Use Disposable E-Mail Addresses to Shut Down Spammers

23 March 2007

Use Disposable E-Mail Addresses to Shut Down Spammers
PC World – Mar 22, 2007

Anyone who has ever had an inbox full of penny-stock tips, pharmaceutical offers, and phishing attempts has had two fantasies: To turn off the spigot, and to find out who gave the spammers their address. Throwaway e-mail addresses can make both fantasies come true, at least for some of your spam.

NBC, News Corp. in Online Video Venture
Forbes, NY - Mar 22, 2007

In Big Media's latest attempt to combat Google Inc.'s YouTube, NBC Universal and News Corp. are banding together with AOL, MSN and Yahoo Inc. to form an ad-supported online video network for full-length TV shows, video clips and movies.

News Corp., NBC Plan Answer to YouTube
PC Magazine - Mar 22, 2007

News Corp. and NBC Universal said on Thursday they will jointly launch an online video site this summer, in a move to compete directly with Google Inc.'s YouTube.

The site will feature full-length television shows, movies and clips, including popular shows such as "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," and hit films like "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Borat."

Trojan Roaming Skype Network
Information Week Weblog, NY - Mar 22, 2007

Skype users are being hit with a Trojan that using the infected machine to reach out and infect the user's friends and colleagues.

Websense issued an alert on Thursday afternoon warning that the malicious code, known as both Warezov and Stration, is spreading through the Skype network again. An earlier version initially attacked late in February.

Trojan roaming skype network

iT News, Australia - Mar 22, 2007

Websense issued an alert on Thursday afternoon warning that a malicious code, known as both Warezov and Stration, is spreading through the Skype network again. An earlier version initially attacked late in February.

The advisory noted that Skype users can receive a message that says, "check up this," with a URL containing a hyperlink. When users click on the link, they are redirected to a site hosting a file named file_01.exe. If the user runs the file, several other files are downloaded and run.

Analyst: Google building software, not mobile phone
iT News, Australia - Mar 22, 2007

Google isn't building its own mobile phone, as many have speculated, but software to run services on mobile phones, a Wall Street analyst said Thursday..

Google is building software to run services on mobile phones rather than gearing up to build its own phone, as many industry sources have speculated, one Wall Street analyst said Thursday

Google building software, not cell phone: analyst
Reuters – Mar 22, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is building software to run services on cell phones rather than gearing up to build its own phone, as many industry sources have speculated, one Wall Street analyst said on Thursday.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said in a research note to clients that Google appears to be building software for Web search on cell phones and location-finding services to work with Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) iPhone and other cell phones.

22 March 2007

Mozilla fixes single Firefox flaw
Computerworld, MA - Mar 21, 2007

March 21, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Mozilla Corp. late yesterday updated the Firefox browser to patch a single security vulnerability and fix several bugs it unintentionally introduced in earlier versions.

Mozilla currently supports two branches of the open-source application, and the upgrades -- Firefox 2.0.0.3 and Firefox 1.5.0.11 -- are now available, according to the release notes posted on the company's Web site.


Firefox Hit by Fewer Flaws Than IE in 2006
PC World - Mar 21, 2007

Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox suffered from 26 percent fewer vulnerabilities in the second half of 2006 than Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer, a security company's research said Monday.

According to Symantec's tally, 40 Firefox vulnerabilities were disclosed between August and December 2006; Internet Explorer (IE), meanwhile, was hit with 54 bugs. Opera and Safari -- the browser Apple Inc. bundles with Mac OS X -- had four flaws each.


AOL: The biggest Wi-Fi privacy invader ever?
Computerworld, MA - Mar 21, 2007

Worried about Wi-Fi invaders? Then forget Hot Spot hackers. By far, the biggest
culprit is an AOL business partner that has put together a massive, private database of 16 million Wi-Fi routers throughout the U.S. and Canada, including network name and precise location. The odds are that if you have a home wireless network, you're in it.


Microsoft to release VOIP server beta on Monday
InfoWorld, CA - Mar 21, 2007

Microsoft will open up beta versions of its unified communications server and client software to the public for download on Monday, a senior company executive said Wednesday.

Microsoft IP PBX still needs to grow up
PC World Magazine, Australia - Mar 21, 2007

VOIP capabilities within Office Communicator Server 2007 from Microsoft can offer significant business advantages for corporations, but it's not all plug-and-play yet.


China's spam fight takes flight
ZDNet Asia, Asia – Mar 22, 2007

Next to offshore outsourcing, spam is the other thing that has become synonymous with China.
Ranked second after the United States as the source from which spam originates, China faces an uphill battle in keeping spammers off its networks.

Yahoo Expands Mobile Search
PC World – Mar 21, 2007

Yahoo has opened up its mobile oneSearch offering to anyone with a phone who can access the Internet. The service, which aims to offer more than a simple list of search results, was previously available as part of Yahoo Go for Mobile, a mobile phone-optimized content offering that is compatible with only certain handsets

Free Rider Web Hosting Offers Email Marketing Tool

21 March 2007


Free Rider Web Hosting Offers Email Marketing ToolPR.com (press release), NY – Mar 20, 207

Scottsdale, AZ, March 20, 2007 --(PR.COM)-- Free Rider Web Hosting has recently added a new tool that allows businesses to send emails to customers quickly, easily and legally. With Express Email Marketing, personalized emails can be sent to customers to promote products and services.


Spam scam can swamp blogs with porn linksiT News, Australia – Mar 21, 2007

Spammers using blogs' trackback technology allow them to post thousands of links to porn sites.
Security experts are warning bloggers and Web site administrators that trackback spam is flooding legitimate sites with links to pornography.
Sophos, security vendor, reports that Newsbreak, a Filipino online news service found more than 27,000 links to pornographic Web sites posted on its own Web site.


Skype to Offer Money-Transfer System via PayPaleWeek, MA – Mar 20, 2007

SAN JOSE, California (Reuters)—Web telephone calling service Skype will shortly begin allowing users to send money to other Skype users via the PayPal online payments system, Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom said on Tuesday.


Money transfer via PayPal coming to SkypeiTWire, Australia – Mar 20, 2007

A forthcoming version of Skype will allow users to transfer money from their PayPal account to that of another Skype user, founder Niklas Zennstrom has told a conference in San Jose.

People with family and friends overseas are significant users of free voice services such as Skype, and are often also users of money transfer services such as Western Union.
Global Crossing Expands it VoIP Local Service, Adds New FeaturesTMC Net, CT – Mar 20, 2007

Global Crossing, which operates one of the largest IP communications networks in the world, has reportedly added an automated business-to-business Local Number Portability (LNP) interface, as well as a new Calling Name Delivery Service (CNAM), to its VoIP Local service - an inbound local service that provides Direct Inward Dialing/Direct Dial Inward (DID/DDI) functionality through a single IP interconnection. In addition, the company has extended the service into Rome, Milan and Hong Kong, as well as 83 additional communities in the U.S.


Oracle CEO: Linux support program workingInfoWorld, CA – Mar 20, 2007

Oracle has gotten off to a "very strong start" with its support program for users of Red Hat's Enterprise Linux, according to Oracle CEO Larry Ellison

Ellison announced the program back in October at Oracle's OpenWorld conference in San Francisco, but since then, the company has declined to comment on the progress of the support offering aimed at both Oracle and non-Oracle users.


Larry Ellison: Oracle replaced Red Hat support at YahooZDNet – Mar 20, 2007

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison was spreading the love for his competitors on the company's third quarter conference call.

Notably, Ellison said Oracle replaced Red Hat for Linux support at Yahoo. Oracle's Linux support, which is aimed at undercutting Red Hat, is off to a solid start with Dell and others reselling service. Ellison also noted that Oracle has sold some large enterprise contracts.

Zimbra open source mail client geeks it up

20 March 2007

Zimbra open source mail client geeks it up
iTnews , March 2007

Flashy features buy mindshare, but plain uptime brings in the revenues.
Open source collaboration and messaging service Zimbra is banking on geek features to create popularity, but enterprise sales are still driven by straightforward business demands.

A quick demonstration of Zimbra is bound to delight the average software enthusiast. The application is essentially Outlook on steroids.


Most Computer Attacks Originate in US
Forbes, NY – Mar 19, 2007

The United States generates more malicious computer activity than any other country, and sophisticated hackers worldwide are banding together in highly efficient crime rings, according to a new report.

Researchers at Cupertino-based Symantec Corp. (nasdaq: SYMC - news - people ) also found that fierce competition in the criminal underworld is driving down prices for stolen financial information.


Report: US most prolific source of online attacks
ZDNet Asia, Asia - Mar 19, 2007

U.S. networks pumped out the highest percentage of attacks during the second half of last year, with China running a distant second, according to a report released Monday by security firm Symantec.

The U.S. accounted for 31 percent of malicious activity originating from computer networks, while 10 percent came from China and 7 percent from Germany, Symantec said in its Internet Security Threat Report.


Yahoo! Reinvents Search for the Mobile Web
TMC Net, CT – Mar 19, 2007

SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) has today expanded the reach of the popular new Yahoo! oneSearch service to the Mobile Web in the United States. Yahoo! oneSearch reinvents search to give consumers exactly what they want on their mobile device - instant answers. The innovative search service that initially launched in Yahoo! Go for Mobile 2.0 is now accessible on more than 85 percent(1) of mobile phones through the mobile Web and is also available through the gamma version of Yahoo! Go for Mobile 2.0. The service leverages Yahoo!'s deep experience, investment and expertise in search on the desktop as well as relationships with leading content providers to deliver an un-matched search experience to consumers.

Yahoo jumps ahead of Google on mobile phone search
Reuters.uk, UK - Mar 19, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19 (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc. (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) introduced on Monday a new Internet search system for mobile phone users that delivers locally relevant answers, a move that vaults it ahead of what rival Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) now offers.

Starting in the United States, with international markets to follow later this year, the Sunnyvale, California-based company said it planned to take advantage of the inherently local nature of many Web searches performed on phones.

AIM Plug-in IDs Users' Locations
PC World - Mar 19, 2007

Users of AOL LLC's AIM instant messaging system now have access to a plug-in that identifies their geographic location in a more precise manner than a similar plug-in developed last year.

The new plug-in, created by AOL with technology licensed from Skyhook Wireless Inc., requires a Wi-Fi enabled PC, because it determines locations by identifying nearby hot spots. Skyhook calls this method its Wi-Fi Positioning System.


AOL to let you see where IM buddies are
MSNBC – Mar 19, 2007

NEW YORK - AOL is offering users of its AIM instant messaging service new capabilities to see where people on their buddy lists are physically located.

The first phase of this push is with an unusual software plug-in developed by Skyhook Wireless, whose backers include Intel Corp. Skyhook tracks locations by using the continuous wireless pulses emitted by all Wi-Fi transmitters and Wi-Fi-enabled computers, rather than more common satellite-based approach.

Can Google’s G-Phone hit the G-spot

19 March 2007

Can Google’s G-Phone hit the G-spot
iTWire, Australia – Mar 19, 2007

Is there anything Google can’t do? It seems nothing is impossible, and impossible is nothing for the world’s dominant search engine company, who now want to expand into the world of mobile computing, Internet access and telephony with their own branded phone.


What Next For The Google Phone?
VoIP News, CA - Mar 16, 2007

The past two days have seen literally hundreds of rumors swirling about a proposed 'Google Phone' with hypesters seeking to make it out to be a competitor to Apple's iPhone and detractors poo-pooing the very notion.

The rumors were kicked off by an interview with Spanish news site noticias.com where Isabel Aguilera, the top director for Google in Spain and Portugal, said that Google engineers had been working on a mobile phone. The original article is here (in Spanish).


Yahoo preps Chinese version of Flickr
ZDNet - Mar 16, 2007

Yahoo said on Friday that it plans to launch a Chinese-language version of its popular photo-sharing site, Flickr, this year to tap demand from Chinese digital-photo enthusiasts.

The development comes as Sunnyvale, Calif.-headquartered Yahoo tries to localize and expand its services--such as bookmark-sharing site Delicious, Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Groups--that center on user-generated contributions.


Yahoo eyes big picture as Flickr set for new launch
China Daily, China - Mar 17, 2007

Yahoo Inc said yesterday it plans to launch a Chinese-language version of its popular photo-sharing site Flickr.com this year.
The aim is to tap into demand from Chinese digital photo enthusiasts.


The Mad Scramble over VoIP Patents
BusinessWeek - Mar 18, 2007

Anthony Cataldo, chief executive of Internet-calling provider VoIP, Inc. (VOII), closely watched the recent patent dispute between Verizon Communications (VZ) and Vonage Holdings (VG). Upon learning of the Mar. 8 decision by a jury that Vonage infringed on Verizon patents, Cataldo asked lawyers to start proceedings against companies that he says are using his company's technology. "You are going to see a lot of demand letters going out from us," he says.


The VoIP Week in Review
TMC Net, CT - Mar 16, 2007

Welcome to another edition of TMCnet’s VoIP Week in Review. This week, the VoIP industry continued to focus on the “fallout” from last week’s Verizon vs. Vonage (News - Alert) VoIP Patent infringement case. As I’m sure you already know, an eight-member jury decided in federal court last week that Vonage must pay Verizon $58 million in past damages for infringing on several of its patents related to VoIP technology. The jury also declared that Vonage must pay a 5.5 percent royalty rate on any sales going forward. While still a far cry from the $197 million in damages sought by Verizon, Vonage shareholders saw the company’s stock price slip during the past week - so there is very real damage here beyond just the monetary settlement. Last Friday, Vonage issued a statement architected to quell investor jitter (pun intended), stating that it is “not going out of business” and furthermore that customers will not see any changes in their phone service.


Ballmer On Google: Same FUD, Different Day
InformationWeek, NY - Mar 17, 2007

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer yesterday bad-mouthed Google for being successful at only one business (even though it's a business Microsoft has been trying unsuccessfully to break into). But the target doesn't matter. It could have been Linux. Or Apple. I'm just worn out by the repetition. Ballmer's trash-talking is a tired routine. He needs to get a new act.

For a couple of years now Microsoft has been trying to figure out how Google does it -- how the world's premiere search company provides Web-based services and makes its money by selling advertising. Google has done extremely well at both, and its success has made it the darling of Wall Street.


Ballmer Questions Google Business Strategy
PC World - Mar 16, 2007

Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer criticized rival Google Inc., saying it is devoted primarily to ad-supported search while Microsoft has reinvented itself many times over.

In a presentation Thursday at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, Ballmer said a truly entrepreneurial company invents something, builds a business around it and then starts the cycle again. But Google hasn't yet emerged beyond ad-supported search, he said.