Archive for: October 3, 2009

IBM is slated to launch a Web-based version of its Lotus Notes e-mail platform, which is expected to aid the tech giant’s plans to go head-to-head with Google Apps. To be delivered as part of IBM’s online LotusLive service, LotusLive iNotes is designed to simplify e-mail, contacts and calendar access for remote workers operating outside the corporate firewall. IBM said the new platform will deliver all the essential messaging features — previously found only in desktop software — via the Web browser. “You don’t need any special training — and there are no hardware, software or data-center costs to worry about, either,” the company said. “In just minutes you can issue e-mail accounts to your users, and easily manage members’ accounts.” A Test Drive Beginning Monday, LotusLive iNotes will be offered at prices as low as $3 per month per user when companies sign up for a one-year service plan. Like Gmail, LotusLive iNotes simplifies e-mail administration for smaller companies and resellers because it doesn’t require an IT staff. On the downside, IBM is limiting the storage capacity of each user to just 1GB. By contrast, Google offers each of its enterprise-class Gmail customers up to 25GB of online storage. In addition to offering a Web-based interface, LotusLive iNotes is designed to ensure that all e-mail accounts are enabled with POP, authenticated SMTP, and IMAP capabilities for use with e-mail clients such as Microsoft Outlook as well as IBM’s Lotus Notes. The new online platform also delivers both mobile and offline access. IBM is giving businesses an opportunity to take LotusLive iNotes for a test drive without charge for an initial 30-day trial period. Among other things, the free trial will enable enterprises to evaluate the benefits of the new platform’s antispam features, antivirus protection, SSL encryption, and secure password ...

On Thursday, Red Hat filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to reject software patents. In what will be an uphill battle for the Linux-based software developer, Red Hat sought to explain the practical problems software patents pose to developers. The Red Hat brief is part of the Bilski v. Doll patent-law case, which involves the standard for patenting a process. The case concerns a business method patent, but involves many of the same issues as software patents. In short, Red Hat’s brief asks the Supreme Court to adopt a lower court’s machine-or-transformation test and to make clear that it excludes software from patents. Red Hat Speaks “Red Hat continues its commitment to the free and open-source software community by taking a strong position against bad software patents,” said Rob Tiller, vice president and assistant general counsel for Red Hat. “Our patent system is supposed to foster innovation, but for open-source and software in general, it does the opposite. Software patents form a minefield that slows and discourages software innovation. The Bilski case presents a great opportunity for the Supreme Court to rectify this problem.” Here’s the quick history as Red Hat offers it: The practice of patenting software exploded in the 1990s based on judicial decisions changing the test for patentable subject matter. As a result, software patents now number in the hundreds of thousands and cover abstract technology in vague and difficult-to-interpret terms. Red Hat said that because software products may involve thousands of patentable components, developers face the risk of having to defend against weak but costly patent-infringement lawsuits. A new class of business enterprise — patent trolls — has developed to file lawsuits to exploit this system. When a patent troll is unable to obtain a licensing agreement with another company, Red Hat ...

In 20 days Microsoft will roll out its much-anticipated Windows 7 operating system. But that isn’t the only thing the software behemoth is making available to users. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft said late Thursday that it has completed development on Windows 7 XP Mode and will also make it available on Oct. 22. Windows XP Mode is a stand-alone feature specifically designed to help small businesses using Windows XP applications move to Windows 7 with ease. XP Mode is an optional feature of the Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions. Accounting, inventory and other productivity applications will benefit the most from Windows XP Mode. The feature isn’t aimed at consumer applications because those use a lot of hardware interfaces, including 3-D graphics, audio and TV tuners, that won’t work well with virtualization. “The sweet spot for applications that run in Windows Virtual PC is business and productivity applications that tend to conform to the basic Windows application programming interface (API),” said Scott Woodgate, Microsoft’s director of desktop virtualization. An Alternative for Big Business “Small businesses operate under constrained resources and are highly sensitive to the time and expense required to upgrade their PCs,” he added. “Windows XP Mode provides small businesses with the ability to run many Windows XP applications, saving time and expense, but Windows XP Mode does not have 100 percent compatibility with all Windows XP applications.” Windows XP Mode is actually a combination of two features. The first includes a prepackaged virtual Windows XP environment, according to Woodgate. The second is Windows Virtual PC, which runs the virtual Windows XP environment. Because XP Mode is designed for small businesses, Microsoft is offering an alternative for larger businesses that need to reduce the cost of installing virtual PCs across hundreds of users. It is expected to be available ...

After a bang and a boom, Bing bounced down the search-market charts in September. Bing’s monthly market share in the U.S. and globally has fallen for the first time since its launch, according to an analysis by Web analytics firm StatCounter. StatCounter Global Stats, the firm’s research arm, revealed that Bing’s share of the U.S. search market in September fell more than one percentage point in September, to 8.51 percent from 9.64 percent in August. And for all the hype about a powerhouse combination of Bing and Yahoo search, Yahoo didn’t pick up the slack. Yahoo also lost ground in September, dropping from 10.5 percent to 9.4 percent. “The trend has been downward for Bing since mid-August,” commented StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen. “The wheels haven’t fallen off, but the underlying trend must be a little worrying for Microsoft.” Google Gains, IE Loses The beneficiary of Bing and Yahoo’s market woes? Google. After losing some ground to Bing during its initial launch phase, Google made up for any losses in September. Google gained more than two percentage points, rising from 77.83 percent in August to 80.08 percent in September, according to StatCounter. Bing didn’t just lose favor with U.S. searchers. Globally, Bing also declined slightly to 3.25 percent from 3.58 percent. Yahoo mirrored the trend, falling to 4.37 percent from 4.84 percent. Google looks healthy through the global lens, breaching the 90 percent mark to 90.54 percent. This achievement puts it in a similar position to its global market share a year ago, which was 90.53. Microsoft may also have another concern — on the Web browser front. Internet Explorer dipped from 58.69 percent market share in August to 58.37 percent in September, according to StatCounter. NetApplications has more severe numbers. It reports Internet Explorer dropped from 66.97 percent to 65.71 ...

The EU was entitled to cap roaming rates in 2007 as network operators pocketed huge profits but resisted less drastic ways to cut the sky-high costs of using mobile phones in Europe, the EU advocate general said Thursday. The opinion by Advocate General Miguel Poiares Maduro now goes to the European Court of Justice, which often follows that advice. The opinion is a setback for mobile phone operators Vodafone, Telefonica O2, T-Mobile and Orange. They had challenged the validity of the EU roaming law in a British court, which referred the case to the European court. But it is boost for the European Commission, which cites the roaming law as an example of how the European Union works to help consumers from the Azores to Lapland. Poiares Maduro said the EU was entitled to set maximum roaming rates for a three-year period to ensure uniform prices and conditions across the 27 EU nations. He noted that if pricing been left to the bloc’s 27 national regulators it would have taken a very long time for Europeans to see roaming rates decline. Poiares Maduro said the European Commission failed repeatedly to get network operators to lower their rates, which varied widely and earned them profits of up to 400 percent. That and the need for timely action made regulating prices reasonable, the EU advocate general said. He urged the EU high court to uphold the validity of the roaming rates law. The EU sets prices for the agriculture and fisheries industries, but very rarely has for other sectors. Besides regulating roaming rates, it has curbed fees for cross-border bank transfers. Before the roaming law took effect, the EU urged travelers to switch off their mobile phones while abroad because of “excessively high” prices for mobile phone calls from one EU nation ...

You almost have to feel bad for Microsoft. The software maker isn’t known for hip marketing tactics, and now that a Windows 7 video has hit it big online, people are laughing at the company, not with it. Few details for the launch of Microsoft Corp.’s next PC operating system have been made public, though it’s a safe bet Oct. 22 won’t feature acrobats climbing buildings and unfurling banners in New York, as was the case for Windows Vista in 2007. One thing we do know is that Microsoft hired House Party Inc. to bring the Windows 7 buzz into living rooms around the world. House Party, based in Irvington, N.Y., and Denver, helps companies get in front of real people by supplying materials for, well, house parties. The agency vets volunteer hosts, then sends decorations, products and suggestions for activities. Upcoming parties will promote things like Hunt’s canned tomatoes, Martha Stewart’s line of craft tools and avocados from Mexico. And Windows 7. The plan surfaced in early September: People in 12 countries including the U.S., India and Mexico could sign up to be hosts. Example photos on House Party’s Web site showed friends and families smiling, laughing, drinking, eating and peering intently at laptops. Hosts would get a copy of Windows 7, plus items like Windows-branded napkins, a table centerpiece and tote bags for guests. Now, Oct. 22 is fast approaching and hosts are busy planning! To help, House Party posted a series of instructional videos on YouTube. And there the fun begins. A video entitled “Hosting Your Party” takes place in a balloon-festooned kitchen. Two men and two women of various ages reflect on their own Windows 7 launch party experiences while scuttling about preparing food platters. Chummy laughter and knowing smiles abound as they dish out advice. ...

Cisco Systems Inc. tapped its immense cash hoard and announced a deal Thursday to buy Norway’s Tandberg ASA for $3 billion in a bid to dominate the global market for videoconferencing equipment. Cisco is paying twice the value of the entire global annual market for videoconferencing equipment, at about $1.5 billion a year. But the fact that Tandberg is a Norwegian company allows Cisco to use an asset that’s otherwise not very useful: the cash that has been piling up in its overseas subsidiaries. Cisco, the world’s largest maker of computer networking equipment, had a cash balance of more than $35 billion at the end of July, most of that overseas. By buying an international company, Cisco is avoiding the U.S. taxes it would have to pay to bring the money home. The all-cash deal is Cisco’s first acquisition of an overseas public company, CEO John Chambers said. Chambers said the acquisition “showcases Cisco’s financial strength and ability to quickly capture key market transitions for growth.” Cisco has been focusing on the high end of the videoconferencing market, selling so-called “TelePresence” systems with multiple plasma screens that present life-size images of the participants to provide the illusion of face-to-face communication. With Tandberg, Cisco gets the leading maker of video systems that range from small “videophones” to full conference-room setups. Tandberg, which already has a substantial U.S. presence, had 40 percent of the global videoconferencing market in the second quarter this year, according to Wainhouse Research. The No. 2 is Pleasanton, Calif.-based Polycom Inc., with 34 percent. Polycom was until recently the biggest supplier of videoconferencing gear, but has seen its lead overtaken by Tandberg thanks to smart, aggressive marketing and a strong product lineup, according Wainhouse analyst Ira Weinstein. “It’s hard to say anything negative about Tandberg,” Weinstein said. “This ...

Apple has been hawking prototypes of its Tablet computer to news organizations like the New York Times, suggesting that the new device could revolutionize print publishing by offering content for sale through the company’s hugely successful iTunes store, tech blog Gizmodo reported Wednesday. The notoriously secretive Apple had not officially announced that it will produce a tablet computer. But numerous reports say that the device, which will function like an oversized iTouch, could be out by early 2010. In addition to the New York Times, Apple also approached text-book publishers McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about adapting their products for the new device, which would function as a “print player” for textbooks, magazines, newspapers and more. Tech pundits said the concept of an “iPod for your newspaper” could succeed given Apple’s track record of success in changing the way people buy music, television and movies online. “If Apple can deliver a tablet that serves the needs of both the old readers and the new readers then the company has a chance to do to the media industry the same thing it did to the music industry,” said Brian Kraemer, a commentator for Channel Web.

See more here:
Report: Apple Tablet Could ‘Redefine Print’

How do we save the magazine industry? Time Inc. is reportedly hoping that a "Hulu for magazines" will do the trick.

According to All Things D, Time is shopping around a plan that would create a "digital storefront" for magazines where shoppers could buy subscriptions and have them delivered to any device. The company would operate independently from the magazine's publishers and investors.

Publishers Hearst and Conde Nast are reportedly interested in the venture, which is expected to debut in 2010. Newspapers are apparently not part of the deal.

As ATD notes, however, there are few major hurdles Time would have to overcome to make this venture a success: convince users to sign up for yet another service; convince device makers like Amazon and Apple to go along with the plan; and create content that will actually appeal to buyers, because the magazines have to offer something more than just a digital version of the print magazine.

Doing some driving at your government job? Better put away that cell phone.

President Obama this week handed down an executive order that bans texting while driving for all government workers. Workers are banned from doing so in government-owned vehicles or while conducting government business in privately-owned cars. In the next 90 days, all government agencies must notify the Department of Transportation with details on their plans to implement the ban.

The order also encourages federal contractors and other businesses dealing with the government to implement a similar ban.

Separately, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Friday that DOT will: make permanent restrictions on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in rail operations; ban text messaging altogether and restrict the use of cell phones by truck drivers and intersate bus operators; and disqualify school bus drivers convicted of texting while driving from maintaining commercial driver's licenses.

The news came after the conclusion of a two-day "distracted driving summit" hosted by DOT, during which LaHood revealed that nearly 6,000 people were killed by distracted drivers in 2008 - including those who were texting or reading e-mails while driving.

Rhapsody's iPhone app hit iTunes last month, and the company is now focusing its attention on the Android version.

"We're running [the Android version] through testing as we speak and will have it live for you before the end of the year," Real spokeswoman Lacy Kemp wrote in a blog post.

Kemp posted a teaser photo of the Android app on the myTouch.

Real is also readying some upgrades for the iPhone app. They include fixes to stability bugs and upgrades to audio quality.

"The upgrade will migrate all song streams to 64k AAC+, and once that's stabilized we'll roll with something even crisper," Kemp wrote. "Thus far we're off to a good start with over 200,000 downloads in 20 days."

Real also revealed that it is working on offline playback for both versions of the app.

It's a battle of the sexes at Nielsen this week, apparently. On the heels of data that showed women flocking to celebrity and horoscope sites, Nielsen said Friday that women also make up the majority of visitors to music sites.

"Whether checking on rapper Fabolous' health scare or Alicia Keys love life, women are far more likely to be heading to music news or music listening sites than men," Nielsen said in a blog post.

Women made up 56.1 percent of traffic to music sites in August, with 42.5 million unique visits. Many of those women were between the ages of 35 and 60, though most - or 19.2 percent were between 35 and 49, Nielsen found.

The top music site for women was AOL Music, with 11.8 million unique visitors, followed by Yahoo Music with 9.9 million, and MSN Music with 3.9 million.

This type of Web traffic doesn't necessarily translate into music sales. Only 15.6 percent of women said they'd purchased music online in the last six months. About 16 percent said they'd bought music offline. A little more than 8 percent said they watched or listened to music on the Internet during the same time period.