TOP STORY
_________________
Salesforce launches Web dev platform for on-demand software
Salesforce.com Inc. on Friday announced a new rich Web platform for building on-demand business software that it hopes will lead to an "explosion" of applications, similar to that currently occurring with Facebook Inc.'s popular Web 2.0 site.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Verizon sues FCC over open-access auction
Verizon Wireless Inc. has encountered strong opposition for its request that an appeals court overturn U.S. Federal Communications Commission auction rules on a portion of wireless spectrum.
Nokia, others back mobile memory standard
Seven of the world's top mobile phone technology companies are backing the development of a new flash memory standard to be used in mobile phones, digital cameras and other consumer electronics devices.
Google calls for global online privacy standard
Search giant Google Inc. will propose on Friday that governments and technology companies create a transnational privacy policy to address growing concerns over how personal data is handled across the Internet.
SCO, Novell back in court Monday in Unix fight
The SCO Group Inc. will begin its latest legal battle Monday over what it continues to assert are its rights to Unix -- but this battle is one the company may have never imagined it would be fighting
Google pledges $30 million for private moon landing
Google Inc. will pay up to $30 million in prize money to anyone able to land a privately funded spacecraft on the moon, because "it's cool," the company said on its blog.
Insiders overtake viruses as biggest security worry
Company insiders have overtaken viruses as the most reported security incident, the annual report from the respected U.S. Computer Security Institute (CSI) has reported.
OPINION
___________________
Combinatorical Enterprise Architecture
Sean McGrath, ITworld.com
I have been thinking a lot about enterprise architecture recently (an occupational hazard I must deal with on a daily basis). I got to thinking about how, over the years, I have noticed a distinct pattern underlying EAI projects that work out well. No, I don't mean SOA or Open APIs or protocol independence or any of those IT-shaped things. The pattern is at a different level. It goes like this...
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Microsoft forces Messenger upgrade ... Department of State Web sites hacked ... Alcatel-Lucent slashes revenue forecast
TOP STORY
_________________
Microsoft forces Messenger upgrade for 'security' reasons
Microsoft Corp. is forcing Windows Live and MSN Messenger users to upgrade to the newest version due to a security update included in that release, according to a posting on a Microsoft blog.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Sophos: St. Petersburg consulate Web site was hacked
Security vendors are warning that two U.S. Department of State Web sites based in Russia could contain malware and should be avoided.
Report: Yahoo mistakenly blows the lid off new service
As if Yahoo Inc. didn't have enough trouble already in social networking, a company public relations representative tipped a New York Times reporter by mistake about a new, unannounced service called Yahoo Mash.
Microsoft: 'Secret' updates were for Windows Update itself
Microsoft Corp. claims updates sent out to Windows XP and Vista machines without users knowing about them were for the Windows Update mechanism, though the company acknowledged it could have been more "transparent" before changing files on user computers.
Online video popularity keeps climbing
People in the U.S. have steadily increased the amount of time they spend watching videos online, as Google Inc.'s YouTube remains by far their preferred video site, according to a study.
Alcatel-Lucent slashes forecast for year
Alcatel-Lucent SA cut its revenue forecast for the year on Thursday, underscoring the challenges the newly merged company faces in a highly competitive communications equipment industry.
Data explosion shakes up IT
In just three years, the bytes of data generated by digital cameras, mobile phones, businesses IT systems and devices will equal the number of grains of sand on the world's beaches.
TIP
___________________
Replacing batteries on a Sun StorEdge disk array
By Sandra Henry-Stocker,ITworld
I had only recently come to notice that the batteries had expired. Using the sccli (StorEdge controller command line interface) command, I had noted the expiration dates were well enough in the past that replacing them as soon as possible was a good idea. When I checked the batteries, the battery status information looked like this:
OPINION
___________________
iPhone Price Cuts Triggers Whining
By Dan Blacharski
It's not too often that dramatic price reductions in a popular product elicits whining as a reaction, but such is the case with the Apple iPhone. Apple's expensive iPhone, which debuted just a few short weeks ago at $599, is now $399. Personally, I won't spend more than twenty bucks on a mobile communications device, but I suppose I would be bitterly disappointed had I waited in line to pay $599 for something that was $200 cheaper just a little over a month later. But as everybody knows, in the world of technology, early adopters always pay a higher price for something that inevitably becomes cheaper later. I'm not surprised that the iPhone came down in price. What is surprising is that it came down so quickly.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Sign of the times: Fruit-picking robots
According to the California Farm Bureau Federation, harvesting California's crops requires about 225,000 year-round workers (and twice that in summer). But with border-tightening in the offing, some farmers are seeking high-tech help.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
_________________
Microsoft forces Messenger upgrade for 'security' reasons
Microsoft Corp. is forcing Windows Live and MSN Messenger users to upgrade to the newest version due to a security update included in that release, according to a posting on a Microsoft blog.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Sophos: St. Petersburg consulate Web site was hacked
Security vendors are warning that two U.S. Department of State Web sites based in Russia could contain malware and should be avoided.
Report: Yahoo mistakenly blows the lid off new service
As if Yahoo Inc. didn't have enough trouble already in social networking, a company public relations representative tipped a New York Times reporter by mistake about a new, unannounced service called Yahoo Mash.
Microsoft: 'Secret' updates were for Windows Update itself
Microsoft Corp. claims updates sent out to Windows XP and Vista machines without users knowing about them were for the Windows Update mechanism, though the company acknowledged it could have been more "transparent" before changing files on user computers.
Online video popularity keeps climbing
People in the U.S. have steadily increased the amount of time they spend watching videos online, as Google Inc.'s YouTube remains by far their preferred video site, according to a study.
Alcatel-Lucent slashes forecast for year
Alcatel-Lucent SA cut its revenue forecast for the year on Thursday, underscoring the challenges the newly merged company faces in a highly competitive communications equipment industry.
Data explosion shakes up IT
In just three years, the bytes of data generated by digital cameras, mobile phones, businesses IT systems and devices will equal the number of grains of sand on the world's beaches.
TIP
___________________
Replacing batteries on a Sun StorEdge disk array
By Sandra Henry-Stocker,ITworld
I had only recently come to notice that the batteries had expired. Using the sccli (StorEdge controller command line interface) command, I had noted the expiration dates were well enough in the past that replacing them as soon as possible was a good idea. When I checked the batteries, the battery status information looked like this:
OPINION
___________________
iPhone Price Cuts Triggers Whining
By Dan Blacharski
It's not too often that dramatic price reductions in a popular product elicits whining as a reaction, but such is the case with the Apple iPhone. Apple's expensive iPhone, which debuted just a few short weeks ago at $599, is now $399. Personally, I won't spend more than twenty bucks on a mobile communications device, but I suppose I would be bitterly disappointed had I waited in line to pay $599 for something that was $200 cheaper just a little over a month later. But as everybody knows, in the world of technology, early adopters always pay a higher price for something that inevitably becomes cheaper later. I'm not surprised that the iPhone came down in price. What is surprising is that it came down so quickly.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Sign of the times: Fruit-picking robots
According to the California Farm Bureau Federation, harvesting California's crops requires about 225,000 year-round workers (and twice that in summer). But with border-tightening in the offing, some farmers are seeking high-tech help.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
Microsoft: 'Secret' updates were for Windows Update ... Data explosion shakes up IT ... Gadget giveaway: Swiss Army USB
TOP STORY
_________________
Microsoft: 'Secret' updates were for Windows Update itself
Microsoft Corp. claims updates sent out to Windows XP and Vista machines without users knowing about them were for the Windows Update mechanism, though the company acknowledged it could have been more "transparent" before changing files on user computers.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Online video popularity keeps climbing
People in the U.S. have steadily increased the amount of time they spend watching videos online, as Google Inc.'s YouTube remains by far their preferred video site, according to a study.
Data explosion shakes up IT
In just three years, the bytes of data generated by digital cameras, mobile phones, businesses IT systems and devices will equal the number of grains of sand on the world's beaches.
Cisco launches VMware-enabled datacentre provisioning system
Cisco has announced that it's integrating its VFrame Data Center with VMware Virtual Infrastructure. The networking company called it "a key solution for the Cisco vision of next generation data centres, called Data Center 3.0".
Court stays import ban while Qualcomm appeals
U.S. mobile users waiting for the next crop of phones could breathe a sigh of relief Wednesday when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted a stay on an import ban against handsets that use some Qualcomm Inc. chips.
Aruba set to launch 802.11n access point
Wireless switch vendor Aruba will launch an access point that meets the fast 802.11n draft specification by November, even though customers are expected to adopt the new standard slowly.
Palm shareholders approve partial sale
Palm shareholders have approved the partial sale of the company to private-equity firm Elevation Partners.
HP server-storage appliance targets SMBs
HP is launching a server-storage product targeted to small to midsize businesses, the same $60 billion SMB market targeted by rivals IBM, Dell and others.
BEA upgrades app server with SOA, Web 2.0 capabilities
BEA Systems will fit its Weblogic Server Java application server with improvements geared to Web 2.0, SOA and interoperability with Microsoft's .Net platform, the company said at the BEAWorld San Francisco conference on Wednesday.
OPINION
___________________
Open XML Rejection by ISO Means Status Quo -- For Now
By Joel Shore, ITworld.com
Back in seemingly prehistoric times -- September 2005 -- the People's Republic of Massachusetts announced that it would dump the proprietary file formats of Microsoft's Office applications and adopt the XML-based OpenDocument Format instead. Since Office didn't support ODF, the move meant getting rid of Office from thousands of state-owned computers and replacing it with ODF-compliant applications. Much has happened since then. 'Twas the "Save As" heard 'round the world.
NETWORKING TIP
___________________
Cleaner VoIP
By James Gaskin, ITworld.com
When a Voice over Internet Protocol user complains about a poor connection, what do you do? Most check the network for dropped packets or other errors, find no problems, and tell the user to stop mumbling.
Enter Psytechnics (.com), a company dedicated to measuring responses of both packets and the people relying on those packets for their conversations. It doesn't matter if the packets are happy if the users aren't.
PODCAST
___________________
Daily IT News Audio Update
U.S. import ban stayed for some Qualcomm-based phones ... EMC faces sex discrmination lawsuit ... Cell phones banned for Indian students
More podcasts
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Sign of the times: Fruit-picking robots
According to the California Farm Bureau Federation, harvesting California's crops requires about 225,000 year-round workers (and twice that in summer). But with border-tightening in the offing, some farmers are seeking high-tech help.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
_________________
Microsoft: 'Secret' updates were for Windows Update itself
Microsoft Corp. claims updates sent out to Windows XP and Vista machines without users knowing about them were for the Windows Update mechanism, though the company acknowledged it could have been more "transparent" before changing files on user computers.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Online video popularity keeps climbing
People in the U.S. have steadily increased the amount of time they spend watching videos online, as Google Inc.'s YouTube remains by far their preferred video site, according to a study.
Data explosion shakes up IT
In just three years, the bytes of data generated by digital cameras, mobile phones, businesses IT systems and devices will equal the number of grains of sand on the world's beaches.
Cisco launches VMware-enabled datacentre provisioning system
Cisco has announced that it's integrating its VFrame Data Center with VMware Virtual Infrastructure. The networking company called it "a key solution for the Cisco vision of next generation data centres, called Data Center 3.0".
Court stays import ban while Qualcomm appeals
U.S. mobile users waiting for the next crop of phones could breathe a sigh of relief Wednesday when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted a stay on an import ban against handsets that use some Qualcomm Inc. chips.
Aruba set to launch 802.11n access point
Wireless switch vendor Aruba will launch an access point that meets the fast 802.11n draft specification by November, even though customers are expected to adopt the new standard slowly.
Palm shareholders approve partial sale
Palm shareholders have approved the partial sale of the company to private-equity firm Elevation Partners.
HP server-storage appliance targets SMBs
HP is launching a server-storage product targeted to small to midsize businesses, the same $60 billion SMB market targeted by rivals IBM, Dell and others.
BEA upgrades app server with SOA, Web 2.0 capabilities
BEA Systems will fit its Weblogic Server Java application server with improvements geared to Web 2.0, SOA and interoperability with Microsoft's .Net platform, the company said at the BEAWorld San Francisco conference on Wednesday.
OPINION
___________________
Open XML Rejection by ISO Means Status Quo -- For Now
By Joel Shore, ITworld.com
Back in seemingly prehistoric times -- September 2005 -- the People's Republic of Massachusetts announced that it would dump the proprietary file formats of Microsoft's Office applications and adopt the XML-based OpenDocument Format instead. Since Office didn't support ODF, the move meant getting rid of Office from thousands of state-owned computers and replacing it with ODF-compliant applications. Much has happened since then. 'Twas the "Save As" heard 'round the world.
NETWORKING TIP
___________________
Cleaner VoIP
By James Gaskin, ITworld.com
When a Voice over Internet Protocol user complains about a poor connection, what do you do? Most check the network for dropped packets or other errors, find no problems, and tell the user to stop mumbling.
Enter Psytechnics (.com), a company dedicated to measuring responses of both packets and the people relying on those packets for their conversations. It doesn't matter if the packets are happy if the users aren't.
PODCAST
___________________
Daily IT News Audio Update
U.S. import ban stayed for some Qualcomm-based phones ... EMC faces sex discrmination lawsuit ... Cell phones banned for Indian students
More podcasts
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Sign of the times: Fruit-picking robots
According to the California Farm Bureau Federation, harvesting California's crops requires about 225,000 year-round workers (and twice that in summer). But with border-tightening in the offing, some farmers are seeking high-tech help.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Microsoft details Vista SP1 search changes ... Sun servers to run Windows ... Gadget giveaway: Swiss Army USB
TOP STORY
_________________
Sun to install Windows Server OS on its hardware
Sun Microsystems Inc. will start selling its lineup of 64-bit PC servers preinstalled with the Windows Server operating system from Microsoft Corp. within 90 days.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Microsoft details Vista SP1 search changes
Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday released documents that detail changes it will make to its desktop search and indexing feature in Windows Vista that will be included as part of the Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) update
Sun acquires assets of Cluster File Systems
Almost lost in the clamor over Sun Microsystems Inc.'s expanded partnership with Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday was a small acquisition that will bolster Sun's HPC storage offerings. Sun agreed to acquire a majority of the assets of Cluster File Systems Inc.
Consumer groups: FTC needs to watch telecom
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission needs to step up its regulation of the telecommunications and broadband industries and reverse its current opposition to net neutrality rules, two consumer groups said Wednesday.
Business Objects launches next-gen EPM suite for CFOs
Business Objects SA Wednesday released new software that combines EPM (enterprise performance management), BI (business intelligence) and data integration into a comprehensive suite aimed at chief financial officers and business finance managers.
Qualcomm-Nokia German case put on hold
A German court stayed a patent-infringement case that Qualcomm Inc. filed against Nokia Corp., as hearings regarding a similar case in the U.S. International Trade Commission suit continue.
WINDOWS TIP
___________________
Windows Tip: Defragmenting large volumes
By Mitch Tulloch
Defragmenting disk volumes regularly is important for ensuring optimal performance of your storage subsystem, but what if your volumes are really large? Today, it's common for even desktop systems to have volumes that are hundreds of gigabytes in size, and volumes on servers can often run into the terabyte range. And if you have a storage area network (SAN), you may be dealing with even large volumes. Can the built-in Windows defragmenter handle such large volumes? In theory, probably, but in practice, maybe not.
CAREER
___________________
How CIOs Can Negotiate CEO-like Pay
There is a lot more to compensation these days than straight salary. There are perks. There are incentives. CIOs should know the lay of the land before they negotiate.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Energyville
Think you have all the answers to the world's energy crisis? Well, now you can put your theories to the test. A new online game from Chevron and The Economist Group allows you to choose from a portfolio of energy sources to power your simulated city.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
_________________
Sun to install Windows Server OS on its hardware
Sun Microsystems Inc. will start selling its lineup of 64-bit PC servers preinstalled with the Windows Server operating system from Microsoft Corp. within 90 days.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Microsoft details Vista SP1 search changes
Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday released documents that detail changes it will make to its desktop search and indexing feature in Windows Vista that will be included as part of the Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) update
Sun acquires assets of Cluster File Systems
Almost lost in the clamor over Sun Microsystems Inc.'s expanded partnership with Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday was a small acquisition that will bolster Sun's HPC storage offerings. Sun agreed to acquire a majority of the assets of Cluster File Systems Inc.
Consumer groups: FTC needs to watch telecom
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission needs to step up its regulation of the telecommunications and broadband industries and reverse its current opposition to net neutrality rules, two consumer groups said Wednesday.
Business Objects launches next-gen EPM suite for CFOs
Business Objects SA Wednesday released new software that combines EPM (enterprise performance management), BI (business intelligence) and data integration into a comprehensive suite aimed at chief financial officers and business finance managers.
Qualcomm-Nokia German case put on hold
A German court stayed a patent-infringement case that Qualcomm Inc. filed against Nokia Corp., as hearings regarding a similar case in the U.S. International Trade Commission suit continue.
WINDOWS TIP
___________________
Windows Tip: Defragmenting large volumes
By Mitch Tulloch
Defragmenting disk volumes regularly is important for ensuring optimal performance of your storage subsystem, but what if your volumes are really large? Today, it's common for even desktop systems to have volumes that are hundreds of gigabytes in size, and volumes on servers can often run into the terabyte range. And if you have a storage area network (SAN), you may be dealing with even large volumes. Can the built-in Windows defragmenter handle such large volumes? In theory, probably, but in practice, maybe not.
CAREER
___________________
How CIOs Can Negotiate CEO-like Pay
There is a lot more to compensation these days than straight salary. There are perks. There are incentives. CIOs should know the lay of the land before they negotiate.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Energyville
Think you have all the answers to the world's energy crisis? Well, now you can put your theories to the test. A new online game from Chevron and The Economist Group allows you to choose from a portfolio of energy sources to power your simulated city.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Sun servers to run Windows ... FCC passes new E911 requirements ... Gadget giveaway: Swiss Army USB
TOP STORY
_________________
Sun to install Windows Server OS on its hardware
Sun Microsystems Inc. will start offering the Windows Server operating system from Microsoft Corp. on its 64-bit servers within 90 days, the two companies announced today.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
FCC passes new E911 requirements
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules requiring wireless telephone providers to move toward testing location-based emergency dialing service at the local level.
Yahoo to sell ads for social network Bebo
Yahoo Inc. will sell display advertising for Bebo Inc., the first such deal Yahoo has secured with a social networking site, the companies said on Wednesday.
Software AG updates webMethods
Software AG plans to unveil details of Version 7.1 of the webMethods business process management suite on Wednesday, along with a new enterprise service bus (ESB) and a supply chain performance optimization tool.
Microsoft patents watermark that may protect DRM-free music
Microsoft has patented digital watermarking technology that could be used to protect the rights of content owners in the case of DRM-free music files.
More personal data said to be on stolen gov't backup tape
A computer forensics expert has uncovered an additional 106,821 pieces of personal data on a copy of a stolen backup tape removed from the car of an intern responsible for carrying data used by the Ohio state government's computer systems. The finding, released in two reports on Monday by Interhack Corp., arrives three months after the incident occurred.
Vista pirates safe from darkness, for now
Microsoft has denied it has switched on an anti-piracy measure in Windows Vista that would result in a "black screen of darkness" for unlicensed OEM copies of the operating system but the software giant did not rule out turning it on in the future.
MySQL upgrades enterprise edition, nears 5.1 final release
Open-source database provider MySQL AB on Wednesday said it is injecting features into its paid subscription support service, which is aimed at simplifying management for large companies with tens or hundreds of servers running the database.
OPINION
___________________
Tinfoil hats, or unfortunate reality?
By Dan Blacharski, ITworld.com
Two things are happening that relate to privacy that are cause for concern. First, government intrusion of privacy is at an all-time high (warrantless wire-tapping, etc.), and second, RFID technology is advancing in many ways. There are vocal advocates who proclaim that humans should be "tagged." And according to the Wireless Weblog, there is one company that already requires employees to have microchips implanted in their arms as a condition of employment. Remind me to put that one on my list of places I would never want to work. This is no "feel-good" bill. It's a legitimate bill that should be passed immediately, not just in California but everywhere, because it takes pre-emptive action against the possibility of a grave injustice that could realistically happen.
CAREER
___________________
The benefits of job rotation in IT
Experts say that there are benefits in establishing formalized job rotation programs, but few IT organizations have formally instituted them.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of
it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife
equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Royal couple edited own Wikipedia entry
Beware the media wielding Wiki Scanner. Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands and his wife Princess Mabel admitted to editing a wikipedia entry about her relationship with drug baron Klaas Bruinsma after Dutch media discovered the changes using Wiki Scanner, an online tool that tracks changes to Wikipedia.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
_________________
Sun to install Windows Server OS on its hardware
Sun Microsystems Inc. will start offering the Windows Server operating system from Microsoft Corp. on its 64-bit servers within 90 days, the two companies announced today.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
FCC passes new E911 requirements
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules requiring wireless telephone providers to move toward testing location-based emergency dialing service at the local level.
Yahoo to sell ads for social network Bebo
Yahoo Inc. will sell display advertising for Bebo Inc., the first such deal Yahoo has secured with a social networking site, the companies said on Wednesday.
Software AG updates webMethods
Software AG plans to unveil details of Version 7.1 of the webMethods business process management suite on Wednesday, along with a new enterprise service bus (ESB) and a supply chain performance optimization tool.
Microsoft patents watermark that may protect DRM-free music
Microsoft has patented digital watermarking technology that could be used to protect the rights of content owners in the case of DRM-free music files.
More personal data said to be on stolen gov't backup tape
A computer forensics expert has uncovered an additional 106,821 pieces of personal data on a copy of a stolen backup tape removed from the car of an intern responsible for carrying data used by the Ohio state government's computer systems. The finding, released in two reports on Monday by Interhack Corp., arrives three months after the incident occurred.
Vista pirates safe from darkness, for now
Microsoft has denied it has switched on an anti-piracy measure in Windows Vista that would result in a "black screen of darkness" for unlicensed OEM copies of the operating system but the software giant did not rule out turning it on in the future.
MySQL upgrades enterprise edition, nears 5.1 final release
Open-source database provider MySQL AB on Wednesday said it is injecting features into its paid subscription support service, which is aimed at simplifying management for large companies with tens or hundreds of servers running the database.
OPINION
___________________
Tinfoil hats, or unfortunate reality?
By Dan Blacharski, ITworld.com
Two things are happening that relate to privacy that are cause for concern. First, government intrusion of privacy is at an all-time high (warrantless wire-tapping, etc.), and second, RFID technology is advancing in many ways. There are vocal advocates who proclaim that humans should be "tagged." And according to the Wireless Weblog, there is one company that already requires employees to have microchips implanted in their arms as a condition of employment. Remind me to put that one on my list of places I would never want to work. This is no "feel-good" bill. It's a legitimate bill that should be passed immediately, not just in California but everywhere, because it takes pre-emptive action against the possibility of a grave injustice that could realistically happen.
CAREER
___________________
The benefits of job rotation in IT
Experts say that there are benefits in establishing formalized job rotation programs, but few IT organizations have formally instituted them.
GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________
It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of
it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife
equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.
Enter now for a chance to win!
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Royal couple edited own Wikipedia entry
Beware the media wielding Wiki Scanner. Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands and his wife Princess Mabel admitted to editing a wikipedia entry about her relationship with drug baron Klaas Bruinsma after Dutch media discovered the changes using Wiki Scanner, an online tool that tracks changes to Wikipedia.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
Rumor mill: Will Apple become a network operator? ... When to cut the help desk loose
TOP STORY
_________________
Analysts: Apple network doesn't make much sense
Google Inc. and Intel Corp. have already expressed interest in the forthcoming 700MHz spectrum auction. Now, speculators say Apple Inc. may throw its hat into the ring.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
Microsoft antitrust: States ask for five-year extension of judgment
A group of state plaintiffs in the U.S. Microsoft antitrust case will ask for a five-year extension of a large portion of the 2002 judgment against the company, the group's lawyer said Tuesday.
Startup may sue FCC over handling of wireless plan
M2Z Networks Inc. may sue the U.S. Federal Communications Commission after the agency turned down its request for radio frequencies for a national broadband wireless network.
Mobile advertising prepares for takeoff
Spending on mobile search and display advertising will skyrocket in the coming years in the U.S., finally making cell phones a viable vehicle for this type of online marketing, according to research firm The Kelsey Group Inc.
Microsoft releases Patch Tuesday security updates
Microsoft Corp. has released its security patches for September, fixing known vulnerabilities in its MSN Messenger software and Unix services for Windows as well as a critical bug in Windows 2000.
Microsoft, EC prepare for ruling next week
As judgment day in the nine year-long antitrust battle between Microsoft Corp. and the European Commission draws near, neither side in the protracted dispute knows for sure how it will react to the news on the day.
VMware buys Dunes Technologies
VMware has acquired Dunes Technologies, a Swiss company that provides virtual environment automation technology.
OPINION
___________________
When to cut the help desk loose
I can see companies bringing in consultants to help build service oriented architectures or to properly virtualize their servers, but if you can't install your own word processing or calendaring software by now, something is wrong with your IT department.
CAREER
___________________
The benefits of job rotation in IT
Experts say that there are benefits in establishing formalized job rotation programs, but few IT organizations have formally instituted them.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Mechanical Turk joins Fossett search ... Details emerge of new Palm smart phone ... Internet error spells vacation surprise
HIGHLIGHTS
* Tigerton, Barcelona to 'reinvigorate' high-end server market
* HP's thermal inkjet technology put to medical use
* Details emerge of new Palm smart phone
* Chips are up, but that doesn't mean the economy is
* Fujitsu targets corporate PCs with palm vein login
* U.S. patent bill still faces obstacles
* Amazon's Mechanical Turk used in Fossett search
* Mobile phones to help secure BofA online banking
* If there's an IT skills shortage, where's my job?
* Rhodes to nowhere: Internet error spells vacation surprise
TOP STORY
_________________
Tigerton, Barcelona to 'reinvigorate' high-end server market
Newly released server chips from Intel and AMD will reinvigorate demand for servers with four processors, one analyst said.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
HP's thermal inkjet technology put to medical use
Hewlett-Packard Co. researchers have developed a medical patch that uses thermal inkjet technology found in printers to painlessly administer drugs to a patient.
Details emerge of new Palm smart phone
Details of Palm Inc.'s new smart phone are emerging ahead of the product's launch on Wednesday.
Chips are up, but that doesn't mean the economy is
News coming out the chip sector has been great so far this week, but analysts warn that economic woes such as the housing mess might still spoil the party.
Fujitsu targets corporate PCs with palm vein login
Fujitsu Ltd. is targeting corporate desktop computer access with new versions of its palm vein biometric scanner.
U.S. patent bill still faces obstacles
Patent overhaul legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives Friday still faces significant opposition as it heads to the Senate, opponents said.
Amazon's Mechanical Turk used in Fossett search
Amazon.com Inc.'s Mechanical Turk is enlisting human eyes to help in an online search for missing adventurer Steve Fossett.
Mobile phones to help secure BofA online banking
Bank of America is rolling out a new two-factor authentication system called SafePass that uses mobile phones to identify users.
OTHER RESOURCES
_______________
Strategies to Secure Your Mobile Workforce
If your company uses mobile devices, don't miss this webcast series. Learn key strategies for protecting mobile data and devices, all while achieving compliance and controlling costs.
CAREER
___________________
If there's an IT skills shortage, where's my job?
Despite glaring statistics and industry studies on the increasing demand
for IT skills and the looming shortage of available talent, some IT professionals remain unconvinced.
PODCAST
___________________
Daily IT News Audio Update
Mechanical Turk joins search for missing adventurer ... US patent legislation faces opposition ... Intel raises financial forecast
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Rhodes to nowhere: Internet error spells holiday surprise
Proving that even on the Internet spelling matters, an error on an online travel site sends three Norwegian tourists not to the Greek island of Rhodes, but to Rodez, France.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
Kids are finally back in school
Football
Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
I can breathe the air
I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
Monday, September 10, 2007
IBM joins OpenOffice.org ... Intel increases revenue outlook ... Eudora reborn as open-source app
HIGHLIGHTS
* IBM throws weight behind OpenOffice.org project
* Intel increases revenue outlook on rising chip demand
* Eudora reborn as open-source application
* Dell bulks up storage appliance
* Hitachi shrinks its storage controller
* Leading Reasons Why CIOs Get Fired
* Mining the Talk: Unlocking the Business Value in Unstructured Information
* 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT
* Poll: What's the best thing about Fall?
TOP STORY
_________________
IBM throws weight behind OpenOffice.org project
After years of holding out, IBM Corp. Monday announced it has joined the OpenOffice.org open-source community and will contribute code to the office suite that serves as an alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s Office software.
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Intel increases revenue outlook on rising chip demand
Citing surprisingly high demand for its processors, Intel Corp. on Monday upgraded its third-quarter revenue forecast to a range of $9.4 billion to $9.8 billion from the company's previous estimate of $9 billion to $9.6 billion.
Eudora reborn as open-source application
The open-source version of Eudora is now available for download, three months after the e-mail client stopped selling commercially.
Dell bulks up storage appliance
Dell has added a new iSCSI storage array to its portfolio: the PowerVault MD3000i -- a fully redundant enclosure that can pack dual power supplies, dual RAID controllers and 15 SAS (serial attached SCSI) drives in 2U. Two expansion modules can bring the overall capacity to 45 drives, which, by year's end should also include SATA drives. At rollout, the MD3000i supports SAS drives only.
Hitachi shrinks its storage controller
Virtualized SANs aren't just for large data centers, claimed Hitachi Data Systems as it added a low-end model to its Universal Storage Platform (USP) series of dedicated storage controllers.
CAREER
___________________
Leading Reasons Why CIOs Get Fired
Every CIO should become familiar with the facts about why some contemporaries at other organizations get fired. Sometimes an enterprise simply hires the wrong person. Other times the CIO simply falls down on the job.
BOOKS
___________________
Mining the Talk: Unlocking the Business Value in Unstructured Information
In 'Mining the Talk,' two leading-edge IBM researchers introduce a revolutionary new approach to unlocking the business value hidden in virtually any form of unstructured data–from word processing documents to websites, emails to instant messages.
Download a sample chapter:
PODCAST
___________________
Daily IT News Audio Update
AMD launches Barcelona server chip ... Sony launches Rolly music player ... Dell blames poor planning for notebook shortage
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
___________________
She's a 10
- 10 reasons not to use Safari on Windows
- 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT
- 10 future Web trends
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
- Kids are finally back in school
- Football
- Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
- I can breathe the air
- I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll.
* IBM throws weight behind OpenOffice.org project
* Intel increases revenue outlook on rising chip demand
* Eudora reborn as open-source application
* Dell bulks up storage appliance
* Hitachi shrinks its storage controller
* Leading Reasons Why CIOs Get Fired
* Mining the Talk: Unlocking the Business Value in Unstructured Information
* 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT
* Poll: What's the best thing about Fall?
TOP STORY
_________________
IBM throws weight behind OpenOffice.org project
After years of holding out, IBM Corp. Monday announced it has joined the OpenOffice.org open-source community and will contribute code to the office suite that serves as an alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s Office software.
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Intel increases revenue outlook on rising chip demand
Citing surprisingly high demand for its processors, Intel Corp. on Monday upgraded its third-quarter revenue forecast to a range of $9.4 billion to $9.8 billion from the company's previous estimate of $9 billion to $9.6 billion.
Eudora reborn as open-source application
The open-source version of Eudora is now available for download, three months after the e-mail client stopped selling commercially.
Dell bulks up storage appliance
Dell has added a new iSCSI storage array to its portfolio: the PowerVault MD3000i -- a fully redundant enclosure that can pack dual power supplies, dual RAID controllers and 15 SAS (serial attached SCSI) drives in 2U. Two expansion modules can bring the overall capacity to 45 drives, which, by year's end should also include SATA drives. At rollout, the MD3000i supports SAS drives only.
Hitachi shrinks its storage controller
Virtualized SANs aren't just for large data centers, claimed Hitachi Data Systems as it added a low-end model to its Universal Storage Platform (USP) series of dedicated storage controllers.
CAREER
___________________
Leading Reasons Why CIOs Get Fired
Every CIO should become familiar with the facts about why some contemporaries at other organizations get fired. Sometimes an enterprise simply hires the wrong person. Other times the CIO simply falls down on the job.
BOOKS
___________________
Mining the Talk: Unlocking the Business Value in Unstructured Information
In 'Mining the Talk,' two leading-edge IBM researchers introduce a revolutionary new approach to unlocking the business value hidden in virtually any form of unstructured data–from word processing documents to websites, emails to instant messages.
Download a sample chapter:
PODCAST
___________________
Daily IT News Audio Update
AMD launches Barcelona server chip ... Sony launches Rolly music player ... Dell blames poor planning for notebook shortage
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
___________________
She's a 10
- 10 reasons not to use Safari on Windows
- 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT
- 10 future Web trends
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
What's the best thing about Fall?
- Kids are finally back in school
- Football
- Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
- I can breathe the air
- I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll.
Skype warns users of Windows worm ... AMD launches Barcelona server chip ... Sony shows off Rolly audio player
HIGHLIGHTS
* Researcher intercepted embassy passwords
* Skype warns users of Windows worm
* Vodafone's new handset lineup to include iPhone rival
* Capgemini to provide IT services for Google Apps
* AMD finally launches Barcelona server chip
* Seattle man gets two years for eBay fraud
* Sony shows off unique Rolly audio entertainment player
* Budgeting for acquisitions
* IT Risk: Turning Business Threats into Competitive Advantage
* YouTube video leads to arrest of teenage speedster
TOP STORY
Researcher intercepted embassy passwords
A security researcher who collected thousands of sensitive e-mails and passwords from the embassies of countries such as Russia and India blamed systems administrators on Monday for not using encryption to shield their traffic from snooping.
NEWS UPDATES
Skype warns users of Windows worm
Skype users are under attack from a new worm that spreads through the peer-to-peer Internet phone application's chat feature.
Vodafone's new handset lineup to include iPhone rival
Vodafone Group PLC plans to launch several phones for holiday shoppers in Europe, including a high-end, touch-screen rival to Apple Inc.'s iPhone.
Capgemini to provide IT services for Google Apps
Google Inc. has formed a partnership with Capgemini SA, which will provide IT services to large businesses that adopt the Google Apps Premier Edition hosted suite of collaboration and communication software.
AMD finally launches Barcelona server chip
After months of delays, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s latest processor, a quad-core server chip called Barcelona, is at last expected to hit the market Monday.
Seattle man gets two years for eBay fraud
A Seattle man has been sentenced to two years in prison for selling computers and cameras on eBay but never actually delivering the goods.
Sony shows off unique Rolly audio entertainment player
Now you don't have to dance to your favorite tunes -- your audio player can dance for you
OPINION
Budgeting for acquisitions
September means the weather starts to cool down just as the budget process starts to heat up. While you may not be worried about acquiring companies yourself, how does your budget process handle the likely event of a major supplier buying another supplier? Or worse, what if a major supplier gobbles a company you have rejected in the past as a supplier?
BOOKS
IT Risk: Turning Business Threats into Competitive Advantage
IT risk incidents damage corporate reputations, expose weaknesses in firms management teams, rob profits, and dampen competitive advantage. What's an IT executive to do? Here are 3 tips for improving IT risk management in your enterprise.
PODCAST
Daily IT News Audio Update
AMD launches Barcelona server chip ... Sony launches Rolly music player ... Dell blames poor planning for notebook shortage
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
YouTube video leads to arrest of teenage speedster
A British teenager was arrested on suspicion of driving at speeds of over 140mph, having posted to YouTube a video of himself in the act. Stupid, right? But here's the kicker: The car in question was a Ford Escort, a vehicle no one would suspect could go that fast.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
What's the best thing about Fall?
- Kids are finally back in school
- Football
- Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
- I can breathe the air
- I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
* Researcher intercepted embassy passwords
* Skype warns users of Windows worm
* Vodafone's new handset lineup to include iPhone rival
* Capgemini to provide IT services for Google Apps
* AMD finally launches Barcelona server chip
* Seattle man gets two years for eBay fraud
* Sony shows off unique Rolly audio entertainment player
* Budgeting for acquisitions
* IT Risk: Turning Business Threats into Competitive Advantage
* YouTube video leads to arrest of teenage speedster
TOP STORY
Researcher intercepted embassy passwords
A security researcher who collected thousands of sensitive e-mails and passwords from the embassies of countries such as Russia and India blamed systems administrators on Monday for not using encryption to shield their traffic from snooping.
NEWS UPDATES
Skype warns users of Windows worm
Skype users are under attack from a new worm that spreads through the peer-to-peer Internet phone application's chat feature.
Vodafone's new handset lineup to include iPhone rival
Vodafone Group PLC plans to launch several phones for holiday shoppers in Europe, including a high-end, touch-screen rival to Apple Inc.'s iPhone.
Capgemini to provide IT services for Google Apps
Google Inc. has formed a partnership with Capgemini SA, which will provide IT services to large businesses that adopt the Google Apps Premier Edition hosted suite of collaboration and communication software.
AMD finally launches Barcelona server chip
After months of delays, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s latest processor, a quad-core server chip called Barcelona, is at last expected to hit the market Monday.
Seattle man gets two years for eBay fraud
A Seattle man has been sentenced to two years in prison for selling computers and cameras on eBay but never actually delivering the goods.
Sony shows off unique Rolly audio entertainment player
Now you don't have to dance to your favorite tunes -- your audio player can dance for you
OPINION
Budgeting for acquisitions
September means the weather starts to cool down just as the budget process starts to heat up. While you may not be worried about acquiring companies yourself, how does your budget process handle the likely event of a major supplier buying another supplier? Or worse, what if a major supplier gobbles a company you have rejected in the past as a supplier?
BOOKS
IT Risk: Turning Business Threats into Competitive Advantage
IT risk incidents damage corporate reputations, expose weaknesses in firms management teams, rob profits, and dampen competitive advantage. What's an IT executive to do? Here are 3 tips for improving IT risk management in your enterprise.
PODCAST
Daily IT News Audio Update
AMD launches Barcelona server chip ... Sony launches Rolly music player ... Dell blames poor planning for notebook shortage
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
YouTube video leads to arrest of teenage speedster
A British teenager was arrested on suspicion of driving at speeds of over 140mph, having posted to YouTube a video of himself in the act. Stupid, right? But here's the kicker: The car in question was a Ford Escort, a vehicle no one would suspect could go that fast.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
What's the best thing about Fall?
- Kids are finally back in school
- Football
- Pale, fleshy legs are hidden away
- I can breathe the air
- I'm not the only one in the office
Answer this poll
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
