Tech execs dominate richest Americans list ... eDonkey servers down but not out ... Microsoft, Philips retest 'white spaces' device

IN THE NEWS

Microsoft, Philips retest 'white spaces' device
A group of technology vendors has submitted new test results for a wireless device intended to operate in unused portions of the television spectrum, after an identical device malfunctioned in U.S. Federal Communications Commission tests earlier this year.

Tech executives lard richest Americans list
Technology executives dominated the top 10 of Forbes magazine's list of 400 richest Americans this year, with Microsoft Corp. co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates retaining his place at the top of the annual list for the 14th time. According to Forbes, Gates is worth $59 billion.

Shutdown of eDonkey servers may be short-lived
The music industry claimed another legal victory in its battle against illegal file sharing in Europe on Friday, but the win may not last long.

Researcher sees potential iPhone security problems
Apple Inc.'s iPhone is a tough target for hackers, but a security researcher warned Friday that there are ways the sleek device could potentially be compromised.

Mobile security, virtualization on tap at MS hacking meet
Microsoft Corp. is inviting hackers onto its Redmond, Washington, campus again next week and this time software virtualization and mobile security will be the hot topics.

Remote Vietnamese village gets Internet access via WiMax
WiMax and a satellite connection are bringing broadband Internet access to a remote Vietnamese village, part of a collaboration between the public and private sector to narrow the digital divide in rural Vietnam

Hacker bears bad news about PDF
The hacker who discovered a recently patched QuickTime flaw affecting the Firefox browser says he has found an equally serious flaw in Adobe Systems Inc.'s PDF file format.

Lawsuit charges open-source license violation
In what may be the first action of its kind in the U.S., the Software Freedom Law Center has filed a lawsuit to enforce an open-source license.

Onaro updates SAN automation tools
Onaro has brought out version 4 of SANscreen, its software for extending IT service management (ITSM) and data center automation to networked storage.


CAREER

How to attract women to enterprise IT jobs
Enterprise IT is a fantastic field for women, especially young women, to consider, especially now. Why? Because much of the work capitalizes on women's greatest strengths - communication, collaboration and problem solving - and because a looming worker shortage means the supply-demand balance will tip toward more frenzied recruiting. But ask CIOs whether they think the field is adequately marketed and correctly described, and they admit that it suffers from an outdated image, inadequate promotion, and misperceptions about exactly what the work is.


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

She's a 10

- Top 10 Wikipedia tricks
- Top 10 essential tech skills for the modern man
- 10 reasons not to buy an iPhone (at least, not yet)
- Top 10 tips for managing software piracy

Oracle posts big gains for quarter ... East coast or west for best IT career? ... Lawsuit charges open-source license violation

TOP STORY

Oracle posts big gains for quarter
New software licensing revenue growth -- the highest in ten years for the company -- helped boost Oracle Corp.'s first quarter financials.


IN THE NEWS

Lawsuit charges open-source license violation
In what may be the first action of its kind in the U.S., the Software Freedom Law Center has filed a lawsuit to enforce an open-source license.

Hacker bears bad news about PDF
The hacker who discovered a recently patched QuickTime flaw affecting the Firefox browser says he has found an equally serious flaw in Adobe Systems Inc.'s PDF file format.

Intel sees meal ticket in virtual worlds
The rise of what Intel calls the 3-D Web will transform the way people use the Internet with a far richer experience, exemplified today by Second Life but turning more realistic and being deployed in medicine and business, Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner said in a last-day keynote address at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. The best news for the chip giant, however, is how much computing power all this will take.

VMware bugs shine spotlight on virtualization security
A set of newly discovered flaws in components of VMware Inc.'s virtual machine software has called attention to some of the security risks associated with the practice of running virtual computers on a single system.

Fragmentation threatens mobile Linux momentum
Despite signs that mobile Linux is gaining momentum -- such as the launch of Motorola Inc.'s Linux-based Razr2 -- heated competition, confusion about goals and slow-moving consortiums may be hindering growth.

Google targets verticals with new ad support
Google Inc. is ramping up its efforts to help specific vertical markets create more effective online advertising, using its technology to help clients highlight as many of their assets as possible to drive not only online, but also offline sales.

Senators push for Internet tax ban
Three Republican U.S. senators on Thursday called on Congress to pass a permanent Internet tax ban before a moratorium expires Nov. 1.

Intel's 3D user interface gets an application
A 3D user interface, called Miramar, developed by Intel Corp. researchers during the late 1990s will be used in an upcoming release of Qwaq Inc.'s Qwaq Forums collaboration tool.


OPINION

East vs. West: Which coast is best for an IT career?
Everyone knows that in these two regions geeks rule, most parents explain their child's career by saying say "my kid's into computers" and somebody's always stuck in traffic. But how do the locales stack up in a coast-to-coast showdown? From IT salaries and educational institutions, to climate and real estate, there's much to debate about which is the best spot for an IT career.

Sony to expand PS2 business ... Jobs subpoenaed in Apple backdating case ... Folding@home protein project hits a petaflop

TOP STORY
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Is the U.S. at risk from cyberwarfare?
By Robert McMillan

May was not a good month for geeks in Estonia.

The tiny Baltic republic weathered a month-long cyberattack that shuttered Internet servers nationwide. At the height of the crisis, people who wanted to use payment cards to buy bread or gas had to wait, as the onslaught crippled Estonia's banks.

Investigators traced the attack to Russians angered by Estonia's decision to relocate the statue of a Red Army soldier erected during the Soviet era. Tensions over the incident led to rumors of Russian state involvement in the cyberattacks.

Even if these suppositions are never corroborated, Estonia's experience may be repeated elsewhere. "Estonia shows us how, as we become more networked and more wired, our vulnerabilities increase," says James Mulvenon, the director of the Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis, a Washington, D.C., think tank. With a population of just over 1.3 million, Estonia is one of the most wired countries on earth. Elections, banking, and point-of-sale systems have largely moved to the Web, so cyberattacks such as the one in May can have a profound effect on its commerce.

Read the full article here


IN THE NEWS
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Folding@home protein project hits a petaflop
The Folding@home distributed computing project of Stanford University has hit the petaflop mark with 80 percent of the power coming from spare processor cycles on PlayStation 3 consoles.

Intel project aims to boost power efficiency in Linux
Intel Corp. plans to announce an open-source project called LessWatts.org, which aims to improve the power efficiency of the Linux operating system and applications.

Gartner: PC shipments on track for growth this year
Lower prices and the improved performance of laptops will fuel continued growth in PC sales this year and next, despite concerns a recession could be on the horizon for the U.S., market analyst Gartner Inc. predicted Thursday.

Forrester points out missing pieces in SAP's A1S
SAP AG's launch Wednesday of Business ByDesign, a hosted on-demand offering for mid market customers, is a significant improvement relative to its other offerings in this space, but simplicity and ease of use still remain elusive to the vendor, an analyst observed.

Palm warns of profit drop
After canceling its controversial Foleo product and continuing to struggle with a shift away from the personal digital assistant market, Palm Inc. warned on Wednesday that its upcoming earnings report could be weaker than expected.

Inventors protest patent reform bill
Patent reform legislation before the U.S. Congress would kill the value of patents and allow companies from other countries to steal U.S. intellectual property, a group of inventors said Thursday.

Sony to expand PS2 business, offers no PS3 price cut
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) opened Japan's biggest computer gaming event on Thursday with a keynote speech that promised a new PlayStation 3 controller and expansion of its PlayStation 2 business, but not an anticipated price cut.

Report: Steve Jobs subpoenaed in backdating case
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to give a deposition in the stock option backdating lawsuit against former Apple General Counsel, Nancy Heinen.

DRAM prices plunge, expected to keep falling
Anyone looking to add a bit more memory to their computers won a gift from the DRAM (dynamic RAM) industry. Heavy competition has caused prices to tumble and industry analysts predict further price declines.


PODCAST
___________________

Daily IT News Audio Update
Laptop vendors back Intel's WiMax plans ... SAP details hosted ERP plans ... HP to offer solid-state drives on laptops

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
_______________

Etch-a-sketch artist reproduces masterpieces
Jeff Gagliardi, the Etch-a-Sketch wonderkind, has managed to create near-perfect replicas of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Grant Wood, among others -- all on a child's toy. He does his own paintings as well, but he'll be remembered for his knob-twiddling prowess.

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

Steve Jobs subpoenaed in backdating case ... DRAM prices plunge ... SCO faces Nasdaq delisting

TOP STORY
_______________

DRAM prices plunge, expected to keep falling
Anyone looking to add a bit more memory to their computers won a gift from the DRAM (dynamic RAM) industry. Heavy competition has caused prices to tumble and industry analysts predict further price declines.


IN THE NEWS
_______________

Report: Steve Jobs subpoenaed in backdating case
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to give a deposition in the stock option backdating lawsuit against former Apple General Counsel, Nancy Heinen.

Sony to expand PS2 business, offers no PS3 price cut
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) opened Japan's biggest computer gaming event on Thursday with a keynote speech that promised a new PlayStation 3 controller and expansion of its PlayStation 2 business, but not an anticipated price cut.

Toshiba develops multimedia chip using Cell technology
Toshiba Corp. on Thursday revealed a new high-performance chip aimed at multimedia applications such as video processing in consumer devices.

With bankruptcy, SCO now facing Nasdaq delisting
Following its bankruptcy filing, The SCO Group Inc. may be booted off of the Nasdaq stock exchange as early as next week, the Unix vendor said Wednesday

IBM expands Microsoft collaboration war to office market
IBM Corp.'s move to develop its own suite of productivity applications to compete with Microsoft Corp.'s Office software is part of a larger war the two companies are waging in the market for employee collaboration applications.

SAP gives pricing, release plans for A1S hosted applications
SAP AG has christened its suite of hosted ERP software for the midmarket SAP Business ByDesign and said it will be available initially in the U.S. and Germany, with the U.K., France and China to follow soon after. Pricing for the service in the U.S. starts at $149 per user per month for a minimum of 25 users, including services and support, SAP said.

Laptop vendors to offer Centrino with WiMax next year
Several laptop vendors plan to announce support for an upcoming version of Intel Corp.'s Centrino platform that uses WiMax wide-area networking technology -- but Hewlett-Packard Co., Dell Inc. and Apple Inc. are not expected to be among them.


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.


INTERVIEW
_______________

Nokia expands enterprise, security offerings
In this interview, Mary McDowell, executive vice president and general manager of Nokia's Enterprise Solutions, a division that deals with products from the E Series phones to security appliances to software such as the Intellisync Mobile Suite, discusses Nokia's direction in several enterprise areas.


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
_______________

Etch-a-sketch artist reproduces masterpieces
Jeff Gagliardi, the Etch-a-Sketch wonderkind, has managed to create near-perfect replicas of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Grant Wood, among others -- all on a child's toy. He does his own paintings as well, but he'll be remembered for his knob-twiddling prowess.

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

EC backs funding to salvage Galileo GPS project ... Intel reaffirms 32-nm chip plans ... SAP charts new waters with hosted ERP

TOP STORY
_________________

EC backs funding to salvage Galileo GPS project

The European Commission Wednesday proposed taking on the entire €3.4 billion ($4.7 billion) cost of creating Galileo, Europe's answer to GPS.

"Galileo will make money, and with the E.U. as its owner, it will generate income for the E.U. budget," said transport commissioner Jacques Barrot at a press conference Wednesday.


IN THE NEWS
___________________

SAP charts new waters with hosted ERP
SAP AG is stepping into uncharted waters with the launch of its hosted business applications service on Wednesday. The move will give it a head start over Microsoft Corp. and other rivals, but could also mean SAP learns the hard way that offering hosted ERP on a wide scale is difficult to do.

Metrics that matter: How malware tries to steal your money
Two senior security veterans from Trend Micro Inc. are trying to get the industry to change how it classifies malicious software. They argue that today's classification system, which tends to focus on the technical way the software works, neglects a far more important metric that matters more to users: how it tries to steal your money.

Germany will get iPhone on Nov. 9 too
Apple Inc. has partnered with network operator T-Mobile to introduce the iPhone in Germany on Nov. 9, the companies announced on Wednesday.

EC's Kroes slams DOJ reaction to Microsoft ruling
European Union Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has slammed comments from the U.S. Department of Justice about Monday's European court ruling on an antitrust judgment against Microsoft Corp.

Cisco fleshes out Microsoft cooperation
Cisco Systems Inc.'s highly publicized cooperation with Microsoft Corp. on unified communications will focus on sharing presence information as well as on voice mail, Web conferencing and other areas, a Cisco executive said Tuesday.

Report: VA's IT security still needs work
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has made some progress since a May 2006 data breach, but it has not completed 20 of 22 recommendations from an internal auditor, according to a report released Wednesday.

Is HP reining in orders for Q3 and Q4?
Although a report indicates the world's largest PC vendor may be cutting back on some orders to PC manufacturers for the third and fourth quarters of this year, an executive at the company said the problem isn't in laptop PCs.

Acer, Gateway deal gains U.S. antitrust approval
Acer Inc.'s planned $710 million acquisition of U.S. PC vendor Gateway Inc. won antitrust approval in the U.S. as the clock struck midnight Monday, Gateway said.

Google tests interactive ads service
Google Inc. is testing a new advertising format that it hopes will make people spend more time looking at ads online, and even embed them in their own Web sites.

Fujitsu makes SAAS acquisition in U.S.
Fujitsu Consulting in the U.S. has bought Okere, a New York-based consultancy and software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider.


PODCAST
___________________

Daily IT News Audio Update
iPhone to go on sale in the UK ... Intel reaffirms 32-nm chip plans ... Google loses more ground in China

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
___________________

In utero Mozart not such a great idea after all
http://www.itworld.com/itwhirled/#badidea
Are you pregnant and dreading the hours you need to spend playing classical music to your belly so that your kid will get into that exclusive preschool? Well, rejoice! It turns out that the fabled IQ bump from listening to classical music as an infant (or in utero) only really amounts to one or two IQ points -- and only really appears to improve paper-folding abilities.

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
___________________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

Mozilla fixes QuickTime flaw in Firefox ... Hacker publishes Apple Wi-Fi attack ... Hubble tech, Facebook help endangered sharks

TOP STORY
_______________

Parsons: Time Warner to hold on to AOL
Time Warner Inc. wants AOL LLC to complete successfully its transition to an ad-supported business, and isn't mulling "structural" changes to it, such as selling it or spinning it off, Time Warner Chairman and CEO Richard Parsons said Tuesday.


IN THE NEWS
_______________

Mozilla fixes QuickTime flaw in Firefox
Mozilla Corp. has fixed a critical bug in the way the Firefox browser works with QuickTime media files.

SCO says there's 'substantial doubt' it will survive
With its cash reserves running out and its legal case against IBM Corp. unravelling, The SCO Group Inc. now says there is doubt that it will remain afloat.

Intel chips to shrink to 32-nanometer process
Intel Corp. said Tuesday it will ramp up performance and energy efficiency in its microprocessors by using a 32-nanometer process technology starting in 2009.

Hacker finally publishes notorious Apple Wi-Fi attack
More than a year after claiming to have found a way to take over a Macintosh computer using a flaw in the system's wireless card, David Maynor has published details of his exploit.

IBM undertakes big server consolidation project
IBM is undertaking the biggest server consolidation project in the history of IT. The tech giant has set an ambitious goal of doubling its server and storage capacity for operations and outsourced customers within the next three years, without increasing its energy consumption, fiscal footprint or carbon emissions.

Group says e-voting paper trail wouldn't improve security
Requiring print-outs as a back-up to electronic voting machines would not improve security but would increase costs of U.S. voting systems, according to a report released Tuesday.

Apple may be next in E.U. antitrust sights
With Microsoft Corp.'s antitrust appeal now decided, the next U.S. technology company to get a place on the European Union (EU)'s regulatory hot seat may be Apple, an antitrust expert said Tuesday.

Cisco to buy Cognio for wireless network management
Cisco Systems Inc. today announced an agreement to buy Cognio Inc., a maker of software for wireless network spectrum analysis and management. Financial details were not disclosed.

Hubble tech, Facebook help save endangered species
A group of researchers have adapted a mathematical formula used by Hubble space telescope scientists to recognize star patterns to identify the unique spot patterns on whale sharks. With this formula, the researchers can use photos taken by divers and posted to an online library at to monitor the movements and habits of the sharks.


SECURITY TIP
_______________

The ins and outs of e-mail vulnerability
'Companies must scan their outbound email for malware as well as that coming in,' says Carol Baroudi, author of an Aberdeen report on e-mail vulnerability. 'Only scanning inbound mail is like asking your guests to wash their hands but not bothering to wash yours.'


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
_______________

In utero Mozart not such a great idea after all
Are you pregnant and dreading the hours you need to spend playing classical music to your belly so that your kid will get into that exclusive preschool? Well, rejoice! It turns out that the fabled IQ bump from listening to classical music as an infant (or in utero) only really amounts to one or two IQ points -- and only really appears to improve paper-folding abilities.

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

SCO says it's unlikely to survive ... IBM scores 'Symphony' as online Office rival ... AMD announces triple-core processor

TOP STORY
_______________

SCO says there's 'substantial doubt' it will survive
With its cash reserves running out and its legal case against IBM Corp. unravelling, The SCO Group Inc. now says there is doubt that it will remain afloat.


IN THE NEWS
_______________

IBM scores 'Symphony' as free online Office rival
IBM Corp. has spun out productivity software included in the latest version of Lotus Notes as a free stand-alone suite to compete with Microsoft Corp.'s Office productivity suite.

With Microsoft ruling, a precedent for IT in Europe
Microsoft suffered a humiliating legal defeat Monday when it lost a court appeal to overturn the European Commission's 2004 antitrust ruling against it.

AMD tries to upstage Intel with triple-core processor
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. added a triple-core desktop processor to its product road map on Monday, looking to upstage rival Intel Corp. ahead of its Intel Developer Forum (IDF) conference in San Francisco this week.

Google adds presentations app to hosted suite
Google Inc. plans to add a presentations application to its Web applications suite on Tuesday, delivering on a promise made in April. The suite, until now known as Docs & Spreadsheets, will also be renamed Google Docs on Monday.

New York Times to stop charging for online content
Two years after The New York Times Co. started charging for access to some content on its Web site, the Gray Lady is changing tack and will make the content available for free.

Powerset seeks help online for natural search
Powerset, a startup building a search engine that understands ideas rather than just words, has opened an online lab to tap into the brainpower of a limited number of humans.


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!

AMD tries to upstage Intel with triple-core processor ... Microsoft ruling sets precedent in Europe ... Bankruptcy delays SCO-Novell trial

TOP STORY
_________________

Microsoft loses appeal against E.U. antitrust ruling
Microsoft Corp. failed Monday in its bid to overturn a European Commission antitrust ruling against it, when the European Union's second highest court dismissed the company's appeal and ordered it to pay the bulk of the Commission's legal expenses.

With Microsoft ruling, a precedent for IT in Europe

Ruling renews hope for developers

EC wins appeal, but Microsoft dominates market


IN THE NEWS
___________________

E-card industry gets the message from fraudsters
The e-card industry began seeing some pretty unfriendly greetings this past June when scammers started flooding e-mail in-boxes with fake greeting cards, trying to trick victims into clicking on links that would send them to malicious Web sites.

AMD tries to upstage Intel with triple-core processor
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. added a triple-core desktop processor to its product road map on Monday, looking to upstage rival Intel Corp. ahead of its Intel Developer Forum (IDF) conference in San Francisco this week.

Sprint launches home cells to boost signals
Underdog mobile operator Sprint Nextel Corp. quietly rolled out an emerging technology on Monday to give customers a strong cellular signal and flat-rate calling at home.

Yahoo to buy Zimbra
Yahoo Inc. has agreed to buy Zimbra Inc., a privately held company whose Web hosted collaboration and messaging suite is considered a successful example of the software-as-a-service model (SAAS).

SCO bankruptcy filing delays start of SCO-Novell trial
The start of Monday's scheduled trial between The SCO Group Inc. and Novell Inc. has been postponed indefinitely because of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization SCO announced on Friday.

TD Ameritrade breach may have occured a year ago
The data breach that exposed the names and contact information of the more than 6.2 million customers of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. may have occurred as far back as a year ago -- and possibly even earlier than that.

Microsoft to integrate Windows Live tools into Visual Studio
Microsoft Corp. is planning to add the ability to develop Windows Live applications to its Visual Studio toolkit as a way to build more of a developer base for its online services platform.

Clearwire trials portable wireless service in Seattle
The next generation of portable wireless Internet access is available in Seattle through a Clearwire trial service. continue

Yahoo takes on Facebook, MySpace with Mash
Yahoo is playing catch-up in the social networking market to Facebook and MySpace, but the company isn't giving up yet. Yahoo quietly began inviting people to its new site called Mash.

Privacy groups: Google's call for standard not enough
The U.S. government still needs to block or impose conditions on Google Inc.'s acquisition of online advertising server DoubleClick Inc., despite Google's call for global privacy standards, three privacy groups said Monday.


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
___________________

Earth safe from future solar expansion
All good things come to an end, and most people know that our planet will be swallowed by the sun in a few billion years when it becomes a red giant. But astronomers have found an exosolar planet that survived a similar stellar expansion, indicating that we may be able to batten down the hatches and ride it out.

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
___________________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

EC wins appeal, but Microsoft dominates market ... T-Mobile buys wireless operator SunCom ... Wikis hit the streets

TOP STORY
_________________

EC wins appeal, but Microsoft dominates market
The European Commission won an appeals court challenge from Microsoft Corp. on Monday, but its 2004 antitrust decision has done little to change the competitive landscape for media players in Europe


IN THE NEWS
___________________

Microsoft loses appeal against E.U. antitrust ruling
Microsoft Corp. failed Monday in its bid to overturn a European Commission antitrust ruling against it, when the European Union's second highest court dismissed the company's appeal and ordered it to pay the bulk of the Commission's legal expenses.

T-Mobile buys wireless operator SunCom for $2.4 billion
Expanding its U.S. turf, T-Mobile USA Inc. announced Monday that it will buy SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. for $2.4 billion in cash and assumed debt.

Former sales rep convicted for E-Rate fraud
A California woman who had positions with two tech vendors has been convicted on 22 counts related to fraud, collusion and conspiracy in connection with E-Rate projects at schools in seven states.

Nokia buys mobile advertising company
Nokia Corp. intends to boost its mobile ad business through the acquisition of Enpocket, which provides cell phone marketing technology and services to advertisers, Web publishers and carriers.

Symantec: Bank account details fetch $400 online
Stolen bank account numbers are commanding the highest price in an underground trade of personal details stolen by hackers, according to a survey released Monday by security vendor Symantec Corp.

Barracuda buys Web security vendor NetContinuum
Barracuda Networks Inc. has acquired NetContinuum, a vendor of Web firewall appliances. Barracuda already sells Web filtering devices that prevent Web surfers from visiting malicious sites, but the NetContinuum products can be used to protect Web sites themselves.

AOL unveils unified ad platform, heads for NYC
AOL LLC has integrated its various ad networks into a single platform which it hopes will jumpstart its online advertising business, whose weak growth in the second quarter has led to sharp criticism of this Time Warner Inc. subsidiary.

Report: OLPC's '$100 laptop' now costs $188
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has raised the price of its XO laptop to $188, according to an Associated Press report.

Business Objects offers BI software on-demand
Business Objects SA has started to roll out a full suite of business intelligence (BI) software in the form of an online service, initially for customers using Salesforce.com Inc. applications.


WINDOWS TIP
___________________

Widening Outlook search
By Mitch Tulloch

By default, when I type a search query into the Instant Search box in Outlook 2007, it searches the contents of the current folder only. So if I'm reading emails in my Inbox and I type the word "test" in the search box, the search results will display any emails in my Inbox that have the word "test" in the subject, in the From field, or in the message body.

What if I want to find such messages in any message folder and not just my current folder?



OPINION
___________________

Wikis, the Semantic Web head to the streets
While drivers are accustomed to using traffic reports to assess road conditions, pedestrians who navigate cities are typically left without aid to determine the best route. But researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology using wikis and the Semantic Web look to change the way people map and navigate their cities.


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
___________________

Is the kilogram shrinking?
The kilogram is one of the few units of measure based on an actual phyisical object: a cylinder made of platinum and iridium, kept under triple-locked protection in Sevres, France. But the reference kilogram now weighs 50 micrograms less than copies that were made at the same time and are stored elsewhere. Is the kilogram shrinking -- or are the copies somehow becoming more massive?

Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.


POLL
___________________

How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language
station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History
Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Enter your vote now!

SCO seeks bankruptcy protection ... Widening Outlook search ... Top 10 Wikipedia tricks

TOP STORY
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SCO seeks bankruptcy protection
With its cash reserves running out, the SCO Group Inc. has filed for bankruptcy protection.


IN THE NEWS
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Google applauds ISO vote, voices OOXML concerns
Google Inc., which has been less vocal than some on the furor surrounding the standards process for Microsoft Corp.'s Office Open XML, came out Friday in support of the ISO's decision to reject the specification.

Silicon Valley wireless nears crunch time
Backers of a massive wireless network for California's Silicon Valley have yet to build promised test networks or complete a model agreement for local governments, but at least one executive expects those to be finished by year's end.

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.

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.

Intel to buy digital-media software maker Havok
Intel Corp. will buy Havok Inc., a provider of software and services used by videogame creators and movie special-effects teams, the company said Friday.


WINDOWS TIP
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Widening Outlook Search
By Mitch Tulloch

By default, when I type a search query into the Instant Search box in Outlook 2007, it searches the contents of the current folder only. So if I'm reading emails in my Inbox and I type the word "test" in the search box, the search results will display any emails in my Inbox that have the word "test" in the subject, in the From field, or in the message body.

What if I want to find such messages in any message folder and not just my current folder? Continue...


ITWHIRLED
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She's a 10

- Top 10 Wikipedia tricks
- Top 10 essential tech skills for the modern man
- 10 reasons not to buy an iPhone (at least, not yet)
- Top 10 tips for managing software piracy

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GADGET GIVEAWAY
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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!


TODAY'S POLL
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How many channels are available on your TV?

- I've got a tricked-out satellite dish grabbing every English-language station, plus soccer from Serbia
- I've got your top-of-the-line digital cable package
- I've just got basic cable - can't live without ESPN and the History Channel
- On a clear day, my bunny ears can pick up CBS and NBC
- You know you can get all that on the Internet now, right?

Answer this poll