash and stock. The announcement caps a two-week public battle for the maker of "de-duplication" machines, but doesn't mean the jostling is done. EMC could come back with another higher offer.
EMC said in a statement that it believes its $30-per-share offer is "superior" because it is all in cash.
An EMC spokesman didn't immediately return a message seeking further comment.
NetApp defended its offer.
"They seem to be saying that the battleground has moved from the dollar-per-share amount into the specifics of the terms of the offer, and we believe we offer better long-term value in our offer," Jay Kidd, NetApp's chief marketing officer, said in an interview.
Brian Marshall, an analyst with Broadpoint.AmTech, said he expects EMC to put up a higher bid out of a desire to keep Data Domain out of a rival's hands. He said he expects the price for Data Domain to go up to $33 to $35 per share.
"If I'm NetApp, I think it's a difficult proposition to win because EMC has substantially larger resources -- it's my expectation EMC will probably win this war," he said. "EMC doesn't really need this company. I just think it's a defensive move; they don't want their closest competitor to have it."
EMC had cash and investments of $9.8 billion at the end of its latest quarter, which ended in March. NetApp had $2.6 billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of its latest quarter. EMC has a $25...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
Review: Dazzling Palm Software Beats the iPhone
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66977
Move over, iPhone. You've had two years on top of the smart phone world. Now there's a touch-screen phone with better software: the Palm Pre.
In a remarkable achievement, Palm Inc., a company that was something of a has-been, has come up with a phone operating system that is more powerful, elegant and user-friendly. The Pre, which goes on sale Saturday for $200 (after a mail-in rebate) at Sprint stores, makes it easier to do more things on the go.
With webOS, Palm's new operating system, you can keep multiple applications open at once. They're organized like a row of cards that stretches off the screen, and you flick the screen to switch between them. For instance, if you need to quickly check your calendar while writing an e-mail, you can bring up the calendar application, then flick back to e-mail, then keep switching between them as you try to work out your schedule.
On Apple Inc.'s iPhone, you can run only one application at time. To switch between calendar and e-mail, you have to go back to the main menu every time.
Also unlike the iPhone, webOS will notify you of events that need your attention, no matter which application you're in. Notification icons for e-mails, calls and over events appear at the bottom of the screen. If you tap on the e-mail notice, for instance, the message pops up.
So webOS makes the iPhone look clunky, which is stunning in itself. It also thoroughly shows up Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile. That operating system has had multitasking for years, but few users have appreciated that. Rather, Windows Mobile has been blamed for making phones clumsy and slow. Now, webOS comes along and does multitasking right.
Also very cool is that webOS aggregates contacts and calendar items from multiple sources, like Google, corporate Exchange servers, and...
Sat, 6 Jun 09
White House Relays Obama's Cairo Message To Web
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66976
President Obama in Egypt told Muslims he wants to engage them and their countries. More than 5,000 miles away, U.S. administration officials sent notes to supporters -- and critics -- via Twitter, Facebook and text messages to reinforce the point.
Obama's speech Thursday was an illustration of the administration's aggressive strategy to work the Web to enhance the White House's message. A flurry of messages flooded the Internet, as the White House's Twitter feed and Facebook page posted highlights while Obama was still speaking and the State Department sent free text messages about the speech.
"Our goal is to ensure that the greatest number of people with an interest to see this -- not just through newspapers and television -- but can see this through Web sites. ... The Internet team here is working with a host of others to get this information to as many platforms as humanly possible so that people will get a chance all over the world to see what the president has to say," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
Obama, quoting from the Quran for emphasis, called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" during a visit to Cairo. He challenged Muslims to confront violent extremism across the globe during a speech that was the centerpiece of his four-nation journey to the Middle East and Europe.
The tech-savvy White House sought to reinforce Obama's message in every way possible.
The U.S. embassy in Ottawa linked to a fact sheet about the United States' outreach to Muslims on its Twitter feed. The U.S. embassy in London posted a transcript of officials' pre-speech spin on the microblogging site as well. And the embassy in Bangkok, in Thai, posted a preview of administration talking points.
And to countries with predominantly Muslim populations, the government offered free text messages about the...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Hulu Might Consider Charging Fees, Executive Says
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66992
Hulu may go from offering free online access to TV shows, movies and clips to a fee-based model, according to an executive from News Corp. Hulu is a joint venture between News Corp., NBC Universal, and Disney.
Over time, paying for some of the content on Hulu is a logical thing, said News Corp. Chief Digital Officer Jonathan Miller during an Internet Week event earlier this week. Miller, who was formerly at AOL, prefaced his comments by saying he won't attend his first Hulu board meeting until Monday, June 8, so his opinions are his own.
"I don't see why over time that shouldn't happen," Miller said. "I don't think it's on the agenda for Monday {but} it seems to me that over time that could be a logical thing."
"It was essentially a throwaway comment and more a reflection of whether they would," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. "The question is what they'll pay for what content and under what consequences."
Celebrating its first year recently, Hulu went from being in beta to offering users access to online videos, television shows, and clips from various providers of content and has had tremendous growth. In the past year, the company has gone from 50 content partners to more than 130, has grown the number of advertisers from 30 to 175, and has increased the number of streams from 63 million as of May to 308 million.
Although the service has gained a lot of momentum, and has been backed by top players, including Fox, MGM and Sony Pictures Television, moving from a free model to a fee-based model may put the brakes on Hulu's momentum.
"Of course you'll have to pay for it," posted one blog poster with the screen name bloominoctober. "Hulu was too much of a good thing to...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Palm Pre Gets Good Reviews as Launch Nears
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66991
Reviewers generally like the Palm Pre smartphone, predicting it will be a strong challenger to Apple's iPhone 3G.
The Pre goes on sale Saturday, June 6, from exclusive carrier Sprint Nextel, just two days before Apple fans gather for the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday. Apple is expected to release an updated iPhone at the meeting, and AT&T may have an announcement about a lower-cost subscription.
Despite some analysts' negative comments about the viability of both Palm and Sprint, the reviews of the Palm Pre so far have been generally positive. Reviewers especially like the ability to run several applications at once, which the iPhone does not do. The Pre also has touchscreen controls and a physical slide-out keyboard.
Some reviewers, however, noted that few applications have been developed for the Palm Pre so far. Such apps have been a key driver for the iPhone, which can download from Apple's App Store. Reviewers also noted a short battery life.
While Sprint has exclusive U.S. rights to the Pre through the end of the year, Verizon Wireless and AT&T are interested in adding the device when Sprint's deal expires.
The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg called the Pre "beautiful" and said its design is better than the Android-based T-Mobile G1 and the BlackBerry Storm. He called it "potentially the strongest rival to the iPhone to date" if developers produce a lot of apps for it.
The Pre is able to access music and videos on Apple's iTunes Store, and that could lead to some legal disputes with Apple. One blogger suggested that the access method used by the Pre could be switched off by Apple.
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Opera Mobile Outduels iPhone's Safari in May
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66989
The Opera Mobile browser has overtaken the iPhone's Safari browser to become the world's number-one Web-surfing platform for mobile phones, according to StatCounter. The Dublin-based Web metrics firm, which records more than 10 billion page loads per month, said Opera held a 24.6 percent share of the global market in May compared to the iPhone's 22.3 percent share.
Given all the media hoopla surrounding Apple's iPhone, Opera's leading position might seem surprising. But Opera Software Chief Strategy Officer Rolf Assev notes that smartphone platforms represent just 10 percent of the total global mobile-device market.
"The key for us is having a cross-browser platform that is able to work on all sorts of different devices," Assev said. "Opera's strategy is focused [on] lower-end, cheaper phones."
So far, Opera's mobile strategy is helping the company stay neck and neck with Apple in the global mobile-browser race. And Assev is confident that Opera will continue to do well.
"We have 25 million active users who have downloaded the Opera browser onto their phones," Assev said. "And every day there are about 200,000 who download the Opera Mini -- the Java client which gets the browser onto almost all of the phones."
Opera is gaining mobile market buoyancy because it has taken the lead in incorporating compression technology into all its browser products, Assev noted. With Opera's turbo technology behind the browser, the content gets massaged at the server before being sent over to the client, reducing the bandwidth by eight or nine times by the time it arrives on the device.
"This speeds up the user experience by three or four times, making it totally different from the normal experience on mobile phones," Assev said. "Other browser makers are trying this out, but none have come as far as us."
Another reason...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Sony Ericsson Goes Green with New Mobile Phones
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66988
Sony Ericsson is following the lead of its competitors by rolling out two new handsets that will make the world a little greener. The C901 and Naite are part of its GreenHeart program.
The GreenHeart program was launched by Sony last year to reduce hazardous waste produced during product development and manufacturing. Its focus is to develop phones that use electronic manuals, reduce the carbon footprint by 15 percent, and use a minimum of 50 percent recycled packaging.
"The ultimate goal is to reduce our carbon output as a company by 20 percent by 2015 and to have every phone have the same carbon savings (as the Naite and C901)," said Jonathan Mulder, Sony Ericsson's head of product marketing in North America.
"It marks a starting point for other manufacturers to put together a phone that is eco-conscious and helps them save money in the long run," said IDC analyst Ramon Llamas.
The C901 handset will save 90 percent in paper and reduces the environmental impact through more compact packaging. The phone's casing is made from a minimum of 50 percent recycled plastic and has a display light sensor, which uses less energy. A newer green feature is the phone's paint, which lowers exposure to volatile organic compounds. The phone's headset is made with 100 percent recycled plastic.
The Naite includes the same green features, but also comes with a feature that lets users walk the talk, according to Sony Ericsson. The phone's Ecomate application and Carbon Calculator help users make better environmental choices and calculate how much carbon is saved by walking and not using a car.
By going green, Sony Ericsson may have had to cut corners. "Side-by-side comparison, they are giving a couple of things up, but not to say that cannot be included at a...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Intel Acquires Wind River Systems for $884 Million
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66987
Intel is spreading its software wings with the $884 million acquisition of Wind River Systems, which develops operating systems, middleware and software design tools for a variety of embedded computing systems. Intel said the company will become part of its strategy to grow its processor and software presence outside the traditional PC and server markets and into embedded systems and mobile devices.
"This acquisition will bring us complementary, market-leading software assets and an incredibly talented group of people to help us continue to grow our embedded systems and mobile-device capabilities," said Renee James, an Intel vice president and general manager of the company's software and services group. "Wind River has thousands of customers in a wide range of markets, and now both companies will be better positioned to meet growth opportunities in these areas."
Embedded systems and mobile devices include smartphones, mobile Internet devices, other consumer electronic devices, in-car "info-tainment" systems, networking equipment, aerospace and defense, energy and thousands of other devices.
Intel sees this multibillion-dollar market as becoming increasingly connected and more intelligent, requiring supporting applications and services as well as full Internet functionality. Analysts said Intel is poised to make a notable entrance.
"This is a market where the individual processors, in some cases, cost a few pennies, but volume is king," said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. "The opportunity is more than just selling a handful of expensive processors, but it's a matter of selling billions or tens of billions of tiny processors. That type of volume market is one that Intel knows very well how to play in."
As an Intel subsidiary, Wind River will continue to develop commercial-grade software platforms that support multiple hardware architectures that are optimized for the needs of its many embedded and mobile customers. The company's client list includes...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Time Spent on Social-Networking Sites Jumps 83 Percent
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66972
Any parent can vouch that time spent on social-networking sites is rapidly growing, but a new report puts some numbers on that perception. The report, released Wednesday by Nielsen Online, indicates that the total minutes spent on such sites have increased 83 percent in the U.S. alone, year over year.
The report, which covers the month of April, shows that the overall leader in total minutes, Facebook, grew an astounding 699 percent-- 13.9 billion minutes this April, compared to 1.7 billion minutes in April last year.
The number-two site, MySpace, saw a 31 percent drop, while Twitter has rocketed up to sixth place with 3,712 percent growth.
Jon Gibs, online media vice president at Nielsen online, said the report indicated "regardless of how fast a site is growing or how big it is, it can quickly fall out of favor" with users.
"Remember Friendster?" he asked, mentioning a social-networking site that isn't in this year's top 10. "Remember when MySpace was an unbeatable force?"
He added that Facebook and Twitter shouldn't take their positions for granted, since consumers have clearly shown that "they are willing to pick up their networks and move them to another platform, seemingly at a moment's notice."
The report also showed that while Facebook remains in the top position for unique visitors and total minutes for the fourth month straight, MySpace is the leader in online video. In terms of number of streams and total minutes watching video, MySpace's visitors spent 384 million minutes watching more than 120 million streams, for nearly 39 minutes per visitor.
Because of this disparity in the kinds of leads different sites have, Gibs said it might be better not to ask who is winning, but "what audiences are they drawing, and how are they building for the future" to maintain the loyalty...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Smarter Google Squared Fires Back at Microsoft's Bing
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66971
Google wants the searching population to forget about Bing and focus on its latest product: Squared.
Google Squared is an experimental search tool that collects facts from the Web and presents them in an organized collection, similar to a spreadsheet. If users search for roller coasters, for example, Google Squared builds a square with rows for each of several specific roller coasters and columns for corresponding facts, such as image, height and maximum speed.
"Some information is easy to find. If you want to learn the rules of golf, you can search Google for 'golf rules' and we'll return a list of relevant Web sites right at the top," said Alex Komoroske, an associate product manager for Google Squared. "But not all your information needs are that simple. Some questions can be more complex, requiring you to visit 10, perhaps 20, Web sites to research and collect what you need."
Continuing with the roller-coaster theme, Komoroske drills down into Google Squared's value compared to the market leader's traditional search box. In the past, Komoroske said he has used Google to search for information about roller coasters, such as which ones are the tallest, fastest and have the most loops.
"Finding this information used to take multiple searches -- I'd find roller-coaster sizes on one Web site, heights on another, and speeds on a third. By manually comparing the sites, I could get the information I was looking for, but it took some time," Komoroske said. "With Google Squared, a new feature just released in Google Labs, I can find my roller-coaster facts almost instantly."
Komoroske pointed to the technology behind Google Squared. While gathering facts from across the Internet is relatively easy for humans to do, he said, it's far more difficult for computers to do automatically. He called Google Squared a...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Verizon Launches Pay-Per-Use Data-Center Service
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66962
Verizon Business has launched an on-demand data center service, offering access to virtual and physical servers on a pay-per-use model.
Pricing will be based on daily usage, and the company will offer discounts for monthly volume commitments starting at $2,500 a month.
"People need to generate new efficiencies in power utilization, and scale resources as appropriate," said Mark Beaumont, Verizon Business product management group manager. "We are also offering customers transparency into their information so they can see what is utilized and where in the organization it is used."
Verizon describes its new offering as "computing-as-a-service," in that the architecture will allow customers to provision physical and virtual server environments to best accommodate the type of application being deployed.
For example, a business may want to use a virtual environment for staging and development, but may choose a physical server infrastructure for business-critical applications, such as database servers, which lets them customize servers and select the server configuration, Verizon said.
Customers will also have access to a self-service portal through the Verizon Enterprise Center to manage their servers, and will be able to add a number of security services, such as identity and access management, host intrusion detection and application vulnerability assessment.
"With Verizon Computing-as-a-Service we are ushering in a new era of computing that offers security, resiliency and scalability on demand, with a whole new level of flexibility and a low-cost structure," said Nancy Gofus, Verizon global product development president.
The service is available to US customers immediately, and will be offered in Europe and Asia from August.
Fri, 5 Jun 09
At 25, Tetris Drops Into Place As Gaming Icon
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66958
With its scratches and sticky brown beer stains, the "Tetris" arcade machine near the back of a Brooklyn bar called Barcade has seen better days. Which makes sense, given that the machine was made in the 1980s.
Even today, though, it's not hard to find 20- and 30-somethings plucking away at its ancient controls, flipping shapes made up of four connected squares and fitting them into orderly patterns as they descend, faster and faster as the game goes on.
"You could just play infinitely," said Michael Pierce, 28, who was playing against Dan Rothfarb, also 28. Both have been fans since they -- and the game -- were young. "Tetris" has its 25th birthday this week.
Pierce recalls playing "Tetris" on a Nintendo Game Boy that was on display in a department store when his family couldn't afford the unit. Rothfarb played on his Nintendo until the game wouldn't go any faster.
Completed by a Soviet programmer in 1984, "Tetris" has come a long way from its square roots. It's played by millions, not just on computers and gaming consoles but now on Facebook and the iPhone as well.
"Tetris" stands out as one of the rare cultural products to come West from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. And the addictive rhythm of its task-by-task race against time was an early sign of our inbox-clearing, Twitter-updating, BlackBerry-thumbing world to come.
In her book "Hamlet on the Holodeck," Georgia Tech professor Janet Murray called "Tetris" the "perfect enactment of the overtasked lives of Americans." The game, she wrote, shows the "constant bombardment of tasks that demand our attention and that we must somehow fit into our overcrowded schedules and clear off our desks in order to make room for the next onslaught."
Many people who grew up with "Tetris" haven't stopped playing.
"I'd stay up, wait for...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
ACLU Defends Girl's Lewd MySpace Principal Parody
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66956
A federal appeals court must decide whether a Pennsylvania middle school can suspend a student who, at home on her own time, created a lewd MySpace page about her principal.
The Web page, which used a fake name but an actual photo of the principal, was purported to have been posted by a 40-year-old Alabama school principal who described himself, through a string of sexual vulgarities, as a pedophile and sex addict. The Internet address included the phrase "kids rock my bed."
The case, argued in the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, raises broad issues about the limits of school discipline for off-campus behavior that affects the atmosphere at school. The student involved is identified in the suit only by her initials.
A rash of similar cases have surfaced across the country, with mixed rulings, but none has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
The American Civil Liberties Union argues that students enjoy free-speech rights off-campus that protect such parodies, however vulgar.
"Parents give up some control at the schoolhouse gate," Mary Catherine Roper, an ACLU lawyer in Pennsylvania, told the appeals court judges. "When the students walk back out, they again are under control of their parents."
However, a lawyer for the Blue Mountain School District in Schuylkill County said the eighth grader's actions in March 2007 caused a disturbance that reverberated inside school and harmed the principal.
Students were buzzing about the site for several days, and school administrators quickly became aware of it.
"Quite frankly, this could have affected his career," school board lawyer Jon Riba argued. "At the very least, it creates an impression that this man is unstable."
Roper called the site clearly satiric -- and juvenile.
But Judge D. Michael Fisher was not so sure, noting the number of sexual deviants who apparently seek out like-minded people online.
He nonetheless cautioned Blue Mountain...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Microsoft Ads Say Search Is Sick, Bing Is the Cure
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66953
Microsoft Corp. is inventing a new malady for which its new Web search site, Bing, is the only cure.
That's the premise of the $100 million, four-month advertising campaign Microsoft hopes will turn Bing into a verb and give the software maker a fighting chance against search leader Google Inc. -- unlike its last redesign, Live Search, which launched four years ago to such little fanfare that many Web surfers still don't know where to find it online.
In the first Bing ad, set to debut Wednesday night, Microsoft unveils "search overload" syndrome -- the state of confusion brought on by search results that don't answer a user's question. The commercial starts with bleeps and blips and a montage of Web-video frivolity (think cat playing piano).
"While everyone was searching, there was bailing," a narrator says over news footage from the economic meltdown. "While everyone was lost in the links, there was collapsing."
The chaotic footage and soundtrack give way to upbeat rock music and stock-footage-style shots of children happily using consumer electronics and adults making calculations, rehabilitating injuries and going places.
"It's time to Bing," the narrator concludes. When he says the word "Bing," his voice goes much, much higher.
The current events scenes are intended to tie the idea of saving money during the recession to using the new search engine to find travel and shopping deals, said Ty Montague, chief creative officer at JWT, the agency responsible for the TV ads.
"The world of excess is over," he said. "What people need is something that is more meaningful, gets to the point more quickly, gets them to what they want."
Next week, Microsoft will switch to a humorous approach, launching four more ads showing people answering everyday questions with monotone streams of semi-related words -- "search overload" personified, the company says.
The ads, which call Bing...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Stores, Brands Tap Into Power of Frugal Bloggers
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66951
When Melissa Garcia was frustrated by Old Navy's scanty coupon offerings, she didn't just complain to the store. She vented on a message board tied to her blog consumerqueen.com, which is read by at least 30,000 people each month and now, increasingly, by corporate America.
Within weeks, chatter in the so-called mommy blogosphere led Gap Inc.'s Old Navy to begin issuing coupons several times a week, instead of just once a week.
Moms have always had marketplace muscle, but a new frugality driven by rising joblessness, housing woes and other economic problems has them exercising it like never before with the help of the Internet.
In this recession, their talk online encompasses everything from complaints to advice on coupon clipping, low-budget meals and family finance. But it's not just fellow moms who are following every post: Retailers and consumer product makers are listening, too -- and responding.
"We see (moms who blog) as a vital force for our brand strategy," said Gap spokeswoman Louise Callagy. "They are the voice of our customers, and we are working harder to develop and maintain their trust and respond to their feedback."
After picking up chatter on blogs that was advocating layaway purchase plans be restored at its namesake department stores, Sears Holdings Corp. brought them back over the holidays after a two-decade hiatus. And Sears' Kmart chain now accepts online coupons and has launched a Web site called Kmart.com /coupons that makes it easier to find specific deals, in response to chatter on mother-oriented blogs.
Companies and the bloggers themselves are mutually benefiting. Consumer product companies like home appliance maker Frigidaire and Unilever, maker of Suave shampoo, are hoping to enhance their brands by giving free samples of their merchandise to key women bloggers to test and chat about on their sites, though many bloggers say it's essential to...
Fri, 5 Jun 09
Government Posts Sensitive List of U.S. Nuclear Sites
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66950
The government accidentally posted on the Internet a list of government and civilian nuclear facilities and their activities in the United States, but U.S. officials said Wednesday the posting included no information that compromised national security.
The 266-page document was published on May 6 as a transmission from President Barack Obama to Congress. According to the document, the list was required by law and will be provided to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Some of the pages are marked "highly confidential safeguards sensitive."
Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, said the document had been reviewed by a number of U.S. agencies and that disclosure of the information did not jeopardize national security. He said the document is part of an agreement on nuclear material inspection under the IAEA's nuclear nonproliferation effort.
"While we would have preferred it not be released, the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Commerce and the NRC all thoroughly reviewed it to ensure that no information of direct national security significance would be compromised," LaVera said in a statement.
An Energy Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly, said none of the sites on the list are directly part of the government's nuclear weapons infrastructure.
Included in the report, however, are details on a storage facility for highly enriched uranium at the Y-12 complex at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and some sites at the Energy Department's Hanford nuclear site in Washington state, this official acknowledged.
Beth Hayden, a spokeswoman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said the agency reviewed the document as it relates to civilian facilities with NRC licenses and "we are confident that information of direct national security significance was not compromised."
The NRC has jurisdiction over commercial nuclear power plants and civilian uranium processing...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Sun Tests Java Store To Connect Developers with Users
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66970
Sun Microsystems is all about the connection. On Wednesday at the JavaOne Conference in San Francisco, Sun announced it's launching the Java Store, a network service that will connect developers with millions of Java users.
The store, created in JavaFX, will be made available to 800 million global desktop Java users who will be able to purchase Java applications and content, including business, social and entertainment software.
The user interface is simple, according to the company, and allows users to install apps by dragging the apps from Java Store directly to the desktop.
"Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a small software startup, your primary need is the ability to reach customers," said Eric Klein, vice president of Java marketing at Sun. "The Java Platform reaches more customers than just about any other software platform in the industry."
Sun is already testing the store in a private beta program that will be open to all U.S.-based Java users later this year, according to the company.
Developers, however, don't need to wait until later this year to submit applications. They are being encouraged to submit Java Platform Standard Edition and JavaFX-based apps to the Java Warehouse for distribution in the store once it is live. Both developers and users interested in participating in the private beta program need to first sign up on the Java Store Web site.
Sun also announced the Java Warehouse, a repository for apps submitted by developers for entry into the Java Store. Sun will manage the desktop version of the Java Store. Java Warehouse apps will first be targeted at Mac and Windows users in the United States who use Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari browsers.
Eventually, however, mobile and TV service providers will use the Java Warehouse to gain access to applications for...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
PC Buyers Will Be Offered Upgrades To Windows 7
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66966
Microsoft is being less tight-lipped about its upcoming operating system, Windows 7. Executives at the Redmond, Wash.-based software behemoth announced Wednesday that Windows 7 will be available in October, with special deals before to its launch.
During a keynote speech at Computex 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan, Microsoft Vice President Steve Guggenheimer said the company plans to push out the release to manufacturing code in the second half of July and Windows 7 will be available on Oct. 22, in time for the holidays.
The company said it will begin offering special deals on upgrades to Windows 7 if users buy a Vista-equipped PC before the October launch.
A free or discounted upgrade program touted as the Windows 7 Upgrade Option will be made available, but Microsoft wouldn't give details, including when it will begin, how long it will last, and how much retailers would charge for the upgrade. Microsoft execs also left out which versions of Vista would be eligible for the upgrade.
"Microsoft has been working closely with partners to help our mutual customers be able to enjoy the many benefits of Windows 7," Guggenheimer said. "With that in mind, we're excited to say that there will be a Windows upgrade program available."
He added that consumers can buy a new PC knowing they will get Windows 7 as part of the purchase.
"I'll be doing another blog post about this program with a date and more details when we get closer to availability," said Microsoft's Brandon Leblanc, in an official blog.
Despite a weakening of PC sales this year, 10 million netbooks were shipped globally last year, according to IDC. Microsoft dominated that market, with 90 percent of the netbooks shipped as of January running Windows XP.
Announcements this week from chip manufacturer ARM and PC maker Acer...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Apple Rumor Mill Predicts iPhone App Sharing
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66965
Even as the Electronic Entertainment Expo continues in full swing in Los Angeles, preparations are under way for Apple's much-anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) just up the coast in San Francisco. Banners are being hung -- the first declares "One Year Later. Light Years Ahead," a reference to Apple's phenomenally successful App Store -- and rumors are ricocheting around the blogosphere.
The rumor mill was stoked earlier this year by the announcement that Apple has scheduled the release of the iPhone OS 3.0 at this year's WWDC. That news was quickly followed by hints of an updated iPhone, leading bloggers and tech writers to spend hours scouring beta code and patent applications for clues to new features.
One of the more intriguing possibilities, BusinessWeek reports, is that the new version of the iPhone OS may allow iPhone users to share applications directly with their friends.
Over the next five years, the market for mobile applications is expected to climb to a staggering $25 billion. The very popularity of mobile applications, however, makes it increasingly difficult for publishers to stand out among the myriad offerings, or for consumers to easily find applications that interest them.
Microsoft's Zune, which allows users to share music content via Wi-Fi, has already demonstrated the power of a friend's recommendation in driving the sale of music tracks. A similar feature could help steer iPhone users to useful or interesting options among the App Store's 35,000 (and counting) products.
As is typically the case for the notoriously secretive company, Apple's press office offered a firm "no comment." "We've made no announcements at this time," said Apple spokesperson Jennifer Bowcock.
Over the past few months, five different versions of the beta software for iPhone OS 3.0 have appeared; the most recent is the first to contain any suggestion of app...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Sony PSP Go Plays Games, Videos and Music
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66964
Sony on Tuesday unveiled the new evolution of its PSP handheld gaming device. Dubbed the PSP Go, the model hopes to compete with Nintendo's market-leading DS and fend off Apple's iPhone and iPod touch.
The PSP Go will come to market Oct. 1 and sell for $250. That compares to $169 for the current PSP-3000 edition, but Sony has added some bells and whistles it is betting will make up for the price hike.
Sony is positioning the PSP Go as the ideal solution for customers on the go who want on-demand entertainment. Sony is responding to a market trend for digital content in slimmer form factors by replacing the hard drive with 16GB of flash memory. Consumers can store games, videos, music and photos on the device.
The evolved PSP is much smaller and lighter than previous versions. The pocket-sized device includes a sliding display panel. When open, users can interact with digital content via button controls akin to the PSP-3000.
When closed, applications designed specifically for the PSP Go, such as a clock and calendar, are displayed on the screen. Users can also watch video and listen to music when the panel is closed.
The PSP Go also features a game sleep function that lets users operate the Xross MediaBar while temporarily pausing game play. Users can even connect Bluetooth standard peripherals such as headphones and a PS3 wireless controller.
Sony said its in-house developers, as well as third-party publishers, will add new content to the PlayStation Store. Sony promised more new and attractive titles for download by the time the PSP Go launches this fall, including games, free demos, original PlayStation classics for PSP, add-on items for game titles, and trailers.
Beyond accessing content via the PlayStation Store directly from the PSP, Sony said consumers can also...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
T-Mobile Expected To Release Another Android Device
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66963
T-Mobile's G1 smartphone, the first major Android device, will soon have a sibling. Reuters news service has reportedly received an e-mail from T-Mobile confirming that it will offer another Android device this summer.
The news follows a series of recent announcements from various companies indicating that the Google-backed, open-source mobile operating system may be gaining momentum in the smartphone industry and possibly in the booming category of netbooks.
Launched last year, T-Mobile's G1 has already sold more than a million units and other carriers are beginning to release Android devices. Last week, HTC, maker of
the Dream (called the G1 in the U.S.), announced it will offer a version of its other Android phone, the Magic, in China next month.
That release will be through China Mobile, the largest mobile operator in the world, and the Magic will be modified to run China Mobile's applications. There has also been Android software news as T-Mobile last week started pushing Android version 1.5 to G1 users.
Android also appears to be building momentum among the small computers known as netbooks. On Tuesday, Acer and ASUSTeK Computer said they will release netbooks with Android this year. And Qualcomm announced this past weekend that it is expanding its Snapdragon chipset for a new smaller-than-netbooks category called smartbooks, which will also run Android. Qualcomm said 15 manufacturers are developing more than 30 Snapdragon products.
Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, noted that three Android phones have been formally announced -- the Samsung i7500, plus the two HTC phones. "Android is absolutely getting momentum in the smartphone market," he said.
He noted in a Current Analysis report on Android that version 1.5 "gives the original G1 more polish and its virtual QWERTY keyboard makes all-touchscreen devices like the HTC Magic and...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Microsoft May Bing Google as Wave Grabs Market
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66943
There's been much ado about Microsoft's Bing, and plenty of wonder around Google Wave. Although the Internet archrivals' new offerings don't compete directly, they do indirectly: Bing with Google Search and Wave with Microsoft's ecosystem.
Currently Google has the largest market share in search and Microsoft is dominant in desktop PC software. Observers wonder if each will cut into the other's domain or if the status quo will be maintained.
"Bing will certainly take share from Google's search business, but isn't strong enough to challenge Google's overall leadership, making it an approach mirrored by Microsoft's efforts with Zune," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "Wave represents an effort to displace Microsoft entirely, but has a higher probability of failing completely and is also consistent with Google's strategy with apps."
The latest buzz on Bing is that the new search engine -- or decision engine, as Microsoft likes to call it -- might catch on with Internet advertisers or mobile users. That in itself would be a blow to Google. But that's not Bing's value proposition as Microsoft communicated it.
"Bing focuses on a few things that people do a lot online, like shopping and health-care research, and improves them substantially so the customer gets to a meaningful result much more quickly," Enderle said. "If the model holds, Microsoft will wrap this with a marketing program that identifies the problem, establishes it as a problem Google has failed to address, and puts forth Bing as the solution. They should, if they execute sharply, take substantial share from Google with this effort."
Neither Enderle nor most other analysts believe Bing will outpace Google long-term -- unless Google stumbles. Still, Google been spreading its wings and flying around other projects that go well beyond search, like Wave. Microsoft may see this as an...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Travelers' New Challenge: Luring Consumers
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66921
Geico has its dapper gecko and brooding caveman. Progressive Corp. has Flo, the chirpy sales clerk. And Travelers Cos. has a red umbrella?
Clearly, Travelers, a major player in commercial insurance and the newest member of the Dow Jones industrial average (its induction to the blue-chip benchmark was announced June 1 along with that of Cisco Systems) faces a marketing challenge as it tries to gear up its direct-channel insurance business to compete with Geico (a unit of Berkshire Hathaway) and Progressive.
It's likely that the property and casualty insurance company will have to endure an extended trial-and-error period -- and spend lots of marketing dollars -- before it strikes advertising gold, much like Progressive did before settling on Flo last fall, says Vinay Misquith, an analyst who covers the insurance industry at Credit Suisse. (Without an army of agents to market policies, an engaging advertising hook is essential in the direct-channel insurance business.)
That will be a drag on Travelers' earnings for at least the next two years, Misquith estimates, and that could temper some of the enthusiasm around the company's stock, which on June 8 will join the exclusive company of Dow Jones components. In an ironic twist, Travelers will replace its former parent, Citigroup, from which it was spun off via IPO in 2002.
"It will be at least two years before [direct-channel insurance] starts contributing meaningfully to [Travelers'] bottom line," says Misquith. "It's hard to know how much of a drag it will be" over those two years or to what extent that's already being reflected in the stock price.
And as one of the more financially robust insurance companies, with none of the exposure to investment leverage that's forced so many life insurance and financial-services companies to write down asset values over the past 18 months, Travelers in...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Move Over, Amazon? Google Aims To Sell e-Books
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66920
Amazon may want to keep an eye over its shoulder -- Google is readying a deeper push into e-commerce. In the coming months, Google plans to begin selling online access to electronic versions of books. The titles will be available for viewing on any Web-enabled device, be it a cell phone or a laptop. "By end of this year we hope to give publisher partners an additional way to sell their books," Google said in a statement on June 1.
Details, including revenue-sharing arrangements with publishers, are still being worked out, one major publisher told BusinessWeek.com on condition of anonymity. Google also expects to form partnerships with other online retailers, such as local bookstores, so those sellers could provide instant online access to books.
The plan to sell e-books is the latest indication of Google's attempt to expand beyond online advertising and gain a toehold in e-commerce, where Amazon.com, eBay, and Wal-mart.com hold sway. "Google's core growth rate is slowing, and it's starting to look for the next big growth driver," says Laura Martin, an analyst at Soleil Securities Group. In February, Google's YouTube said it is testing ways to let people sell video through the Google Checkout online payment system. Google is also testing Google Product Search, which lets consumers locate the cheapest products at various online stores. Google also runs Android Market, a store that sells mobile-phone applications.
Combined with other Google e-commerce tools and the company's arrangements to make books available online, the e-books project has the potential to increase competition for Amazon and other online booksellers. Technologies that undergird Checkout, Product Search, and Android Market could serve as the basis of an online Google e-bookstore. "Certainly, they've got all the parts they need in place," says Jeffrey Lindsay, a senior analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Dell Chief's 2009 Compensation Rises 5.7 Percent
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66915
The value of the compensation granted to Dell Inc. Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell rose 5.7 percent in fiscal 2009, according to an Associated Press calculation of figures disclosed in a regulatory filing, even as sinking computer sales hammered the PC maker's earnings.
The value of Michael Dell's total compensation package rose to $2.11 million for the year that ended May 1, compared with $1.99 million in fiscal 2008.
The CEO's base salary dipped 2 percent to $931,731 from $950,000 in 2008, according to the proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Instead, the increase in Michael Dell's compensation came entirely in the form of retirement matches and security costs. In fiscal 2009, he received $11,500 in company matches to his retirement plans and $1.16 million for personal and home security. In 2008, the CEO received $9,000 in retirement plans matching contributions and $1.03 million for security. Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn would not say how security funds are spent.
Such high security expenses are not unheard of. For example, Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos received $1.2 million for personal security in 2009.
As in 2008, Michael Dell did not receive a bonus or stock or option grants.
Dell, the No. 2 PC maker in the world behind Hewlett-Packard Co., reported its profit fell 63 percent in the 2009 fiscal year as the economic meltdown decimated technology spending by both businesses and consumers. The typically brisk holiday quarter was the industry's worst in six years, according to researchers at IDC, and PC sales sank about 7 percent in the first three months of the calendar year.
In January through March, the Round Rock, Texas-based company fared worse than its larger competitor. Worldwide, HP's computer shipments edged up 3 percent while Dell's plunged 17 percent, and HP pushed ahead of Dell in U.S. PC shipments.
The Associated Press...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Science Parks vs. Boutique Labs
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66913
When futurist Anthony Townsend ponders the world's up-and-coming innovation hot spots, he tends to skip over the gargantuan, multibillion-dollar science parks going up in cities like Singapore, Shanghai, and Seoul. Instead, he homes in on places like Kitchen Budapest, or Kibu. An artists' colony of sorts on a hip street in downtown Budapest, Kibu is what Townsend, research director at the Institute for the Future, describes as a "pop-up lab."
Founded in 2007 with a few million dollars from Magyar Telekom, Kibu leases space in a small, loft-like building to a couple of dozen people with the hope that common interests and random encounters will bring them together to create digital media and communications products. It already has had a promising commercial success: Software startup Prezi developed a tool to make visually interesting presentations that some analysts say could challenge Microsoft's PowerPoint.
While Kibu is hardly a science park -- it's not affiliated with a university or research institute, for instance -- it could mark a turning point in product development. For the last 40 years, research parks have been the model for moving ideas from university labs into the marketplace. The parks also have strived to incubate startups that could grow into corporations that would keep their headquarters and talent close to home.
That campus-centric view is becoming out of date, Townsend argues in a study to be released at the International Association of Science Parks annual conference June 1-4 at North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. As Web 2.0 tools and telecommunication make it easier for inventors, engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs to work wherever they want, they also are fostering novel kinds of "knowledge ecosystems."
Low-budget pop-up labs like Kibu are but one example of new kinds of physical spaces for collaboration tracked by Townsend as part of an Institute for the...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
The Doctor Will See You Now -- Online
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66910
You know the drill. You schlep to the doctor's office and wait for what seems like hours -- despite having an appointment. As the time ticks away, your frustration level rises, along with the number of other commitments you are missing.
That's today. But tomorrow holds promise for virtual improvement -- literally.
In the not-too-distant future, a doctor's visit may be just a click away.
Imagine having your appointment conducted as you sit comfortably in front of your home computer screen, describing symptoms or asking questions of a doctor via videoconference, and having your doctor respond in kind from the office. Need a blood pressure reading? A special cuff downloads it directly into your computer -- and to your doctor in real time, just like in a face-to-face appointment.
It may sound farfetched, but virtual medicine is already happening on a trial basis in Boston, and more broadly elsewhere in the country, with Hawaii leading the way. Also in development: widespread use of Web cameras, instant messaging, and other e-technology to help ease healthcare costs, and relieve the burden that scheduling often represents.
There are clearly some limits to the new technology. It can't, for example, be used for a gynecological check up, or many other physical exams.
But adaptations -- such as the special blood pressure cuff -- make it possible to do things that heretofore seemed possible only in person.
But is it good for patients? New studies -- including a recent one that is Boston-based -- suggest virtual medicine may win fans from both sides of the stethoscope.
Dr. Ronald Dixon, an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital who uses videoconferencing in his practice, is the senior author of a recent Boston survey comparing patient satisfaction with virtual visits versus face-to-face doctor's visits. The study, published in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, involved 175 patients,...
Thu, 4 Jun 09
Chinese Police Detain Four for Hacking Internet Servers
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66909
Chinese police have detained four suspects for online hacking activities which eventually led to temporary but widespread failure of Internet access in China on May 19, the Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday.
The ministry said the suspects were detained on May 29 following police investigations in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.
Giving no more details than surnames of two suspects, Xu and Wang, the ministry said the suspects allegedly launched a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against the servers of DNSPod, a Chinese DNS (domain name system) provider and domain registrar.
The DNS is what computers use to find each other on the Internet. A DNS attack targets thousands or tens of thousands of compromised computers and uses them to flood a server with bogus data packets until all of its available resources are consumed trying to process them. This swamps the server, making it unresponsive to everyone using it.
According to the ministry, the motive for the attack was fierce business competition between unauthorized online gaming service providers, which attracted gamers from official providers with less limited and free access.
In order to sabotage other "competitors", the suspects launched the attack against DNSPod, which provides access to some of those unauthorized gaming sites.
The attack triggered a chain reaction because DNSPod's servers were also used by Baofeng, a highly popular Chinese video streaming service. Once millions of Baofeng users submitted their video application, their unanswered DNS requests were passed on to higher-level servers that didn't know how to process them.
The requests piled up, and the resulting traffic jam slowed or halted Internet access, Baofeng said Monday.
Internet users in more than 20 provinces were affected on May 19, the ministry said. It was described as the worst Internet incident in China, with nearly 300 million users, only after a service interruption due to damaged...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Windows 7 Will Obliterate Vista Frustrations in October
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66942
Confirming one of the more open secrets of the tech industry this spring, Microsoft announced Tuesday that the launch date for Windows 7 is Oct. 22. That is several months earlier than the software giant forecast last year, when it projected a launch in the first quarter of 2010.
The likelihood of a 2009 release increased significantly this spring, when Microsoft sent out its official release candidate and hinted at a the possibility of a "holiday 2009 launch." The actual release will be some weeks ahead of even that optimistic target.
News of the formal launch date broke Tuesday in Ina Fried's Beyond Binary column on Cnet, following an interview she did with Microsoft Senior Vice President Bill Veghte.
According to Veghte, Fried said, "the feedback from the release candidate has been good." In a separate interview with Fried, Phil McKinney, head of HP's computer unit, went even farther: "We're locked and loaded for the launch," he said. "The quality of code is just absolutely stellar."
One hint of a possible fall launch showed up in the inboxes of Windows 7 beta testers Monday. Stephen Rose Sr., community manager for the Microsoft Windows Client IT Pro Division, and the editor of Microsoft's Springboard Insider Series newsletter, warned testers that the functionality of the beta software will end this summer.
"Please be aware," Rose said, "that the Windows 7 beta expires on Aug. 1 and that, beginning July 1, your machine will reboot every two hours (nice reminder, huh?)."
Microsoft's accelerated schedule for the release of Windows 7 is a clear sign of the company's eagerness to give customers and tech reporters something else to talk about besides the frustrations of working with Windows Vista. The poor sales of the memory-glutton software, particularly in the business community, has allowed other operating systems, including Mac OS...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Xbox 360 Sensor Takes Gaming To the Next Level
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66941
A day after Microsoft's keynote address at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, attendees and the tech media are still buzzing about the company's latest innovation, a controller-less system for interacting with games and other features on the Xbox 360.
The new technology, dubbed Project Natal, is contained in an external peripheral loaded with a motion-sensing RGB camera, a depth sensor, and a multi-array microphone. The hardware is connected to a processor stocked with proprietary software to capture and interpret both movement and vocal commands, which are then fed into the Xbox 360.
One of the most compelling aspects of Microsoft's new tool is that it can easily be added to existing Xbox consoles, minimizing the cost to current 360 owners who want to add the full-motion experience. To facilitate adoption of the technology, Microsoft also released the software developers' kit for Project Natal, so motion capability can be added not only to future games, but to existing games as well.
Zippy Aima, an industry analyst for digital media at ABI Research, said Project Natal represents a significant advance in gaming.
"I think that Nintendo had already raised the bar with Wii," Aima said, "which obviously has enjoyed significant success in the market. With Project Natal's announcement, Microsoft is taking that gaming technology to the next level."
Despite the stir caused by Monday's announcement, numerous questions remain to be answered. For instance, there is no specific word yet on when the Project Natal hardware will be generally available, or how much it will cost.
There is also some question about how well the hardware will respond to faster or more intricate game play. The two software demos offered by Microsoft to showcase the hardware -- Ricochet and Paint Party -- both used fairly basic motions. Contemporary games, however, require much more involved movements. It...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Google Search Appliance Indexes Internal Documents
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66940
Google has redesigned the software architecture for its hardware-based Google Search Appliance to let large businesses scale their internal indexing capabilities and search across billions of corporate documents.
Through the addition of GSA 6.0, enterprises will be able to give all their employees access to the Google search experience inside their businesses -- even if they are searching across dispersed intranets, data stores, languages or geographies, said Google Enterprise President Dave Girouard.
"With the improved architecture and software for the search appliance, global businesses can provide secure search across the largest enterprise content repositories -- with one GSA system that can scale to billions of documents without limits," Girouard said.
The goal of GSA 6.0 is to give enterprises the technology they need to interconnect and search across as many appliances as possible, wrote Google Enterprise Search engineer Shamim Alpha in a recent blog. "Information doesn't do you much good if you can't find it," Alpha said.
For example, Google beta trial participant MTCSC is deploying more than 50 Google Search Appliances all over the world on behalf of a federal customer. The system, which connects to more than 2,500 data sources, consists of data on Web sites, file shares, databases and SharePoint servers.
"The new GSA 6.0 architecture is now helping them integrate information from the varied data centers to provide users with a single, unified set of results," Alpha wrote, "whether in one location or separated across departments or even across continents."
The revamped GSA architecture incorporates a new administrative API that provides more control for automation of common tasks. Moreover, customization features -- such as a ranking framework, node biasing, and collection biasing -- allow businesses to tweak their internal search results to meet specific needs and requirements.
Setting the enterprise up with GSA 6.0 can save...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Nintendo Pumps Out New Hardware and Games at E3
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66939
Nintendo made sure it had everyone's attention at the Electronic Entertainment Expo on Tuesday. Vice President Cammie Dunaway, President Reggie Fils-Aime, and CEO Satoru Iwata fired off a slew of hardware and game announcements.
The executives' theme was Something for Everyone from Nintendo.
One of the top hardware announcements at E3 came from Iwata, who announced a new Wii Vitality sensor, which looks like a hospital pulse detector. Iwata said the device does more than just determine a pulse; it also senses how nervous you are. He didn't demo the device or provide much information on how it will be used.
Dunaway announced the Wii Fit Plus, an updated version of Wii Fit but with six more strength and yoga exercises and new balance games, including skateboarding, juggling and Kung Fu. One major feature is that users can customize workout routines and choose between 20-, 30- or 40-minute workouts. Users can also choose from specific routines geared toward specific goals or body target areas.
"Think of it like Brain Age for your backside," Dunaway quipped.
A second 3-D Mario Game was also announced for Wii. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario rides Yoshi to various worlds, facing different challenges. The game is expected sometime next year.
Nintendo's research department has been researching to find out what's happening with global gaming, how it has greatly expanded, and what to do to help the expansion continue. The researchers divided people into three groups -- active players, those who never play, and those who might someday play. The company is focusing on the someday crowd.
"Obviously if the population of gamers is to grow further, it must come from the group of maybes," Iwata said. "The ability to appeal to new players may decide the fate of entirely new platforms."
In Japan, the U.S. and Europe,...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Surviving Beatles Introduce Rock Band Video Game
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66938
Surviving Beatles band members Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney took the stage Tuesday at the Electronic Entertainment Expo along with Yoko Ono, widow of the late John Lennon, and Olivia Harrison, widow of lead guitarist George Harrison, to announce The Beatles: Rock Band video game for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360.
The Beatles: Rock Band is expected to be available Sept. 9 in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, according to MTV Games' Harmonix Music Systems.
Gamers who purchase the game will be treated to the Beatlemania touring experience, according to the company, which will take them from Liverpool to the rooftop of Apple Corps. Unreleased authentic voice recordings from the original Beatles -- John, Paul, George and Ringo -- who were talking in between music recording takes, will also be included.
"It's a great way to feed fuel to the fire -- that is, audience expansion for gaming," said Anita Frazier, a toy and game analyst with NPD Group who is attending E3.
Game coproducer Giles Martin teased future The Beatles: Rock Band owners with 10 of the songs in the game, including I Saw Her Standing There, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Feel Fine, Tax Man, Day Tripper, Back in the USSR, I Am the Walrus, Octopus's Garden, Here Comes the Sun, and Get Back.
While the game will be available for all three major gaming consoles, Xbox Live users will get an additional perk. On the same day the game is released, Xbox Live users will be able to download the Beatles song All You Need is Love. Proceeds from the download will go to Doctors Without Borders, a nonprofit that provides medical aid in 60 different countries.
The highly anticipated game will take gamers through the Beatles journey, beginning in...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Tweets Grow, But Facebook Leads Social Networking
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66937
Twitter investors may be speculating about the value of social-networking sites, but no one is speculating about their popularity.
In the U.S. alone, the number of minutes people spend on social-networking sites has increased 83 percent year over year, according to Nielsen Online. In fact, total minutes spent on Facebook increased nearly 700 percent year over year, growing from 1.7 billion minutes in April 2008 to 13.9 billion in April 2009, making it the number-one social-networking site for the month.
"We have seen some major growth in Facebook during the past year, and a subsequent decline in MySpace. Twitter has come on the scene in an explosive way, perhaps changing the outlook for the entire space," said Jon Gibs, vice president of online media and agency insights for Nielsen.
"The one thing that is clear about social networking is that regardless of how fast a site is growing or how big it is, it can quickly fall out of favor with consumers," he said. "Remember Friendster? Remember when MySpace was an unbeatable force? Neither Facebook nor Twitter are immune. Consumers have shown that they are willing to pick up their networks and move them to another platform, seemingly at a moment's notice."
It seems Facebook has become the top dog in the social-networking space -- April was the fourth month in a row that Facebook held the top spot in both unique visitors and total minutes -- but MySpace has been winning in online video.
With 120.8 million video streams, MySpace.com was the number-one social-networking destination when ranked by streams and total minutes spent viewing video. MySpace visitors spent 384 million minutes viewing video on the site, with an average of 38.8 minutes per viewer. In comparison, Facebook visitors spent only 113.5 million minutes viewing...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Apple Plugs Bugs in QuickTime, iTunes
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66936
Apple has issued patches for its QuickTime and iTunes software. The patches fix critical vulnerabilities and a bug that was partially revealed in a book, The Mac Hacker's Handbook, by Charlie Miller and Dino Dai Zovi, released in March.
In all, the updates fix 10 QuickTime vulnerabilities and one bug in iTunes. The flaws affect Windows and Mac users alike. The patches came bundled in the QuickTime 7.6.2 and iTunes 8.2 releases Apple published on Monday.
According to security researchers, most of the flaws were not yet known before Monday. Attackers would have to craft new exploits to target unpatched machines in order to cause damage, but plenty of damage could be done if an attacker were to succeed in exploiting one of the security flaws.
"If left unpatched, the security holes could be exploited by hackers who could create a booby-trapped movie or audio file, programmed to execute malicious code on computers," said Graham Cluley, a senior security consultant at Sophos.
Although most of the bugs are not zero-day exploits, one bug in particular is cause for concern; a flaw in the way QuickTime reads files that are compressed using the JPEG 2000 compression standard. This is the bug Miller hinted at in his book.
As Miller and Zovi see it, as more and more vulnerabilities are found in the Mac OS X operating system, security researchers are realizing the importance of developing proof-of-concept exploits for those vulnerabilities. The duo's book is described as the first to uncover the flaws in the Mac OS X operating system.
Miller and Zovi mean no harm. The white-hat hackers aim to make vital information known so consumers can find ways to secure their Mac OS X systems. The book examines the sorts of attacks that are prevented by Leopard's security defenses, what attacks aren't,...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Android Netbooks Coming From Acer and ASUSTeK
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66923
Android, the open-source operating system from Google, is now in the ring against the heavyweight champion for computers, Microsoft Windows. In the latest round Tuesday, laptop makers Acer and ASUSTeK Computer said they will release netbooks with Android later this year.
The announcements were made at Computex, a huge computer trade show now taking place in Taiwan.
These moves follow the successful launch of an Android-based smartphone, the T-Mobile G1, last October. This past weekend, Qualcomm said it's expanding its Snapdragon chipset for a new category called smartbooks, which will also run Android. Other Android-based devices have also been announced for release later this year.
Of course, also coming later this year, or early in 2010, is the latest incarnation of Microsoft's operating system, Windows 7. Some observers have speculated that the growth of the Linux-based Android and other non-Windows operating systems could pressure Microsoft to speed up Windows 7's final release, as well as possibly reduce the price.
Acer's Aspire One netbook will reportedly cost less than the Windows XP equivalent and, as the third-largest maker of PCs in the world, Acer's adoption of Android is notable.
Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said the essential problem of any Linux OS competing against Windows is simply that "consumers prefer Windows." He pointed out that Android, which was initially targeted for smartphones, has "almost no programs" that could begin to compete with Microsoft Office and other common applications.
But, Greengart noted, it's not just applications. "Let's say you want to print" using an Android-based computer, he said. "Is there a driver for your printer?"
Greengart said Android is doing well in the smartphone market, with more than a million G1 phones sold by T-Mobile in the U.S. Because of the Google brand name, he...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Obama: Battling Cyber-Turf Wars
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66897
The digital battlefield is proving to be difficult terrain for President Barack Obama.
As he unveiled his plan Friday to make the nation's computer networks more secure, he fulfilled a campaign pledge to make cybersecurity a top priority. But he fell short on another promise to create a cyber adviser "who will report directly to me."
Ten months ago, candidate Obama told a Purdue University audience that he "will make cyber security the top priority that it should be in the 21st century." He went on to pledge that he would coordinate efforts across government, implement a national policy, tighten standards to make information more secure, and bring together government, industry and academia "to determine the best ways to guard the infrastructure that supports our power."
On Friday, Obama took the first step toward making that far-reaching promise a reality. But it remains unclear whether the structure he is creating will be capable and powerful enough to take on an enduring and monumental task.
The key will be how much authority the so-called coordinator will wield.
Obama said Friday he will personally choose his new cyber coordinator, and that person will have "regular access" to the Oval Office.
But the White House has yet to apply a formal title to the post and specify the coordinator's line and level of authority within the complex government structure.
Access is everything in Washington. Those who have the president's ear have the power to make things happen. Without a title and clear lines of authority, it's hard to say how much power and access the new cyber czar will have.
Turf wars between powerful federal departments, including intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and Homeland Security, have also long mired efforts to better coordinate, control and fund the nation's cyber security. Agencies do not want to cede authority to make decisions about what...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
As Web Communication Shrinks, So Do Links
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66894
On the short-messaging service Twitter, space is at a premium: You've got 140 characters to make your point, and you probably don't want to waste half of it on a super-sized link to your latest YouTube obsession.
There's an increasingly popular quick fix: a free URL shortener. On one of these Web sites, you can plug in a long Internet address, known as a URL, and it will assign you a much shorter one that is easier to post in e-mails, on Twitter, Facebook or anywhere else. Some link-shrinkers let you personalize the new address with a unique phrase such as your name, or show you how many people click the link after you've posted it.
This convenience may come at a cost, though. The tools add another layer to the process of navigating the Web, potentially leaving a trail of broken links if a service suddenly closes shop. They can also make it harder to tell what you're really clicking on, which may make these Lilliputian links attractive to spammers and scammers.
URL shorteners have been around for several years to offer alternatives to long Web links that were too unwieldy to paste into e-mails. Perhaps the oldest and most popular is TinyURL, a free service started in 2002 by Kevin Gilbertson, a unicycle enthusiast from Blaine, Minn., who was tired of seeing URLs get split up in e-mails related to his online unicycle forum.
Now the rise of Twitter and other social Web sites that encourage users to share small bursts of information has spawned several TinyURL followers, whose names run the gamut from the very short -- tr.im -- to the not long -- notlong.com.
Link compression is just the beginning. More and more of these allow users to see all sorts of details like where a link is showing up around...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Cisco Addition Increases Technology Clout in Dow
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66891
Miles per hour -- out. Bits per second -- in.
Dow Jones & Co. said Monday it would add Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of computer networking hardware, to the 30-stock industrial average, replacing General Motors Corp. The change takes effect June 8.
The automotive giant filed for bankruptcy protection Monday. Meanwhile, Cisco has been weathering the recession without major layoffs, and has kept acquiring companies to expand its technology portfolio.
Shares of San Jose, California-based Cisco rose 78 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $19.28 in morning trading. Meanwhile the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Index was up 2.5 percent. Investment funds that track the Dow Jones industrials are now forced to buy Cisco shares to match the index.
The addition of Cisco reflects the increasing importance of information technology in the U.S. economy. IBM Corp. was added to the list in 1979. It was followed by Hewlett-Packard Co. in 1997, then Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. in 1999.
Intel and Microsoft were the first Dow components that are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market rather than the New York Stock Exchange. Cisco will be the third.
The Dow Jones industrial average also includes the two largest telecommunications services providers in the U.S., AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc., which both are major Cisco customers.
Dow Jones also said Monday it will drop Citigroup Inc. in favor of Travelers Cos.
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Getting the Most Out of the Little Guy: Netbook Tips
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66887
The display is small and the computing power is closer to that of an outdated PC. Yet because they are ideally suited for mobile use -- whether on the sofa or on the train -- netbooks are currently topping the electronics bestseller charts.
Even so, working with the low-priced mini-laptops is different than working with desktop computers or standard laptops. Most users start wondering how to tickle more performance out of the machines almost as soon as they start working with them in earnest. Fortunately, there are a few tricks for juicing up the netbook -- without having to upgrade the hardware at all.
Many of the devices are equipped with three-cell batteries that typically allow for up to three hours of unplugged use. Six-cell batteries allow for double that battery life. Yet even that span isn't enough for really long train rides, making energy conservation a must: "To achieve the absolute longest battery life, you can manually adjust the display brightness to reflect the ambient lighting," explains Robert Perenz, product manager for netbooks at hardware maker Acer.
Many models provide this function through a specific key combination like "Ctrl+F5." Lowering the brightness by just one or two levels is often enough to provide a noticeable bump to the battery life. That's because the factory default for brightness is often the maximum level, which isn't really required at all in practical situations. After only a brief period, you won't notice that the brightness has been reduced at all.
Another key trick: turn off the WLAN when it's not needed. Pressing "Ctrl+F11" will do just that instantly on most netbooks. Reactivating the wireless connection is just as quick. The same holds true for Bluetooth. Both wireless functions represent more than just an energy suck: they also provide a potential portal for hacker attacks.
In principle it's...
Wed, 3 Jun 09
Outsourcing on the Home Front
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66886
Unlike Indian outsourcing companies, domestic outsourcing firms, which use customer service agents who work from home, have found their business has picked up in recent months. "We're finding the economy to be good to us," says Rob Duncan, COO of Denver-based Alpine Access.
Angie Seiden, chief executive of Miramar, Florida-based Arise, whose home-based agents work as independent contractors, says half of new potential clients are re-evaluating their commitment to India. Of 47 current clients, six have pulled back from outsourcing their call center work to India, most in the past year, Selden says.
Selden says rising unemployment in the U.S. has been a boon to her workforce. In 2007, 62,000 people made inquiries into working at home as call agents; in 2008, that number was 110,000.
"We've seen an unbelievable increase in the quality of talent -- a significant uptick in sales acumen, professionalism and business knowledge," Seiden says.
One reason these companies are increasingly competitive, executives say, is that they have a workforce they can draw upon from anywhere in the country. The workers are motivated, well-educated and mostly female.
Duncan says the economic downturn has meant an abundance of well-qualified workers -- 85 percent of whom have some college experience -- to meet the needs of businesses more concerned than ever with customer satisfaction and increasingly sensitive to keeping jobs in the U.S.
"No executive wants to be seen as adding fuel to the fire of unemployment," says Peter Allen, a partner with global sourcing consultants TPI. "If there is a domestic option, executives will take it."
Maria Felton, a 42-year-old mother of three, works as a customer service agent from her home in Centerville, Maryland. To become an agent for Arise, she had to form her own business, pay a few hundred dollars for a background check and training, and spring for home-office supplies...
Tue, 2 Jun 09
Xbox 360 Goes Social and Says Phooey To Controller
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66907
Microsoft had the honor of the first major keynote at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles Monday, and got the much-anticipated conference off to a rousing start. The Redmond-based software giant introduced a number of new innovative features for its high-end gaming console, the Xbox 360, including social-networking features, a controllerless system for interacting with games, and 10 new titles.
"Today with cultural visionaries at our side and controller-free gaming on our horizon, Xbox 360 authored a new page in home entertainment history," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president for the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft. "For us, this E3 is about breaking down barriers -- between generations, between games and entertainment, and, most important, between video-game players and everyone else -- in a way that only Xbox 360 can."
Already widely (and somewhat unfairly) mocked for its use as a diary of the banal, the micro-blog site Twitter is on the verge of being invaded by Xbox 360 high scores, running battle updates, and Easter egg tips. Microsoft said Monday that users will be able to post directly to the service from the Xbox 360 Live Dashboard.
Twitter isn't the only social-networking service to come on board. In addition, the Xbox 360 will take advantage of the Facebook Connect service to allow gamers to link Xbox Live Friends with Facebook Friends, and to post updates to that service as well. Beginning with an upcoming edition of the golf game Tiger Woods, for instance, users will be able to share their favorite video-game screenshots with their online buddies.
Finally, Microsoft said, the Xbox 360 is getting music capability through a new partnership with Live.fm, an Internet radio provider. The service will be automatically available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers at the end of the year.
One existing partnership -- with...
Tue, 2 Jun 09
Nintendo Expected To Make E3 Splash with Wii Fit Plus
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66905
By most accounts, Nintendo's appearance at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 as it is better known, was definitely underwhelming. Despite (or perhaps because of) its enviable position at the head of the console pack, the company made no startling or newsworthy hardware announcements. Even its software lineup was anemic: Few were standing in line to get their hands on the first copy of Wii Music.
That may explain why rumors are already circulating that Nintendo plans to make a much bigger splash at this year's E3, including both new hardware and high-profile software. The company's North American boss, Reggie Fils-Aime, will give a keynote address to the E3 audience on Tuesday morning.
According to ABI Research analyst Zippy Aima, the lead announcement by Fils-Aime is likely to be an upgraded version of the company's enormously popular Wii Fit device.
"Nintendo has registered a trademark for Wii Fit Plus and has also designed a logo," Aima said. "This appears to be a new version of the existing Wii Fit game with a new board controller."
Among other things, the enhanced hardware will respond more precisely to user actions, and will allow users to compete with each other over the Internet. Aima suggested that Nintendo is also considering targeting elderly consumers with gentle exercises and stretching regimens.
"Overall," Aima said, "the aim is to enhance the appeal of the game and attract a wider set of audience, plus increase sales." That's a major priority for Nintendo, which has seen sales of its groundbreaking controller slump both in the United States and in Asia.
Wii Fit Plus will almost certainly not be the only big announcement by Nintendo when it takes center stage Tuesday. An English-language report in the Japanese business outlet Nikkei.com suggests the company will also announce a new...
Tue, 2 Jun 09
Three-Application Limit Dropped for Windows 7 Starter
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=66904
Microsoft has decided to drop the three-application limit it had planned for its entry-level Windows 7 Starter operating system, which is slated for introduction this fall.
Many netbook vendors intend to deploy Windows 7 Starter on the next round of mini-notebook products for price-conscious consumers. Microsoft said it had decided to drop its Windows 7 Starter app limit after receiving feedback from partners and customers asking for an entry-level OS that delivers a richer small notebook PC experience.
Windows 7 Starter customers therefore will have "the ability to run as many applications simultaneously as they would like, instead of being constricted to the three-application limit that the previous starter editions included," said Brandon LeBlanc, a spokesperson for the Microsoft Windows development team.
LeBlanc said Microsoft believes the changes will make Windows 7 Starter an even more attractive option for customers who want a small notebook PC for performing very basic tasks, such as browsing the Web, checking e-mail and enhancing personal productivity. However, analysts note that some businesses also are beginning to deploy low-cost netbooks.
"Due to their small size and low price, PC vendors have begun to find some traction for mini-notebooks in the transportation, logistics, repair and servicing, manufacturing and health-care markets," said Tracy Tsai, a senior research analyst at Gartner.
With many wireless operators now subsidizing the price of the netbooks running on their 3G infrastru