Judge Swap in Microsoft EU Case
The head judge of the European Union's Court of First Instance, which is handling the antitrust case against Microsoft, has moved to replace the judge overseeing the case. The proposal, which must be voted on, comes after the current judge published criticism of the court in a French journal.
Microsoft had filed its case against the EU following an antitrust ruling in March 2004 that ordered the Redmond company to pay 497 million euros and comply with a number of sanctions, which have only recently been agreed upon. Judge Hubert Legal was heading a five-judge panel that was hearing the appeal.
Google Unveils Search for Small Screens
Google on Thursday launched its latest mobile search effort that links users to sites that have been designed specially for smaller screens.
To enable such a feature, Google has crawled the Web for pages built using XHTML and compiled a separate index from its standard search engine.
Netscape Update Brings XML Fix for IE
AOL's Netscape division has released a minor update to its Firefox-based Web browser, which corrects an issue that caused XML rendering in Internet Explorer to break.
IE program manager Dave Massy called out Netscape last month for introducing the problem, which AOL has blamed on poor IE documentation, not a Netscape bug.
Longhorn Server Beta 1 Set for Summer
Microsoft plans to ship the first beta of Longhorn Server shortly after Longhorn client Beta 1 reaches testers this summer, with all signs pointing to an August debut. Windows Server head Bob Muglia also said the company is considering a version of Longhorn Server designed for home use.
The revelations came in an online Web chat on Wednesday, in which the moderator asked participants to "please join us in the first part of August for a chat about Longhorn Server Beta 1." Microsoft Watch first reported the news, noting that it would be uncharacteristic for Microsoft to hold a chat before it releases the code.
Yahoo Tests Subscription Site Search
Yahoo has begun testing a new Web search designed to scour password-protected subscription sites normally inaccessible to Web crawlers. The beta service, called Yahoo! Search Subscriptions, connects users with multiple paid content sources, which often have measly search capabilities compared to giants like Yahoo.
Users already subscribed to a source can simply click through to results, while others will be prompted with the option to subscribe for access to content. Many of the current publishers offer flat monthly subscription fees, although individual a la carte articles will be offered by LexisNexis in the near future.
MSN Sponsors Anti-Piracy Film Contest
MSN UK is holding a contest for both youths and adults aimed at teaching the evils of intellectual property theft - an issue Microsoft is constantly battling to protect its software. The short film competition, aptly titled Thought Thieves, requires entrants to make a commercial-length video about how IP theft affects society.
"Think about it: what would a world look like without protection for intellectual property?" Microsoft asks. The winning films will receive £2,000 of film and video equipment vouchers; runners-up will receive a free trip to London where all of the entries will be screened at a special event.
DivX 6 Format Offers Alternative to DVD
DivX on Wednesday unleashed version 6 of its digital video platform, which enables the creation and playback of highly compressed media files. The company also introduced the DivX Media Format, which standardizes DivX content using the .divx extension and adds the same interactive capabilities found in DVD.
The DivX format has been extremely popular among content creators due to its ability to compress video into files 10 times smaller than standard MPEG-2 used in DVD, without compromising quality. DivX has also recently been adopted as a supported standard in numerous hardware DVD players, further spreading the technology.
Firm Settles Spyware Suit for $7.5m
Internet marketer Intermix Media, which was sued in April by New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer for installing spyware and adware on computers that came in contact with its advertisements, has settled the case for $7.5 million. Intermix also said it would stop distributing its adware, toolbar and redirect programs.
The penalty will be paid over a period of three years, Intermix said, but Spitzer spokesman Brad Maione told reporters that no agreement had been made and the investigation continues. Intermix said it reached "an agreement in principle" that would have to be approved by the courts.
Napster, Ericsson Join for Music Service
Napster and Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson have announced a global partnership to launch a fully mobile music download service for wireless operators. The service will use Napster's brand name and Ericsson will tap its extensive agreements in the mobile marketplace to push the music offering.
The Napster-Ericsson service will support downloading tracks via mobile phone or PC, and works with handsets from all major manufacturers that support content protected by digital rights management. Although the service scales to current phone limitations, it will also be able to take advantage of next-generation technology and high-speed 3G networks.
Yahoo Acquires DialPad VoIP Service
Word leaked out late Tuesday that Yahoo has purchased DialPad, a company that offers software for making telephone calls over the Internet. A Yahoo spokesperson confirmed the deal closed Monday, but would not disclose financial details. The company plans to integrate the DialPad service into its product lines.
Yahoo's interest in Internet telephony -- otherwise known as voice over IP (VoIP) -- is no secret; rumors the company was in acquisition talks with Skype surfaced late last week. Yahoo has also focused on voice communication using VoIP in the forthcoming version 7 update to Yahoo! Messenger, which entered beta last month.
Google Bundles Software with WinZip
In a marketing tactic used primarily by spyware and adware companies, Google has begun bundling its Google Toolbar and Desktop Search software with the popular WinZip archive utility. The move comes as Google begins to expand its bundling effort with a number of leading software applications.
WinZip quietly updated its download executable last week, which now weighs in at close to 4MB with the added Google tools. Users are given the opportunity to opt out of installing the Google software on the first WinZip setup screen; by default the tools are installed.
Microsoft Launches Community 'Hive'
Microsoft this week unveiled a new online resource designed to bring together leaders in the Windows community and open the lines of communication between the company and its evangelists. The Hive is Microsoft's latest community outreach effort, which is designed to help bring the back the buzz to Windows.
With no new Windows release since 2001 Microsoft has essentially gone underground as it prepares Longhorn for a debut in 2006, only opening its doors to select developers. Community leaders have largely been left in the dark, Microsoft admits, and says it needs to do a better job of listening to its constituents.
Microsoft Hires Gentoo Linux Founder
The founder and former chief architect of Gentoo Linux, a so-called meta-distribution of Linux known for its adaptability, has joined the ranks at Redmond. Microsoft hired Daniel Robbins in late May, and he in turn has transferred Gentoo's intellectual property to the non-profit Gentoo Foundation.
"I'm helping Microsoft to understand Open Source and community-based projects," Robbins said regarding his move into the belly of the beast. Robbins had already taken a back seat role at Gentoo, which has established a strong developer and user community to rely upon.
Nokia Taps Apple for Mobile Browser
Nokia announced Monday it has developed a new Web browser for its Series 60 Platform mobile phones that is based on the same technology behind Apple's Safari browser for Mac OS X. Nokia intends to contribute its work back to the open source community where Safari finds its roots.
The new Nokia browser is designed to enable the viewing of full Web pages on a smartphone screen and will be available in the first half of 2006. The company says it also plans to offer customized versions of the software for its Series 60 licensees.
Second Sony 'Walkman' Phone Debuts
Sony Ericsson on Monday announced the W600, its second "Walkman" phone slated to debut in the fourth quarter. Unlike its W800 older brother, the W600 features a swivel form factor and only 256MB of internal storage.
The company didn't announce pricing, but with a 1.3-megapixel camera and EDGE the W600 likely won't come cheap.
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