Microsoft unveils 'Deepfish' mobile Web browser

30 March 2007

Microsoft unveils 'Deepfish' mobile Web browser
InfoWorld, CA – Mar 29, 2007

Microsoft late Wednesday unveiled a mobile Web browser aimed at making surfing the Internet on wireless devices as convenient and feature-rich as browsing on a PC.

Code-named Deepfish, a preview of the technology is available from Microsoft's Live Labs Web site. The company said it is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and will close access to Deepfish once downloads reach a certain, unspecified number.


Mobile browser wars: Microsoft previews Deepfish
Computerworld, MA – Mar 29, 2007

The latest entry in the growing mobile browser wars is Deepfish. Microsoft Corp. late Wednesday announced a technology preview of the new mobile browser, which is designed for delivery of content such as Web pages to Windows Mobile devices.

The Microsoft Live Labs team said in a statement that the preview was available for download for Windows Mobile 5.0 and higher devices, with a limited number of slots available that will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. (link to register)


Free E-Mail Aggregator for Your Cell Phone
PC World – Mar 29, 2007

Setting up e-mail on a standard cell phone is often more trouble than it's worth, and it usually involves additional fees from your carrier. Flurry, a San Francisco-based startup, offers a solution. I met up with the guys behind this mobile application at CTIA this week.

Flurry provides a free Java-based application that aggregates your e-mail messages from multiple accounts--such as AOL, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and any POP3 or IMAP e-mail client--and sends them to your handset. Here's what the inbox looks like:


Reignmaker Increases Hosted VoIP Presence
TMCnet – Mar 30, 2007

VoIP is no longer a new phenomenon, as evidence by its increasing adoption rate among both business and residential users, and by the significant number of VoIP service providers that have flooded the market with offerings, especially in the hosted space. One primary reason is the tremendous opportunity the SMB space offers.


E-mail users want more control of inboxes
Reuters.uk, UK - Mar 30, 2007

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bombarded by spam, e-mail users are eager for tools like a "report fraud" button that would help weed out unwanted messages that litter inboxes, according to a survey by the Email Sender and Provider Coalition released on Tuesday.

More than 80 percent of e-mailers already use tools such as "report spam" and the "unsubscribe" button to manage their in-boxes, the survey found.


Dell to sell Linux on laptops, PCs
iT News, Australia – Mar 30, 2007

After floating the possibility last month that it might begin selling some of its laptops and desktop PCs preloaded with Linux, Dell said on Wednesday that it will definitely offer Linux on select desktop and notebook computers due to consumer demand.

In an announcement on the company’s IdeaStorm website, Dell said it will provide specific models and details about the configurations and Linux versions offered in the next few weeks.


Dell Confirms it Will Preload Linux on PCs
TMC Net, CT – Mar 29, 2007

Responding to an avalanche of customer requests, PC maker Dell (News - Alert) reiterated an earlier promise to offer Linux as an alternative to Windows on its personal computers, according to several online reports.

Dell first revealed in February it was going to preload Linux on its PCs on its IdeaStorm blog. Dell has been getting positive feedback on offering Linux in recent weeks, prompting the company to make the move to be the first major PC vendor offering the operating system.

Google Apps Gmail service goes down for third time in a month

29 March 2007

Google Apps Gmail service goes down for third time in a month
Computerworld UK – Mar 28, 2007

Google Apps is the suite of hosted services that many consider a potential threat to Microsoft's Office.
The latest problem began affecting users on Tuesday. It remained unresolved several hours later, also affecting regular Gmail users who are not on Google Apps, a company spokesperson said.


Google Apps' Gmail faces downtime problems
Computerworld – Mar 28, 2007

For at least the third time this month, Google is grappling with performance and availability problems in the Gmail service of Google Apps, the suite of hosted services that many consider a potential threat to Microsoft's Office suite of desktop software.


LG to Add Google Services to Phones
eWeek, MA – Mar 28, 2007

SEOUL (Reuters)—South Korea's LG Electronic Inc. and Internet search giant Google Inc. on Wednesday said they would pre-install Google services on LG mobile phones.

LG handsets with Google products and services, such as Google Maps, Gmail and Blogger, will be shipped to North America, Europe and Asia starting in the second quarter of 2007, the companies said.


It's Google on LG, Yahoo on Virgin
ZDNet – Mar 28, 2007

Google and Yahoo separately announced on Wednesday that their services will be featured on two different mobile phones.

Yahoo has partnered with Virgin Mobile USA to have Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger preloaded on several of Virgin's handsets. Yahoo Mobile Web also will be the search tool of choice for Virgin's Surf the Web service.


Users want more tools to slay spam
Computerworld, MA – Mar 28, 2007

Even though most e-mail users already rely on antispam tools to keep their in-boxes from being overwhelmed by unsolicited messages, they're still not satisfied, a survey reported today.

More than 80% of 2,200 online users polled know about -- and use -- the "Report Spam" features in their e-mail software or within their Web-based services of choice, said the poll, which was sponsored by the Email Sender and Provider Coalition (ESPC).


Latest GPLv3 takes hard line on Microsoft-Novell deal
Computerworld, MA – Mar 28, 2007

The Free Software Foundation on Wednesday released the penultimate draft of its planned third version of a popular license for free and open-source software, the GNU general public license (GPL).

Created by Richard Stallman in 1989 for the GNU free operating system project, the GPL was last fully revised 16 years ago. The license gives users the right to freely study, copy, modify, reuse, share and redistribute software.


Latest Draft of GPL 3 Comes Under Fire
eWeek, MA - 2 hours ago

Corporate reaction to the release of the third discussion draft of the GNU GPL (General Public License) has been swift, much of it critical of the changes with how patents are dealt with.

28 March 2007

Yahoo Mail to offer unlimited storage
ZDNet – Mar 28, 2007

Yahoo will begin offering unlimited storage for its free Web-based e-mail in May, the company announced late Tuesday. The move makes Yahoo the first of the major free e-mail providers to offer unlimited storage, but it likely will not be the last.

Yahoo currently offers 1 gigabyte for its free mail service and 2GB for its premium fee-based service. Google's free Gmail service offers more than 2.5GB of storage, and Windows Live Hotmail offers 2GB for free.


Yahoo to offer unlimited e-mail storage
Reuters – Mar 27, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc. plans to offer unlimited e-mail storage to its roughly quarter of a billion users, starting in May, it said on Tuesday.

The world's biggest e-mail service is scrapping its free e-mail storage limit of 1 gigabyte, or about a billion bytes of data, responding to explosive growth in attachment sizes as people share ever more photos, music and videos via e-mail.


Open-source bug hunt project expands
ZDNet – Mar 27, 2007

The effort, supported by a research contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is now scanning code of 150 open-source projects, up from the original 50.

"This allows open-source developers to find and resolve defects introduced into the project," David Maxwell, open-source strategist for Coverity, said in a statement. Coverity makes source-code analysis tools and shares the DHS contract with Stanford University and Symantec.


Department of Homeland Security ups its investment in open source ...
InfoWorld, CA – Mar 27, 2007

A year ago the Department of Homeland Security contracted with Coverity, a maker of a source code analysis tool, to harden open source software. (Stanford University and Symantec are also involved.) Basically, developers at open source projects (not primarily affiliated with a corporation) can submit their code to scan.coverity.com and have it scanned for security vulnerabilities. The project, as announced today, has been very successful.


Adobe Sets Creative Suite 3 Ship Date For April
InformationWeek, NY – Mar 27, 2007

Adobe Systems today said that its Creative Suite 3 design and development software would begin shipping in April.
"Creative Suite 3 is the biggest launch in Adobe's 25-year history and a milestone for the creative industry," said Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe, in a statement. "This release reflects the powerful integration between Adobe and Macromedia and how our products bridge the gap between designers and developers."


Adobe overhauls suite for design professionals
InfoWorld, CA – Mar 27, 2007

Adobe Systems on Tuesday unveiled details about how it has completely revamped its tools suite for high-end graphics and Web designers by combining for the first time products from both the former Macromedia and its own portfolio.


MySpace wants to bar 'spam king'
CNET News.com, CA – Mar 27, 2007

MySpace.com on Tuesday said it has filed suit against Sanford Wallace, seeking to bar the "spam king" and his affiliated companies from the social-networking site.

In the suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, MySpace accuses Wallace of violating state and federal laws including the federal Can-Spam Act and California's antispam and antiphishing statutes, the company said in a statement.


MySpace sues 'Spam King' for phishing
SC Magazine US – Mar 27, 2007

Social networking site MySpace announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against "Spam King" Sanford Wallace for spearheading a phishing scheme to steal login credentials.
Wallace, who claimed in 1998 that he was quitting the spam business, allegedly used that information to create profiles, groups and forums to spam users into visiting deceptive websites, according to a statement..

27 March 2007

IBM Develops Superfast Optical Chip
InformationWeek, NY – Mar 26, 2007

The chip was made using existing production methods and works by converting electrical signals to laser light, allowing it to transmit 160 Gbits of data per second.

IBM Monday said it has developed a tiny chip capable of transmitting an entire high-definition movie in a single second, a breakthrough that could make computers faster and more energy efficient.


IBM Unveils Speedy Optical Chipset
iT News, Australia – Mar 27, 2007

The prototype streams data within computer systems over light pulses eight times faster than optical components in use today, IBM claims.

IBM on Monday announced the manufacture of a tiny optical chipset capable of moving data at speeds of 160GB per second, a feat that would make it possible to down a high-definition movie in a second.


Sugar-fuelled battery soon to juice up portable electronics
Computerworld Australia, Australia – Mar 26, 2007

Fuel cell technology that is currently in development boasts the ability of extracting energy from virtually any sugar source to power portable electronics like cellular phones, laptops, and sensors. The new technology is expected to be biodegradable, environmentally friendly and more energy efficient than current options, providing a green alternative to current Lithium-ion batteries.


Sugar-fuelled batteries - sweet!
iTWire, Australia – Mar 26, 2007

Researchers at Saint Louis University in Missouri have adapted enzymes from nature that can strip charges from sugar to generate electricity in fuel cells, reports Live Science.
Batteries powered by anything sugary - even flat lemonade - could run gadgets up to four times longer than conventional lithium ion batteries


China's Latest Export Scare: Spam
BusinessWeek - 3 hours ago

In the No. 1 junk e-mailing country in Asia, mainland business can't afford not to fight. Here's the latest on the battle to control it.

Next to offshore outsourcing, spam is the other thing that has become synonymous with China.


AOL to further integrate instant messaging and Web mail
ITworld.com, MA - 7 hours ago

In the coming weeks, AOL LLC will upgrade the beta version of its latest Web mail offering to include an expanded integrated instant messaging capability.

AOL also announced on Monday a new Vista-compatible instant messaging client and toolbar.


AOL Announces Updates to AIM Service
Business Wire (press release), CA – Mar 26, 2007

DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AOL announced today that it will soon start beta testing a new version of AOL Web Mail that includes expanded integration of the AIM service. AOL also announced availability of new Vista-ready versions of the AIM service and AOL Toolbar.

Startup applies P-to-P to calendar scheduling

26 March 2007

Startup applies P-to-P to calendar schedulingComputerworld Australia, Australia – Mar 26, 2007

Tungle will deliver on Friday a beta version of a plug-in application designed to let users create a peer-to-peer network of people for the sole purpose of simplifying the process of scheduling meetings.
Tungle, which plugs into calendar applications, allows users to view blocks of time their contacts are free in order to schedule meetings. That can help cut down on the back-and-forth that often happens when people try to coordinate meetings.


Tungle attacks the calendar coordination problemZDNet - Mar 23, 2007

At the Under the Radar event, Tungle introduced a beta version what it describes as a peer-to-peer meeting coordinator. Users with different calendaring solutions can coordinate meetings independent of application or platform, according to the company. Tungle uses a proprietary, secure and enterprise-friendly P2P network and requires a download plug in.


NBC.com To Offer Social Networking FunctionsInformationWeek, NY – Mar 25, 2007

BC.com users will be able to share NBC videos with friends and post them on other
blogs or social networking sites\.
NEW YORK - Media company NBC Universal said Thursday it would introduce social networking and video sharing functions to its NBC.com Internet site in another move to compete for viewers with the likes of YouTube and MySpace.


Verizon logs win in VoIP battleAustralian IT – Mar 26, 2007

A FEDERAL judge dealt a blow to Vonage Holdings that sent its stock reeling on, when he agreed to bar the company from using internet phone call technology patented by Verizon Communications.

Vonage said it was confident its customers would not experience service interruptions, but investors sent its shares down nearly 26 per cent.


Judge Rules Against Vonage on PatentsForbes, NY - Mar 23, 2007

A federal judge on Friday ordered a permanent injunction against Internet phone carrier Vonage for use of rival Verizon Communications Inc.'s patents. But the injunction, which could potentially cause major disruptions to the service provided by Vonage to its 2 million customers, will not take effect for at least two weeks. U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton said he will wait two weeks to officially enter the injunction while he considers Vonage's request for an extended stay.


Start-up Zimbra takes Web e-mail offlineZDNet – Mar 25, 2007

E-mail software company Zimbra on Sunday is set to release an early version of Zimbra Desktop, Web e-mail software that will run online and offline.

The company has built an open-source, Web-based alternative to existing mail servers and clients such as Microsoft Exchange and Outlook. Zimbra uses Ajax, a Web development technique that runs across browsers and operating systems.


Windows Mail bug may expose Vista usersZDNet - Mar 23, 2007

A possible security vulnerability in Windows Mail could let attackers run applications on PCs running Vista.
An attacker could send an e-mail with a malicious link that, when clicked on, would execute a program on the PC without warning, according to a description of the problem published Friday on a widely read security mailing list called Full Disclosure. Windows Mail is the successor to Outlook Express, Microsoft's free e-mail client, and ships with Vista.

Exploit-for-sale hacker pins bug on Vista's e-mail appComputerworld Australia – Mar 26, 2007

A just-disclosed bug in Windows Vista's built-in e-mail program can be used by hackers to run malicious code on a victimized PC, said a researcher Friday who two weeks ago touted an exploit-for-sale service.

Microsoft acknowledged the report, and said it is investigating the vulnerability.