The hard disk drive turns 50 ... HP insiders could face charges

Today's IT News Audio Update
HP insiders could face charges, California's AG says ... Business Objects buys ALG ... EC warns Microsoft on bundling security tools


HIGHLIGHTS

News: The hard disk drive turns 50
News: IBM puts its first Cell computer on sale
News: Business Objects to buy ALG Software
News: Sun, IBM launch tape encryption technology
Opinion: Deploy on your schedule, not Microsoft's Auto-Update schedule
ITwhirled: Telephone psychics scientifically proven


NEWS UPDATES

The hard disk drive turns 50
Inside the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, sits an odd-looking, refrigerator-sized contraption that could have been created by an out-of-control set designer for "Lost in Space."

IBM puts its first Cell computer on sale
IBM Corp. has started selling the first computer based on its multicore Cell processor, targeting organizations that run compute-intensive tasks like medical imaging or oil exploration.

Business Objects to buy ALG Software
Business Objects SA is stepping up its efforts in the area of corporate performance management software with an acquisition and the integration of some existing applications with its business intelligence suite.

Sun, IBM launch tape encryption technology
Sun Microsystems Inc. and IBM Corp. are both introducing data tape encryption technology this week, protecting against a security breach that can endanger or embarrass an enterprise.

Salesforce.com highlights analytics in next release
Salesforce.com Inc. is drawing particular attention to the analytics customization capabilities it plans to offer in the next version of its hosted CRM (customer relationship management) software, known as Salesforce Winter '07.

Sun, Accenture team up on identity-enabled SOA
Sun Microsystems Inc. and global management consulting and outsourcing firm Accenture Ltd. are expanding their existing relationship to cover joint development work around identity-enabling, service-oriented architecture (SOA) and composite applications.

Skype launches video calling between Macs and PCs
With the latest beta of Skype for the Macintosh, released on Wednesday, Skype hopes to help bridge the barrier between Macs and PCs for video calling.

Apple offers cheaper, brighter, bigger iPods
Apple updated its iPod range Tuesday, introducing larger capacities, brighter screens and lower prices across the range.


OPINION

Deploy on your schedule, not Microsoft's Auto-Update schedule
By Joel Shore

There are probably as many holes in Windows' and Internet Explorer's security infrastructure than there once were in the poorly maintained roads of legend in Blackburn, Lancashire (4,000, according to a 1967 U.K. Daily Mail news story famously paraphrased by John Lennon).

One of the things I like about Windows XP is its ability to heal thyself, using Auto Update to download and apply patches to fill those holes as Microsoft deems necessary. Unfortunately, it needs to do that way too often. That is very likely to become a problem when Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 7.


ITWHIRLED

Telephone psychics scientifically proven
A researcher at the University of Cambridge (yes, that Cambridge) believes he has proven that people do, in fact, have the ability to guess who might be phoning them. And, yes, it works for e-mail too.