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
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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!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
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!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
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!
_______________
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!
Monday, September 17, 2007
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!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
SCO seeks bankruptcy protection ... Widening Outlook search ... Top 10 Wikipedia tricks
TOP STORY
_________________
SCO seeks bankruptcy protection
With its cash reserves running out, the SCO Group Inc. has filed for bankruptcy protection.
IN THE NEWS
___________________
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
___________________
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
___________________
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
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
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!
TODAY'S 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?
Answer this poll
Friday, September 14, 2007
Salesforce launches Web dev platform ... Verizon sues FCC over open-access auction ... Gadget giveaway: Swiss Army USB
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!
_________________
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!
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
Friday, September 07, 2007
Part of Patriot Act ruled unconstitutional ... Apple aims to placate angry iPhone users ... Seattle man arrested for P-to-P ID theft
TOP STORY
_________________
Judge strikes down part of Patriot Act
Judge Victor Marrero, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, ruled Thursday that the Patriot Act provision that allows the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain ISP and telecom subscribers' billing, calling and Web surfing records without court approval violates the U.S. Constitution.
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Seattle man arrested for P-to-P ID theft
Google to boost universal search effort
U.S. DOJ questions net neutrality rules
Apple to offer early iPhone buyers $100 store credit
Microsoft readies five September security updates
UNIX TIP
___________________
Looking at soft partitions
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com
Soft partitions provide a way to squeeze more than seven partitions onto a single disk on a Solaris system. First introduced into Solaris as a patch for Solstice DiskSuite on Solaris 8 and then bundled into Solaris 9 as a feature of Solaris Volume Manager, soft partitions provide a way to make more flexible use of the increasingly large disks showing up on Solaris servers. Prior to soft partitions, the maximum of seven partitions often had sysadmins weighing tradeoffs when setting up their systems. Which file systems demand separate slices and which can share disk space without running into problems? With soft partitions, sysadmins can pretty much set up as many partitions on a disk as they care to configure. If you are looking at the soft partitioning on a Solaris server for the first time, you may find the information concerning the configuration of soft partitions a little hard to digest.
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.
_________________
Judge strikes down part of Patriot Act
Judge Victor Marrero, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, ruled Thursday that the Patriot Act provision that allows the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain ISP and telecom subscribers' billing, calling and Web surfing records without court approval violates the U.S. Constitution.
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Seattle man arrested for P-to-P ID theft
Google to boost universal search effort
U.S. DOJ questions net neutrality rules
Apple to offer early iPhone buyers $100 store credit
Microsoft readies five September security updates
UNIX TIP
___________________
Looking at soft partitions
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com
Soft partitions provide a way to squeeze more than seven partitions onto a single disk on a Solaris system. First introduced into Solaris as a patch for Solstice DiskSuite on Solaris 8 and then bundled into Solaris 9 as a feature of Solaris Volume Manager, soft partitions provide a way to make more flexible use of the increasingly large disks showing up on Solaris servers. Prior to soft partitions, the maximum of seven partitions often had sysadmins weighing tradeoffs when setting up their systems. Which file systems demand separate slices and which can share disk space without running into problems? With soft partitions, sysadmins can pretty much set up as many partitions on a disk as they care to configure. If you are looking at the soft partitioning on a Solaris server for the first time, you may find the information concerning the configuration of soft partitions a little hard to digest.
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.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Apple cuts iPhone price, offers iPod Touch ... HP announces new gaming PCs, iPaqs ... Microsoft releases more Windows Media Extenders
TODAY'S TOP STORY
_________________
Microsoft releases more Windows Media Extenders
Microsoft Corp. is increasing the range of video formats that PCs running its Windows software can pipe to televisions around the home, with support for a new range of Extenders for Windows Media Center devices from hardware manufacturers.
NEWS
___________________
Nokia, Intel beef up new security appliance
Intel gets ready for Penryn, may release Silverthorne early
IBM touts server with embedded virtualization
HP announces new gaming PCs, iPaqs
Wikipedia blocked in China yet again
WINDOWS TIP
___________________
Rebuilding the Outlook search index
By Mitch Tulloch, MTIT Enterprises
If you're using Outlook 2007, and searching for a contact in the Outlook Contacts list, and coming up empty, try rebuilding the index on your machine. It worked for me. Here's how.
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.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
http://www.itworld.com/itwhirled/#poll
_________________
Microsoft releases more Windows Media Extenders
Microsoft Corp. is increasing the range of video formats that PCs running its Windows software can pipe to televisions around the home, with support for a new range of Extenders for Windows Media Center devices from hardware manufacturers.
NEWS
___________________
Nokia, Intel beef up new security appliance
Intel gets ready for Penryn, may release Silverthorne early
IBM touts server with embedded virtualization
HP announces new gaming PCs, iPaqs
Wikipedia blocked in China yet again
WINDOWS TIP
___________________
Rebuilding the Outlook search index
By Mitch Tulloch, MTIT Enterprises
If you're using Outlook 2007, and searching for a contact in the Outlook Contacts list, and coming up empty, try rebuilding the index on your machine. It worked for me. Here's how.
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.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
http://www.itworld.com/itwhirled/#poll
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Microsoft ties Windows Live services to Vista ... Apple puts Wi-Fi in iPod Touch ... Google slammed over YouTube deal in Thailand
In this issue:
* Microsoft ties Windows Live services to OS in updates
* Apple puts Wi-Fi in iPod Touch
* Press group slams Google over YouTube deal in Thailand
* Microsoft cuts Zune price as Apple ups ante for iPods
* Broadcom wins latest legal round against Qualcomm
* Debate rages over German government spyware plan
* NetApp hits Sun with patent-infringement lawsuit
* Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
TOP STORY
_________________
Microsoft ties Windows Live services to OS in updates
Microsoft Corp. is using the same tactic for its online services that made its Internet Explorer browser ubiquitous among Internet users. With new beta technology it's releasing Wednesday, Microsoft is tying its Windows Live services directly to its Windows OS
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Apple puts Wi-Fi in iPod Touch
Press group slams Google over YouTube deal in Thailand
Microsoft cuts Zune price as Apple ups ante for iPods
Broadcom wins latest legal round against Qualcomm
Debate rages over German government spyware plan
NetApp hits Sun with patent-infringement lawsuit
Motorola's goal: be boring
* Microsoft ties Windows Live services to OS in updates
* Apple puts Wi-Fi in iPod Touch
* Press group slams Google over YouTube deal in Thailand
* Microsoft cuts Zune price as Apple ups ante for iPods
* Broadcom wins latest legal round against Qualcomm
* Debate rages over German government spyware plan
* NetApp hits Sun with patent-infringement lawsuit
* Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
TOP STORY
_________________
Microsoft ties Windows Live services to OS in updates
Microsoft Corp. is using the same tactic for its online services that made its Internet Explorer browser ubiquitous among Internet users. With new beta technology it's releasing Wednesday, Microsoft is tying its Windows Live services directly to its Windows OS
NEWS UPDATES
___________________
Apple puts Wi-Fi in iPod Touch
Press group slams Google over YouTube deal in Thailand
Microsoft cuts Zune price as Apple ups ante for iPods
Broadcom wins latest legal round against Qualcomm
Debate rages over German government spyware plan
NetApp hits Sun with patent-infringement lawsuit
Motorola's goal: be boring
Cognos buys Applix for $339M ... Yahoo buys ad firm BlueLithium ... Intel releases quad-core Tigerton processor
In this issue:
* Cognos to pay $339 million for Applix
* Yahoo buys ad firm BlueLithium for $300 million
* Intel releases quad-core Tigerton processor
* Star student Cisco set to meet analysts
* Gateway to sell professional unit to MPC
* Serious flaw marks end of life for Bind 8 DNS server
* Dunes unveils SMB-ready virtual appliances
* Cisco brings out fast Wi-Fi 802.11n after all
* Oracle buys Bridgestream for employee role mapping
* A pack of pages
* The Software-as-a-Service Primer
* Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
TODAY'S TOP STORY
_________________
Cognos to pay $339 million for Applix
Business performance software vendor Cognos Inc. has agreed to buy Applix Inc., a developer of performance analysis software, and plans to integrate the companies' products by early next year.
NEWS
___________________
Yahoo buys ad firm BlueLithium for $300 million
Intel releases quad-core Tigerton processor
Star student Cisco set to meet analysts
Gateway to sell professional unit to MPC
Serious flaw marks end of life for Bind 8 DNS server
Dunes unveils SMB-ready virtual appliances
Cisco brings out fast Wi-Fi 802.11n after all
Oracle buys Bridgestream for employee role mapping
OPINION
___________________
A pack of pages
By James Gaskin, ITworld.com
While talking to some Xerox people about their printers using Solid Ink technology, they kept telling me about PagePack. At first I thought that was a clever marketing term for a ream of paper, but it's really their way to help companies manage and monitor printing costs by charging by the produced page. That's all you pay: a price per page, and for paper, and the price includes all supplies and support. This program applies to only certain copiers and printers, so check the details.
Read the full article here:
FEATURE
___________________
The Software-as-a-Service Primer
Rapid deployment, cost savings, and freeing up IT staff are just a few of the benefits of software as a service (SaaS), yet it is a trend that makes many CIOs nervous. As with Web 2.0 technologies and other Web-based applications, SaaS -- also known as Web-hosted or on-demand software -- takes control out of the IT department and puts it in the hands of an outside vendor.
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
NASA is going to be shooting the original light saber prop from Star Wars into space! All well and good ... but did we really need Chewbacca to hand the thing over to NASA at Oakland Airport? Or a cordon of Stormtroopers to escort it in Houston?
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
Answer this poll
* Cognos to pay $339 million for Applix
* Yahoo buys ad firm BlueLithium for $300 million
* Intel releases quad-core Tigerton processor
* Star student Cisco set to meet analysts
* Gateway to sell professional unit to MPC
* Serious flaw marks end of life for Bind 8 DNS server
* Dunes unveils SMB-ready virtual appliances
* Cisco brings out fast Wi-Fi 802.11n after all
* Oracle buys Bridgestream for employee role mapping
* A pack of pages
* The Software-as-a-Service Primer
* Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
TODAY'S TOP STORY
_________________
Cognos to pay $339 million for Applix
Business performance software vendor Cognos Inc. has agreed to buy Applix Inc., a developer of performance analysis software, and plans to integrate the companies' products by early next year.
NEWS
___________________
Yahoo buys ad firm BlueLithium for $300 million
Intel releases quad-core Tigerton processor
Star student Cisco set to meet analysts
Gateway to sell professional unit to MPC
Serious flaw marks end of life for Bind 8 DNS server
Dunes unveils SMB-ready virtual appliances
Cisco brings out fast Wi-Fi 802.11n after all
Oracle buys Bridgestream for employee role mapping
OPINION
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A pack of pages
By James Gaskin, ITworld.com
While talking to some Xerox people about their printers using Solid Ink technology, they kept telling me about PagePack. At first I thought that was a clever marketing term for a ream of paper, but it's really their way to help companies manage and monitor printing costs by charging by the produced page. That's all you pay: a price per page, and for paper, and the price includes all supplies and support. This program applies to only certain copiers and printers, so check the details.
Read the full article here:
FEATURE
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The Software-as-a-Service Primer
Rapid deployment, cost savings, and freeing up IT staff are just a few of the benefits of software as a service (SaaS), yet it is a trend that makes many CIOs nervous. As with Web 2.0 technologies and other Web-based applications, SaaS -- also known as Web-hosted or on-demand software -- takes control out of the IT department and puts it in the hands of an outside vendor.
ITWHIRLED
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Huge furry creature wields weapon at airport, security uninterested
NASA is going to be shooting the original light saber prop from Star Wars into space! All well and good ... but did we really need Chewbacca to hand the thing over to NASA at Oakland Airport? Or a cordon of Stormtroopers to escort it in Houston?
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
___________________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
Answer this poll
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
ISO members reject OOXML format ... Oracle to buy Netsure ... 'Stupid' vulnerabilities found in Oracle 11g
In this issue:
* ISO votes to reject Microsoft's OOXML as standard
* E-mail system attack caused no damage, DOD says
* Oracle to buy network intelligence company Netsure
* DRAM finally finds a home in mobile phones
* HITB: Expert finds 'stupid' vulnerabilities in Oracle 11g
* Free gift offers dupe users into giving personal data
* Second Life gold rush hits a few snags
* Poll: What was the first computer you ever owned?
TODAY'S TOP STORY
_________________
ISO votes to reject Microsoft's OOXML as standard
Microsoft Corp. has failed in its attempt to have its Office Open XML document format fast-tracked straight to the status of an international standard by the International Organization for Standardization.
NEWS
___________________
E-mail system attack caused no damage, DOD says
Oracle to buy network intelligence company Netsure
DRAM finally finds a home in mobile phones
HITB: Expert finds 'stupid' vulnerabilities in Oracle 11g
Free gift offers dupe users into giving personal data
OPINION
___________________
YouTube and advertising: Accepting the inevitable
By Dan Blacharski, ITworld.com
You wanna play, you gotta pay. YouTube has ads on videos now, a common-sense move that long-term is the only way for sites like these to survive. Fortunately for YouTube users, the “pay” end of the deal is that you have to give YouTube advertisers your eyeballs for a few seconds.
UNIX TIP
___________________
Using netgroups to share files
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com
Solaris and other SVR4 versions of Unix provide file sharing through
NFS and the /etc/dfs/dfstab file. The syntax of this particular file
permits you to restrict file system sharing to a limited number of
hosts or to share file systems with no restrictions whatsoever.
Restricting file systems to a select set of hosts is particularly
important if you are permitting the client hosts to access the file
systems read/write and even more important if root on the clients will
have the authority of root on your NFS server.
You can specify the hosts that are permitted to mount file systems by
stringing them together in a colon-separated format with the share
command, such as this command which can be issued on the command line
or included in the dfstab file for a more or less permanent setup:
PODCAST
___________________
ISO members reject OOXML format
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Teen trades hacked iPhone for sports car, more iPhones
Everybody knew that George Hotz, the 17-year-old who managed to unlock an Apple iPhone so it could be used with carriers other than AT&T would do well for himself, but did anyone guess he'd do so well, so quickly? He traded the unlocked iPhone for a $38,000 Nissan 350Z - and, in case he regretted giving up the phone, he got three more of them to boot.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
____________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
Answer this poll
* ISO votes to reject Microsoft's OOXML as standard
* E-mail system attack caused no damage, DOD says
* Oracle to buy network intelligence company Netsure
* DRAM finally finds a home in mobile phones
* HITB: Expert finds 'stupid' vulnerabilities in Oracle 11g
* Free gift offers dupe users into giving personal data
* Second Life gold rush hits a few snags
* Poll: What was the first computer you ever owned?
TODAY'S TOP STORY
_________________
ISO votes to reject Microsoft's OOXML as standard
Microsoft Corp. has failed in its attempt to have its Office Open XML document format fast-tracked straight to the status of an international standard by the International Organization for Standardization.
NEWS
___________________
E-mail system attack caused no damage, DOD says
Oracle to buy network intelligence company Netsure
DRAM finally finds a home in mobile phones
HITB: Expert finds 'stupid' vulnerabilities in Oracle 11g
Free gift offers dupe users into giving personal data
OPINION
___________________
YouTube and advertising: Accepting the inevitable
By Dan Blacharski, ITworld.com
You wanna play, you gotta pay. YouTube has ads on videos now, a common-sense move that long-term is the only way for sites like these to survive. Fortunately for YouTube users, the “pay” end of the deal is that you have to give YouTube advertisers your eyeballs for a few seconds.
UNIX TIP
___________________
Using netgroups to share files
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com
Solaris and other SVR4 versions of Unix provide file sharing through
NFS and the /etc/dfs/dfstab file. The syntax of this particular file
permits you to restrict file system sharing to a limited number of
hosts or to share file systems with no restrictions whatsoever.
Restricting file systems to a select set of hosts is particularly
important if you are permitting the client hosts to access the file
systems read/write and even more important if root on the clients will
have the authority of root on your NFS server.
You can specify the hosts that are permitted to mount file systems by
stringing them together in a colon-separated format with the share
command, such as this command which can be issued on the command line
or included in the dfstab file for a more or less permanent setup:
PODCAST
___________________
ISO members reject OOXML format
More podcasts
ITWHIRLED
___________________
Teen trades hacked iPhone for sports car, more iPhones
Everybody knew that George Hotz, the 17-year-old who managed to unlock an Apple iPhone so it could be used with carriers other than AT&T would do well for himself, but did anyone guess he'd do so well, so quickly? He traded the unlocked iPhone for a $38,000 Nissan 350Z - and, in case he regretted giving up the phone, he got three more of them to boot.
Subscribe to the ITwhirled alert - weird tech news direct to your inbox.
TODAY'S POLL
____________
The first computer I ever owned...
* Ran Windows XP/Vista
* Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
* Ran Windows 3.x
* Ran DOS
* Ran OS X
* Ran the Classic Mac OS
* Was made by Commodore
* Was made by Atari
* Took up the better part of a room
Answer this poll
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