Microsoft, Softbank in Japanese VoIP deal

1. Microsoft, Softbank in Japanese VoIP deal

Microsoft, Softbank BB and Japan Telecom announced a partnership Wednesday to develop communication services that combine Internet telephony, e-mail, Internet access, instant messaging and other services.

For more on this:
- read full story from Cnet News.com, Dec 28 2005


2. Microsoft to offer VOIP services with Japanese partners

Microsoft Corp. has struck a deal with Softbank BB Corp. and Japan Telecom Co. Ltd. to deliver more secure, integrated voice, e-mail, instant messaging and groupware services for the companies' customers in Japan, the three announced Wednesday.

For more on this:
- read full story from infoworld.com, Dec 28 2005


3. Google Talk faces patent lawsuit

A New York company is suing Google for patent infringement over the voice-over-Internet portion of its Google Talk instant messaging and voice chat program.

For more on this:
- read full story from Cnet News.com, Dec 28 2005


4. Virus poses as MSN Messenger 8

Malware authors have produced a virus which poses as a test version the latest, as yet unreleased, version of MSN Messenger. The Virkel-F masquerades as "MSN Messenger 8 Working BETA" and is available from a bogus site as a supposedly leaked early version of the software.

For more on this:
- read full story from theregister.co.uk, Dec 28 2005


5. Virus Tempers MSN Messenger Buzz

The next version of MSN Messenger is still some months away, so if you happen to get a message or visit a Web site that promises otherwise, beware. Finnish security firm F-Secure is reporting a new scam that is masquerading as the MSN Messenger 8 Beta, which will be called Windows Live Messenger.

For more on this:
- read full story from internetnews.com, Dec 28 2005


6. Google Clamps Down on Its Classifieds Feature

Sometime last week, search giant Google Inc. did something that seems rather innocuous to Google Base, its free feature for searching classified ads, event notices and other content contributed by Google's registered users.

For more on this:
- read full story from eweek.com, Dec 28 2005


7. AOL Unveils 2005's Top Spam Subject Lines

Remember this scam? In the 1990s, e-mail hoaxers commonly claimed to be passing along a method for getting easy money from Bill Gates.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Dec 28 2005


8. MSN Dial-Up Secured With McAfee

Microsoft is adding McAfee's virus scan and firewall software to its MSN dial-up service package. McAfee (Quote, Chart) already provides the software for Microsoft's broadband customers.

For more on this:
- read full story from theinternetnews.com, Dec 28 2005