Microsoft, Google, Yahoo gain seats on OpenID Foundation board
What Yahoo's massive conversion to OpenID last month lacked is a way for Web sites to securely authenticate the users who have signed in. As it turns out, OpenID's directing body may want Microsoft to provide that part.
Almost exactly one year ago, Microsoft made a bold announcement at an RSA security conference, saying it would be working with the OpenID Foundation to craft a solution to the problem of spoofing authentication. As was hidden from precisely no one, that method would involve Microsoft's CardSpace technology.
Nokia retools its E51 handset for secure workplaces
Google Apps gets improved document sharing
Fresh off its efforts to improve its e-mail offerings, the search company debuted Thursday a package aimed at helping businesses better share documents and information.
Called Google Apps Team Edition, the new option expands upon its already existing applications platform by allowing businesses to set up and manage work groups. The standard version, first launched in August 2006, lacked some of these collaborative features.
Best Buy to begin selling DTV boxes on February 17
The electronic retailer said it was ready for the digital television transition, stocking converter boxes that would be compatible with the US government's rebate program.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) offers $40 towards the purchase price of $59.99. It is only required for those who recieve over-the-air programming: those with cable of satellite service will not need the box.
Leaked Yahoo memo indicates reticence toward Microsoft bid
While Jerry Yang continues to advocate a bright and cheery attitude, there are clear indications that he's feeling trapped.
A Yahoo employees memo written yesterday by CEO Jerry Yang was leaked to the online industry publication Valleywag, and has apparently been verified by IDG through a check of the SEC database where such communications are also filed. The memo indicates that although Yang and his fellow executives have not yet reached a decision as to whether to accept Microsoft's takeover bid, his preference for now is to continue growing his company as though Microsoft had never said anything.
Middle East Internet outages now affect 85 million
With FLAG telecom now reporting damages to the FALCON undersea cable that actually occurred on January 23, one week before the four publicized cable cuts, experts are now beginning to reveal just how expansive the disruptions have been.
The severence of undersea cables FLAG Europe-Asia and SEA-ME-WE 4 about 8.3 km off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, affected at least 60 million users in India, 12 million in Pakistan, 6 million in Egypt, and 4.7 Million in Saudi Arabia, according to DU telecom Executive Director Mahesh Jaishanker, in a statement to the United Arab Emirates-based Khaleej Times.
IBM makes good on its Cognos buyout with 16 new products
Last November, we wondered what IBM expects to come out of its acquisition of Canadian business intelligence software provider Cognos. This morning we found out, as Big Blue enters the "business optimization" business.
NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) -- At a press conference here today, the recently combined IBM/Cognos organization put forth a fresh challenge to business software competitors SAP and Oracle, unveiling well over a dozen new products.
Time Warner restructuring could involve dividing AOL
Time Warner's new Chief Executive Officer announced the outline for AOL's restructuring, which may include divesting from the AOL access business, Time Warner cable unit, and even New Line Cinema.
In the company's quarterly earnings call this morning, newly appointed president and CEO of Time Warner Inc. Jeff Bewkes stressed the importance of increasing profitability by improving cost management across the company. In addition to a vaguely described 15% cost cut at the corporate level, Bewkes' team is working on a plan that would divide AOL's subscriber unit from its audience unit.
IBM contrasts its 'integration' with Cognos against SAP's 'acquisitions'
When one vendor acquires another, does a long-term partnership beforehand help out with systems integration? In the case of IBM's buyout of Cognos, the answer is a big "yes," IBM officials said today.
In an interview with BetaNews at its Information on Demand (IoD) press conference here, IBM's Marc Andrews maintained that his company hasn't faced any challenges in integrating Cognos' business intelligence (BI) products with existing IBM software and hardware.
Adobe secretly patches critical PDF flaw
The company silently slipped in a fix for a critical vulnerability that prevents PDF files from being used in code execution attacks, eWEEK reports.
Immunity confirmed the fix by reverse-engineering the patch, and discovered a fix for a stack overflow issue, normally afforded a "highly critical rating" by Adobe.
Nokia N82 goes black for everyone but the US
The workhorse Nokia N82 mobile phone has been generating a lot of buzz on the Web, especially now that it's available in a steely black, but US consumers are still wondering when the phone will be available here through carriers.
US consumers will only be able to purchase an unlocked black N82 direct from Nokia for $629, but for now, the phone will only work on T-Mobile's and AT&T's EDGE networks. The black edition of the N82 will be released on Tuesday, February 12.
Nokia 'astonished' by German bank's retribution for plant layoffs
Massive public protests last month against Nokia's decision to move one of its major manufacturing facilities from Germany to Romania did little to stir the company. But a recall of federal subsidies by a leading bank there has apparently stirred the giant.
The gulf between Germany and Finland-based cell phone maker Nokia only grew wider today, as the company has now become the epitome of that country's growing outsourcing problem. Bochum, located in the westernmost state of Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), is where Nokia operates a key manufacturing facility that has already seen massive layoffs, and which now Nokia plans to close. One of the country's leading financial institutions for business development, NRW Bank, is also located there.
A very virtually realistic Times Square comes to a real MMORPG
Multiverse, founded by ex-Netscape employees in 2004, is one of several massively multi-player online games that seeks to develop an economic structure in virtual space. The company has created in its virtual world a version of Times Square, arguably the real-life ad space mecca.
Times Square has over 40 million unique visitors annually, who take approximately 100 million photographs. Advertising Age estimates the billboard value of Times Square alone at $69 million. Add into that the as-of-yet unquantifiable value of tourist-aggregated advertising -- Bystander videos of a Target publicity stunt in Times Square got as many as 19,300 views on YouTube -- and the New York City location becomes more of an advertising ecosystem.
LG's Viewty handset records straight to DivX
It's not just for short, tight Web videos anymore. LG Mobile's popular Viewty handset has just become the first mobile phone to be certified for recording video using DivX compression.
The list of DivX certified devices continues to grow, but the list of mobile phones is still decidedly brief. The other handsets certified to support DivX, both made by Samsung -- the SGH-F500 and SGH-F508 -- only support DivX playback.
Sony, Samsung soar; Vizio, Sharp slip in LCD TV sales
Vizio fell to third place in holiday quarter LCD TV shipments, while Sony jumped from fourth to first.
It marks the first time that the Japanese electronics maker has ever been on the top of the list in DisplaySearch's quarterly survey. The firm said that its lead was built upon its top showings in the 40-44", 45-49" and 50-54" categories.
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