Hackers post iPhone upgrade reversals .. Palm's financial slide continues .. Microsoft buys Jellyfish.com

IN THE NEWS

Microsoft buys Jellyfish.com comparative shopping site
Microsoft Corp. has bought comparative shopping Web site Jellyfish.com, which gives its customers a cut of advertising revenue from retailers, offering a rebate on purchases made through the site.

Hackers post techniques for reversing iPhone upgrade
Owners of hacked iPhones have begun posting instructions on how to roll back a recent Apple firmware upgrade that rendered their mobile phones unusable.

Palm's financial slide continues despite smartphone gains
Palm Inc. hasn't yet managed to turn around its declining fortunes, posting a quarterly net loss of $840,000 on Monday.

Skype CEO steps down
Skype's co-founder Niklas Zennstrom has handed over his CEO title to become non-executive chairman of the board of directors of this eBay Inc. unit, whose impact on its parent company remains an open question.

Adobe releases developer updates to help AIR take flight
Adobe Systems Inc. Monday released updates for key developer technologies to a newly revamped developer site called Adobe Developer Connection, part of a larger strategy to promote its vision for taking rich Internet applications to the desktop through its Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR).

Former NetApp exec charged with embezzling $90K
Former Network Appliance Inc. executive Bernadette Escue is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court on Oct. 11 on a charge of embezzling more than $90,000 from the storage vendor

3Com acquisition good for customers, analysts say
Customers should feel little impact from last week's acquisition of 3Com by Huawei and Bain Capital, analysts say. If anything, users should be comforted that they are not dealing with a company distracted by shareholder scrutiny as 3Com will be taken private under the $2 billion deal.


WINDOWS TIPS

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". -- Mitch Tulloch

Annotating web content with JumpKnowledge

Pushing out Group Policy changes across a domain

Web filter blocks unwanted sites

Nokia spends $8.1 billion on mapping company .. Microsoft puts Office docs online .. FTC settles with spyware operation

IN THE NEWS

Nokia buys mapping service for $8.1 billion
Nokia Corp. has agreed to buy the digital mapping company Navteq for $8.1 billion, supporting a plan to add navigation capabilities to more of its devices.

FTC settles with alleged spyware operation
A Nevada company will pay $330,000 to settle a complaint from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that it hid spyware in other software consumers could download for free, the FTC announced Monday.

Microsoft puts Office on the Web, Adobe follows
In line with its software and services strategy, Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced new services such as Microsoft Office Live Workspace, a new Web-based feature of Microsoft Office that lets people access their documents online and share their work with others.

E.U. begins antitrust investigation into Qualcomm
The European Commission has begun an antitrust investigation of Qualcomm Inc. for suspected exploitative practices in the market for chipsets for mobile phones, it announced Monday.

San Dimas, eBay's desktop app, enters public beta testing
EBay Inc. will significantly widen the beta test for San Dimas, its PC application designed to let buyers interact both offline and online with the company's marketplace.

Adobe releases Media Player beta, boosts SaaS
Adobe Systems Inc. will boost its strategy of helping developers and users create desktop and Web applications that share a similar user experience at its Adobe MAX user conference in Chicago this week.

Fund to invest $25 million in Salesforce.com startups
Salesforce.com Inc. has launched a $25 million investment fund to encourage the development of new applications using its Force.com hosted development platform.

Adobe teams with Business Objects to fight Microsoft
Adobe Systems Inc. is teaming up with Business Objects SA to add business-intelligence capabilities to rich Internet applications (RIAs). The companies plan to announce a partnership at the Adobe MAX 2007 North America user conference, which kicks off Monday in Chicago.


UNIX TIP

Recovering from a fatal error: Lost libgen.so.1
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com

Unix vets know that it is possible to recover from fatal errors. A recent example is when a sysadmin accidentally zeroed out a file named /usr/lib/libgen.so.1. This file is used for string pattern matching and pathname manipulation. When you don't have this shared library on a system, you will get errors such as this. Read the full article here.


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
Nokia spends $8.1 billion on mapping company ... Microsoft puts Office docs online ... Japan earthquake warning system launches

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

Texas teen finds herself on Australian billboard, thanks to Flickr
When you put a picture up on Flickr with a Creative Commons license, do you know what that means, exactly? Among other things, it means that companies can use it in their advertising without paying you, or even consulting the people in the pictures. That's how Alison Chang of Dallas ended up on ads in bus shelters in Melbourne, Australia. Naturally, the lawyers are getting involved.


POLL

Have you ever been fired?

* Nope - I've been at the same job my whole working life
* Nope - I've always left on my terms
* Well, I've been part of mass layoffs, but I've never been singled out
* Yes, but I've grown as an employee since then
* Yes, due to personality conflicts with the boss
* I am unemployable

Vote now!

Gap contractor blamed for data breach .. Internet tax bill stalls .. SCO gets reprieve from Nasdaq

IN THE NEWS

Powerline networking groups connect their standards
Fast in-home networks over electrical wires got a boost on Friday as proponents of two rival technologies merged their approaches and said products already in the market will work together.

Gap contractor blamed for data breach
An unnamed contractor is being blamed for a data breach at Gap Inc. that has compromised the data of about 800,000 people who applied for jobs with the U.S. clothing retailer.

SCO gets reprieve from Nasdaq
The Nasdaq stock exchange has given The SCO Group Inc. a little more time to get its financial house in order.

Huawei, investment fund to buy 3Com for $2.2B
Network equipment vendor 3Com Corp. has agreed to be acquired by associates of Bain Capital LLC and of Huawei Technology Co. Ltd. in a deal worth US$2.2 billion, 3Com said Friday.

Internet tax moratorium bill stalls
A U.S. Senate committee has postponed action on a bill that would extend an Internet tax moratorium after it expires Nov. 1.

Avaya shareholders approve private equity buyout
Avaya stockholders have approved the company's $8.2 billion acquisition by two private equity firms.

Internet blackout in Myanmar stalls citizen reporting
The loss of Internet access in Myanmar has slowed the tide of photos and videos shared with the rest of the world but people outside of the troubled country continue to use new media sites and other technologies to protest military activity in the Southeast Asia country.

EFF sues to uncover alleged telco lobbying
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) believes telecommunications carriers are pushing for an amnesty to protect them from lawsuits over alleged illegal wiretapping, and it is suing for the evidence.

Microsoft: Halo 3 caused 'minor' Xbox Live hiccup
If you were one of the few Xbox 360 owners who didn't buy Halo 3 this week, you were probably wondering why your game of Uno wasn't working properly. The answer, in a word, was Halo.


UNIX TIP

Recovering from a fatal error: Lost libgen.so.1
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com

Unix vets know that it is possible to recover from fatal errors. A recent example is when a sysadmin accidentally zeroed out a file named /usr/lib/libgen.so.1. This file is used for string pattern matching and pathname manipulation. When you don't have this shared library on a system, you will get errors such as this.

Read the full article here.


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

Texas teen finds herself on Australian billboard, thanks to Flickr
When you put a picture up on Flickr with a Creative Commons license, do you know what that means, exactly? Among other things, it means that companies can use it in their advertising without paying you, or even consulting the people in the pictures. That's how Alison Chang of Dallas ended up on ads in bus shelters in Melbourne, Australia. Naturally, the lawyers are getting involved.


POLL

Have you ever been fired?

* Nope - I've been at the same job my whole working life
* Nope - I've always left on my terms
* Well, I've been part of mass layoffs, but I've never been singled out
* Yes, but I've grown as an employee since then
* Yes, due to personality conflicts with the boss
* I am unemployable

Vote now!

SCO gets reprieve from Nasdaq ... Microsoft gives XP six more months ... Update breaks hacked iPhones

IN THE NEWS

Huawei, investment fund to buy 3Com for $2.2B
Network equipment vendor 3Com Corp. has agreed to be acquired by associates of Bain Capital LLC and of Huawei Technology Co. Ltd. in a deal worth US$2.2 billion, 3Com said Friday.

SCO gets reprieve from Nasdaq
The Nasdaq stock exchange has given The SCO Group Inc. a little more time to get its financial house in order.

Rival asks FCC to sanction Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless Inc. should be sanctioned and possibly barred from bidding in an upcoming spectrum auction for a violation of U.S. Federal Communications Commission lobbying rules, another wireless company has alleged.

Internet link raises visibility of Myanmar protests
The ability of citizens in Myanmar to keep connected to the world via the Internet could make a substantial difference to the outcome of the current protests taking place in the South East Asian country, dissidents living in Japan said on Friday.

Microsoft blogger accidentally leaks Office Mobile upgrade
A Microsoft Corp. employee on Thursday accidentally blogged about an upgrade to Office Mobile that shouldn't be available for another couple of weeks.

Google buys mobile social networking service
Google Inc. has acquired a mobile social networking start-up called Zingku Inc., the search company's latest move to provide more services through mobile phones.

New update breaks hacked iPhones
Users are reporting that a new update to Apple Inc.'s iPhone is making previously unlocked iPhones unusable.

Microsoft gives OEMs five more months to install XP
Microsoft Corp. is extending the time it will allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retail outlets to sell PCs with Windows XP as customers continue to balk on upgrading to Windows Vista.


OPINION

My PC has appendicitis
By Sean McGrath, ITworld.com

It recently struck me that the years have not been kind to all parts of what is known as a PC. There are bits of the PC that could disappear tomorrow without adversely affecting its performance. Kind of like the appendix. Humans haven't had a use for those things since we stopped roaming the prairies in our loincloths and chewing on switchgrass.


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
Apple update hits unlocked iPhones ... Microsoft gives XP six more months ... Microsoft blogger reveals Office Mobile plans

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

She's a 10

- Top ten laughably bad tech ads
- Top 10 villains you love to hate
- Top 10 programming concepts for librarians to understand

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Google buys mobile social networking service .. MS blogger leaks Office Mobile upgrade .. Top 10 programming concepts

IN THE NEWS

Google buys mobile social networking service
Google Inc. has acquired a mobile social networking start-up called Zingku Inc., the search company's latest move to provide more services through mobile phones.

Microsoft blogger accidentally leaks Office Mobile upgrade
A Microsoft Corp. employee on Thursday accidentally blogged about an upgrade to Office Mobile that shouldn't be available for another couple of weeks.

New update breaks hacked iPhones
Users are reporting that a new update to Apple Inc.'s iPhone is making previously unlocked iPhones unusable.

Microsoft gives OEMs five more months to install XP
Microsoft Corp. is extending the time it will allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retail outlets to sell PCs with Windows XP as customers continue to balk on upgrading to Windows Vista.

Apple does major bug-fix for iPhone
Apple Inc. has released its biggest iPhone security update yet, fixing bugs in the mobile phone's browser, mail client and Bluetooth networking server.

Microsoft, others protest Google's DoubleClick deal
Google Inc.'s proposed merger with online advertising server DoubleClick Inc. would create a giant that would control a huge portion of online advertising and hurt the Internet, opponents of the deal told U.S. lawmakers Thursday.

Nokia selling $25,000 Ferrari phones
Nokia Corp.'s exclusive Vertu subsidiary is selling a €18,000 ($25,400) phone in shops in Paris, London, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Palm rolls out new smartphone brand
Palm Inc. introduced a smartphone with a new brand aimed at a younger audience on Thursday.

Verizon reverses decision to block text messages
Verizon Wireless Inc. has reversed a decision to block text messages on its network from abortion rights group Naral Pro-Choice America after an outcry from net neutrality advocates and others.


OPINION

Apple Controls the Flow of iPhone Apps
By Dan Blacharski

The difference between Apple and Microsoft has more to do with strategic marketing and business model than technology.


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

She's a 10

- Top ten laughably bad tech ads
- Top 10 villains you love to hate
- Top 10 programming concepts for librarians to understand

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Windows stealth update blocks XP patches ... Cisco to buy call-center vendor Latigent ... IBM's Symphony downloaded 100k times

IN THE NEWS

Cisco to buy call-center vendor Latigent
Cisco Systems Inc. has agreed to buy Latigent LLC, a vendor of call center reporting tools, and plans to integrate Latigent's products with its unified customer contact center systems.

Verizon reverses decision to block text messages
Verizon Wireless Inc. has reversed a decision to block text messages on its network from abortion rights group Naral Pro-Choice America after an outcry from net neutrality advocates and others.

Live Search plays to its base
Microsoft Corp. thinks its Live Search can match Google Inc. in some areas now, but the company has been the underdog in search for so long it's not even trying to lure users away from its rival -- at least not yet.

Google picks ex-IBMer to lead expansion in Europe
Google Inc. has appointed a top IBM Corp. researcher to lead the expansion of its engineering group in Europe, the search company announced Thursday.

Microsoft's stealth updates stymie XP repairs
The contentious stealth update that Microsoft delivered to customers this summer blocks 80 patches and fixes from installing after Windows XP is restored using its "repair" feature, researchers said Thursday.

HP offers archive system for legal discovery
Hewlett-Packard Co., which had some well publicized legal troubles of its own not long ago, has unveiled a data back-up system to help other companies when they are hit with a lawsuit or regulatory audit.

Panasonic plans new Toughbook PCs, expects big growth
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic) is refreshing its Toughbook rugged laptop PC line and aiming for a big jump in international sales of the computers over the next three years.

IBM software to scan Chicago streets
The City of Chicago is developing a futuristic video surveillance system designed to scan city streets looking for everything from bombs to traffic jams.

Nokia adding WiMax support to products next year
Nokia Corp. plans to add WiMax connectivity to its N-series Internet tablet next year, the company said Wednesday.


OPINION

My PC has appendicitis
By Sean McGrath, ITworld.com

It recently struck me that the years have not been kind to all parts of what is known as a PC. There are bits of the PC that could disappear tomorrow without adversely affecting its performance. Kind of like the appendix. Humans haven't had a use for those things since we stopped roaming the prairies in our loincloths and chewing on switchgrass.


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
IBM's Symphony downloaded 100,000 times ... Dell goes carbon-neutral ... Nokia to add WiMax to products next year

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

Note to gamers: Take a break now and then, or risk death
A Chinese man who had been playing online videogames in a cybercafe for three days collapsed at his keyboard and was dead by the time paramedics arrived to revive him, according to the Beijing News. The other customers in the cafe fled en masse - perhaps because they suddenly realized the value of getting some fresh air once in a while.

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

New tools for iPhone hackers ... Questions remain about eBay info theft ... Dell sets 'carbon neutral' date

IN THE NEWS

New tools help hack into iPhone
iPhone hackers have some new tools now, thanks to HD Moore, one of the developers of the Metasploit hacking software.

Questions remain about eBay members' info theft
Questions abound over the posting of confidential information from eBay Inc. members on one of the vendor's discussion forums, a sinister incident that has many of the online marketplace's buyers and sellers worried.

Vonage gets partial remand in Verizon case
Vonage is downplaying an appeals court decision affirming an earlier verdict of patent infringement on two patents owned by Verizon.

Dell to go 'carbon neutral' by late 2008
Dell Inc. will neutralize its carbon emissions and become carbon neutral by the end of 2008, Chairman and CEO Michael Dell announced Wednesday.

FCC members call for national broadband policy
Two members of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission called for the federal government to create a wide-ranging national broadband strategy to help small businesses compete on a global level.

Microsoft will replace scratched Halo 3 discs
Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will replace discs of its Halo 3 Xbox 360 game that were already scratched when users purchased them.

Gmail zero-day flaw allows attackers to steal messages
Accounts on Google Inc.'s Gmail can be easily hacked, allowing any past -- and future e-mail messages -- to be forwarded to the attacker's own in-box, a vulnerability researcher said Tuesday.

Branches' bigger role drives Cisco roll outs
Enterprise branch offices increasingly need the same IT tools that the head office has, and Cisco Systems Inc. is set to unveil branch networking gear Wednesday to help fill that need.


SECURITY TIP

Five ways that software vendors can boost security
Is your software vendor doing everything it can to secure its products? As Sun Microsystems Inc. learned this week, there is always room for improvement.


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

Web comic of the week: Subterfuge
This ultramoody (and fairly graphic) comic provides an excellent neo-noir punch, one panel at a time. The dark, black-and-grey graphics evoke the days of Bogart, but the action takes place in some unspecified near-future dystopia. It starts with murder and can't end well...

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Symphony downloaded 100,000 times in first week .. Oracle-SAP trial date set .. AIM flaw could allow worm to spread

IN THE NEWS

IBM: Symphony downloaded 100,000 times in first week
People apparently are already tuning in to IBM Corp.'s Symphony. The company reported Wednesday that its free rival to Microsoft Corp.'s Office suite was downloaded 100,000 times in the first week of release.

Oracle-SAP court fight gets February 2009 trial date
Oracle Corp.'s lawsuit against rival SAP AG will move finally to trial on February 9, 2009 - almost two years after the suit was initially filed, SAP said Tuesday.

IBM begins another wave of SOA releases
IBM Corp. released SOA products for integrating software applications and improving business processes, and said more customers are starting to understand the SOA concept.

Researchers say AIM vulnerable to worm attack
A critical flaw in the way that the AOL LLC's instant messaging client displays Web-based graphics could be exploited by criminals to create a self-copying worm attack, security researchers are warning.

Dell to go 'carbon neutral' by late 2008
Dell Inc. will neutralize its carbon emissions and become carbon neutral by the end of 2008, Chairman and CEO Michael Dell announced Wednesday.

Fraud police buckling under mountains of data
Fraud investigators are struggling to cope with vast quantities of data sent to them by financial institutions, meaning some crimes may go uninvestigated or even unnoticed, experts said on Wednesday.


WINDOWS TIP

When the Clipboard Dies
By Mitch Tulloch

Windows Terminal Services is generally a solid platform to use in
enterprise environments but occasionally during a Remote Desktop
Connection session, my clipboard has gone wonky. Here's a quick work
around to the problem.


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
AIM flaw could allow worm to spread .. U.K. police say they have too much information to fight fraud .. Oracle-SAP trial date set

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

Web comic of the week: Subterfuge
This ultramoody (and fairly graphic) comic provides an excellent neo-noir punch, one panel at a time. The dark, black-and-grey graphics evoke the days of Bogart, but the action takes place in some unspecified near-future dystopia. It starts with murder and can't end well...


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Vote now!

Critical vulnerability found in Ask.com toolbar ... Frontline, AT&T appeal FCC auction order ... Microsoft wants part of Facebook

Critical vulnerability found in Ask.com toolbar
A vulnerability in Ask.com's toolbar for Internet Explorer could allow an attacker to take control of a person's computer, according to security advisories

Frontline, AT&T appeal FCC auction order
Several companies have challenged spectrum auction rules recently set by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, with Frontline Wireless LLC protesting that the auction of the 700MHz band to be auctioned in January could shut out small bidders.

EchoStar to acquire Sling Media
Sling Media Inc., developer of the innovative SlingBox TV-streaming device, is set to be acquired by EchoStar Communications Corp., which operates the Dish Network direct-to-home satellite TV service in the U.S., the companies said late Monday.

Sun launches first x86 quad-core servers
Adding spark to its Sun Fire line on servers, Sun Microsystems Inc. is expected to announced its first x86-based quad-core systems Tuesday.

Microsoft dates, prices Office 2008 for Mac
"Office 2008 for Mac" will be launched on Jan. 15 in the U.S. -- that's the first day of the Macworld Expo event planned for San Francisco -- and it will be launched in other major markets during the first quarter, the company said.

WabiSabi Labi aims to be more than an eBay for zero-days
WabiSabi Labi Ltd., a Swiss start-up that caused a stir with the creation of an eBay Inc.-like marketplace for software vulnerabilities, plans to offer an intrusion-detection system and will open up its auction site to a wider range of intellectual property, according to a company executive.

Pirate Bay hopes for action by Swedish police
Swedish police are expected to decide later this week whether a criminal case is warranted against 10 major music and movie companies over their alleged efforts to disrupt the Pirate Bay, one of the largest file-sharing search engines.

Single-chip 802.11n promises cheap fast Wi-Fi
Broadcom has put 802.11n wireless networking fast Wi-Fi on a single chip, which could make fast Wi-Fi cheaper in the New Year.


WINDOWS TIP
___________________

When the Clipboard Dies
By Mitch Tulloch

Windows Terminal Services is generally a solid platform to use in enterprise environments but occasionally during a Remote Desktop Connection session, my clipboard has gone wonky. Here's a quick workaround to the problem.


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
_______________

Husband and wife have anonymous online affairs ... with each other
You know the song: a man, disenchanted with his relationship, meets a Pina Colada-loving woman through the personal ads, only to find that he's been corresponding with his own girlfriend. A similar scenario played itself out online in Bosnia, where a husband and wife were having anonymous online affairs ... with each other. But when they met in person, things got ugly, fast.


POLL
_______________

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Vote now!

Microsoft releases SP1 beta ... Apple warns unlocked iPhones may become inoperable ... 10 laughably bad tech ads

TOP STORY

Microsoft releases SP1 beta to limited group
Microsoft Corp. released the beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 to a private group of testers, taking one step closer to the anticipated official launch in the first quarter of next year.


IN THE NEWS

Microsoft launches campaign against Google-DoubleClick
Microsoft Corp. has teamed with public relations and marketing agency Burson-Marsteller on a campaign to garner industry support for asking regulators to scrutinize and potentially block the proposed merger of Google Inc. and DoubleClick.

Apple warns unlocked iPhones may become inoperable
Apple ended its silence on unlocking the iPhone via third-party hacks with a warning Monday that unlocked iPhones may become inoperable.

Report: Microsoft seeks Facebook stake
Microsoft Corp. has approached Facebook Inc. in recent weeks proposing an investment that would give Microsoft a stake of up to 5 percent in the popular social-networking company, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

NY blasts Facebook over predators, subpoenas docs
Facebook Inc.'s safety controls and procedures are deficient and fail to properly protect minors from adult sexual predators in the company's social-networking site, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo charged Monday.

Report: EMC looking to buy online backup service
EMC Corp. may be set to close on a $76 million purchase of the Mozy online backup product from Berkeley Data Systems, according to a report in the TechCrunch blog.

Microsoft packaging scratching Halo 3 discs
Anecdotal evidence suggests that Microsoft special packaging is to blame for scratched Halo 3 discs on arrival.


GADGET GIVEAWAY

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED

She's a 10

- Top ten laughably bad tech ads
- Top 10 villains you love to hate
- Top 10 programming concepts for librarians to understand

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

Vote now!

DoubleClick launches mobile ad platform ... FBI investigates Unisys over U.S. gov't hack ... OLPC offers give one, get one

IN THE NEWS

OLPC offers give one, get one for $400
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) group has launched a program that will let U.S. and Canadian residents pay $400 for one laptop to keep and one to give to a child in a developing nation.

FBI investigates Unisys over U.S. government hack
IT systems integrator Unisys Corp. is under fire for allegedly failing to detect the hacking of U.S. Department of Homeland Security computers, an incident that resulted in data being sent to a Chinese-language Web site.

DoubleClick launches mobile ad platform
DoubleClick Inc. is expanding its advertising services for mobile phones, it announced Monday, as it continues waiting to find out if Google Inc.'s attempt to buy it will pass muster with regulators.

Verizon Business adds to service-level agreements
Verizon Communications Inc.'s Business unit has expanded its service-level agreement (SLA) options, allowing customers to invoke their SLAs on the last mile of their network connection, even in cases where Verizon doesn't own those pipes.

Chinese retailer Gome to sell Dell computers
One of China's biggest electronics retailers Gome Electrical Appliances Group will soon start selling Dell computers at its chain of stores across China.

Virgin drops Windows Media-based music download service
Virgin Group Ltd. will shut down its online music subscription and download service in the U.S. and U.K. next month, leaving one less competitor for Apple Inc.'s iTunes Music Store.

Check Point touts Skype blocking technology
Check Point Software has beefed up its enterprise security gateways, in an effort to protect corporate networks against the risks associated with IM and peer-to-peer application such as Skype.


STORAGE TIP

Getting more performance out of high transaction-rate databases
By David Hill, Mesabi Group

What seems to be the problem? Your organization may have an on-line transaction processing (OLTP) system with a high transaction rate. High transaction rate databases may place a high I/O resource demand on performance that may result in response times outlined in the SLA not being met, batch jobs take too long, etc. You'll need a solution. Here's what you need to know.


PODCAST

Daily IT News Audio Update
OLPC offers 'buy one, donate one' deal ... Microsoft, Philips test White Spaces device ... CCTV cameras don't solve crimes in London

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

For sale on eBay: One smallish European country, slightly used

Citizens of Belgium went to the polls more than three months ago, but the nation's squabbling political parties still haven't been able to agree on a new cabinet yet. Since nobody else seems to want to run the place, disgruntled Belgian Gerrit Six put the country up for sale on eBay. The company pulled the auction when someone placed a $14 million bid.

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


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

OLPC offers give one, get one for $400 ... Mobile Web developers irate at Vodafone ... Network General bought at discount price

TOP STORY

OLPC offers give one, get one for $400
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) group has launched a program that will let U.S. and Canadian residents pay $400 for one laptop to keep and one to give to a child in a developing nation.


IN THE NEWS

Mobile Web developers irate at Vodafone move
Mobile developers around the world are in an uproar over a change Vodafone Group PLC has made in the U.K. that dramatically decreases the quality of their products and that they fear could prevent new and innovative mobile services from reaching the market.

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

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

Zimbra users vexed by Yahoo deal
Zimbra Inc. customers appalled at the company's planned acquisition by Yahoo Inc. are speaking out, saying they are vexed by the deal and upset over its possible negative consequences.

SK Telecom spends on Helio as EarthLink steps back
Struggling EarthLink Inc. has stepped back from further funding Helio, its U.S. mobile joint venture with SK Telecom Co. Ltd., amid hints that the South Korean cellular carrier may become the majority shareholder.

Network General bought at knock-down price
NetScout is to buy Network General, the company behind the legendary Sniffer, for around $205 million in cash, stock and debt


UNIX TIP

Scanning your messages file for warnings
By Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld.com

Too often we sysadmins look through our messages files only when something has gone wrong on our systems and we need some clues that might help us piece together what has happened. Routine scanning or, better yet, intelligent extraction and summarization of important notices and warnings can help alert us to problems when they make their first appearance and sometimes avoid the worst repercussions of a problem on your systems. This article looks at a script that scans for warning messages, collects the text and frequency of appearance of these warnings and presents this information in digested form.


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

For sale on eBay: One smallish European country, slightly used
Citizens of Belgium went to the polls more than three months ago, but the nation's squabbling political parties still haven't been able to agree on a new cabinet yet. Since nobody else seems to want to run the place, disgruntled Belgian Gerrit Six put the country up for sale on eBay. The company pulled the auction when someone placed a $14 million bid.


POLL

Does the iPhone price cut change your mind about buying one?

- Not really - it's still too much for too little
- I'm holding out - it'll come down another $50 or so soon enough
- Now that it's in the sweet spot, I've got my credit card ready
- It sure made me change my mind about having bought one at the old price, I tell you what

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

IN THE NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


CAREER

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


GADGET GIVEAWAY

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED

She's a 10

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

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

TOP STORY

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


IN THE NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


OPINION

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

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

TOP STORY
_______________

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

May was not a good month for geeks in Estonia.

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

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

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

Read the full article here


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


PODCAST
___________________

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

More podcasts


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

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

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


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!

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

TOP STORY
_______________

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


IN THE NEWS
_______________

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


OTHER RESOURCES
_______________

Strategies to Secure Your Mobile Workforce
If your company uses mobile devices, don't miss this webcast series. Learn key strategies for protecting mobile data and devices, all while achieving compliance and controlling costs.


INTERVIEW
_______________

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


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

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

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


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!

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

TOP STORY
_________________

EC backs funding to salvage Galileo GPS project

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

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


IN THE NEWS
___________________

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


PODCAST
___________________

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

More podcasts


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
___________________

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

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


POLL
___________________

How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!

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

TOP STORY
_______________

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


IN THE NEWS
_______________

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


SECURITY TIP
_______________

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


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
_______________

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

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


POLL
_______________

How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!

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

TOP STORY
_______________

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


IN THE NEWS
_______________

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

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

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

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

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

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


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!

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

TOP STORY
_________________

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

With Microsoft ruling, a precedent for IT in Europe

Ruling renews hope for developers

EC wins appeal, but Microsoft dominates market


IN THE NEWS
___________________

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


GADGET GIVEAWAY
_______________

It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
___________________

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

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


POLL
___________________

How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!

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

TOP STORY
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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
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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
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Widening Outlook search
By Mitch Tulloch

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

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



OPINION
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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
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It's Fall, and we have a new gadget giveaway ... just for the heck of it. We've brought back the ultimate geek tool, the Swiss Army knife equipped with USB flash drive, LED light, and ballpoint pen.

Enter now for a chance to win!


ITWHIRLED
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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?

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POLL
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How many channels are available on your TV?

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

Enter your vote now!