Google Earth adds even more detail, sunlight effects
Google Earth 4.3 for PC, Linux, and Mac has been released in public beta, with an official release expected in a few weeks. Some of the additional features include real-time day and night lighting effects and enhanced POV controls.
The unofficial Google Earth blog notes this is not a major release, but it still shows off some eye-catching tweaks. The real-time lighting effect illuminates the Earth according to the time of day, and actually creates a sunrise and sunset effect on other layers at appropriate times when turned on. Skies change colors, and rendered buildings cast shadows on one another.
Microsoft adds one more news aggregator to the mix
Looking to take on Google News, the Redmond company on Tuesday silently launched its own news aggregator. While Live Search News looks much more basic than what Google currently offers, it's a start.
The layout of the new Live Search News is somewhat similar to Google News, but also may remind some of Techmeme, another aggregator. Sections are listed across the top, with news headlines listed down the left column. Users are able to drill down from the major headlines by clicking "more on this story," which returns news articles having to do with the topic of the headline article.
Federal behavioral ad proposal stirs disagreement
The FTC's controversial new behavioral advertising guidelines are drawing conflicting responses from entities ranging from Microsoft to consumer privacy advocates and a newspaper lobbying group.
Geared to industry self-regulation, the US Federal Trade Commission's proposed principles call for businesses to provide a "clear and conspicuous notice" to consumers about which data is being collected, along with a way for consumers to opt out of providing information to Web sites and advertisers.
New Asus Eee 900 officially launched in Hong Kong
Is it still a UMPC, or is it just a decent version of a shrunken laptop? While very small form factors have often failed, Asus may have found the perfect niche, and is exploiting it for all it's worth.
Yesterday in Hong Kong, Asus launched the newest version of its Eee ultra portable PC, the Eee PC 900.
Intel extends its winning streak, but a bad storm is coming
It has reclaimed the honor of being the world's leading CPU manufacturer in every important respect. But like a kid with a hole in his Easter basket, Intel's leaving a trail behind it: Its flash memory business could be its Achilles' heel.
There's a point where you can't help but laugh at the night-and-day difference between Intel's business status and that of its singular competitor, AMD. Then there comes a point where you stop laughing and almost start to cry in sympathy for AMD's position, having been pushed back an entire process generation, fighting hard from its traditional stronghold in the value segment.
CTIA backs Sprint, T-Mobile in white space battle
The CTIA telecom trade group has now joined Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile in calling for FCC licensing around "white space" spectrum, against the wishes of major device makers to open up the spectrum for unlicensed wireless access.
The wireless telecom trade group CTIA has chimed in on the growing debate over the use of unused "white space" in already licensed spectrum, siding -- for the most part -- with Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile. Essentially, the group views possible device interference in the unlicensed white spectrum as a threat to operators' investments in future 4G broadband networks.
Cable provider looks to create Bill of Rights for P2P users
Comcast and partner Pando Networks are leading an effort to push the industry to adopt some common practices when it comes to dealing with file sharers.
Pando is providing the cable operator with its Network Aware P2P technology so that it can analyze traffic moving through its network. Comcast plans to publicize those test results so that other cable operators can optimize their networks to better handle P2P traffic.
Vista SP1 now available in more languages
Microsoft has made Vista Service Pack 1 available in all of the company's 36 supported languages, where there had previously only been five: English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese.
x86 and x64 versions are available for manual install through Windows Update or from the Microsoft Download Center as a standalone installer, and DVD images are available to TechNet Plus and MSDN subscribers as well as those with a volume license. The two standalone installers can be downloaded here: x86, x64.
Dell debuts reworked Vostro notebook
Designing according to consumer feedback, and even taking a little inspiration from Apple, Round Rock, Texas' Dell debuted its redesigned Vostro small business laptop.
The new release is part of a larger undertaking by Dell to expand its laptop portfolio by 50 percent during the year. Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be able to purchase the laptops Tuesday, while a launch is scheduled in the Americas for May 1, and the Asia-Pacific region on May 5.
Mandriva updates its Linux distribution for spring
Mandriva quietly launched Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring, the latest Mandriva Linux distribution featuring a number of updates since its last distribution release.
"The release has some really nice new features, and looks to be pretty solid and stable," said Mandriva Community Manager Adam Williamson wrote in his blog. "We're really happy with it."
Ubisoft to get Gameloft's Indian studio
International video game company Ubisoft has entered into an agreement with mobile games company Gameloft to acquire its development studio in Pune, India.
The facility, with a staff of 120 developers and testers has been responsible for creating games for both the PSP and the Nintendo DS, notably releasing the DS version of Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft said it intends to increase the staff to 200 by the end of this year, and looks to have as many as 500 working at the facility in the future.
Mac cloner plans to take on Apple's Mac OS EULA
6:15 pm EDT April 16, 2008 - A first-hand investigation by Gizmodo appears to cast doubt on the identity and even the existence of Psystar as a company, after its team found no evidence of a computer company doing business at the address listed on its Web site, and especially after that address appears to change several times at random over the course of a single day.
4:42 pm EDT April 15, 2008 - Miami-based Psystar is now offering a Mac clone for $399, and is vowing to fight for its right to produce the device should Cupertino's lawyers come a-knocking.
AOL buys content engine Sphere
Still playing catch-up to Yahoo, Google and other rivals around attracting Web site visitors, AOL is now adding Web content engine Sphere to its growing list of acquisitions.
Before snapping up Sphere this week for an estimated $25 million, AOL had partnered with the Silicon Valley start-up anyway, using the company's widget-driven content search service for creating links from AOLnews.com and myAOL.com.
RIM faces obstacles in building BlackBerry service in India
Research in Motion and the Indian Ministry of Telecommunications have yet to reach a decision upon the security concerns raised by the BlackBerry's system of communication.
Indian security officials are reportedly wary of the lack of traceability of BlackBerry-delivered messages. The government's need for an unencrypted BlackBerry message scheme was reported by many to have been delivered as a threat to shut down the network if a solution wasn't reached. These rumors were promptly dispelled by India Telecoms Secretary Siddhartha Behura, who said a ban was out of the question.
Official XP SP3 release date still up in the air
A Microsoft spokesperson declined this afternoon to confirm reports circulating on technology blogs today citing purportedly leaked documents as saying the online release date for Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be April 29.
"We expect Windows XP SP3 to be available in 1H 2008, provided it meets our quality bar for release," stated the spokesperson, in response to BetaNews' question about the specific date.
© 1998-2026 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.