Technology World

Main

Technology

Army Technology
Cyberwars
Military Technology
Newsfactor Technology
Technology World
Yahoo Technology
Random Feeds

Archives

| Feb 2012 | Jan 2012 | Dec 2011 | Nov 2011 | Oct 2011 | Sep 2011 | Aug 2011 | Jul 2011 | Jun 2011 | May 2011 | Apr 2011 | Mar 2011 | Feb 2011 | Jan 2011 | Dec 2010 | Nov 2010 | Oct 2010 | Sep 2010 | Aug 2010 | Jul 2010 | Jun 2010 | May 2010 | Apr 2010 | Mar 2010 | Feb 2010 | Jan 2010 | Dec 2009 | Nov 2009 | Oct 2009 | Sep 2009 | Aug 2009 | Jul 2009 | Jun 2009 | May 2009 | Apr 2009 | Mar 2009 | Feb 2009 | Jan 2009 | Dec 2008 | Nov 2008 | Oct 2008 | Sep 2008 | Aug 2008 | Jul 2008 | Jun 2008 | May 2008 | Apr 2008 | Mar 2008 | Feb 2008 | Jan 2008 | Dec 2007 | Nov 2007 |

Tue, 30 Mar 10
Latest Swiss Army Knife Boasts Super-Secure Storage Stick
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69643.html
Victorinox, maker of the Swiss Army Knife, has come out with a model that would make James Bond proud: a pocket knife with a super-secure USB stick. How secure is the Secure Pro USB stick? Well, it's equipped with both a fingerprint reader and a thermal scanner so, if someone cuts off your finger and applies it to the fingerprint reader, that won't work. Oh, and if a bad guy tries to force open the USB, it will self-destruct. The USB stick comes in three versions. The basic model is the Secure Pro, which is available in capacities of 8 GB, 16 GB and 32GB.

Tue, 30 Mar 10
Will iPad Delivery Flub Juice Demand or Dampen It?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69642.html
People who placed pre-orders for the iPad after Saturday, March 27, are finding that they will have to wait a few weeks beyond the April 3 launch date to receive their devices. The shipping date for those pre-orders is now April 12. These dates apply to the first wave of iPads that will hit the market -- the WiFi-only units. It appears that consumers who ordered the 3G + WiFi iPads are still on track to receive their devices in late April.

Tue, 30 Mar 10
Bing's New Bells and Whistles Could Leave Searchers' Heads Ringing
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69638.html
When Microsoft first launched its Bing search engine less than a year ago, the company promised to map out a strategy that involved more frequent updates and feature additions. This week, the company reiterated its commitment to that road map with the announcement of some new tweaks and technology integration starting immediately and continuing into the summer -- tweaks including, of course, mapping in search results. Changes include current and future refinements to the Quick Tab feature providing related information to main search queries.

Tue, 30 Mar 10
Intel, HP and DreamWorks: Training Dragons
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69641.html
I've seen some amazingly great movies in the last few weeks. I was at Disney World to see "Alice in Wonderland" in IMAX 3-D and watching that movie on a Disney property for this ex-Disney employee was truly magical. Last week, I was at DreamWorks to see "How to Train Your Dragon," and the movie engaged me heart and mind in what was also a magical experience. It is amazing how far we have come, but presentations by DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg and PhaseSpace showcased that future films could not only be even more amazing, but also be made for less -- and more often.

Tue, 30 Mar 10
The iPad Cometh, and So Do the Linuxy Contenders
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69639.html
Legions of Apple fanbois may be all aquiver as April 3 draws near, but that doesn't mean the rest of us don't have plenty to look forward to. Sure the iPad is arriving on the scene first, but there will be no shortage of Linuxy contenders not far behind. For those of us on the open side of the fence, *that's* where the real excitement lies. "When I consider that there are soon going to be literally dozens of cheaper, Linux-powered iPad-like devices on the market, I find it easier to resist putting $499 on my credit card," wrote Computerworld's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols.

Tue, 30 Mar 10
Amazon Spreads Kindle's Fire to Mac, iPad
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69632.html
Amazon's recent announcements about versions of its electronic reader software for Macintosh computers and the hotly anticipated iPad will round out the company's strategy to move reading from the printed page to the cloud. "We believe that long-form reading should be freed from the limitations of analog," Amazon's Kindle Cross Platform Director Dorothy Nicholls told MacNewsWorld. Through Amazon's Kindle hardware or software, a reader's options can be expanded far beyond the limitations of the printed page, she argued.

Mon, 29 Mar 10
Sneaking Into the Transport Layer With a Fake ID
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69636.html
The most powerful deterrent against the use of man-in-the-middle attacks against SSL/TLS-encrypted connections may be how much easier it may be to simply attack from the endpoint. Certainly "man-in-the-middle" sounds more sophisticated, and as a pair of well-known academic researchers are preparing to report, the phrase has actually become a "starburst" marketing point for the sale of digital surveillance equipment to government agencies. However, perhaps the most serious defect in the SSL system lies in the ability of government agencies to acquire false intermediate certificates.

Sun, 28 Mar 10
IE Finally Becomes a Contender in the Fight for Performance Supremacy
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69631.html
How long ago would you have thought it absolutely impossible for the slowest Windows Web browser currently under development to be coming ... from Mozilla? Granted, the Internet Explorer 9 Tech Preview isn't a real browser. But unless Mozilla gets its JaegerMonkeys in a row in time for Microsoft to debut IE9 with real features like buttons, the number two reason users cite for switching from Internet Explorer ... will be wiped off the map. In the most sophisticated system of browser tests ever developed, IE9 in Windows 7 registered a comprehensive index score of 13.17.

Fri, 26 Mar 10
The Mighty Fall at Pwn2Own
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69623.html
Three security experts tore into three Web browsers on Wednesday, the first day of the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver, exposing flaws on a MacBook, iPhone and Windows PC, and winning cash and hardware in the process. Network security provider TippingPoint's Zero Day Initiative organized its Pwn2Own contest to enable Apple and other companies to plug holes in their popular products and protect the data of their customers. The results of the contest will be reported to the manufacturers so they can create the appropriate patches.

Fri, 26 Mar 10
T-Mobile Takes a Baby Step Toward 4G
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69619.html
T-Mobile on Wednesday said that it would offer the United States' fastest 3G wireless network by upgrading its existing 3G service to High-Speed Packet Access Plus 3.5G technology. By the end of the year, T-Mobile expects to have HSPA+ deployed in more than 100 metropolitan areas reaching 185 million people. It also demonstrated the first netbook to run on its cellular data network, a Dell Inspiron Mini 10. T-Mobile launched its HSPA+ network service in Philadelphia last fall.

Fri, 26 Mar 10
On 'Hello World' Hacks, 'Blog Whoring' and Software Bloat
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69616.html
For many blogs, getting picked up on Slashdot is a dream come true. For startup Ksplice, it seems to be a matter of course. Yes, the company's blog had a total of *three* posts as of Wednesday, and two of them had already hit the big time on Slashdot in short order. First was the post many took as a refutation of the Mythical Man-Month. Less than a week later, Ksplice blogger Jessica McKellar wrote a post explaining her adventure in writing a Hello World program in C simple enough that she could disassemble it and be able to explain all of the assembly.

Fri, 26 Mar 10
Shazam's New Tune Is Kinda Catchy
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69592.html
Shazam was one of the first applications Apple decided to specifically feature in one of those "There's an App for That" ads, and it's no doubt one of the biggest reasons Shazam has been downloaded so many times. The company behind the app, Shazam Entertainment, claims to have over 20 million users. I've been one of them for many months now, but a few days ago I accidentally erased Shazam from my phone. No problem, I thought, we'll just find it again in the App Store.

Thu, 25 Mar 10
Sprint Marches Out a Two-Eyed, Stout-Hearted 4G Smartphone
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69612.html
Sprint announced Tuesday that it will begin selling the world's first 4G Android phone, the HTC EVO, this summer. This will run on Sprint's WiMax 4G network, which the carrier is rolling out to more cities nationwide. WiMax, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, will be available to 120 million people in the United States by the end of the year, Sprint said. The carrier also released a Sprint 4G developer guide on Tuesday. The HTC EVO is based on a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

Thu, 25 Mar 10
Samsung Aims for Stars With Galaxy S
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69611.html
Samsung has given the audience at the International CTIA Wireless trade show a sneak preview of its forthcoming Galaxy S smartphone. At less than 10 millimeters, it is expected to be the thinnest Android phone on the market. It also has a 1-Ghz processor and sports a 4-inch, 800 by 480-pixel AMOLED screen that offers better outdoor visibility. In short, it has been designed to render as well as possible the movies and e-book content Samsung will be licensing in deals it has inked with Paramount Pictures and Skiff.

Thu, 25 Mar 10
Safely Riding the Monster Information-Sharing Wave
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69606.html
Consumers mostly used dial-up networks to access the Internet as recently as the mid-1990s. A screaming-fast modem might have synced up at 28.8 or 33.6 kbps. Surfing the Web meant waiting a minute or more for a basic Web page to open -- and forget about sharing images or video. The good news, however, was that that the Internet was a relatively safe community back then, with firewalls and intrusion-prevention systems not yet even part of the common IT lexicon. Fast forward 15 years to the era of data sharing over fast broadband Internet connections.

Thu, 25 Mar 10
AbiWord: Like MS Word but Without the Junk
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69603.html
Word processing is perhaps one of the most essential uses for a computer on any platform. The Linux OS offers more obscure word processors than other OSes; however, few of these apps offer users the staying power of AbiWord. The closest competitor to AbiWord is OpenOffice Writer, and AbiWord, like many other word processing apps in Linux, lacks a fully developed suite of programs such as spreadsheet and presentation apps that rival the functionality of OpenOffice. Still, it excels at processing words and is far ahead of other Linux writing tools.

Wed, 24 Mar 10
Next-Gen Nintendo DS: 3 Dimensions, No Glasses
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69605.html
Nintendo on Monday announced that it will release a new model of its DS handheld console that can play 3-D games but won't require the user to wear special glasses. This device is due by early next year at the latest. The move may give Nintendo's DS an edge as the video game and entertainment markets inch toward 3-D. Nintendo's new device, nicknamed the "3DS," will be able to play titles that were created for current and previous DS models, Nintendo said. However, when playing specially designed 3-D games, users won't need special glasses to view 3-D images, Nintendo said.

Wed, 24 Mar 10
Cities of the Future, Part 1: The Self-Aware Metropolis
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69595.html
Homo sapiens are a fast-growing species: The world's population is expected to double in 61 years, putting further pressure on our resources and, as countries become increasingly urbanized, on our cities. The infrastructure of today's cities won't be able to cope, and governments, scientists, architects and engineers are looking for new solutions. Some are looking to building cities that are environmentally friendly; others are looking to create urban marvels to rival Dubai, a desert city where water flows lavishly and some of the world's tallest buildings stand.

Wed, 24 Mar 10
Nanobots Flip Off Cancer Switch in Cells
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69597.html
There is now proof that a Nobel Prize-winning technology can deliver targeted therapy directly to cancer tumor cells, say a team of California Institute of Technology researchers led by Mark Davis, who published their findings in Nature. Their clinical trial showed that a specialized polymer nanoparticle injected into patients' bloodstreams did indeed carry a genetic off-switch message to cancer cells, rendering their proteins unable to replicate.

Wed, 24 Mar 10
Apple TV Deserves a Little Love
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69600.html
As the iPad frenzy continues to build to a frothy mess, I'm wondering if Apple is turning a corner and driving to the land of mobility -- with nary a glance in the rearview mirror to the living room it's leaving behind. Long-time readers will know that I'm a big fan of the HDTV, as well as my Apple TV, and even recent readers might remember my skepticism over a personal need for an iPad. What concerns me now, as an unabashed fan of most Apple products, is that Apple's TV "hobby" might end up being one that starts gathering dust in the garage.

Mon, 22 Mar 10
Living in a Constant State of Red-Alert Security
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69586.html
Literally every day at Betanews, we get at least one security vendor "alert" of some type, warning us to be on the lookout for the latest malware. The message is always the same: Advise users to stay vigilant, to keep patching, to upgrade their antivirus to the latest editions. However, the profiles of the malware typically look the same, too -- stuff you might click on by accident, links pretending to be from your "best friend" in an e-mail message, ads for products that look too good to be true.

Sat, 20 Mar 10
Dev Hacks Emulator to Pick WinPho7's Brain
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69582.html
Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Series emulator has been cracked. Windows Mobile Developer Dan Ardelean, who works out of Italy, announced Friday that he had hacked into the emulator, which allows users to run the WinPho7 platform on a full-sized computer. Microsoft had unveiled the emulator and other products, including Internet Explorer 9, this week at MIX10, Redmond's conference for Web designers and developers. Ardelean has taken down the link to his exploit. "I passed from being excited that I was able to see more to being stressed that Microsoft will be angry about the leak," he said.

Sat, 20 Mar 10
Will Google Take Over Your Tube?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69581.html
A few weeks ago we heard some chitchat about a few Google engineers taking home a new kind of set-top box to tinker and play around with. Not a big surprise -- Google guys tinker with everything. It's like DARPA combined with Wonka Chocolate combined with Acme from the Looney Toons. But now we're hearing a little more about it from a New York Times article. Google calls it "rumor and speculation" -- nudge-nudge. Apparently Google is teaming up with Intel, Sony and Logitech to build a consumer set-top box platform for mixing TV with the Internet.

Sat, 20 Mar 10
Bill Curbs President's Power to Flip Internet Off-Switch
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69580.html
If the U.S. comes under cyberattack, how much authority should the president have to shut down the Internet? That's at the core of the debate over different versions of the cybersecurity legislation currently in circulation in Washington. Senate Bill 733 limits that authority. A previous version of the Act, introduced about a year ago, gave the president the power to flip the switch on all or some portions of the infrastructure of the Internet in the interests of homeland security.

Sat, 20 Mar 10
The Green Army's Social Network March
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69578.html
Companies of all sizes now routinely field the question, "What are your sustainability practices?" What's more, the people asking that question are increasingly organizing through the use of social networks large and small. Bloggers like Sharon Astyk of Casaubon's Book, for example, have thousands of regular readers and a series of books in print. Colin Beavan of No Impact Man even had a documentary made about him last year. When it comes to high-profile green coverage, though, Deanna Duke of The Crunchy Chicken has perhaps the broadest reach.

Sat, 20 Mar 10
Rethinking Failsafes for Critical Linux Systems
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69575.html
The Linux operating system is highly compatible with two hot computing trends: virtualization and cloud computing. Just as the 2001-2002 recession helped usher in Linux as a mainstream solution, virtualization may accelerate Linux usage during and after the current recession. Linux already has a powerful presence in the database and ERP realms. Currently, for every $3 spent worldwide on Windows-based servers, $1 is spent for Linux-based servers. Most organizations either already have Linux servers with critical information to protect or they could soon.

Fri, 19 Mar 10
Google Hatches Plot to Break Into TV
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69573.html
Google, Intel and Sony have teamed up to develop a platform called "Google TV" that will bring about a new way to surf the Internet via televisions, according to The New York Times. Logitech, which makes remote controls and computer devices, will reportedly develop peripherals for the platform. These will apparently include a remote with a tiny keyboard. This follows earlier reports in The Wall Street Journal that Google is testing a TV program search function with Dish Network.

Fri, 19 Mar 10
The Gaping Hole Where Auto Software Standards Should Be
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69571.html
Toyota's recent fiascoes with runaway acceleration illuminate the sorry lack of software standards to establish minimum quality levels for technologies crucial to the operation of transportation systems. Toyota has rejected accusations that its software systems are the culprit. Toyota recalled 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus models in October 2009 over concerns involving sliding floor mats that reportedly caused the gas pedal to engage. In January of this year, the car maker recalled 2.3 million of its vehicles because of sticky accelerators allegedly sparked by condensation.

Fri, 19 Mar 10
'Street Fighter IV' on iPhone: Loud, Dumb and Fun as Ever
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69570.html
I can't bring myself to download a first-person shooter game on my iPhone anymore, just because I know I'll get sick of it before the third level. Its icon will sit there on the screen, its data will languish on the drive. Delete it? Can't. Might get stuck in an elevator, beat all the games I actually like, and have nothing left to do but count the minutes. Nothing against the companies that make these things; I just can't abide any game in that genre that won't let you touch physical buttons.

Fri, 19 Mar 10
A Tale of 20 Interns, 1 Project and 1 Fiery 'Mythical Man-Month' Debate
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69569.html
Few geeks are unfamiliar with the concept of the Mythical Man-Month from Fred Brooks' classic software engineering tome by the same name. It's a classic for good reason, which is probably why the debate has been so intense in the past week over a high-profile example that some say refutes it. Fifty comments appeared in short order on the Ksplice Software Blog, where the story was first told; a stampede of Slashdot bloggers then added hundreds of their own. Insults were hurled; assertions were mocked. The dust has yet to settle.

Thu, 18 Mar 10
Microsoft Gives Devs a Glimpse of HTML 5-Friendly IE9
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69565.html
The newest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer will feature full hardware acceleration and a new Javascript engine that engages multiple processor cores for faster rendering, the company has announced. The new version aso reverses the software giant's reluctance to adapt to HTML 5. The company released a developer preview of Internet Explorer 9 at the MIX10 developer conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The preview is not a fully functioning browser, but it's designed to give developers a feel for the core capabilities of what will eventually be released.

Thu, 18 Mar 10
AT&T 3G May Not Be Enough to Save Nexus One
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69566.html
The Nexus One smartphone is now compatible with AT&T's 3G network in the United States. Though the unlocked device can be used with SIM cards from most GSM operators worldwide, frequency differences meant its 3G compatibility was previously limited to T-Mobile's network in the U.S. The Android-based device also now runs on Rogers Wireless' 3G network in Canada. News of the expanded compatibility will certainly provide additional options for users of the well-hyped smartphone and help level out the playing field with Apple's iPhone, which also runs on AT&T.

Thu, 18 Mar 10
What WinPho7 Won't Have
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69564.html
A few features will be conspicuously absent from Microsoft's upcoming Windows Phone 7 Series platform. These include copy and paste functions, full multitasking, and support for user-replaceable memory cards. WinPho7 will also require that all apps be installed from the Windows Phone marketplace. In developing the next generation for its smartphone platform, Microsoft needed a new approach -- Windows Mobile devices have been losing ground to the iPhone, and Android, and critics said the company's WinMo 6.5 update did little to liven up the Windows Mobile landscape.

Thu, 18 Mar 10
Mobile App Devs and the Quest for Cash
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69559.html
Everyone seems to be getting into the mobile app game -- but is anyone actually making any money doing it? The consensus is yes -- but there is more than one way to make money. Alexander Bartfeld took a hard look at the market before launching his software development company six months ago. Everyone was trying to make money off the Internet, he said. Instead, the developers making money were the ones that realized the Web is a tool to draw customers to existing offerings and improve productivity.

Thu, 18 Mar 10
Notable Note Apps for Fastidious FOSS Freaks
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69558.html
The Linux OS offers users a variety of applications for taking notes and keeping information accessible in one place. Two popular choices, Tomboy Notes and Xpad, provide quick and easy ways to coral a stampede of wild notes and information. Note-taking apps have few features in common. That makes picking one a matter of personal preference. I find that Tomboy Notes and Xpad combine to create an ad-hoc pair of tools to suit many work styles. Tomboy is a simple and easy-to-use desktop note-taking application for Linux.

Wed, 17 Mar 10
Twitter Flies the Coop
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69557.html
Twitter has announced it will be rolling out @anywhere, a new platform that will allow certain partner Web sites -- including Amazon, Bing, Citysearch, Digg and eBay -- to link to Twitter. The new service will let Twitter users send and receive messages while they are on a partner site. It will also allow users to follow a string of related tweets without leaving the site. The idea behind the service is to allow partners to better integrate their own conversations and product positioning with Twitter.

Wed, 17 Mar 10
Encryption: Why Stop With Laptops?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69543.html
Over the past few years, it seems like there's one technology that almost everyone is deploying: laptop encryption. All over the industry, in nearly every vertical, it seems like everybody has either just deployed, is deploying, or is about to deploy some type of encryption technology to protect laptop data. When you think about it, it really isn't all that much of a surprise -- the technology is ubiquitous and low-cost, and the rollout can be done piecemeal at a pace comfortable for each individual organization.

Wed, 17 Mar 10
Can Apple's New Hire Create a Winning Wearable Tech Ensemble?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69551.html
Apple has hired a senior prototype scientist who's got expertise in wearable computing, according to a Fast Company report. His name is Richard DeVaul, and he was an organizer for the MIThril wearable computing project while a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. DeVaul describes himself as an "expert in signal processing and real-time statistical classification techniques." He was awarded a patent in 2007 for a distributed voice and data communications network.

Wed, 17 Mar 10
Google's New Android Advocate Comes Out Swinging
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69549.html
Sun Microsystems' loss was Google's gain on Monday, as former Sun guru Tim Bray announced that he's joined Google's Android push in the role of Developer Advocate. "Google and I have been a plausible match for a long time," Bray wrote in a blog post announcing the decision. "Web-centric, check. Search, check. Open-source, check. The list goes on." Still, "the reason I'm here is mostly Android," he added, calling the platform "about as unambiguously a good thing as the tangled wrinkly human texture of the Net can sustain just now."

Tue, 16 Mar 10
Analyst: WinPho7 App Tools Likely to Please Devs
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69546.html
Microsoft has thrown the doors open to developers interested in working on the upcoming Windows Phone 7 Series platform, announcing new developer tools and offering the deepest look yet at the Silverlight-based architecture during keynote sessions Monday at the Mix10 conference in Las Vegas. The new tools include updates to Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express, Expression Blend and XNA Game Studio. Microsoft also announced an emulator running as a virtual machine identical to the phone's OS, as well as an update to Silverlight itself.

Tue, 16 Mar 10
Is the Chatroulette Sleazefest Giving Video Chat a Bad Name?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69537.html
It's a good bet that when "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart spends six minutes making uber-ironic fun of a particular trend or topic, it's pretty much arrived as a legitimate Mainstream Media Phenomenon. Such was the case recently with Stewart's hilarious deconstruction of Chatroulette the Web site that facilitates random video chat conversations, at least half of which apparently involve men engaging in some kind of sexual activity -- judging, that is, from all the print and broadcast coverage.

Tue, 16 Mar 10
Apple Tosses In a New iPad With $99 Battery Replacement
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69544.html
Apple has announced a new service plan its upcoming iPad tablet devices: The company will replace iPads whose batteries can't hold a full charge for a $99 service fee plus $6.95 for shipping as well as taxes. This is not a matter of a technician removing the old battery and installing a new one. The whole device will be replaced with a brand-new iPad. This offer does not cover damage to the product from accidents, user carelessness, component failure or jailbreaking, which is the act of hacking into the iPad or iPhone to allow it to use non-Apple-approved software.

Tue, 16 Mar 10
Why Keeping the Bar Low May Be Good for Google
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69531.html
The Google model survived the dot-com mess but its success seems based largely on the belief that advertising can fund everything. If the users are unhappy, well it doesn't really matter. In fact, Google's customers (the folks paying them money) and the folks they actually serve are quiet different, causing me to question the viability of many of their non-search efforts. Often we look at Microsoft's struggle to expand out of Windows and Office and find the result troubling, but if we look at Google's attempts to expand out of search, they have been pretty much pathetic.

Tue, 16 Mar 10
North Korea's 'Red Star' Linux, and Is FOSS an Enemy of the State?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69541.html
If a totalitarian regime uses Linux, does that mean Linux is an enemy of the state? That's the mind-bending question of the day following some politically charged Linuxy news that emerged over the past few weeks. North Korea, it appears, has developed its own Linux-based operating system. With a strong similarity to the Windows user interface, Red Star even comes with a Readme file including quotes from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il about how important it is for the republic "to have its own Linux-based operating system compatible with Korean traditions."

Tue, 16 Mar 10
FileMaker Pro Goes to 11
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69532.html
Fans of relational databases will find a lot to smile about in the latest release of FileMaker Pro. The program, long a favorite of Mac users, simultaneously released last week a new version of the data crunching powerhouse for both OS X and Windows. "This is a pretty significant release in the sense that there's a lot going on in it," FileMaker Group Product Manager Rick Kalman told MacNewsWorld. Databases at FileMaker's level of sophistication and muscle can be challenging for many information massagers.

Mon, 15 Mar 10
Sniffing Out an HTML5 Conspiracy
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69533.html
Should the next version of HTML, the Web standard that embodies how pages are laid out and constructed, include explicit specifications for inline, 2-D dynamic graphics? There's valid arguments on both sides. One side believes that the ability to plot charts and animations would have been part of the original HTML standard anyway, had the technology existed on the back end in the beginning; giving HTML 2-D graphics now, they say, plugs a hole left open for too long. Another believes the HTML5 standard should simply specify an API for plug-ins.

Mon, 15 Mar 10
Data Storage: It's Time to Grow Up
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69540.html
Today's data-storage customer has lost his voice in a sea of vendor jockeying and positioning. This glut of vendors creates a noisy industry and a crowded marketplace, where all vendors sound the same and marketing materials are nearly indistinguishable from vendor to vendor. Directly because of this confusion, many data storage customers have chosen to stick with practices that they are familiar with, regardless of whether those behaviors prove detrimental to their storage environment.

Sat, 13 Mar 10
FCC Testing Tool May Out ISPs' Bogus Speed Claims
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69534.html
The FCC unveiled a set of digital tools for consumers Friday to figure out the state of national broadband service in the United States. One tool, the Consumer Broadband Test, measures broadband service speed and latency and is available in online fixed and mobile app versions. The other is the Broadband Dead Zone Report. "The FCC's new digital tools will arm users with real-time information about their broadband connection and the agency with useful data about service across the country," FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said.

Sat, 13 Mar 10
Can a Clown-Nosed Wand Move the Needle for PS3?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69528.html
Sony put PlayStation 3 fans in a tizzy by whipping out its latest controller, which it calls the "Move." It looks a whole lot like a black version of Nintendo's WiiMote controller, only it's got this big, clown-nose ball on the end of it. That ball actually serves a purpose. The Move's motion is partially registered by a camera PS3 users will set on top of the television. The camera tracks the motion of the Move visually, and the ball changes to the color that contrasts best with the rest of the room, so it will be more visible to the camera.

Sat, 13 Mar 10
Old Dogs, a Straying Audience and New Media Tricks
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69524.html
The U.S. Census Bureau has started mailing out its forms, so I would like to take this opportunity to announce a new demographic category for those of us who will be writing "journalist" in the "occupation" box: Old New Media Dogs. T-shirts and business cards are forthcoming. I've spent the last week attending a couple of conferences and speaking to a university class as a proud member of this cohort, and it's been encouraging to see a few other ONMDs in the audiences.

Sat, 13 Mar 10
Android Has Enough Class for Opera
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69530.html
Users of Android smartphones now have a new option for browsing the Web: A beta version of Opera Mini 5 was released Thursday for the Linux-based Android platform. New features in the software, which is an upgrade to the current version 4.2, include tabbed browsing, which lets users browse several Web pages at once; Speed Dial, which offers one-click access to a user's favorite pages; Opera Link, a way to synchronize bookmarks and Speed Dial between the user's mobile phone and desktop computer; and Download Manager, which manages downloads from the browser.

Sat, 13 Mar 10
Will the iPad Bookshelves Be Sparsely Stocked?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69525.html
There are rumors that Apple's iPad launch has already run into some rough patches that are uncharacteristic for the company, but how much substance is actually behind them? One frequently mentioned challenge is having a sufficiently impressive array of available content that's compatible with the device. The company reportedly has reduced the number of top-level categories in its iBookstore from 35 to perhaps as few as 20. That could mean that Apple is consolidating some categories to avoid displaying any that would appear understocked with iPad offerings.

Fri, 12 Mar 10
Verizon Tips Its 4G Handset Hand
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69523.html
Verizon will have the first handset running on its Long-Term Evolution 4G network by the middle of next year -- about six months ahead of schedule -- according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The development of LTE means faster cellular data transfers than the 3G networks now in widespread use by U.S. carriers, though exactly when LTE will become common has long been a source of uncertainty. "Reports have had LTE available by 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and nobody was quite sure when," Chris Nicoll, a research fellow at the Yankee Group, told TechNewsWorld.

Fri, 12 Mar 10
PlayStation's Got the Moves, but Who's Got Game?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69521.html
Sony demonstrated its Move motion controller for the PlayStation 3 console at the 2010 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, following up on its first demo at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles last June. Together with the Move, Sony will release the Move sub-controller, a one-handed controller that's similar to the Nintendo Wii "nunchuck" and is an optional accessory for some games. Sony said the Move and its sub-controller will be launched worldwide this fall. It says 35 game publishers and developers have signed up to support the Move.

Fri, 12 Mar 10
Corel's X3 Photo Editor Paints a Pretty Picture
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69512.html
In the Windows world, photographers looking for an alternative to Adobe Photoshop that will save them cash without skimping on power typically have turned to Corel's PaintShop Photo Pro. The program has consistently kept pace with the evolving needs of shutterbugs over the years and the latest "X3" version of the software continues that tradition. Among the new features in X3 are a number of improvements to enhance a photographer's workflow. Workflow is important to shooters because once an image is captured, they are going to want to find it again eventually.

Fri, 12 Mar 10
Ubuntu Dumps the Brown
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69519.html
Color is not typically a topic of much discussion on the Linux blogs, but in recent weeks, it's been drawing a lot of attention. Why, you ask? Simple: Ubuntu recently announced a major change to its longstanding "Human" earthtone-palette theme and branding. "I don't know whether to call it 'poo brown' or 'dirt brown,' but either way it is seriously awful," said Slashdot blogger hairyfeet. The new theme is meant to focus on the concept of "Light," and it uses primarily hues in the dark purple and orange ranges.

Fri, 12 Mar 10
Vlingo Faces Off With the Dragon: A Speech-to-Text Smackdown
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69514.html
When Apple enabled in-app purchases for iPhone applications, it seemed as though the days of "free" and "paid" versions of any given app were coming to an end. Soon, I thought, everything in the store would start out free as a teaser and then charge for an upgrade. That hasn't exactly panned out universally, but Vlingo's new voice application does charge in the way I thought all apps would charge by now. You can download it for free, but getting to the premium features costs $10. Vlingo is a speech-to-text app that can use that text in any of six general ways.

Thu, 11 Mar 10
Microsoft's Patch Tuesday Party Gets Troublesome Surprise
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69515.html
This month's Patch Tuesday arrived with a rather unwelcome security surprise. Microsoft had expected things to be somewhat sedate; however, instead of two vulnerabilities that it expected needed patching, it got hit with four, including a new zero-day Internet Explorer exploit. Further, Microsoft has had to update its Malicious Software Removal Tool to include Win32/Helpud, a Trojan that's been around since 2008. In addition, it's keeping an eye on a VBScript vulnerability that could allow remote code execution.

Thu, 11 Mar 10
EFF Knocks Apple for Dumping on Devs
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69516.html
The first rule of Apple's App Club is: You do not talk about App Club. Any developer who writes an app for the App Store is forbidden from making any public statements about the iPhone Developer Program Licensing Agreement. Second rule of App Club is: Said developers also can't sell their apps to other app stores, even if that app is eventually rejected by Apple. Third rule of App Club: You can't reverse engineer anything having to do with the App Store software development kit or the iPhone OS.

Thu, 11 Mar 10
Google Maps Out Happy Trails for Bicycle Riders
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69511.html
In a move sure to make the grade with cyclists across the United States, Google on Wednesday added bicycle routes to its Google Maps service. Biking directions and extensive bike trail data are now available for the United States through Google Maps, giving cyclists nationwide a way to customize their trips, figure out the most efficient routes, make use of bike lanes and avoid big hills. More than 12,000 miles of trails are now included in biking directions and outlined directly on maps through the service thanks to a partnership with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Thu, 11 Mar 10
Perceived Security vs. Real Vulnerability: Is Your Data at Risk?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69506.html
With global organizations depending on the sharing of sensitive information to support everything from financial transactions to patient care records, many believe they are relying on secure methods to exchange data with trusted partners. However, there is often a significant and alarming gap between perceived security and real vulnerability. To handle transmission of valuable company data, typical methods that are considered secure include FTP technology, "secure email," regular email, courier services and the postal service.

Thu, 11 Mar 10
Atol Delivers Flawless File Management With No Frills
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69504.html
Some system utilities do a variety of things well. They come with tools to give users lots of solutions in one package. Other system apps like the Atol File Manager perform a dedicated function flawlessly without adding other specialties. Atol took a while to grow on me, but now this app is one of my most-used Linux tools. When it comes to file manager applications, that comparison spells out the philosophical design differences of the Atol Twin Panel file manager and the Krusader file manager, also a twin panel app, which I recently reviewed.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
New Cisco Router Boasts Breakneck Speeds
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69507.html
Cisco Systems announced on Tuesday the CRS-3 Carrier Routing System, a new Internet networking architecture that is designed with the huge growth of video transmission, mobile devices and new online services in mind. The Cisco CRS-3 provides more than 12 times the traffic capacity of the nearest competing system, according to John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems. The new routing system is designed to accelerate the delivery of new services, new revenue opportunities for service providers, and new ways to collaborate in the workplace, according to the company.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
HP Flashes a Few Slate Details
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69505.html
Sometime later this year, HP will release its Slate tablet PC device. What we know now is that it will run Windows 7 as well as Adobe Flash and Air, according to information revealed by an HP executive. However, it appears that the company is attempting to be quite selective about how and when it doles out further details on the device. The Slate's ability to work with two significant Adobe technologies widely used on desktops and laptops is demonstrated in a new video posted by Phil McKinney, HP's chief technology officer, on his blog.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
Two Can Play at the Wired War Game
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69500.html
As the United States military increases the use of robots like unmanned drones in battle, it increases the danger that our enemies will take and adapt the technology to use against us, according to Peter Warren Singer, senior fellow and director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution. "Just like what happened in software, warfare is going open source," he told an audience last week at RSA 2010 in San Francisco. This means terrorists and other enemies of the U.S. can not only get their hands on top-of-the-line technology, but they can also get it cheaply.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
Valve Opens Pipeline for Mac Gaming
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69503.html
Valve one of the largest distributors of online games, has announced that it will make its Steam online gaming service and proprietary gaming engine, Source, available on the Mac. The service, Steamworks for the Mac, comes equipped with Steam Play, a feature that allows play on either a PC or Mac at no additional charge. It also supports Steamworks APIs. The inclusion of WebKit into Steam and of OpenGL into Source gives the company a lot of flexibility, according to John Cook, director of Steam Development.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
New Project Puts Open Source Spin on Data Center Design
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69501.html
A new industry group hopes to improve the design and construction of data centers through the application of open source principles. Dubbed the "Open Source Data Center Initiative," the group was formed last week by GreenM3 along with the University of Missouri and ARG Investments. The University is providing administrative support, while ARG hopes to implement some of the resulting ideas at its Ewing Industry Park location. Nokia's Michael Manos, vice president of service operations, is serving as an adviser.

Wed, 10 Mar 10
The iPad's Cruel Teaser
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69499.html
Apple debuted its first TV ads for the iPad during the Academy Awards television broadcast on Sunday, doing what Apple does best: showing us dozens of things we can do with an iPad in just a few seconds, all to the tune of some hip music we've never really listened to before. Yet these ads are like walking into a restaurant where the menu doesn't arrive -- we're hungry and salivating, but in this case, the key that holds the fine-print details won't arrive until April 3. In just 30 seconds, Apple showed off all the core features of an iPad.

Tue, 9 Mar 10
Energizer Jolts PCs With Malware
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69493.html
If you're using Energizer's Duo USB battery charger software to monitor your battery charging status, it's probably a good idea to shut it down and uninstall it pronto. The software designed to work with the Duo contains a backdoor Trojan that lets unauthorized users access a PC remotely, among other things. The Duo was introduced in 2007; it charges nickel metal hydride batteries from both wall outlets and USB ports. The product also encourages users to download companion software that allows them to monitor the charging status of the batteries when the Duo is plugged into their PCs.

Tue, 9 Mar 10
Security and Privacy? Forget About It
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69495.html
As the Obama administration grapples with the thorny issue of beefing up the United States' cybersecurity infrastructure, and as security experts warn of impending cyberwarfare, a debate is raging over how much surveillance is enough. One of the biggest problems about implementing cybersecurity is that it involves a measure of surveillance, and the line between surveillance and snooping is razor thin. Thin enough, in fact, that Einstein 3 has aroused privacy concerns because it can examine the content of email.

Tue, 9 Mar 10
Google's Long-Term Prognosis: Death by CEO
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69481.html
Last week I was asked to comment on a study of CEOs. It found that young ones do better than old ones do, which kind of pissed me off. At the same time, like a lot of folks in my business, I've been looking back at the lessons learned from Steve Jobs, who is kind of the CEO gold standard, and comparing him to Eric Schmidt, who appears to be the most highly paid empty suit since John Sculley, and thinking about the differences. The great CEO is an exception, while underperforming CEOs are the general trend, and I'll consider why that is this week.

Tue, 9 Mar 10
Microsoft and the Incredible 'Internet Usage Tax'
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69489.html
It's not often that Linux Girl is struck speechless by some tidbit of news in the tech world, but every once in a while it happens. Last week, it happened. Amid all the high-level discussion of Internet security at the RSA Conference 2010 in San Francisco, Microsoft's Scott Charney -- who holds the ironic title of "corporate vice president for trustworthy computing" -- actually suggested a government tax to help the company improve Windows security.

Tue, 9 Mar 10
Aperture's Makeover Delights Photogs
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69477.html
The new features in Apple's makeover of its image editing and archiving program Aperture appear to be a hit among photographers, even though the initial release of the application was so flawed an upgrade had to be released within two weeks of its launch. Aperture 3.0 ($199) has more than two hundred new features, including geotagging; face recognition; spot application of editing effects; powerful presets for manipulating an image's exposure, white balance, highlights and color; and a robust slideshow function.

Mon, 8 Mar 10
Opera's All-Out Bid to Build the Best Browser
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69484.html
Usually software companies have the luxury of picking their own deadlines, and typically -- especially in the case of open source or free programs -- those deadlines are allowed to slip or even lapse. But the European Commission gave Opera a solid opportunity to get back in the game, to be discussed once again in the same company as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari. Version 10.2 wasn't going to do it. We saw that back in December, with performance scores that were falling below those from the stable Opera 10.1.

Sat, 6 Mar 10
YouTube's Auto-Captioning: Accessibility, Searchability, Profitability?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69486.html
YouTube on Thursday opened its previously restricted automated captioning beta program to the public, saying it will help the hearing-impaired. Currently, the feature is only available for videos that contain speech in the English language, although YouTube plans to add other languages. In the interim, video uploaders can use a feature that translates captions in English into any of 50 languages. Ultimately, the auto-captioning feature might help YouTube monetize its videos.

Sat, 6 Mar 10
Apple's Core Problem: Making Consumers Crave an iPad
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69488.html
We now know when the first iPads will be available for sale in U.S. Apple Stores: April 3rd. We now know what kinds of iPads you'll be able to buy at that time: the WiFi models only. And we now know when you'll be able to pre-order your iPad via online delivery or Apple Store pickup: March 12. All of this information came out in a company press release Friday, along with the obligatory Steve Jobs quote saying something about consumers being able to "connect with the apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."

Sat, 6 Mar 10
Mueller to Cybersecurity Experts: The FBI Wants You
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69482.html
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday joined the Department of Homeland Security in seeking to hire cybersecurity experts from the private sector. "I want to send out an invitation to those of you in the audience who want to serve the country to join the FBI," FBI Director Robert Mueller said at the RSA 2010 conference in San Francisco. Mueller also urged the private sector to cooperate with the FBI in fighting cybercrime, as did DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano when she spoke at RSA 2010 on Wednesday.

Sat, 6 Mar 10
Sour Grapes, Part Deux: SXSW Shows New Media Its True Colors
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69478.html
"OMG, somebody call the Waaaambulance!" went a comment on last week's column about South by Southwest. I had prepared myself for reader snark following my "it's all about me" piece regarding SXSW's denial of my complimentary press credential request. I was pleasantly surprised: only three comments -- and the "waaaambulance" one actually cracked me up. The other two were offended by the facetious reference in my last line to "carpetbagging Yankees." Derek Jeter has yet to weigh in. What truly surprised me, however, was the strength of a single tweet about the column.

Sat, 6 Mar 10
The Linux Desktop Will Have Its Day: Q&A With Canonical Founder Mark Shuttleworth
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69444.html
Canonical founder and CEO Mark Shuttleworth, developer of the Ubuntu open source operating system, announced in December that he was stepping aside to develop cloud product design and curry new partners. He named Chief Operating Officer Jane Silber to take his place as CEO. Several weeks ago, Silber announced the hiring of open source industry veteran Matt Asay to fill her old job as COO. Canonical set high performance standards with its commitment for new distro releases for its popular desktop and server editions every six months.

Thu, 4 Mar 10
A New Age for US Cybersecurity
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69466.html
In the wake of repeated warnings by former top-level government cybersecurity experts that the United States is ill-prepared for a cyberwar, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt disclosed Tuesday the Obama administration's plans to prepare for the cybersecurity needs of the future. The administration is taking a multifaceted approach to cybersecurity, Schmidt said at the RSA 2010 conference in San Francisco. "Our cybersecurity policies have to be well aligned, so we're looking at digital networks to make sure they're resilient and robust," he said.

Thu, 4 Mar 10
Apple's HTC Suit: All About Google
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69467.html
The lawsuit Apple filed this week may target smartphone maker HTC, but Cupertino is likely shooting for much bigger prey. Specifically, Google is the real focus of Apple's wrath, said Chris Hazelton, research director for mobile and wireless with the 451 Group. Based on the details of the lawsuit, "an argument could be made that it's targeting HTC," he noted. However, the numerous issues listed on Apple's simultaneously filed complaint with the ITC are "all based on what the operating system does and how it interacts."

Thu, 4 Mar 10
gFTP: The No-Hassle Way to Transfer Files
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69462.html
I am an avid user of open source software and a firm believer in the benefits of FOSS. I have a choice of operating systems at my disposal, but I now cringe whenever I have to work in the Microsoft world. I much prefer the vast array of Linux apps. Why? They are bloat-free problem solvers. Take, for example, the gFTP File Client. I stumbled upon the gFTP app quite by accident. I was having difficulty uploading audio and graphic files as attachments to a corporate email account in the cloud. The task was worsened by uncooperative technologies.

Thu, 4 Mar 10
Is Sony Playing a Dangerous Game With PS3 Customers?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69461.html
Gaming companies like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft ask a lot of their customers. Every few years, they are encouraged by the companies to spend a few hundred bucks to upgrade to a fancy new console. But as far as I can recall, only Sony has ever asked its fans to not play those consoles. It happened Monday, thanks to a bug that kept those with older PlayStation 3s from accessing the PlayStation Network. An item on a company blog described the glitch as a problem with the console's internal clock, which apparently thought it was a leap year.

Wed, 3 Mar 10
Fresh Thinking Needed on Cloud Security
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69457.html
Security providers and businesses have to rethink their approach to cloud computing, Art Coviello, president of RSA, said at the RSA Conference 2010 in San Francisco on Tuesday. Security should be designed and built into the cloud at the chip level with the same identity, infrastructure and management policies used in the physical world, he maintained. Coviello also outlined a four-stage path for enterprises moving their infrastructure into the cloud.

Wed, 3 Mar 10
WinPhone7 Prototype Shoots for Business, Social Balance
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69450.html
Gadget enthusiasts got their first sneak peak of a branded smartphone with Microsoft's latest operating system installed on a prototype. Although mobile phones with the software giant's new operating system are not expected to hit the stores before the holiday season, Microsoft unveiled its first branded Windows Phone 7 Series device on The Engadget Show on Saturday. Viewers of the monthly online talk show got a close look at the phone, which is a bit thicker than an iPhone.

Wed, 3 Mar 10
Production Problems Could Cut Both Ways for iPad Devs
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69456.html
An analyst's research note has thrown the expected launch date of the iPad into doubt -- or at least raised questions about how easy it will be for consumers to get their hands on the device. Unspecified production problems may cause Apple to delay or limit the size of its launch, according to Canaccord Adams' Peter Misek. The likely reason is that Hon Hai Precision, Apple's supplier in Taiwan, is dealing either with a production bottleneck or shortage of components, he speculated. Later production could also be affected.

Wed, 3 Mar 10
BBC iPlayer Locks Out Open Source Flash Alternatives
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69453.html
As a result of recent updates to the BBC's Flash-based iPlayer, open source media players can no longer play its content. The updates implement SWF Verification, a copyright protection mechanism that excludes free alternatives to Flash player, such as that offered by the XBMC community, among others. The result is that such open source plugins can no longer stream iPlayer content. BBC Trust, which oversees the BBC, reportedly has no plans to investigate the decision despite widespread complaints.

Wed, 3 Mar 10
Compliant Media Help Apple Skirt Child Labor Scandal
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69452.html
You don't have to search very hard on Apple.com to find the 2010 Supplier Responsibility Report, the company's internal audit of how workers are treated on the assembly lines at the overseas third-party companies making its Macs, iPhones and iPods. "Read about Apple's continuing commitment to social responsibility" says the link on the lower right-hand corner of the home page. The link might as well say, "We've seen how child labor scandals torpedoed Nike and Kathie Lee Gifford, and we have no intention of letting that happen to us."

Tue, 2 Mar 10
News 'Grazers' Increasingly Drifting to Online, Mobile Pastures
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69449.html
Online news sites are now the third most-popular source of news for American consumers, behind only local and national television news, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project and the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Roughly six in 10 American adults get news online on a typical day, while 71 percent of Americans get news online at least occasionally, the report found. National print newspapers, local print newspapers and radio all fall behind online news in typical consumption habits.

Tue, 2 Mar 10
Sony Offers Limp Apology to Livid PS3 Gamers
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69447.html
Sony says a glitch that caused a global gaming lockdown for PlayStation 3 owners is due to a bug in the clock functionality of older PS3s. The lockdown affects owners of older PS3s as well as those who try to play newer games, which use trophies, such as "Heavy Rain" and "Final Fantasy XIII." It also prevents users from connecting to Sony's PlayStation Network. At press time, Sony was still working on the problem. The glitch struck Sunday when users powered on their PS3s, whether or not the devices were connected to the Internet.

Tue, 2 Mar 10
Facebook's News Feed Patent Lock - Vaguely Menacing?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69442.html
Facebook last week won the right to call the news feed its very own. Patent 7,699,123 was issued by the U.S. Patent Office last Tuesday to CEO Mark Zuckerberg and seven other Facebook executives. It's described as a method for displaying a news feed in a social network environment. The method includes, in essence, generating information about a social networking site's users; attaching links about the activities to the news items; restricting access to the user's friends or social networking group; and arranging the news items in order.

Tue, 2 Mar 10
Was the iPad a Mistake?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69433.html
This isn't to ask whether it will be successful. Apple is a master at setting goals and then exceeding them, and a lot of folks are clearly excited about the iPad -- but the first generation iPhone was kind of a mistake that got corrected in later versions. As I look at similar products that seem better thought through, I'm increasingly thinking that Steve Jobs' initial concerns with this offering were well founded and that, at least initially, the iPad will have trouble reaching its potential.

Tue, 2 Mar 10
Mac App Transcribes Speech to Text in a Snap
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/69437.html
Talking to your Mac and watching your words appear on its screen can be an empowering experience, but what about those times you're away from your "iron?" If you have a gadget that records sound files, you can now turn those bytes into text with a new program from MacSpeech. The maker of the top selling speech recognition software for the Mac, MacSpeech Dictate, has introduced Scribe, which is designed to transcribe voice files recorded on an iPhone, second-generation iPod touch or digital sound recorder into text.