Digital Business
at this morning's Google I/O 2009 opening keynote, Google gave away a new, unlocked HTC Magic to all 4,000 attendees. This phone was previously unavailable in the US. As you might expect, this move drew the biggest applause by far from the audience, but actually very little of the keynote was devoted to Android.
Psystar, maker of the the Open Computer, has filed for bankruptcy protection. ... "Debtor sales have been greatly affected by the decrease in consumer spending. The financial crisis has also caused creditors to tighten up their terms and become more demanding for immediate payment," the company said in a court document. Psystar also blames its partner vendors' own financial problems, which resulted in Psystar having to pay higher prices on parts. At that point, Psystar was unable "to turn a significant profit in each sale."
A revolutionary new search engine that computes answers rather than pointing to websites will be launched officially today amid heated talk that it could challenge the might of Google. WolframAlpha, named after Stephen Wolfram, the British-born computer scientist and inventor behind the project, takes a query and uses computational power to crunch through huge databases
Brad Beckstrom "Google should have explored using text messaging to gauge user response to radio spots. Many stations are using it to add a third dimension to radio allowing consumers to opt in to offers they want to receive by texting a keyword."
Guess what! Google is going to buy Twitter! No, Facebook's going to buy it! Or Yahoo--oh, wait, they can't afford it anymore. The latest and most absurd rumor, floated by Valleywag, suggests that Apple has been looking at buying Twitter, too.
Microsoft hopes you'll succumb to a Jedi Mind Trick: that you'll buy a netbook with a version of Windows 7 that will only let you run three applications simultaneously and that won't have a media player or simplified networking, but that you'll like Windows 7 so much you'll then want to buy a notebook or desktop running a full version of Windows 7. And Microsoft wonders why European regulators are so willing to see the company in court.
One of the more intersting new disclosures around Windows 7 has been the addition of Windows XP Compatibility Mode, which creates a virtualized Windows XP Professional environment to run what is essentially legacy code. However, enabling this mode also requires a separate download. Also of interest is the "Play To" feature, with improved media streaming around the network. Microsoft has also disabled the AutoRun feature from Windows 7, a response to worms like Conficker, which apply deceiving Autorun messages in an attempt to provoke users to click ad launch the malware.
HP is looking to draw in more small- and medium-sized-business users with its new ProBook s-series, a low-cost line sporting the Suse Linux, Vista or XP operating systems. Other features include the ability to link to an external modem as well HP Protect Tools for added security.
Facebook on Monday opened up massive parts of its site to third party developers, a move that effectively allows other sites to let users post updates, share pictures and links, and interact with Facebook without ever visiting Facebook.com. "Apparently, the company is prepared to lose gobs of traffic and, in turn, revenue from display ads on the site," notes BusinessWeek's Douglas MacMillan.
Mozilla on Tuesday released Firefox 3.5 beta 4, a release that promises improvements to performance, web compatibility, and speed. It is now available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux via an online download.
There are now (once again) three simultaneous development tracks for Mozilla's Web browser, as the first public beta of Firefox to be numbered 3.5 has officially hit the streets; the first private Beta 5 of Firefox 3.5 is being distributed to Mozilla testers; and the latest Firefox 3.6 Alpha continues to make headway
Amidst backlash over Time Warner Cable's tentative plan for a 40GB broadband cap, the company said this week that it will offer an additional 100GB tier for heavy users. Pricing for this "super tier" has not been revealed. [Yes, we can, too, fight the rising tides! Sure we can!]
I, like many people, have been subscribing to Internet connection services since the days of 300 baud modems. Then I upgraded to 14.4k, 36.6k, 56k, DSL, and now cable. Unfortunately, due to where I am living today, I'm stuck on 3 Mbit Verizon DSL service, which is often running at less than 1 Mbit. Thankfully, my service doesn't have a download cap on it--at least not yet anyway.
The new advertiser-supported site, featuring professional videos, will be called Vevo and is expected to launch in coming months, the companies said.
Microsoft and its PC partners are going to allow Windows 7 users to downgrade not just to Windows Vista, but also to Windows XP, Microsoft officials are confirming.
Windows XP has already turned into a nightmare for Microsoft as the operating system competes with Windows Vista in many markets and today's news makes us wonder whether the operating system may actually outlive Windows Vista in one way or the other. Apparently, Microsoft has granted HP an exclusive OEM license extension for Windows XP that reaches deep into 2010. By then, Windows XP will be competing with Windows 7 for market share on netbooks.
signed an agreement with Disney/ABC and ESPN, which will open their own channels on the video community site — and control their own ad inventory
The tool is mainly aimed at IT professionals working in a corporate environment who still need test the new browser with internal applications and sites, although individuals may use it as well.
In response to user feedback, Microsoft has made numerous changes to the Windows 7 user interface as it readies the operating system -- viewed by many as a make-or-break product for the software maker -- for formal launch later this year or early next year.
A Seattle-area PC seller will offer free Windows 7 upgrades to customers who buy new Vista-powered machines starting next week, beating Microsoft Corp. and its biggest hardware partners to the punch by months.
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