Oracle offers $6.7B for BEA Systems ... Universal launches iTunes rebellion ... Top 10 genuine geek movies

In this issue:
* Oracle offers $6.7 billion to buy BEA Systems
* Universal rousing an iTunes rebellion, report says
* Wal-Mart eyes $287 million benefit from RFID
* Google vows to increase Gmail storage limit
* Microsoft adds event planning to Live services
* Opinion: It's Back to the Future For Windows XP
* ITwhirled: Top 10 genuine geek movies
* Poll: What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?
* Special to ITworld subscribers - Another giveaway!


IN THE NEWS

Oracle offers $6.7 billion to buy BEA Systems
Oracle Corp. announced on Friday that it has offered to buy middleware vendor BEA Systems Inc. for $17 per share in cash.

Universal rousing an iTunes rebellion, report says
The head of Universal Music Group is enlisting the support of other major record labels to launch a new music subscription service that will try to loosen Apple Inc.'s grip on the online music market, according to a news report Friday.

Wal-Mart eyes $287 million benefit from RFID
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. could increase sales by $287 million by fixing just a small portion of its inventory problems using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, and that could be just the start, an executive said Friday.

Google vows to increase Gmail storage limit
Google said on Friday it is speeding up the rate at which it adds storage space for its Gmail Web-based e-mail service due to the increased storage requirements for attachments such as photos.

Microsoft adds event planning to Live services
Microsoft Corp. is adding an event planning offering to its expanding Windows Live suite of services.

Tech group, broadcasters slug it out on white spaces
A technology trade group has accused U.S. television executives of conducting a "misinformation campaign" about wireless devices designed to operate in unused portions of the television spectrum.

Mobile Firefox likely to work on Symbian
Mozilla Corp.'s mobile Firefox browser, which the company said earlier this week is in the works, will likely be available for phones running Symbian, Windows Mobile and Linux operating systems, a developer working on the project said.

Tech CEOs seek U.S. immigration, regulation overhaul
The U.S. government should give emerging companies a break on regulation and change its immigration laws to encourage well-educated newcomers to stay, panelists said at a conference Thursday.

Wall Street Beat: Google, VMware, Business Objects shine
IT investor confidence in technology is gaining strength. This week, vendors as diverse as Google Inc., Business Objects SA and VMware Inc. led the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index to break the 2800 mark for the first time since January 2001, the second week in a row the market has hit a six-year milestone.


OPINION

It's Back to the Future For Windows XP

A long, long time ago, I can still remember how that software used to make
me smile.

That was back on Oct. 25, 2001, the day Windows XP arrived. That's just shy
of six years ago and we've had only one meaningful update since then,
Service Pack 2 in Aug. 2004. (I don't really count SP1 as "meaningful.") At
last, SP3 has appeared on the horizon, and for those of us who still rely
on XP to get the job done, SP3 is borrowing from the future -- from Windows
Vista, to be precise.

Perhaps by now you've read that news leaked this week about details of the
forthcoming release of Windows XP Service Pack 3, courtesy of a blog on
NeoSmart Technologies' Web site. ...continue reading 'It's back to the future for Windows XP'


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
Report of assassinated Russian spammer is a hoax ... Glitch means Tokyo commuters ride for free Friday ... Nokia Siemens transfers radio access R&D group to Wipro ... Listen now!

More podcasts


GADGET GIVEAWAY

Our gadget giveaway ends in just a couple of weeks. Don't wait. Enter now!


What's the giveway? A Swiss Army knife that includes a USB flash
drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen -- in other words, the ultimate geek gadget.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED

She's a 10

- Top 10 genuine geek movies
- Top 10 signs you're addicted to RSS
- Top ten lies a PR firm will tell you
- 10 illegal job interview questions

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


POLL

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

Pentaho advances open-source BI suite ... House panel votes to extend Net tax ban ... Hybrid hard drive works without Windows

IN THE NEWS

Pentaho advances open-source BI suite
Pentaho Corp. released an update to its open-source business intelligence software that makes it a more viable option for corporate users, industry analysts said.

House panel votes to extend Net tax ban
A U.S. House of Representatives committee has voted to extend an Internet tax moratorium for four years, but declined to make the tax ban permanent, as some lawmakers had advocated.

Hybrid hard drive works without Windows
New FlashMate hybrid hard drive technology has been introduced that allows data to be read, even when the computer is switched off.

Nokia Siemens transferring R&D group to Wipro
Nokia Siemens Networks BV will transfer its research and development (R&D) team, working on radio access technologies, to Indian outsourcer Wipro Ltd.

Microsoft unveils interoperability lab in India
Microsoft Corp. has set up a lab in Bangalore where industry, government and educational institutions can build test applications for their interoperability with open-source and other technologies.

.Asia registry to crack down on phishy domains
The registry for the new .asia TLD (top-level domain) plans to ban domain names that are consistently used for phishing sites

Indian outsourcers thrive despite weaker dollar
Despite fears that a stronger Indian rupee might hurt profits, Indian outsourcing companies continue to report robust growth.

Acer completes Gateway share purchase
Acer Inc. has acquired over 90 percent of outstanding shares of Gateway Inc., paving the way for completion of the deal.


CAREERS
_______________

16 Ways to Keep Your Best Employees - Without Breaking the Bank
Joanne G. Sujansky, PhD, CSP

In today's highly competitive business world, your employees have a lot of options. Here are some innovative ideas on how to keep them from seeking greener pastures.


PODCAST
___________________

Daily IT News Audio Update

Mozilla to develop mobile version of Firefox ... California's porn problems continue ... British Net users love social networking sites

More podcasts


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

Enter to win a Swiss army knife with USB

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!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

Woman left trapped in CT scanner for five hours; can super powers be far behind?
Many a comic book hero began the transformation from ordinary Joe or Jane into a lycra-clad superhuman with an accidental radiation dose. But the future of Elvira Tellez, who was left in a clinic's CT scanner for hours after medical technicians forgot about her and went home, will probably be less battling with robots from outer space and more malpractice litigation.


POLL
_______________

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

Microsoft to fix URI security flaw ... Mozilla to develop mobile Firefox ... 16 ways to keep your best employees

IN THE NEWS

Sony Financial Holdings shares debut in Tokyo
Trading of shares in Sony Financial Holdings Inc., the financial arm of Sony Corp., began on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday morning as the company completed Japan's largest initial public offering of the year to-date. ...continue reading 'Sony Financial Holdings shares debut in Tokyo'

U.S. trade body launches hard-disk drive probe
The United States International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into five companies after allegations of patent infringement in hard-disk drives. ...continue reading 'U.S. trade body launches hard-disk drive probe'

Microsoft to fix URI security flaw after criticism
Microsoft Corp. plans to fix a bug in the Windows operating system that has been blamed for a handful of critical vulnerabilities in Windows software. ...continue reading 'Microsoft to fix URI security flaw after criticism'

California state site can't shake porn problems
The Web site blamed for last week's Internet problems within the State of California has been taken offline after links to pornographic material reappeared on the site. ...continue reading 'California state site can't shake porn problems'

FTC targets spammers hawking weight-loss products
An international enterprise must stop sending unsolicited e-mail advertising human growth hormone (HGH) and weight-loss products using the hoodia gordonii plant under a court order obtained by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. ...continue reading 'FTC targets spammers hawking weight-loss products'

Nacchio appeals insider-trading conviction

Former Qwest Communications International Inc. CEO Joseph Nacchio has appealed his insider-trading conviction, arguing that he didn't have any internal warning that Qwest would miss its financial targets for 2001. ...continue reading 'Nacchio appeals insider-trading conviction'

Dell hands control of desktops to IT departments
Dell Inc. on Wednesday announced On-Demand Desktop Streaming, a server-based software, hardware and services offering that streams the OS, applications and data to diskless desktop clients over a Gigabit Ethernet network. ...continue reading 'Dell hands control of desktops to IT departments'

Small carriers: Spectrum auction rules will limit bids
U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules on a chunk of high-speed wireless spectrum to be auctioned in January may crowd out small carriers wanting to bid, representatives of small firms said Wednesday. ...continue reading 'Small carriers: Spectrum auction rules will limit bids'

'Flat IP' mobile networks face new security challenges
Data will flow more freely as mobile communications networks move towards a "flat IP" model, but developers and operators will face new security challenges, according to engineers gathered at the Freescale Technology Forum in Paris. ...continue reading 'Flat IP' mobile networks face new security challenges'


CAREERS
_______________

16 Ways to Keep Your Best Employees -- Without Breaking the Bank
Joanne G. Sujansky, PhD, CSP

In today's highly competitive business world, your employees have a lot of options. Here are some innovative ideas on how to keep them from seeking greener pastures. ... continue reading '16 Ways to Keep Your Best Employees'


PODCAST
___________________

Daily IT News Audio Update

Mozilla to develop mobile version of Firefox ... California's porn problems continue ... British Net users love social networking sites ...Listen Now!

More podcasts


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

Enter to win a Swiss army knife with USB

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!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

Woman left trapped in CT scanner for five hours; can super powers be far behind?

Many a comic book hero began the transformation from ordinary Joe or Jane into a lycra-clad superhuman with an accidental radiation dose. But the future of Elvira Tellez, who was left in a clinic's CT scanner for hours after medical technicians forgot about her and went home, will probably be less battling with robots from outer space and more malpractice litigation. Read more.

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


POLL
_______________

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

IE, Outlook, Word get critical bug fixes ... Supreme Court greenlights HP lawsuit ... First UWB chipsets get certification

IN THE NEWS

IE, Outlook, Word get critical bug fixes
Microsoft Corp. has released six security updates for its products, fixing critical flaws in Word, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer (IE) and the Kodak image viewer that ships with Windows. ...continue reading 'IE, Outlook, Word get critical bug fixes'

Google brings universal search to Search Appliance
Google Inc. will upgrade its Search Appliance with native support for enterprise content management (ECM) systems like EMC's Documentum, IBM's FileNet, Open Text's LiveLink and Microsoft's SharePoint. ...continue reading 'Google brings universal search to Search Appliance'

Supreme Court lets HP lawsuit move forward
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Hewlett-Packard Co. to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against Compaq Computer Corp., which HP acquired in 2002. ...continue reading 'Supreme Court lets HP lawsuit move forward'

Canonical chases deal to ship Ubuntu server OS
Canonical Ltd., the company that supports Ubuntu Linux, is trying to work out a deal with hardware vendors such as Dell Inc. to make Ubuntu available preinstalled on servers. ...continue reading 'Canonical chases deal to ship Ubuntu server OS
'

Google buys Finnish social-networking company
Google Inc. continued its acquisition spree with the purchase of Jaiku Ltd., a Finnish company that offers a social-networking service similar to Twitter. ...continue reading 'Google buys Finnish social-networking company'

AT&T buys high-speed wireless spectrum
AT&T Inc. has agreed to buy 12MHz of high-speed wireless spectrum from Aloha Partners LP for $2.5 billion, the company announced Tuesday. ...continue reading 'AT&T buys high-speed wireless spectrum'

Google delivers ad-supported video clips via AdSense
Web publishers that participate in Google Inc.'s AdSense ad distribution network will now be able to make money by offering ad-supported video clips from Google's YouTube video sharing site. ...continue reading 'Google delivers ad-supported video clips via AdSense'

3Com waiting for details of Bain/Huawei acquisition bid
Senior 3Com Corp. executives are waiting for the full terms of a US$2.2 billion acquisition bid to be made public, as several important details affecting the company's future remain unclear. ...continue reading '3Com waiting for details of Bain/Huawei acquisition bid'


WINDOWS TIP
_______________

I appreciate hearing from readers with cool tips. Here are three recent submissions. Please note that I haven't had a chance to test any of these tools, so they are presented "as is".
-- By Mitch Tulloch

Annotating web content with JumpKnowledge

Pushing out Group Policy changes across a domain

Web filter blocks unwanted sites


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
Scientists win Nobel Prize for hard-disk breakthrough ... Sony to offer cheaper PlayStation 3 ... First UWB chipsets get certification

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
_______________

Work computers and porn: Two great tastes that don't go together
Ohio state legislator Matthew Barrett came to a high school civics class to explain how a bill becomes a law, but his presentation began with an image of a naked woman. He claims that the memory stick he used was "a gift" and that he had "no idea" how the dirty pictures got on there. But he's in better shape than motivational speaker Michael Fortino, who brought his laptop into Best Buy to have it fixed -- with its cache of child pornography still on the hard drive. ...continue reading 'Two great tastes that don't go together'

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


POLL
_______________

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

Sun delivers first UltraSparc T2-based servers ... Hacker breaks into eBay servers ... Sony to cut PS3 price

IN THE NEWS

Sun delivers first UltraSparc T2-based servers
Sun Microsystems Inc. late Monday announced its first UltraSparc T2-based servers, which the company hopes will cut the number of servers required in data centers.

Price of DRAM falls 25 percent
A glut of DRAM (dynamic RAM) on the market and sluggish demand due to a holiday in China caused the price of the most widely used computer memory chip to fall 25 percent in a matter of weeks, DRAMeXchange Technology Inc. reported Tuesday.

Sony to cut PS3 price, launch new low-end model
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is launching a new, cut-down version of the PlayStation 3 in the hopes of boosting sales of its gaming console.

McAfee to buy SafeBoot for $350 million
Security software vendor McAfee Inc. will acquire SafeBoot BV for $350 million in an effort to expand its large-business product line, the company announced Monday.

Hacker breaks into eBay server, locks users out
A malicious hacker broke into an eBay Inc. server on Friday and temporarily suspended the accounts of a "very small" number of members, the company said.

Google, IBM promote 'cloud' computing at universities
Google Inc. and IBM Corp. have teamed up to offer a curriculum and support for software development on large-scale distributed computing systems, with six universities signing up so far.


WINDOWS TIP

I appreciate hearing from readers with cool tips. Here are three recent submissions. Please note that I haven't had a chance to test any of these tools, so they are presented "as is".
-- By Mitch Tulloch

Annotating web content with JumpKnowledge

Pushing out Group Policy changes across a domain

Web filter blocks unwanted sites


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
Woman to appeal $220,000 file-sharing penalty ... Hacker breaks into eBay servers ... McAfee to acquire SafeBoot

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
_______________

Harry Potter alert! The invisibility cloak is one step closer
Wouldn't you like to have a Potter-esque cloak that renders you invisible to all around you? Well, scientists at the University of Maryland may be able to help you ... so long as you're less than 10 micrometers in diameter. And two dimensional. OK, there are a few bugs still to work out...


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


POLL

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

Vonage settles Sprint's patent claim ... SAP to buy Business Objects for $6.78B ... VMware to release SMB virtualization kits

IN THE NEWS

SAP to buy Business Objects for $6.78 billion
SAP AG has agreed to buy Business Objects SA for about €4.8 billion ($6.78 billion), a surprise move that breaks with SAP's traditional strategy of avoiding large company acquisitions.

SAP and Business Objects explain strategy shifts
Executives from Business Objects SA and SAP AG each tried to explain Monday why their companies have parted with long-time strategies by agreeing to merge.

Vonage settles Sprint's patent claim
VOIP provider Vonage Holdings Corp. has settled a patent dispute with Sprint Nextel Corp. by agreeing to pay Sprint about $80 million, the two companies announced Monday.

VMware to release SMB virtualization kits by year end
VMware Inc. said Monday it will release three software packages by the end of the year to help small and medium-size businesses take on virtualization projects.

Yahoo holds Open Hack Day in India
Yahoo Inc. held Open Hack Day October 5 and 6 in Bangalore, India, in a bid to build an ecosystem of external developers familiar with the company's technologies.

MSNBC acquires participatory news site Newsvine
MSNBC Interactive News LLC has acquired Newsvine Inc., operator of a Web site that encourages users to link to their favorite news of the day, submit comments, and write their own stories.

Merchants say eBay ad programs drive buyers away
EBay Inc. has significantly boosted its advertising revenue since last year, but some sellers worry that the company's efforts in this area are driving potential buyers away from the online marketplace.


WINDOWS TIP

I appreciate hearing from readers with cool tips. Here are three recent submissions. Please note that I haven't had a chance to test any of these tools, so they are presented "as is".
-- By Mitch Tulloch

Annotating web content with JumpKnowledge

Pushing out Group Policy changes across a domain

Web filter blocks unwanted sites


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
SAP to acquire Business Objects ... iPod Nano catches fire in man's pants ... Microsoft spins off 'Halo 3' developer

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

George Takei gets to space ... in asteroid form
Star Trek's Mr. Sulu was very pleased to find that an asteroid -- 7307 Takei -- was named after him. "I am now a heavenly body," the ever-quotable actor said. "It came out of the clear, blue sky -- just like an asteroid."

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


POLL

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!

SAP to acquire Business Objects ... iPod Nano catches fire in man's pants ... George Takei gets to space

IN THE NEWS

SAP to buy Business Objects for $6.78 billion
SAP AG has agreed to buy Business Objects SA for about €4.8 billion ($6.78 billion), a surprise move that breaks with SAP's traditional strategy of avoiding large company acquisitions.

Motorola wins major Taiwanese WiMax contract
Motorola Inc. has won two contracts to supply WiMax wireless broadband networking equipment to a Taiwanese WiMax license winner.

MSNBC acquires participatory news site Newsvine
MSNBC Interactive News LLC has acquired Newsvine Inc., operator of a Web site that encourages users to link to their favorite news of the day, submit comments, and write their own stories.

BMC buying out configuration management company
BMC is set to announce Monday that it has closed a deal to acquire Emprisa Networks, equipping the management software maker with network device configuration technology that it will use to augment its IT process automation and business service management product suites.

Merchants say eBay ad programs drive buyers away
EBay Inc. has significantly boosted its advertising revenue since last year, but some sellers worry that the company's efforts in this area are driving potential buyers away from the online marketplace.

iPod Nano catches fire in man's pocket
The iPod contains a lithium-ion battery, which has a history of catching fire in laptops. Now, an Atlanta man says his iPod Nano caught fire in his pants.


WINDOWS TIP

I appreciate hearing from readers with cool tips. Here are three recent submissions. Please note that I haven't had a chance to test any of these tools, so they are presented "as is".
-- By Mitch Tulloch

Annotating web content with JumpKnowledge

Pushing out Group Policy changes across a domain

Web filter blocks unwanted sites


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
SAP to acquire Business Objects ... iPod Nano catches fire in man's pants ... Microsoft spins off 'Halo 3' developer

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

George Takei gets to space ... in asteroid form
Star Trek's Mr. Sulu was very pleased to find that an asteroid -- 7307 Takei -- was named after him. "I am now a heavenly body," the ever-quotable actor said. "It came out of the clear, blue sky -- just like an asteroid."

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


POLL

What was the first computer magazine you subscribed to?

- Portable 100
- Computerworld
- Macworld
- 80 Micro (the TRS-80 magazine)
- Wired
- Hi-Res
- Compute!
- Creative Computing
- PC Magazine

Vote now!