WindowBlinds 6 Alters Vista Interface
Stardock has released version 6 of its popular WindowBlinds user interface skinning application, which is the first tool that can overhaul the look of Windows Vista - from the Taskbar to window borders and buttons.
Although Microsoft improved upon the "Luna" skin it created for Windows XP back in 2001, the Redmond company still does not enable users to change the interface graphics of its operating systems, Vista included. This is a positive for Stardock, which has been helping users "skin" Windows for nearly a decade.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear DRAM Price Fixing Case
The US Supreme Court this morning decided to leave it to California courts to decide the fate of what might have been a precedent-setting civil suit against a handful of the world's leading memory manufacturers.
They had already pled guilty in federal proceedings and settled with the government, though Rambus believes it was the memory firm they were conspiring against. Today, in a move that could benefit Rambus in the end, the high court signaled its belief that such a claim is for a lower court to decide.
Apple's Web User Market Share Increases
Apple's successes with the iPod are finally translating into real momentum for its computer business, if statistics from Net Applications are any indication.
The market research firm measured a 40 percent increase year over year in Mac usage on the Internet in September. As of the end of the month, 6.6 percent of Internet users were accessing the Web via Macs, up from 4.7 percent in September 2006.
Sony Updates Electronic Book Reader
Sony unveiled the newest edition of its digital book reader, roughly a year after it launched the first version. It will go on sale later this month.
At a price of $299, it is about $50 cheaper than its predecessor. It will also come in two colors -- silver and dark blue -- and have better controls to browse through books.
Sony, Qimonda to Jointly Produce DRAM for Specific Products
The Qimonda division of Infineon, which currently produces DRAM in fabrication facilities in the US, Germany and soon China, announced today it will be partnering 50/50 with Sony in the creation of a DRAM production facility specially tailored to specific consumer devices.
Qreatic Design, as it will be known, will not only expand Qimonda's bold use of the letter "Q" but will give Sony a new option for developing conventional, random-access memory for its own devices.
HTC Touch Dual: iClone or Genius?
Today, HTC announced a new Windows Mobile 6-equipped touch screen smart device. The HTC Touch Dual is the latest in the company's line of TouchFLO devices, and will be available in Europe later this month.
HTC works with Devicewire and Expansys as direct retailers of its product line. Unfortunately for United States consumers, the Touch Dual only comes with support for European HSDPA/GSM/EDGE networks.
Yahoo Returns to its Roots with 'Search Assist'
Sensing a possible runaway victory by Google in the critical search category, both Microsoft and Yahoo are busy trying to improve the "search experience." The question Yahoo's been facing is how to help its users feel they've found what they're looking for, without kicking them out of Yahoo territory so fast they forget it was Yahoo that brought them there.
But Yahoo's latest enhancement, launched this morning, may be new to the search page but not all that new to the search experience: Its new "Search Assist" acts like an auto-complete feature, intercepting your text as you type and offering a handful of completed search queries.
Online Video May Be Virus Writers' Next Target
A new study from Georgia Tech indicates that online videos may be the newest way for attackers to load viruses onto the computers of unsuspecting victims.
The report was released Tuesday ahead of the annual security conference the school holds each year. Some 300 experts and professors are expected to attend, and will discuss new security threats and prevention measures.
RIAA Piracy Trial Set to Begin Tuesday
The first piracy suit from RIAA to make it to trial starts Tuesday, with Jammie Thomas fighting accusations of sharing some 1,702 songs through the Kazaa network.
Thomas is the first of 26,000 sued by the organization to fight the charges. A large majority of those have already settled out of court by paying a few thousand dollars. However, the Minnesota mother says she has done nothing wrong.
Microsoft Acquires Shopping Site Jellyfish
Microsoft said Tuesday that it had acquired comparison shopping site Jellyfish, which allows users to compare and buy products, and then get cash back for purchases made through the site.
The site will remain separate from other products by Microsoft, but act as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Redmond company. Terms of the deal, which was struck on Thursday, were not immediately disclosed.
Opera Updates Mobile Browser with Flash
Opera on Monday released version 8.65 of its Opera Mobile Web browser, the $24 USD shareware product not to be confused with Opera Mini, which is free. The update works with Windows Mobile 5 and 6 on either Pocket PC or Smartphone platforms. Version 8.60 is available for Nokia's S60 based phones.
Opera Mobile 8.65 adds support for Flash 7, but only on Pocket PC devices, along with FlashLite 2.1. The browser also takes a cue from Safari on Apple's iPhone, enabling users of touch-screen Pocket PC devices to scroll by dragging a finger. Other new features include searching via the address bar, copying text and saving images, as well as sending a link via e-mail, SMS or MMS.
Innovative Buzzword Word Processor to Come Under Adobe's Wing
The producer of Buzzword -- possibly a game-changing word processor in the Web services field -- has been acquired by Adobe. In so doing, it rejoins the productivity applications market already in progress, and could very well blow that market wide open.
The Waltham, Massachusetts-based Virtual Ubiquity built Buzzword on Adobe's AIR platform, which uses a mix of AJAX, the Flash layout platform, and the Flex language originally developed for Flash by Macromedia, the standard's former parent. Now Adobe may be exercising its option to fully acquire the development firm reportedly founded using Adobe's seed money, with the aim of taking on Google Apps, Microsoft Office Live, and very likely Yahoo in the Web-driven applications space.
OLED Screen TVs Enter the Market
Sony, which has in the past been the market leader in portable music with the ubiquitous Walkman in the 80's and video games with the Playstations in the 90's and beyond, hopes to establish dominance in the flat screen TV market with the first OLED displays.
The Japanese company is currently placed behind Samsung at the top of LCD display sales.
AT&T Will Suspend Accounts of Detractors
Telecommunications company AT&T updated its terms of service for its DSL customers recently with an interesting addition: the company will now suspend the accounts of those who talk badly of it. The new line reads that service may be suspended if a customer's comments "tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries."
Customers may find the move somewhat troubling, especially considering the telecom's involvement in the warrantless wiretapping scandal that rocked the Bush adminstration in 2005. While the company tried to play down its involvement, it also altered its privacy policy to try to claim ownership over the personal information that customers provide to it. AT&T had no immediate comment on the change to its policies.
EU Launches Qualcomm Investigation Without Objections Statement
While the European Commission is refraining for now from issuing a formal Statement of Objections to US-based networking technology provider Qualcomm, it did say this morning it will take action prompted by five of its competitors -- including long-time opponent Broadcom -- in investigating whether the firm applies unfair licensing terms to these and other companies.
"This initiation of proceedings does not imply that the Commission has proof of an infringement," reads an EC statement issued this morning. "It only signifies that the Commission will conduct an in-depth investigation of the case as a matter of priority."
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