Mobile Office 12 in the Works?
Although details are still sketchy at this time, partners close to Microsoft have indicated that work has begun on a version of Office 12 for mobile devices. Microsoft Watch reported that the update will include refreshes of the mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, which have been included with Windows-based PDAs for years, in addition to a mobile version of the company's OneNote product.
Support for Microsoft's new XML-based file format would be included in the new mobile releases of the programs, sources told the site, as well as rights management support. The suite would run on both PDAs and smartphones with the Windows Mobile operating system. Microsoft has declined to confirm or deny the rumors.
The Buzz: Winds of Change at Microsoft
The big news Wednesday involved two memos from Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and chief technical officer Ray Ozzie. The missives detail what Gates calls "a sea change" and why Microsoft risks being left behind in the Web 2.0 movement. Read on to see what analysts and bloggers had to say about the news, and tell us what you think.
"This is a more disrupted Microsoft. And believe me (and many of them heard this from me) they needed to be disrupted. I hope Ray still has the chance to have one foot planted outside the company, as he roots the other inside, otherwise he isn't going to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. But I'm glad he's fighting for platform-building. It's true that Google is not doing what we need them to do, and while Yahoo is trying, he's right they do approach things as a media company (which is good!) but that doesn't mean we don't need tech companies here."
-- Dave Winer, Scripting News
Amazon Taps SideStep for Travel Search
Travel site SideStep received a major boost on Thursday by securing a partnership with Amazon to become the e-retailer's search engine in its travel store, replacing competitor Hotwire.com. The deal gives SideStep access to Amazon's 52 million users.
Unlike other travel sites such as Travelocity and Orbitz, SideStep searches partner Web sites for the lowest fares and then directs users to that company's booking application. Although it has been around since 2000, SideStep has remained fairly unpublicized. But recently, a spate of travel search engines have cropped up, including America Online funded Kayak.com.
Live.com Adds Firefox Support
Just one week after the launch of Live.com, Microsoft has added support for Firefox to its new services-based Web site. But the upgrade is not entirely bug free; a minor flaw causes the tabs in search results to display improperly. The problem will be fixed shortly, according to developers.
Even with Microsoft embracing the popular IE alternative, some users refused to cut the company some slack. A commenter to the official Live.com blog questioned why Firefox wasn't supported at launch. "I don't understand why it wouldn't be written standards-compliant in the first place, rather than having to go back to the code to make workarounds," a reader named Simon wrote.
Transcript: Bill Gates Executive Memo
Microsoft chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates sent the following memo to fellow executives on October 30, calling for the company to make changes in response to the coming "services wave." Gates says Microsoft must act quickly and decisively to figure out the best way to deliver service-enabled experiences.
From: Bill Gates
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 9:56 PM
To: Executive Staff and Direct Reports; Distinguished Engineers
Subject: Internet Software Services
Blogs, Tech Help Organize French Riots
French authorities said Tuesday that they are investigating two teenage boys who used their Web logs to urge others to join the unrest that is plaguing the European country. A 16 year-old from France and an 18-year-old national of Ghana have been placed under "judicial investigation," but have not been formally charged. A 14-year-old was also investigated and released without charges.
The three teenagers do not know each other but all had their blogs hosted by Skyrock, a popular youth radio station. Statements on the sites called for the arson of local police stations, as well as coordinated times for attacks. According to law enforcement, leaders of the violence in the country are increasingly relying on technology -- text messaging, chat rooms and the Internet -- to better organize violence.
Microsoft Fixes Critical Windows Flaw
As part of its monthly Patch Tuesday security bulletin, Microsoft has released one fix covering two critical vulnerabilities in Windows. The flaw affects the operating system's graphics rendering engine, and could lead to a remote attacker taking control of a system through the use of malformed WMF and EMF images.
Windows 2000, XP and Windows Server 2003 -- including 64-bit versions -- are at risk. Microsoft recommends that users download the patch immediately. "Any program that renders WMF or EMF images on the affected systems could be vulnerable to this attack," the company said in an advisory. Microsoft has also updated its Malicious Software Removal Tool Tuesday.
MySpace to Become Record Label
Social networking site MySpace announced Thursday that it would create its own record label in an attempt to promote many of the bands that have used the service to draw attention to their music. The first album to be released from MySpace will be called "MySpace Records: Volume I" and include a mix of major label and independent artists, as well as unsigned acts.
The MySpace label has already signed one group, the Hollywood Undead, to release a full album towards the middle of next year. The Los Angeles rock and rap act has used MySpace for promotion since June. Altogether, some 550,000 artists and bands use the service. According to MySpace president Tom Anderson, at least four other bands could be signed to the label in the coming months.
The Buzz: Microsoft Upgrades to Web 2.0
Microsoft on Tuesday announced its highly-anticipated lineup of online services, called Windows Live and Office Live. The news has received much attention from tech pundits and throughout the blogosphere. Read on for a selection of what people are saying about Redmond's latest move and tell us what you think.
"There's been a lot of chatter about how this is a response to Google or how it's Microsoft being dragged into offering these type of services at the expense of losing it's traditional market for Office apps. Well, that analysis is all wrong. Microsoft has been planning this for quite some time, long before it would appear as a response to Google or anyone else. Let's also make one thing clear, these services aren't about replacing Windows or Office nor is this a retreat from the traditional Office applications. If you're looking to replace your Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook with this set of offerings, you're looking in the wrong place."
-- Michael Gartenberg, Jupiter Research
The Buzz: IM Truce and Video iPods
Two major stories hit the wire today: Yahoo and Microsoft announced a partnership that will tie their instant messaging networks together starting next year, and despite Steve Jobs' denial, iPods with video surfaced at today's Apple media event. Here's what the opinion-makers are saying across the Web:
iPod + Video
The Buzz: Google, Sun Deal Falls Flat
Industry watchers mostly agree that Tuesday's announcement of a multi-year partnership between Google and Sun was not what they thought it would be. Some even suggest Sun is fighting a battle to stay relevant as the tech world passes it by. Read on to see what people are saying about the deal.
"I've gotten comments ranging from "lame" to "underwhelmed," describing today's Sun-Google announcement. I wouldn't underestimate the significance here. I certainly never expected a Google/Sun deal on StarOffice. OK, so Google is going to ask people to download a huge chunk of Java software--well, huge compared to the toolbar. What's the big deal? Google just shot a huge canon across Microsoft's bow. A Google alliance with any competitor is probably going to cause ulcers over at Microsoft."
- Joe Wilcox, Microsoft Monitor
Commentary: Privacy, A Vending Machine Novelty
These days it seems like everyone is trying to sell you something, whether it be online, over the phone, or directly to your face. We as consumers cannot go a week without at least ten telemarketer calls at 9 AM while on our way to work, or school, whichever it may be. It is mind-boggling how many companies exist solely for the purpose of making your mornings hell, or as Brad Pitt put it in Fight Club, how you go to work just to go home and buy "crap we don’t need."
American consumerism is at its best these days, purchasing a book from Amazon or having people deliver your groceries to your doorstep without you leaving the house. I've always said before that laziness, not necessity, is the mother of all invention. But with this invention of e-commerce and the Internet comes a price, a pretty high price if you consider the implications of what information about you is floating around on the Net.
Appeals Court Tells Napster To Stop the Music
The US Court of Appeals today said Napster
must put an end to the sharing of tunes from the world's biggest
record companies, unveiling a long-awaited decision that backs a
preliminary injunction ordered by a lower court in July.
The ruling from the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit - a
California-centered jurisdiction under which many technology
oriented legal battles have been fought - calls for Napster to
prohibit its 50 million users from exchanging MP3 files containing
tracks produced by the record labels and music-publishing companies
now suing the company for copyright infringement.
Software Firm Rolls Out Security Hole Early-Warning System
The company that distributes the most ubiquitous breed of
Internet
server software is launching an online forum that will alert paying
participants to
potential security holes discovered in the software.
The Internet Software Consortium (ISC) - which develops and disseminates
the
Berkeley Internet Name Domain, or "BIND" software - alerted its customers
last
week to the creation of the BIND-Members Forum, according to ISC
officials..
Sun Shines On New Webtop Technology
Sun Microsystems Inc. said today it has rolled out a
technology that will change the way users access office productivity
applications.
In a company statement the software builder said the new release is
called the Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) Webtop, and will
provide Internet service providers (ISPs) with the ability to deliver
branded, customized content to their users.
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