Re-org at Microsoft relocates UC head to its emerging markets unit
Last year at a conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft introduced spectators to its new efforts to reach emerging markets and build innovative new form factors...to somewhat mixed results. This morning, there was a mix-up of another kind.
At last year's WinHEC conference in Los Angeles, the opening session featured Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' proclamation that the telephone and the PC were merging, followed soon thereafter by a demonstration from Chief Research Officer Craig Mundie. It was obvious to everyone that what Mundie's team produced for him couldn't keep up with Gates' presentation of Unified Communications, especially when Mundie found himself extolling the virtues of a piece of assemble-it-yourself furniture that had been converted into a device to remind seniors to take their medication.
Associated Press to focus more on mobile content
The press service said Monday that it would be soon offering its stories and videos to mobile users, including a site designed for Apple's iPhone.
Users will input a ZIP code, much the same way as for a weather service now. The press site will return local as well as national headlines. The service will be free and ad-supported, with local papers also able to place their ads on the site as well.
Google Apps hacked to run on Amazon Web Services
A developer has found a way to host Google Apps on Amazon's Web services platform, and is open sourcing his solution.
When Google released App Engine, some saw it as a way to lock in applications created within Google Apps from being transferred to to any other Web services provider. This would essentially diminish the attractiveness of start-ups from an acquisition perspective, analysts said, for anyone other than Google, or those who may not mind allowing Google to continue hosting its data.
AOL optimizes mobile search for Apple's iPhone
The mobile search field is still anyone's game, and AOL looks to be approaching it by tailoring its search to one of the most popular devices of the last five years: the Apple iPhone.
AOL Mobile Search for iPhone was designed for the mobile Safari browser also found in the iPod Touch. The site's AJAX technology is built around the multi-touch interface of Apple's devices and is currently in public beta, powered by Google. Google itself has had a mobile Safari-customized search site since late last year.
AOL's Platform-A still out front, now pulling away
Things are not as they seem in online advertising, or at least not as they've been characterized in political and financial circles. While Google has been receiving scrutiny of late, AOL's strategy to take the lead while no one's looking may be working.
While Google continues to be the Internet's principal search engine, now with a 67% share of US searches according to Hitwise numbers released last week, the popular presumption is that its reach in search translates directly to its reach in advertising. Microsoft was counting on that association in its campaign against the Google + DoubleClick merger -- a campaign which, of course, completely failed.
Corpus Christi to take back control of Muni-Wi-Fi network
Officials for the city say that it has come to the point where Corpus Christi will move ahead with its municipal wireless network without EarthLink.
Corpus Christi signed an agreement with the ISP in March of last year for about $5.7 million in total. While the network was said to be completed in August, plans were thrown into chaos after EarthLink backed out of muni Wi-Fi.
Novell slashes mainframe Linux pricing
To help lure more users into mainframe Linux deployments, Novell on Monday dramatically reduced its pricing on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for IBM's System z mainframes.
Under the new pricing program -- which is available through both Novell and IBM resellers -- customers can now buy three-year subscriptions for 33% less than before, and five-year subscriptions for 47% less.
Microsoft's 'trust' chief steers his company back toward Trusted model
The first time Microsoft launched a Trustworthy Computing initiative, it was met with skepticism, especially with the way Bill Gates played it up. But six years later, a key Microsoft executive suggests it may be time to revisit the subject.
In a surprisingly frank white paper from the man in charge of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing strategy, released this morning, Corporate Vice President Scott Charney writes that his company's own first two major initiatives toward providing greater security for software and Internet users fell short of their intended goals, and that a third initiative just now getting under way may still fail to completely address the problem of ensuring consumer safety and privacy.
Toshiba's 128 GB solid-state disk plays hide and seek
On Friday, Toshiba's Japanese-language Dynabook dedicated site announced a delay in availability of its 128 GB solid state drive for the SS RX model ultra portable. Then, on the company's European site, a Portege R500 (the Dynabook's western counterpart) appeared to be configurable with a 128 GB SSD.
Most other features are standard for the Portege line, an Intel Core 2 Duo ULV U7700 processor, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 12.1-inch backlit LCD display, a 7mm dual-layer DVD superdrive, all weighing in at a meager 1.72 pounds.
Could a Verizon deal help AOL lure Yahoo?
In a deal that might possibly help thwart a Microsoft buyout of Yahoo, AOL's Platform-A sales network will now start handling all of Verizon's ad inventory for online video and display ads, as well as on the mobile side.
Unveiled today, a hefty and lucrative agreement between the Time Warner division and the huge telephone carrier covers all of Verizon's ad serving, sales, management, targeting and placement requirements.
St. Louis gets its Wi-Fi network, but scaled down
It's a sign of the times: the city's Wi-Fi network has been turned on, but nowhere near what it was initially billed to be.
The mesh network covers a single square mile of St. Louis' downtown from North Tucker Boulevard to the Mississippi River from west to east, and Carr Street to Highway 40 from north to south.
Mobile TV with MediaFLO headed for the SUV's backseat
Qualcomm today brought the era of video entertainment on the road one precarious step closer to reality...thankfully for the backseat. As if typing on your BlackBerry and eating yogurt while driving wasn't enough of a pre-occupation.
At NAB in Las Vegas, Qualcomm is showing off a proof-of-concept display of a MediaFLO in-car entertainment system.
Quake 3 ported to iPod Touch with tilt controls
Popular id Software game Quake 3 Arena has been successfully ported to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 player by Canadian game makers, though don't expect it to be available to everyone just yet.
Game developer HermitWorks managed to get two iPod Touch users playing a head-to-head death match using built-in WiFi after eight to twelve hours of coding. The HermitWorks' version uses an accelerometer to control the player and taps on the screen to fire weapons.
Google bundles Salesforce.com CRM with its online apps
Today, Google helped Salesforce.com pour more fuel onto the fire of its already heated rivalry with Microsoft's Dynamics CRM Online, a software-as-a-service product rebranded by Microsoft late last month.
Specifically, starting today, Salesforce.com's CRM Online service is tightly integrated with Google's online word processing, spreadsheet, and e-mail applications suite.
Sony pushes forward with BD-J
Using the NAB's yearly meeting as a backdrop, Sony reaffirmed its commitment to Blu-ray Java by announcing new upgrades to authoring software from in-house and third-party sources.
Sony has hopes that pushing BR-J harder will help silence critics who often pointed out Toshiba's now defunct HD DVD format was far more advanced in authoring functionality. Making BD-J easier to use is likely a top priority for the Japanese company.
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