Win2k Service Pack 2 Beta 1 Ships
Microsoft late last week sent out Beta 1 of the second service pack for Windows 2000. The first of such updates shipped this July, with the second expected in the first quarter of 2001. Paul Thurrott reports that while particular details of the release are unknown, a few new features are expected along with new versions of the OpenGL libraries and the latest hot-fixes and bugfixes. Keep checking back as further details emerge regarding the service pack.
RealNetworks Intros RealSystem iQ
RealNetworks, maker of the well-known RealPlayer system for Internet media has introduced a new system, dubbed RealSystem iQ, hot on the heels of the Windows Media Bonus Pack. As reported on The Standard, RealSystems iQ turns a regular server-to-server network into a Web of peer-to-peer servers with robust new communications protocols.
According to the report "The result will be a network with no origin and no edge. That means a more reliable and efficient system – one with the capacity for self-healing if any one server goes down" as the system is said to "enhance Internet plumbing."
Snow White Has an Apple of Her Own
A new virus is reported in the wild, this one dubbed "Snow White", but according to initial reports, there is nothing pretty or sweet about this trojan. The subject line reads "hahaha", just like any other harmless joke forward would, but this one packs a bit of a punch. Trend Micro has rated the virus "Low Risk" saying they have had detection for the beast for some time. Hey, that never seems to stop any other virii right?
Win, Lose, or Draw?
The music industry scored a victory, while the Internet music industry chalked up a draw, and the radio biz marked one in the loss column after the Copyright Office handed down a decision regarding copyrights and digital music last week. According to the decision, radio stations now must pay royalties to the recording companies if they choose to simulcast their station over the Web, as a good percentage of radio stations currently do. The Copyright Office also decided not to mess with existing legislation in the area of digital rights management, leaving the battle up to the players. So it seems the battle wages on, both in and out of the courtroom, as just last Friday online music site Riffage.com became just another victim of the ongoing battle, closing its doors to prevent litigation and monetary damages.
Big Stakes for Gamers in Dallas
Dallas will be run amuck with cyber-gamers this Thursday as the Cyberathlete Professional League Tournament begins and gamers play for keeps. Prize money abounds as PC gamers blast away in Quake III Arena for prizes comparable to some golf tournaments on the PGA tour. One 19-year old from Kansas City squeezed $100,000 in earnings from the league. I guess thats what you get if you practice as much as 12 hours a day before a tournament. Other prizes include Pentium processors and cool computer gear. For more information read the article over at CNet.
IBM/Intel Slugfest Just Beginning
Big Blue has announced to the industry that they have the technology to create a chipset 10 times faster than current processor speeds, and rival Chipzilla is telling the industry they have created a processor just 0.03 microns wide. The new chip from IBM, CMOS 9S, measures in at 0.13 microns wide, with the first generation appearing at the end of 2001. While Intel won't ship its new processors in that time frame, they are staged to blow the competition away.
IBM's new chipset compliments the recent announcement with Infineon, that reports a new magnetic RAM is in the works that will blow past current RAM speeds, all the while cutting power consumption. Set to arrive in the 2003/2004 timeframe, both the RAM and the CMOS 9S processor will take the market by storm.
Dual Processor Athlon Motherboard Soon
For those of you who may not know, Athlonmb.com has the scoop on a new motherboard being developed by Tyan, makers of many popular lines of PC motherboards, which will come with dual Athlon support. The first of its kind, the board will feature Dual 462-pin Socket A Processor Support, Dual 10/100 On-board NICs, Dual Channel Ultra160 SCSI, Server Management, 64-bit PCI Slots, Intergrated Graphics, and more! For more information check out Athlonmb.com.
NetBSD 1.5 Released
Last week the NetBSD Project formally announced the availability of NetBSD 1.5, its extremely portable operating system. According to the Web site, NetBSD currently supports 31 system families and 12 processor families from a single source tree. The entire operating system is open source and free of charge. NetBSD.org touts the operating system as highly integrated, featuring a "complete set of user utilities, compilers for several languages, the X Window System, firewall software and numerous other tools." For more information visit NetBSD.
AOL/Time Warner Decision Next Week
Reuters is reporting that a decision on the AOL-Time Warner merger is expected sometime next week. The Washington Post first picked up the story, quoting various unnamed sources as saying "that they will budge no further on concessions to satisfy regulatory concerns." The industry could see a decision as early as Wednesday, but more likely Thursday will show the fate of the proposed merger. AOL CEO Steve Case expects the deal to be closed by the end of this year, and went on to tell reporters "We're in the home stretch, and we think it will be approved soon. We're in the last stages with the FTC."
Pentium 4 Price Cuts
Much to the relief of consumers everywhere, it appears that Intel will be cutting prices of its processors this weekend, including its newest Pentium 4 line. Some are expected to be cut as much as 11%, with the Pentium 4 dropping from its starting price of $644 to $575 USD. John G. Spooner has all of the details over at ZDNet.
Office 10 Feature Cuts
Mary Jo Foley over at ZDNet has the scoop once again, this time reporting that Microsoft will be cutting features from the initial release of the much anticipated Office 10. The two features being removed come in light of feedback on Beta 2 from testers, and include the Local Web Storage feature and the Office Designer technology. These features are said to be key in Microsoft's .Net strategy, though the Redmond giant has not said Office 10 is the first official Office .Net release. Office .Net is officially slated for 2003, and consumers can expect Office 10 on store shelves before the second half of next year. For more information read over at ZDNet.
Rage Against The Machine Rages Over Napster Ban
Rebel rockers Rage Against The Machine
have apologized to fans who were blocked from Napster for
downloading its brand-new "Renegades" album and, mirroring
the tone of their metal-hiphop style of protest music, promised to
put authority in its place.
Guitarist Tom Morello wrote in an apology to fans on the RATM
online bulletin board that the band was unaware of the ban until
fans began to complain. The group's "new management" told Sony
Music Corp., parent of Epic, RATM's label, to impose the ban,
he said.
Apple QuickTime Preview Release 2 Available
Apple has released Preview 2 of its popular video software QuickTime. According to the Web site, the new release "incorporating a number of enhancements suggested by thousands of users" as well as a Windows version. Version 5.0 of the much anticipated software brings a new interface, as well as a number of improvements such as skip protection for your video viewing. For more information and to grab your copy, visit Apple, Inc..
Mozilla 0.6 Released
Mozilla has kicked out version 0.6 of its browser who's rendering engine is codenamed Gecko. As many, if not all of you know, Gecko is the power behind Netscape version 6 as well. The new version of Mozilla is "aimed at developers who
wish to create products that extend Netscape 6 or who wish to port," according to the Web site, and based on the same branch as the infamous Netscape 6. One BetaNews reader said the new build "rocks ice," and "feels less bloated." For more information visit mozilla.org or download it now.
Mac OS X in February
According to reports at ZDNet, Apple will not take the wraps off the upcoming and much anticipated Mac OS X at Macworld in January. However, Daniel Turner at ZDNet reports that Mac lovers everywhere can look for the big unveiling on February 24th, in a Microsoft-like fashion with a big shebang. At the January Macworld conference Apple CEO Steve Jobs will formally announce the final shipping date.
The first update to the operating system is expected within a year of its released, and will be codenamed Orient. The first release of OS X 1.0 will come with the revisions currently being worked on for OS 9.1 to fix incompatibilities between the two systems.
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