http://TheState.com/techwire/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from TheState.com en-us Copyright 2008 TheState.com Technology - Wire 60 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:20:19 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench support@TheState.com http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596244.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596244.html?RSS=untracked Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:10 EST With the recent releases of three new BlackBerrys across three different wireless providers, Research In Motion Ltd. has fired back at Apple Inc. in the Great Smart Phone Skirmish of 2008.<p/>The introduction of the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, business-savvy Bold 9000 and consumer-geared Pearl Flip 8220 may not have come a moment too soon for RIM, which has long dominated the market for high-end cell phones that double as e-mail devices. Consider that Apple reported selling 6.9 million iPhone 3Gs during its last quarter, while RIM sold 6.1 million BlackBerrys in roughly the same period.<p/>But while RIM's latest offerings are packed with features like stereo Bluetooth, standard headphone jacks, video recording, multiple e-mail options and, in the case of the Storm, a unique touch screen, the multifront attack may not be enough to unseat the mighty iPhone.<p/>---<p/>BlackBerry Storm: Set to be released Friday through Verizon Wireless, the much-anticipated Storm - RIM's first touch-screen smart phone - has slick looks and tons of features. But while the device gets some things right, a number of issues make it difficult to use. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596242.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596242.html?RSS=untracked Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:25 EST Microsoft Corp. is giving an early holiday gift to people who pay for all-you-can-listen access to the Zune digital music store: 10 songs to keep each month, included in the $14.99 monthly subscription fee.<p/>The decision may appeal to people who have been reluctant to test out the subscription model, preferring to own their music instead of rent it. Microsoft's Zune Pass, RealNetworks Inc.'s Rhapsody and others give users unlimited access to millions of songs in exchange for a monthly fee. But as soon as the user stops paying, the music stops playing unless he or she forks over extra money to buy each track.<p/>With the new Zune Pass perk, subscribers can use the Zune desktop software as usual to buy individual songs, and the service keeps track of how many free ones remain for the month. In most cases, the song will come in the MP3 format, which can be freely copied to multiple devices and computers.<p/>Microsoft's Zune is a minor player compared with Apple Inc.'s line of iPods. Apple snagged 71 percent of MP3 player sales from January to September of this year, to Microsoft's 3 percent, according to market researcher NPD Group.<p/>Microsoft and Apple both sell digital tracks for 99 cents, but so far, Apple has resisted the idea of a subscription service while Microsoft has tried to use it as a way to stand out. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596245.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596245.html?RSS=untracked Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:10 EST Microsoft Corp. is giving an early holiday gift to people who pay for all-you-can-listen access to the Zune digital music store: 10 songs to keep each month, included in the $14.99 monthly subscription fee.<p/>The decision may appeal to people who have been reluctant to test out the subscription model, preferring to own their music instead of rent it. Microsoft's Zune Pass, RealNetworks Inc.'s Rhapsody and others give users unlimited access to millions of songs in exchange for a monthly fee. But as soon as the user stops paying, the music stops playing unless he or she forks over extra money to buy each track.<p/>With the new Zune Pass perk, subscribers can use the Zune desktop software as usual to buy individual songs, and the service keeps track of how many free ones remain for the month. In most cases, the song will come in the MP3 format, which can be freely copied to multiple devices and computers.<p/>Microsoft's Zune is a minor player compared with Apple Inc.'s line of iPods. Apple snagged 71 percent of MP3 player sales from January to September of this year, to Microsoft's 3 percent, according to market researcher NPD Group.<p/>Microsoft and Apple both sell digital tracks for 99 cents, but so far, Apple has resisted the idea of a subscription service while Microsoft has tried to use it as a way to stand out. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596243.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/596243.html?RSS=untracked Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:10 EST With the recent releases of three new BlackBerrys across three different wireless providers, Research In Motion Ltd. has fired back at Apple Inc. in the Great Smart Phone Skirmish of 2008.<p/>The introduction of the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, business-savvy Bold 9000 and consumer-geared Pearl Flip 8220 may not have come a moment too soon for RIM, which has long dominated the market for high-end cell phones that double as e-mail devices. Consider that Apple reported selling 6.9 million iPhone 3Gs during its last quarter, while RIM sold 6.1 million BlackBerrys in roughly the same period.<p/>But while RIM's latest offerings are packed with features like stereo Bluetooth, standard headphone jacks, video recording, multiple e-mail options and, in the case of the Storm, a unique touch screen, the multifront attack may not be enough to unseat the mighty iPhone.<p/>---<p/>BlackBerry Storm: Set to be released Friday through Verizon Wireless, the much-anticipated Storm - RIM's first touch-screen smart phone - has slick looks and tons of features. But while the device gets some things right, a number of issues make it difficult to use. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595976.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595976.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:50 EST After 27 years as a print publication, PC Magazine is ditching its print edition and going online-only in February.<p/>The move, announced Wednesday, highlights the pressure on newspapers and magazines to protect their profit margins as more advertising dollars flow to the Web.<p/>Publications are increasingly betting on Internet-only business models. Last month, The Christian Science Monitor, a Pulitzer Prize-winning international newspaper, announced its plans to give up its daily print editions in April and focus on posting news online instead to cut costs.<p/>PC Magazine's publisher, Ziff Davis Media, said the magazine's last print edition would be the January 2009 issue. The magazine's Web site and related sites draw more than seven million unique visitors a month, more than 10 times the print circulation, Ziff Davis said. The publication is well known for its product reviews.<p/>Lance Ulanoff, editor in chief of the PCMag Digital Network, wrote in a note on the magazine's site that the "ever-growing expense of print and delivery was turning the creation of a physical product into an untenable business proposition." http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595428.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595428.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:46 EST In a Nov. 18 story about the earnings forecast at Hewlett-Packard Co., The Associated Press erroneously reported that HP expects quarterly revenue of $33.6 million. The correct figure is $33.6 billion. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595877.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595877.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:41 EST In space, no one can hear you scream. But scoring an Internet hookup suddenly isn't out of the question.<p/>NASA scientists have developed software they hope will lead to an Internet-like network in deep space. It's not that astronauts will be watching "Alien" on Hulu.com. The goal of the technology NASA has been testing is to get spacecraft to communicate in a networked way like computers now do on Earth. It will make missions easier to manage.<p/>The technology is young at this point: Engineers have been sending images between a spacecraft and computers on the ground that are simulating landers, orbiters and other essential parts of a Mars mission.<p/>Think of the way space communication works now as manual labor. Sending messages between antennas on Earth and antennas on spaceships requires heavy human involvement because of the great distances involved and the method of transmission.<p/>But just as computers handle the heavy lifting of sending e-mail on Earth, NASA wants to have an equally automated system in space. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595285.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595285.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:27 EST Hewlett-Packard Co. surprised Wall Street on Tuesday by saying its earnings will be slightly above analysts' expectations, going against the grain as other technology bellwethers have slashed forecasts and posted weak results in the sagging economy.<p/>Its shares climbed more than 14 percent.<p/>The Palo Alto, Calif.-based computer and printer maker expects earnings of 84 cents per share and adjusted earnings of $1.03 per share for the three months ended in October. This is slightly better than the $1 per share, excluding items, that analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are expecting.<p/>HP forecast revenue of $33.6 billion, just ahead of analysts' expectations of $33.09 billion.<p/>The company, which plans to release full quarterly results on Nov. 24, said in a statement that it was benefiting from "global reach, diverse customer base, broad portfolio and numerous cost initiatives." http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595451.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595451.html?RSS=untracked Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:05 EST Microsoft Corp. is no longer interested in buying all of Yahoo Inc., CEO Steve Ballmer said Wednesday, though he told shareholders that the company would still be "very open" to a collaboration on Internet search. His comments sent Yahoo shares diving more than 20 percent.<p/>"Let me be clear," Ballmer said at Microsoft's annual shareholder meeting. "We are done with all acquisition discussions with Yahoo."<p/>Yahoo spurned a $47.5 billion takeover offer from Microsoft in May, and later rejected Microsoft's bid to buy only its search engine. Ballmer has said repeatedly of late that the buyout remains off the table, though a search-related deal is possible.<p/>But Wednesday marked the first time he had renewed that stance since the resignation announced this week by Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang, who had resisted Microsoft's overtures. Yahoo shares rose when Yang said he would step aside, because investors hoped it meant a deal with Microsoft would now be more likely.<p/>Ballmer said the companies are not currently talking about a search deal. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595954.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595954.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:45 EST Akamai Technologies Inc., a Web content provider, said Wednesday it is cutting 7 percent of its work force in the fourth quarter as part of a restructuring to save on costs.<p/>The company said about 110 employees will be affected. It will take a restructuring charge of $4 million for severance and related expenses.<p/>Akamai said it also expects to recognize a loss on sublease income of about $2.5 million related to certain leased facilities. But those losses will be partially offset by a net reduction in non-cash stock-based compensation of $800,000, from the stock-based awards previously granted to the affected employees.<p/>Akamai said in a news release it will use the money it saves, along with other income, to increase investments in key areas like content delivery, application acceleration, advertising industry solutions and international expansion.<p/>"We have not changed our business outlook," Chief Financial Officer JD Sherman said in a news release. "However, we want to ensure that we can keep investing for growth even in the current economic climate." http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595412.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595412.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:27 EST Baidu.com has been the star of China's Internet world. But now the search engine dubbed "China's Google" is scrambling to rescue its reputation after state TV accused it of letting unlicensed suppliers of medical products pay for higher rankings on its results page - without alerting users.<p/>Baidu.com Inc.'s U.S. shares have plunged this week, including a 30 percent drop Monday, since the weekend TV report. Baidu says it has suspended thousands of merchants from its paid-search service but says it broke no law.<p/>It is a big setback for Baidu, which enjoyed a long winning streak after its 2002 launch, with profits up 91 percent in the latest quarter and a 60 percent market share, far ahead of Google Inc.'s Chinese site. The new accusations are explosive at a time of public outrage in China over a string of deaths blamed on tainted milk, shoddy medicines and other faulty products.<p/>"There's a very low tolerance for anyone that seems to be involved in exposing consumers to health risks in China," said Citigroup analyst Jason Brueschke.<p/>CEO Robin Li said Baidu is trying to reassure users by requiring customers selling medical, beauty and health food products to show they are licensed in their fields before they can return to the paid-search service. But he stressed that was not required by law and said search engines could not be expected to vouch for information on the Internet. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595834.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/595834.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:06 EST It was bad enough when Dan Lyons stopped sharing his musings about the technology scene in a hilarious satire of what Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs would be like as a blogger.<p/>Now there's more sad news for readers who savored his biting humor: The erstwhile "Fake Steve Jobs" has decided to stop blogging as the "Real Dan Lyons" after he was reprimanded by his bosses at Newsweek magazine for an acerbic remark about Yahoo Inc.<p/>The trouble started Monday evening when Lyons assailed Yahoo for giving him what he believed to be misleading information while he was writing a Newsweek piece last month.<p/>Monday's announcement that Yahoo founder Jerry Yang had decided to step down as chief executive riled Lyons because Chairman Roy Bostock had assured him just a few weeks ago that Yang "is the right person to continue to lead Yahoo." That sounded different from this statement Bostock released Monday: "We all agree that now is the right time to make the transition to a new CEO who can take the company to the next level."<p/>Citing his Bostock interview and other perceived deceptions, Lyons compared Yahoo's public relations team to dishonest bags of dung - only in much more colorful terms. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594006.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594006.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:21 EST Hewlett-Packard Co. surprised Wall Street on Tuesday by saying its earnings will be slightly above analysts' expectations, going against the grain as other technology bellwethers have slashed forecasts and posted weak results in the sagging economy.<p/>Its shares climbed more than 14 percent.<p/>The Palo Alto, Calif.-based computer and printer maker expects earnings of 84 cents per share and adjusted earnings of $1.03 per share for the three months ended in October. This is slightly better than the $1 per share, excluding items, that analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are expecting.<p/>HP forecast revenue of $33.6 million, just ahead of analysts' expectations of $33.09 billion.<p/>The company, which plans to release full quarterly results on Nov. 24, said in a statement that it was benefiting from "global reach, diverse customer base, broad portfolio and numerous cost initiatives." http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594468.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594468.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:11 EST Mobile officials are considering providing free, wireless Internet services in the downtown district, joining the ranks of other cities with free wi-fi for roving laptop users on Main Street.<p/>Mobile spokeswoman Barbara Drummond said Tuesday the city is considering free Wi-Fi as part of its long-term planning to attract young professionals and creative people to the downtown area. The city has not signed any contract for the service, however, while reviewing its vendor options.<p/>Meraki Inc. Chief Executive Sanjit Biswas said his San Francisco-based firm markets a product to cities choosing to offer Wi-Fi by the square mile to draw people to certain areas. Biswas said the company already provides service at a Mobile apartment complex near the University of South Alabama. He said apartments use the service to attract tenants.<p/>"We've seen our systems deployed on a large scale in Latin America and Africa. In the United States, what's working is focus deployment," Biswas said.<p/>Free wireless, already offered by many restaurants, coffee shops and related businesses, is gaining popularity as a municipal service, becoming as common as the old phone booth. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594723.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594723.html?RSS=untracked Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:41 EST Google Inc. has opened an online photo gallery that will include millions of images from Life magazine's archives that have never been seen by the public before.<p/>The new service, available at http://images.google.com/hosted/life, debuted Tuesday with about 2 million photos. Eventually, Google plans to scan all 10 million photos from Life's library so they can be viewed on any computer with an Internet connection.<p/>The new gallery gives Google a head start on Life's Web site, which is scheduled to begin showing off the photo archive in late February. Life will draw upon its editors' expertise to pick the best shots from the archives.<p/>About 97 percent of Life's archives have not been publicly seen, according to Life.<p/>The photos can be printed out for free as long as they aren't being used as part of an attempt to make money. Time Warner Inc., Life's parent company, hopes to make money by selling high-resolution, framed prints. The orders will be processed through Qoop.com. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/593766.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/593766.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:15 EST National Geographic, best known for its yellow-framed magazine and often breathtaking nature shows, is getting into video games.<p/>National Geographic Ventures, a unit of the nonprofit National Geographic Society, was set to announce Tuesday it will work with game publishers to turn its material into games for PCs, consoles and handheld devices.<p/>"Our content is extremely well-suited for a global gaming audience," said Paul Levine, a National Geographic executive who will lead the new games division. The games will be drawn from a broad range of content and themes across National Geographic's properties.<p/>The first title - available now for computers and the iPhone - is "Herod's Lost Tomb," a simple hidden-objects game built on a story in the magazine's December issue and a television show about King Herod. It's produced in-house by National Geographic. The company is also working with Namco Bandai Games America and Sony Computer Entertainment to publish and distribute games under its brand for consoles like the Wii and the PlayStation 3.<p/>Namco Bandai's "National Geographic: Panda" for the handheld Nintendo DS, available this month, plays something like "Nintendogs," the 2005 virtual pet game that had you taking care of a puppy, and the aptly named "Zoo Tycoon" that puts you in charge of a zoo, Levine said. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594249.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594249.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:25 EST A wireless affiliate of Sprint Nextel Corp. has pulled its request that an Illinois judge block the planned spinoff of Sprint's new broadband network.<p/>Schaumburg, Ill.-based iPCS Inc. said Monday in a regulatory filing that it withdrew its motion for a temporary restraining order preventing Sprint's WiMax network from being combined with Kirkland, Wash.-based Clearwire Corp. The decision came after Clearwire said it didn't plan to offer high-speed wireless Internet service in iPCS's markets before July 1, 2009.<p/>Clearwire shareholders are scheduled to vote Thursday on the merger. The new Clearwire company, which will deploy a network based on WiMax technology, will also include billions of dollars in investments from Google Inc., Intel Corp. and a group of cable companies.<p/>IPCS filed suit against the plan this year, claiming it would violate an exclusivity agreement it has with Sprint in its territory. The company covers parts of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.<p/>While iPCS has now abandoned its hope for an injunction, iPCS said its original lawsuit challenging the merger will continue. Clearwire has agreed to give iPCS 60 days' notice if it plans to enter the iPCS territory before the court enters a final ruling on the lawsuit. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594651.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594651.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:52 EST Facebook plans to start charging for verifying applications built for the social network - an optional process that has upset some developers despite the company's assurances it will bring plenty of positive benefits.<p/>Platform program manager Sandra Liu Huang said Tuesday that Facebook opened the verification process to developers on Monday.<p/>The process is meant to increase users' trust of applications that are posted on the site and to help developers wanting to build a serious business get more visibility with users, she said.<p/>Initially, developers file a form to register their application, and after it is reviewed by Facebook, the developers fill out paperwork and submit a $375 annual fee for each application. Students and registered non-profits pay $175 for each application they want verified.<p/>Huang said the fee covers costs on Facebook's end related to reviewing the applications, and it will recur each year along with a fresh application review. Eventually, if Facebook finds that the costs of reviewing the applications declines, it would be open to lowering the reverification fee, she said. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594004.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594004.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:40 EST Real news from the virtual world:<p/>-ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? Internet-connected Xbox 360 owners will see big changes Wednesday, when the New Xbox Experience is downloaded onto their machines. Gone are the old interface's cramped, text-heavy menus, which have been replaced by eye-catching, 3D displays of all the games and movies that you've stored on your console.<p/>In a nod to Nintendo's beloved Mii characters, you can also create your own personal avatar. Microsoft has made it easier to play with your friends, letting you set up eight-person parties that can move from game to game. And you'll finally be able to copy entire games onto your hard drive, which will be a relief to players who still haven't gotten used to that whirring from the disk drive.<p/>Finally, Netflix members will be able to choose among 12,000 movies and TV shows, including some high-definition titles, for streaming through Xbox Live. And further offerings, like community-developed games and exclusive downloadable game content, are on the way.<p/>Microsoft's goal was "reinventing the entire product through software," said Xbox 360 director of product management Aaron Greenberg. "It makes it easier for current owners and more accessible to new gamers." I've been playing around with it for a couple of weeks, and I don't miss the old Xbox experience at all. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594456.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/594456.html?RSS=untracked Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:01 EST If you aren't sure which books to give that avid reader on your gift list this holiday season, how about considering every title she could name?<p/>BookSwim, an online book rental and delivery service, offers gift subscriptions that can help expand the amount of reading you can give, without running up a big tab or cluttering up someone's home with another stack of books.<p/>The Web site, http://www.BookSwim.com, lets readers order books and have them delivered right to their door for a set fee each month. Modeled on the online movie rental company Netflix, the subscription service sends between three and 11 books at a time to its customers, who can keep them for as long as they like with no late fees. When finished with at least two books, the reader sends them back to BookSwim in a pre-paid return bag that's included with every shipment.<p/>BookSwim offers four different membership levels, with prices ranging from $19.98 per month for their "light reader" three-at-a-time plan to $39.94 per month for the "voracious reader" 11-at-a-time plan. Their most popular plan, which allows users to have up to 7 books at a time, costs $29.96 per month, with a $1.50 per month discount for a full year paid in advance. The company offers a half-price discount to new members for the first month.<p/>The Newark, N.J.-based company, was launched in May 2007 and shipped its 100,000th book in early October, said marketing director Eric Ginsberg.