ICANN's DNS contract extended ... Internet crime rises in Japan

Today's IT news audio update
ICANN's DNS contract extended ... Internet crime rises in Japan ... Unisys offers reward for missing computer


HIGHLIGHTS

News: Windows Live makes test debut in Vista
News: Google Checkout glitch disconcerts advertisers
News: US gov't extends technical contract with ICANN
News: Internet crimes hit record high in Japan
News: Yahoo Photos and Flickr may grow closer
News: Yahoo plugs security hole in Web mail service
News: HP beats street with strong PC sales
News: Smart card vendors talk up privacy
News: Vonage E911 availability nears 85 percent
News: Tropos expands municipal wireless options
ITwhirled: Do you suffer from cyberchondria?


NEWS UPDATES

Windows Live makes test debut in Vista
Microsoft Corp. has begun showing how it will integrate its Windows Live online services into Windows Vista in recent test builds of the operating system, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.

Google Checkout glitch disconcerts advertisers
Google Inc. this week temporarily attached Google Checkout icons to ads from companies that haven't signed up for the online transaction system, a glitch that caused some confusion among advertisers.

US gov't extends technical contract with ICANN
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has renewed its contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to manage technical functions for the Internet's domain name system.

Internet crimes hit record high in Japan
The number of Internet-related crimes in Japan in the first six months of this year hit a record high, according to data issued Thursday by the National Police Agency.

Yahoo Photos and Flickr may grow closer
Yahoo Inc. may build links between Yahoo Photos and Flickr, though it has no plans to consolidate the photo-sharing services.

Yahoo plugs security hole in Web mail service
Yahoo Inc. has fixed a security vulnerability in its Yahoo Mail service that could have allowed malicious hackers to hijack accounts and harm users in a variety of ways.

HP beats street with strong PC sales
Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) posted better-than-expected financial results Wednesday that were buoyed by strong growth in the company's PC group.

Smart card vendors talk up privacy
A group of smart card and smart chip vendors are launching a campaign to talk up the security and privacy features of their products, even as researchers raise questions about their use in passports.

Vonage E911 availability nears 85 percent
Vonage Holdings Corp. has implemented enhanced 911 emergency dialing service on nearly 85 percent of its customers' lines, but the company says it continues to have problems in areas served by AT&T Inc.

Tropos expands municipal wireless options
Tropos Networks Inc., which has made its mark in municipal Wi-Fi infrastructure, is staking a claim on even more advanced networks.


ITWHIRLED

Do you suffer from cyberchondria?
With health costs rising and Internet access proliferating, more and more Americans are self-diagnosing based on information they find online. Unfortunately, they sometimes come to the conclusion that they are afflicted by illnesses they don't really have -- or that don't actually exist.