'Avalon' Extended to Mac, Web Devices
At this week's Professional Developers Conference, a lot of the focus has been on making the user experience within Windows better. However, Microsoft is also aiming to extend that same user experience across platforms and devices through "Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere," or WPF/E.
Windows Presentation Foundation, formerly code-named "Avalon," is the new unified graphical presentation system for Windows Vista. It is designed to take advantage of modern hardware to create better graphical interfaces for Windows applications. Avalon is based on XAML, an XML-based interface language.
Sprint, Samsung Ink WiMax Deal
Sprint announced on Friday that it had agreed to work with Samsung's telecommunications division to test out the 802.16e, or the WiMax standard, and develop advanced services. The two companies will test terminals and equipment to make future implementations of the technology possible.
The company said it is currently evaluating "multiple options" for WiMax, and is forging partnerships with companies like Samsung in order to develop the needed infrastructure for any future service. "The 802.16e standard will help support the deployment of true wireless broadband," said Thomas Jasny, VP of Wireless Broadband Networks for Samsung.
Stolen Laptop With Personal Data Found
The University of Calfornia, Berkeley said earlier this week that it had recovered a stolen laptop that contained the social security numbers of over 98,000 students and applicants of the university. However, the school could not say whether or not the information had been compromised.
"UC police note that while a lab analysis could not determine whether the sensitive campus data was ever accessed, nothing in their investigation points to identity theft nor individuals involved in identity theft," the school said in a statement.
Telecom Bill Overhaul Proposed
A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that is intended to update the country's telecommunications laws and accommodate new technologies, a congressional aide said on Thursday. The House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced the bill and hearings could be held as early as next month.
The bi-partisan bill was introduced by three Republicans and two democrats and is aimed at helping foster new technologies such as Internet video and voice, as well as broadband, bill co-author Rep. Joe Barton said.
New Security Flaw Discovered in IE
Security firm eEye released a notice on Thursday saying it had discovered a new flaw within Internet Explorer on both Windows XP and XP SP2. According to the notice, "A vulnerability in default installations of the affected software could allow for remote code execution."
Windows XP SP2 was touted as a much more secure version of Microsoft's flagship operating system. However, hackers have still found ways around the new security features, and flaws continue to pop up. Microsoft has been alerted to the problem, but as standard practice eEye will not release details of the vulnerability until it is patched or publicly acknowledged by Microsoft.
Windows Vista Goes With the Workflow
On Wednesday, Microsoft introduced Windows Workflow Foundation, a new way for developers to quickly build workflow-enabled applications on Windows Vista. The purpose of the technology is to support business processes and make programs adapt to the day-to-day needs of people who use them.
In an interview with BetaNews, Scott Woodgate, Microsoft's group product manager for the Connected Systems Division, tried to explain the announcement's significance more clearly.
Building the New Windows Experience
For years, Windows has been lambasted for what many see as an inferior user experience when compared to operating systems such as Apple's Mac OS X. But at this year's PDC, Microsoft hopes that its efforts to emphasize the user experience in Windows Vista will begin to allay those criticisms.
To help developers create better user experiences in Windows, Microsoft on Wednesday introduced the Expression family of products. The new brand includes "Acrylic," a graphics creation program for bitmap and vector graphics; "Sparkle," a 2-D and 3-D animation tool; and "Quartz" for creating advanced Web sites.
AOL, Microsoft Reportedly in Talks
Microsoft is reportedly in talks to take a large financial stake in America Online. At least two media outlets cited sources close to the two companies who confirmed that talks were occurring. However, it's not clear if the discussions extended beyond simple collaboration ideas.
The actual talk of an investment came within a bigger discussion on how the two companies could collaborate according to the Wall Street Journal and New York Post, which first reported the story.
RIAA Tries to Combat P2P Networks
Several of the most popular peer-to-peer file sharing networks are being asked to take action against users who are participating in sharing copyrighted materials, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
The Recording Industry Association of America sent cease and desist letters to the companies controlling programs such as LimeWire, WinMX and BearShare, asking them to remove RIAA member files from their services.
MSN Virtual Earth Tours Katrina Damage
MSN is using its Virtual Earth client to provide 24-hour news channel MSNBC with a birds-eye views of the damage from Hurricane Katrina. Users can zoom down to street level to examine damage and flooding. The application will also let users compare views from before and after the storm.
The special feature, developed by Microsoft's Chandu Thota, marks the first time Virtual Earth has been used in a public setting, as the system is not scheduled for a public launch until the fall. MSN says that it is being done as both a public service and to assist government in assessing damage.
Xbox 360 Coming November 22
Microsoft has solidified a launch date for the Xbox 360, announcing the system would hit store shelves on November 22 across North America, December 2 in Europe, and December 10 in Japan.
The company said that this would be the first time a game console would be launched in three territories within a similar time frame.
Teen Sentenced in Hilton Sidekick Hack
A Massachusetts teenager who was behind the hacking of Paris Hilton's T-Mobile Sidekick has been sentenced to 11 months in a juvenile prison. The 17 year-old hacked into T-Mobiles computer system in January and looked up information on customers, including Paris Hilton. At the time, T-Mobile promised a full investigation of the incident.
The hacking and subsequent display of the data on Hilton's cell phone revealed the numbers and e-mails of stars such as Rapper Eminem, actress Lindsay Lohan, Usher, Fred Durst, among others. As part of his sentence, the teen was banned from using any kind of electronic device capable of accessing the Internet for a period of two years.
Windows Sidebar: 'Sky's The Limit'
In some of the earliest builds of Longhorn, the Sidebar was the most visible change. While its eventual use within the operating system wasn't initially clear, its sudden disappearance in the build given to attendees of WinHEC surprised many Windows enthusiasts.
In a discussion Tuesday evening with BetaNews, Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan said the Sidebar was never fully removed as a feature within the operating system. "You'll see things reappear and disappear," he explained.
Apple Offers Better Dev Support for Intel
Apple on Tuesday launched a new resource for those developing on the upcoming Intel platform. While the first Macs based on Intel processors are not due until 2006, the Cupertino company would like to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible.
Although most of the content on the Developer Transition Resource Center is freely available, some of it will only be available to registered users of the site. Topics, resources, tutorials and QuicktTme videos of Intel-related WWDC sessions are some of the content that will be made available.
Fixed Windows 2000 Update Released
Microsoft issued an update to its final Update Rollup for Windows 2000 on Tuesday, correcting issues with the initial release. While there seems to be yet more glitches still not fixed, the company says those will be addressed in individual patches.
The re-released Update Rollup comes on Microsoft's normally scheduled Patch Tuesday, which was to include a fix for a critical vulnerability that affected Windows, but it was scrapped due to a "quality issue."
Ed's Bio
Ed Oswald is a freelance journalist from the Reading, PA area. Although he has written across a variety of subjects, Ed’s passion and focus has been on technology and gadgets. His work regularly appears on tech news sites BetaNews, PCWorld, and Technologizer, and has been syndicated to eWeek, Time’s Techland blog, VentureBeat and the New York Times.
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