Dell Expands High-End Line of PCs
Looking to expand from its low-cost roots, Dell is re-launching its XPS brand as a line of luxury PCs, which feature the latest hardware and a dedicated customer support representative. All XPS models include Windows XP Media Center Edition and 15-month subscription to McAfee Security Center.
The XPS 200 and XPS 400 desktops join Dell's current high-end XPS 600 gaming machine. Dell is also introducing the XPS M170 to its lineup of notebook systems. But the so-called "Lexus line" with the newest graphics cards and Intel processors won't come cheap. Desktop systems start at $1100 USD with the XPS laptop priced at $2,700 USD.
Apple to Fix Nano Screens, Not Scratches
In a statement issued late Tuesday, Apple acknowledged that a manufacturing error led to a small percentage of iPod Nanos with weak screens, which could potentially crack in a tight pocket. Apple says it will replace any Nanos with broken displays, but not those with scratches.
Quality concerns surrounding the iPod Nano surfaced shortly after the product's debut earlier this month. Some users claimed the player scratches extremely easily, enough that it makes the screen difficult to read. Others reported cracks in the Nano's color LCD screen after standard use.
Tegic Bolsters Text Messaging Tech
AOL subsidiary Tegic Communications unveiled this week a new version of its T9 predictive text input software that adds support for backing up user-created preferences. When a user switches mobile phones, he or she can now simply download their T9 settings from the wireless carrier.
The backup function can store personal words, such as 2-6-6-5 representing "cool" rather than "book," as well as language preferences. Currently 49 languages are supported by the messaging technology.
BitTorrent Gets $8.75 Million Backing
BitTorrent, the peer-to-peer technology that has become one of the most popular methods for sharing files, has landed $8.75 million in funding, according to reports. Venture capitalist firm DCM-Doll provided the cash infusion and intends to bring BitTorrent to Hollywood's doorstep.
But whether BitTorrent can shed its pirate image and appeal to content owners remains to be seen. The technology is currently used almost exclusively for the illegal distribution of copyrighted material by end users. Recent statistics have estimated that 33 percent of P2P traffic is attributable to BitTorrent.
Toshiba Builds HD-DVD Enabled PC
Hot off the heels of news that Microsoft and Intel are throwing their support behind HD-DVD, Toshiba says it has developed the first PC with an integrated drive capable of reading the new high-definition DVD format. The PC will launch in Japan early next year, but a U.S. debut has not been scheduled.
The slim HD-DVD drive was developed jointly with Samsung, and will additionally support reading and writing of CDs and traditional DVDs. Although the drive is an important first step for bringing the new format to market, HD-DVD and competitor Blu-ray have a long road ahead before consumers are ready to adopt the technology, analysts say.
Office 2003 SP2 Adds Phishing Blocker
Microsoft on Tuesday quietly slipped out Service Pack 2 for Office 2003, which includes a number of security and performance improvements for the productivity suite. Among the new additions is a Phishing Protection feature for Outlook that filters out e-mails trying to steal personal information.
SP2 is a cumulative update that combines previously released patches and Office 2003 Service Pack 1. Microsoft says stability improvements have been made based on feedback received from the Online Crash Analysis tool. Those running the Multilingual User Interface Pack will need to install an additional update that will be available at a later date.
Google Turns 7, Expands Search Index
As part of its seventh birthday celebration, Google on Tuesday announced it has expanded its search index, but will no longer offer a specific count of indexed Web documents on its homepage. Instead, Google simply claims that its search is three times larger than rivals.
Although Google will not provide numbers, which it explains "vary greatly and are no longer easily comparable," the company says the new index is 1,000 larger than when Google first launched. But quality is important when it comes to search results, not quantity.
Microsoft and Intel to Support HD-DVD
Microsoft and Intel on Tuesday pledged their support for HD-DVD, the next-generation DVD format created by Toshiba. Microsoft had previously remained neutral in the standards war between HD-DVD and Sony-backed Blu-ray, as the company's VC-1 Windows Media Video codec will be included with both formats.
The announcement isn't that surprising, however. Microsoft's Xbox will soon begin a fierce battle with Sony's Blu-ray capable PlayStation 3 for living room dominance, and the company inked a deal in April for Warner Home Video to use VC-1 in its HD-DVD discs.
Motorola: 'Screw Nano' Comment a Joke
At a leadership seminar in California Friday, Motorola CEO Ed Zander talked about his role in rebuilding the phone maker's brand. But when answering a question from the audience about the iPod Nano, Zander apparently lost his cool saying, "Screw the Nano. What the hell does the Nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?"
Motorola, however, has fired back and claims IDG News Service, which first reported the outburst, is taking the comment completely out of context. Company officials say Zander was smiling and joking when he responded to the question, and he did praise Apple and its iPod.
UPN Screens TV Show on Google Video
UPN and Google have teamed up to screen the first episode of its new show "Everybody Hates Chris" on Google Video for the next four days. Viewers can stream the entire pilot episode, which premiered September 22 to record ratings for UPN, directly from Google.
Everybody Hates Chris is about "a teenager growing up as the eldest of three children in Brooklyn, New York during the early 1980's." The show is narrated by comedian Chris Rock and airs Thursdays at 8pm. "This is the first time Google users can watch an episode of a brand new television show on Google Video," said Susan Wojcicki, vice president of Product Management at Google.
Sony, Corel Partner on Software Tools
Sony's Media Software division and Corel have joined forces to bundle and co-market their digital imaging and video software solutions, the companies announced Monday. The idea is to offer a single package for the holidays that offers photo editing, video production and DVD creation.
Two Windows-based bundles will be available: Visual Creation Studio and Visual Creation Studio Pro. Sony will contribute Vegas Movie Studio + DVD while Corel offers up Paint Shop Pro X and Photo Album 6, it's latest products aimed at digital photo enthusiasts.
Mass. Finalizes Plan to Drop MS Office
Massachusetts has finalized a proposal to move away from proprietary document formats to open standards based on XML, which would eliminate Microsoft Office as an option for creating new documents. Microsoft responded harshly to the plan, calling it "inconsistent and discriminatory."
The final Enterprise Technical Reference Model version 3.5 was completed Wednesday following a period of public comment and a "lengthy discussion" at the September meeting of the Massachusetts IT Advisory Board. A draft of the proposal was published in late August detailing the changes.
Bill Gates Still the Richest Man
Microsoft chairman architect Bill Gates is still the wealthiest person in America with a total of $51 billion, according to Forbes' annual list. Four out the top five richest Americans represent the technology industry, with fellow Microsoft founder Paul Allen, Michael Dell and Larry Ellison trailing Warren Buffett.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin were the big movers on the 2005 Forbes 400 list. The Google founders vaulted to number 16 and 17 with $11 billion each. Google CEO Eric Schmidt followed at number 52. Meanwhile, Steve Jobs took position 67 on the list with $3.3 billion, while Amazon's Jeff Bezos dropped from number 38 to 42.
iRiver Offers Free TiVo with Purchase
The latest in a string of deals designed to bring more subscribers to TiVo's doorstep is targeting Portable Media Center buyers. iRiver is offering its $500 PMC-120 media player with a free 40-hour Series2 TiVo and 1 year of service pre-paid. The deal expires October 15.
The PMC-120 features a 3.5-inch color display and 20GB hard drive for playing back music, TV shows, movies, photos and more. TiVo users can take advantage of TiVo To Go to watch recordings on the run using the device. The offer could help iRiver get rid of some inventory as well, with Portable Media Center sales less than stellar due to high prices and short battery life.
Apple Plugs 7 Security Holes in Tiger
Apple on Friday released Security Update 2005-008 to correct seven flaws in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, along with three others affecting version 10.3. Among the fixes is a patch for Mail that prevents the exposure of encrypted content, and update to Safari that prevents cross-site scripting attacks.
Some internal Mac OS X services have also been fixed, including malloc, ImageIO, SecurityAgent and securityd. The update additionally brings enhancements to the Mac OS X login window that improve interaction with the system's parental controls. Security Update 2005-008 can be downloaded from Apple or by using a Mac's Software Update feature.
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