Microsoft Opens x64 Upgrades to Retail
Following confusion surrounding its Windows x64 Advancement Program, which offers a free upgrade from the standard 32-bit version of Windows XP to the recent 64-bit release, Microsoft has clarified the language on its Web site. All users, whether they purchased or built their PC, are now eligible for the 64-bit upgrade.
Microsoft had previously said publicly that any Windows XP user with an x64-supported processor, such as an Athlon 64, may trade in their license for the x64 Edition of Windows XP. But the company's Web site for the program stated the program only applied to purchased PCs with an OEM copy of Windows XP.
Nokia Unveils Handheld Linux Tablet
Ahead of the LinuxWorld Summit in New York, Nokia unveiled its first device in what it calls the "Internet Tablet" category. The handheld Nokia 770, which sports a 4.1-inch touch screen, is also the company's first device without a built-in mobile phone - relying instead on Wi-Fi Internet connectivity.
The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet features a widescreen 800x480-pixel display and weighs about half a pound. It measures 5.6 inches wide, 3.1 inches deep, and .75 inches thick. The new device is being billed by Nokia as a way to browse the Web and access e-mail when not sitting at a desktop PC.
FTC Begins 'Operation Spam Zombies'
The Federal Trade Commission, Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security and 33 other agencies from over 20 countries have joined the fight against spam - specifically targeting 'zombie' machines. Zombie, or hijacked computers are responsible for sending millions of junk e-mails each day.
"Operation Spam Zombies," will begin by sending letters to over 3,000 ISPs worldwide, instructing them on how to prevent customers' computers from being compromised by spammers. These methods include: blocking port 25 that is used for outgoing e-mail, applying rate-limiting controls for e-mail relays, identifying potential zombie machines, and providing customers with trojan-removal tools.
Video: Xbox 360 Interface in Action
With the Xbox 360, Microsoft has shifted its focus to the community aspects of gaming. The new console will center around Xbox Live, enabling users to create profiles, locate fellow gamers and communicate in various different ways. The following two videos highlight the interface Microsoft has developed to accomplish these tasks.
Xbox 360 will use a Gamercard as identification throughout the Xbox Live world. Users can view basic information on a fellow gamer, such as avatar, reputation and type of player via the card, or drill down into a detailed Gamer Profile. The profile also contains the gamer's status -- online or off -- and what game her or she is playing.
Sony's PlayStation 3 Up Close
Although it's six months behind Microsoft's Xbox 360 and demoed no actual PlayStation 3 games at E3, Sony did give BetaNews a peek at their next generation console. The sleek design comes in three colors, although a Sony representative stressed that everything was still conceptual -- especially the wireless controller -- and designs may change before the PS3's official debut.
Revealed: Xbox 360 User Interface
Behind closed doors on Thursday, Microsoft demonstrated to BetaNews the user interface on its Xbox 360. The Dashboard, which can be customized using themes, offers access to four main panels: System, Games, Media and Xbox Live.
System contains standard configuration options for the Xbox 360, including linking up with network devices and setting parental controls.
Yahoo Messenger Beta Takes On Skype
With Microsoft recently adding voice over IP capabilities to MSN Messenger and AOL readying a new AIM client with similar functionality, voice has become the new buzzword of IM. Yahoo has now joined the mix, launching a beta version of Yahoo Messenger 7, which hopes to capture some of the success enjoyed by Skype.
Extremely popular in Europe, Skype recently surpassed 100 million downloads and the company rolled out two premium features for voicemail and dialing standard telephones. Unlike Skype, however, Yahoo Messenger will focus on free PC-to-PC calling among buddy list contacts.
XM Surpasses 4 Million Subscribers
In the race to dominate satellite radio, XM has just passed the 4 million subscriber mark, the company announced on Monday. In just five months, XM has added 1 million new customers, and expects to reach 5.5 million by the end of 2005. XM currently holds nearly 70 percent of the market, dominating rival Sirius.
"It took 23 months for XM to reach its first 1 million subscribers. It took eight more months to reach our second million, six months to hit 3 million, and less than five months to exceed 4 million," XM CEO Hugh Panero said in a statement.
German Sober.Q Worm Floods Inboxes
A new variant of the Sober worm has begun to flood inboxes with hundreds, and even thousands, of junk messages that link to news stories about Sober. Dubbed Sober.Q, the variant is being spread by computers infected with Sober.N, which posed as tickets for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Sober.Q messages contain various subject lines in German, including: 'Dresden Bombing Is To Be Regretted Enormously', 'Armenian Genocide Plagues Ankara 90 Years On', 'Dresden 1945' and 'Turkish Tabloid Enrages Germany with Nazi Comparisons'.
Apple Gets Win in 'Tiger' Trademark Suit
Apple has scored an early victory in a lawsuit brought against the company by TigerDirect, which alleged Mac OS X 10.4, known as Tiger, infringed on its trademarked name. U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lenard rejected TigerDirect's request for a preliminary injunction forcing Apple to stop using the word tiger.
"There is greater risk of damage to Apple from granting the injunction than any potential harm to TigerDirect from Apple's use of Tiger marks," Lenard wrote in a 56-page decision, according to AppleInsider.
Nintendo Briefly Details its 'Revolution'
Potentially opening the door for its rivals to steal valuable market share, Nintendo announced over the weekend that its next-generation gaming console, code-named Revolution, won't go on sale until 2006. Unlike Microsoft's Xbox 360, Revolution will be Nintendo's smallest machine to date.
"In its final form, Revolution will be about the thickness of three standard DVD cases and only slightly longer," the company said. Nintendo partnered with ATI and IBM to develop hardware that fits into the small form factor.
iPod to Connect with Xbox 360
Microsoft may be battling the iPod on the digital music front, but on the gaming side Redmond has embraced its Apple rival. The Xbox 360 will enable users to connect a portable music player, including an iPod, to the system and browse or play back music through the console's interface while watching 50 visualizations.
"We see the Xbox 360 as replacing your CD player in your entertainment center, but also as the best digital media amplifier available," said Xbox 360 product manager Barry Steinglass. "Your PC is a great place to manage your music, but it's not always the best place to enjoy it. With Xbox 360 you've got one central place to listen to all your music on the best sound system in the house."
MPAA Goes After TV Show Traders
Calling television programming as important as movies, the Motion Picture Association of America has filed lawsuits against six Web sites devoted to swapping TV shows using BitTorrent. The suits are focused on the enablers that offer torrent files, rather than individual users downloading copyrighted content.
The six defendants include ShunTV, Zonatracker, Btefnet, Scifi-Classics, CDDVDHeaven and Bragginrights. "Every television series depends on other markets to earn back the enormous investment required to produce the comedies and dramas we all enjoy and those markets are substantially hurt when that content is stolen. On these sites, anyone in the world can download entire television seasons in a single click," MPAA CEO Dan Glickman said in a statement.
MS to Offer Windows Antivirus, More
In a long expected move that the antivirus industry has been dreading, Microsoft will offer a comprehensive security package for Windows users called "Windows OneCare." The subscription service will go beyond online threats, delivering data backup tools and automating computer maintenance tasks.
Currently set to enter beta testing, Windows OneCare revives Microsoft's PC Satisfaction trial from 2003, which bundled third party antivirus and firewall solutions, as well as backup and PC health monitoring services into a single interface.
Microsoft Reveals Xbox 360 Specs
Following months of speculation, leaks and hype, Microsoft finally revealed its next generation Xbox 360 gaming console during a special pre-taped MTV broadcast Thursday night. However, the unveiling offered few details beyond what was already known.
Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU
- Three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each
- Two hardware threads per core; six hardware threads total
- VMX-128 vector unit per core; three total
- 128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread
- 1 MB L2 cache
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