My Way News - Apple Faces Suit Over IPod-ITunes Link: "As if its options woes weren't trouble enough, Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL) said Friday it is facing several federal lawsuits, including one alleging the company created an illegal monopoly by tying iTunes music and video sales to its market-leading iPod portable players.
The case, filed July 21, is over Apple's use of a copy-protection system that generally prevents iTunes music and video from playing on rival players. Likewise, songs purchased elsewhere aren't easily playable on iPods.
The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages and other relief. The court denied Apple's motion to dismiss the complaint on Dec. 20.
Another lawsuit, filed Nov. 7, alleges that the logic board of Apple's iBook G4 fails at an abnormally high rate. The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple said its response to the complaint is not yet due.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company also disclosed that PhatRat Technology LLC filed a lawsuit Oct. 24 alleging patent infringement. The Nike-iPod product in question, developed jointly with Nike Inc. (NKE), allow runners to keep track of how far and how fast they've gone. The company's response to the complaint is not yet due."
Friday, December 29, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
My Way News - Vista Flaw Discovered, Risk Believed Low
My Way News - Vista Flaw Discovered, Risk Believed Low: "Windows Vista, the new computer operating system that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is touting as its most secure ever, contains a programming flaw that might let hackers gain full control of vulnerable computers.
Microsoft and independent security researchers, however, tried to play down the risk from the flaw, which was posted on a Russian site recently and is apparently the first affecting the new Vista system released to larger businesses in late November.
The software company said it was investigating the threat but found so far that a hacker must already have access to the vulnerable computer in order to execute an attack.
That could occur if someone is actually sitting in front of the PC or otherwise gets the computer's owner to install rogue software, said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for Finnish security research company F-Secure Corp.
'The bottom line is you couldn't use a vulnerability like this to write a worm or hack a Vista system remotely,' Hypponen said Tuesday. 'It only has historical significance in that it's the first reported vulnerability that also affects Vista. It's a nonevent in other ways.'
Attackers with low-level access privileges on a vulnerable machine could theoretically use the flaw to bump up their status, ultimately gaining systemwide control, Hypponen said.
The flaw affects older Windows systems, too, and Hypponen said vulnerabilities like these are quite common and can be fixed with a software patch, which Microsoft releases on the second Tuesday of each month except for the most serious threats. The flaw remains a proof of concept, with no one known to have actually launched an attack with it, Hypponen said."
Microsoft and independent security researchers, however, tried to play down the risk from the flaw, which was posted on a Russian site recently and is apparently the first affecting the new Vista system released to larger businesses in late November.
The software company said it was investigating the threat but found so far that a hacker must already have access to the vulnerable computer in order to execute an attack.
That could occur if someone is actually sitting in front of the PC or otherwise gets the computer's owner to install rogue software, said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for Finnish security research company F-Secure Corp.
'The bottom line is you couldn't use a vulnerability like this to write a worm or hack a Vista system remotely,' Hypponen said Tuesday. 'It only has historical significance in that it's the first reported vulnerability that also affects Vista. It's a nonevent in other ways.'
Attackers with low-level access privileges on a vulnerable machine could theoretically use the flaw to bump up their status, ultimately gaining systemwide control, Hypponen said.
The flaw affects older Windows systems, too, and Hypponen said vulnerabilities like these are quite common and can be fixed with a software patch, which Microsoft releases on the second Tuesday of each month except for the most serious threats. The flaw remains a proof of concept, with no one known to have actually launched an attack with it, Hypponen said."
Amazon.com Has 'Best Ever' Holidays
Amazon.com Has 'Best Ever' Holidays: "The 2006 holiday season was Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) (AMZN)'s 'best ever,' peaking with more than 4 million orders placed on Dec. 11, the Web retailer said Tuesday.
In its 12th holiday season, Amazon.com said it shipped more than 99 percent of orders in time to meet holiday deadlines around the globe. At its peak, the retailer sent out more than 3.4 million units in a single day.
The company said it sold 1,000 Xbox 360 game consoles in 29 seconds, as part of a promotion that slashed two-thirds off the regular retail price. Demand for the Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) machines was so high that Amazon.com's site bogged down briefly on Thanksgiving Day, generating bitter complaints from shoppers and forcing the retailer to change procedures for subsequent promotions.
Amazon.com also said customers ordered enough orange-flavored Airborne old-fighting supplements to supply every passenger on 192 Boeing 747 planes.
Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL)'s iPods, Canon Inc. (CAJ) (CAJ)'s Powershot Digital Elph cameras and Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) (GRMN)'s navigational devices using Global Positioning System technology were among the best-selling consumer electronics items. Amazon.com also sold the most expensive digital music player to date, for $19,999.
Among the top-selling DVD titles was 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest', starring Johnny Depp. Best-selling books included Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream' and 'You: On a Diet' by Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen.
Shares of Amazon.com dipped 65 cents to $39.59 in midday trading Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market"
In its 12th holiday season, Amazon.com said it shipped more than 99 percent of orders in time to meet holiday deadlines around the globe. At its peak, the retailer sent out more than 3.4 million units in a single day.
The company said it sold 1,000 Xbox 360 game consoles in 29 seconds, as part of a promotion that slashed two-thirds off the regular retail price. Demand for the Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) machines was so high that Amazon.com's site bogged down briefly on Thanksgiving Day, generating bitter complaints from shoppers and forcing the retailer to change procedures for subsequent promotions.
Amazon.com also said customers ordered enough orange-flavored Airborne old-fighting supplements to supply every passenger on 192 Boeing 747 planes.
Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL)'s iPods, Canon Inc. (CAJ) (CAJ)'s Powershot Digital Elph cameras and Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) (GRMN)'s navigational devices using Global Positioning System technology were among the best-selling consumer electronics items. Amazon.com also sold the most expensive digital music player to date, for $19,999.
Among the top-selling DVD titles was 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest', starring Johnny Depp. Best-selling books included Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream' and 'You: On a Diet' by Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen.
Shares of Amazon.com dipped 65 cents to $39.59 in midday trading Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market"
Thursday, December 21, 2006
My Way Finance
My Way Finance: "Stock-compensation expenses cut into profits for the second consecutive quarter for Red Hat Inc., but the company again exceeded analysts' expectations.
Red Hat, a leading provider of the open source Linux operating system and services, reported Thursday that its third-quarter profit sank 37 percent because of stock options expenses and tax provisions. The company's second-quarter profit dropped 34 percent on stock-compensation expenses.
But company shares surged nearly 14 percent in after-hours trading Thursday.
'Our brand and our reputation is world-recognized,' Red Hat Chairman Matthew Szulik said after markets closed. 'The continued innovation in the next quarter will allow us to compete successfully.'
For the three months that ended Nov. 30, earnings dropped to $14.6 million, or 7 cents per share, down from $24.6 million, or 12 cents a share in the same period last year.
Excluding stock options expenses and income tax provisions, profit totaled $29.6 million, or 14 cents per share.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had forecast a profit of 12 cents per share, excluding options expenses."
Red Hat, a leading provider of the open source Linux operating system and services, reported Thursday that its third-quarter profit sank 37 percent because of stock options expenses and tax provisions. The company's second-quarter profit dropped 34 percent on stock-compensation expenses.
But company shares surged nearly 14 percent in after-hours trading Thursday.
'Our brand and our reputation is world-recognized,' Red Hat Chairman Matthew Szulik said after markets closed. 'The continued innovation in the next quarter will allow us to compete successfully.'
For the three months that ended Nov. 30, earnings dropped to $14.6 million, or 7 cents per share, down from $24.6 million, or 12 cents a share in the same period last year.
Excluding stock options expenses and income tax provisions, profit totaled $29.6 million, or 14 cents per share.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had forecast a profit of 12 cents per share, excluding options expenses."
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
My Way News - IBM to Open Islands in Virtual World
My Way News - IBM to Open Islands in Virtual World: "IBM Corp. is launching an ambitious marketing campaign in the hip virtual world 'Second Life.'
Big Blue has developed 12 'virtual islands,' and most will be open to anyone with a Second Life account starting next week. Other areas will remain private haunts for about 800 IBM employees - including the CEO - who have cyber alter-egos.
Second Life is a subscription-based 3-D fantasy world devoted to capitalism - a 21st century version of Monopoly that generates real money for successful players. More than 1.95 million people worldwide have Second Life characters, called avatars.
At any given time, 10,000 or more avatars may be logged onto Second Life, socializing by instant messages or engaging in virtual pastimes such as flying, dancing, gambling or watching adult videos.
Second Life is notoriously buggy; avatars may spontaneously shed clothing, hair or limbs, and sometimes graphics take several seconds to render. In September, the San Francisco-based company that runs Second Life, Linden Labs, warned that a security breach may have exposed subscribers' data, including credit card numbers and passwords."
Big Blue has developed 12 'virtual islands,' and most will be open to anyone with a Second Life account starting next week. Other areas will remain private haunts for about 800 IBM employees - including the CEO - who have cyber alter-egos.
Second Life is a subscription-based 3-D fantasy world devoted to capitalism - a 21st century version of Monopoly that generates real money for successful players. More than 1.95 million people worldwide have Second Life characters, called avatars.
At any given time, 10,000 or more avatars may be logged onto Second Life, socializing by instant messages or engaging in virtual pastimes such as flying, dancing, gambling or watching adult videos.
Second Life is notoriously buggy; avatars may spontaneously shed clothing, hair or limbs, and sometimes graphics take several seconds to render. In September, the San Francisco-based company that runs Second Life, Linden Labs, warned that a security breach may have exposed subscribers' data, including credit card numbers and passwords."
Sunday, December 10, 2006
NASA Hasn't Put Price on Lunar Outpost
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — It'll be cheaper to build a permanent moon base and keep it running, than it will be to get to the moon. Just don't ask how much, NASA's boss says.
The U.S. space agency's newly unveiled grand plan for a continually staffed lunar outpost starting around 2024 doesn't come with a similarly grand price tag. It doesn't come with a price tag at all.
"You ask what things will cost, I don't know yet," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, a detail-oriented engineer. "We just rolled out a very preliminary architecture."
Griffin's lack of specifics is partly because NASA is budgeting its large cosmic construction projects differently, more "pay as you go" than "get there at all costs."
It's a departure that outsiders call either a brilliant way to avoid cost overruns and sticker shock — or a blank check that will end up squeezing taxpayers.
"Typically a habitat is less than the cost of large rocketry," Griffin said in an interview with The Associated Press as he awaited a space shuttle launch that was foiled on Thursday.
Last year, NASA said it would cost about $104 billion leading up to the first moon landing, now scheduled to happen by 2020. But that doesn't include the cost of multiple and continuous moon flights and the price of building and running the newly unveiled lunar outpost.
The Government Accountability Office, the independent auditing arm of Congress, puts the cost of NASA's lunar program through 2025 at $230 billion.
There is still no estimate from anyone for the second phase of President Bush's 3-year-old "vision of space exploration" — an expedition to Mars.
Griffin contends NASA should be able to pay for the lunar phase of this space vision simply by using its existing yearly budget of about $16.8 billion. If something has to give, he said, it will be the target dates.
American University public policy professor Howard McCurdy said that method — which he said is smarter and far different from the Apollo days when unlimited moon spending "was eating everybody's budget" — gives NASA "a real incentive to invest that money wisely."
And it gives the space agency a mission without an end date when the budget axes start coming out, he said.
"You don't know when to draw the line in the sand and say 'the program is over,'" McCurdy said. "It is a program like Buzz Lightyear that does whatever it can and reaches infinity," he added in a joking reference to the "Toy Story" movie character.
This way there are not the massive budget overruns that have forever dogged the international space station, which was once projected to cost $17 billion but is actually in the $50 billion range, McCurdy said. It also avoids the sticker shock of a $500 billion moon-and-Mars program proposed by President Bush's father that collapsed when the cost was revealed.
But Taxpayers for Common Sense, a fiscal watchdog group, calls the moon plans a waste.
"You've got to have some price tag on what you're going to do, otherwise you're going to continue to waste money," said Steve Ellis, vice president of the group. "This is like building a house and not knowing how much it is. You don't have plans."
Griffin says many of the details of the lunar station are purposely being left to future rocket scientists. He envisions the outpost, not as a city, but more like America's research station in Antarctica.
"It is the choice of the next generation to decide to avail themselves of that option," Griffin said. If they don't want to stay and research on the moon "then we'll move on more rapidly to Mars."
What Griffin doesn't want is a repeat of the mistaken choice to mothball Apollo, made by the White House in the early 1970s.
"We're rebuilding systems that we had 40 years ago and that we built at that time and then discarded," he said. "That was not a NASA mistake. It was a policy mistake at the highest level of the U.S. government.... My generation now has the task before it of fixing that mistake."
The U.S. space agency's newly unveiled grand plan for a continually staffed lunar outpost starting around 2024 doesn't come with a similarly grand price tag. It doesn't come with a price tag at all.
"You ask what things will cost, I don't know yet," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, a detail-oriented engineer. "We just rolled out a very preliminary architecture."
Griffin's lack of specifics is partly because NASA is budgeting its large cosmic construction projects differently, more "pay as you go" than "get there at all costs."
It's a departure that outsiders call either a brilliant way to avoid cost overruns and sticker shock — or a blank check that will end up squeezing taxpayers.
"Typically a habitat is less than the cost of large rocketry," Griffin said in an interview with The Associated Press as he awaited a space shuttle launch that was foiled on Thursday.
Last year, NASA said it would cost about $104 billion leading up to the first moon landing, now scheduled to happen by 2020. But that doesn't include the cost of multiple and continuous moon flights and the price of building and running the newly unveiled lunar outpost.
The Government Accountability Office, the independent auditing arm of Congress, puts the cost of NASA's lunar program through 2025 at $230 billion.
There is still no estimate from anyone for the second phase of President Bush's 3-year-old "vision of space exploration" — an expedition to Mars.
Griffin contends NASA should be able to pay for the lunar phase of this space vision simply by using its existing yearly budget of about $16.8 billion. If something has to give, he said, it will be the target dates.
American University public policy professor Howard McCurdy said that method — which he said is smarter and far different from the Apollo days when unlimited moon spending "was eating everybody's budget" — gives NASA "a real incentive to invest that money wisely."
And it gives the space agency a mission without an end date when the budget axes start coming out, he said.
"You don't know when to draw the line in the sand and say 'the program is over,'" McCurdy said. "It is a program like Buzz Lightyear that does whatever it can and reaches infinity," he added in a joking reference to the "Toy Story" movie character.
This way there are not the massive budget overruns that have forever dogged the international space station, which was once projected to cost $17 billion but is actually in the $50 billion range, McCurdy said. It also avoids the sticker shock of a $500 billion moon-and-Mars program proposed by President Bush's father that collapsed when the cost was revealed.
But Taxpayers for Common Sense, a fiscal watchdog group, calls the moon plans a waste.
"You've got to have some price tag on what you're going to do, otherwise you're going to continue to waste money," said Steve Ellis, vice president of the group. "This is like building a house and not knowing how much it is. You don't have plans."
Griffin says many of the details of the lunar station are purposely being left to future rocket scientists. He envisions the outpost, not as a city, but more like America's research station in Antarctica.
"It is the choice of the next generation to decide to avail themselves of that option," Griffin said. If they don't want to stay and research on the moon "then we'll move on more rapidly to Mars."
What Griffin doesn't want is a repeat of the mistaken choice to mothball Apollo, made by the White House in the early 1970s.
"We're rebuilding systems that we had 40 years ago and that we built at that time and then discarded," he said. "That was not a NASA mistake. It was a policy mistake at the highest level of the U.S. government.... My generation now has the task before it of fixing that mistake."
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Slumping Yahoo Shakes Up Executive Suite
"SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yahoo Inc. announced its biggest executive shake-up in more than five years, including placing Chief Financial Officer Susan Decker in charge of ad sales in a move that may signal her anointment as successor to the company's top job.
Shares of Yahoo, which have struggled this year as the stock of competitor Google has flourished, fell 54 cents, or 2 percent, to $26.88 in midday trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Under the overhaul announced late Tuesday, Yahoo vowed to rein in a sometimes-rambling product expansion that has bogged down its earnings growth and threatened its position as the Internet's most popular site as more buzz built up around upstarts like MySpace and YouTube.
The streamlining will bunch Yahoo's disparate operations into three core groups focused on its Web site's audience, advertising network and technology."
Shares of Yahoo, which have struggled this year as the stock of competitor Google has flourished, fell 54 cents, or 2 percent, to $26.88 in midday trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Under the overhaul announced late Tuesday, Yahoo vowed to rein in a sometimes-rambling product expansion that has bogged down its earnings growth and threatened its position as the Internet's most popular site as more buzz built up around upstarts like MySpace and YouTube.
The streamlining will bunch Yahoo's disparate operations into three core groups focused on its Web site's audience, advertising network and technology."
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
My Way Finance
My Way Finance: "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court stepped gingerly into the national debate over global warming on Wednesday, asking how much harm would occur if the Environmental Protection Agency continues its refusal to regulate greenhouse gases from new vehicles.
In the first case about global warming to reach the high court, a lawyer for 12 states and 13 environmental groups pressed the justices to make the government act, saying the country faces grave environmental harm.
Inaction is like lighting 'a fuse on a bomb,' said James Milkey, an assistant attorney general for the state of Massachusetts.
Opening up an hour of arguments, Justice Antonin Scalia asked, 'When is the predicted cataclysm?'"
In the first case about global warming to reach the high court, a lawyer for 12 states and 13 environmental groups pressed the justices to make the government act, saying the country faces grave environmental harm.
Inaction is like lighting 'a fuse on a bomb,' said James Milkey, an assistant attorney general for the state of Massachusetts.
Opening up an hour of arguments, Justice Antonin Scalia asked, 'When is the predicted cataclysm?'"
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Free Software Bypasses Attachment Limits
"There's a new way to send large movie, music and other files without worrying about whether the e-mail systems can handle large attachments.
Free software from Pando Networks Inc. automatically converts your attachments into a small file that your friend or relative can simply open to download the original file from Pando or elsewhere. Beginning Tuesday, Pando is offering plug-ins to work with most Web-based mail services.
Major e-mail providers generally limit the size of files you can send or receive to 10 megabytes. That's fine for text and even small photos - but try sending an entire photo album, music or video, and you run against the caps quickly.
And even if your provider lets you send the large files, the recipient's service provider might not accept them.
'Everybody has experienced problems of, 'I want to send something but it's too large to send by e-mail,'' said Robert Levitan, Pando's chief executive.
With Pando, files larger than a specified size are automatically converted. A copy of the file is sent to Pando's servers, and only a small attachment gets sent to the recipient, who must have or obtain the free software from Pando.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s Windows operating system and Internet Explorer browser are required to send files using the Web-based plug-ins, but Mac users can get the free standalone application to open them - as well as to send their own. Windows users can also send files with the standalone program or a plug-in for Microsoft's Outlook e-mail software.
Pando accepts files of up to 1 gigabyte - 10 times the free offering from YouSendIt.com, which isn't integrated with the Web-based mail services. Pando plans to make money from ads and a premium version with higher limits and longer retention - files are deleted fro"
Free software from Pando Networks Inc. automatically converts your attachments into a small file that your friend or relative can simply open to download the original file from Pando or elsewhere. Beginning Tuesday, Pando is offering plug-ins to work with most Web-based mail services.
Major e-mail providers generally limit the size of files you can send or receive to 10 megabytes. That's fine for text and even small photos - but try sending an entire photo album, music or video, and you run against the caps quickly.
And even if your provider lets you send the large files, the recipient's service provider might not accept them.
'Everybody has experienced problems of, 'I want to send something but it's too large to send by e-mail,'' said Robert Levitan, Pando's chief executive.
With Pando, files larger than a specified size are automatically converted. A copy of the file is sent to Pando's servers, and only a small attachment gets sent to the recipient, who must have or obtain the free software from Pando.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s Windows operating system and Internet Explorer browser are required to send files using the Web-based plug-ins, but Mac users can get the free standalone application to open them - as well as to send their own. Windows users can also send files with the standalone program or a plug-in for Microsoft's Outlook e-mail software.
Pando accepts files of up to 1 gigabyte - 10 times the free offering from YouSendIt.com, which isn't integrated with the Web-based mail services. Pando plans to make money from ads and a premium version with higher limits and longer retention - files are deleted fro"
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
My Way News - PlayStation 3 Won't Run Some Older Games
My Way News - PlayStation 3 Won't Run Some Older Games: "TOKYO (AP) - Sony's new PlayStation 3 can't play some of the games designed for previous generations of the popular console, the latest misstep for the stumbling electronics company as it faces off in a crucial, three-way war with Nintendo and Microsoft.
Sony Corp. (SNE), which has fallen behind in key products like flat-panel TVs and digital music players, badly needs a best-seller in the PS3. The console went on sale here to hoards of eager fans over the weekend, ahead of its U.S. release on Friday.
On Tuesday, the company acknowledged the console won't run some of the 8,000 titles designed for previous PlayStations - even though the PlayStation 3 was billed as being fully compatible with older-generation games.
For instance, the PS3 might not play background music to the popular 'Tekken 5' combat game, and some scenes from the 'Gran Tourismo' racing game might freeze, according to Sony. The game 'Suikoden III' can't read data from a first-generation PlayStation, while a virtual gun in one of the 'Biohazard' games won't fire properly."
Sony Corp. (SNE), which has fallen behind in key products like flat-panel TVs and digital music players, badly needs a best-seller in the PS3. The console went on sale here to hoards of eager fans over the weekend, ahead of its U.S. release on Friday.
On Tuesday, the company acknowledged the console won't run some of the 8,000 titles designed for previous PlayStations - even though the PlayStation 3 was billed as being fully compatible with older-generation games.
For instance, the PS3 might not play background music to the popular 'Tekken 5' combat game, and some scenes from the 'Gran Tourismo' racing game might freeze, according to Sony. The game 'Suikoden III' can't read data from a first-generation PlayStation, while a virtual gun in one of the 'Biohazard' games won't fire properly."
My Way News - Microsoft Aims to Battle Apple With Zune
My Way News - Microsoft Aims to Battle Apple With Zune: "SEATTLE (AP) - Few have accused Microsoft of being first to the market. But plenty have learned the hard way that the company can be very good at sneaking up from behind.
That's the tack Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is hoping to take with entertainment. The software maker has invested years of effort and billions of dollars in entertainment endeavors ranging from television technology to video game consoles. What's more, it has said that it's willing to spend much more money, and take much more time, to see if those investments pay off.
Its latest effort, the $249.99 Zune portable player and music service, debuts Tuesday and marks one of the most high-profile attempts to take on Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL)'s iPod and iTunes powerhouse."
That's the tack Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is hoping to take with entertainment. The software maker has invested years of effort and billions of dollars in entertainment endeavors ranging from television technology to video game consoles. What's more, it has said that it's willing to spend much more money, and take much more time, to see if those investments pay off.
Its latest effort, the $249.99 Zune portable player and music service, debuts Tuesday and marks one of the most high-profile attempts to take on Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL)'s iPod and iTunes powerhouse."
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Broadband Penetration Goes Up.
HOME BROADBAND ADOPTION SURGED LAST year, with 72 percent of Web users now connecting from high-speed lines--up from 57 percent one year ago, according to new data from Nielsen//NetRatings.
The company pegged the total number of home broadband users at 102.5 million as of last month, while the ranks of dial-up subscribers dwindled to 40.3 million.
Nielsen//NetRatings isn't the only company to have noticed a dramatic ballooning of broadband use. The Pew Internet & American Life Project last month reported a similar upswing--although with different overall numbers. Pew found that 84 million Americans had broadband in March--up from 60 million one year prior.
And this week, PricewaterhouseCoopers' report on global media attributed the ballooning online ad market--projected to grow at around 15 percent annually through 2010--to increased broadband adoption. "Growth in broadband subscribership has been a key driver of online advertising," states the PricewaterhouseCoopers report. "Broadband subscribers spend more time online than dial-up subscribers do; they visit more Web sites, and they buy more products online."
Nielsen//NetRatings added that broadband users are more than three times as likely than dial-up subscribers to use Really Simple Syndication, and are twice as likely to publish a blog or create a personal Web page.
Good Holiday Sales Due To More Broadband.
Confident shoppers with high speed connections will increase their online spending by 20% this holiday season!
Even before gas prices started dropping, consumers and retailers alike were predicting that this would be another strong online holiday shopping season.
"eMarketer forecasts that this holiday season (November and December) Web merchants will ring up sales of $24.3 billion," says Jeffrey Grau, eMarketer senior analyst and the author the new Online Holiday Shopping Preview. "That's a healthy 22.1% more than last year."
eMarketer's Q4 2006 retail e-commerce sales forecast is $33.2 billion, accounting for nearly 31% of all 2006 online retail sales.
"Sales growth will come this holiday season less from e-commerce newcomers and much more from experienced online buyers who increase their spending," says Mr. Grau.
One of the reasons for that is that Internet retailers have successfully learned how to extend the length of the online holiday shopping season by guaranteeing delivery the week prior to Christmas. In fact, last year, according to comScore Networks, the peak sales day of the online holiday season was Monday, December 12, and the peak week, ending December 11, produced $3.1 billion in sales.
"It is worth noting," says Mr. Grau, "that the online holiday shopping numbers come amid less than robust overall holiday forecasts."
In September, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimated that 2006 US holiday sales would be $457 billion, an increase of only 5% over last year and the lowest growth in three years.
Despite somewhat gloomy forecasts for other sectors, online retailers are optimistic.
An October 2006 survey cosponsored by Shop.org, the e-commerce arm of the NRF, and Shopzilla, a comparison shopping site, found that 72% of online retailers expect good (15% or more) year-over-year online sales growth this holiday season. 21% of them expect online sales growth of 75% or more.
"Another good sign for online merchants this year is that not only will online customers be shopping later, they will also start shopping earlier," says Mr. Grau. "They are expanding the online sales season from both ends."
The Shop.org/Shopzilla "2006 eHoliday Mood Survey" found that 20% of online shoppers planned to start their holiday gift buying on the Internet earlier this year than last year. More than one-third (34.9%) of the respondents said they intended to start shopping online before November, and 21% said they would begin their shopping in October.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Need High Speed Internet? DSL or Cable Broadband?
Do you find yourself waiting around for your Internet pages to load or digital photo files and other attachments to transfer? Do your friends and family complain that they can never get through on the phone line because you or your kids are always online. Chances are you are still using dial up Internet service. Perhaps it's time to consider an alternative method.
The main three types of high speed access include DSL, cable and satellite Internet. At the current time, DSL and cable services are not available in all areas. Some parts of the country do not have access to either option. Good satellite Internet reception is dependant on an unobstructed line of sight to the south. So where you live can make a big difference in which high speed Internet service you choose. Here are some overviews of each service and comparisons for those fortunate to have more than one option available.
DSL
DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, describes a technology that taps into unused frequencies on copper telephone lines to transmit information at much higher speeds. There is no dialup and accessing services. So access is immediate. With DSL, you can send both voice and high speed data over the same line. The bandwith, or data transfer capacity, or DSL ranges from 128 Kbps to 3.0 Mbps downstream to your computer. Upstream transfer from your computer is usually limited to 128 Kbps. Bandwith is dedicated so you don't have to share with other users, but DSL is also more effective the closer you are to service provider's facilities. If your local area has plenty of cable bandwith available it may be a better option for those located greater distances from a DSL provider. Average monthly charges for DSL services are around $15-$65.
Verizon is one of the leading providers of high speed DSL service, with a large coverage area. With Verizon DSL you get a monthly package for $14.95 that includes unlimited access with a personalized home page, 9 e-mail accounts, and 10 megabytes of web space. For those customers with multiple computers in the home, there is a home networking option available. You can connect multiple home computers and laptops to a single high-speed DSL Internet connection at no additional monthly cost.
Earthlink DSL is another option. Their basic package, which includes the same features as Verizon's offer also includes a free dial-up service which allows you to enjoy 20 hours of Internet access per month when you're away from home. This package typically costs $29.99 per month. Earthlink also offers cable and satellite Internet.
As noted, DSL uses copper telephone wires. Rural areas and some cities do not have these wires available for large volume use, which means that DSL is not yet an option in those areas, even if Verizon, Earthlink or another provider offers services there.
Cable
If you have cable TV available in your area, chances are that you have access to Internet through your cable provider. This service uses the same wires as your cable TV programming and depending on the provider and the area, there may be a good deal of broadwith available or a more limited amount. Because users share broadwith, this could be an issue for those living in areas with limited amounts available for Internet use. It is a good question to ask your cable provider before signing up. Your choice for cable Internet is typically limited to only those providers who offer cable TV in your area. On average, cable Internet does tend to be a bit faster than DSL. Service is often slightly less expensive than DSL, averaging around $45 per month.
Satellite
If you do not have DSL or cable Internet available in your area, satellite Internet may provide a viable option. Its speed is comparable to other high speed Internet services, its always on, and you have the option of adding satellite TV service. However, it requires that you have a clear view of the southern sky from your home anywhere in the continental United States in order to receive good reception from the satellites. The service is typically a good deal more expensive than the other two high speed options discussed, averaging around $100 per month with installation fees of up to $400.
Some people confuse satellite Internet with what's known as WiFi. WiFi Internet services are actually provided by access nodes located in high traffic areas such as airports and hotel or through Internet cafes. If you have a laptop equipped with WiFi receiver, you can access services from within about 1000 feet of the node. There is typically a fee to use this service. It is a good idea for travelers but does not meet the need for home Internet use because it required the access node.
Although there are several satellite Internet providers, they all use similar technology. DirecTV is a popular provider because they are also a top satellite TV company. DirecTV satellite Internet service is delivered through a wholly owned subsidiary, DIRECWAY. DirecTV satellite Internet costs $99.99 per month and requires customers to purchase a satellite dish and modem. Installation is typically available from the distributor.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Windows Hosting versus Linux Hosting
The matter of choosing between the operating system (OS) running the web server hosting your web site as old as the web hosting business.The OS controls all the functions of the web server hosting your site, so it comes naturally to pay special attention when choosing one over another. But what are really the options you have?Mainly you can choose between web hosting based on Windows, Linux or Unix operating systems. A brief description and analysis of the different systems will narrow the list of options to only two.
Mainly you can choose between web hosting based on Windows, Linux or Unix operating systems. A brief description and analysis of the different systems will narrow the list of options to only two.Microsoft’s Windows server operating systems (NT/2000/2003) have a rather friendly and familiar user interface, making IT teams to easier in this aspect. Another plus is given by it’s excellent integration capabilities with other applications developed by Microsoft and let’s face it their range is absolutely impressive. The main key point of Windows based hosting is its support for .ASP (Active Server Pages) or the advanced ASP.NET. This language for web development was created by Microsoft to facilitate the creation of dynamic web pages linked to SQL databases. It also provides capabilities for integration with other systems.
It can be said that Unix is the OS that powered the beginning of the Internet era and due to his qualities is still used today. Linux OS was developed having Unix as starting point and this is how the two share many features. Today the Linux version of the Unix system is more common on web servers and this has to do with the higher licensing costs and with the rather specific hardware requirements for Unix. This is why we will continue with Linux only, but Unix is taken into account as well. Linux hosting has its strong points in fulfilling one’s requirements for a good web server and Web serving, file serving, mailing, and streaming are only a few. It proves itself is a very cost-effective choice from using hardware efficiently, and allowing an increased web sites per server ratio, this ultimately resulting in a decreasing the cost of hosting per account.
So here are our two choices Windows and Linux.
Reliability
In the past Linux OS were seen as more reliable over Windows. However with the release of Windows 2003 server Microsoft has gone a long way and closed the gap in this area.Linux servers are compatible with certain Microsoft extensions and applications and the same is true for Windows.
Web Programming
Even if trying to host a simple personal web site, your might want add some simple scripts to spice up your pages. The issue gets bigger when you are looking to host an e-commerce site supported by some serious server-side programming. So how are our two contenders doing in this aspect?
Supporting java scripts is not a topic to be argued upon as they are executed on the client side (the user’s web browser) and both Linux and Windows have no problem feeding this content to your visitors.
It is a whole different matter when discussing server side scripting. For web site owners trying to implement forms on their site it is common knowledge that ASP is supported by Windows and PHP is the tool to do just that under Linux. However both developed solutions to support each other’s programming language for web development. This support is not perfect and its limitations recommend Linux for a good PHP support and Windows for ASP, especially when it comes to hosting web sites that require the full use the advantages offered by PHP or ASP.
Linux offers a support for FrontPage extensions. Windows has a weak point in offering only limited CGI/Perl support, so if Perl is the scripting language of your choice, you should opt for Linux.
Databases
Dynamically driven web sites require some sort of databases. Beyond sites employing databases, most frequently you will encounter mySQL or MSAccess. If your web site is relying on mySQL, then you’ll have no problems hosting it on either Windows or Linux. For MSAccess databases, look your only option is Windows.
Price
Linux web hosting is cheaper. The reason must be searched in licensing costs, that are lower that for Windows, and in the ability of Linux web servers to support a higher web sites per server ratio without compromising the quality of service.
Although Windows hosting cost a bit more, you will get something for your money. It’s reduced development time and functionality
As the option of one over another depends basically of your actual needs and of the plans you have made for the future of your web site. For example will it move from a rather static web site to one relying heavily on server side scripting? And if it is so what would be the programming language used: PHP or ASP? Consequently your web site will be set up on a Linux or on a Windows web server.
Almost all serious web-hosting providers will offer you the choice between Linux and Windows.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Windows Hosting Market Shows Growth
For a Windows Hosting Account and $1 Domain Registration Click Here.
The Windows web hosting market has registered growth within the last few months, reports Netcraft. The web analyst company has released its October Web Server Survey. It says that there are “some small shifts in market share for web server software. Windows’ share improves slightly this month, as gains at Go Daddy offset some slippage among sites hosted at Microsoft”.
While the Microsofts’ web servers market share is growing, the software producers are looking to implement new applications that can ease the process of managing a Windows server. The mobile phone industry has already developed some tools that easy web server administrators. CPM’s Edition information Week has reported that Avocent software has released a software that allows PDA users to manage Windows servers remotely.
Two different software versions SonicAdmin QR and SonicAdmin Pro allow web server administrators to remotely manage any Windows server on a network.
Both software versions run on a BlackBerry or any Windows Mobile 5-based device. Users of SonicAdmin QR can access servers by using their Active Directory profile. They can view server statistics, shut down and reboot web server, view event logs, view and manage processes, manage user accounts, and run quick commands.
SonicAdmin Pro also allows Windows services management, file explorer, file search, file and folder properties, file editor, and a command line interface. Exchange Server management extensions include viewing queue properties as well as freezing and unfreezing queues and forcing connection commands. Active Directory management adds user group management and mailbox properties.
But even the analysts say that the Windows market is growing, Linux is still probably better choice to run a web server. SearchWinIT.com offers a good advice to anyone who needs to recover data from Windows server. So check the article Linux saves the day by recovering data in Windows servers. Hope you will not need to follow the instructions listed there!
HOWTO:Select a Hosting Company
Cheap Web Hosting
Recommended Web Hosting & Domain Registration Company
Knowing how to select a hosting company is an important and challenging task. Businesses worldwide are under pressure to cut operating costs to pay for their server and security agents.
A company's e-mail, website and other internet technology solutions are difficult to manage. In addition, many companies view these necessities as a significant cost/inhibitor.
As a result, hosting companies can appear to reduce the cost of having e-mail, a website and other internet technology solutions.
Below are the benefits and services that are important to look for when seeking a hosting company.
1. Technical Support
Seek to find a hosting company that will deliver technical support whenever your company needs it. A quick response to your technical problems is a must. Make sure the hosting company you select has 24/7 support and service. It is important that your site be up and running around the clock.
2. Uptime
Look for preferably a 99.9% uptime. 99% is the industry standard, but most hosting companies offer more.
3. Money Back
It is better to go for a host that offers a money-back guarantee. That way, you would be able to try out for yourself their services. And on the hosting company's part, it is a sign of confidence that they do not have to resort to tying down their customers with long-term contracts and/or setup fees.
4. Disk Space
A full standard website with flash and graphics does not need much disk space. Consider getting more disk space than the current need for future growth.
5. Bandwidth
Bandwidth means your website is accessible. Consider opting for a package with more bandwidth rather than paying for add-on bandwidth, which will usually turn out to be a lot more pricey.
Downloads, images, video and sound files as well as e-commerce shopping carts are all items that will increase the need for more bandwidth.
6. Value
Each company has different needs when it comes to hosting. Try to find a hosting service that offers various products and features that will fit your unique needs.
7. Control Panel
This is called various names by different hosts, but essentially, they all allow you to manage different aspects of your web account yourself. Typically, and at the very minimum, it should allow you to do things like add, delete, and manage your email addresses, and change passwords for your account. I would not go for a host where I have to go through their technical support each time I want to change a password or add/delete an email account. Such chores are common maintenance chores that every webmaster performs time and time again, and it would be a great hassle if you had to wait for their technical support to make the changes for you.
8. Advertising
Most free web hosts enforce advertising on your website. This is done to cover the costs of offering your site free web space and associated services. Some hosts require you to place a banner on your pages. Others display a window that pops up everytime a page on your site loads. And there are those that enforce an advertising frame on your site.
There is really no hard and fast rule which is to be preferred. Some visitors hate a pop-up window, other webmasters dislike having to stuff banner codes onto their pages, and many people cannot stand an advertising frame (which may cause problems when you submit your website to search engines). Whichever method is used, check that you are at ease with the method.
9. Types of Hosting
Shared (Virtual) Hosting: Entry level hosting. Your domain is hosted on the same server as several other domains. You usually will not get a shell account with this type of hosting. This is the most common type of hosting overall. It is well suited for personal websites or very small businesses with minimal hosting needs. Virtual hosting is generally very inexpensive ($0 - $20 USD) Many things can be limited in a virtual hosting environment such as number of databases, number of email accounts, and you usually cannot install additional software packages onto the server. Your hosting provider is responsible for the management of all server related issues and you administrate only your own specific domain.
Dedicated Hosting: With dedicated hosting you have an entire server reserved for your own needs. You can host your own site(s) and/or resell hosting to others and provide shared hosting for others. With dedicated hosting you usually have root or administrator level access to the entire server. This type of hosting is well suited with sites that have specific needs that cannot be met in a virtual hosting environment such as advanced scripting needs, unlimited access to databases and email accounts, custom server configurations, installing your own software and several other benefits. Dedicated hosting can be managed or unmanaged. In managed dedicated hosting your hosting provider performs most of the server level administration such as keeping your installed software up to date, make security patches, custom changes in server or software configurations. Unmanaged hosting leaves most of the administrative tasks up to you. You would need to keep your software up to date, make custom changes to software as well as the administration of your site itself. Your hosting provider is still responsible for network and hardware work that may need to be performed on the server as you generally will not have physical access to the server.
Collocated Hosting: In collocated hosting you supply the servers, built and configured yourself to suit your specific needs. You are paying for the dedicated connection, backup power, and physical security of the server environment. You are responsible for the management of the server. All server level tasks are up to you, including upgrading or replacing hardware, keeping software up to date, custom configuration of the server hardware and software. This typeof hosting is much like having the server in your own office but the location of the server and the network it is on is better designed for hosting than most offices are capable of providing.
10. Other Tips
Draw up a list of needs and check with the hosting company to see if it will meet yours.
The best way to know if a hosting company is right for you is to give it a try.
Keep in mind, not all large companies offer good hosting services.
Use a company that has solid, fast and new servers, with daily backups.
11. Recomended Hosting Providers
Gate.Com
http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1782523-10378406
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
My Way News - Sony Warns of PlayStation 3 Scams
My Way News - Sony Warns of PlayStation 3 Scams: "Sony Corp. (SNE) (SNE) issued a warning Tuesday against false promotional offers for its upcoming PlayStation 3 video game console.
A number of Web sites have been promoting pre-orders on discounted or bulk shipments of the game system - without the cooperation of Sony, the company stated.
Company representatives did not name the sites but suggested consumers can avoid potential scams by purchasing PlayStation products only from authorized retailers and resellers, which includes well-known stores such as GameStop, EB Games, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
The PlayStation 3 system, with models priced between $500 and $600, is set to go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 17, though only in limited quantities.
Some authorized stores began taking pre-orders on Oct. 10. At some GameStop and EB Game locations, the orders were snapped up within minutes.
Sony has said it plans to ship 6 million Playstation 3 machines in its fiscal year through March 2007."
A number of Web sites have been promoting pre-orders on discounted or bulk shipments of the game system - without the cooperation of Sony, the company stated.
Company representatives did not name the sites but suggested consumers can avoid potential scams by purchasing PlayStation products only from authorized retailers and resellers, which includes well-known stores such as GameStop, EB Games, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
The PlayStation 3 system, with models priced between $500 and $600, is set to go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 17, though only in limited quantities.
Some authorized stores began taking pre-orders on Oct. 10. At some GameStop and EB Game locations, the orders were snapped up within minutes.
Sony has said it plans to ship 6 million Playstation 3 machines in its fiscal year through March 2007."
Friday, October 27, 2006
My Way News - Sony Battery Emits Sparks During Recall
My Way News - Sony Battery Emits Sparks During Recall: "A Sony-made battery used in a Fujitsu laptop computer overheated and emitted sparks, Fujitsu said Friday, amid a massive global recall involving Sony batteries.
A Fujitsu worker was visiting a customer's home to retrieve the laptop as part of the company's recall of Sony batteries when it overheated and started giving off sparks, according to Fujitsu spokesman Toshiaki Koike.
No one was injured in the incident, which is under investigation, Koike said.
Fujitsu is recalling more than 280,000 lithium-ion laptop batteries made by Sony Corp. (SNE) because they pose a risk of overheating and bursting into flames.
Sony officials have said the problems were caused by microscopic metal particles left inside the battery, which can cause them to short circuit.
Almost every major laptop maker in the world, including Dell Inc. (DELL), Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) and Lenovo, has announced recalls of Sony lithium-ion batteries. "
A Fujitsu worker was visiting a customer's home to retrieve the laptop as part of the company's recall of Sony batteries when it overheated and started giving off sparks, according to Fujitsu spokesman Toshiaki Koike.
No one was injured in the incident, which is under investigation, Koike said.
Fujitsu is recalling more than 280,000 lithium-ion laptop batteries made by Sony Corp. (SNE) because they pose a risk of overheating and bursting into flames.
Sony officials have said the problems were caused by microscopic metal particles left inside the battery, which can cause them to short circuit.
Almost every major laptop maker in the world, including Dell Inc. (DELL), Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) and Lenovo, has announced recalls of Sony lithium-ion batteries. "
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
My Way News - Oracle Assaults Red Hat With Pricing War
My Way News - Oracle Assaults Red Hat With Pricing War: "Oracle Corp. (ORCL) Chief Executive Larry Ellison is shaking up the software industry again, only this time a takeover bid isn't involved - yet.
Ellison set his sights on Linux software leader Red Hat Inc. (RHAT) late Wednesday by promising Oracle will charge dramatically lower prices to fix the problems that crop up in Red Hat's products.
Redwood Shores-based Oracle expects to offer discounts of at least 50 percent - a threat that caused Red Hat's stock price to plunge by more than 16 percent amid investor worries about the much smaller company's ability to withstand the challenge.
The assault on Red Hat continues Ellison's aggressive efforts to build upon the market clout that Oracle already amassed as the world's second-largest software vendor behind Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Oracle has spent about $20 billion snapping up other business software makers during the past two years, sometimes refusing to take no for an answer. In the biggest deal of the lot, Oracle launched a hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. that took 18 months to complete.
If Red Hat's stock continues to falter, the company could become increasingly vulnerable to a takeover. Oracle executives refused Wednesday to say if they might be interested in buying Red Hat.
'I don't think this will kill Red Hat,' Ellison said Wednesday in response to a question from a packed audience attending the biggest convention in Oracle's 29-year history. 'This is capitalism. We are competing.'"
Ellison set his sights on Linux software leader Red Hat Inc. (RHAT) late Wednesday by promising Oracle will charge dramatically lower prices to fix the problems that crop up in Red Hat's products.
Redwood Shores-based Oracle expects to offer discounts of at least 50 percent - a threat that caused Red Hat's stock price to plunge by more than 16 percent amid investor worries about the much smaller company's ability to withstand the challenge.
The assault on Red Hat continues Ellison's aggressive efforts to build upon the market clout that Oracle already amassed as the world's second-largest software vendor behind Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Oracle has spent about $20 billion snapping up other business software makers during the past two years, sometimes refusing to take no for an answer. In the biggest deal of the lot, Oracle launched a hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. that took 18 months to complete.
If Red Hat's stock continues to falter, the company could become increasingly vulnerable to a takeover. Oracle executives refused Wednesday to say if they might be interested in buying Red Hat.
'I don't think this will kill Red Hat,' Ellison said Wednesday in response to a question from a packed audience attending the biggest convention in Oracle's 29-year history. 'This is capitalism. We are competing.'"
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