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• Microsoft Prepares 'Comet' for Orbit
  Time: 17:01 EDT/22:01 GMT Source: CoolInfo Posted By: Alex H

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) is gearing up to launch a pre-beta suite of networking and security products, code-named Comet.

  Encompassing a proxy server, firewall, fax server, interactive voice response (IVR) engine, and other goodies, Comet has not yet been publicly announced. BetaNews.Com webmaster Nate Mook first reported the development Wednesday after anonymous tipsters pointed him to the pre-beta Web site.

  "They're going to start inviting beta testers very shortly," says Mook. "I assume people in the Windows 2000 testing program will be the ones invited."

   
• AMD-Intel: battle of the processors about to start
  Time: 16:54 EDT/21:54 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  Spectators in the gladiatorial contest between AMD and Intel are likely to see blood in the PC amphitheatre between now and the end of the year, as the contenders choose their weapons for the fight.

  But the question remains whether AMD or Intel will lie wounded on the ground, awaiting the final thumbs-up or thumbs-down from the modern spectators called consumers. In Rome during single combat, the people decided whether a fight should continue to the death or whether mercy should be shown to the wounded.

   
• IEtuner 1.02 released
  Time: 16:49 EDT/21:49 GMT Source: Desktop Watch Posted By: Alex H

  Just noticed over on Desktop Watch that they have reported that IEtuner 1.02 from Limestone Software has been released. Here is a snippet:

  This gem is a sleek powerful all in one radio tuner for Internet Explorer 5. It combines RealMedia and WindowsMedia technologies to streamline your internet radio needs.

   
• New Registry Tips & Bug Reports & Fixes Added
  Time: 06:11 EDT/11:11 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We have added a few more registry tips for you to go through, they include Internet Explorer and Autoplay techniques. Visit the tips section. We have also updated the Bug Reports & Fixes section with a few new articles.

   
• Gigabit per second delivered to desktop
  Time: 03:18 EDT/08:18 GMT Source: BBC News Posted By: Byron

  Computer scientists in the US have broken one gigabit per second data transfer to desktop computers in a local area network (LAN).

  This is 20,000 times faster than communication through a telephone modem and was achieved using TCP/IP, the communications standard for the Internet.

  Transferring a billion bits per second would mean, for example, that watching real-time high-quality video would be routine. However, one difficulty yet to be overcome is that the speed of writing to a computer's hard disk is still relatively slow, often only 40 megabytes per second.

   
• 3dfx unveils new 3-D graphics tech
  Time: 03:11 EDT/08:11 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex H

  PC graphics chip and board maker 3dfx Interactive Inc. will announce on Monday details of a new graphics technology that will smooth out the flaws in today's 3-D images.  We want to close the gap between digital Hollywood effects and the PC," said Scott Sellers, co-founder and chief technology officer of the San Jose, Calif. company.

  Known as the T-buffer, the new hardware technology allows effects such as anti-aliasing (for smoothing the jagged look of 3-D images), motion blurring (emulating the effect of movement too fast for the "camera") and depth of field blur (foreground appears in focus while background does not).

   

• Why did Microsoft keep browser feature from partners?
  Time: 03:08 EDT/08:08 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  Is Microsoft holding out on its browser partners? Several developers say the software giant removed a key feature from browser code that it shares with third-party developers but kept the feature in its own version of the browser. Users are less likely to download custom versions of Internet Explorer if the Microsoft version has more desirable features, according to the developers.

  The "forms-autocomplete" feature in Internet Explorer 5.0, released in April, stores usernames, passwords, and any other information a user regularly enters into online forms so that when the user returns to a site, he or she does not have to remember all the data.

• The English Language according to Microsoft
  Time: 19:24 EDT/00:24 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Dennis

  According to Microsoft, one is no longer amused by the Queen's English. Bill Gates has made it his quest to get us all saying fanny instead of bottom before the Millennium.

  British English is obviously outdated and needs a few Americanisms thrown in, so Microsoft has come up with a dictionary of world English.

  The Encarta World English Dictionary will hit our shores in hard-back next week, and be available on CD-Rom from August. It took 320 experts to come up with this new English Esperanto.

   
• 2 New MSN Messenger Builds Released Today
  Time: 19:19 EDT/00:19 GMT Source: Netigen Web Posted By: Dennis

  Microsoft has released a new build (1.0.0.874) of MSN Messenger that restores AOL functionality! That's two new builds today -- but with AOL ever vigil you can expect more until this dispute is resolved. Currently the auto-update feature doesn't seem to be registering the new build.

   
• Group calls for Boycott of AIM
  Time: 19:19 EDT/00:19 GMT Source: Geeknews.net Posted By: Dennis

  Well with the prediction by 175 million users by 2002 and including wireless capability the instant messaging market is valuable. So valuable that AOL and Microsoft are willing to piss off consumers over it. If you agree with Microsoft or just plain want to strike back there is a call for the Boycott of AIM by an independant group.
  

   
• AOL: We want to work with MS
  Time: 19:16 EDT/00:16 GMT Source: ZDNN Posted By: Dennis

  Microsoft Corp. and America Online Inc. continued to talk past one another in the battle over instant messaging Friday, with both sides asking the other to work together on the issue.

  Meanwhile, a top executive with portal operator Infoseek Corp called on AOL to simply contribute the code for its instant messaging service the standards-makings Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which is already at work on a protocol that would allow different instant messaging services to work with each other.

   
• Microsoft's 'Comet' ready to Go
  Time: 19:13 EDT/00:13 GMT Source: ZDNN Posted By: Dennis

  Microsoft Corp. is gearing up to launch a pre-beta suite of networking and security products, code-named Comet.

  Encompassing a proxy server, firewall, fax server, interactive voice response (IVR) engine, and other goodies, Comet has not yet been publicly announced.

   
• Is John C. Dvorak sexist?
  Time: 19:11 EDT/00:11 GMT Source: ZDNN Posted By: Dennis

  John Dvorak doesn't mince words -- and he has no affection for Apple's newest machine, the iBook. In a recent column, Dvorak variously described the system as "a makeup case," a "girly machine" and an appliance that "no male in his right mind" would be seen with in public.

  If you don't remember who John C. Dvorak is, he's noted with posting the 1st screenshots of Neptune back in April.

   
• Hacker Turning to life of Porn
  Time: 19:08 EDT/00:08 GMT Source: ZDNN Posted By: Dennis

  Here's something Byron will get a kick out of.

  Former hacker and FBI informant Justin Petersen is back in the news -- claiming that he is leaving behind a life of cybercrime to join the cyberporn business.

  CNN and Time is promoting an "exclusive interview" with Petersen, who gained notoriety for informing on hackers Kevin Mitnick and Kevin Poulsen, and was recently released from prison after spending time in custody for parole violations.

   
• WindowBlinds 0.97 Released
  Time: 19:02 EDT/00:02 GMT Source: E-mail Posted By: Dennis

  Someone sent word that Stardock released WindowBlinds 0.97 earlier today. Usually we will post previews of these types of updates, but ActiveWindows has been busy lately (you'll find out soon), and this wasn't possible at this time. Here are some of the new features:

  - Toolbar skinning
  - Internet Feature: Skin of the week (privacy statement)
  - Internet Feature: Most Popular Skin (privacy statement)
  - Internet Feature: Passive news (privacy statement

   
• Microsoft's Letter to Steve Case
  Time: 12:32 EDT/17:32 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Visitor Posted By: Bob

  Here is a copy of the letter sent today by Microsoft and various other companies to Steve Case at AOL regarding the interoperability of their messenger services.

   
• 3dfx Voodoo3 3500 TV Ships to Retail Shelves Worldwide
  Time: 10:32 EDT/15:32 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  3dfx Interactive® Inc. (NASDAQ: TDFX) today announced the worldwide availability of its new Voodoo3™ 3500 TV, the ultimate PC entertainment system that combines the industry’s most powerful 3D and 2D graphics with complete TV tuner and multimedia functionality. Greeting strong demand in more than 9,000 retail stores throughout North America, Europe and Japan, the Voodoo3 3500 TV meets the high-performance needs of hard-core game enthusiasts and cutting-edge multimedia entertainment consumers. Based on 3dfx’s acclaimed Voodoo3 graphics accelerator technology, the Voodoo3 3500 TV features support for MPEG-2, DVD via software, FM stereo with dbx™, cable television and high-resolution displays – all accessible through a single card.

   
• Microsoft asks Case to stop blocking messages
  Time: 09:27 EDT/14:27 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Bob

  Microsoft escalated its instant-messaging battle to the top of rival America Online, asking chief executive officer Steve Case to open the online giant's proprietary systems. Executives from Microsoft and seven other companies, including Yahoo and AT&T, signed a letter to Case asking that AOL representatives join an effort to create a single industrywide standard for the hugely popular way of communicating over the Internet.

   
• IS MS ducking the Win64 question?
  Time: 09:13 EDT/14:13 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has taken a very low key approach to the 64-bit version of Windows, codenamed Janus, so low that it was not even mentioned at the recent financial analysts conference. This suggests that it is not even slideware yet.

  The search engine on Microsoft's web site includes a reference to an article in CRN that says that Janus is the code name for the Windows 2000 Data Center server, but does Microsoft does not confirm this otherwise.

   
• Group Approves Controversial Software Law
  Time: 08:08 EDT/13:08 GMT Source: Slashdot Posted By: Alex R.

  Remember the UCITA?  It's that Big Brother-approach proposal that would allow software vendors to enforce licensing agreements virtually any way they see fit... including, but not limited to, disabling your software remotely.  Well, the group that has been debating the law passed it overwhelmingly.  The draft legislation still has to head to the states for approval, but it is expected that it will pass since the states apparently approve whatever recommendation crosses their desks.

   
• New Shockwave and Flash
  Time: 07:56 EDT/12:56 GMT Source: BetaBites Posted By: Alex R.

  Macromedia has released new versions of Shockwave and Flash, bringing these up to v7.02d140 and v4.0r12 respectively.

   
• Extremely Nasty Office 97 Hole Discovered
  Time: 07:52 EDT/12:52 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Alex R.

  Microsoft has now confirmed the existence of a very nasty vulnerability in Office 97's ODBC Jet 3.51 drivers that allow crackers to infect a PC without the users' knowledge.  The vulnerability was posted on the NTBugTraq list and confirmed by MS late Thursday.  MS advises everyone to update their Jet drivers to v4.0 (http://www.microsoft.com/data), which is installed by Office 2000... fancy that.

   
• ActiveWindows Mouse Pads and Competition Reminders
  Time: 03:31 EDT/08:31 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Alex H

  Don't forget that the first ActiveWindows piece of merchandise is now available to pre-order. The first product in our new range of logos is the ActiveWindows Mouse Pad 1. We aim to have many other products pop up soon (Assuming these are popular). And also don't forget to enter our DVD-Game Competition to win a copy of Shadoan and a Mouse Mat.

   

• Intel preps 27 Sept Coppermine debut
  Time: 03:30 EDT/08:30 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  Intel will follow up its 2 August 600MHz Pentium III and 500MHz Celeron launch with the announcement of its eight-way Xeon server chip on 23 August, mobile Celerons on 15 September and the 133MHz 820 chipset on 27 September.

  The Xeon announcement will see Chipzilla unveil the ship date and pricing for a 550MHz version of the CPU. This will feature the PIII's Streaming SIMD Extension, and support a 100MHz frontside bus, up to 2MB of cache and eight-way multiprocessing.

   
• DVD to dominate disk market
  Time: 03:28 EDT/08:28 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  Worldwide sales of removable and optical drives will top £10 billion this year, according to DISK/TREND’s latest research. The outlook for the different product groups is mixed, with DVD-ROM drives and writable DVD/CD-ROM formats becoming the major stars.

  Sales of DVD drives were slow at first because of format uncertainties and high prices, DISK/TREND says. But the market is growing rapidly and shipments are expected to overtake CD ROM drives within two years. This year shipments have reached 92.8 million units.

   
• Microsoft's New Age approach to selling
  Time: 03:26 EDT/08:26 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex H

  At one time, Microsoft needed only to convince tech-minded Chief Technology Officers about its products' merits. But software isn't just about technology anymore, it's about solving corporate problems, and working with CEOs has required learning a different set of rules.

  One of the more important parts of making the transition has been Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) involvement with Franklin Covey, an international professional services firm, represented chiefly in the person of Mahan Khalsa, vice president of its sales performance group. Working with Microsoft over the last two and a half years, Khalsa has helped Microsoft move from selling software units to selling benefits.

   
• MP3 device makers wary of music standards
  Time: 03:23 EDT/08:23 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  Now that a specification to prevent the proliferation of illegal digital music has finally been adopted, the question remains: Which device makers will support it?

  Portable players such as Diamond Multimedia's Rio and Creative Labs' soon-to-be-released Nomad record and play back music stored in the MP3 format. These players have been at the center of an industrywide controversy because of the ease with which MP3 files can be reproduced and distributed without any degradation in sound quality.

  Net users have enjoyed access to a huge amount of free music, and the recording industry has protested the unrestricted access to pirated music and has pressured makers of MP3 players to adhere to standards designed to foil illegal reproduction. Established makers like Diamond have agreed to implement the standards. Small manufacturers looking for market share, however, have little incentive to do so. The popularity of downloadable music has put pressure on record labels.

   

• SuperSite reveals Neptune
  Time: 02:10 EDT/07:10 GMT Source: WinInfo Posted By: Byron

  As part of my ramp-up to coverage of Microsoft's upcoming Consumer Windows products, code-named "Millennium" and "Neptune," I've posted a series of images purporting to be of Neptune, the NT-based Consumer Windows due in 2001. These images are identical to the ones John Dvorak published earlier this year, so their source is identical, though questions remains about whether they represent an accurate look at the next generation of Windows.

  You can check out these images, as well as some other information about their upcoming coverage of Consumer Windows on the SuperSite. The images come from the Hebrew Web site. Doesn't look bad, if a little too Encarta-like to me.

• New NT Patch for "Malformed Dialer Entry" Vulnerability
  Time: 22:02 EDT/03:02 GMT Source: email Posted By: Alex R.

  Microsoft is still chipping away at the security vulnerabilities in NT 4.0.  A new patch for the "Malformed Dailer Entry" is available for Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Server.

   
• Site News - Summer Cleaning
  Time: 19:22 EDT/24:22 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Bob

  We would like to ask all our visitors that if they see a bad link that hasn't been fixed or notice a specific problem with our site to please bring it to our attention - this is a huge site and it is sometimes hard to find a single link without somebody pointing it out. Please e-mail Bob and it will get fixed right away.

   

• ATI XPERT 2000 On The Way
  Time: 16:37 EDT/21:37 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  ATI Technologies Inc. (TSE:ATY, NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced the XPERT 2000(TM), with 32 MB of memory, 32-bit true color acceleration and full hardware DVD acceleration for only $99. The XPERT 2000 is ideal for system builders and resellers looking to differentiate their low cost PCs. Traditionally, low cost PCs come with just 8 MB of graphics memory, poor 2D and 3D and no DVD. For just $99 (ESP) system builders can now add strong 2D and 3D, 32-bit true acceleration, hardware DVD and 4 times the amount of graphics memory. For system builders 32 MB of graphics memory will be the standard.

   
• DVD set to dominate the disk market
  Time: 16:33 EDT/21:33 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Worldwide sales of removable and optical drives will top £10 billion this year, according to DISK/TREND’s latest research. The outlook for the different product groups is mixed, with DVD-ROM drives and writable DVD/CD-ROM formats being the major stars.

  Sales of DVD drives were initially slow, the report said, because of format uncertainties and high prices, but the market is growing rapidly and shipments are expected to overtake CD ROM drives within two years. This year shipments have reached 92.8 million units.

   
• ActiveWindows Mouse Pads and Competition Reminders
  Time: 11:49 EDT/16:49 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Don't forget that the first ActiveWindows piece of merchandise is now available to pre-order. The first product in our new range of logos is the ActiveWindows Mouse Pad 1. We aim to have many other products pop up soon (Assuming these are popular). And also don't forget to enter our DVD-Game Competition to win a copy of Shadoan and a Mouse Mat.

   

• Department of Justice studies Microsoft breakup
  Time: 11:20 EDT/16:20 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Bob

  The Justice Department is looking into different options if the court were to ultimately rule against Microsoft in the landmark antitrust trial. The Justice Department wanted an analysis on how the breakup of the software giant would affect the market, the report said, citing unnamed executives at the banks.

   
• AOL enlists Apple in messaging battle
  Time: 11:20 EDT/16:20 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Bob

  While a battle continues to rage between AOL and Microsoft AOL today said it is teaming with Apple Computer to develop instant messaging products that will allow communication between Mac users and the AOL Instant Messaging service. AOL already offers the latest version of its Instant Messenger software on both Windows and the Macintosh. The agreement today is aimed at development of future products.

   
• MS Disables Feature to Give IE 5.0 Advantage
  Time: 04:54 EDT/09:54 GMT Source: Netigen Web Posted By: Byron

  Adam Stiles (the man behind NetCaptor) sends news regarding an obscure Internet Explorer issue. It seems that our favorite company in Redmond decided to give IE 5.0 a competitive advantage over competitors using their rendering engine. Between the release of beta 2 and IE 5.0 final Microsoft turned off the capability for third-party browsers (based around the IE engine) to use the form auto-complete function. It's even disabled in MSN's browser!

  Microsoft claims they disabled the function because it was a security risk and that they didn't have enough resources -- hah! It's no more a security risk in a third-party browser than it is in IE. They have said the capability will return but when is still up for grabs. Some believe that it will resurface in either 5.0 Service Pack 1 or 5.01 beta later this year.

   
• AMD brings forward Athlon to 10 August
  Time: 03:57 EDT/08:57 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  AMD will finally take the wraps of the Athlon K7 on Tuesday 10 August, according to reliable but eminently impeachable sources. Benchmark data, however, continues to leak out early.

  The company had originally been planning the big push for the end of August. As this has now been brought forward by three weeks, the implication is that AMD's yields on the K7 are better than initially planned for, and that it feels sufficiently sure of supply to counter the various pre-emptive strikes Intel has been mounting.

   

• Ask Jeeves tops estimates in second quarter
  Time: 03:56 EDT/08:56 GMT Source: ZDII Investor Posted By: Alex H

  Ask Jeeves Inc. (Nasdaq: ASKJ) posted a narrower-than-expected loss in its second quarter Wednesday, losing $9 million, or 42 cents a share, on sales of $2.7 million. First Call consensus pegged the search engine site for a loss of 45 cents a share in the quarter. Its shares closed up 2 1/2 to 44 1/16 ahead of the earnings report.

   

• E-mails Helped Microsoft in Connecticut Victory
  Time: 03:53 EDT/08:53 GMT Source: Cal Law Posted By: Alex H

  This time the damning e-mails worked in Microsoft Corp.'s favor. And Microsoft's lawyer, David Tulchin of New York's Sullivan & Cromwell, made the most of them. He did so before an eight-person jury in Bridgeport, Conn., that was weighing antitrust claims by tiny, homegrown Bristol Technology Inc. against the software giant.

   
• Key testing results for AMD's Athlon due soon
  Time: 03:50 EDT/08:50 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  For chipmaker AMD, the rubber will start to meet the road on August 9 when some key testing results for the new high-end Athlon processor are made public. The results, called benchmarks, are a standardized set of tests that are used to compare performance of different electronic components such as processors. Early next month, AMD said it will allow publications and analysts to first start discussing publicly the benchmarks surrounding the Athlon--formerly called the K7 processor. The event will likely be closely watched, because nearly every analyst contacted by CNET News.com has said informally that the Athlon, which AMD is banking on mightily, will outperform Intel's high-end Pentium III at the same speed.

• Compaq to Cut 8,000 Jobs
  Time: 19:48 EDT/00:48 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Alex R.

  Ouch.  Compaq has posted a $184 million loss for this quarter and has decided to cut 8,000 jobs from its workforce. They expect to take a charge of $700 to $900 million for the next quarter.

   
• Microsoft working on Office 2000 Registry Fixer
  Time: 18:46 EDT/23:46 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft plan to release a registry fixer for Office 2000 called Eraser 2000 in the next week or so along with a new Windows Installer Clean Up Utility (Due early next week). This utility will intelligently clean the Windows Installer registry settings for Office 2000. It should make it much easier to fix problems caused by Windows Installer corruption.

   
• U.S. backs off private monitoring
  Time: 18:03 EDT/23:03 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Bob

  With criticism rolling in from all quarters, U.S. government officials on Wednesday backed away from a controversial plan to monitor private-sector networks for hacking activity.

   
• Net merger mania totals $545 Billion
  Time: 18:03 EDT/23:03 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Bob

  Merger value nearly doubles in first six months as companies battle for dominance. The value of mergers in the global technology sector nearly doubled to a record $545 billion in the first half of 1999 as companies battled to win a dominant position on the Internet, according to a report released Wednesday.

   
• Microsoft's Maritz to step back
  Time: 09:30 EDT/14:30 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Paul Maritz, once considered in the running to succeed Chairman Bill Gates and President Steve Ballmer at the top of Microsoft Corp., is giving up most of his operational responsibilities, becoming the latest senior executive to opt for a less-pressured role at the software company.

  Maritz, 44 years old, will remain with Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT) for "the immediate future," but may retire as early as next year, said Mich Mathews, Microsoft's vice president. She said Maritz will join a new "technical leadership team" to advise Gates.

   
• 64-bit Windows 2000 on track for mid-2000
  Time: 09:23 EDT/14:23 GMT Source: WinInfo Posted By: Byron

  As reported earlier in WinInfo, the 64-bit version of Windows 2000, code-named "Janus," is on track for a mid-2000 release that will coincide with the release of Merced, Intel's first 64-bit processor. The 64-bit edition of Windows 2000 will support far more memory than today's 4GB limit, allowing Merced systems to target the same 18GB plateau as Compaq's 64-bit Alpha.

  But Windows 2000 64-bit Edition isn't just about size and speed: It will also incorporate some new features that further differentiate it from the 32-bit versions of Windows 2000. For example, Active Directory will be enhanced to allow the merging of separate administrative domain "forests." And the failover and load balancing features will exceed that of the 32-bit versions as well, making Windows 2000 64-bit Edition a more compelling choice for Big Iron customers. And lest anyone snicker at this thought, remember that OS guru David Cutler, the engineer who designed Digital VMS and Windows NT, is leading the 64-bit charge at Microsoft.

   
• Lycos starts $70 million venture fund
  Time: 04:55 EDT/09:55 GMT Source: Red Herring Posted By: Alex H

  In what could signal a new role for portal companies, Lycos (Nasdaq: LCOS) is forming a $70 million venture capital fund, Lycos Ventures. The Waltham, Massachusetts-based Internet search and portal site has committed $10 million. Other investors include Mellon Ventures, Triangle Capital, Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC), Lycos's Korean partner Mirae, Sumitomo Bank (OTC: SUBJY), and Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures.

   
• Intel uncovers new erratum in PIII and Xeon CPUs
  Time: 04:46 EDT/09:46 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  Intel has found an erratum (one of those things that isn't a bug, honest) in Pentium III and Pentium III Xeon processors, according to hardware site HardwareCentral. The problem manifests itself as a system hang, and the more processors in the system, the more likely it is to occur. The fix requires a bios update, and OEMs were given the code for this earlier this month.

   

• Palm to drop Web clipping for WAP
  Time: 04:42 EDT/09:42 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Alex H

  3Com subsidiary Palm Computing looks set to abandon its current approach to Web browsing and leap onto the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) bandwagon. So far, Palm's plan for wireless Net access, offered through the Palm VII, currently forming the basis for public trials and various parts of the US, centres on its Web 'clipping' technology, essentially a method for stripping out the less relevant data from a Web page so it can be easily sent over a low-bandwidth wireless link.

   
• Broad FBI computer monitoring proposed
  Time: 04:38 EDT/09:38 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  The Clinton administration is reportedly drafting a plan to create two broad, FBI-controlled computer monitoring systems designed to protect the nation's key data networks from interlopers. The proposal calls for software monitoring of non-military government systems and also networks used in the banking, telecommunications, and transportation industries, the New York Times reports in tomorrow's editions. The purported goal is to prevent disruption of government and economic activities by foreign interests or terrorists. But critics say the sweeping plan could lead to a surveillance infrastructure with grave potential for misuse.

   

• Intel, AMD ready fast chips at 600 MHz
  Time: 04:36 EDT/09:36 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  The two leading PC chipmakers will unveil high-performance processors that will hit new speed levels for the mass market in the next two weeks. Intel, the world's largest chip manufacturer, on Monday will release its fastest Pentium III and Celeron processors, which will reach 600 MHz and 500 MHz respectively. The following week, the first computers built around the new Athlon processor from rival chipmaker AMD--formerly called the K7--will appear on the market at competitive speeds, sources say.

   

• Virus can hit Norton AntiVirus during installation
  Time: 04:32 EDT/09:32 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Alex H

  According to Symantec, you may have a virus named W95.CIH.1075, which can be memory-resident and affect the installation before Norton AntiVirus even gets a chance to start protecting your machine.

• AOL Users hit by Unusual Hoax
  Time: 19:11 EDT/24:11 GMT Source: ZDNet.Com Posted By: Bob

  The fake message allegedly fools users into giving up information on their accounts and credit cards.

   

• Online Betting Outlawed in NY
  Time: 14:05 EDT/19:05 GMT Source: News.Com Posted By: Dennis

  Online gambling suffered a blow today as the New York state Supreme Court ruled that a casino with servers in Antigua nonetheless violates U.S. law if it accepts wagers from state residents.

  New York State attorney general Eliot Spitzer's Internet and Investor Protection bureaus were investigating Suffolk County, New York-based casino WIGC.

   

• New High Speed Technology by Holidays
  Time: 14:02 EDT/19:02 GMT Source: News.Com Posted By: Dennis

  A consortium of tech firms today announced that they have agreed on a new high-speed standard that will network PCs and peripherals, such as printers, by means of plugging into standard phone jacks. A variety of high-profile networking companies believe that an agreed-upon method for linking devices will encourage a market for networking hardware and software by making the task simple for the common homeowner.

  The technology--developed by chipmaker Broadcom with help from Lucent Technologies--features data transfer speeds at 10 megabits per second (mbps), a rate ten times faster than products now shipping. The increased bandwidth will give home networks increased flexibility to handle video downloads, such as MPEG2 video streams for DVD players.

   
• AT&T Wins Cable Battle, For Now
  Time: 13:58 EDT/18:58 GMT Source: ZDNN Posted By: Dennis

  When it was all over, Milo Medin leaned against a marble pillar outside the meeting room and managed a smile.

  "It was a good vote," said Medin, the chief technology officer and co-founder of @Home, following the 9 to 2 vote by San Francisco's Board of Supervisors to approve the transfer of Tele-Communications Inc.'s cable franchise to AT&T.

   
• Hate your Computer? Compaq wants to listen
  Time: 13:56 EDT/18:56 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Dennis

  Compaq has launched a Computer Rage Helpline, designed to relieve the stresses of working in a high tech environment.
  
  When The Register called the helpline, we were given a list of options to describe the type of computer problem we had. Did we hate our computer with a passion? Physically or verbally abuse it? Did we blame ourselves for the problem, or try to fix it but make things worse?

   

• Panda AntiVirus Platinum
  Time: 10:51 EDT/15:51 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Dennis

  Panda Software has fixed the Panda Antivirus download problem, and you can download it on our AntiVirus Downloads website via the link on the left or right here. We've also updated the Antivirus page with information on NAV and Mcafee Antivirus updates if you don't like to use the Live Update or Update function.  You can view the screenshot of Panda Software's Panda Antivirus Platinum.

   

• Dell to Offer Affordable Computer with Internet Access
  Time: 10:21 EDT/15:21 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Dennis

  Dell Computer Corp. said it plans Tuesday to offer a full-featured consumer personal computer, with a year's free Internet service, priced at $959 in a bid to navigate the fast-changing currents of the low-cost PC market.

  The new Dell's (Nasdaq:DELL) home PC offer, which come with a year's access to the company's Dellnet Internet service for U.S. customers, offers few if any sacrifices compared to subsidized PC offers that exclude key PC components like monitors or ask for a 3-year Internet commitment.

   

• MSN Messenger 1.0.0870 Loses AIM Support
  Time: 10:13 EDT/15:13 GMT Source: Netigen Web Posted By: Dennis

  Here's the latest news from the instant messaging front. Six builds and several downloads later MSN Messenger has once again lost support for chatting with users of AOL Instant Messenger. But as Microsoft has stated -- it will continue to reimplement support. Expect build 872 soon as this war takes an ugly (and increasingly childish) turn for the worst.

  We'll keep you updated. Looks like AOL wasn't joking in the article below.

   
• AOL Vows to Keep Blocking Microsoft
  Time: 07:37 EDT/12:37 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex R.

  I have to admit... watching these two industry giants thrash each other is pretty hilarious.  The outcome of this whole ordeal will be extremely interesting - perhaps even precedent-setting.  It bears watching.  Despite the fact that AOL has sent a letter to Microsoft requesting a meeting to "work things out," they have vowed to continue to block Microsoft's MSN Messenger software from reaching their databases.  The hilarity continues... as MS releases updates to communicate with AOL, and AOL responds by changing the protocols to block MS.

   
• eBay Sellers Face "Bid Shield" Scam
  Time: 07:28 EDT/12:28 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Alex R.

  Scam artists have figured out a way to win eBay auctions on the cheap. In a process known as “bid shielding,” two people work in tandem — one lays down a lowball bid, then the other puts in an outrageously high bid that scares off all other bidders. At the last moment, the high bidder withdraws, leaving the lowball bidder the winner. And victims may never know why their items sold for such a low price.

   

• IBM unveiling instant messaging software for business
  Time: 04:45 EDT/09:45 GMT Source: News.com  Posted By: Alex H

  International Business Machines will unveil software to let employees in different locations conduct meetings, complete with slides and charts, over the Internet. Using the software, an update of IBM's Lotus Sametime program, employees in meetings can jointly view presentations and send so-called instant messages, email that appears instantly on the recipient's screen.

  America Online has made instant messaging popular among email correspondents. IBM wants to use the function to help companies save time and money by linking far-flung employees using the Internet. The software complements IBM's Lotus Notes and Domino programs, which also let workers collaborate. "This isn't just teenagers chitchatting after school. This is business people coordinating projects," said John Patrick, IBM's vice president of Internet technology.

   

• USB line mixes and matches PCs, Macs
  Time: 04:42 EDT/09:42 GMT Source: Tom's Hardware Guide  Posted By: Alex H

  Asante Technologies is rolling out a new line of USB connectivity devices aimed at mixed-computer platform environments. The new FriendlyNet USB hub products include a 7-port USB hub, a multi-function USB station, USB-to-serial and -parallel converters, and USB home network products, all of which will be introduced within the next 90 days. The company is also announcing a new 4-port USB hub, which is available immediately.

   

• Microsoft: Europe's cable guy?
  Time: 04:22 EDT/09:22 GMT Source: ZDNet  Posted By: Alex H

  Cable television has suddenly become a hot investment in Europe, and Microsoft Corp. is supplying a lot of the heat. In the latest deal, Britain's NTL Inc. on Monday agreed to pay about 6.3 billion pounds ($10.03 billion) for the cable holdings of rival Cable & Wireless Communications Plc.  The transaction, if completed, would turn NTL into a new UK giant, with 2.8 million customers and a network that passes more than half of British households. It would also prove a boon for Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT), which owns five percent of NTL and is acquiring stakes in European cable systems in a bid to become the supplier of software that controls interactive TV services of the future.

   

• Intel prepares 'Merced' accessories
  Time: 04:22 EDT/09:22 GMT Source: ZDNet  Posted By: Alex H

  Intel Corp.'s first 64-bit processor may be a year away, but the semiconductor giant is already ramping up supporting products and technologies for the chip. At its Intel Developers Forum in Palm Springs, Calif., next month, the company is expected to announce a host of new products and technologies, including 64-bit development tools. The company will also disclose plans for PC designs, processors and chip sets.

   

• New Software lets you 'beam' money
  Time: 04:20 EDT/09:20 GMT Source: SiliconValley.com  Posted By: Alex H

  Sipping coffee at Buck's Restaurant early Friday, a venture capitalist beamed a $3 million investment through his Palm organizer to the happy, startup CEO sitting nearby. Patrons munching their poached eggs and hash browns couldn't actually see the flurry of money flying through the air, but that's virtually what happened. Within seconds, the words: ``Would you like to accept the money?'' popped up on Confinity CEO Peter A. Thiel's Palm organizer. He quickly tapped ``Yes.'' ``Of course that's an understatement,'' said Thiel. ``It should say, 'Yes, yes!''' Thus came the official launch of PayPal, an instant payment service that allows people to exchange money through their Palm organizers.

   

• Gates takes a swipe at iMac
  Time: 04:16 EDT/09:16 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Alex H

  Microsoft may have made a $150 million investment in Apple Computer when the computer-maker was struggling, but that infusion of cash evidently does not equate to respect in Redmond. At Microsoft's annual gathering of financial analysts in Seattle last week, company chief Bill Gates took a swipe at Apple's multicolored iMac packaging strategy in the course of a discussion of various Intel-based devices. "The one thing Apple's providing now is leadership in colors," Gates said as he pointed out a red-colored Intel-based personal computer on display. "It won't take long for us to catch up with that, I don't think."