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The InformationWeek April 2006 Archive « March 2006 | Main | May 2006 » |
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Daily News Podcast For Monday, May 1
In today's daily news podcast, Microsoft shares tumble on spending plans as the company expands System Center and says it's nearly finished with Windows Live ID deployment; Google is condemned for its recent click-fraud settlement; Mozilla pulls a major Firefox 2.0 feature; some Sun partners say the firm needs to make dramatic cost-cutting moves; EDS lands a $1.7 billion IT contract at Kraft Foods; a new software product promises to stop zero-day exploits; and a debate breaks out over the notion of "tag spam."
Today's In-Depth is about Google, and our editorial comments are about outsourcing research.
Your host today is Johanna Ambrosio.
Background music: "After Four, Before Eight," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License.
Is Wireless Affecting Our Health?
All this time I've been thinking that the cause of my tiredness and quick temper is work-related stress, the side effects of living in New York City, and lack of sleep. But it's possible that the actual culprit could be my home Wi-Fi network.
Continue reading "Is Wireless Affecting Our Health?..."
Did You Get Your Free Flash Drive Yet?
A while back I posted a story that said Microsoft was giving away free flash drives. There were just a couple of catches, of course -- you had to have a Microsoft Passport account to get one, and they came packed with information on Microsoft licensing. That was two months ago. Has anybody seen their freebie yet? I haven't.
Continue reading "Did You Get Your Free Flash Drive Yet?..."
Did You Get Your Free Flash Drive Yet?
A while back I posted a story that said Microsoft was giving away free flash drives. There were just a couple of catches, of course -- you had to have a Microsoft Passport account to get one, and they came packed with information on Microsoft licensing. That was two months ago. Has anybody seen their freebie yet? I haven't.
Continue reading "Did You Get Your Free Flash Drive Yet?..."
Analyzing The Outsourcers
As a researcher at InformationWeek, I have the opportunity to read a lot of research. Most of the outsourcing research that passes through my E-mail pertains to job loss or the employment implications of outsourcing on IT careers. In fact, with the release of our National IT Salary Survey, there was an article devoted to just this topic. But the goal I've been tasked with is to determine how successful outsourcing partnerships are, and which outsourcing vendors are truly helping customers meet goals and save money. And it was you, the readers, who set this goal. We've had many requests to revisit our Analyzing the Outsourcers research, last conducted in November of 2004.
Continue reading "Analyzing The Outsourcers..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, April 28
In today's daily news podcast, Microsoft plans to handcuff Vista firewall, Apple offers free recycling with Mac purchases, Seagate Technology gives desktop drives a 50% boost in capacity, research indicates that digital cameras leave unique "pixel" fingerprints, and 802.11n Wi-Fi may not be all it's cracked up to be. The Editor's Note takes a rather irritable look at Microsoft's attitude toward browsers.
Your host today is Barbara Krasnoff.
Background music: "Tattoo," courtesy Dilvie under Creative Commons License
TV Guide To Launch 'Downloads' Column
In a sign of the times, TV Guide Magazine plans to launch May 1 a new weekly column called "Downloads," which will talk about the latest TV shows available for download to an Apple iPod video or other media player.
Continue reading "TV Guide To Launch 'Downloads' Column..."
Can Microsoft Convince You To Switch?
Everyone likes a good horse race--even when the race is fixed. That's about how I see the supposed race between Internet Explorer and Firefox. Ever since IE was included with Microsoft's operating system, its dominance has pretty much been a done deal. But that doesn't mean the front-runner should sit back and rest on its laurels. And up until now, that's what Microsoft has been doing.
Continue reading "Can Microsoft Convince You To Switch?..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, April 27
In today's daily news podcast, we detail new VoIP services from AT&T and Yahoo under their telecom partnership, review a new site for locating IE add-ons, explain how Google promoted the Firefox browser, expound on new Oracle database add-ons, and analyze how information--particularly when it comes to salaries and other career issues--is one of an IT professional's strongest weapons.
Your host today is Tom Smith.
Background music: "Trickeehouse," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Surf's Up At Work
Just when you thought it wasn't safe to surf the Web at work, now it may be. Earlier this week, a New York judge made an advisory ruling that since time spent on the Internet is much like reading a newspaper or making a personal phone call, employees should only be reprimanded--not fired--for failing to stay off the Internet.
Continue reading "Surf's Up At Work..."
A Price Tag On Your Skills
In recent weeks, InformationWeek has produced loads of coverage on the benefits and pitfalls of outsourcing, career trends, and now salary trends. Despite the gloom and doom over outsourcing, particularly offshoring, there are some reasons for optimism, at least among those who are constantly advancing their skills and raising their value to their companies. In many ways, the job market is quite healthy.
Continue reading "A Price Tag On Your Skills..."
CA's Bad Week
In recent months, CA has made great efforts to put the company's very troubled past behind it and move forward with a new chief executive and a new vision. The company went so far as to abandon its old Computer Associates moniker in hopes, I am guessing, of also shedding its tarnished image with the name. CA's moves were welcomed by its customers, industry observers, and by partners - who often described having a strained relationship with the systems management software giant.
Continue reading "CA's Bad Week..."
CA's Bad Week
In recent months, CA has made great efforts to put the company's very troubled past behind it and move forward with a new chief executive and a new vision. The company went so far as to abandon its old Computer Associates moniker in hopes, I am guessing, of also shedding its tarnished image with the name. CA's moves were welcomed by its customers, industry observers, and by partners - who often described having a strained relationship with the systems management software giant.
Continue reading "CA's Bad Week..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, April 26
In today's daily news podcast, Google's growth outpaces rivals, and France launches its own search engine project. Microsoft unveils a promised repatched patch, ships IE7 Beta 2, narrows down Longhorn Server's ship date, and spars with the EU. A Firefox bug could be cause for concern, some Mac resellers are preinstalling XP on the new Mac Portable, and a survey says consumers like TV, phone, and Web "bundles." The Editor's Note examines the latest weird news for the wired.
Patricia Keefe is your host.
Background music: "On The River," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Weird News Of The Wired
It's only Tuesday evening, but already we've seen an intriguing collection of offbeat, oddball, and unexpected (but welcome to some) news reports. Here are some highlights:
The latest twist in outsourcing to India? It's not another IT job category, but it does involve a pretty specific skill set. You might say it's a whole 'nother line of specialized production altogether. Give up? It's surrogacy, as in babies.
Continue reading "Weird News Of The Wired..."
Do Your Passwords Pass Microsoft's Test?
There's a scene in the movie Spaceballs when King Roland, having given in to Dark Helmet's threats, tells him that the combination to his planet's "air shield" is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Exasperated, Dark Helmet responds, "That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard in my life! The kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage!" Moments later, we learn that this is indeed the combination to the evil President Skroob's luggage. At this point, we're pretty sure that Lone Starr and the rest of the good guys are going to win in the end.
I laughed at this line when I saw the movie back in 1987. OK, it's still funny today. But it's not so funny when you think about how most people create and manage their PC, application, and network passwords. All is not lost, however. Like Lone Starr, the dashing hero of Spaceballs, Microsoft has swooshed in to save the day, offering a password checking program on its site that's sure to help even someone like President Skroob improve his password rating from the much maligned "Weak" to the much coveted "Best."
Continue reading "Do Your Passwords Pass Microsoft's Test?..."
'Outsourced' Programmers Finally Get Same Benefits As Laid-Off Factory Workers--A Fair, But Costly, Development
Companies lay off workers for many reasons--they're employed in a unit that isn't profitable, they worked on a discontinued product, the employer is downsizing, etc. Or they work in an industry that's losing ground to foreign competitors with lower costs. Given the myriad ways in which one could suddenly find himself or herself out of a job, is there any justification for the government singling out the latter category for special benefits--like an extra year's worth of unemployment payments?
Continue reading "'Outsourced' Programmers Finally Get Same Benefits As Laid-Off Factory Workers--A Fair, But Costly, Development..."
Schwartz Must Usher In Software Age At Sun
Call it founder's disease. Call it what you want. But Scott McNealy hindered Sun from becoming a successful software company. Now Jonathan Schwartz has got his work cut out for him.
Continue reading "Schwartz Must Usher In Software Age At Sun..."
A Gadget To Hold (And Charge) Your Gadgets
Here's a device that seems custom-made for Personal Tech Pipeline readers: It's a room lamp that charges your many handheld gadgets, while at the same time providing a tidy place to put the charging cables and place your wallet and keys.
Continue reading "A Gadget To Hold (And Charge) Your Gadgets..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, April 25
In today's daily news podcast: Are you making a competitive wage? Our annual salary survey can help you find out. It's a tough week for CEOs as Scott McNealy steps down at Sun in the face of widening losses, and as former CA CEO Sanjay Kumar pleads guilty. A security breach at the University of Texas exposes 200,000 records, and another zero-day bug hits IE. Our editorial comments on the news of the day are from my colleague Chris Murphy, who describes how offshoring is to IT as Wal-Mart is to retail.
Your host today is Mitch Wagner.
Continue reading "Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, April 25..."
vPro: Do Businesses Need An Intel-Branded PC Platform?
Can too much of a good thing be more than the customer wants, needs, or even cares about? Intel on Monday unveiled its vPro, a new brand name it will apply to its Professional Business Platform the company introduced only a year ago. Intel now has three platform brands: the highly successful Centrino brand for mobile PCs, the fledging Viiv brand for consumer PCs and related equipment, and vPro for the commercial PC market.
Continue reading "vPro: Do Businesses Need An Intel-Branded PC Platform?..."
Google Experiments On Humans
Over at the Google blog, Ambar Pansari, a Google product manager, and Marissa Mayer, VP of search products and user experience, admit that Google is experimenting on its users.
The two confess, "From time to time, we run live experiments on Google--tests visible to a relatively few people--to discover better ways to search. We do this because there's no good substitute for understanding how real people, in real-world situations, actually operate."
Continue reading "Google Experiments On Humans..."
When The American IT Worker Isn't Always An American
Got an E-mail from the head of an IT workers' advocacy group who wonders how many non-Americans are among employed IT pros in the United States.
Continue reading "When The American IT Worker Isn't Always An American..."
Offshoring Is Your Wal-Mart: Don't Take It Head-On
Offshoring is to U.S. IT workers what Wal-Mart is to retail. If you're squarely in its path, competing head-to-head on price, you'll be crushed by the economics in its favor. But that doesn't mean the death of the IT career.
Continue reading "Offshoring Is Your Wal-Mart: Don't Take It Head-On..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, April 24
In today's daily news podcast: While Microsoft readies a fixed patch, users get tips on how to remove bad patches; the Mac OS X is hit by six new zero-day bugs, and Macs are seen as the next malware target. Cisco fixes multiple vulnerabilities, we offer a list of the Top 10 Windows XP tips of all time, Google and its OneBox roil the search world, and as blogs grow, so does spam. Our In Depth report takes a closer look at some recent numbers on IT employment trends.
Your host today is Patricia Keefe.
Background music: "Sheep May Safely Graze BVW 208," courtesy Kevin MacLeod of IncompeTech under Creative Commons License
Google's Got Its Business-Casual Khakis On
It's never been completely clear how seriously Google takes its enterprise IT business. Its latest search appliance leaves little doubt.
Continue reading "Google's Got Its Business-Casual Khakis On..."
The E-Mail Hoax To End All E-Mail Hoaxes
I'm repeatedly amazed that I still get e-mail hoaxes, always sent earnestly by relatives who have been suckered in. Give-away hoaxes ("Bill Gates"), sympathy hoaxes ("Little Girl Dying of Leukemia"), warning hoaxes ("Stay Out of the Mall on Halloween!"), chain letters ("Hawaiian Good Luck Totem"), urban myth e-mails ("Flesh Eating Bananas") -- I'm sure you've gotten your share.
Continue reading "The E-Mail Hoax To End All E-Mail Hoaxes..."
Pearl Jam, The Doors Use Technology To Bypass Traditional Music Delivery
Technology and risk-taking innovators in popular music are taking content delivery where it hasn't been available previously, and in a manner that large record labels sometimes have had to be dragged kicking and screaming. Seattle-based Pearl Jam has led the way in providing instant online access to each of its concerts, and now legendary '60s band The Doors is following its path by making about two dozen previously unavailable live concerts available directly to fans.
Continue reading "Pearl Jam, The Doors Use Technology To Bypass Traditional Music Delivery..."
If You Can't Say Something Nice About Steve Ballmer, Come Sit By Me
In my ceaseless search for Truth and Enlightenment that I can pass on to you I look at a lot of Web sites and blogs. I totally revere folks like John Perry Barlow and Dave Winer who think deeply and independently about computing, and nerds like Fred Langa and Steve Gibson absolutely who understand this stuff. But I have to admit to a secret vice: gossip. I love gossip. But satisfying dish about the high-tech world can be hard to find. Well, I just found some. A lot, in fact.
Continue reading "If You Can't Say Something Nice About Steve Ballmer, Come Sit By Me..."
If You Can't Say Something Nice About Steve Ballmer, Come Sit By Me
In my ceaseless search for Truth and Enlightenment that I can pass on to you I look at a lot of Web sites and blogs. I totally revere folks like John Perry Barlow and Dave Winer who think deeply and independently about computing, and nerds like Fred Langa and Steve Gibson absolutely who understand this stuff. But I have to admit to a secret vice: gossip. I love gossip. But satisfying dish about the high-tech world can be hard to find. Well, I just found some. A lot, in fact.
Continue reading "If You Can't Say Something Nice About Steve Ballmer, Come Sit By Me..."
Stopping Google
Imagine the conspiracy theorists having a field day with this one: eBay is separately talking to Yahoo and Microsoft to see if one of them might be a valuable collaborator against a common threat: Google.
Continue reading "Stopping Google..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, April 21
In today's podcast, we look at security woes for Microsoft, Firefox, Thunderbird, and Oracle, along with an HP battery recall. MySQL will tell all about its in-development storage engine, Monster reports that online hiring is booming, Apple plans to build a new campus, and the public beta of Opera 9.0 is released.
Today's in-depth report covers personal tech reviews and news, and our daily commentary is on technology and the environment.
You host for today is Valerie Potter.
Background music: "Glow Is On," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Is Your PC EC?
Is your PC environmentally correct? At first glance, the answer is a resounding no. Computers, cell phones, iPods, and other high-tech toys are basically cocktails of hazardous substances, including lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium, hexavalent chromium, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and brominated flame retardants. Once they've entered our air, water, and soil via landfills and incineration, these toxins can cause cancer and damage our lungs, kidneys, bones, brains, reproductive systems, and more.
We blithely throw away our two-year-old cell phones and laptops, never thinking about where they'll end up or who they'll poison. The California Resource Recovery Association estimates that U.S. landfills receive 300,000 tons of this E-waste annually, and much more than that is shipped overseas for poorer countries like China, India, and Pakistan to disassemble and dispose of, according to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.
Continue reading "Is Your PC EC?..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, April 20
In today's podcast, we detail a major group of security patches from Oracle, analyze significant blade server developments from IBM and HP, dissect Indian outsourcer Wipro's financial results, and delve into new Microsoft SQL Server enhancements. The daily commentary addresses the role of the big search engines in IT innovation.
Your host for today is Tom Smith.
Background music: "Space," courtesy The Cow Exchange under Creative Commons License
IT Workforce Rise Occurs Despite Fewer Software Developers, Thanks To Managers
Numbers don't always add up. Take, for instance, the latest IT employment stats that show American IT employment at a record high.
Continue reading "IT Workforce Rise Occurs Despite Fewer Software Developers, Thanks To Managers..."
In Search Of Innovation
For years, we've seen far too little in the way of innovative enterprise applications or major hardware and networking advances. Arguably, more innovation is taking place in the consumer space, although much of that is incremental rather than revolutionary. There's more evidence this week that innovation in the IT industry is now being driven from the search engine outward, both for consumer and business applications.
Continue reading "In Search Of Innovation..."
Handicapping The Open-Source Shakeout
The long-predicted consolidation of the open-source software market is finally starting to happen. But which path will the market take--disappearance of the pure-play open-source vendors, or a winnowing to a few strong ones?
Those were the two scenarios proffered by Kim Polese, CEO of SpikeSource Inc., when I spoke with her in late February. SpikeSource sells testing and tech support for open-source packages of business software such as JBoss, MySQL, and SugarCRM. If any of those companies get acquired, she said then, "It doesn't change our business model." Now one has, and it fits Silicon Valley veteran Polese's definition of a "major acquisition" in the open-source world.
Continue reading "Handicapping The Open-Source Shakeout..."
Data Center Power And Cooling Consortium Long Overdue
One of the hottest topics in the world of IT this past year has been the growing difficulty businesses are experiencing in trying to keep up with the demand for computational throughput without creating unmanageable data centers where the cost of running and cooling the equipment exceeds the cost of hardware acquisition. The formation of The Green Grid organization announced on Wednesday, could be a first step to creating an open industry community that can best address the issues and begin the journey to finding solutions.
Continue reading "Data Center Power And Cooling Consortium Long Overdue..."
Treo 'Hollywood' Spotted In Wild
A blurry photograph of the low-cost, no-antenna, 3G/GSM version of the Palm Treo, code-named "Hollywood" and likely to be named the Treo 800p, started circulating today on the Web. Is it real?
Continue reading "Treo 'Hollywood' Spotted In Wild..."
Daily Podcast For Wednesday, April 19
In today's podcast: Microsoft's patch snafu grows as users seek a workaround; Microsoft readies "Carmine," its virtual server manager; rising RAM prices may make Vista more expensive; IT employment reaches a record high in the United States; the Bagel worm is updating; we tell you how to get the most out of search engine optimization; and IBM's first quarter reveals slow growth in its crucial services business.
Today's in-depth report is about digital entertainment, and our editorial comments are about the notion of "rated" news.
Your host for today is Johanna Ambrosio.
Background music: "Zombies Awake," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
The Cost Of Click Fraud
Click fraud is a serious problem complicated by the fact that click fraud data is in short supply. The Click Fraud Index aims to change that.
The good news is that the incidence of click fraud appears to be lower than the disturbingly high figure of 20% to 40% that has been suggested.
The bad news is that at 14%, that's still a lot of bad clicks.
Continue reading "The Cost Of Click Fraud..."
All The News That's Fit To Rate?
A new site, Health News Review, rates health-related news stories on nine criteria, including accuracy, balance, and completeness. A panel--consisting of 20 journalists and experts in health services and medicine--vets each story, which winds up with a rating of between one and five stars. There are explanations of why each story received its ratings in all nine categories.
Continue reading "All The News That's Fit To Rate?..."
Steve Does a Jobs on Woz
Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, has written an autobiography. He asked Steve Jobs, his old HP co-worker and Apple co-founder, to write the preface, but, Woz told The AppleInsider that Jobs said no. "I don't know why" he declined, Woz told the Insider, "because I'm nice to him, so there must have been something he didn't like."
Continue reading "Steve Does a Jobs on Woz..."
Steve Does a Jobs on Woz
Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, has written an autobiography. He asked Steve Jobs, his old HP co-worker and Apple co-founder, to write the preface, but, Woz told The AppleInsider that Jobs said no. "I don't know why" he declined, Woz told the Insider, "because I'm nice to him, so there must have been something he didn't like."
Continue reading "Steve Does a Jobs on Woz..."
New Data Indicates That Outsourcing Yields Numerous Benefits Beyond Cost Reduction
A new study shows that handing IT projects to third parties--often based in far-flung corners of the globe--isn't saving corporations as much as is widely believed. Predictably, critics of the practice have been quick to seize on the report as proof that outsourcing isn't justifiable considering its supposed impact on U.S. jobs. But they're missing the point.
Continue reading "New Data Indicates That Outsourcing Yields Numerous Benefits Beyond Cost Reduction..."
Daily Podcast For Tuesday, April 18
In today's podcast, we have tips from Fred Langa on Windows XP's little-known "Rebuild" command, a review of the Google Calendar beta, and a look at the fear industry. Our editorial comments on the news of the day look at security research: It isn't pretty, but it's necessary.
Your host: Mitch Wagner.
Background music: "Jimmy Hat (instrumental)," courtesy The Cow Exchange under Creative Commons License
Security Research Isn't Pretty, But It's Necessary
Security research is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. Security researchers run an assembly line of self-aggrandizing publicity, churning out press releases and announcements patting themselves on the back for discovering security vulnerabilities in software by Microsoft, Oracle, and other major vendors.
The researchers operate under a constant cloud of suspicion: Are they simply creating a climate of useless fear, stifling innovation, E-commerce, and technology implementation? Are they providing guideposts to computer criminals on where and when to attack?
But as reported in "The Fear Industry" by Larry Greenemeier, security researchers provide an essential function. They apply pressure on vendors to fix security flaws instead of simply denying the flaws exist and hoping they go away. And they help fill IT managers' insatiable need for information about vulnerabilities and security.
Continue reading "Security Research Isn't Pretty, But It's Necessary..."
Geronimo May Prove A JBoss Competitor
It's not an accident that JBoss Inc. has built up a head of steam, culminating in a $350 million offer from Red Hat. And it will be no accident that other promising application server projects follow in its path.
Continue reading "Geronimo May Prove A JBoss Competitor..."
Wireless E-Mail Patent: What Did NTP Know And When Did It Know It?
More evidence surfaced this past weekend suggesting that NTP, which last month received a $612.5 million patent-infringement settlement from BlackBerry provider Research In Motion, should never have been granted its wireless E-mail patents. The idea of wireless E-mail dates back to 1982, when it popped into the mind of high-school dropout Geoff Goodfellow, a one-time Silicon Valley entrepreneur. That's two decades before NTP won its first legal battle against RIM.
Continue reading "Wireless E-Mail Patent: What Did NTP Know And When Did It Know It?..."
Brand Identity
A few years ago, in another life, I was presenting some research related to brand identity and the delivery of IT services to a tech-savvy group in Paris. I asked the attendees what they thought of when they heard the IBM brand name. Though the attendees gave a number of answers, the common consensus was that IBM represented quality, stability, and market superiority. In essence, IBM was a company these consumers of IT solutions trusted. Well, judging from the results of the Systems Management poll on which vendor you trust the most, little has changed.
Continue reading "Brand Identity..."
Brand Identity
A few years ago, in another life, I was presenting some research related to brand identity and the delivery of IT services to a tech-savvy group in Paris. I asked the attendees what they thought of when they heard the IBM brand name. Though the attendees gave a number of answers, the common consensus was that IBM represented quality, stability, and market superiority. In essence, IBM was a company these consumers of IT solutions trusted. Well, judging from the results of the Systems Management poll on which vendor you trust the most, little has changed.
Continue reading "Brand Identity..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, April 17
Listen to the current InformationWeek Daily Podcast. In this report: Mozilla fixes 24 bugs and ends support for Firefox versions 1.0.x., Microsoft Office Live beta gets brisk traffic, and Sprint tracks kids via GPS cell phones. Our in-depth report features security, including Microsoft updating its anti-spyware product, Defender. And our editorial comments on the news of the day discuss Apple's secret plans for global domination.
Mitch Wagner is today's host.
Background music: "Meltdown Man" by Derek K. Miller, courtesy The Penmachine Sessions under Creative Commons License
Apple Computer Is Secretly Plotting Global Domination. Or, Maybe Not.
Apple Computer's recent forays into Windows compatibility and Intel hardware architecture raise some interesting questions about the strategic direction of the company.
This could simply be what Apple says it is: By supporting Intel hardware, Apple might simply be looking for price/performance that the PowerPC architecture no longer provides. And the introduction of Windows Boot Camp, which lets Intel-based Macs boot Windows, could simply be a way to win market share by recruiting Windows users to try the Mac, allowing those users to switch without losing compatibility with Windows software.
But does Apple have ambitions beyond that?
Continue reading "Apple Computer Is Secretly Plotting Global Domination. Or, Maybe Not...."
Will Salesforce.com Solve The Mobile Apps Challenge?
Nowadays extending a business application to a mobile device is like putting together a huge puzzle. Each time you think you're getting close to completion, you're either missing a critical piece or you just can't make the different pieces fit. But it looks like things are finally starting to change. Take Salesforce.com's acquisition of Sendia this week as an example. The two companies have developed a mobile platform that may eliminate some of those mobile app headaches--an issue that has been on my mind all week, and one that I explore deeper in my April 17 article on Salesforce.com's AppExchange Mobile.
Continue reading "Will Salesforce.com Solve The Mobile Apps Challenge?..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, April 14
In today's podcast, we detail Google's new online shared calendaring service, investigate the applicability of Microsoft's latest software patches to various IE versions, and outline the Wi-Fi plans of Portland, Ore. The comments of the day focus on software development careers.
Tom Smith is your host for today.
Background music: "Coast of California," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
At Cray, Good News Is Hard To Savor
What else could possibly go wrong at Cray? Three weeks ago, the beleaguered supercomputer company mustered about as much fanfare as it could in its arcane corner of the technology market by unveiling a new product road map that promised to slice bloated engineering costs while boosting performance benchmarks for its multimillion-dollar machines. The announcement was supposed to show how Cray, beset by financial losses, key executive departures, a $1.50 stock price, and a pileup of acquired platforms, was going to work its way out of the red.
That may still happen. The company is a contender for as much as $1.25 billion in Defense Department funding expected to be doled out in July. But Cray is in hot water again, this time with the Nasdaq Stock Market. The latest turn of events has taken the bloom off Cray's rose and erased the bounce in its stock price after the road map release.
Continue reading "At Cray, Good News Is Hard To Savor..."
Software Security Groupies Kiss And Tell
Bet you didn't know that software companies, like rock stars, have groupies. Rock star groupies know every word to every one of their favorite band's songs, and they know how to wrangle backstage passes that make them privy to the band's inner workings. In my April 17 article on software companies and the security researcher groupies who love them, I spin a yarn about several instances where researchers found their way onto the proverbial tour bus. Do the people in charge of IT security really want these groupies to kiss and tell?
Continue reading "Software Security Groupies Kiss And Tell..."
Software Career Paradox
A report from today indicates that software engineers have "the best jobs in America," as determined by a Money Magazine survey. Factors leading to this enviable designation included strong career growth prospects, high average salary, and potential for creativity.
Continue reading "Software Career Paradox..."
An Engineer Blows The Whistle On AT&T
I never believed that the Electronic Frontier Foundation's lawsuit against AT&T, alleging that the company helped the National Security Agency coduct illegal spy operations, had much of a future.
Consider the EFF's central claim in the case -- that AT&T and NSA collaborated to spy upon tens of millions of American citizens, including both domestic and overseas phone calls. EFF isn't just looking for the proverbial smoking gun; it needs to find a smoking howitzer to prove such a dramatic, and politically explosive, charge.
Boom. Meet Mark Klein, an AT&T engineer who spent 22 years working for the company's New York and San Francisco switching centers. His appearance as an EFF witness in the case -- with documents supporting many of his claims -- could change everything. His statements, assuming their veracity, are nothing short of infuriating.
Continue reading "An Engineer Blows The Whistle On AT&T..."
Microsoft Is Pushing Your Leg
Gartner Group analyst Todd Kort has discovered that the "Direct Push" email Microsoft built into Windows Mobile 5.0 to take on RIM and Good Technology isn't really push at all. It's fast pull, he tells Unstrung. The differences may be minor. But they're $ignificant.
Continue reading "Microsoft Is Pushing Your Leg..."
Microsoft Is Pushing Your Leg
Gartner Group analyst Todd Kort has discovered that the "Direct Push" email Microsoft built into Windows Mobile 5.0 to take on RIM and Good Technology isn't really push at all. It's fast pull, he tells Unstrung. The differences may be minor. But they're $ignificant.
Continue reading "Microsoft Is Pushing Your Leg..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, April 13
In today's daily news podcast, Apple discussion board users list Boot Camp woes, Google licenses a search algorithm, Oracle buys Portal Software for $220 Million, Dell explores on-site services, Mozilla rolls out fan videos for Firefox, and the In Depth report runs down the latest wave of Microsoft security fixes and faux pas. The Editor's Note examines how IT can save lives by debugging code.
Patricia Keefe is your host.
Background music: "Another Continent," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Open-Source Excitement
Things have certainly been hopping in the open-source world lately. Last week Microsoft announced that Windows will be able to host Linux applications by means of its virtual server software, then followed up with a new site devoted to explaining its Linux moves to its customers.
Continue reading "Open-Source Excitement..."
Save Lives: Debug Code
We're so used to looking at programming these days as a throwaway, low-cost skill. We discourage students from pursuing it, we outsource the basic tasks, and we routinely struggle with balky applications. Regardless of how smart any of this might be, we know we can live with all that.
But the tendency to ignore commonsense requests to thoroughly debug code? Very bad idea. In fact, it can be downright dangerous, according to panelists and attendees speaking at several sessions on topics such as "Lessons From Disasters," "Fantastic Failures," and "Top Problems In Real-Time Software Design" at the recent Embedded Software Conference in San Jose.
Continue reading "Save Lives: Debug Code..."
Daily Podcast For Wednesday, April 12
In today's podcast: Software browses the Web without needing to be connected, we present a buyer's guide to your perfect notebook and list 13 essential items for the road, RIM won't change its focus on E-mail, Microsoft fixes 14 flaws, IT gets creative at DreamWorks, software warns parents of online sexual predators, and Europeans dismiss GoDaddy's complaints about the new .eu domain name.
Our in-depth report is about service-oriented architectures, and our editorial talks about Red Hat's acquisition of JBoss.
Johanna Ambrosio is your host for today.
Background music: "After Four, Before Eight," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Microsoft's Crawl From The Bottom In Search
Microsoft may be lagging in the search market, but give its engineers credit for moving faster to catch up.
The software company posted a new search engine for academic journals to the Web Tuesday night, and while it's yet another example of Microsoft trailing Google in online software (digital maps and desktop searches also come to mind), Microsoft is showing what looks like a new willingness to take some chances and loosen up its release schedules.
Continue reading "Microsoft's Crawl From The Bottom In Search..."
IT Security: Playing To Win
Security company Fortify Software today released a Flash-based game called IT Defender that attempts to educate players about workplace security risks while they risk their jobs by playing a game at work.
Sure, it's a PR ploy. But it's a good one. (Really, anything is better than another press release.) As a game, it's nothing groundbreaking, but it's nicely done for what it is.
Continue reading "IT Security: Playing To Win..."
In China And India, IT Workers Fiddle While Paris And Rome Burn
Were I an Indian or Chinese IT worker or engineer, I'd be smiling after reading Monday's editions of Le Monde or Il Tempo. That's because I'd know that a job currently located in France or Italy is coming my way. I'd also be secure in the knowledge that after this week's events, there's almost zero chance that a multinational I might want to work for--say, IBM or Siemens--is going to choose Western Europe (with the possible exception of the U.K. or Ireland) over my country as the place for their next big round of job-creating investments. Here's why U.S. politicians and lobbyists need to pay attention to the two latest examples of European countries pressing their own delete buttons.
Continue reading "In China And India, IT Workers Fiddle While Paris And Rome Burn..."
The More Things Change...
the more they stay the same. Sure, it is an old adage but it also true. Consider recent talk of increased consolidation in the IT services industry. Companies like EDS are making moves to buy other firms, but this is hardly anything new. Just weeks ago, news surfaced of merger talks between Lucent and Alcatel - two tech vendors with services organizations. This follows the big news of March that the new AT&T, itself the result of the blending SBC and AT&T, plans to buy BellSouth.
Continue reading "The More Things Change......"
The More Things Change...
the more they stay the same. Sure, it is an old adage but it also true. Consider recent talk of increased consolidation in the IT services industry. Companies like EDS are making moves to buy other firms, but this is hardly anything new. Just weeks ago, news surfaced of merger talks between Lucent and Alcatel - two tech vendors with services organizations. This follows the big news of March that the new AT&T, itself the result of the blending SBC and AT&T, plans to buy BellSouth.
Continue reading "The More Things Change......"
Deflating The Wireless Bubble
Mobile and wireless computing are among the most hyped technologies available. My colleagues Elena Malykhina and Andy Dornan do a great job today describing both the potential and the problems of wireless and mobile computing. Their report includes the following:
Continue reading "Deflating The Wireless Bubble..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, April 11
Listen to the current InformationWeek Daily Podcast. In this report: Apple's Boot Camp lets Macs do Windows, Red Hat is buying JBoss, San Francisco's Wi-Fi strategy is putting Google's advertising business model to the test and raising privacy concerns, and half of corporate PCs can't do Vista.
Continue reading "Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, April 11..."
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid
A while back I wrote that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office should declare all software and business-process patents void and invalid, and stop issuing them. The Netflix suit against Blockbuster shows why in a nutshell. Netflix actually has a patent that covers the idea of renting DVDs online. Some innovative idea, huh? And as if that weren't ridiculous enough, last week it got a second patent that covers renting DVDs without charging late fees. Wow, I wish I'd thought of that! But Blockbuster beat me to it, which is just as well. Otherwise Netflix would be suing me instead of Blockbuster. Congratulations, Netflix, you've won this month's Pond Scum Award for finding a way to engage in anti-competitive behavior and get away with it, casually helping to destroy the patent system in the process.
Continue reading "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid..."
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid
A while back I wrote that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office should declare all software and business-process patents void and invalid, and stop issuing them. The Netflix suit against Blockbuster shows why in a nutshell. Netflix actually has a patent that covers the idea of renting DVDs online. Some innovative idea, huh? And as if that weren't ridiculous enough, last week it got a second patent that covers renting DVDs without charging late fees. Wow, I wish I'd thought of that! But Blockbuster beat me to it, which is just as well. Otherwise Netflix would be suing me instead of Blockbuster. Congratulations, Netflix, you've won this month's Pond Scum Award for finding a way to engage in anti-competitive behavior and get away with it, casually helping to destroy the patent system in the process.
Continue reading "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid..."
Messaging Works: Don't Underestimate PayPal's Potential
With Paypal unveiling payments via text messaging on cell phones, the debate has already started over the market for payment services on mobile networks. I use the word "market" because, while Paypal doesn't necessarily need to make money beyond the payments it is already owed, someone does. At least that is one side of the argument.
Continue reading "Messaging Works: Don't Underestimate PayPal's Potential..."
Messaging Works: Don't Underestimate PayPal's Potential
With Paypal unveiling payments via text messaging on cell phones, the debate has already started over the market for payment services on mobile networks. I use the word "market" because, while Paypal doesn't necessarily need to make money beyond the payments it is already owed, someone does. At least that is one side of the argument.
Continue reading "Messaging Works: Don't Underestimate PayPal's Potential..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, April 10
In today's podcast, we lay out Google's IPTV hiring plans, explore a cross-over virus that has emerged and spans Linux and Windows, and give five excellent tips on how to get the most out of your iPod. Our comments of the day focus on personal protection: the challenges in keeping kids safe from online predators, and good reasons to not let tax preparers and the government allow your personal information to get into the wrong hands.
Your host for today is Tom Smith.
Background music: "Stop Yield Go Merge (Remastered)" by Derek K. Miller, courtesy The Penmachine Sessions under Creative Commons License
Making A List? Look Who's Checking It Twice
Think social networking is just kid stuff? Or a prowling ground for sexual predators?
It's both, of course, but it's also a marketing paradise.
Continue reading "Making A List? Look Who's Checking It Twice..."
ChoicePoint For Our Safety?
Why on earth would the federal government choose to sign a multimillion-dollar contract with a company that just a year ago suffered a data breach affecting almost 150,000 Americans? I don't know, but that's exactly what it has done.
Continue reading "ChoicePoint For Our Safety?..."
No Laptop Left Behind
I wrote recently about Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child initiative, and snarky responses to it from Intel's Chairman Craig Barrett and Microsoft's Chairman Bill Gates. Then I went snarky myself on Intel's Community PC platform for India. I'm happy to report two follow-ups: Negroponte took the high road in his response to Gates, and Intel's Community PC may actually be a real program, not just the publicity stunt I assumed.
Continue reading "No Laptop Left Behind..."
No Laptop Left Behind
I wrote recently about Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child initiative, and snarky responses to it from Intel's Chairman Craig Barrett and Microsoft's Chairman Bill Gates. Then I went snarky myself on Intel's Community PC platform for India. I'm happy to report two follow-ups: Negroponte took the high road in his response to Gates, and Intel's Community PC may actually be a real program, not just the publicity stunt I assumed.
Continue reading "No Laptop Left Behind..."
Daily Podcast For Friday, April 7
In today's daily news podcast, EDS announces plans to increase its staff in India tenfold in two years, while Dell looks abroad to achieve its goal of $100 billion in annual revenue. Also: Hiring trends perk up nationwide, the GAO complains that data brokers snub federal privacy regs while Nigerian scammers get ready for tax season, Microsoft buffs SQL Server while cozying up to Linux, and hackers target HP printer software even as an embedded software expert warns that we must test everything. The Editor's Note examines highlights from this week's news well and mulls over some of the questions raised by those stories.
Your host for today's podcast is Patricia Keefe.
Background music: "Captured" by Ronak, courtesy of SectionZ under Creative Commons License
IT News Revue
I spend all week collecting, reading, and posting the news. Inevitably some stories stay with you, often raising as many questions as they answer. Here are some highlights from this week's batch of news, along with some things to consider in their wake:
Continue reading "IT News Revue..."
Daily Podcast For Thursday, April 6
In today's podcast: A Microsoft researcher says tricks to lure users to worm-laden sites are just as problematic as exploits in the code itself, Apple makes it possible to run Windows XP on its Macs, companies are holding back on giving their employees smart phones due to security concerns, ITers get the scoop on SOA, Firefox hits the 10% market-share figure, and techies were upbeat about jobs and finances last month.
Our in-depth report is about Web business, including 10 companies you should know about, and our editorial comments are about two interesting online marketing campaigns.
Your host for today's podcast is Johanna Ambrosio.
Background music: "Fresh Snow In The Valley" by Derek K. Miller, courtesy The Penmachine Sessions under Creative Commons License
Wireless Challenges: What Mobile Users Really Think
While moderating a Birds of a Feather Session (BOFS) at the InformationWeek Spring Conference in Amelia Island, Fla., this week, I presented the attendees with a list of wireless challenges in hopes of shining a light of realism on hype around mobile applications, dual-mode handsets, WiMax, and municipal Wi-Fi. But apparently the challenges don't stop there.
Continue reading "Wireless Challenges: What Mobile Users Really Think..."
Truckin' And 'Pot'
So call the political correctness police already. But I'm betting the title got you to read this, or at least scan it. Didn't it?
If so, you're helping make my point that a little experimentation online can go a long way. Two interesting online marketing campaigns have proven that. Both were risky and edgy, for very different reasons.
Continue reading "Truckin' And 'Pot'..."
Apple Offers Windows On Macs
Apple's new Intel Macs can now officially run Windows. The computer company today introduced a public beta of Boot Camp, software that lets licensed users of Microsoft Windows XP install Windows on their Intel-based Macs. The result is a computer that can boot Mac OS X or Windows.
The Internet community has been feverishly trying to create just such a chimera since Apple announced its Intel-based Macs in January. One site, OnMac.net, went so far as to offer a bounty to the first person to accomplish the feat. A winner was announced on March 16.
Continue reading "Apple Offers Windows On Macs..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, April 5
In today's podcast, we review the potential sale of government and defense outsourcer Computer Sciences Corp., take a look at security issues relating to Apple OS X and a new update to the operating system, and examine IE security issues. Other news involves AMD's increased processor production capacity and plans for a cell phone trial by Air France. The comments of the day seek your feedback on our podcasts.
Your host for today is Tom Smith.
Background music: "Wild Isle," courtesy Digital Riffs Music under Creative Commons License
Don't Put That In Your Mouth, You Don't Know Where It's Been
One of the major objections to open source is that nobody's responsible for the code. Enterprise users need to be sure that the software they're deploying is secure. The way they do that for proprietary code is to bind the authors with contracts, requiring the authors to guarantee that the code has been reviewed for security. But you can't do that with open source because anyone can contribute to open source, and, ultimately, there's no single party that can be held responsible for the software's security. You don't know where it's been.
Continue reading "Don't Put That In Your Mouth, You Don't Know Where It's Been..."
Enterprise Software Wakes Up From Nap Time, Wants Juice And A Cookie
It's very satisfying to hear an observation that's both completely new and--once you hear it--blindingly obvious. Jason Maynard, a software analyst for Credit Suisse, did that for me at the InformationWeek Spring Conference this week when he observed that there's been almost no innovation in enterprise software for the past five years or so.
With the exception of the RIM BlackBerry, the enterprise software industry hasn't produced any tools in that time that have enhanced worker productivity, Maynard said.
Continue reading "Enterprise Software Wakes Up From Nap Time, Wants Juice And A Cookie..."
Casting About
Last week those of us who opine in the InformationWeek Daily newsletter each day reached something of an internal milestone: our 100th Daily news podcast. That's 20 weeks' worth of audio versions of our flagship newsletter (all of which are available here).
Continue reading "Casting About..."
How To Implement SOA And Get Fired
Let's say you hate your job and want to get yourself canned so you can get yourself some of that sweet unemployment insurance. Experts on a panel on service-oriented architecture at the InformationWeek Spring Conference Tuesday offered some handy tips to ease you on the road to unemployment.
Continue reading "How To Implement SOA And Get Fired..."
U.S. Needs More H-1B Workers Or More Offshore Outsourcing: Take Your Pick
As Congress considers a massive expansion of the H-1B visa worker program, opponents of the plan should consider this: Failure by federal lawmakers to allow more skilled IT workers into the country will result in more U.S. corporations simply outsourcing their computer work to India or some other offshore locale where skilled help is plentiful and cheap. Is that what you really want?
Continue reading "U.S. Needs More H-1B Workers Or More Offshore Outsourcing: Take Your Pick..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, April 4
In today's daily news podcast, we take a look at the latest Apple court dates, along with an interesting take on digital rights management; more IE security woes; a new twist in patch management; which PC brands feel consumer love; an EDS investment in an Indian outsourcer; and news services for mobile users. And from our Spring Conference, FedEX talks about how to affect a successful transformation. The Editor's Note examines a proposed rule change concerning access to taxpayer data that has the IRS pitted against numerous privacy and consumer organizations.
Patricia Keefe is your host.
Background music: "The Misadventures of the Purple Sine," courtesy Dilvie under Creative Commons License
Video Blogging
It's been interesting to watch the entertainment industry adopt digital technology. Growing up in Los Angeles, I spent many years close to those in the industry who would eventually go on to spur adoption.
Recently, I discovered a new form of digital expression.
Continue reading "Video Blogging..."
Akimbo, Movielink, Snocap, Peerflix, And More
Are you ready to move into a purely digital world? Would you forgo DVDs and tapes for bits and bytes stored on flash drives or servers? Would you only buy movies and music online, rather than travel to a physical store to touch and feel the products at the time of purchase?
Howard Lukk, executive director of production technology at Walt Disney Pictures and Television, said at a recent Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California (ETC-USC) event that Disney would release the majority of its films this year in digital format.
Ironically, Disney remains excluded from the list announced today.
Continue reading "Akimbo, Movielink, Snocap, Peerflix, And More..."
SAS Institute: It Used To Be Technology That Rocked
When the 30th SAS Institute user group convened in San Francisco on March 26, I hadn't attended a SUGI (SAS User Group International) gathering for over a decade. So let's say the high production values of its opening session--the big-time, high-fidelity sound system, slick video effects, and theatrically staged customer awards--were a shock.
Continue reading "SAS Institute: It Used To Be Technology That Rocked..."
How To Open Up The Floodgates
Do you wish you had more junk mail? Not enough spam clogging your E-mail box? Do you want a wider variety of marketing solicitations? Well, help is on the way!
When you sit down to do your 2006 federal income taxes, make sure you do a good job. We wouldn't want any erroneous information going out to the reams of buyers lining up in hopes of buying what the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) calls "the map to your life."
Continue reading "How To Open Up The Floodgates..."
Confidence Problems
To succeed for the long-term in any industry, a business has to earn its customers trust. Winning customer confidence is especially important in an industry like technology where any investment is essentially an invesment in the future. Companies buy hardware expecting to use it for years on end; sign long-term software licensing deals assured that the software maker will be around to support it; and look for technology suppliers who can deliver the services they need to run their businesses. So naturally, enterprises look for vendors that exhibit the technical superiority, innovativeness, and level of customer support necessary to produce exceptional technology. But companies also look for a vendor they can trust - one that demonstrates integrity, consistency, and dependability.
Continue reading "Confidence Problems..."
Confidence Problems
To succeed for the long-term in any industry, a business has to earn its customers trust. Winning customer confidence is especially important in an industry like technology where any investment is essentially an invesment in the future. Companies buy hardware expecting to use it for years on end; sign long-term software licensing deals assured that the software maker will be around to support it; and look for technology suppliers who can deliver the services they need to run their businesses. So naturally, enterprises look for vendors that exhibit the technical superiority, innovativeness, and level of customer support necessary to produce exceptional technology. But companies also look for a vendor they can trust - one that demonstrates integrity, consistency, and dependability.
Continue reading "Confidence Problems..."
The Hardest-Working Man In The Software Industry
Al J. Monserrat is the hardest-working man in the software industry.
Monserrat is vice president and general manager for North America for Citrix Systems. During a brief lunch presentation at the InformationWeek Spring Conference at Amelia Island, Fla., on Monday, Monserrat described how his company's products helped him keep working during Hurricane Wilma. While the wind and rain bore down on his Fort Lauderdale, Fla., home, Monserrat kept working.
Continue reading "The Hardest-Working Man In The Software Industry..."
Which PDA Should I Buy?
I need a new PDA. And I need your help. My old Palm Vx is getting flakier and flakier. Now almost every time I open it up I have to do a reset and retrain the digitizer, because the touchscreen loses the settings that tell it what object on the screen I'm selecting. I've looked at the current Palms, and the current crop of Pocket PCs, and I can't make up my mind.
If you have one of these, would you mind answering three questions? (1) Would I really use fancy features like WiFi access and a built-in MP3 player? (2)Is there any advantage at all to a Pocket PC over a Palm? (3) Is there something I'm missing here, another maker, another OS?
Continue reading "Which PDA Should I Buy?..."
Which PDA Should I Buy?
I need a new PDA. And I need your help. My old Palm Vx is getting flakier and flakier. Now almost every time I open it up I have to do a reset and retrain the digitizer, because the touchscreen loses the settings that tell it what object on the screen I'm selecting. I've looked at the current Palms, and the current crop of Pocket PCs, and I can't make up my mind.
If you have one of these, would you mind answering three questions? (1) Would I really use fancy features like WiFi access and a built-in MP3 player? (2)Is there any advantage at all to a Pocket PC over a Palm? (3) Is there something I'm missing here, another maker, another OS?
Continue reading "Which PDA Should I Buy?..."
The Fine Line Of Ethics: When Should It Be Crossed?
There's too much gray in ethics, you think? Defining that fine line between right and wrong troubles many executives. Just ask those at Morgan Stanley, the investment bank embroiled in a lawsuit involving business and IT executives who accepted gifts from a vendor.
Continue reading "The Fine Line Of Ethics: When Should It Be Crossed?..."
Like Rodney Dangerfield, IT Don't Get No Respect
IT managers: Do you work and work and work all day, and still your partners in the business units aren't grateful? Get used to it, said a cheerfully cynical Rob Carter, FedEx executive VP and CIO, speaking at the InformationWeek Spring Conference Monday.
Continue reading "Like Rodney Dangerfield, IT Don't Get No Respect..."
Are There Some Things Man Was Not Meant To Know?
Listening to genetics pioneer Craig Venter describe the future of biological engineering, any reasonable person has to ask whether to move forward with this new industry.
Continue reading "Are There Some Things Man Was Not Meant To Know?..."
Virtual Confusion In The Data Center?
It's virtually impossible to talk about the state of current and future data centers without virtualization being the first word heard from IT professionals, analysts, and the media. But the degree to which virtualization is actually being deployed by businesses today is widely debated, and it's increasingly difficult to project which virtualization software company will emerge as the dominate force over the next few years.
Continue reading "Virtual Confusion In The Data Center?..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, April 3
In today's daily news podcast: The Patent Office rules in eBay's favor, content creators speak up on small copyright claims, a professor talks about how to ride the business cycle more wisely, two industry groups pick Bluetooth to link home devices, Intel brings its "Community PC" concept to Mexico, and mobile domain names go on sale in May. Today's in-depth report is about Microsoft, and our editorial is about the progress of two data-protection bills in Congress.
Your host today is Johanna Ambrosio.
Background music" "Lambstomp," courtesy The Cow Exchange under Creative Commons License
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