8 February 2006 Technology News

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:34

New DVDs already sparking copy-protection confusion

When the first high-definition DVDs finally hit shelves this spring, a mad scramble may ensue--not for the discs themselves, but to figure out what computers and devices are actually able to play them in their full glory.

Unraveling the mystery won't be easy. Many, if not most, of today's top-of-the-line computers and monitors won't make the cut, even if next-generation Blu-ray or HD DVD drives are installed.

That's because strict content protection technologies may automatically degrade the DVDs' picture quality, or even block them from playing at all, if the right connections and digital protections aren't in place. Even the most expensive computers sold today mostly lack those features.

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:38

Proposed law targets tech-China cooperation

Nearly every U.S. company with a Web site located in China will have to move it elsewhere or its executives would face prison terms of up to a year, according to proposed legislation expected to be introduced this week in the U.S. Congress.

A draft version of the bill reviewed by CNET News.com represents the first serious attempt to rewrite the ground rules controlling how U.S. Internet companies may interact with foreign governments. If enacted, it would dramatically change the business practices of corporations with operations in China, Iran, Vietnam and other nations deemed to be overly "Internet-restricting."

The highly anticipated proposal, created by Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) in response to recent reports about censorship in China by Google, Yahoo and others, also makes it unlawful to filter search results or turn over information about users to certain governments unless the U.S. Justice Department approves. It would also impose new export restrictions to those nations.

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17 Feb 06, 19:41

Scientist delves into Mars mysteries

SAN JOSE, Calif.--In the next few weeks, scientists affiliated with the Mars Exploration Rover Mission hope to learn about the fine-grained material the Spirit rover discovered in a section of the Gusev Crater.

Spirit, one of two rovers with the project, has been scouring the surface of Mars for the past two years looking for clues to its watery past.

"A week ago, we got to 'Home Plate' (in the Gusev Crater), and 12 hours ago we found this fine-grained stuff," Steven Squyres, the project's lead scientific investigator, said Thursday during a packed keynote speech at the RSA Conference 2006 here. "In a few weeks, we hope to learn what it's made of."

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:43

Scientist delves into Mars mysteries

SAN JOSE, Calif.--In the next few weeks, scientists affiliated with the Mars Exploration Rover Mission hope to learn about the fine-grained material the Spirit rover discovered in a section of the Gusev Crater.

Spirit, one of two rovers with the project, has been scouring the surface of Mars for the past two years looking for clues to its watery past.

"A week ago, we got to 'Home Plate' (in the Gusev Crater), and 12 hours ago we found this fine-grained stuff," Steven Squyres, the project's lead scientific investigator, said Thursday during a packed keynote speech at the RSA Conference 2006 here. "In a few weeks, we hope to learn what it's made of."

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:45

Consortium to make tour vehicles for space

Think of it as a motorized cable car to the stratosphere.

Space Adventures, the company that has sent tourists into space on Russian rockets, is teaming up with Prodea, an investment firm founded by the Ansari family, to develop a fleet of suborbital, reusable spacecraft for space tourism. The Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation will also participate, by supervising the development of the vehicles.

"Our goal in supporting the X Prize was to launch a new space industry through the introduction of commercial suborbital spaceflights," Anousheh Ansari, co-founder of Prodea, said in a statement. "We partnered with Space Adventures because they have proved that there is a market for space tourism by having been the first company to fly a private citizen to space, and remain today the only company to have actually taken tourists to space," she said. The Ansari family created the X Prize, which awarded $10 million to the SpaceShipOne team for successfully creating a private spacecraft.

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:47

Consortium to make tour vehicles for space

Think of it as a motorized cable car to the stratosphere.

Space Adventures, the company that has sent tourists into space on Russian rockets, is teaming up with Prodea, an investment firm founded by the Ansari family, to develop a fleet of suborbital, reusable spacecraft for space tourism. The Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation will also participate, by supervising the development of the vehicles.

"Our goal in supporting the X Prize was to launch a new space industry through the introduction of commercial suborbital spaceflights," Anousheh Ansari, co-founder of Prodea, said in a statement. "We partnered with Space Adventures because they have proved that there is a market for space tourism by having been the first company to fly a private citizen to space, and remain today the only company to have actually taken tourists to space," she said. The Ansari family created the X Prize, which awarded $10 million to the SpaceShipOne team for successfully creating a private spacecraft.

ndmmxiaomayi

17 Feb 06, 19:50

New MIT Media Lab head roots for grassroots

Technology innovations are more likely to come from someone's living room than from the corporate boardroom or even an entrepreneur's garage, says Frank Moss, the newly named director of the MIT Media Lab.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced Wednesday that Moss is heading its Media Lab. He joins the high-profile lab after starting several companies, including software maker Tivoli Systems, Web services firm Bowstreet and, most recently, cancer drug company Infinity Pharmaceuticals.

But in his mind, technology users are increasingly setting the direction of inventions, rather than corporate research labs or venture capital-funded start-ups.

ndmmxiaomayi

20 Feb 06, 09:55

PlayStation 3 may be delayed a year

Sony's next-generation PlayStation 3 video game console might not appear in key markets this year and could cost the company $900 per unit to produce initially, according to Merrill Lynch analysts quoted in the Financial Times on Sunday.

Sony has indicated a spring launch for its console in Japan and the industry is not expecting a North American launch until November, the FT said.

But Hitoshi Kuriyama of Merrill Lynch in Japan said there are reports that the PS3 could be delayed by between six and 12 months, meaning an autumn launch in Japan and a late 2006 or early 2007 launch in the United States, the FT said.

ndmmxiaomayi

20 Feb 06, 10:04

On the go with upgraded ears

Headphones that come with portable music players like the iPod are usually adequate in delivering an enjoyable experience, but often they are not the best choice for comfort, convenience or sound quality.

Earbud-style headphones that come with iPods, for example, can be uncomfortable after extended use and, if they do not fit properly, can jar loose. Moreover, many headphones are not effective at blocking outside noise, which can degrade sound quality and induce users to ratchet up the volume in loud surroundings.

A number of headphone options are available to improve the listening experience on portable music players. They include wireless headsets that can free you from having to deal with wires, sound-isolating earphones that form an acoustically sealed zone inside your ear canals, and noise-canceling headphones that reduce sounds in your environment. Some of the options can work with cell phones as well, allowing you to toggle between phone calls and music on the fly.

ndmmxiaomayi

20 Feb 06, 10:11

MySpace: Murdoch's big hope, parents' nightmare

Rupert Murdoch saw a Web site with monster growth potential in MySpace.com, the online music and dating phenomenon that makes it easy for teens to find friends and express themselves.

The media mogul's News Corp. paid $580 million for MySpace last July. And even as he figures out how to turn more than 56 million MySpace members into higher Internet revenue for News Corp., there is another concern: the safety of its teen denizens.

The phenomenal growth of the Web site and popularity among youngsters has made it a magnet for adult sexual predators, authorities say.

ndmmxiaomayi

21 Feb 06, 22:15

Report: In-car navigation systems can be dangerous

Fiddling around with in-car satellite navigation systems is causing motorists to lose concentration on the road, according to a survey on Tuesday.

The new technology, rather than helping motorists, could be even more distracting than trying to read a map at the wheel, it added.

One in 10 motorists with navigation systems set off on their journeys without bothering to program their route, and more than half admitted they had then had to take their eyes off the road to input the details while driving.

ndmmxiaomayi

21 Feb 06, 22:17

Wearable game weaves clues into cloth

If you find yourself wearing clothes from a new company called Edoc Laundry, beware: Strangers may walk up to you on the street to examine the intricacies of your shirt's patterns.

That's because Edoc Laundry's first line, expected to launch March 1, literally weaves an episodic, multimedia game into the fabric of the garments. The Seattle-based company is believed to be the first to attempt such a fashion feat.

The idea is an extension of so-called alternate-reality games, or ARGs, in which people try to solve puzzles that are propagated online but require players to team up to find clues in the real world. Usually, the games are promotional vehicles for other products, including video games and movies.

ndmmxiaomayi

21 Feb 06, 22:20

Home Depot moves to expand online sales

Home Depot is on a mission to give its stores endless aisles.

The top home improvement retailer has a bold vision to expand its online sales, including plans to broadcast live product demonstrations and how-to infomercials on its Web site, automation of special-order sales, and new catalogs focused on categories such as outdoor living.

The plan includes company-branded kiosks where consumers can surf www.homedepot.com and buy goods at any time wherever they are, be that a Home Depot store, mega-mall or maybe even an airport. Such self-service kiosks are already being tested in 50 Home Depot stores and at two Georgia malls.

ndmmxiaomayi

22 Feb 06, 10:22

Computer maker files antitrust suit against Microsoft

Computer maker Tangent has filed a federal antitrust suit against Microsoft, accusing the software maker of anticompetitive behavior that forced it to overpay for the Windows operating system.

The suit, filed last week in the Northern District of California, charges Microsoft with violating the Sherman Act and seeks to recover triple damages from the software maker.

"Microsoft's exclusionary and restrictive practices...have caused significant harm to (Tangent) by increasing, maintaining or stabilizing the price it paid for Microsoft's operating system software above competitive levels," Tangent said in its suit. Tangent, based in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Burlingame, makes computers, servers and thin clients, primarily for the education, government and business markets.

ndmmxiaomayi

22 Feb 06, 10:26

Micron files suit against Rambus

Micron Technology said Tuesday that it filed a lawsuit against Rambus, marking the latest legal shot in a long-running battle over the $30 billion market for computer and graphics memory chips.

The lawsuit charges Rambus, whose shares dropped more than 4 percent, with violating federal racketeering laws and accuses the company of destroying evidence, false testimony and other improper activities designed to mislead courts.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District court for the Eastern District of Virginia, also includes charges that Rambus intentionally concealed information through false testimony and other means regarding the ownership of its key patents asserted against Micron in patent lawsuits.

ndmmxiaomayi

22 Feb 06, 10:32

Sun's old CFO becomes Sun's new CFO

Mike Lehman, Sun Microsystems' chief financial officer from 1998 to 2002, is coming out of retirement to replace Steve McGowan in the post, the server and software company said Tuesday.

"Having now tried retirement briefly, I find that I like being involved in leading change and driving the business more directly," Lehman, who is 55, said in a statement. He returns to his old job on Wednesday and has resigned from Sun's board.

And McGowan, instead of retiring as planned last October, will become executive vice president of finance. "He will be with us for the foreseeable future," Sun spokeswoman Stephanie Von Allmen said. "He's been convinced to stay on as EVP of finance."

ndmmxiaomayi

22 Feb 06, 10:41

Tools, tune-ups for Linux efforts

Gnome has brought the OS to its desktops, Debian's founder has taken on standardization, Linux now boots on Niagara, and more.

ndmmxiaomayi

22 Feb 06, 10:46

Not feeling well, other moderators will help out.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:35

Sun to acquire software patch specialist

Sun Microsystems has agreed to acquire Aduva, a small company whose products automate the installation of software patches on large numbers of Solaris or Linux computers.

The acquisition, announced by Sun Wednesday, dovetails with the company's effort to improve remote management services, an initiative that the company expects will make its computers more reliable and less of an administrative burden on customers. In 2004, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company acquired SevenSpace, a remote management specialist.

Aduva is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has about 40 employees. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of June, but terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:36

Octopiler seeks to arm Cell programmers

Programmers grappling with the Cell chip--the processor behind the Playstation 3 and some high-definition TVs--can get a helping hand from IBM's new project: the Octopiler.

It isn't easy to write code for Cell, with its central processing core and eight accompanying special-purpose engines. Octopiler, which IBM Research plans to outline at a tutorial next month, aims to change all that. The software development tool converts a single, human-written program into several different programs that run simultaneously on Cell's various cores.

"Programming Cell is relatively hard," said Illuminata analyst Gordon Haff, in particular because development tools must must divide software into threads running among different cores and keep those programs synchronized as they run. "Certainly a higher-level, more abstracted model makes programming a lot easier."

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:39

Oracle plugs into Windows Server system

Oracle on Wednesday released seven add-ons to its management software, which are designed to monitor performance of Microsoft server applications that run in conjunction with Oracle's database.

The existing software, Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control, has been aimed at system administrators who monitor system performance and troubleshoot problems. The database company said it has enabled tracking of Oracle software running with Microsoft's products by providing plug-ins for SQL Server database, Active Directory, BizTalk Server, Commerce Server, Internet Information Services, Internet Security and Acceleration Server and the .Net Framework. The plug-ins cost $1,500 per processor and are available on the Oracle Technology Network Web site.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:42

Microsoft opens window for new Vista test

Microsoft said on Wednesday it is releasing an updated test version of Windows Vista, the forthcoming update to Microsoft's flagship operating system.

The latest Community Technology Preview (CTP) version is aimed at businesses, Microsoft said. The company is trying to rebut the notion that Vista is primarily a consumer release, a perception that was fueled by Bill Gates' Vista demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"Windows Vista is as much, if not more, a business release," said Brad Goldberg, general manager of Windows Client product management, in a conference call with journalists.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:45

Fiorina: Technology will 'disappear' in 25 years

The dot-com bust signaled the "end of the beginning" for technology, Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, told business leaders Wednesday.

Speaking at the Global Business Forum in Sydney, Fiorina told the audience that by 2030, technology will be so integral to daily living that we will take it for granted.

"We have entered the main event of technology...We are talking about an era where technology is woven into the fabric of life and almost disappears. It means that technology is in everything and everywhere," Fiorina said.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:50

Earnings alert: Sprint Nextel profit drops

Read the latest in earnings reports and financial news from some of technology's leading players. This page is updated as new reports are filed. Keep checking back for the latest.

ndmmxiaomayi

23 Feb 06, 11:52

Rivals hit Microsoft with new EU complaint

A group of the world's largest technology companies complained to the European Commission on Wednesday that Microsoft was guilty of anticompetitive practices.

The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), which includes IBM, Nokia, Oracle and RealNetworks, claimed that Microsoft was hampering competition in the software market.

"We are at a crossroads," ECIS said in a statement. "Will one dominant player be permitted to control those conditions, or will the rules that guarantee competition on the merits prevail, to the benefit of all?"