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Google Chrome 4: Yes, it's fast, but is it usable?
As Betanews readers have responded to our stories about Chrome's JavaScript superiority...Does that mean we'd actually use this browser? Well...
Verizon Wireless launches new Android, Chocolate, and ruggedized phones
The lower-priced Eris joins the Droid, while the Chocolate gets a touchscreen and more music playback.
Early sales figures for Windows 7 nicely high, but do we know why?
Fans of triple-digit surges in figures quoted by Betanews will love this one, as it appears Microsoft rediscovered how to pull off a software launch.
Myka announces its latest Linux-based 'net top box'
Myka's ION brings Boxee, XMBC, and much more to HDTVs.
What hath Mac wrought? A remembrance after a quarter-century
The reason there's a Macintosh today is not because of some brilliant flash of engineering genius, but because Apple had the audacity to learn from its mistakes.
Early build of Moblin 2.1 improves connectivity, but not device support
The Linux Foundation's Atom-centric OS yesterday received a major overhaul with the project release of Moblin 2.1 for netbooks and nettops.
The iPhone's China syndrome: Sales of 5,000 and climbing
There's actually a country where Apple's device is not a godsend, where sales can be measured in the dozens.
New European counterpart to FCC will ensure 'a more neutral net'
Late Thursday night, the ruling telecom administrators of the EU's member nations signed away their final authority to a new entity overseen by the EC.
Sophos study suggests Windows 7 UAC's default setting is self-defeating
Without any anti-virus installed, a Sophos test showed, User Account Control was only capable of thwarting just one malware package out of ten samples chosen.
Indiscreet tweet trips awareness of Web SSL vulnerability
A group of high-level security engineers had been making progress on thwarting a low-level threat to the Web, until somebody blurted it all out on Twitter.
Microsoft looks to support premium channels with PC television tuners
By Ed Oswald on September 12, 2008, 4:15 PM
8 Comments
Microsoft's introduction of a new platform will allow media center PC manufacturers to support premium channels, which the television industry mandates must be covered by copy protection.
Known as Protected Broadcast Driver Architecture (PBDA), the technology builds on the company's work on Broadcast Driver Architecture (BDA). BDA is the standard for digital video capture on Windows systems that Microsoft has used since Windows 98.
Continue reading Microsoft looks to support premium channels with PC television tuners...
Apple releases iTunes 8 update to fix Vista blue screen of death
By Ed Oswald on September 12, 2008, 3:20 PM
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3:20 pm EDT September 12, 2008 - Apple has released an updated version of iTunes 8 to correct the BSOD problems some users have been experiencing after installing the software. The issue relates to a driver that conflicts with Windows Vista.
In a support posting, Apple said: "After installing iTunes 8 for Windows, some users may see a blue screen error message when connecting iPhone or iPod to a Windows Vista computer. In some cases, the computer may immediately restart when connecting iPhone or iPod to the computer."
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Apple fixes bugs, security issues in iPhone 2.1 software update
By Ed Oswald on September 12, 2008, 1:00 PM
10 Comments
In a rare moment of clarity for a company known for secrecy, Apple has detailed the changes and security fixes that come with the iPhone's 2.1 software update, released Friday.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised during an iPod event Tuesday that the new iPhone firmware will fix some of the device's most egregious issues, including call drops and truncated battery life. In addition, security watchers note the update patches 8 security vulnerabilities, including a code execution risk for mobile Safari and the previously disclosed passcode flaw.
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RIM, Microsoft agree to bring Live Search to BlackBerry
By Ed Oswald on September 11, 2008, 5:04 PM
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After agreeing to allow access to Live Messenger and Hotmail in May, Microsoft's addition of search to its RIM partnership further signifies the company's embrace of Blackberry.
Under the terms of an extended agreement announced this morning, Microsoft's Live Search will be given prominent placement in the Web browser and mapping applications of RIM BlackBerry handsets.
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Apple tries to put options scandal behind it with settlement
By Ed Oswald on September 11, 2008, 2:19 PM
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A shareholder lawsuit accusing Apple and its executives of improper accounting as a result of its stock options practices will yield a $14 million payout to the plaintiffs.
As a result of a settlement in a shareholders' derivative action, liability insurers will pay Apple a total of $14 million, effectively restoring to the company -- and, in the "derivative," to its shareholders -- what executives of the company allegedly took for themselves through options backdating practices.
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Apple denies it caved in to NBCU's requests on iTunes pricing
By Ed Oswald on September 11, 2008, 12:51 PM
14 Comments
It didn't even take 24 hours for Apple and NBC to begin arguing again. The latest dust-up? NBCU's claims that it only came back to iTunes after the Cupertino company agreed to variable pricing.
Many news outlets -- including BetaNews -- took Tuesday's announcement as an indication that Apple had agreed to allow NBC Universal to use a variable pricing structure like it had been demanding.
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NYC 911 callers can now send video, pictures
By Ed Oswald on September 10, 2008, 6:03 PM
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Starting this week, New York City residents will be able to send in pictures and video to the authorities, which could aid not only law enforcement, but city services.
New York City's $11 million Real Time Crime Center, launched in 2005, is now equipped to handle pictures and video sent via computer or cell phone, city officials announced this morning. In addition, New York's city services number 311 will also be receptive to pictures and video.
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Microsoft looks to blue lasers to improve computer mice
By Ed Oswald on September 10, 2008, 6:03 PM
24 Comments
Microsoft is debuting new mouse technology called BlueTrack which it says offers better tracking on virtually any surface, it says -- even carpet.
The blue beam produced by the new laser in Microsoft's Explorer Mouse series is about four times as large as the beam used in current laser mice, according to a Microsoft statement yesterday. This, coupled with better tracking technology, can make its new model usable even on surfaces such as carpet, it said.
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RIM likely to debut first clamshell on T-Mobile USA
By Ed Oswald on September 10, 2008, 2:51 PM
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There's a mountain of evidence to support the theory that T-Mobile will be the first US carrier to feature RIM's eagerly awaited BlackBerry 8220, the manufacturer's first clamshell phone.
Although neither Research In Motion nor T-Mobile are confirming the news, clues point to the BlackBerry 8220 "Flip" making its way to the nation's fourth largest carrier. The first clue comes from RIM itself, which in a statement this morning listed UMA support. T-Mobile is the only carrier in the US thus far to fully embrace the technology.
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Is Google the next Microsoft in the eyes of the DOJ?
By Ed Oswald on September 10, 2008, 1:50 PM
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The departure of one of America's leading antitrust attorneys from his law firm, and his subsequent hiring by the US Dept. of Justice, suggests very strongly that the DOJ may be preparing for its most serious antitrust offensive in years.
Sanford Litvack, who was antitrust chief during the Carter administration and former Vice Chairman of the Walt Disney Company, has reportedly been hired by the US Justice Dept., apparently to look over Google's ad deal with Yahoo. This follows weeks of depositions and subpoenas in the DOJ's investigation of the deal, which began last April and which recently became a formal inquiry.
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Apple iTunes 8.0: A closer look at 'Genius'
By Ed Oswald on September 9, 2008, 6:44 PM
43 Comments
Download iTunes for Windows 8.0 from FileForum now.
While Apple is pushing a major update to its client software filled with several new features, easily the biggest new one appears to be its music recommendation engine, called Genius.
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NBC Universal returns to iTunes, altering its pricing model
By Ed Oswald on September 9, 2008, 3:47 PM
5 Comments
Download iTunes for Windows 8.0 from FileForum now.
After a pullout last year appeared to pit two of America's most resplendent, rainbow-colored properties at odds with one another, NBCU's Jeff Zucker had his chance to make a Steve Jobs-like play for the Apple faithful.
Continue reading NBC Universal returns to iTunes, altering its pricing model...
Apple slaps 'chrome' on the back of iPod Touch, remakes nano
By Ed Oswald on September 9, 2008, 3:19 PM
67 Comments
At a press event in San Francisco Tuesday morning, CEO Steve Jobs took the gift wrap off Apple's holiday line of iPods, calling them the "strongest holiday lineup yet" -- stronger in part because of a backing that's not shiny plastic.
The rumors of Steve Jobs' death, the CEO himself proclaimed this morning, were greatly exaggerated; but the rumors of the new iPod nano form factor appear to have been spot on.
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Microsoft makes FM radio the center of new Zune feature
By Ed Oswald on September 9, 2008, 1:02 PM
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In the latest attempt to further differentiate itself from the iPod, the Zune will now be able to tag songs from FM radio and purchase the music directly from its marketplace.
Microsoft's latest enhancements to its forthcoming Zune models take advantage of two previously included features: the wireless connectivity and built in FM tuner. Called "Buy from FM," the listener will be able to use the RDS data to identify tracks and download it if a wireless connection is available.
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Analyst: Even against the iPhone, RIM still gains market share
By Ed Oswald on September 8, 2008, 4:28 PM
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As Apple ramped down shipments of its first-generation iPhone, it actually lost market share to BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM), according to the latest Gartner report.
RIM doubled its market share to 17.4 percent, selling 5.6 million devices in the April to June quarter, states the Gartner report. This was up from 2.5 million a year ago, and the marked increase likely has a lot to do with RIM's new push beyond business customers and into the consumer market.
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New opposition mounts to Google ads on Yahoo
By Ed Oswald on September 8, 2008, 4:22 PM
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The Association of National Advertisers sent a letter to the Justice Department on Sunday, citing antitrust concerns over the proposed partnership between search leaders Yahoo and Google.
The ANA represents about 400 companies that spend about $100 billion annually on advertising. It represents and protects the interests of its members, while also advocating good advertising practices.
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AT&T wireless customers get Yahoo OneSearch
By Ed Oswald on September 8, 2008, 1:12 PM
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Yahoo and AT&T began a planned partnership on Monday that brings the search engine's mobile-centric search platform to the carrier's customers.
AT&T has worked with Yahoo for quite some time, extending back to 2001 when the company signed a shared-revenue agreement for the telco's broadband services in select areas. And since February 2006, AT&T's wireless arm -- then Cingular -- has had a standing agreement with Yahoo.
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Real gets into the DVD ripping business
By Ed Oswald on September 8, 2008, 1:09 PM
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Seemingly without the direct blessing of the movie industry, RealNetworks has introduced a new application that allows consumers to "rip" DVDs.
Set to debut before the end of the month, RealDVD will retail for $40 and will allow the user to copy a complete DVD image to a hard drive, though very likely in a format that only RealDVD can play. This would include the disc artwork and any extras that may be on the disc.
Where does Sarah Palin stand on technology issues?
By Ed Oswald on September 5, 2008, 6:55 PM
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While Gov. Palin is fairly new to the political scene nationwide, the Alaska native's stance on key topics may give clues into the policies she would support if she were elected Vice President.
[M.E.'s NOTE: BetaNews contacted the press office of Gov. Sarah Palin earlier this week, and received assurances that we would be receiving responses to our inquiries about the governor's position on critical technology issues, five of which we listed and explained in detail. This has been the week of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, so any number of reasons may have delayed the press office's final response to us. However, they were aware of our already-once-postponed deadline, so in the interest of absolute fairness -- especially since we already profiled Sen. Joe Biden last week -- we will proceed with as thorough an assessment as we possibly can of Gov. Palin, given the information we do have.]
Continue reading Where does Sarah Palin stand on technology issues?...
No ruling yet in TiVo vs. EchoStar patent case
By Ed Oswald on September 5, 2008, 3:45 PM
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The judge presiding over the patent case between TiVo and EchoStar has delayed any ruling until possibly November, buying EchoStar some time and causing TiVo some short term duress.
TiVo's share value plunged 16.5 percent on Thursday as news of Judge David Folsom's plans broke, although it had rebounded nearly nine percent on Friday to nearly $8 in late afternoon trading.
Continue reading No ruling yet in TiVo vs. EchoStar patent case...