The Research and Development division of leading ISP EarthLink has released a peer-to-peer file sharing application that utilizes SIP technology. Dubbed SIPshare, the software was designed to demonstrate how SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol, can be used beyond its common voice and video implementations to share content.

SIP is usually found within real time communications applications, such as Microsoft's upcoming Office Live Communications Server 2005, as well as voice over IP (VOIP) telephones.

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While Microsoft's Internet Explorer has become the bane of computer security, switching to Mozilla may not be the simple answer after all. Security firm Secunia has issued a "highly critical" advisory that details 10 separate vulnerabilities found in Mozilla, Firefox and Thunderbird. The flaws can be exploited remotely, allowing an attacker to compromise a system and expose sensitive data. Mozilla users are urged to upgrade to the latest releases of each application, which contain the necessary fixes.

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XM Radio, which offers a subscription to commercial-free radio via satellite, is set to expand its services to online music. Dubbed XM Radio Online, the new offering will launch in early October and cost $7.99 USD per month for unlimited listening. Current XM subscribers can sign up to the online service for only $3.99 USD per month. XM has partnered with Dell to offer 30 days of free XM Radio Online to purchasers of new computers.

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Microsoft is set to officially roll out Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, code-named Symphony, on October 12 at an event in Los Angeles. InfoWorld reports the introduction will be heralded by Chairman Bill Gates, with Microsoft partners Hewlett-Packard and Gateway expected to be in attendance.

The Symphony edition of Media Center entered testing this year, and reached the Beta 2 milestone in June. The update is slated to include support for more portable media players, wireless support with Media Center Extender, as well as DVD burning.

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Adobe has announced the third generation release of Photoshop Elements, its digital photo editing and sharing software aimed at consumers. With digital cameras quickly become a staple of everyday life, Adobe is facing increased competition by rival software packages and has upped the ante in its latest Elements upgrade.

Photoshop Elements 3.0 adds a one-click photo enhancement tool, improved red eye removal, as well as support for processing images in RAW format. Based upon Photoshop CS, the new Elements also includes the Healing Brush and Spot Healing Brush for fixing blemishes on digital photos.

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Amazon's independent A9 unit is ready to officially unveil its customized search engine, which debuted in preview form last April. A9.com combines Web and image searches from Google, movie and book searches from Amazon and reference materials from GuruNet into an interface that can be custom tailored for each user. A9 also recommends Web sites in a TiVo-like fashion and includes a Diary for taking notes on a Web page. It is not yet clear if A9 will become a part of Amazon.com.

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Microsoft has issued a critical security bulletin regarding a buffer overrun vulnerability that exists when Windows processes JPEG image files. The flaw could allow code to be remotely executed and give an attacker full control over an affected system.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are vulnerable, as well as older versions of Windows running any of a long list of Microsoft software titles. Windows XP Service Pack 2 already contains a fix for JPEG processing, but may still be affected if Office is installed.

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Notebook storage has reached a new milestone, as Hitachi Global Storage Technologies unveiled 100GB, 2.5-inch hard drives Tuesday. The new models spin at 5400 RPM and utilize a Serial ATA interface, with relatively low power consumption. Hitachi said it plans to ship the 100GB drives before the end of the year, but has yet to detail pricing.

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New builds of Mac OS X version 10.4 have been seeded to a select group of developers, according to a report by AppleInsider. The new operating system, code-named "Tiger," is currently being tested by Apple's elite and the development builds feature Jabber support in iChat, as well as extended RSS support in Safari 2.0. Many changes in development release have appeared since Tiger's debut at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference in June.

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Yahoo! has announced that it will acquire digital music company Musicmatch for $160 million in cash. With the addition of Musicmatch's Jukebox service to its portfolio, the move will help Yahoo! establish itself in the online music market currently dominated by Apple's iTunes.

Musicmatch recently launched Jukebox 9.0, which offers subscribers on-demand access to a library of 700,000 songs for a monthly fee starting at $7.95 USD. Musicmatch also offers 99-cent downloads like its iTunes rival, although the company has pushed its on-demand feature to differentiate itself.

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According to multiple sources, a special edition CD containing Windows XP Service Pack 2 has begun to reach mailboxes of testers. The CD is nested in a folder marked with the slogan, "I came through for SP2." The major update for Windows XP was completed in early August after numerous delays and mounting pressure on Microsoft to improve the security of its flagship operating system.

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Sid Meier and Firaxis Games are resurrecting the hit 1987 game Pirates!, and distributor Atari is seeking beta testers to trial the 21st century update. According to Atari, "In Pirates! you take the leading role of a Pirate Captain in the 17th century Caribbean amassing fortune and fame." The final game will reach the PC on November 16, with an Xbox version slated for 2005. Interested gamers can apply for the beta by visiting Atari and entering the product code "AVAST."

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Trend Micro has begun a beta test for PC-cillin Internet Security 2005, which includes an antivirus, firewall, spyware protection, spam blocking, and Web filtering. The test will run through September 30, and twenty $75 gift certifcates will be given to select beta testers who participate. Those interested in trying out the latest PC-cillin release can fill out a short registration for the beta test.

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Microsoft's latest MOM has been released to manufacturing, with retail availability slated for October 1. MOM, or Microsoft Operations Manager, is a console for administering Windows servers and applications, with tools for monitoring and analyzing performance. MOM 2005 includes an easier setup, new user interface and improved built-in security. Smaller businesses can take advantage of MOM 2005 Workgroup Edition for $499 USD, while standard MOM 2005 server licenses run $729 USD.

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As part of Windows XP Service Pack 2, which will make its full official debut today, Microsoft has upgraded the operating system for Tablet PCs. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 offers a redesgined input panel, in-place correction, better integration with Office System, and wireless improvements.

"Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is a significant step toward delivering on our vision of incorporating Tablet PC functionality as a standard mobile feature in notebook PCs," said Bill Mitchell, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Mobile Platforms Division.

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