Tech News Daily

experimenting with dynamic views

2011-11-03T09:41:00.001+08:00

nothing to see here. just experimenting with Blogger's Dynamic views with this old discontinued blog..

Blog discontinued and moved to...

2010-04-15T11:46:00.002+08:00

http://allaboutyellowchilli.blogspot.com

Spanking new Chrome extensions

2009-12-09T15:25:00.001+08:00

Dell hell

2009-12-09T12:00:00.001+08:00

11:14:26              Eric W
Initial Question/Comment: zino HD
11:14:42              System
You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
11:14:42              System
Connected with HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
11:15:18              Eric W
bonjour
11:15:52              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
Thank you for visiting Dell sales chat room, my name is Leona Zhang. It is my pleasure to be your sales representative. How can I help you today? （You may contact me through phone / email if we disconnect, Tel:34160965-1-0610, email:liyang_zhang@dell.com）
11:16:21              Eric W
how are you
11:16:47              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
Good, thanks, how can I help you today?
11:17:34              Eric W
i wanna ask about the Zino HD
11:18:03              Eric W
specifically its availability, price and possible delivery before 21st dec
11:19:35              Eric W
helloooooooo?
11:19:46              Eric W
are you there?
11:20:05              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
I am afraid that there is some issue with the setting of Inspiron Zino HD
11:20:12              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
The detail price of this product is not available yet
11:20:12              Eric W
..................setting?
11:20:26              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
Is it convenient for you to leave your contact way?
11:20:28              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
We will inform you once it is available
11:22:02              Eric W
i dont really have the time to wait you see, i need to make a decision. need to buy a present and I pretty much need to know now before im away
11:25:27              Eric W
?
11:26:17              HK_Sales_Liyang_zhang
We are really sorry about this
11:27:19              Eric W
right so........i guess you guys have just lost a sale
11:27:38              Eric W
i dont think you should've put up the product on your front page and say 'Call Dell' so soon
11:36:40              Eric W
do you not agree?
11:41:35              Eric W
hello?
11:46:53              Eric W
how rude...im filing a complaint. have a nice day.

Sony X Series Hands On: It Feels Like Special Effects - Sony vaio x hands on - Gizmodo

2009-10-08T12:30:00.001+08:00

By matt buchanan, 7:45 PM on Wed Oct 7 2009, 16,514 views (Edit, to draft, Slurp)

How light is Sony's carbon-fiber X Series, the "lightest notebook in the world"? It feels fake, like a trick.

That's in part, because it is a trick, since it has netbook guts and Sony's asking you to pay $1300 for it. But, in your hand, it makes you question how skinny is too skinny, how much weightlessness is an asset before it approaches nothingness. (The fatty VGA port very nearly destroys the illusion, though.) The effect, still, is remarkable, at least at first touch.

Sturdiness? It borders on feeling fragile, but never quite crosses that line. When you try to bend it, you definitely feel like there's a breaking point that won't require a ton of additional force on your part.

The keyboard layout is around 90 percent of full sized which is why it feels a little cramped, but I typed better than I expected, honestly, even with its tiny ticky-tacky keys that fit the fingertips of a small child. The multitouch trackpad only supports zoom gestures—no two-finger scrolling—which are janky at best, at least inside of Internet Exploder. (Sub-question: Why can't PC makers do a decent multitouch trackpad?)

Considering it's a got 2GHz Atom chip, notching it a 2.4 Windows system rating on the one I messed with, it moved pretty decently, more nimbly than I'd have expected, even with Windows Media Center. This is mostly because of Windows 7 I suspect—with Vista it probably would've been tortuous.

Knowing that it's running Atom inside, when it's wrapped in feats of material and sensory goodness, definitely creates a sense of ambiguity, like Sony's repeating the Vaio P all over again. Like it's special effects. Except that it seems like it sorta kinda works this time, which is the actually weird part.

Sony X Series Hands On: It Feels Like Special Effects - Sony vaio x hands on - Gizmodo

Powermat Charger Has No F&^*$%@ Wires - powermat - Gizmodo

2009-10-08T12:25:00.001+08:00

Powermat Charger Has No F&^*$%@ Wires

By Rosa Golijan, 10:30 PM on Wed Oct 7 2009, 6,991 views (Edit, to draft, Slurp)

Copy this whole post to another site

Slurp cancel

We've looked at wireless, inductive chargers in the past, but none of them had a commercial quite as fun as the Powermat. It almost tempts us to spend $100 on it along with the extra $40 per special case.

Wireless charging is still in its infancy, but the idea is great: you have a lil' mat or platform onto which you can toss your gadgets and let them charge. No tangled wires and fumbling around. There's a catch, of course, in that most of these chargers will require a special case or add-on to be hugging your device. This makes something like the Powermat one pricey charging station if you want to charge each of your gadgets. But hey, we'll overlook that because we like their commercial. [Dvice and YouTube — Thanks, GitEmSteveDave for the video link!]

Powermat Charger Has No F&^*$%@ Wires - powermat - Gizmodo

win

2009-09-24T10:00:00.001+08:00

am betting this is going to be another google feature thats going to take off big time

參考來源： Google Sidewiki (在「Google 網頁註解」中檢視)

Report: Microsoft to unveil Kumo search engine next week | Microsoft - CNET News

2009-05-20T11:20:00.001+08:00

For the past two months, Microsoft has been running an internal test of the search technology. However, some of the design changes that are part of that update are now in limited public testing, as one user seemed to discover last week (see screenshot below).

Kumo, a name sources say is not final, is expected to include more than just changes to the look of Microsoft's search engine. Among the expected enhancements is the inclusion of semantic search technology Microsoft got as part of last year's purchase of Powerset.

Report: Microsoft to unveil Kumo search engine next week | Microsoft - CNET News

AppleInsider | Microsoft's ads doing damage to Apple, one study claims

2009-05-20T11:12:00.001+08:00

Even as critics have attacked Microsoft for bending the truth in its PCs-are-cheaper ad campaign, one firm's research shows that it might be working and turning the public minds, though not necessarily wallets, away from Apple.

After talking regularly with 5,000 people over the course of several months, ad trackers at BrandIndex discovered that Microsoft overtook Apple in value perception scores -- the belief that a given brand gives more value for money -- starting from the end of March, or roughly when Microsoft began its Laptop Hunters ad campaign on TV and online.

AppleInsider | Microsoft's ads doing damage to Apple, one study claims

Baiting Nigerian scammers for fun (not so much for profit) - Ars Technica

2009-05-13T14:58:00.001+08:00

Who are scam baiters, and why do they bother trying to give scammers the runaround? Ars explores the flourishing communities of scam baiters who help each other do everything they can to waste scammers' time, including enticing them to get ridiculous tattoos and sending them on treks across Africa for nonexistent cash.

Baiting Nigerian scammers for fun (not so much for profit) - Ars Technica

WLM worms and viruses...

2009-04-28T10:29:00.002+08:00

'My friend took nice photos of me. see them here!
image.zip'

'FInally after all this time I found the only way to lose a lot of weight in just a few weeks and not have to diet or excercise. I seen it on Oprah and the news, ordered it and lost 36 pounds in just a few weeks and still losing, they have it now for only five dollars order it at http://fusestay.com'

'http://.found.some.c0o0ol5tuff.info'

Receiving or sending out similar messages via WLM?
This is the WLM worm that's been doing its rounds for a long time now.
Microsoft knows about it but is not doing anything about it so it's up to you to stop yourself and to stop others from spreading it. http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/im.mspx

things to do (or not):

-do not visit the links or download the attachments without confirmation from sender (as with most suspicious emails anyway)
-notify the sender of such messages and that they may be (most likely) infected
-check your own message history. you may see the messages you're sending out to others

facts:

-anti-virus softwares may not help
-windows defender doesn't help
-windows firewall doesn't help
-no definitive removal method

removal:

-install and scan with 'Spybot Search& Destroy' from http://www.safer-networking.org/ (suggestions welcome)
-or scan with the best tools you can get your hands on. there are quite a few online (Trend Micro, Symantec, Kaspersky) scanners also. 'Avast!' is a good free anti virus software compatible with Vista and Windows 7.
-scan and check suspicious processes (though nowadays they likely use invisible stealthy rootkits hidden from antivirus)

-once removed, or even if not, it is MOST IMPORTANT for the infected to change their WLM password. this will at least the very least solve the problem temoprarily.

This is my second time being infected. But I would never have known if somone had not notified me.

Do your part.
Blame Microsoft.

NDS GTACW R4 working

2009-03-16T14:11:00.001+08:00

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IZTW8NC0

Break

2009-03-09T16:44:00.003+08:00

For those who read, thanks.
But it's time for me to take a break.
No posts for a couple of weeks, maybe.

Facebook announces upcoming homepage redesign

2009-03-05T10:55:00.003+08:00

Facebook plans to launch a new homepage, with a focus on activity streams. The social networking site has long had a section called the "news feed" which provides updates from your network of contacts. But the difference between that feed and the new stream is that users will start seeing updates on their homepages in real time.

Facebook announces upcoming homepage redesign

Offline Google Calendar, Available for Everyone

2009-03-05T10:55:00.001+08:00

After being tested in Google Apps, the offline version of Google Calendar is now available for all Google accounts.

Offline Google Calendar, Available for Everyone

The Associated Press: What's in a name like Kumo?

2009-03-05T10:46:00.001+08:00

SEATTLE (AP) — Microsoft Corp. has said marketing teams were hard at work fixing the company's Web search image. As a brand, Live Search wasn't working.

But Kumo? What?

Microsoft's search team posted a screen shot of a redesigned search site, called Kumo, on its blog Tuesday. A leaked memo from the team's technical leader, Satya Nadella, described Kumo.com as a test program that can only be accessed from computers on Microsoft's network. The company confirmed the memo's authenticity after it appeared on CNET News.

The Associated Press: What's in a name like Kumo?

Microsoft Talks Up Windows 7 For Enterprises - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

2009-03-05T10:44:00.001+08:00

Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) says it has been listening closely to feedback on how to make Windows 7 as good of an operating system as possible.

In a Wednesday blog post, Gavriella Schuster, senior director for Windows Product Management, explained how the hawk-like attention Microsoft has paid to user feedback will benefit enterprises that migrate to Windows 7.

Microsoft learned with Windows Vista that not only do customers and partners want to be involved at an early stage of OS development, they also want Microsoft to map out -- and stick to -- a release time frame for Windows 7, Schuster said in a post to The Windows Blog.

Microsoft Talks Up Windows 7 For Enterprises - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

Zelda sounds and ringtones pack

2009-03-04T13:09:00.001+08:00

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YIZMSIM0

includes:

-Get item (rare)

-Find secret (rare)

-Menu Selection song from Windwaker (love this)

-Phantom Hourglass theme song

zipped up in 7zip format

no password

via Megaupload

This is not my work. I merely made a compilation of sounds either ripped from game disk or available elsewhere.

I also use these sounds on my own phone as I’m a fan of the Zelda series.

Kumo coming? Live Search headed for overhaul, rebranding - Ars Technica

2009-03-04T11:12:00.001+08:00

A premature Twitter message and a leaked memo have confirmed previous rumors that Microsoft's Live Search service is to be reborn as Kumo. The Twitter message, posted on Sunday night, confirmed that the search engine would receive a new brand and a new interface, and this was swiftly followed by the release yesterday of an internal Microsoft e-mail from Satya Nadella, Senior VP responsible for R&D in Microsoft's Online Services Division. The memo and associated screenshots show off a new layout for Microsoft's search engine with the new Kumo branding, giving a clear indication of the future of the Live Search site.

Kumo coming? Live Search headed for overhaul, rebranding - Ars Technica

Google quietly launches Google Tasks

2009-03-04T10:55:00.001+08:00

Google has, without any fanfare, apparently launched an online task manager application cleverly called Google Tasks. This appears to be a more fleshed out version of the Gmail Tasks widget that showed up in Gmail Labs a few months ago. And the services are linked. If you create a task in one application, it will show up in the other. In fact, it's possible that Google Tasks is little more than the backend for the Gmail Tasks widget, but it does offer a decent way to create and manage tasks from one location.

Google quietly launches Google Tasks

Apple unleashes a new Mac Mini

2009-03-04T10:26:00.001+08:00

Good morning, Mac Mini. It seems most of the rumors were right and that image was indeed the real deal.

Apple unleashes a new Mac Mini

Intel rolls out Atom chips targeting phones | Nanotech - The Circuits Blog - CNET News

2009-03-03T15:48:00.001+08:00

A lot happened in the chip world Monday. Amid all the commotion, Intel announced a new line of Atom processors.

In addition to Intel's watershed deal with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to essentially co-manufacture Atom processors, Advanced Micro Devices officially split in two, and Spansion filed for bankruptcy protection.

But in case you missed it, Intel also rolled out new Atom Z5xx series processors. Four "unique" new versions in all, according to Intel. What's different about this Atom announcement is that Intel is saying clearly for the first time that a shipping Atom product is targeting phones--or what it is calling "media phones." To date, Intel has used nomenclature like "MID" (mobile Internet device) or "Internet devices" for other Atom models.

Intel rolls out Atom chips targeting phones | Nanotech - The Circuits Blog - CNET News

More Than Half The World Has Cell Phones - The Channel Wire - IT Channel News And Views by CRN and VARBusiness

2009-03-03T15:43:00.001+08:00

More Than Half The World Has Cell Phones

More than half of the world can hear you now -- 60 percent of the world's citizens own a cell phone, according to a recent United Nations report. That increase is due in large part to cell phone growth in poor, developing countries. In 2002, just less than 15 percent of the world's population had cell phones.

The report shows that mobile technology is becoming the most desirable means of communication -- especially in poor countries. The numbers show dramatic growth: By the end of 2008, there were an estimated 4.1 billion subscriptions globally, compared with roughly 1 billion in 2002, according to the International Telecommunication Union, one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations.

More Than Half The World Has Cell Phones - The Channel Wire - IT Channel News And Views by CRN and VARBusiness

UPDATE 1-Microsoft testing new search service internally | Reuters

2009-03-03T15:09:00.001+08:00

* Internally testing service code named Kumo.com

* Looking to construct "better and more useful" search (Adds details from internal memo)

NEW YORK, March 2 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is testing a new version of its online search service internally under the name of Kumo.com, a spokesman for the software company said on Monday.

The service is not yet available outside the company, but may eventually form part of Microsoft's attempt to catch up with Internet search leaders Google Inc (GOOG.O) and Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O).

UPDATE 1-Microsoft testing new search service internally | Reuters

Microsoft imagines 2019 - Download Squad

2009-03-02T16:31:00.001+08:00

Microsoft has put together a concept video showing what the world could look like in another 10 years. The Future Vision Montage shows a world where face to face communication is easier thanks to video walls that let students in the US interact with children across the globe with no language barriers. And it shows a world where computers and software make it easier to collaborate, share ideas, and carry your information with you at all times.

Microsoft imagines 2019 - Download Squad

Google unveils dashboard to alert users to Google Apps downtime

2009-02-27T16:59:00.001+08:00

February 26, 2009 (Computerworld) Just a day after Gmail users were hit with an e-mail outage that lasted two and a half hours and Google Chat users were attacked by phishers, Google Inc. introduced its new Google Apps Status Dashboard, which will immediately alert users to any problems with the hosted services.

The dashboard is designed to let users check on the current availability of the company's various services, which include Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs, Google Sites and Google Video, said Tessa Prescott, a member of the Google Apps sales team, in a blog post.

Google unveils dashboard to alert users to Google Apps downtime

GMail improves multiple attachment handling - Download Squad

2009-02-27T16:46:00.001+08:00

As Google continues to add more features to Gmail, I've been waiting patiently for one tweak to solve an issue that has always been particularly annoying.

GMail improves multiple attachment handling - Download Squad

iPhone not selling well in Japan, now available for free

2009-02-27T15:38:00.001+08:00

There are no official statistics available as how well the iPhone sells after Apple started offering it in the Japanese market in July last year. Now Softbank Mobile, one of Asia’s biggest tech companies and the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in Japan, thinks sales need a boost and decided to give away the hardware basically for free [JP].

iPhone not selling well in Japan, now available for free

Facebook offers users a greater voice - Los Angeles Times

2009-02-27T15:23:00.001+08:00

The Facebook nation is turning into a democracy.
Facebook Inc. on Thursday invited its 175 million members to help govern the social network by reviewing, discussing and voting on the website's rules.

Facebook offers users a greater voice - Los Angeles Times

Gmail unknown flash item; Gmail GDrive upload button found?

2009-02-26T17:50:00.001+08:00

Anyone know what this is? Adblock caught this during Compose in Gmail. It doesn’t seem to affect much with it deactivated, nor does it add anything when it’s activated.

Seems to be a very recent addition as it only just started appearing today.

path: https://mail.google.com/mail/uploader/uploaderapi2.swf?alpha=0&apiId=2

Clicking the link opens onto a seemingly blank page filled by the swf. Clicking the Flash opens up a file dialog as follows:

Any possibility that this is to do with Gmail/Gdrive storage that Google is supposedly working on?

Tap into Safari 4's hidden preferences - Download Squad

2009-02-26T11:07:00.001+08:00

Safari 4 marks a dramatic shift in UI design for Apple's browser. In the Mac version, the big news is the Chrome-like "tabs on top" layout, and the equally Chrome-like Top Sites feature, but some smaller things have changed too. A new autocomplete feature has been added to the URL bar, and Google Suggest has been added to the search bar. Worst of all, in my admittedly-finicky opinion, That blue bar tracking page load progress in the URL bar is gone.
If this is all too much for you to take at once, and you want the faster rendering and improved standards-compliance without all of the UI upheaval, you might want to have a look at this list of hidden preferences compiled by Caius Durling. Using the Terminal, you can change everything I mentioned above back to the way it was in Safari 3. Want tabs on the bottom again? You got it. And long live the load bar!
[via Daring Fireball]

Tap into Safari 4's hidden preferences - Download Squad

Unofficial: Microsoft To Start Shipping Windows 7 in September

2009-02-26T11:03:00.001+08:00

Early guesstimates had the Windows 7 release pegged for this summer, and with the release candidate to be released soon, a September ship date sounds just about right.

According to a PC contractor that builds for Acer, HP and others PC manufacturers, the software should be available in either late September or early October. Microsoft still maintains that Windows 7 will be available three years from when Vista was shipped, but evidence would suggest it's nothing more than a safeguard against expectations and any faux paux in releasing the OS. [Electronista]

Unofficial: Microsoft To Start Shipping Windows 7 in September

New Google Toolbar beta invades desktops, brings suggestions - Ars Technica

2009-02-26T10:41:00.001+08:00

Google's new IE toolbar beta adds Google Suggest and thumbnails for your most visited sites on blank tabs. It also heralds the arrival of the stand-alone Quick Search Box, a feature previously seen in Google Desktop and a Mac-online client.

New Google Toolbar beta invades desktops, brings suggestions - Ars Technica

Microsoft to Launch Windows Mobile 7 Next Year - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

2009-02-26T09:26:00.001+08:00

Microsoft will launch the next major iteration of Windows Mobile, or Windows Mobile 7, in 2010, according to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.

Ballmer made his comments in a strategic update session on Tuesday, where he also disclosed that Microsoft would not ship the next version of Office until 2010, and disclosed a "netbook"-like version of Windows Server, called Foundation Edition.

Ballmer also disclosed that the company would be releasing Windows Mobile 7 next year, somewhat of a surprise given that Microsoft released Windows Mobile 6.5 on Feb. 13 at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.

"We've made a nice release announcement last week of Windows Mobile 6.5," Ballmer said, acording to a transcript of Ballmer's remarks prepared by Microsoft. "We've got Windows Mobile 7 coming next year. We're getting more and more synergy with Windows, so the browser improvements, et cetera, should be quite rapid."

Microsoft also won't be building its own phones, Ballmer said, taking a shot at rival Google as he did so.

"People ask me, will you build your own phone? [It's] not our strategy to build our own phone," Ballmer said. "It's our strategy to sell software that we can use and support across a wide range of device manufacturers to encourage choice, choice in devices, choice in the operators. We have a positive price on our software. Google does not. I don't know how it is a sustainable thing to not have a positive price. And don't tell me you think it's search, because even when they win the Android business, they have to pay to have their search installed on that phone, just as we do, that's a competitive bid that the operators mandate. So we're going with a real price, with real investment, with a professional approach, and a positive price on software-based model."

Ballmer also said that he was proud of the fact that Windows Mobile was the foundation for low-cost phones. Furthermore, he said, while the phone market may contract, the market for smart phones is a healthy 100 million to 200 million units per year.

"So smart phones will grow, in my opinion, even as the phone market as a whole decreases," Ballmer said. "I do think the guys who are in the best position to benefit are the guys who actually have phones at low price points. I think that's a distinct advantage that we have. We have manufacturers who have low price point phones compared to the iPhone, particularly, which is a very high priced phone. You may get subsidized down to lower prices, but the operators care a lot about what they get charged for the phone, and I think you'll see very low cost, low price form factors with Windows Mobile, possibly also with Android as well."

Microsoft to Launch Windows Mobile 7 Next Year - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

Microsoft sues GPS maker TomTom • The Register

2009-02-26T09:12:00.001+08:00

Microsoft said it's suing GPS maker TomTom for patent infringement, claiming the Dutch manufacturer uses Redmond's technology but refuses to sit down for licensing talks.

Microsoft sues GPS maker TomTom • The Register

Google joins the EU's Internet Explorer smackdown - Ars Technica

2009-02-25T15:12:00.001+08:00

Google likes to tout the advantages of self-regulation and the free market when its dominance in search and advertising is called into question, but the Web giant doesn't seem to mind letting the government intervene in the browser market. In an announcement posted today at Google's official public policy blog, Google VP of product management Sundar Pichai says that the company will be participating as a third-party in the European Commission's (EC) ongoing investigation of Internet Explorer.

Google joins the EU's Internet Explorer smackdown - Ars Technica

Safari challenges Chrome on Web app speed | Webware - CNET

2009-02-25T14:47:00.002+08:00

Google's latest version of Chrome has claimed the lead in my JavaScript speed tests, but Apple's new Safari 4 beta is the first browser to challenge it on Google's own performance benchmark.

Safari challenges Chrome on Web app speed | Webware - CNET

Ballmer: No Microsoft Office 14 Until 2010 - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

2009-02-25T14:46:00.001+08:00

Channel partners hoping for a new release of Microsoft Office this year can stop hoping: CEO Steve Ballmer told financial analysts in New York Tuesday that the new release of the vendor's flagship office application suite won't ship until 2010.

Ballmer: No Microsoft Office 14 Until 2010 - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

Gmail Outage Marks Sixth Downtime in Eight Months - PC World

2009-02-25T14:45:00.001+08:00

Gmail's bounced back from its recent multihour outage, but questions over what went wrong are thus far unanswered. The Google mail service was offline from about 4:30 a.m. until 7:00 a.m. ET (or from 9:30 a.m. till noon for nations on Greenwich Mean Time). Google says it is now "investigating the root cause" of the issue.

Gmail Outage Marks Sixth Downtime in Eight Months - PC World

Google's DoubleClick spreads malicious ads (again) • The Register

2009-02-25T14:40:00.001+08:00

Google's DoubleClick ad network has once again been caught distributing malicious banner displays, this time on the home page of eWeek.

Unsuspecting end users who browse the Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings-owned site were presented with malvertisements with invisible iframes that redirect them to attack websites, according to researchers at Websense. The redirects use one of two methods to infect users with malware, including rogue anti-virus software.

Google's DoubleClick spreads malicious ads (again) • The Register

Google vs. Symbian: Openness Debate - BusinessWeek

2009-02-25T14:35:00.001+08:00

If you thought the rise of open OS platforms would herald a new era of peace and harmony in the mobile industry you'd be sadly mistaken, as rival players in the space Google (GOOG) and the Symbian Foundation – which drive different 'open' OS platforms – have taken side-swipes at each other.

Google vs. Symbian: Openness Debate - BusinessWeek

European versions of Windows to include multiple web browsers? - Download Squad

2009-02-25T14:22:00.001+08:00

The European Commission appears to be a few steps closer to forcing Microsoft to provide customers with a choice of web browsers as part of an antitrust measure. European regulators took similar measures a while back by requiring Microsoft to offer a version of Windows sans Windows Media Player. But simply unbundling Internet Explorer is a bit more complicated, since, as many readers pointed out when we first mentioned the possibility - it's a lot easier to download an alternative browser if you have a browser to start with.

European versions of Windows to include multiple web browsers? - Download Squad

Safari 4: Safari 4 First Impressions

2009-02-25T12:10:00.001+08:00

We've spent a little bit of time checking out Safari 4 Beta on both Windows and Mac, and here's what we like (and don't like) so far:

Safari 4: Safari 4 First Impressions

Microsoft Hopes To Train 2 Million In IT By 2012 -- IT Training -- InformationWeek

2009-02-24T15:35:00.001+08:00

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) launched a new program this week called Elevate America that aims to provide technology training to as many as 2 million people during the next three years, often with free training that until now would have cost budding IT and information workers money.

Microsoft Hopes To Train 2 Million In IT By 2012 -- IT Training -- InformationWeek

QuakeLive hits open beta, the browser-based frag fest is on! - Download Squad

2009-02-24T15:25:00.001+08:00

D Software is ready to open up the beta to the public. No more codes, no more waiting. Just get yourself over to Quakelive.com tomorrow and register.

QuakeLive hits open beta, the browser-based frag fest is on! - Download Squad

Microsoft Bungles Severance: Asks Laid Off Workers for Money Back

2009-02-23T17:17:00.001+08:00

In what appears to be a clear sign of the times, Microsoft is reportedly asking laid off employees to return portions of their severance pay that the company apparently overpaid. Even the mighty amongst the tech world have been hit by the recession, as Microsoft and stalwart IBM face both layoffs and bad publicity around them.

Microsoft Bungles Severance: Asks Laid Off Workers for Money Back

Apple Mac Retail Sales Lag Windows PCs In January -- Macintosh PC -- InformationWeek

2009-02-20T11:20:00.001+08:00

The bad economy may be catching up with Apple.

While Mac sales have outpaced Windows PCs for months, January saw the reverse at U.S. retailers, including Apple Stores, NPD Group said Thursday. Mac sales fell 6% in terms of units sold compared with the same month a year ago, and 11% in terms of revenue.

Apple Mac Retail Sales Lag Windows PCs In January -- Macintosh PC -- InformationWeek

GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned first glitch

2009-02-20T10:21:00.001+08:00

10 minutes into the DLC and this is what I discovered. I was simply exploring the club house building, found myself on the last floor- the roof- ran around looking for hidden goodies.

Sure enough, something’s hidden alright…just not a goodie unless it is considered beneficial to teleport from the roof into a second floor couch instantly.

Pull the rooftop antenna to watch TV.

Yay, press Up or Down to change the scenery.

AppleInsider | Microsoft: HTC has made 80% of all Windows Mobile phones

2009-02-19T14:49:00.001+08:00

While playing up the fact that 50 phone makers around the world have licensed the company's Windows Mobile platform, Microsoft inadvertently let it slip out that a full 80% of all Windows Mobile phones ever made have actually come from a single maker: HTC.

AppleInsider | Microsoft: HTC has made 80% of all Windows Mobile phones

Yahoo Search Share Rises As Google Declines -- Search Engine Optimization -- InformationWeek

2009-02-19T14:25:00.001+08:00

On the occasion of Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) Search's fifth anniversary, ComScore has given Yahoo something to celebrate.

Yahoo gained 0.5 percentage points of U.S. search market share in January 2009, compared to December 2008, according to ComScore, putting the company's share of U.S. searches at 21%.

Yahoo Search Share Rises As Google Declines -- Search Engine Optimization -- InformationWeek

Does Microsoft already have a Windows 7 release candidate? - Download Squad

2009-02-19T12:27:00.003+08:00

As millions of beta testers continue to experiment with Windows 7, news has surfaced this morning that they may, in fact, already have built Release Candidate 1.
It's a bit early to say with any certainty at this point, but heere's what we know so far.
The last Windows 7 build ISO to leak onto torrent trackers was 7022.Winmain.090115-1850, which appears to have a timestamp of January 15, 2009 4:50PM. Following that leak, screenshots appeared of another build: 7032.0.winmain.090129-1812 (January 29, 6:12PM).
This morning, Softpedia has reported that the newest leak contains an interesting addition to the file name: 7048.winmain_win7rc1.090211-1625. While it's worth noting that the build was completed seven days ago, the more noteworthy change is the introduction of rc1 to the name.

Does Microsoft already have a Windows 7 release candidate? - Download Squad

Google may face monopoly probe - vnunet.com

2009-02-19T12:27:00.001+08:00

Google may find itself at the centre of an US antitrust investigation after comments made by a new member of the Obama administration.

Christine Varney, who has been nominated as the new Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust at the United States Department of Justice, has said that she considers Google to be a monopoly and that it would be a suitable case for investigation.

Google may face monopoly probe - vnunet.com

Mobile phones to get universal charger • The Register

2009-02-18T15:15:00.001+08:00

You'll be able to charge any new mobile phone from the same universal charger beginning on January 1, 2012. Except the iPhone.

A new charging standard was announced by the GSMA Tuesday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and endorsed by 17 mobile handset manufacturers and service providers, including heavyweights such as Nokia, Motorola, Qualcomm, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung.

Mobile phones to get universal charger • The Register

Windows Mobile 6.5 posts - Digital Noise: Music and Tech - CNET News

2009-02-17T10:28:00.001+08:00

Most of Microsoft's announcements Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona were leaked weeks ago, so there weren't any big surprises.

Now where the heck's the Zune icon on this thing?

(Credit: Microsoft)

There's a new mobile OS, Windows Mobile 6.5, that's supposed to be friendlier than the notoriously clunky earlier versions. (ZDNet's mobile maven Matthew Miller is still disappointed.)

There's a set of cloud-based services for synchronizing data like contacts and photos. (Although apparently v.1 will not be connected with the Windows Live or Live Mesh platforms or services, so the vision of unified data sync across devices is still a whiteboard drawing as far as Microsoft products and services are concerned.)

There's a marketplace for Windows Mobile apps. There's a brand change--the phones will be called "Windows Phones," although the OS is still "Windows Mobile." (Confused?) Oh, and the company has finally acknowledged that competing in the consumer space is important, a year and a half after CEO Steve Ballmer dismissed the iPhone as a "$500 subsidized item" that had "no chance" of gaining any significant market share.

Windows Mobile 6.5 posts - Digital Noise: Music and Tech - CNET News

HTC announces Touch Diamond 2 and Pro 2 handsets at MWC 2009 - Ars Technica

2009-02-17T10:14:00.001+08:00

HTC Touch Pro 2

HTC

Shane McGlaun

Sony announces new Eco TV with significant power savings

New version of board game classic Clue uses text messaging

Google bans term "netbook" from Adsense ads

Amazon offers special edition Samsung NC10

HTC today announced its latest handsets, including the Touch Diamond 2 and the Touch Pro 2, at the Mobile World Congress in Spain. Both of the handsets run Windows Mobile and will be upgradable to Windows Mobile 6.5.

HTC announces Touch Diamond 2 and Pro 2 handsets at MWC 2009 - Ars Technica

Software in focus at mobile fair | Technology | Internet | Reuters

2009-02-17T10:13:00.001+08:00

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Telecom industry leaders including Nokia (NOK1V.HE), China Mobile (0941.HK) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) raced to announce online software stores on Monday in a drive to find new sources of revenue and please consumers.

The success of Apple's (AAPL.O) AppStore, which lets iPhone users download thousands of small software programmes to personalise the way they play games, listen to music or find directions has inspired admiration and envy in many rivals.

Software in focus at mobile fair | Technology | Internet | Reuters

Flash Headed to Mobile Devices Say Manufacturers - PC World

2009-02-17T10:07:00.001+08:00

It’s all about Adobe's Flash today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As Adobe shows off its latest version of the multimedia add-on Flash 10 in Spain, the company’s PR team has released a flood of information to coincide with the event.

Here’s what’s going on:

Flash 10

Adobe plans to put the latest iteration of Flash on every screen it can find including smartphones. The main vehicle for this is Adobe’s Open Screen Project. The project is a community development project aimed at using its Flash and AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) technologies to create a consistent application interface across all devices -- whether they are smartphones, PCs or set-top boxes.

Flash Headed to Mobile Devices Say Manufacturers - PC World

Win Mobile 6.5: OS X Wannabe

2009-02-17T10:04:00.001+08:00

Microsoft is trying to put lipstick on a pig again.

Chief Executive Steve Ballmer was in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday at the GSMA wireless convention to tout the company’s next-generation Windows Mobile software, which adds features already popular on Apple’s iPhone.

The Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system boasts improvements to its touch-screen interface and access to an application marketplace, among other features.

Win Mobile 6.5: OS X Wannabe

Samsung Debuting Solar-Powered Touch Phone - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

2009-02-16T16:35:00.001+08:00

How many trees have you saved with your cell phone? Can your handset offset harmful CO2 or keep nondegradable plastics out of landfills? These are just a few eco attributes comprising the Samsung "Blue Earth", the first solar full-touch screen phone presented at the Mobile World Congress 2009.

Samsung Debuting Solar-Powered Touch Phone - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

Twitter attack exposes awesome power of clickjacking • The Register

2009-02-16T16:20:00.001+08:00

A worm that forced a wave of people to unintentionally broadcast messages on microblogging site Twitter shows the potential of a vulnerability known as clickjacking to dupe large numbers of internet users into installing malware or visiting malicious pages without any clue they're being attacked.

The outbreak was touched off by tweets that led Twitter readers to a button labeled "Don't click." Gullible users (including your reporter) who clicked on the button automatically posted messages that posted yet more tweets advertising the link. The attacks persisted even after Twitter added countermeasures to its site and proclaimed the issued fixed.

Twitter attack exposes awesome power of clickjacking • The Register

First Google Chrome on Mac screenshot appears - Download Squad

2009-02-16T16:15:00.001+08:00

Mac users who have been waiting patiently for the arrival of Google Chrome, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. A member of the development team has posted a screenshot of the browser in the Chrome Group.

First Google Chrome on Mac screenshot appears - Download Squad

Battlemodo: Energizer vs Duracell Rechargeable Batteries

2009-02-13T12:33:00.001+08:00

Duracell vs Energizer was one of the headlining tech fights of the '80s, as Walkmen chewed through cell after cell. Today, a better match up is the one between their rechargeable batteries.

The Energizer AA batteries are rated at 2200 mAh and the Duracells at 2000 mAh (that's milliampere-hours, a measurement of energy charge). But the Duracells last a lot longer.

Battlemodo: Energizer vs Duracell Rechargeable Batteries

YouTube Starts Selling Video Downloads -- YouTube -- InformationWeek

2009-02-13T12:24:00.001+08:00

YouTube on Thursday said it has begun testing free and paid video downloads, a move that promises to help Google monetize its vast inventory of long-tail content that isn't appealing to advertisers.

YouTube Starts Selling Video Downloads -- YouTube -- InformationWeek

Opera proxy promises 'game changing' browser speed • The Register

2009-02-13T12:14:00.001+08:00

Opera will soon augment its desktop and Opera Mobile browsers with a server-side data compressor designed to significantly improve download speeds.

Opera proxy promises 'game changing' browser speed • The Register

Windows Live: Hotmail Enables POP3 for US Users

2009-02-12T17:08:00.001+08:00

Ars Technica cites an "insider" in announcing that POP3 access for Hotmail users has been activated in the US. Say hello to getting Hotmail into Gmail, non-Microsoft-made mail clients, and many other places.

Windows Live: Hotmail Enables POP3 for US Users

Toshiba wows crowds with sexy touch smartphone • Register Hardware

2009-02-12T17:06:00.001+08:00

As if from nowhere, Toshiba has unveiled a supremely sexy touchscreen mobile phone.

Toshiba's TG01: slim design, 800 x 480 display

The firm’s claimed to have taken all of its TV know-how and crammed it into the TG01’s 4.1in, 800 x 480 touchscreen, resulting in a smartphone that’ll “revolutionise the mobile entertainment world” – at least according to Toshiba.

Despite being only 9.9mm thick and slightly taller than the iPhone, the TG01 still crams in HSDPA 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi and on-board A-GPS navigation.

Toshiba wows crowds with sexy touch smartphone • Register Hardware

Palm unfazed by Apple patent threat • The Register

2009-02-12T16:49:00.001+08:00

Palm CEO Ed Colligan isn't worried about a possible legal battle with Apple over the upcoming Palm Pre smartphone.

After telling investors that there will be no more PalmOS devices after the Centro retires - and that the Pre won't be limited to software downloaded from Palm's Software Store - Colligan turned to the subject of patents.

"We're very respectful about people's intellectual property," he said, according to PreCentral. "We believe we're huge innovators and have been for a lot of years and that this product has an enormous number of innovations in it."

After reminding investors that no legal proceedings have yet been initiated between Apple and Palm, he said: "If something does happen there, we do have the [patent] portfolio, we think, to defend ourselves and to be successful doing that. But nothing's happened to date, so we're really just focused on getting the product out the door."

Palm unfazed by Apple patent threat • The Register

Mozilla launches Fennec milestone release for Windows Mobile - Ars Technica

2009-02-12T16:19:00.001+08:00

Mozilla's mobile Firefox browser, which is codenamed Fennec, is now available for Windows Mobile. Mozilla has released a pre-alpha test build of the Windows Mobile port for users who want to get an early look at the program. This release is designed to work on an HTC Touch Pro and might not work yet on other devices. I was unable to run it on my HTC TyTN II.

Mozilla launches Fennec milestone release for Windows Mobile - Ars Technica

U.S.-Russian Satellite Collision Sends Debris Flying - NYTimes.com

2009-02-12T15:01:00.001+08:00

For decades, space experts have warned of orbits around the planet growing so crowded that two satellites might one day slam into one another, producing swarms of treacherous debris.

It happened Tuesday. And the whirling fragments could pose a threat to the International Space Station, orbiting 215 miles up with three astronauts on board, though officials said the risk was now small.

U.S.-Russian Satellite Collision Sends Debris Flying - NYTimes.com

Report: Apple nixed Android's multitouch | Apple - CNET News

2009-02-12T14:51:00.001+08:00

Now, according to a VentureBeat report by M.G. Siegler, we may have an idea of why Google skipped the feature on its mobile operating system:

Apple, which of course makes the signature multi-touch mobile device, the iPhone, apparently asked Google not to implement it, and Google agreed, an Android team member tells us.
Further, the Android team member went on to say that they were relieved that Google didn't go against Apple's wishes, given the legal storm that appears to be brewing between Apple and Palm, which is using multi-touch technology in its new Pre phone. Even if Apple ultimately decides not to pursue legal action against Palm (it's not yet clear how likely that is, but Apple does have an impressive array of patents), the situation has likely soured the relationship between the two companies. Google, it seems, wants no part in ruining its relationship with Apple.

Report: Apple nixed Android's multitouch | Apple - CNET News

Google To Launch Tool To Track Home Energy Output : dBTechno

2009-02-11T22:28:00.001+08:00

Google To Launch Tool To Track Home Energy Output : dBTechno: ...." align="left">"Washington (dbTechno) - Google is entering into a market that will truly test their authority status as one of the leading most recognized names on the planet.

They have announced plans to launch their power meter software which will allow for consumers to track their household energy output.

As it stands right now, consumers get a monthly bill, detailing their electricity usage.

People who opt in to the Google Power Meter will be able to check real time statistics to track exactly how much electricity they’ve used, a fact that could allow them to save money by taking stepts to limit their electricity use at certain times during the month."

Click title links for full article

Why Microsoft's XP-to-Windows-7 upgrade strategy is right |Enterprise Windows | J. Peter Bruzzese | InfoWorld

2009-02-11T22:27:00.001+08:00

Why Microsoft's XP-to-Windows-7 upgrade strategy is right |Enterprise Windows | J. Peter Bruzzese | InfoWorld: "The Windows 7 beta was released and all was quiet from the Microsoft haters as positive feedback began pouring in. They waited in the background, some throwing a rock here and there (my colleague Randall Kennedy, author of the Enterprise Desktop blog, has many rocks in his bag to throw) but ever waiting until finally ... wait, here it is! Microsoft provides its XP-to-Windows 7 upgrade path and -- excuse the expression -- all hell breaks loose!"

Click title links for full article

Google Sync Has Microsoft Inside -- Google Sync – InformationWeek

2009-02-10T17:20:00.001+08:00

“Google (NSDQ: GOOG) on Monday announced a beta version of Google Sync for the iPhone and Windows Mobile phones, software that synchronizes Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events across the Web, computers, and mobile devices.

And Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) would like to remind the world that, despite the image that Google cultivates as the workplace of choice for engineering talent, the Silicon Valley search company isn't the only place where top researchers roam. In a statement, Microsoft said that Google's new software was made possible by a license from Microsoft.

"Google's licensing of these Microsoft patents relating to the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol is a clear acknowledgment of the innovation taking place at Microsoft," said Horacio Gutierrez, deputy general counsel and VP of intellectual property and licensing at Microsoft, in a statement. "This agreement is also a great example of Microsoft's openness to generally license our patents under fair and reasonable terms so long as licensees respect Microsoft intellectual property. This open approach has been part of Microsoft's IP licensing policy since 2003 and has resulted in over 500 licensing agreements of the last five years." "

Microsoft gives enterprises tool to track carbon footprint - Ars Technica

2009-02-10T17:11:00.001+08:00

In June 2008, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, the latest of the company's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, was released. Customers who rolled out this newest version now have the option to deploy the Environmental Sustainability Dashboard, a tool that Microsoft released for the 2009 version today. The software giant is giving the toolset for free to Dynamics AX 2009 customers, in the hopes that midsize businesses will be able to pinpoint ways to cut their energy consumption and costs with the data provided.

Microsoft gives enterprises tool to track carbon footprint - Ars Technica

Google offers calendar, contact sync app for iPhone, Windows Mobile - Download Squad

2009-02-10T17:09:00.001+08:00

Over the past few years, a cottage industry has formed around the idea of allowing users to synchronize their mobile Google contact and calendar items with mobile devices. Today, Google got in on the action by announcing that iPhone and Windows Mobile devices could now be synchronized with Google Calendar and your Gmail contact list.

Google Sync is using Microsoft ActiveSync push technology to keep your contacts and calendar appointment up to date. Once you set up your phone, your information should update continuously, with no user intervention required.
In order to synchronize your contact list, your phone will need to support SyncML. Google Sync is currently in beta, which means it's a real Google product. But it also means there may still be some kinks to work out. It's also important to note that Google Sync will replace all the data on your device with information from the server, so you'll want to make sure to back up your data before trying it out.

Google offers calendar, contact sync app for iPhone, Windows Mobile - Download Squad

Intel debuts new Atom N280, GN40 chipset - Ars Technica

2009-02-09T17:34:00.001+08:00

Intel's N280 is officially out the door and headed for market. Intel confirmed yesterday that it's shipping the single-core processor in volume to PC manufacturers; Asus's 1000HE netbook is already available for preorder if you just can't wait for the system to hit Newegg. The N280 is unlikely to offer any performance advantage over the N270—the chip is just 67MHz faster (1667MHz vs. 1600MHz). The CPU's bus speed has increased significantly, however, rising to 667MHz from the 533MHz FSB on the original Diamondville part, but Atom's in-order design is probably the most significant bottleneck. Increasing the CPU's FSB may make for good PR material, but it's not going to do much (if anything) in the real world.

Intel debuts new Atom N280, GN40 chipset - Ars Technica

Multiple Inboxes adds extra panes to Gmail - Download Squad

2009-02-09T17:33:00.001+08:00

Gmail lets you sort messages by labels, starred items, or other items like sent mail, inbox, spam or drafts. But up until now there's been no way to see all of that information on one page. You had to apply one filter at a time, or do one search after another to bring up all the information you were looking for.
Multiple Inboxes changes that. The tool is part of Gmail Labs, which means you can enable it by clicking the little green icon next to the Gmail settings link. Once you enable Multiple Inboxes you'll notice a few extra panes hanging out next to yor main Gmail window. You can adjust what shows up in these areas by clicking the settings link.
For example, you can see all of your starred items in one panel, while viewing all items with attachments in another.

Multiple Inboxes adds extra panes to Gmail - Download Squad

Will Opera claim the Javascript speed title? - Download Squad

2009-02-09T17:31:00.001+08:00

There's no denying that Opera has a loyal following, yet it continues to languish in relative obscurity in the shadows of Firefox and Internet Explorer, and now Google Chrome. Could Opera's new Javascript engine (codenamed Carakan) be the key to more widespread acceptance?
A recent blog entry on the Opera web site states that "Carakan is currently about two and a half times faster at the SunSpider benchmark than the ECMAScript engine in Presto 2.2 (Opera 10 Alpha).

Will Opera claim the Javascript speed title? - Download Squad

Microsoft to launch cell phone software store: paper | Reuters

2009-02-09T17:26:00.001+08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is planning to offer new programs and services for mobile phones, including an "online bazaar" for software, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The online bazaar would be for phones running Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Microsoft will also soon offer its latest version of Windows Mobile, which the report said would have a "more sophisticated interface."

On Friday, the company started a limited release of its "My Phone" service, which syncs information like contacts and calendar appointments on a cell phone to a password protected website.

A representative for Microsoft was not immediately available to comment.

(Reporting by Michael Erman; Editing by Valerie Lee)

Microsoft to launch cell phone software store: paper | Reuters

Google Chrome to support extensions by May? - Download Squad

2009-02-06T15:19:00.001+08:00

It's safe to assume that if Google is running a session at Google I/O called "developing extensions for Google Chrome," that the browser will likely support them before the conference takes place on May 27th. If not, we'll certainly see them shortly after.

Google Chrome to support extensions by May? - Download Squad

Windows 7 'upgrade' doesn't mark XP spot • Channel Register

2009-02-06T15:14:00.001+08:00

The road to Windows 7 for Vista-shy customers who want to jump straight from XP to the upcoming operating system won’t be an easy one.

Microsoft confirmed yesterday that Windows XP fans would be able to purchase a licence and media to “upgrade” to the new OS once it lands.

But this being Redmond there is a caveat: XP customers have to perform a clean install of Windows 7. This means wiping their computer hard drive’s data first, which doesn’t sound much like an upgrade to us.

Windows 7 'upgrade' doesn't mark XP spot • Channel Register

Rumors: Future Windows Mobile Roadmap

2009-02-05T16:20:00.001+08:00

Mary Jo Foley's saying that we'll see Windows Mobile 6.5 devices in September of this year, and confirms that Windows Mobile 7 will be seen on devices in 2010. [AllAboutMsft]

Rumors: Future Windows Mobile Roadmap

IBM to build new monster supercomputer - Network World

2009-02-05T15:58:00.001+08:00

IBM is to build a hugely powerful supercomputer capable of performing at 20 petaflops per second, twenty times faster than the current record holder, namely the 1 petaflop Roadrunner machine it delivered back in June to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

IBM has been contracted by the US government to build the machine, dubbed Sequoia, and is still developing the technology needed. It has also been asked to build a smaller computer called Dawn. Both machines will be constructed at its Blue Gene facilities in Rochester, Minnesota.

IBM to build new monster supercomputer - Network World

Facebook at 5: What the Future Holds

2009-02-05T11:38:00.001+08:00

Every generation that logs on thinks they invented the Internet. With Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg may actually have done it. His social network turns five today, and in that time, it has actually changed the world.

Not necessarily for the better, and certainly not in ways Zuckerberg originally expected or intended. The party line on Facebook is that the site is merely a reflection of the real world, not a substitute for it.

Facebook at 5: What the Future Holds

Wtf: Bill Gates Unleashes Mosquito Swarm

2009-02-05T11:36:00.001+08:00

TED, the annual gathering of the most pretentious people from the fields of technology, entertainment, and design, just got punk'd. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates released a swarm of mosquitos into the crowd.

Ending malaria is a particular passion of Gates's, whose Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent millions fighting the disease. But he apparently didn't feel like TED attendees were taking the threat seriously. "Not only poor people should experience this," Gates said as he let the bugs loose on his audience, according to Facebook manager Dave Morin. (eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and Twitter CEO Ev Williams confirm the report.)

Wtf: Bill Gates Unleashes Mosquito Swarm

Google Latitude keeps tabs on friends' locations | Wireless - CNET News

2009-02-04T17:38:00.001+08:00

Just because the Internet has broken down geographic barriers, don't assume that Google doesn't care about geography.

The company plans to launch software called Latitude on Wednesday that lets mobile phone users share their location with close contacts. Google hopes it will help people find each other while out and about and to keep track of loved ones.

Google Latitude keeps tabs on friends' locations | Wireless - CNET News

Gmail rolls out tools to make labels easier - Download Squad

2009-02-04T17:27:00.001+08:00

About 4 years after Google confused millions of people by telling people to tag their email messages with "labels" instead of sorting messages into folders, the company is rolling out a new feature that could make labels a little easier to use.

Gmail rolls out tools to make labels easier - Download Squad

Six editions of Windows 7: better than Vista, still too many - Ars Technica

2009-02-04T17:25:00.001+08:00

After a ton of guesswork and rumors flying around, Microsoft has finally confirmed what much of the evidence was pointing to: there will indeed be six editions of Windows 7, just like there were for Windows XP and Windows Vista. Customers will be able to choose from Windows 7 Starter Edition, Windows 7 Home Basic Edition, Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, Windows 7 Professional Edition, Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, and Windows 7 Enterprise Edition. The news comes hot on the heels of the Windows 7 Ecosystem Readiness Program announced yesterday.

Six editions of Windows 7: better than Vista, still too many - Ars Technica

Early build of Firefox for Windows Mobile leaked - Download Squad

2009-02-03T12:50:00.001+08:00

Mozilla is expected to release the first public alpha of the Fennec web browser for Windows Mobile sometime this week. But an early build of the web browser has already found its way onto the internet. You can download a copy from Mozilla developer Brad Lassey's files, or if that download link stops working soon, you can find the file at the MSMobiles web site.

Early build of Firefox for Windows Mobile leaked - Download Squad

Kaspersky offers free preview of Antivirus for Windows 7 - Download Squad

2009-02-03T12:46:00.001+08:00

If you're running Windows 7 beta, the team at Kaspersky wants you to take their latest offering for a test drive.
The new version features not only antivirus and anti-malware protection, but a number of other tools to protect your pc. Kaspersky has also bundled firewall, anti-spam, anti-spyware, and registry defense tools. There's even a banner blocker to help banish annoying advertisements from your browser.
As always, resource utilization is very low with Kaspersky - task manager reports about 38Mb of memory. Scanning is extremely fast and has been tweaked for multi-core processors. The new heuristics engine is also capable of launching unidentified but suspicious applications in "an isolated virtual environment" in order to safely analyze their behavior.
The technical preview is a free download, and beta activation keys are currently valid for 90 days.

Kaspersky offers free preview of Antivirus for Windows 7 - Download Squad

Software: Google Japan's Chrome Design Animation

2009-02-03T12:41:00.001+08:00

Software: Google Japan's Chrome Design Animation

IE slips further as Firefox, Safari, Chrome gain | The Download Blog - Download.com

2009-02-03T12:30:00.001+08:00

The amount of market share commanded by Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser has dropped for the seventh consecutive month.

Internet Explorer now has 67.55 percent of global browser market share, a drop of over seven percentage points in a year, according to figures from Web metrics company Net Applications, released Monday. Mozilla's Firefox browser, meanwhile, has gained market share in the same time frame, climbing over three percentage points to 21.53 percent.

Microsoft's browser has steadily lost ground to its competitors in the past year. Its share dropped sharply in both October and November 2008, when it lost over one percentage point in each month.

Apple's Safari browser now stands at 8.29 percent, up from 7.13 percent in November, when IE dipped. Safari has gained share more quickly than Firefox in that period: Mozilla's browser accounted for 20.78 percent of browser use three months ago, and now has 21.53 percent.

IE slips further as Firefox, Safari, Chrome gain | The Download Blog - Download.com

Google's GDrive inches closer to becoming a reality - Download Squad

2009-02-02T12:19:00.001+08:00

A watchful blogger has discovered a change in one of the files included in the Google Pack which offers a description of the service.
In the aforementioned javascript file ( which you can read here ), the Google crew offers two key insights about the enigmatic GDrive:

GDrive will provide reliable online backup and storage of your files, including photos, music, and documents.

Files will be accessible anywhere by using your desktop, a web browser, or a cell phone.

It's not much, but it's more than we've heard so far. The example files listed make me wonder if GDrive will support storing compressed archives - including the ones I often need to mail from my GMail account but can't, like batch scripts for customers.
[ via Google Operating System ]

Google's GDrive inches closer to becoming a reality - Download Squad

Google Explains the Site-Wide Mistake: "Human Error"

2009-02-02T12:17:00.001+08:00

Earlier this morning, every single one of Google's search results came with a warning that the site "may harm your computer," including their own properties like Gmail and Google Maps. They've since explained what happened:

Google works with the non-profit StopBadware.org to create a list of potentially dangerous sites, which is updated periodically. One such update happened this morning, but somebody typed in "/" by mistake. That simple keystroke expands to every single URL, which is why Google was universally borked. Google engineers fixed the problem in about half an hour, and it's back to normal now.

Please don't play with our heads again, Google. We trust you. If you tell us the entire internet might infect our computers, we'll probably believe you. [Google]

Google Explains the Site-Wide Mistake: "Human Error"

Iphone Flash: Flash on iPhone IS Coming, Up To Adobe To Clear Tech Hurdles

2009-02-02T11:48:00.001+08:00

Bloomberg's interview with Adobe's Shantanu Narayen reveals that Adobe is developing Flash for the iPhone, it's been in development since June 2008, and is a customized solution just for the iPhone.

Apple has said repeatedly that regular desktop Flash is too heavy (on CPU, and thus battery life) for the iPhone, whereas Flash Lite is too lousy. Jobs has coerced Adobe to create a custom solution. From Narayan's words of "the ball is in our court. The onus is on us to deliver," the engineering effort lies more in Adobe's engineering team than in Apple's.

Iphone Flash: Flash on iPhone IS Coming, Up To Adobe To Clear Tech Hurdles

More proof that Microsoft wants Windows 7 out in 2009 - Ars Technica

2009-02-02T11:00:00.001+08:00

On the Engineering Windows 7 blog this week, Microsoft again noted that it was planning to give the public a Release Candidate of Windows 7 before the final version is ready. In other words, there is not going to be a "Beta 2," and the public would only see one public beta build: Windows 7 build 7000. However, a timeline for these versions is not disclosed: "This post is in no way an announcement of a ship date, change in plans, or change in our previously described process, but rather it provides additional detail and a forward looking view of the path to RTM and General Availability."

More proof that Microsoft wants Windows 7 out in 2009 - Ars Technica

Google Glitch Labels Internet as Malware - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

2009-02-02T09:33:00.001+08:00

An alarming glitch that plagued Google's search engine Saturday morning was blamed on human error, Google said in a blog post.

From about 6:30 AM PST until 7:25 AM PST, most searches for any site in Google's database returned the message "This site may harm your computer." If a user attempted to click through to the result, a subsequent page referred users to StopBadware.org, causing that site to crash from the millions of visitors trying to access the site.

The errors began appearing between 6:27 AM and 6:40 AM and began disappearing by 7:10 AM and 7:25 AM, so the duration of the problem for any particular user was approximately 40 minutes, Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of search, wrote in a blog post.

"What happened? Very simply, human error," Mayer wrote. Google works with StopBadware.org, compiling a list of sites that could harm a user's computer. Unfortunately, a Google employee apparently added a "/" URL, which resolved to every URL in Google's database.

Google Glitch Labels Internet as Malware - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

Gmail offline: A guided tour | The Download Blog - Download.com

2009-01-30T17:19:00.001+08:00

Wondering how Gmail offline works? Here, we walk you through it.

In short, people familiar with Gmail already are mostly familiar with its offline incarnation, which Google said it's releasing gradually to its users in coming days. The biggest difference is of course that you can't see new messages, and e-mails that you send are merely queued up until they can be delivered when a network connection is re-established.

Gmail offline: A guided tour | The Download Blog - Download.com

Google Chrome adds support for Hotmail - Download Squad

2009-01-30T17:17:00.001+08:00

The Google Chrome web browser is built on the same rendering engine as Apple's Safari, so in theory any web site you can access with Safari should play nice with Chrome. But for some reason users have been complaining that Google Chrome and Microsoft Hotmail (or Windows Live Mail) are like oil and water.
Some users reported that Hotmail caused Chrome to crash, while I was able to open Hotmail with a recent build of Chrome. I just couldn't actually read any messages or switch folders.
Now there's a new version of Chrome that works just fine with Hotmail. No, Google didn't dramatically rewrite the browser's code. No, all they did was add some user agent spoofing so that when you visit Hotmail with Chrome, the browser will identify itself as Safari.
You can download the latest build of Chrome from Google, or you can update an existing installation by clicking the "About" button in your settings and checking the "Update Now" box if Chrome reports that a new version is available.

Google Chrome adds support for Hotmail - Download Squad

Tech layoffs up nearly 75 percent in 2008 : News : Business - ZDNet Asia

2009-01-30T16:57:00.001+08:00

Job cuts in the U.S. tech sector increased 74.2 percent in 2008 compared with the previous year, as the industry was battered by an unrelenting wave of layoffs, according to a report released Thursday.

Last year, 186,955 jobs in the telecommunications, computer, and electronics sectors were slashed, according to the report by outplacement consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

And the bulk of those cuts, nearly three-quarters, came during the last six months of the year, the report noted. That drove the tech sector to unemployment levels not seen since 2003, according to the report.

Tech layoffs up nearly 75 percent in 2008 : News : Business - ZDNet Asia