ZDNet Must Read:
AT&T sues Verizon Wireless, calls map ad "misleading" but doesn't dispute accuracy
AT&T has filed suit against Verizon Wireless over those "There's a map for that" commercials. But AT&T isn't disputing the accuracy of the ad; AT&T doesn't like the colors on... Continued »
November 6th, 2009
Google classic homepage sports Motorola Droid ad
Notice anything different about Google’s classic homepage? You know, the one that’s patented?
Yep — Google’s using the most recognizable website on the planet to push the Motorola Droid smartphone, which runs on the corporate giant’s Android operating system.
November 6th, 2009
U.S. unemployment rate highest in 26 years, at 10.2%
The unemployment rate in the United States reached a 26-year high of 10.2 percent in October, up from 9.8 percent in September, the Department of Labor said Friday.
Americans lost 190,000 jobs in October, according to the department’s monthly report.
The good news? The pace of job losses has slowed significantly since the peak of the recession a year ago.
But the unemployment rate — the percentage of people actively seeking work — continues to rise.
The biggest losses came in construction, manufacturing and retail. Meanwhile, the healthcare industry grew by 29,000 jobs and added another 34,000 temporary positions.
So when will the unemployment rate start to decline? Some are guessing next spring.
But production and profits are on the rise, despite the job losses, indicating that we might be turning around.
For the tech sector, that means that it’s a slow (but upward) haul from here.
November 6th, 2009
Skype's legal drama finally ends; Time to start innovating
The on-going legal drama that has left a dark cloud over online voice and video communications company Skype has finally been settled. In the end, the co-founders get a 14 percent ownership of a new Skype, eBay maintains a 30 percent stake in the new company and consortium of private investors score the remaining 56 percent.
More importantly, though, the new company will finally be in a position to innovate and prosper - instead of being scrutinized under the quarterly earnings microscope of eBay to generate quarterly revenue growth. All of the previous disputes over core technologies and so on has been settled. The parties expect the deal to close by the end of the year.
Marc Andreessen, partner of Andreessen Horowitz, which is one of the investors, told VentureBeat that the company can now focus on building for the future. The company does have a lot of potential to become a powerhouse in markets that are just starting to realize their potential. Consider these forces that are changing the market for Skype:
- Smartphones, which have the ability to run Skype, are growing in popularity among consumers and businesses, opening a market for people interested in low-rate international calling from a device, instead of just a PC.
- Google Voice has hit the stage as a competitor in this space, notably on the international calling front, and has generated a number of headlines - and grabbed a lot of attention - because of Apple’s supposed rejection of the Google Voice app for the iPhone and AT&T asking the FCC to regulate Google Voice as a telecommunications service, instead of a Web service.
- Video conferencing is grabbing the attention of the cost-concerned enterprise. Cisco, for example, has made a big splash into enterprise-grade telepresence video conferencing, highlighting the money - and time - that can be saved by holding meetings by telepresence, instead of putting executives on airplanes.
I’ve long been a Skype user but must admit that my interaction with it has pretty much been limited to the occasional (more like rare) video chat. I’ve also been a long-time fan of innovation (what can I say? I’m a Silicon Valley native) so I’m happy to see the company fall back into the hands of the founders and investors who want to see the service grow and prosper.
Now, Skype execs can quit worrying about how they’re going to appear on eBay’s financial statements and can get back to work on making the service better, landing new partners and holding on to its brand cachet before a newcomer (Google?) comes along and unseats a pioneer.
Also see:
November 6th, 2009
Not enough hours in the day? There's a personal assistant for that
For a couple of weeks now, I’ve been putting off a trip to the DMV, mostly because I’ve been wanting to do some homework ahead of time so I don’t find myself making several trips (it’s happened before.) But I just haven’t made the time to navigate my way through the DMV’s Web site or sit on hold, waiting for a DMV agent to answer my questions.
So I handed the job off to one of my personal assistants, someone who did all of the research, downloaded the forms, calculated the fees involved, wrote out specific instructions and sent all of it to me in an e-mail within a few hours. Yes, I have a whole team of personal assistants at my disposal - but not because I’m some wealthy, entitled person. (Ha!!) The best part about these personal assistants of mine is what I’m paying to have someone on standby, ready to do whatever I need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week - $10 per month.
The service is Handmark’s MyAssist and it’s actually been around for a while under the guise of a concierge service built into the premium version of Handmark Pocket Express, a mobile app for most smartphones. MyAssist will formally launch next week as a standalone - and still kind of bare-bones - service but I gave it a test run earlier this week. Here’s how it works:
Requests, initially, are submitted by calling the MyAssist call center. You tell the assistant what you need and they make it happen - but that doesn’t mean they do it themselves. Case in point: when I asked my Facebook friends what they would have a personal assistant do for them, they replied with answers like file papers, clean the house or fix dinner. These personal assistants will gladly search for someone in your area who will file papers, clean the house or drop-off dinner - but you’ll have to pay those service providers separately.
But some of the other answers I received from friends are perfect for this type of service: track down and order a replacement hubcap, research smartphone plans or make reservations - whether airline, hotel, restaurant or golf.
November 6th, 2009
Google Dashboard brings security settings to the forefront
For anyone who has ever complained about Google recording everything you do but has never gone to the trouble of adjusting your various privacy settings, I’d like to introduce you to Google Dashboard.
Google Dashboard is a one-stop shop for access into your settings for 20 Google different products and services - Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar and even Google-owned YouTube and Picasa, among others. From there, you can access the settings - and view some analytics - for each of the products and change whichever ones you don’t like. From the Google blog post:
Today, with hundreds of millions of people using those products around the world, we are very aware of the trust that you have placed in us, and our responsibility to protect your privacy and data. In the past, we’ve taken numerous steps in this area, investing in educating our users with our Privacy Center, making it easier to move data in and out of Google with our Data Liberation Front, and allowing you to control the ads you see with interest-based advertising. Transparency, choice and control have become a key part of Google’s philosophy, and today, we’re happy to announce that we’re doing even more.
This is Google’s second announcement this week that takes security of its users into consideration. Earlier this week, the company put up a blog post about the continued efforts in “hybrid onboarding,” the ability to create accounts on third-party sites using your Google account sign-on information. The idea is to eliminate the need for original user names and passwords on so many different accounts. Google - and others - still have a long way to go on that front - but at least this is a start.
Back to Google Dashboard, it wasn’t until I logged on that I realized just how deeply entrenched I am into the Google world - Docs, Mail, Calendar, Blogger, Reader, Voice… the list goes on. And so, I spent 20 minutes today going through the settings for each of my accounts.
Already, I feel more secure.
November 6th, 2009
News to know: Windows 7; Google Dashboard; Driving while texting; Steve Jobs; Droid
Here are today’s notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET’s around-the-Web tech coverage.:
Sam Diaz: Ballmer: So far, Windows 7 sales are “fantastic”
Dana Blankenhorn: What the Google Privacy Dashboard can mean for health
Garett Rogers: See what Google knows about you, kind of
Doug Hanchard: FCC Chairman testifies on driving while texting
Sam Diaz: Congratulations to Steve Jobs, Fortune’s CEO of the Decade
Jason Hiner: Will business users get onboard with the Verizon Droid? [podcast]
Jason Perlow: Frugal Friday: Verizon DROID, Intel Antitrust, V-Block, Oracle/EU, ICCA
Andrew Nusca: The hammer falls on Quicken Online; Mint.com emerges solo
Robin Harris: A 4 SSD array: Apricorn pt 2
Oliver Marks: The Enterprise 2.0 Value Propositions Agenda
Sean Portnoy: Viewsonic introduces $100 VMP70 HD media player without network connectivity
Harry Fuller: Kerry-Boxer bill gets out of the (first) box
Dancho Danchev: Windows 7’s default UAC bypassed by 8 out of 10 malware samples
10 ways to evaluate your IT management software
Ryan Naraine: Patch Tuesday heads-up: Critical MS Office patches coming
Janice Chen: Olympus announces new E-P2 compact interchangeable lens camera
Mary Jo Foley: Billing system testing behind Microsoft’s SQL Azure outage this week
Jason D. O’Grady: Droid Preview: iPhone’s first real competition has arrived
Dancho Danchev: Which antivirus is best at removing malware?
Ed Burnette: New Epic 3D game engine toolset: Fabulous, fun, and free!
Harry Fuller: X-Prize competition for ultra-efficient car speeds ahead
Dennis Howlett: Twitter and web forgery
Doug Hanchard: Copyright associations want enforcement for free
Sam Diaz: House bill calls for ISPs to block some fake financial sites
Dana Gardner: Role of governance plumbed in Nov. 10 webinar on managing hybrid and cloud computing types
Christopher Dawson: An unusual day, part 1
Dennis Howlett: Gartner wins in ZL lawsuit: but is it a pyrrhic victory?
ZDNet UK: Zero-day flaw found in web encryption
Rachel King: Brinell’s Purestorage external hard drives are elegant, but pricey
Tom Foremski: GOOG Chief: Silicon Valley’s secret is its weather
Christopher Dawson: Edufire raises the bar with new video offerings
Heather Clancy: HP: How about your own personal smart grid for your data center?
Sam Diaz: Survey: IT workers eyeing security certifications
Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft to add SharePoint access to Live@edu
Matthew Miller: Verizon’s HTC DROID ERIS may be the best $100 smartphone
Mary Jo Foley: Browser rivals to register official complaints about Microsoft’s ballot screen proposal
November 5th, 2009
Congratulations to Steve Jobs, Fortune's CEO of the Decade
Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has had a helluva decade.
Consider that, under his helm, Apple defined the portable music player market with the iPod, has shaken up the mobile industry with the iPhone, rocked the retail music business with iTunes and re-invented the computing business with OS X in a way that the PC business - with less than 10 percent of market share - is no longer the bread-and-butter of the company.
Add to that the brilliant marketing behind Apple and the loyal, almost cult-like, following of Apple’s fans and it’s no wonder that Fortune Magazine today named him the CEO of the Decade. The opening lines of a story written by Fortune Editor-At-Large Adam Lashinsky (which also includes a nice video segment) explain it nicely:
How’s this for a gripping corporate story line: Youthful founder gets booted from his company in the 1980s, returns in the 1990s, and in the following decade survives two brushes with death, one securities-law scandal, an also-ran product lineup, and his own often unpleasant demeanor to become the dominant personality in four distinct industries, a billionaire many times over, and CEO of the most valuable company in Silicon Valley. Sound too far-fetched to be true? Perhaps. Yet it happens to be the real-life story of Steve Jobs and his outsize impact on everything he touches.
Yes, I’m a Mac guy. We’ve been through that on this blog many times. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m a huge fan of everything that Jobs and Apple do - after all, I’m also one of those press guys who would like to be less surprised and more prepared when the company makes news. I would especially appreciate the company confirming or squashing a rumor every now and then, too, so I don’t have to spin my wheels trying to find out whether there’s any real substance to it.
Putting that aside, you cannot deny that the manner in which Apple conducts business has been highly effective at not only increasing sales and broadening the company’s portfolio but also setting trends, creating buzz and putting out top-notch (dare I say near perfect?) products again and again and again.
Having been to many of Apple’s news announcements, I know first-hand about the giddiness in those auditoriums - even from the press. And the fact that Apple almost always has the items in-store and online by the time Jobs takes the stage surely helps spark some spontaneous sales. There’s rarely a months-long wait for products the way there is for some competitors.
So, congratulations to Steve Jobs for a strong decade at the helm of Apple. Here’s to the next one.
November 5th, 2009
Ballmer: So far, Windows 7 sales are "fantastic"
Talk about pent-up demand.
Windows 7 has only been out for a couple of weeks but sales so far have been “fantastic,” Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said at a news briefing in Tokyo today, noting that sales in the first 10 days have exceeded the initial sales of any previous release of a Windows OS.
A Bloomberg report looked at historical numbers and found that Microsoft sold more than triple the number of Windows 7 operating systems than it did with Vista and that revenue was 82 percent higher in that time frame. In addition, Microsoft is now more bullish on the PC market that it was earlier this year. At the news briefing, Ballmer said:
Windows 7 is an example of the kind of innovations that I think are important in the technology marketplace
While in Tokyo, Ballmer said he would like to see the search deal with Yahoo - which is limited to the U.S. - expanded to overseas markets. The ten-year deal, which was reached this summer, is still being finalized. Ballmer didn’t offer any specific details on particular markets he’s interested in or whether Yahoo would be on board with that. But he did acknowledge that Google is the “king of search” and that it will take some hard work to gain traction.
November 5th, 2009
The hammer falls on Quicken Online; Mint.com emerges solo
Intuit, makers of Quicken, QuickBooks and TurboTax, will shut down its free Quicken Online personal finance site in six to nine months and put all its chips in with newly-bought Mint.com.
The company closed on its $170 million acquisition of Mint yesterday. That made Mint founder and CEO Aaron Patzer the new vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Personal Finance Group, heading up Mint.com, Quicken Online and Quicken desktop products.
His first decision? Quicken Online must die.
November 5th, 2009
Will business users get onboard with the Verizon Droid? [podcast]
The Verizon Droid launches Nov. 6 amid a lot of hype and anticipation. It’s also being aimed at business users. We discuss how it measures up.
The Big Question is a joint production from ZDNet and TechRepublic. Larry Dignan is on vacation this week, so I have two guests: Bill Detwiler, Head Technology Editor for TechRepublic, and Andrew Nusca, an editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet.
You can play this 25-minute episode from the Flash-based player at the top of the page or:
Stories discussed in this episode:
- With Motorola Droid, Verizon puts doubts about Google Android platform to rest (ZDNet)
- Verizon Droid: Doesn’t match iPhone, but brings Android out of beta (TechRepublic)
- Five interesting details about the new Verizon Droid smartphone (TechRepublic)
- What’s new in Android 2.0? (ZDNet)
- Can Droid mask iPhone envy? Or will Verizon iPhone rumors keep users guessing? (ZDNet)
- Will Droid do damage to the iPhone’s mojo? (ZDNet)
November 5th, 2009
House bill calls for ISPs to block some fake financial sites
I came across a pretty interesting read on CNET’s Politics and Law blog about an investor’s protection bill working its way through the House of Representatives.
On the surface, the bill is supposed to be about “reforming the regulatory structure of the U.S. financial services industry.” But Declan McCullagh, who writes the blog, highlights one easy-to-overlook part of the bill. language that essentially forces Internet Service Providers to play traffic cop on their networks.
The bill calls for ISPs to block Internet bad guys who pose as legitimate brokerage firms that are members of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), a “government-linked entity that aids investors when funds are missing from their accounts, up to a limit of $500,000 for stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.”
That’s an awfully tall order, asking ISPs to not only differentiate the authentic sites from the fraudulent sites but also to identify which are posing as SIPC members. It’s a good thing that the bill’s author - Rep. Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania - is open to altering the language to address concerns. It turns out that the specific part of the bill was part of a similar bill introduced earlier this year by another Congressman.
Hopefully, the issue becomes a non-issue quickly. CNET, however, says the SIPC may have asked for that specific language to be in the bill.- but was unable to confirm because the SIPC president was unavailable. We’ll have to wait and see how it develops.
That aside, I couldn’t help but think, as I read the CNET post, how this was all somewhat hypocritical of Washington. One one hand, the net neutrality proposals coming out of the FCC basically prevent ISPs from playing traffic cop and differentiating from the different types of content moving over its pipelines. Let’s keep it free and open - or so the chant goes.
Then you have this sort of language slipping into a bill on Capitol Hill. On one hand, ISPs aren’t supposed to differentiate one type of content from another. But on the other hand, they would not only have to identify the bad guys but also block the ones who are posing as members of a government-backed group.
Can Washington have it both ways?
November 5th, 2009
Survey: IT workers eyeing security certifications
A tough economy and new technologies has led to some pretty substantial changes for IT departments. As the IT landscape continues to evolve, IT workers are also looking at their next moves.
A survey of more than 1,500 IT workers found that more than half are eyeing security-themed certifications over the next five years while others will pursue new certifications in green IT, healthcare IT, mobile and software-as-a service.
The survey, conducted by CompTIA, found that 37 percent of the respondents will be pursuing a security certification over the next five years, with 18 percent seeking ethical hacking certifications and 13 percent interested in forensics. From the CompTIA statement:
Economic advancement and personal growth are key drivers for seeking IT certifications, the CompTIA study also reveals. Eighty-eight percent of certification holders indicated they pursue a certification to enhance their resume. An identical 88 percent said personal growth they pursue a certification. IT workers are willing to invest the time and resources necessary to advance their career by adding new certifications to their credentials. On average, candidates for an IT certification spend 44.5 hours studying and preparing to sit for an exam; and approximately one in three individuals spend 60 or more hours preparing. Fifty percent of IT certification holders pay for the exams themselves, while 38 percent rely on an employer to cover the exam fee.
November 5th, 2009
News to know: Intel; Microsoft layoffs; Motorola, Palm; Oracle-Sun; MSN
Here are today’s notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET’s around-the-Web tech coverage.:
Sam Diaz: New York AG files antitrust charges against Intel; alleges bribery, coercion
Mary Jo Foley: Are the Microsoft layoffs over now?
Matthew Miller: Motorola and Palm; will 2009 be designated as a comeback year?
Sam Diaz: EU showdown over Oracle-Sun; Objections seem imminent
Mary Jo Foley: The long and winding road to MSN’s reinvention as a social hub
Andrew Nusca: Revisting the Motorola Droid on Verizon [Q&A]
Sean Portnoy: Wal-mart preempts Black Friday with HDTV specials this Saturday
Jason D. O’Grady: I Am T-Pain enjoys 10,000 downloads per day
Jono Bacon: Not tolerating the intolerant
Sam Diaz: Xobni expands to include enterprise but where are Web, Mobile and even Mac versions?
Matthew Miller: The iPhone is one of the best phones in the world, carriers with it are the problem
Doug Hanchard: U.S. Ethics Committee staffer file-shares sensitive document
Tom Foremski: iSuppli: Cloud data storage market growth marred by privacy and security issues
Harry Fuller: Remember Kerry-Boxer?
Paul Greenberg: Organic Social Networks, the Yankees and….Wha’? (UPDATE: WE WON OUR 27TH WORLD SERIES!)
Andrew Nusca: Verizon to offer Sony Vaio P series ultraportable for $300 with contract
Harry Fuller: How about your own smarter grid at home?
Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft does a 180 on Exchange 2007 support (in a good way)
Andrew Nusca: LaCie Network Space 2 NAS adds torrent support, wake-on LAN; $160
Dana Gardner: HP takes converged infrastructure a notch higher with new data warehouse appliance
Zack Whittaker: Google Maps and the mystery of the non-existent town
Joe McKendrick: Gartner: 10 reasons why both sides of the SOA debate have it wrong
Oliver Marks: Andrew McAfee & Enterprise 2.0 conference
Harry Fuller: German chancellor chides Congress on global warming
Michael Krisgman: Please vote: Shortlisted at Computer Weekly
Andrew Nusca: Hands-on photos of Spring Design’s Alex Android-based e-reader appear
November 4th, 2009
Not tolerating the intolerant
Community meets at the intersection of ideas and ethos. Whether you are involved in open source, free culture, digital rights, social change or green issues, community forms when people with drive and passion for an ethos share their ideas and volunteer to make those ideas a reality.
Most people are simply not wired up this way. Most reject volunteerism in search of making money, satisfying career ambitions, relaxing or spending time with friends and family. As such, when said volunteers in any of these many and varied communities decide to take time away from these other elements in life to work with our communities, we generally come to conclusion that they are rather nice people.
Each of these rather nice people deserve a rather nice environment to do their work in. When volunteering they should be able to indulge in a productive, pleasant and pleasurable environment that rewards great work and celebrates the exchange of both agreeable and challenging opinions, ideas and views. Unfortunately, in the midst of these exchanges, intolerance can sometimes set in, causing a destructive wake in our communities. Read the rest of this entry »
November 4th, 2009
Cisco's beats for Q1; bullish on investments and recovery
Cisco, which went on quite a buying spree last month, beat Wall Street’s expectations for its fiscal first quarter and said that its investments are showing signs of paying off now that the economy is starting to show signs of recovery.
For its first quarter, which ended October 24, the company reported adjusted net income of $2.1 billion, or 36 cents per share, a 14 percent dip from a year ago, on sales of $9 billion, which was down 13 percent from a year ago. Analysts had been expecting adjusted earnings of 31 cents per share on sales of $8.7 billion. (Statement)
In a call with analysts today, CEO John Chambers said that, from a financial perspective, the quarter was very strong, compared to its expectations and given the challenges that remain in the global economy. He said that almost off of the company’s internal financial measurements exceeded or came in at the high end of the company’s expectations.
But he also warned that analysts should not get ahead of themselves to use the positives of the first quarter to make assumptions about the full year but instead to wait and see how the second quarter, which is expected to be strong, actually plays out. For the second quarter, the company forecast revenue to grow one percent to four percent over the previous year, or sequentially by two to five percent. Chambers was careful to not declare an economic recovery but instead said that the signs of recovery are getting stronger.
Despite the declines from 2008, the company was bullish on the future, specifically on the work they’ve done to transform the Cisco beyond a networking company and position itself to be competitive with other technology bellweathers as the economy starts to recover. In a statement, CEO John Chambers said:
We believe that key market transitions across collaboration, virtualization and video will drive productivity and growth in network loads for the next decade, and are evolving even faster than expected. Our ability to launch four proposed acquisitions, the ecosystem-shifting coalition with EMC/VMware, and five new products and industry solutions into the Cisco pipeline in the past few months alone underscore this momentum. Our build — buy — partner innovation engine is clearly running on all cylinders, while our operational machine is pulling costs out of the business even as we scale new models for growth. Execution and results over time will demonstrate the long-term impact of this vision and strategy — but a new model of productivity based on collaboration is clearly emerging and we believe this may be the most profound opportunity for businesses in our 25 years as a company.”
As the economy remained uncertain for most of 2009, Cisco spent the year transforming itself, starting with the announcement of its Unified Computing System in March. More recently, the company made three acquisiton announcements in the month of October - $3 billion for Tandberg, a video conferencing equipment maker, $2.9 billion for Starent, a provider of mobile Internet Protocol gear, and $183 million for ScanSafe, an Internet security company.
Earlier in the year, Cisco bought Pure Digital, which makes the popular Flip Video camera, for $590 million and picked up Tidal Software, which makes application management and automation software, for $105 million.
Shares of Cisco were up slightly in regular trading, closing at $23.29. Shares were on the upswing in after-hours trading, up more than 5 percent.
November 4th, 2009
EU showdown over Oracle-Sun; Objections seem imminent
Oracle is reportedly gearing up for a formal rejection by European regulators of its bid to acquire Sun Microsystems, according to a report in the Financial Times. An official statement of objection, the first step in blocking the $7.4 billion deal, could come as early as this week - but Oracle seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach before it makes another move.
A source tells the Financial Times that Oracle has refused to offer any concessions to regulators in Europe. Following the official statement, however, Oracle would have the chance to offer concessions or even wage a legal battle, a process that would extend a delay that’s already costing both money and jobs.
The U.S. Department of Justice has already given its blessings to the deal but the EU has expressed concerns over the future of MySQL. Opponents see the open source software as an eventual competitor to Oracle’s core business. But the company has said that it will continue to invest in MySQL.
Sun, which was already a financially-troubled company when Oracle made its acquisition bid, recently laid off 3,000 employees as part of a restructuring plans that stems from delays in regulatory approval. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison recently said that delays are costing about $100 million per month.
Also see:
November 4th, 2009
New York AG files antitrust charges against Intel; alleges bribery, coercion
The New York Attorney General’s office today accused chip maker Intel of engaging in “a worldwide, systematic campaign of illegal conduct,” including paying kickbacks and threatening computer makers, and filed federal antitrust charges against it. (PDF of Complaint)
In a statement, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said that e-mails revealed that Intel has scored exclusive agreements with computer makers to use its microprocessors by resorting to “rebates” and threats, such as cutting off payments, funding a competitor or ending joint development ventures. In a press release, Cuomo said:
Rather than compete fairly, Intel used bribery and coercion to maintain a stranglehold on the market. Intel’s actions not only unfairly restricted potential competitors, but also hurt average consumers who were robbed of better products and lower prices. These illegal tactics must stop and competition must be restored to this vital marketplace.
Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy told the Wall Street Journal that the company will defend itself against the charges and that “Neither consumers who have consistently benefited from lower prices and increased innovation, nor Justice, are being served by the decision to file a case now.”
Cuomo’s office said the company also tried to erase traces of its practices by “eliminating crucial but flagrantly objectionable provisions from written agreements or by camouflaging language about illegal guaranteed market shares with terms like ‘volume targets.’ ”
The AG’s office noted specific instances of the illegal practices involving Intel and Dell, HP and IBM. Among the allegations:
- From 2001 to 2006, Intel granted Dell a privileged position vis-à-vis other computer makers in return for Dell’s agreement not to market any products from Advanced Micro Devices, Intel’s major competitor
- Intel threatened HP that it would derail development of a server technology on which HP’s future business depended if HP promoted products from AMD
- Intel paid HP hundreds of millions of dollars in rebates in return for HP’s agreement to cap HP’s sales of AMD-based products at 5% of its business desktop PCs
- Intel paid IBM $130 million not to launch an AMD-based server product
- Intel threatened to pull funding for joint projects that benefited IBM if IBM marketed AMD-based server products
The AG’s office also offered examples of instances where PC makers agreed to go along with Intel’s practices, specifically a 2006 deal between HP and Intel that involved payment of $925 million to HP to increase Intel’s shares of HP’s sales at AMD’s expense and a collaboration between Intel and Dell to market microprocessors and servers at prices below cost to “deprive AMD of strategically important competitive successes.”
However, the AG positions the PC makers as victims here, not collaborators. For example, the AG’s office offers these examples, unveiled as part of its 20-month investigation:
- Internal e-mail from IBM executive in January 2005: “I understand the point about the accounts wanting a full AMD portfolio. The question is, can we afford to accept the wrath of Intel…?”
- Internal e-mail from HP executive in June 2004 after HP defied Intel and launched an AMD product: “Intel has told us that HP’s announcement on Opteron [AMD’s server chip] has cost them several $B [Billions] and they plan to ‘punish’ HP for doing this.”
- Internal Dell e-mail in February 2004 regarding the possibility of Dell ending its exclusive relationship with Intel: “PSO/CRB [Intel CEO Paul Ottelini and Intel Chairman Craig Barrett] are prepared for jihad if Dell joins the AMD exodus.
- Internal e-mail from Intel executive in April 2006: “Let’s talk more on the phone as it’s so difficult for me to write or explain without considering anti-trust issue.”
November 4th, 2009
MSN's new home page; Nice, but it won't lure new users
Microsoft rolled up the curtain on a new look for the MSN Home Page, the first redesign in about a decade. (Techmeme)
Strictly from a visual standpoint, it’s a much cleaner and simpler interface than the previous version, which was cluttered with way more links and darker in color. It’s also integrated with local and social elements, too. And, there are areas now where users can preview their Hotmail accounts or get updates from their Windows Live, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
It reminded me a bit of the new home page that Yahoo rolled out a few months back, notably the attempt to be the one-stop shop for all of your personal accounts. Here’s the difference: Yahoo allows you to bring any feed into the page - even services from competing companies such as Google’s GMail. With the MSN page, you’re limited by what Microsoft allows you to bring in. In the image, I’ve noted a few areas to watch.
If you were a MSN Home Page user before, I think you’ll like the new look and the simplicity of it. The designers have clearly put some effort into making it easier to navigate. But if you weren’t a MSN Home Page user in the past, I don’t know that there’s any added value by making MSN your new home page.
In a blog post, the company said this release is a limited one, giving Microsoft the chance to gauge the reaction of users. The company writes:
That behavior has changed immensely as people get more and more adept at using search engines to find what they’re looking for on the Web. The reduced home-page links will be augmented by the deeper integration of Bing search technology.
The company will flip the switch on a full rollout early next year.
November 4th, 2009
Xobni expands to include enterprise but where are Web, Mobile and even Mac versions?
Xobni, the add-on tool that taps into Outlook to unleash contacts, has been smart about its growth, launching an enterprise version this week at the Enterprise 2.0 conference in San Francisco. And for the most part, the reviews of Xobni Enterprise have been pretty favorable.
I won’t argue that Xobni, the company, hasn’t been smart about the directions it’s taken. Microsoft’s Outlook, after all, is widely used in corporate settings - and I know for sure that my work inbox is far more unruly than my personal one. Unfortunately, I use a Mac, which means my version of Microsoft Office includes Entourage, not Outlook - and that leaves me unable to use Xobni.
But I’m not writing this to whine about products that aren’t available for Mac users (even though Apple has gained share on Windows in recent quarters). Instead, I can’t help but think about the city of Los Angeles, which recently voted to “Go Google” for e-mail services.
Yes, I understand that you can route Web mail into Outlook through POP, but isn’t the whole point of dumping Exchange in favor Google - beyond the cost savings - to use a Web-based interface for access anywhere there’s a Web browser? I like the idea of using Xobni to better manage an out-of-control inbox but not at the expense of being tied to a single tool in a single program on a single computer. Maybe it’s me but that approach feels very 1999.
I know Xobni has a Blackberry version in the works (but nothing yet for Android or the iPhone.) Don’t get me wrong - from what I’ve seen, I think Xobni is a great product. But if it wants to maintain that momentum, it’s going to do more than respond to changing times, it’s going to have to get ahead of the trends. Today, the big trends are a push toward the Web and a push into mobile.
From that perspective, Xobni still has a lot more work to do.
November 4th, 2009
Smartplanet: Apple can grab more share by slashing Mac prices
Macs are expensive - there’s really no way to argue that point. But Mac owners - myself included - find enough value in the computing experience to justify the expense.
Even with a premium price, Apple has been gaining share, nearing the double-digit mark, but still not quite there. Realizing all of this, Smartplanet blogger John Dodge argues that Apple could cross that double-digit mark if it would just drop its prices.
How low would Apple need to drop those prices to gain more share? Check out Dodge’s blog post on SmartPlanet for details.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Subscribe to Between the Lines via Email alerts or RSS.
SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads
- Unrivaled support from Novell, now available for Red Hat Novell If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd ... Download Now
- Rethink Endpoint Security Trend Micro Watch this informative video on endpoint security solutions straight from ... Download Now
- On-demand Webcast: Quickly find the best accounting solution for your business IBM Discover the smartest way to acquire, use, and manage the accounting and ... Download Now
- Save time and money for your business. Learn about low cost tech, software and shipping solutions.
- Grow your small business and increase efficiency with UPS tools and technology
- Most popular tools & templates for your business
- Automate shipping and save time with free tools from UPS
Recent Entries
- Google classic homepage sports Motorola Droid ad
- U.S. unemployment rate highest in 26 years, at 10.2%
- Skype’s legal drama finally ends; Time to start innovating
- Not enough hours in the day? There’s a personal assistant for that
- Google Dashboard brings security settings to the forefront
Most Popular Posts
- Yes, Ubuntu can absolutely be the default Windows alternative
- L.A. votes to "Go Google"; pressure shifts to Google and the cloud
- Analyst: Big on Motorola, Android; no love for RIM, Palm
- Spring Design sues Barnes & Noble over Alex, Nook
- Amazon launches relational database service: Think MySQL in the cloud
- Liveblog: Microsoft CEO Ballmer kicks off Windows 7 availability
Top Rated
- Yes, Ubuntu can absolutely be the default Windows alternative+35 votes
- L.A. votes to "Go Google"; pressure shifts to Google and the cloud+31 votes
- New York AG files antitrust charges against Intel; alleges bribery, coercion+22 votes
- Preview Party: Windows 7 makes a big splash in a Mac house+20 votes
- Retraction: Yahoo and Iran+17 votes
- Spring Design sues Barnes & Noble over Alex, Nook+11 votes
- Android opens doors for Google's next-gen search, ads and tools+11 votes
- Windows 7 demo: Search tools+10 votes
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
Archives
Favorite Links
Favorite Sites
- Ars Technica
- Deal Journal
- Engadget
- Enterprise Irregulars
- GigaOm
- Google Blogoscoped
- Horses for Sources
- Mac Rumors
- Mashable
- Official Google Blog
- Read/WriteWeb
- Scobleizer
- Seeking Alpha
- TechCrunch
- Techdirt
- Techmeme
- The Ponderings of Woodrow
- The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
- Valleywag
- ZDNet: Latest blogs and news
ZDNet Blogs
- All About Microsoft
- The Apple Core
- Between the Lines
- BriefingsDirect
- Collaboration 2.0
- Dev Connection
- Digital Cameras & Camcorders
- Ed Bott's Microsoft Report
- Emerging Tech
- Enterprise Web 2.0
- Forrester Research
- Googling Google
- GreenTech Pastures
- Hardware 2.0
- Home Theater
- iGeneration
- Irregular Enterprise
- IT Project Failures
- Laptops & Desktops
- Lawgarithms
- Linux and Open Source
- Managing L'unix
- The Mobile Gadgeteer
- On Sustainability
- Rational Rants
- The Semantic Web
- Service Oriented
- Smartphones and Cell Phones
- Social Business
- Social CRM: The Conversation
- Software & Services Safari
- Software as Services
- Storage Bits
- Team Think
- Tech Broiler
- Technology and the Global Supply Chain
- Tom Foremski: IMHO
- The ToyBox
- Virtually Speaking
- The Web Life
- ZDNet Education
- ZDNet Government
- ZDNet Healthcare
- Zero Day
White Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads
- The Impact of Virtualization Software on Operating Environments VMware Today's use of virtualization technology allows IT professionals to ... Download Now
- Three Steps You Need to Know to Stop Data Loss Varonis Sensitive data exposed to misuse or loss... it is the stuff of nightmares ... Download Now
- Why Isn't Server Virtualization Saving Us More? A Few Small Changes May Dramatically Increase Your Efficiency VMware Companies have rapidly adopted server virtualization over the past few ... Download Now
Meet Doc
-
-
Here to help you with your Document Management Needs
- Check out Doc’s Blog on ZDNet
- Help your company, help the earth I want to share with you the Environmental Defense Fund Paper Calculator, which allows you to gauge your organization's environmental impact.
- Which is Greener: Paper or Digital? The Answer May Surprise You Anything we can do to reduce paper consumption is good. But what about the impact of digital waste?
-
Produced by
ZDNet and -
