Microsoft Builds Keyboard for Vista
To accompany the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft is preparing what it calls the "Ultimate Keyboard," which blends a modern design with advanced features such as proximity sensing and a 30-foot range. Microsoft has also moved the Windows key to below the spacebar and added a Media Center button.
Like Apple's laptops, the Ultimate Keyboard detects the amount of light in the room and turns on backlighting when needed. It can additionally detect when the user leaves the room. Both the keyboard and its partner mouse utilize Bluetooth for connecting to a PC. Microsoft has given no timeframe for release or pricing for the new hardware.
Stolen Laptop with Vet Data Recovered
A laptop stolen in May that contained data and social security numbers of some 26 million plus armed forces veterans and active duty personnel has been recovered, the FBI disclosed Thursday. The agency also said there was no evidence that data on the laptop had been accessed. To date, there have been no reports of identity theft stemming from the incident, and the FBI has no suspects in custody.
"The protection of the sensitive data, and well being of those potentially affected, has made this investigation a number one priority for the investigating agencies," the agency's Baltimore office said in a statement. "A thorough forensic examination is underway, and the results will be shared as soon as possible. The investigation is ongoing."
Apple Drops on iPod Delay Rumor
Shares of Apple fell Wednesday to their lowest levels in eight months after a financial analyst said Apple would not debut new versions of its players until the fourth quarter at the earliest. Shaw Wu, analyst with American Technology Research, said that a switch of suppliers was his reasoning for suspecting a delay. Wu had believed Apple would refresh its product line starting in the summer quarter with the Nano, and later the video iPod during the holiday quarter.
The delay would push each launch a quarter behind, Wu said. If true, it could mean a wait of as much as a year for new iPods. The iPod nano was released in October, and some analysts have warned sales have begun to slow. Wu said there could be an upside to the delay, as it could mean a better spacing of iPod launches during 2007.
Verizon to Prorate Termination Fees
Verizon Wireless said Wednesday that it would prorate the so-called "early termination fee," allowing those customers closer to the end of their contract to cancel their account at a cheaper rate than previously possible. Under the old plan, no matter at what point in their contract, the customer would have to pay a $175 fee. Now, the fee would be prorated proportionally to the time left on the contract.
The change will be applied in the Fall both for new customers and existing customers who sign a new contract. The change is not expected to affect the carrier's bottom line; Verizon has one of the highest customer retention rates of any U.S. wireless service. As well as changing the cancellation fee policy, Verizon also announced Wednesday a new plan allowing existing customers to qualify for the same phone discounts offered to new customers.
Xerox, Palm Settle Patent Spat
Palm said Wednesday that it had settled a nine year-old lawsuit with Xerox over handwriting recognition technology by making a $22.5 million payment to the company. In return, Palm would be licensed to use the patent as well as two others. Additionally, Xerox has agreed not to sue Palm for patent infringement for seven years.
Xerox originally sued 3Com in April 1997, claiming that the Graffiti technologies used in Palm handhelds infringed upon a patent that the company had received in January of that year. Xerox cited a desire to end the legal process and avoiding further costs as a reason for settling with Palm. Neither company publicly commented on the settlement other than announcing of the deal.
Microsoft Buys Photo Organizer Tool
British photo organization software maker iView Multimedia said late Monday it had been acquired by Microsoft. Details were not disclosed, however the company said the acquisition would help to enhance the product, as well as its customer service. iView was originally created for the Macintosh platform and then was ported to Windows.
"In my view, this Microsoft acquisition affords us an unprecedented opportunity to be even more responsive to a thriving market and ensure that iView MediaPro continues to perform to its full potential," company founder Yan Calotychos said in an open letter to customers. Calotychos emphasized that even as Microsoft takes over the product, support for Mac OS X would remain. He also said that the company would provide more details in future announcements.
Intel Sells Communications Arm
Intel has found a buyer for its struggling communications chip business, selling the unit for $600 million plus liabilities to Marvell Technology Group. Marvell said the acquisition would give it a stronger presence in the mobile chip industry, while allowing Intel to focus on its core businesses, such as laptop and desktop processors. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.
Rumors of a sale of Intel's communications business first surfaced in the Wall Street Journal earlier this month. While the company's XScale chips have done well in high-end phones, it has had little success in marketing its lower-end chips to device makers. The result has been huge losses for the communications arm, likely between $500 million and $1 billion a year.
Apple to Preview 'Leopard' at WWDC
Apple said Monday that CEO Steve Jobs and a team of executives would preview the next version of Mac OS X, code-named "Leopard," in a keynote at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in August. As well as the demonstration, the company said it planned to give attendees information on how to take advantage of the new features in Apple's next-generation operating system.
The event will run from August 7 to 11, 2006. The preview of Leopard was somewhat expected, as the Cupertino company normally previews its new operating systems at the confab. Details on the expected new features coming in Leopard were not disclosed, although it is known that Boot Camp, the technology that makes running Windows possible on a Mac, will be included in the release.
Google Child Porn Suit Dropped
A local New York county politician that had sued Google over links to child pornography dropped his suit earlier this week. Jeffrey Toback of the Nassau County Legislature had said the search engine's paid advertisements include links to minors engaged in lewd acts. Lawyers for Toback filed documents Wednesday saying that the legislator wished to drop his case, but no public statement was made.
Google said that it was pleased the suit had been dropped, and called the allegations "irresponsible" and "far-fetched." A Google spokesperson said that Toback could have contacted the company first before pursuing action in court. The search engine said it takes steps to ensure access to child porn is difficult, and removes references to the subject and reports content to law enforcement.
Google Offers Some Videos for Free
Google this week began offering for free selected content from its Google Video library that normally costs between 99 cents and $4.95. The company is testing out embedded advertising in the videos to see if it can bring in more revenue than charging per view.
An advertisement is displayed above the content, while the commercial appears at the end of the video. Google says it has signed on less than ten advertisers for the initial trial.
Boeing May Dump In-Flight Internet
Boeing on Thursday said it was considering the future of its Connexion in-flight Internet venture after six years of failing to turn a profit, but did not go as far as confirming a Wall Street Journal report claiming it was looking to sell or shut down the unit entirely.
The airplane manufacturer has reportedly spent $1 billion on the venture, which has seen low adoption rates among airline customers due to high costs and interest in alternate technology that relies on cellular signals rather than satellites. Internet usage on Connexion equipped planes has also been relatively low, leading Boeing officials to question whether frequent fliers even want the service.
IBM Supercomputer Hits Record Speed
An IBM Blue Gene/L computer has achieved a new world record in computer performance. A system owned by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recorded sustained performance of 207.3 teraflops, a record for floating-performance. Performance is much improved from last year, when the system was capable of less than 100 teraflops.
The application requiring such performance is called Qbox, which determines how atoms would react in a nuclear explosion. It is used to ensure that the country's nuclear weapons stockpile stays safe, secure, and reliable, the NNSA said. IBM added that Thursday's news was also a important advancement in the field of "predictive science," which uses supercomputers to predict complex future events.
EA Buys Online Game Firm Mythic
Electronic Arts said Tuesday that it had reached an agreement to acquire Mythic Entertainment, maker of the massively multiplayer online game "Dark Age of Camelot." The deal is expected to boost EA's reach in the rapidly expanding MMORPG market. Terms were not disclosed.
EA said that Vivendi's "World of Warcraft," which boasts almost 6 million users, has proven that MMORPG's aren't just a niche market. The company will form a game development studio where Mythic is based, with the new company called EA Mythic. The studio is currently developing a new game title dubbed "Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning."
Apple Updates Shake, Drops Price
Apple is bringing its high-end compositing software tool to the masses with the release of Shake version 4.1, which is now a Universal Binary for running on Intel-based Macs. Pricing for Shake has been dropped by 80 percent to $499 USD, and current version 4 owners can upgrade for $49.
Shake 4.1 works alongside Final Cut Studio, featuring 3D compositing, keying, image tracking and stabilization. The tool is used by a number of major movie studios, and helped create the visual effects in "King Kong." “Now Final Cut Studio customers can retouch their shots with Shake’s optical flow technology or add photo realistic visual effects to their productions, even on a shoestring budget," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Product Marketing.
Verizon Sues Vonage Over Patents
Another lawsuit has been filed in the increasingly litigious VOIP industry. Vonage acknowledged Monday that it had been served with a suit by Verizon and Verizon Laboratories alleging infringement of seven patents related to VOIP technologies. The company said that before the suit, it had not been informed by Verizon that it was infringing upon the technologies, and had hired outside counsel to investigate Verizon's claims.
"As a leading developer of VoIP technology, Vonage respects the valid intellectual property rights of others," Vonage said in a statement. "Vonage believes that its services have been developed with its own proprietary technology and technology licensed from third parties and intends to vigorously defend the lawsuit." Verizon had no further comment as of press time.
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