Yahoo, Microsoft IM Integration 'Soon'
Responding to queries on the status of integration with Yahoo Messenger, Microsoft said Monday that it was still working toward integrating the Yahoo network into the Windows Live Messenger client. "I still don't know exactly when you're going to be able to start adding those Yahoo! Buddies to your WL Messenger, but it can't be much longer," Messenger team member Leah posted to the team blog Monday.
The original deal to link the two networks was announced in October of last year. At the time, the companies said that the integration would occur by the second quarter of 2006. According to the blog post, a fully functional version of Windows Live Messenger with the Yahoo network integrated is being tested internally, however final testing has not begun.
Net2Phone Sues Skype Over Patent
As the VOIP market continues to heat up, so does the litigation. Net2Phone sued Skype in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, alleging patent infringement. The suit centers around point to point IP technology, which allows for an exchange of IP addresses in order to establish a link between two devices. Skype uses the technology to make calls.
Skype is also the defendant in another patent suit filed in late May by the owners of the Morpheus network. In that suit, StreamCast Networks claimed Skype broke an agreement that gave it first right of sale to the FastTrack network protocol. The technology is the foundation of Skype's Internet calling, and was used for file sharing in Morpheus.
Report: AOL Looking to Sell UK Unit
English newspaper The Guardian said Friday that AOL now has plans to shed its British division, signaling the company is about to exit the European market. With 2.2 million subscribers, the company is Britain's third largest Internet service provider. It is believed that Citigroup has been given the task of selling AOL UK, as it has for both the company's French and German divisions.
It is not clear at this time whether or not AOL plans to either strike a partnership, or is looking to completely shed the unit altogether. However, press reports indicate that AOL has placed all options on the table. No timetable has been placed on the completion of a sale.
Comcast to Double Download Speeds
Cable provider Comcast plans to roll out a new feature starting in New England that will double the speed of customer downloads from 6Mbps and 8Mbps to 12Mbps and 16Mbps. The PowerBoost feature is expected to roll out to the rest of Comcast's customer base by the end of the year.
Unlike previous speed upgrades, however, Comcast says the PowerBoost feature will only be available when extra network capacity is available. When not available, the standard rates are guaranteed, the company said. Upload speeds, a common complaint among customers, will also not change.
DoS Flaw Found in Windows XP, Server
Security firm Secunia warned Thursday of a new flaw within Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that could cause a denial of service issue. The vulnerability can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow, which in turn would cause Windows to crash. Labeled as a "less critical" vulnerability, the flaw could be used to execute arbitrary code, but Secunia was unable to prove that in tests.
Microsoft said that it was investigating the issue, however was not aware of any attack vectors that attempt to exploit the problem. "The vulnerability has been confirmed on a fully patched system with Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and Microsoft Windows 2003 Server," Secunia wrote in its advisory. It is unclear if Microsoft plans to address the flaw on its next Patch Tuesday, scheduled for June 13.
Sierra Delivers 3.6Mbps Wireless Card
Sierra Wireless said Thursday it planned to expand its lineup of PC cellular data cards by adding an HSDPA-capable AirCard model. The company expects the first shipments to begin sometime later this year. According to tests, the PC card could theoretically support data speeds of up to 3.6Mbps, and could reach 7.2Mbps with future firmware upgrades.
Currently, UMTS or HSDPA networks already exist in some 50 countries, according to the GSM Association. The device, the AirCard 875, supports tri-band HSDPA / UMTS and quad-band Class 12 EDGE / GPRS connectivity. At its maximum speeds, the card could provide comparable connectivity to that of today's DSL and cable high-speed connections. Sierra also plans for a CDMA EV-DO Revision A-compatible card, the 595, expected later this year.
$100 Laptop Gets Price Increase
One Laptop Per Child founder Nicholas Negroponte used the Wall Street Journal's D Conference in Southern California Wednesday to show off a prototype of the much-anticipated $100 laptop for emerging markets. However, he acknowledged that the device will initially be priced around $130 to $140 USD.
Negroponte expects to begin shipping the laptop, which will feature wireless mesh networking and run Fedora Linux, to governments starting April 2007. He said the $100 price point will be possible by the end of 2008, and added that manufacturing will need to hit at least 5 million units to make that a reality.
California Moves to Change Cable Laws
The California Assembly voted Wednesday to ease cable rules to eliminate city-by-city franchises, thus making it easier for phone companies to offer alternative services. The cable industry had been using the law as a way to stymie competition, phone companies have asserted. The bill passed on a 70-0 vote, with 10 members not present
While lauded by companies like AT&T, which praised the move, the cable industry warned that the bill could have negative consequences. Dennis Mangers, president of the California Cable and Telecommunications Association, warned that if government was not careful, the state could "screw up" the telecommunications industry. The proposal must still pass the state Senate, as well as be signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger before it becomes law.
Ask.com Introduces Blog Search
Ask.com launched a new service that uses its Bloglines service to assist users in finding blog topics that the mainstream media may be missing. The approach is different from other services, which work like traditional search engines, and will help to limit the problem of blog spam, which is becoming increasingly common, the company says.
Users will be able to save searches and share results as RSS feeds. They would also be able to post searches to sites like Bloglines or Digg. As well as appearing on Ask.com, the company plans to integrate the new technologies into Bloglines as well. The new option is available immediately from the Ask.com homepage.
Slingbox Launches in UK
Sling Media took its first steps in expanding into Europe Tuesday, announcing its popular Slingbox product was now available in the United Kingdom. Initially, the device would be available through computer store chain PC World, with availability in Currys within four to six weeks. The price has been set at 179.99 pounds.
Additionally, the company announced it had named Stuart Collingwood as its vice president of European operations. "The launch of the Slingbox into the UK market and ultimately to the European consumer is a significant milestone for Sling Media as we continue to build a worldwide footprint and deliver the same customer experience internationally that we do today for customers in the United States and Canada," said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media.
EU May Tax SMS, E-Mail Messages
The European Union is considering a tax on text and e-mail messages, as the 25-country bloc looks for new ways to fund itself. The idea is among several others being floated in committee as the parliament argues over a new budget. According to the propsal, a 1.5-cent tax on SMS messages, and a 0.00001-cent tax would be levied on each e-mail sent. It is not clear if users themselves or the companies providing the service would be responsible for the tax.
The proposal was brought to the table by French center-right lawmaker Alain Lamassoure. He called the tax "peanuts," saying it could provide an "immense income" for the EU. In parts of Europe, the concept of a tax on text messaging has been already considered. Italy briefly toyed with the idea, but it was soundly rejected. A European Union working group is currently looking over the proposed legislation.
Google Ports Picasa to Linux
Google has ported over its popular free Picasa photo organization tool to the Linux operating system, the company said Friday, releasing a new build of version 2.2. In order to support the open source OS, Google developers are using a special version of Wine, along with code from Mozilla.
"It incorporates nearly all the features of the current Windows version of Picasa, providing you with the tools you need to easily find, edit, and share the photos on your computer," explained Google's Open Source Programs Manager Chris DiBona. "And because it runs on a carefully tested version of Wine, Picasa avoids the slowing effects of an OS emulation or a virtual machine."
SlingPlayer for Smartphones Released
Sling Media, the makers of the cult favorite Slingbox product, said Friday it had released a public beta of the SlingPlayer client for Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphones. Although the company had previously offered a beta of software for Windows Mobile clients, this version would allow for navigation and control without a touch-screen or stylus. Furthermore, the software supports keypad commands and shortcuts, and "intuitive features such as easy synchronization and full-screen video."
While the Windows Mobile software would be free during the beta, the final version will cost $29.99 USD and include a 30-day free trial. Sling Media says the software is compatible with the Motorola Q, T-Mobile SDA and the i-mate SP5m. A minimum download speed of 112kbps is required for the television streaming to work properly.
Microsoft to Buy Wireless Ad Provider?
Microsoft is in talks to acquire Third Screen Media, which provides ads for wireless Web sites that are viewed on mobile devices such as phones, according to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday. Microsoft is hoping to cash in on growing mobile spending by advertisers.
Third Screen's technology, which is used by companies such as The Weather Channel and USA Today, would likely be integrated into the MSN adCenter product. Microsoft is bulking up its advertising arsenal in order to compete with Google, which dominates the market. The Redmond company also purchased video game advertiser Massive last month.
Nintendo: Wii Will Sell for Under $250
While still remaining vague on specifics, Nintendo disclosed Thursday that the new Wii video game system would retail for less than $250, and reaffirmed a fourth quarter launch. The company expects to sell six million consoles by the end of March 2007.
Nintendo expects to sell as many as 17 million Wii games during the same period, or about three games per console sold. Further details on a launch date and titles would be forthcoming, the company said. The launch of the Wii, as well as the continued success of the Nintendo DS system is expected to contribute to an 18 percent growth rate for the company in the current fiscal year.
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