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Wed, 30 Jun 10
Leaked Slides Provide Sneak Peek at Windows 8
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70315.html
A set of PowerPoint slides that appear to contain details about the next version of Microsoft's Windows operating system surfaced Monday. The slides indicate that Microsoft plans to tackle the long-running problem of Windows' slow start-up time, in addition to placing cutting-edge technology such as facial recognition in the new operating system. Questions remain, however, about the authenticity of the material. The slides, dated April 2010, first surfaced on the Italian Web site Windosette.

Wed, 30 Jun 10
2010: A Space Policy
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70313.html
The Obama administration on Monday released a new space policy for the U.S. that emphasizes international cooperation and the advancement of the commercial space industry. "No longer are we racing against an adversary; in fact, one of our central goals is to promote peaceful cooperation and collaboration in space, which not only will ward off conflict, but will help to expand our capacity to operate in orbit and beyond," President Obama explained. Debris and other hazards associated with satellite technology were another concern Obama mentioned.

Wed, 30 Jun 10
Urban Gardening, Part 2: Greenhouse Technology
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70310.html
These are not your grandpa's greenhouses. Anyone familiar with common plastic-enclosed passive solar structures designed simply to hold plants over cold seasons or grow flowers and less-hardy fruits might be surprised about how these humble buildings have transformed into today's dynamic hydroponic "bio-structures." The modern high-tech greenhouse represents the timely convergence of some of the most sophisticated scientific know-how available from a variety of industries -- agriculture, horticulture, energy, greenhouse manufacturing, hydroponics and more.

Wed, 30 Jun 10
One Giant Leap for an iPhone
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70308.html
Sadly, it is now impossible to do a review of the iPhone 4 without mentioning the antenna and the reported issues when you hold the iP4 -- which is a shame because there is so much more to the iP4 than the antenna. That is not to make light of the potential issue -- I just want to point out there is much, much more to the iP4. To start, there is the Retina Display, which is "clearly" the best screen on any smartphone, period. Then there is the improved 5 MP camera with a flash on the back, and the new front-facing camera.

Tue, 29 Jun 10
Google Rumored to Be Taking Another Swing at Social
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70303.html
Google is getting ready to launch a brand-new social network called "Google Me," according to a rumor circulated Saturday on Twitter by Digg Founder Kevin Rose. "Ok, umm, huge rumor," Rose wrote in his tweet. "Google to launch facebook competitor very soon 'Google Me,' very credible source." Google did not respond by press time to TechNewsWorld's requests for confirmation and comment. "Any time Kevin Rose speaks, I listen," Lon Safko, social media entrepreneur and coauthor of The Social Media Bible, told TechNewsWorld.

Tue, 29 Jun 10
Processor Claims Ratchet Up Tension Between Intel, Nvidia
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70297.html
Intel and Nvidia are locked in a war of words over processor speed. The battle appears to have been triggered by a paper Intel engineers presented last week at the International Symposium on Computer Architecture in France. That paper, entitled "Debunking the 100x GPU vs CPU Myth: An Evaluation of Throughput Computing on CPU and GPU," asserts that graphics processing units, or GPUs are, in essence, only 2.5 to 14 times faster than central processing units, or CPUs. Nvidia makes GPUs; Intel's focus is CPUs.

Tue, 29 Jun 10
Dell's 'Love Letter' to Linux: Now You See It, Now You Don't?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70299.html
Well, it's been an emotional rollercoaster ride here in the Linux blogosphere in recent days, thanks to Dell's proclamation -- and then apparent retraction -- of its love for Linux. "Ubuntu is safer than Microsoft Windows" read item No. 6 on Dell's "Top 10 list of things you should know about Ubuntu" as recently the middle of this month. "The vast majority of viruses and spyware written by hackers are not designed to target and attack Linux," it added. "Hoorah!" one might say. "At long last!"

Tue, 29 Jun 10
Jobs, Ballmer and Obama: The Criticality of Balance
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70291.html
President Obama's approval rating is in the toilet, and his recent firing of his lead general in Afghanistan suggests his approval inside his administration is likely not much better than we see outside. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, has been under fire for a while now and seems unable to get out from under stories of his impending replacement. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, is on fire and -- despite problems with suicides in China, AT&T's stumbles, and App Store approval issues -- is on top of the world.

Tue, 29 Jun 10
PhotoForge: Slightly Less Than a Full-On Editing Power Tool
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70292.html
Photo editing programs can be real memory hogs on the desktop, so you might think that creating one for the iPad may be a little more than the jaunty tablet could handle. Surprisingly, the folks at Ghostbird Software have done an excellent job of delivering an app, PhotoForge, with an excellent of array of tools for massaging images. Although the app's performance isn't as snappy as other kinds of programs on the iPad, it's more than acceptable when you take into account the demands graphics software places on a processor.

Sun, 20 Jun 10
Another iPhone, Another Imbroglio
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70241.html
There are worse companies in the world than AT&T. It's not like they manufacture landmines or refused to recall dangerous cars or something. But screw up one little launch of a beloved Apple gadget, and all of a sudden everyone wants you to line up right behind BP and listen to a congressman tell you to kill yourself. iPhone pre-order day came and went this week, and from all the accounts I've read, it was a total disaster. Yes, lots of people did manage to squeeze in an order in time, and they'll get their iPhones on the official release date of June 24.

Sat, 19 Jun 10
SC Leaves Big Questions Open in Text-Message Privacy Case
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70240.html
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to carve out new rights to digital privacy for public sector workers in its 9-0 decision in City of Ontario v. Quon. The case revolved around the question of whether the Ontario, Calif., police force had the right to read text messages employees sent using the department's equipment and wireless service. The department had no formal policy about text-messaging, but it did have a general computer, Internet and email policy, which stated that use of such equipment and services was limited to city business.

Sat, 19 Jun 10
AT&T's Winter, Spring and Summer of Discontent
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70233.html
"Orders for the iPhone 4 Top 600,000, Apple Says," according to a New York Times headline last Wednesday. Now that's a headline guaranteed to grab the nearest Mac fanboy, technology enthusiast and even casual geek by the lapels and slap the caramel mochaccinos right out of them. And if things hadn't fallen apart for Apple and AT&T during the iPhone pre-order process this week, several key groups would have been spinning that breaking news amongst themselves somewhat differently this week.

Sat, 19 Jun 10
App Gives iPhone Losers a New Hope
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70239.html
Apple has made finding a lost mobile iGadget easier, unveiling the Find My iPhone iOS application on the iTunes app store. Downloading the app is free; however, users will need to sign on for membership to MobileMe, Apple's cloud service, at $99 a year if they want to use the app. Apple has also added new features to MobileMe. The new Find My iPhone app works on any iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 3.1.3 or higher. Naturally, it must be used in conjunction with another iOS device -- a friend's or relative's iPad, for instance -- in order to be of any use.

Sat, 19 Jun 10
Porn's Lessons on the Plentiful Possibilities of Perl and PHP
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70236.html
Love it or loathe it, there's no arguing that the adult entertainment industry has been at the forefront of technology throughout the growth of the Internet. The adult industry operates on a shoestring and has figured out how to deploy secure and scalable sites on the cheap. We'll take a cue from the system administrators of smut to get five easy lessons on managing uptime, security and lowering TCO -- and all with a G rating. Why porn? Well, about 12 percent of the sites on the Web contain adult content.

Fri, 18 Jun 10
YouTube Builds a Cutting Room in the Cloud
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70230.html
Google has unveiled the YouTube Video Editor, which lets people edit their videos in the cloud. The application lets users merge clips into a longer video or edit down a video, among other things. Google said it will add new features based on user feedback. The video editor is available on TestTube, which is a laboratory of sorts for YouTube. The video editor lets users combine multiple short clips they have uploaded to create a longer video. It also lets them trim the beginning and ending of their videos.

Fri, 18 Jun 10
Facebook Gets Another Tongue-Lashing From Privacy Advocates
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70229.html
As social networks strive to become mainstream, profitable businesses, they are bound to experience some growing pains. For Facebook, figuring out how to turn all the information its 400-million plus members are posting on the site into a steady revenue stream -- without drawing complaints about violating their privacy -- is proving to be a major pain. This issue jumped to the forefront again on Wednesday when the ACLU of Northern California joined nine other public advocacy groups in chastising Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for not doing enough to protect members' privacy.

Fri, 18 Jun 10
The Brilliant Future of the Portable Device Display
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70226.html
As director of marketing for the Qualcomm division that manufactures the Mirasol display technology, Cheryl Goodman is racking up the frequent flyer miles, thanks to the boom in the e-reader/tablet computer market. She's the one who educates journalists and analysts about Mirasol's promise of color e-reader screens, along with lower power consumption, better viewing in sunlight and a smaller environmental footprint. During the latter part of 2009, however, she noticed that her audience had grown to include information technology specialists for publishers.

Fri, 18 Jun 10
When It Comes to Security, Openness Isn't Always a Virtue - Rebuttals
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70218.html
It's hard to imagine a topic more central to the argument for or against free and open source software than security. Hardly a day goes by without news of some fresh exploit in the Windows environment, after all -- but what about Linux and other open software? Can they do better? That's essentially the question we put to the two participants in LinuxInsider's first FOSS Face-Off this week, focusing on that very topic. Sam Ransbotham, an assistant professor at Carroll School of Management, and Joe Brockmeier, GNOME PR team lead engaged in the debate.

Fri, 18 Jun 10
Scowling Birds, Smashed Pigs, Good Times
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70219.html
Every time I've visited the App Store in the last few weeks, I've seen the same game at the top of the most popular paid apps list: "Angry Birds." Reluctant to presume humanity generally skews toward anything other than the lowest common denominator, I wrote the game off as some scatological exercise in dive-bombing techniques. This week I finally broke and paid it a bit of attention. It's the top paid app in over two dozen countries, it's a buck, it's received over 50,000 five-star reviews, and the icon doesn't look like the worst slap-dash clip-art job I've ever seen.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
Nintendo Looks Forward (3DS) and Backward (Warmed-Over Wii Games)
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70213.html
Nintendo unveiled its highly anticipated 3DS portable game console Tuesday at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The 3DS offers 3-D viewing without the need for special glasses. Nintendo also announced remakes of several of its popular older games for the Wii platform. The Nintendo 3DS has two stacked vertically screens. The top one is a 3.5-inch 3-D display; the bottom one is a touch panel. Players can adjust the depth of the 3-D effect using a slider on top of the 3DS. The 3DS has two cameras on the back to snap 3-D digital pictures, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
New Vision for IT Blind Spots
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70201.html
I don't mean the blind spot you get behind you when you're out on the road driving -- where you can't see a passing car in your rear-view mirror. Instead, I'm talking about something that's an aspect of human physiology: the "anatomical blind spot" -- a place inside your eye where the optic nerve runs through the clusters of sensory cells that detect light. Because the optic nerve sits right on the space where the light detection cells are, there's a spot right in the middle of your field of vision where your eye can't detect anything at all.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
Apple Lets Mini Be All That It Can Be
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70211.html
Apple has updated its Mac mini with a redesign and under-the-hood computing overhaul. The most significant enhancements include an HDMI output -- used to connect the Mac mini to an HDTV -- and an SD card slot that allows transfer of photos and videos from a digital camera. Apple has also upgraded the mini's graphics and computing firepower with an Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processor, a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 320-GB hard and 2 GB of RAM. The device is now encased in an aluminum enclosure that is slightly smaller than the earlier version.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
When It Comes to Security, Openness Isn't Always a Virtue - Pro: Sam Ransbotham
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70205.html
Ask fans of FOSS what keeps them loyal to free and open source software, and security will likely be high on the list. Ask proponents of paid, proprietary software, however, and they may well say the same thing. On the one hand, there's the argument that open source software is more secure because the broad availability of its code ensures that any problems will be identified and fixed sooner. Then, however, there's the reasoning that that very openness makes the code more vulnerable to malicious attempts to exploit any weaknesses.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
Top 5 Reasons I'm Totally Stoked About iPhone 4
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70207.html
The great thing about the iPhone is that it holds its usable value particularly well -- Apple upgrades the iPhone operating system every year to add new features, for example. By offering predictable, feature-rich upgrades, owners of older iPhones can still get in on some of the latest Apple goodness even if they are still locked in the throes of their cellular service contract. Even though I'm an Apple tech enthusiast, I was quite fine sitting out the 3GS model. But this year is different, and it has nothing to do with my AT&T service contract.

Wed, 16 Jun 10
AT&T Singing Along With HTC's Aria
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70202.html
AT&T and HTC on Monday announced the new HTC Aria, a pocket-sized Android smartphone that will be available exclusively through AT&T starting later this month. Based on the Android 2.1 platform, the WiFi-capable Aria sports a 5-megapixel camera and a bright 3.2-inch HVGA display along with 3G speed, a capacitive touchscreen and an optical joystick. The device is compatible with AT&T's HSPA 7.2 Mbps technology, which provides "a considerable boost" over 3G speeds when combined with expanded backhaul, AT&T said.

Tue, 15 Jun 10
Kinect Reaches Beyond Gaming - but Where's the Blu-ray?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70204.html
Microsoft once again demonstrated its motion-controlled video game interface at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. It also announced a new version of its Xbox 360 gaming console. Project Natal, said Microsoft will now be known by its new official name: "Kinect." The Kinect is an array of sensors that will plug into any Xbox 360, a design that could be interpreted as a bid to lengthen the lifespan of the aging line of consoles. The new Xbox is colored black and is smaller than the original model.

Tue, 15 Jun 10
Who Will Own E3?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70198.html
Archrivals Microsoft and Apple are likely to make the big news at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, to be held June 15 through 17 in Los Angeles. 3-D gaming is also expected to make a strong showing. Microsoft's Project Natal, which lets Xbox 360 players control a game through body movements instead of hand-held controllers, will likely make an appearance, while Apple is expected to push the availability of games on its iOS devices -- iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Tue, 15 Jun 10
How Google Exploits President Obama and the World
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70188.html
I played with a number of titles, including "How Google Is the New Standard Oil," "Google the new Slave Master," and "Should Google be Nationalized or Regulated?" I chose this one because it would both get your attention and address the fact that Google is taking advantage of all of us, no matter how powerful, except those who live in Turkey and China. The question I'm really asking is framed by that last title choice. However, given Google's close relationship with the current administration, I thought the title I chose was the most appropriate.

Tue, 15 Jun 10
How Can Linux Out-'Fabulous' Apple?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70199.html
In the collective psyche of the Linux community, there has traditionally been one primary enemy. Just as Dr. Strange had Baron Mordo, just as Aragorn had Sauron, Harry had Lord Voldemort, and Odysseus had Poseidon, so we in the world of FOSS have had Microsoft. That, however, appears to be changing. "While Microsoft has been relegated to an also-ran in mobile computing, Linux has emerged as the main challenger to Apple," wrote the Linux Foundation's Jim Zemlin. As a result, "Linux needs to more effectively compete with Steve Jobs and the magic of Apple."

Tue, 15 Jun 10
Evernote Plumps Up the 'Pad' in iPad
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70192.html
With its slim lines and expansive screen, the iPad seems like a perfect high-tech replacement for a paper notepad. That purpose certainly appears to have been in the minds of the tablet's designers. After all, they included a notepad in the unit's core set of applications. Sharing those notes can be problematic, though. Sure, you can email notes to yourself from the iPad's notepad app, but that's about it. What's needed is a way to synchronize notes from the tablet with other devices. It's what you get with the free Evernote application for the iPad.

Sun, 13 Jun 10
Thickening iPad Plot Piques FBI's Curiosity
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70194.html
You'd think that if you were the sole U.S. wireless provider for two of the most talked-about gadgets in the world, you'd be having a pretty good time right now. iPad sales are steaming, and it's iPhone season again, so why doesn't AT&T look like it's having any fun? Well, along with the grumbling over the data cap it's dumping on new customers, there was the perennial gripe about this year's iPhone presentation -- that it didn't include a move to Verizon. That can't do wonders for AT&T's self-esteem.

Sat, 12 Jun 10
Quick-Draw Google Guy Put XP Users at Risk, Fumes Microsoft
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70191.html
Google researcher Tavis Ormandy's public disclosure Thursday of a security flaw in Microsoft's Help and Support Center has drawn harsh criticism from Redmond. The flaw, which exists in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, could let hackers remotely execute code on victims' computers. Microsoft is angry that Ormandy publicly disclosed a proof of concept exploit of the flaw just four days after privately notifying the company of the flaw's existence. Ormandy posted his findings and the proof of concept exploit of the Help and Support Center flaw on the Full Disclosure website Thursday.

Sat, 12 Jun 10
FBI Interest Gives iPad Whodunnit a More Serious Turn
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70193.html
AT&T's iPad security breach may have been plugged, but the questions it's raised continue to leak out to the tech press/mainstream media and the blogosphere. The story is sticking around because of issues regarding responsibility -- not just Apple and AT&T's liability in the matter; the security researchers who discovered the breach and the technology blog that told the world about it are also the subjects of inquiry. The FBI has confirmed it is investigating this week's revelation that nearly 115,000 email addresses of early adopters may have been accessible to anyone.

Sat, 12 Jun 10
A Gyroscope That Will Set the Tech World Spinning
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70183.html
You don't have to be an Apple fanboy to rave about the coolness on display during a typical Steve Jobs keynote presentation. Sure, like any good speaker or stand-up comic, Jobs knows where his guaranteed applause/laugh lines fall during the hour or so he's on stage, and he's well aware of who will be doing most of the laughing, oohing and aahing. It's better than a '60s sitcom laugh-track. But he's also playing to the rafters somewhat; Jobs throws in new takes on technology that will truly impress the mainstream audience, not just the tech-savvy Mac acolytes.

Sat, 12 Jun 10
FTC May Probe iOS as War Over Mobile Customer Data Heats Up
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70189.html
Accusations have been flying for months about mobile ads. Various companies' attempts to acquire AdMob caused all sorts of commotion. Eventually, Google won that round with the feds backing off the transaction. Now, though, it's Apple's turn to take the heat, as rumors circulate that federal authorities are looking into its newly proposed terms for developers that stipulate that the makers of iPhone and iPad apps cannot deal with ad-servicing companies that run competing mobile platforms.

Fri, 11 Jun 10
Sony's PS3 Can Play 3-D - All You Need Is a $3-5K TV to Go With It
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70184.html
It's a 3-D world, at least according to Hollywood. All the new kids' movies are doing it: the last in the "Shrek" series, "Alice in Wonderland" -- you name it, you need glasses to watch it. And in the world of video gaming, 3-D is something of a Holy Grail. Gamers have been waiting for the rich, immersive experience promised by the third dimension for a very long time. Now, Sony has made the first of what is likely to be many announcements of three-dimensional gaming on both living room and portable consoles. The PS3 will support 3-D games just as soon as ...

Fri, 11 Jun 10
Google Gets Its White Back
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70179.html
Google users have been muddling through a design change the search engine giant sprung on them without warning on Thursday, trying to navigate how to customize the page -- or revert back to the old look -- without having to sign in. (Short answer: It appears you could not.) Although Google now seems to have restored its classic look as the default, that was not the case Thursday morning, when users logged on to find that its well-known sparse, white interface -- punctuated only with a few links to Google's email, search and news offerings, and of course the daily doodle -- was gone.

Fri, 11 Jun 10
The 5 Most Common Access Governance Challenges
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70176.html
Today's fast-paced business environment requires that employees have access to information where and when they need it. Organizations, however, struggle to ensure that employees have just enough access -- not too much, not too little. Inappropriate access is extremely common, and it can lead to detrimental business risk. Such events range from relatively minor policy and compliance violations to disastrous business losses. All it takes is one person with the wrong set of access controls to wreak havoc.

Fri, 11 Jun 10
On Zappa, Linaro and the Potential of ARM
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70175.html
There's no shortage of industry associations in the tech world today, but when a new one appears focusing squarely on Linux, it's hard not to sit up and take notice. That, in fact, is just what happened last week with the launch of Linaro, a nonprofit collaboration of high-tech firms led by ARM that aims to propel Linux further into the consumer gadget space. "As a founding member of Linaro, we are working together with the broader open source community to accelerate innovation for the next generation of computing," said ARM CEO Warren East.

Fri, 11 Jun 10
FixPix: An Addictive Fit of Pixelated Madness
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70131.html
There was a fair degree of anticipation surrounding "FixPix" a few weeks ago before it launched at the App Store. Delicious Toys posted a video of an early version in action, and viewers sat transfixed by the retro appeal of its artwork. It's a throwback to 1980s Atari, Nintendo and Commodore 64 aesthetics, when video game artists had to make due with a technically limited palette and form their own sort of boxy impressionism. "FixPix" is technically a puzzle game in which the puzzle part definitely takes a back seat to the art.

Thu, 10 Jun 10
Zynga Opens a New Frontier for Social Gamers
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70174.html
Social game developer Zynga has introduced its latest creation -- "FrontierVille" -- on Facebook. "FrontierVille" is similar to Zynga's immensely popular "FarmVille" in that players and their networks maintain a place -- in this case, a frontier outpost. The game starts with a covered wagon and plot of land where the player starts digging to build a farm. Chores, which earn points, include buying supplies, keeping livestock alive, planting crops to feed the family, and harvesting them. Later, the player gets to explore the wilderness and found a town.

Thu, 10 Jun 10
Google's Caffeine Perks Up Search
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70170.html
Google has sped up its search engine with the introduction of its Caffeine Web indexing system. This will provide 50 percent fresher results for Web searches than its previous index and is the largest collection of Web content the Web search giant has offered in search results, Google software engineer Carrie Grimes said. The Caffeine rollout is the latest in a series of improvements Google has made to its search engine over the past few months as it remains locked in a struggle with competitors for search engine and online ad market share.

Thu, 10 Jun 10
If Anyone Can Find a Place for Mobile Video Chat, It's Apple
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70173.html
Steve Jobs certainly didn't invent the concept of videophones; they've been dialing up the imaginations of comic-book artists and science-fiction writers and filmmakers for decades. Various companies other than Apple have actually managed to assemble working videophones -- AT&T, carrier for Jobs' iPhone 4, came out with its "Picturephone" just in time for the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, and actually offered Picturephone booths for consumers. Web videoconferencing and telemedicine are two applications currently in widespread use.

Thu, 10 Jun 10
Flipping the Email Encryption Switch
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70168.html
In today's world of cloud-based services and legislative forces that are upping noncompliance penalties with each passing day, the application of email encryption as a strategic tool is back on the front burner. Email encryption is nothing new, of course. Yet outside of the usual circles -- finance, healthcare, government -- widespread adoption of the practice hasn't occurred. "Email encryption hasn't taken off the way we expected," said Bill Mann, SVP of business unit strategy for CA Technologies. "The business drivers ... weren't sufficiently painful."

Thu, 10 Jun 10
Scribus: Worth the Effort for the Linux-Loving Desktop Publisher
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70157.html
Note to those avoiding Linux: Yes, you can do desktop publishing. You can do it with Scribus. One of the most frequently recurring comments I hear about why somebody -- especially in a small-business environment -- will not migrate to Linux is the alleged absence of a desktop publishing application. I think this is one of the most under-reported aspects in using Linux instead of Microsoft Windows or Mac computers. Let's be clear here: Windows-based commercial-strength page design and illustration programs far outnumber what you will find for Linux distros.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
NOAA Confirms Streamers of Oil Deep in the Gulf
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70165.html
There are multiple underwater oil plumes in the area surrounding BP's broken wellhead off the coast of Louisiana, but so far their concentrations seem to be "very low," according to a report released Tuesday by NOAA. Scientists analyzed water samples collected by the University of South Florida's R/V Weatherbird II between May 22 and 28. Samples collected by the R/V Weatherbird II came from three stations located 40, 45 and 142 nautical miles from the well head, respectively. Sampling depths ranged from 50 to 1,400 meters.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
China Praises the Internet as It Strangles It
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70161.html
China's State Council Information Office has published a whitepaper outlining its view of the Internet -- along with a reaffirmation that it intends to continue to restrict access to it. For the most part, the paper, which also was posted in an English language version, expresses admiration of the Internet. It is an "important booster of nationwide information technology (IT) application, sound development of the economy and society, enhancement of scientific and technological innovation, and livelihood improvement," reads the translated text.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
Android and iOS: Neck and Neck With Plenty of Road Ahead
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70162.html
The battle between Apple and Google in the smartphone market heated up further Monday with the introduction of the iPhone 4 and new information about iOS 4, the next-generation operating system for iPhones, iPod touches and iPads. In the other corner of the ring stands Android, and it's fired up as well. Sprint said its HTC Evo smartphone, which was launched Friday, broke one-day sales records for the company. In addition, Android version 2.2, also known as "Froyo," looks to bring further improvements to the Android ecosystem.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
HP Delivers Web-Based Printing but It's Not Clear Who Wants It
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70150.html
Printer giant HP has announced a new line of printers that will ship equipped with a suite of services allowing their owners to print to them from anywhere on the Web, using any device capable of sending an email. The line starts at $99 and the Web-based service will be supported by digital print advertising. Every HP ePrint printer in the line, said the company, will have a unique email address to which users can direct items for printing. Users also can send documents to print through an HP ePrint mobile app on their smartphone.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
The iPhone's Great Leap '4'-Ward
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70156.html
When the iPhone 3GS came out last year, I must admit, I was a little underwhelmed -- but the new iPhone 4, introduced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Monday, has all the features I need to make me sit up, pay close attention, and when June 24 hits, buy one. On stage at WWDC, Jobs said iPhone 4 was the biggest leap since the original iPhone -- and he's clearly right. The outside of the phone resembles the Gizmodo prototype leak that caught so much online attention, but Jobs also noted that we haven't really seen it at all.

Wed, 9 Jun 10
FOSS: Insecure by Design?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70154.html
Open source software is often considered more secure than proprietary counterparts by virtue primarily of the many sets of eyes that can find and patch any vulnerabilities, but a new report suggests otherwise. In fact, the broad visibility of open source code serves to make it more easily exploitable, according to Sam Ransbotham, assistant professor at Boston College's Carroll School of Management. Ransbotham's paper, "An Empirical Analysis of Exploitation Attempts Based on Vulnerabilities in Open Source Software," will be presented Tuesday.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
Flash Flaw Gives Critics New Ammunition
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70152.html
Adobe has reported a vulnerability in several of its applications. The flaw, which Adobe rates as "critical," exists in Flash Player, Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x running on most operating systems. It could crash a victim's PC and let hackers take over the machine. The flaw couldn't come at a worse time -- Apple has been criticizing some Adobe technologies, including Flash, in recent months for several reasons, one of which has been security. Together with Microsoft, Apple pushing HTML5 as an alternative to Flash.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
Shazam! Jobs Illuminates Shape of iPhones to Come
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70153.html
Apple on Monday unveiled the iPhone 4 at its World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Describing it as the "most precise thing and most beautiful thing" Apple has ever made, the company's CEO and chairman Steve Jobs compared its design to those of old Leica cameras. Jobs also revealed details about the new iPhone operating system, now dubbed "iOS"; introduced FaceTime, a video calling feature; promised iBooks availability on iPhones and iPod touches; and discussed other new features, functions and apps.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
Rewriting the Language of 3-D: Q&A With Pixar Chief Scientist Loren Carpenter
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70147.html
If you're a parent of young children and you've sat through any number of bad "family" movies during a crowded matinee, then you've probably thanked Disney/Pixar for conjuring up the likes of Buzz Lightyear and Woody, Nemo and Dory, Mike and Sully, Mr. Incredible, Wall-E, Lightning McQueen and Remy the gourmand rat. Of course, those same parents are given plenty of opportunities to show their appreciation by spending lots of money on Pixar-related merchandise; not just the Blu-ray disc purchases, but Buzz Lightyear dolls, Nemo and Dory stuffed animals, and Mike and Sully figurines.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
BP, Google and Apple: Who's Evil Now?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70141.html
Watching BP try to plug the biggest oil spill in history while staging photo ops for the media feels like watching a new definition of evil unfold -- until the realization sets in that we're likely watching the death of a company. "Evil" has been used to describe Microsoft, and Google wrote it into its mission statement as something it wouldn't do. Little did anyone realize that its definition of "evil" was whatever it currently wasn't doing. Apple has started doing some things that I think solidly cross the line as well. In the shadow of BP, an exploration of evil seems appropriate.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
When Google Stopped Doing Windows
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70149.html
It's always a heart-warming occasion when some company or organization opts not to use Windows, and that's nothing if not an increasingly common phenomenon. But when said company is none other than Google -- and when it's done in an apparently public way, with explicit mention of Linux as a preferable alternative -- and when Microsoft feels worried enough to try to "set the record straight" soon afterward -- well, parties just have to break out in the Linux blogosphere.

Tue, 8 Jun 10
FIFA World Cup Is a Kick on iPad
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70094.html
With the FIFA World Cup a week away, the timing of EA Sports couldn't be more impeccable. The entertainment giant has just released its latest version of its game based on the tournament for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, and it's great fun for fans of "The Beautiful Game." Although created for all three Apple portable platforms, the game's graphics on the iPad are excellent, not the fuzzy low-res variety found with many iPhone apps when they're displayed in full-screen view on the tablet.

Sat, 5 Jun 10
D8's Ballmer Show: Lashing Out and Fessing Up
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70144.html
It will probably come as a surprise to the millions of people who have already purchased one, but the Apple iPad is just another PC, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who made the comments this week during a recent on-stage interview at the D8 Conference. "Of course it is," Ballmer told Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg. "It's a different form factor of PC. It wouldn't surprise me to see the competition try to eliminate the role of what they've had that hasn't been popular in order to popularize the thing that's new and fashionable."

Sat, 5 Jun 10
EVO Hits the Ground Running With One Shoe Untied
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70142.html
Sprint on Friday launched the HTC Evo 4G smartphone to a chorus of mixed reviews. Some hailed it as the best Android smartphone yet; others pointed out some flaws, both with the device and with Sprint's 4G network. HTC has said it will fix some of the problems with the Evo by issuing an over-the-air update; the claimed problems with Sprint's 4G network, however, may be somewhat more difficult to resolve. The HTC Evo offers simultaneous voice and data capability on 4G or WiFi networks.

Sat, 5 Jun 10
Jobs at WWDC: Taking the Stage With Chutzpah Only Apple Can Afford
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70138.html
Talk about dealing from a position of strength: Apple and Steve Jobs enter next week's Worldwide Developers Conference as kings of the tech industry hill, makers of must-have consumer products and generators of must-read technosphere headlines. He strode onstage at this week's D8 Conference to the opening notes from "Got To Get You Into My Life," still looking understandably frail considering his health issues. However, the passion was still there as he argued with Mossberg over HTML5 vs. Flash and about writing "Thoughts on Flash."

Sat, 5 Jun 10
Windows for Linux
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70139.html
Windows of opportunity, that is. No one can predict history, but when we look back to today, we may see through these windows more clearly. These are windows of opportunity for Linux -- windows, ironically, at Microsoft's expense. Economy, customer satisfaction, and technical excellence all present windows that, coyly played by the Linux "collective," could be the turning point for Linux and Microsoft that changes what today some call "balance" (I don't!) forever.

Wed, 2 Jun 10
Asus Climbs Into the Ring With Eee Pad
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70113.html
Leading what is likely to become a cavalcade of imitators, Asus debuted a tablet computer aimed squarely at the iPad market during the Computex computer conference. The Asus Eee will sport 10- and 12-inch models running Core 2 Duo processors. The 12-inch version will run Windows 7 Home Premium, while the 10-inch version is based on Windows Embedded Compact 7. Asus touts the 12-inch version for its multitasking capabilities and notes that it features an optional docking station that includes a keyboard.

Wed, 2 Jun 10
Google Closes the Blinds on Windows
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70116.html
Claiming it was scared into reality by the Chinese hacking attacks of late last year, Google is phasing out employee usage of the Windows operating system due to security concerns, according to a report in the Financial Times. At least that's the cover story being provided by unnamed Google employees quoted in the FT article. An official response from the company isn't exactly offering a straight-up denial. "We're always working to improve the efficiency of our business, but we don't comment on specific operational matters," Google spokesperson Jay Nancarrow told TechNewsWorld.

Wed, 2 Jun 10
Is the Space Between Android and Apple Big Enough for a WinPho7 Hit?
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70104.html
It has become the PowerPoint slide seen around the world -- or at least the World Wide Web, and specifically those websites and blogs that pay close attention to technology and the smartphone market. A Microsoft presentation at the ReMIX trade show in France this week boasted a slide showing that tech market research firm IDC predicts 30 million Windows Phone 7 devices sold worldwide by the end of 2011. Considering it took Apple nearly three years to sell 50 million iPhones, Redmond seemed to be setting its own bar at Olympic-style heights.

Wed, 2 Jun 10
WWDC: Looking for This Year's 'Boom' Moment
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70105.html
While Apple CEO Steve Jobs will almost certainly officially unveil the next-generation iPhone at the company's hotly anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference next week on Monday, speculation abounds as to what Jobs might also reveal. Jobs will, of course, highlight new features in iPhone OS 4, which also powers the iPad and iPod touch. But what about a new version of Mac OS X? New Mac Pros, MacBook Airs, and Xserves? How about a cloud-based Apple TV? And what of the annual juggernaut -- an iPhone that runs on Verizon?

Wed, 2 Jun 10
Ode to Summer, Fixer-Uppers and $10 for Courage
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70103.html
Well, Memorial Day has come and gone in the U.S., and that means summer is upon us once again, if just unofficially. What is summer for, besides sunburns, mosquitoes and sweating? That's right, it's time for tinkering in the great, air-conditioned indoors! It wasn't too surprising, then, to see Linux bloggers' thoughts in recent weeks turning to all the projects large and small they hope to spend time on in the coming months.

Tue, 1 Jun 10
Apple Didn't Beat Microsoft, Robbie Bach Did: Apple's Secret 5th Column
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/70092.html
Last week, Apple passed Microsoft in market capitalization. Microsoft is still the most profitable company in the segment, and as Jobs himself would point out, it is all about profit. However the one saying I've made famous is that "perception is 100 percent of reality," and the perception is that Apple did and continues to beat Microsoft. The executive Microsoft had positioned against Apple was Robbie Bach, who ran Microsoft's entertainment and hardware division, and this got me thinking that Apple's greatest strength may be its secret fifth column.