AT&T yanks iPhone free Wi-Fi info from site

Only hours after posting information that indicated iPhone owners would receive free access to AT&T's public wireless hotspots, the company pulled all references to the service from its Web site. ...continue reading 'AT&T yanks iPhone free Wi-Fi info from site'

Microsoft reportedly inquiring about Facebook's availability

In the wake of collapsed talks with Yahoo, Microsoft reportedly is sniffing around social-networking site Facebook as a possible acquisition target, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Neither company would comment on the rumor, and the Journal reported there are no active talks between the two. ...continue reading 'Microsoft reportedly inquiring about Facebook's availability'

MySpace makes data portability move

Responding to the momentum around data portability, MySpace has launched its own 'Data Availability' effort with big-name partners Yahoo, eBay, Twitter and fellow News Corp. unit Photobucket. ...continue reading 'MySpace makes data portability move'

Google grilled on human rights

Google's shareholders, following the advice of the board, voted down two proposals on Thursday that would have compelled the search giant to change its human rights policies, but the issue dominated the company's annual shareholder meeting nevertheless. ...continue reading 'Google grilled on human rights'

Four Microsoft security patches due next week

Microsoft plans to fix critical bugs in its Word, Publisher and Jet database software next week. ...continue reading 'Four Microsoft security patches due next week'

Facebook partners with AGs for kids' safety

Facebook is following in the footsteps of its rival MySpace by reaching an online safety agreement with the attorneys general of 49 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. ...continue reading 'Facebook partners with AGs for kids' safety'

Microsoft adds $3 million to small-business subsidies

Microsoft has invested several million more dollars into an incentive program it recently unveiled for small businesses, hoping to make it easier for customers in that market to run their businesses using Microsoft products. ...continue reading 'Microsoft adds $3 million to small-business subsidies'

Broadband group: Some P-to-P blocking reasonable

Broadband providers are engaging in reasonable network management when they slow their customers' access to P-to-P (peer-to-peer) networks, a representative of the cable industry told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday. ...continue reading 'Broadband group: Some P-to-P blocking reasonable'

Windows XP SP3 released after delay

Microsoft Tuesday released the third service pack for Windows XP to the Web after last week delaying its scheduled release because of an incompatibility with one of its other software applications. It also resumed automatic distribution of Windows Vista, Service Pack 1 (SP1), which had been halted because of a similar problem. ...continue reading 'Windows XP SP3 released after delay'

Trojan adware hiding in MP3s, McAfee says

Security vendor McAfee reported Tuesday that it's seen a huge spike in fake MP3 files spreading on peer-to-peer networks. Although the files have names that make them look like audio recordings, they're really Trojan horse programs that try to install a shoddy media player and adware on your computer. ...continue reading 'Trojan adware hiding in MP3s, McAfee says'

Broadband group: Some P-to-P blocking reasonable

Broadband providers are engaging in reasonable network management when they slow their customers' access to P-to-P (peer-to-peer) networks, a representative of the cable industry told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday. ...continue reading 'Broadband group: Some P-to-P blocking reasonable'

Google puts open-source project back up

Google has reinstated an open-source project just days after pulling it in response to a copyright-related takedown notice. ...continue reading 'Google puts open-source project back up'

Microsoft GM to Yahoo: Good-bye to you

While Yahoo would have given Microsoft's Internet business an immediate boost, Microsoft has closed that chapter and is focused on moving forward, a Microsoft official said Tuesday. ...continue reading 'Microsoft GM to Yahoo: Good-bye to you'

Yahoo CEO still open to higher Microsoft bid

Facing shareholder ire and a plunging stock price, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang said Yahoo board members would still sell the company to Microsoft or another suitor if the price is right. ...continue reading 'Yahoo CEO still open to higher Microsoft bid'

HTC beats Apple to 3G with Microsoft-based iPhone rival

High Tech Computer announced the HTC Touch Diamond on Tuesday, a smartphone running Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and with a touch screen designed for one-handed use. ...continue reading 'HTC beats Apple to 3G with Microsoft-based iPhone rival'

AMD must double processor market share to survive

Advanced Micro Devices needs to more than double its share of the microprocessor market to survive, according to a brief filed by the company's lawyers in its antitrust lawsuit against Intel. ...continue reading 'AMD must double processor market share to survive'

After abandoning iTunes, NBC shows up on Zune

After a pricing spat with NBC to pull its video content from iTunes, the broadcaster has struck a deal with Microsoft's Zune online store. ...continue reading 'After abandoning iTunes, NBC shows up on Zune'

Yahoo faces shareholder ire over failed Microsoft bid

Two public pension funds from the city of Detroit plan to expand a complaint against Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and other members of Yahoo's board of directors, saying they failed to act in the best interest of shareholders in rejecting Microsoft's bid to buy Yahoo. ...continue reading 'Yahoo faces shareholder ire over failed Microsoft bid'

Vodafone and Telecom Italia to sell iPhone in Italy

Vodafone will sell Apple's iPhone in ten countries including Italy from later this year, while Telecom Italia will also sell the phone in Italy, the companies said in separate announcements Tuesday. ...continue reading 'Vodafone and Telecom Italia to sell iPhone in Italy'

SAP, IBM still chummy after BI acquisitions

Executives from IBM and SAP said the two companies won't fall out even though they now compete head-on in the market for BI (business intelligence) software, with their respective purchases of Cognos and Business Objects. ...continue reading 'SAP, IBM still chummy after BI acquisitions'

HP brings storage, servers into one rack

To help IT departments prepare for the coming onslaught of data, HP on Tuesday introduced a platform that combines storage and computing in one rack with a single file system and management console. ...continue reading 'HP brings storage, servers into one rack'

Yahoo shares take a hit on Monday

Yahoo's stock lost significant value on Monday, the first day of trading after Microsoft's decision over the weekend to give up on acquiring Yahoo. ...continue reading 'Yahoo shares take a hit on Monday'

Microsoft should sideline search, focus on strengths

Microsoft should consider putting its search-advertising endeavors on the back burner for now and attempt an end run at Google by trying to become a leader in the display-, video- and mobile-advertising markets, where no company is a clear leader yet. ...continue reading 'Microsoft should sideline search, focus on strengths'

Qwest drops Sprint for Verizon

Qwest Communications International will resell Verizon Wireless mobile service, ending a five-year deal with Sprint Nextel. ...continue reading 'Qwest drops Sprint for Verizon'

Google backs open-source CERT group

Google has thrown its weight behind a fledgling security reporting group for the open-source community. ...continue reading 'Google backs open-source CERT group'

Microsoft and Yahoo: Now what?

Microsoft's three-month courtship of Yahoo has ended but it changed both companies forever and neither can expect to return to the way they were. ...continue reading 'Microsoft and Yahoo: Now what?'

OpenSolaris ready for prime time

After working on OpenSolaris for three years, Sun now has a supported distribution, called 2008.5, available. ...continue reading 'OpenSolaris ready for prime time'

Yahoo's stock slides as US markets open

As expected, Yahoo's stock took a hit after the U.S. financial markets opened Monday morning, as investors react to Microsoft's decision over the weekend to give up on acquiring Yahoo. ...continue reading 'Yahoo's stock slides as US markets open'

Battery shortage should evaporate by Q3

A shortage of lithium-ion batteries currently hurting laptop computer shipments will likely ease in the third quarter, an executive said Friday. ...continue reading 'Battery shortage should evaporate by Q3'

Three HP user groups combine forces

The Hewlett-Packard user community now has a virtual supergroup, as Encompass, HP Interex EMEA and ITUG have consolidated into a single organization called Connect. ...continue reading 'Three HP user groups combine forces'

Google takes down open-source project after DMCA complaint

Google has removed an open-source project that enables the proprietary CoreAVC high-definition video decoder to run in Linux following a complaint from the codec's developer -- but the project could soon return. ...continue reading 'Google takes down open-source project after DMCA complaint'

Google requests open access pledge from Verizon

Google has asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to obtain a pledge from Verizon Wireless that it will honor the open-access conditions on a band of 700MHz spectrum before selling the spectrum to the carrier. ...continue reading 'Google requests open access pledge from Verizon'

Microsoft abandons Yahoo acquisition

Microsoft has dropped its three-month-long pursuit of Yahoo, ending a historic acquisition attempt whose failure takes Microsoft back to square one in its quest to boost its online business to better compete against Google. ...continue reading 'Microsoft abandons Yahoo acquisition'

Ballmer's withdrawal letter to Yang

The full text of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's letter to Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang concerning Microsoft's withdrawal of its acquisition bid. ...continue reading 'Ballmer's withdrawal letter to Yang'

Google's shadow hung over Microsoft-Yahoo deal

In the end, Google played a significant part in the undoing of Microsoft's bid for Yahoo, the latest example of Google's ability to interfere with Microsoft's attempts to boost its online advertising business. ...continue reading 'Google's shadow hung over Microsoft-Yahoo deal'

OLPC names new president, COO

The One Laptop Per Child Project appointed a new president and chief operating officer on Friday to run daily operations at the nonprofit effort, sending a signal that it could be recovering from the loss of top personnel over the past few months. ...continue reading 'OLPC names new president, COO'

100 e-mail bouncebacks? You've been backscattered.

The bounceback e-mail messages come in at a trickle, maybe one or two every hour. The subject lines are disquieting: 'Cyails, Vygara nad Levytar,' 'UNSOLICITED BULK EMAIL, apparently from you.' What's going on? Have you been hacked? Nope, you're just getting a little backscatter. ...continue reading '100 e-mail bouncebacks? You've been backscattered.'

Dell hurries to fix faulty laptop keyboards

Dell on Friday said it has stopped shipment of two Vostro laptop models in Europe after discovering a faulty keyboard design with a few keys out of place. ...continue reading 'Dell hurries to fix faulty laptop keyboards'