Ed Zander replaced at Motorola ... EFF: Comcast blocks P-to-P ... Google to make Street View anonymous

In this issue:
- Ed Zander replaced at struggling Motorola
- Google working to make Street View anonymous
- EFF: Comcast continues to block P-to-P
- Samsung in crisis following federal raid
- Government-sponsored cyberattacks on the rise, McAfee says
- Google to bid for 700MHz spectrum
- After winning patent suit, z4 sues Microsoft again
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

Ed Zander replaced at struggling Motorola
Ed Zander will step down as CEO of Motorola at the end of the year, as the company continues to battle declining revenue and profit.

Google working to make Street View anonymous
Google is thinking about changing its Street View map feature to protect the privacy of those who appear in its photographs.

EFF: Comcast continues to block P-to-P
Comcast continues to slow down customers' connections to some P-to-P (peer-to-peer) applications, using hacker-like techniques against its own subscribers, according to a report released by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

Samsung in crisis following federal raid
Samsung appears to be in deep trouble Friday, after 40 government investigators raided its key financial offices.

Government-sponsored cyberattacks on the rise, McAfee says
Governments and allied groups worldwide are using the Internet to spy and launch cyberattacks on their enemies, targeting critical systems including electricity, air traffic control, financial markets and government computer networks, according to McAfee's annual report examining global cybersecurity.

Google to bid for 700MHz spectrum
Google intends to bid on wireless spectrum in the 700MHz band when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission begins auctioning that resource in late January, the company announced Friday.

After winning patent suit, z4 sues Microsoft again
A company that was just awarded more than $140 million from Microsoft in a patent-infringement suit has sued the software giant again, this time for alleged infringements in Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Cloudsmith service pushes 'virtual distros'
A new company, Cloudsmith, has created a Web-based service meant to let developers access and exchange 'virtual distros' or custom configurations, of open-source software


UNIX TIP

File extensions and you
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld

It's good to have a resource available to help you identify the type of unusual files when you run across them or to learn a little more about the format of a familiar file type.


ITWHIRLED

20 worst VC investments
All those hilarious, cringe-inducing dot-com flops? They were getting money from somewhere, and we all know it wasn't from making a profit from their business. One venture capitalist discusses how VC fools and their money were parted.

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GIVEAWAY

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POLL

What's your current cell phone opinion?

- Confusing gewgaw
- Frivolous annoyance
- Necessary evil
- Fun plaything
- Life-affirming miracle gadget

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Google to bid for 700MHz spectrum ... Will iPhone use mobile data instead of GPS? ... 20 worst VC investments

In this issue:
- Google to bid for 700MHz spectrum
- iPhone to use mobile data instead of GPS?
- Privacy concerns prompt U-turn at Facebook
- Ed Zander replaced at struggling Motorola
- Cell phone battery didn't kill Korean worker, LG says
- Unix tip: File extensions and you
- 20 worst VC investments
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

Google to bid for 700MHz spectrum
Google intends to bid on wireless spectrum in the 700MHz band when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission begins auctioning that resource in late January, the company announced Friday.

iPhone to use mobile data instead of GPS?
There is speculation that Apple could introduce Google's 'My Location' technology to the iPhone, which has been criticized for lacking a GPS receiver.

Privacy concerns prompt U-turn at Facebook
Social networking site Facebook has modified a controversial service that broadcast details of its users' online activities outside the site to their friends, following complaints about its privacy implications. The service now requires users to opt in before their actions are broadcast.

Ed Zander replaced at struggling Motorola
Ed Zander will step down as CEO of Motorola at the end of the year, as the company continues to battle declining revenue and profit.

Cell phone battery didn't kill Korean worker, LG says
A South Korean construction worker reportedly killed by an exploding cell phone battery was actually killed in an industrial accident, reports said Friday.

HP, Acer beat up on Dell in Q3 PC rankings
HP expanded its lead over Dell in the overall PC market during the third quarter, while Acer snatched the number two spot from Dell in notebooks, market researcher iSuppli said Thursday.

Police raid botmaster blamed for 1 million infections
Police have raided the home of the alleged ringleader of an international group of cybercriminals said to be responsible for infecting more than one million computers.

Dell revenue rises despite U.S. consumer business fall
Dell experienced a drop in its U.S. consumer business, but managed to record revenue growth for the third quarter boosted by an increase in global notebook sales.

Google looks for help finding malicious Web sites
Google has created an online form designed to make it easy for people to report sites they suspect of hosting malicious code.


UNIX TIP

File extensions and you
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld

It's good to have a resource available to help you identify the type of unusual files when you run across them or to learn a little more about the format of a familiar file type. ...continue


ITWHIRLED

20 worst VC investments
All those hilarious, cringe-inducing dot-com flops? They were getting money from somewhere, and we all know it wasn't from making a profit from their business. One venture capitalist discusses how VC fools and their money were parted.

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


GIVEAWAY

Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!

More than just a T-shirt; it's a public service. This fantastically functional shirt displays loud and proud the current wi-fi signal strength. Enter for a chance to win!


POLL

What's your preferred investment strategy?

- Angel-funding promising startup
- High risk, high growth stocks
- Stock in reliable blue chip companies
- Professionally managed mutual funds
- Money market funds or CDs
- Canned goods and ammunition for my bunker

Vote now!

Microsoft releases SP1 for Exchange Server 2007

Microsoft has released the first service pack for Exchange Server 2007, but partners said the product can use even more improvements. ...continue 'Microsoft releases SP1 for Exchange Server 2007'

Police raid botmaster blamed for 1 million infections

Police have raided the home of the alleged ringleader of an international group of cybercriminals said to be responsible for infecting more than one million computers. ...continue reading 'Police raid botmaster blamed for 1 million infections'

AMD may build a chip plant in India, Ruiz says

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is warming to the idea of building a chip manufacturing plant in India, which would be a significant breakthrough for the country's high-tech ambitions. ...continue reading 'AMD may build a chip plant in India, Ruiz says'

Infineon-Siemens joint venture gets green light from EU

The European Commission gave German technology companies Infineon and Siemens the go-ahead Thursday to form a joint venture to produce bipolar high-power semiconductors, concluding that their combined strengths won't distort themarket. ...continue reading 'Infineon-Siemens joint venture gets green light from EU'

Silverlight 2.0 to launch early next year

Instead of labeling the next version of its Silverlight cross-platform browser plug-in 1.1, Microsoft will call it 2.0, and will release a beta version early next year, according to a corporate blog post Thursday. ...continue reading 'Silverlight 2.0 to launch early next year'

Zonbu launches barebones subscription laptops

Zonbu on Wednesday launched a subscription notebook PC that the company claims will free users from the hassle of computer maintenance. ...continue reading "Zonbu launches barebones subscription laptops"

Yahoo, Adobe to put online ads in PDFs ... Cell phone battery explodes in the night

In this issue:
- Yahoo and Adobe team up to put online ads in PDFs
- Cell phone battery explodes in the night
- Google service uses cell towers to locate users
- As ISPs choke file-sharing, users look elsewhere
- Verizon Wireless' open network earns praise
- Amazon's Kindle eBook Device Makes an Impact
- Robots, cockroaches join forces
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

Yahoo and Adobe team up to put online ads in PDFs
Yahoo and Adobe are partnering to allow publishers to run dynamically generated ads on PDF files posted on the Web or distributed via e-mail, opening up a new frontier in online advertising.

Cell phone battery explodes in the night
A New Zealand man was woken in the middle of the night when his cell phone battery exploded and burst into flames, the second exploding battery incident reported this week.

Google service uses cell towers to locate users
Google launched a location service for mobile users on Wednesday that doesn't rely on GPS.

As ISPs choke file-sharing, users look elsewhere
As ISPs constrict file-sharing services such as Bittorrent, new data shows that users are moving to file-hosting Web sites to avoid the bandwidth lockdown.

Verizon Wireless' open network earns praise
Verizon Wireless' decision to open its network to outside mobile devices and applications has won praise from several groups, including past critics.

Security risks of temp workers being ignored
Temporary workers have too much access to computer systems, exposing businesses to potential security risks, says a survey carried out by Websense.

Advertiser settles 'test it, keep it' charges for $650,000
The FTC has reached a $650,000 settlement with online advertiser Adteractive Inc. for its use of misleading ads offering free laptops, TVs and gaming systems.


BLOG INSIGHTS

Amazon's Kindle eBook Device Makes an Impact
By Dan Blacharski, ITworld

Amazon has some big marketing power behind it, and because its name has become synonymous with books, the company has a much greater chance of making a go of this than mainstream computer companies. Here's what the blogosphere has to say about it.


ITWHIRLED

Mad scientists convince robots, cockroaches to join forces

We all know that the humble cockroach will survive whatever apocalyptic disaster our technology and weapons will visit upon the earth. And we all know that sinister robots will one day outsmart us and rise up against humanity to bring that apocalypse about. Nevertheless, it seems to us that Belgian scientists' decision to forge an alliance between the robots and the roaches might accelerate the whole unfortunate process. ...read more

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


GIVEAWAY

Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!

More than just a T-shirt; it's a public service. This fantastically functional shirt displays loud and proud the current wi-fi signal strength. Enter for a chance to win!


POLL

What's your preferred investment strategy?

- Angel-funding promising startup
- High risk, high growth stocks
- Stock in reliable blue chip companies
- Professionally managed mutual funds
- Money market funds or CDs
- Canned goods and ammunition for my bunker

Vote now!

OLPC sued for patent infringement ... New tools drive Mac apps to Penryn ... Top 5 storage predictions for 2008

In this issue:
- OLPC sued for patent infringement
- New tools from Intel drive Mac apps to Penryn
- Business Objects to help SAP in new class of applications
- Web apps, Office among top security headaches, says SANS
- Top five storage predictions for 2008
- Toshiba, NEC collaborate on 32-nanometer chips
- Samsung develops RFID chip for mobile handsets
- Gartner: x86 servers gain as Unix shipments fall
- Samsung's dual-format HD disc player coming in December
- Rogue cell phone bedevils Iowa 911 operators
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

OLPC sued for patent infringement
A Massachusetts company has sued the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Association for patent infringement, charging the project with stealing its designs for a multilingual keyboard.

New tools from Intel drive Mac apps to Penryn
Intel upgraded its software development tools on Wednesday to help Mac OS X Leopard applications perform better on Intel's Penryn processors, suggesting the power-efficient chips may be offered soon in Apple Macs.

Business Objects to help SAP in new class of applications
SAP's acquisition of Business Objects will accelerate its strategy to bring to market a category of software called business user applications.

Web apps, Office among top security headaches, says SANS
Web-based applications and security holes in Microsoft products are among the biggest threats facing Internet users today, according to the SANS Institute.

Top five storage predictions for 2008
Hitachi Data Systems released its top five storage predictions for 2008, with data de-duplication rated the hottest and most innovative technology to hit the market since virtualization.

Toshiba, NEC collaborate on 32-nanometer chips
Toshiba and NEC Electronics will work together on advanced chip manufacturing technologies to help them continue the steady miniaturization of consumer electronics products.

Samsung develops RFID chip for mobile handsets
Samsung Electronics has developed an RFID (radio frequency identification) chip it hopes will turn mobile phones into more useful tools to tell people about the products and services they want.

Gartner: x86 servers gain as Unix shipments fall
As adoption of x86 servers increased globally, Unix-based server shipments witnessed a slowdown during the third quarter, a Gartner survey released on Monday said.

Samsung's dual-format HD disc player coming in December
Samsung looks ready to make good on its plan to release a dual-format Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD player in time for the year-end holidays.


ITWHIRLED

Rogue cell phone bedevils Iowa 911 operators
Under FCC rules, cell phones that have long been disconnected from any cell phone provider must still be able to call 911. That's exactly what one mysterious phone in Iowa keeps doing -- 400 times in one week, with nobody on the line. Officials can't find the phone or associate it with a real person, but by law must answer each and every call.

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


GIVEAWAY

Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!

More than just a T-shirt; it's a public service. This fantastically functional shirt displays loud and proud the current wi-fi signal strength. Enter for a chance to win!


POLL

What's your preferred investment strategy?

- Angel-funding promising startup
- High risk, high growth stocks
- Stock in reliable blue chip companies
- Professionally managed mutual funds
- Money market funds or CDs
- Canned goods and ammunition for my bunker

Vote now!

Dell upgrades workstation lineup ... Orange to offer unlocked iPhone ... Rogue cell phone bedevils 911 operators

In this issue:
- Dell targets the enterprise with new workstations
- Lotus Notes vulnerable to e-mail attack
- Orange to offer unlocked iPhone for €649 in France
- Verizon Wireless opens up network to outside devices
- Online shoppers spent $733M on 'Cyber Monday'
- Rogue cell phone bedevils Iowa 911 operators
- There's never an Office doctor around when you need one
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

Dell targets the enterprise with new workstations
Dell Tuesday upgraded its line of workstations, introducing a quad-core system that packs graphics and processing power that the company said is the highest level of performance available on its workstations.

Lotus Notes vulnerable to e-mail attack
A serious bug in IBM's Lotus Notes software could be used by attackers to run unauthorized software on a victim's PC, researchers at Core Security Technologies reported Tuesday.

Orange to offer unlocked iPhone for €649 in France
French mobile phone operator Orange will sell unlocked iPhones for €649 ($964), far less than the €999 that T-Mobile charges in neighboring Germany. The price falls to €399 with a special iPhone airtime contract of at least one year, the same as in Germany.

Verizon's move called an opening for industry
Verizon Wireless gave a boost to the whole U.S. mobile data industry with its plan to open up its network to third-party devices and applications, according to industry observers.

Verizon Wireless opens up network to outside devices
Verizon Wireless will open its network to outside mobile handsets, devices and applications by the end of 2008, the company announced Tuesday.

Lawsuit charges CRT makers with price-fixing
A class-action lawsuit was filed against six monitor manufacturers on Tuesday, alleging the companies of being a 'global cartel' involved in price-fixing of CRT monitors.

Webroot to buy service vendor Email Systems
Security software vendor Webroot plans to acquire Email Systems Ltd., a provider of e-mail and Web protection services.

Online shoppers spent $733M on 'Cyber Monday'
Online shoppers in the U.S. set a record for one-day sales on Cyber Monday, racking up $733 million in purchases, comScore Networks said Tuesday.


OPINION

There's never an Office doctor around when you need one
Joel Shore, ITworld.com

For many, the Microsoft Office 2007 experience has been, well, something that falls well short of bliss. For others, it is a breath of fresh air. It would seem I fall somewhere in the middle. ...continue


ITWHIRLED

Rogue cell phone bedevils Iowa 911 operators
Under FCC rules, cell phones that have long been disconnected from any cell phone provider must still be able to call 911. That's exactly what one mysterious phone in Iowa keeps doing -- 400 times in one week, with nobody on the line. Officials can't find the phone or associate it with a real person, but by law must answer each and every call.

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


GIVEAWAY
____________

Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!

More than just a T-shirt; it's a public service. This fantastically functional shirt displays loud and proud the current wi-fi signal strength. Enter for a chance to win!


POLL

What's your preferred investment strategy?

- Angel-funding promising startup
- High risk, high growth stocks
- Stock in reliable blue chip companies
- Professionally managed mutual funds
- Money market funds or CDs
- Canned goods and ammunition for my bunker

Vote now!

Dubai investment fund buys a stake in Sony ... New PSP sells a million ... Get bad grades? Blame your name

In this issue:
- Tracking down a reboot using DOS commands
- Dubai investment fund takes 'substantial' stake in Sony
- Did badly in school? Blame your initials
- New PSP sells a million in Japan
- Broadcom will pursue injunction against Qualcomm
- French gov't plans to disconnect content pirates
- Rap video by Singaporean officials becomes viral hit
- Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!


TODAY'S NEWS

Dubai investment fund takes 'substantial' stake in Sony
Dubai International Capital has bought a 'substantial' stake in Sony, the fund's first investment in Japan, it announced Monday.

Online holiday shopping starts strong in the U.S.
Americans flocked to Web sites to do holiday shopping over the weekend and spending was up on last year, according to several reports.

New PSP sells a million in Japan
Sony's slimmer and cheaper PlayStation Portable has struck a chord with Japanese shoppers racking up sales of 1 million units in its first two months on sale.

Broadcom will pursue injunction against Qualcomm
A U.S. court ruling has cleared the way for wireless chip maker Broadcom to pursue an injunction against rival Qualcomm over a long-running patent dispute.

French gov't plans to disconnect content pirates
The French government plans to extend measures to deal with digital piracy, cutting off the Internet connections of those suspected of illegal filesharing.

Rap video by Singaporean officials becomes viral hit
A rap video produced by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has attracted tens of thousands of viewers on YouTube, turning the four-minute clip into a viral hit.


TIP

Tracking down a reboot using DOS commands
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld

When one of only a handful of Windows servers that I manage dropped off my radar for a while, I wasn't sure what to think. I had been running an application, for which this system was the server and it stopped responding. When I tried reconnecting, it was clearly not available. The system was rebooting, but it took me a while to figure that out. How do I go about determining if a Windows server has rebooted?


ITWHIRLED

Did badly in school? Blame your initials
If you were a mediocre student, don't blame yourself for your bad study skills, or your teachers for failing to inspire a love of learning. Blame your parents for naming you Chester or Doris. Researchers at UC San Diego found that people whose first names begin with C or D are more likely to be C or D students. Those who had K as a first initial were more likely to be good pitchers ("K" being the baseball shorthand for a strikeout). ...read more

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NEW GIVEAWAY

Win a Wi-Fi Detector T-Shirt!

More than just a T-shirt; it's a public service. This fantastically functional shirt displays loud and proud the current wi-fi signal strength. Enter for a chance to win!


POLL

What's your preferred investment strategy?

- Angel-funding promising startup
- High risk, high growth stocks
- Stock in reliable blue chip companies
- Professionally managed mutual funds
- Money market funds or CDs
- Canned goods and ammunition for my bunker

Vote now!