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Continuent launches open-source database scale-out stack

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Open-source middleware maker Continuent has launched a database scale-out stack called Tungsten, which support open-source databases like MySQL as well as proprietary ones from the likes of Oracle.

Samsung aims at Apple with slim laptop

Martyn Williams — 2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Samsung came out all-guns-blazing at this week's IFA electronics show in Berlin with its lightweight X360 laptop that appears targeted at Apple's Macbook Air.

Toshiba to launch Cell-based TV in 2009

Martyn Williams — 2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Toshiba is planning to bring the powerful Cell processor into consumer electronics and launch a TV based on the chip in the second half of 2009, it said Friday at the IFA electronics show in Berlin.

Glossy black finish dominates consumer electronics

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

One trend more obvious than any other at the IFA electronics show is how glossy black has taken over the consumer electronics market as the color and finish of choice.

Sierra Leone telecom gets $30M boost from Indian gov't

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

The Indian government has provided US$30 million in aid to Sierratel, Sierra Leone's national telecom carrier, to revamp its landline services in Freetown, Kono, Port Loko, Kenema, Bo and Moyamba with new switches, said Sierratel managing director Alpha Sesay Thursday.

Kenya judiciary embraces IT to tackle corruption

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

The Judiciary of Kenya has initiated IT reforms calculated to reduce corruption and improve service delivery.

MTN posts increased revenue, subscriber base

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

MTN, Africa's largest mobile phone provider, has posted its half year results, recording a 35 percent increase in revenue and a 53 percent increase in subscribe base across its 21 African operations.

As inflation climbs, Vietnam's PC market on shaky ground

Sumner Lemon — 2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Vietnam posted its highest inflation rate in 17 years this month, reporting a 28.3 percent increase in prices as concerns grow about the impact on the country's PC market.

Kenya WiMax network gets $3.5M investment

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

AccessKenya has invested US$3.5 million to build a WiMax network targeting Kenyan homes with an initial deployment of 35 base stations in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Toshiba's XDE DVD players won't hurt Blu-ray Disc

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

When Toshiba announced its new XDE DVD player promising it could convert the picture quality of standard DVDs up to the high definition, industry watchers took note.

How to buy a mini-laptop

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Mini-laptops are among the hottest new products this year and with the back-to-school sales season upon us, I created a list of items to help you choose the right one.

Kenya BPO society lobbies for license fee reduction

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

The Kenya Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Society has urged the Communication Commission of Kenya to reduce the annual license fee for BPO businesses. The group wants the fee lower from 100,000 Kenyan shillings (US$1,516) to 10,000 shillings in order to attract more investors.

Microsoft reduces Office price to combat Kenyan piracy

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Microsoft East Africa announced a 40 percent reduction in cost of its home and student office suite amid complaints of rampant software piracy in the Kenya.

Proctor & Gamble outsources security to IBM, but keeping security staff

Ellen Messmer — 2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Proctor & Gamble has selected IBM ISS to provide managed security services worldwide under a 5-year contract in which IBM ISS will manage internal- and perimeter-based security and host defenses.

Akhter announces frugal 55 watt PC

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

British PC maker Akhter Computers has launched a computer that can run at 3GHz, yet consumes just 55 watts when in use, less energy than a light bulb.

Privacy feature in IE8 leaks private data

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

A privacy feature built into the second beta version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 browser isn't as private as advertised.

Kaminsky flaw prompts DNS server overhaul

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

One of the companies most at risk from the notorious DNS cache poisoning vulnerability has overhauled security in the latest release of its DNS server software in what looks like a major code rethink.

KENIC embarks on aggressive .ke marketing campaign

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC), the administrator of .ke top-level domains, has embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign to promote the local domain name.

African bank increases e-banking services

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Ecobank Sierra Leone recently launched a set of online banking services, including real-time transaction notifications via e-mail and SMS (Short Message Service).

Microsoft buys European comparison shopping site for $486M

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Microsoft has agreed to buy comparison shopping business Ciao in a deal worth around $486 million, and plans to integrate the service into its Live Search sites, it announced Friday.

Atom demand still stymied by testing bottleneck

Sumner Lemon — 2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

Demand for Intel's Atom processor is strong, with computer makers clamoring for more chips to plug into the small, portable laptops called netbooks, but the chips remain in short supply. The problem isn't that Intel can't make enough of the silicon chips -- the company can, and it is -- but availability remains stymied by a testing bottleneck that prevents the chip maker from meeting demand.

6 hacks for your mobile gear

2008-08-29T00:00:00Z

We'd be lost if we ever left the house without our arsenal of mobile tech gear, but we're also sick of being hamstrung by gadget makers who leave out important features or micromanage what we can--and can't--do with the products we buy from them. Fortunately, you don't necessarily have to settle for the limited features that mobile tech products ship with out of the box.

Banks mining cash from their computer gear

John Fontana — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

In another sign of a tight economy, even those that have the money are getting creative with their IT resources in order to find a little financial wiggle room.

New security rules on tap for credit-card handlers

Ellen Messmer — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

The PCI Security Standards Council is set to release a revised version of its 12-part Payment Card Industry standard, which tackles systems related to storage and processing of credit and debit cards by merchants and service providers.

Wireless LANs face huge scaling challenges

John Cox — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Wireless LANs are facing big scaling challenges as the number of clients and the multimedia content they consume surges, according to network professionals. Universities are seeing evidence of this in a big way.

Comcast sets monthly bandwidth limit for customers

Grant Gross — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Comcast, the largest provider of cable-based broadband service in the U.S., will limit residential customers to 250 gigabytes of bandwidth a month beginning Oct. 1, the company announced late Thursday.

Why Steve Ballmer Will Make Microsoft Good for SOA

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

One of the best things to happen for Microsoft customers worldwide is the retirement of Bill Gates. Criticize me if you will, and I'm sure the following opinions will be the source of much consternation among my peers and among open-source advocates, but I believe Steve Ballmer will be a positive influence overall for Microsoft and its customers. How much of a positive influence is open to debate, especially since Gates still has a great deal of influence. It's not a slam dunk; any executive decision Ballmer makes could still get vetoed by Gates. But Ballmer is in too comfortable a position to act only a puppet. It's not like Ballmer needs his job, so some of his own ideas are bound to poke through [

Steve Jobs' death greatly exaggerated; obit a mistake

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Take heart, Apple fans, it's not true.

Watch Out! Firing IT Workers Can Cost You

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

When IT employees are dismissed, watch out! A new survey by Cyber-Ark Software, a provider of identity management products, reports that theft of sensitive information by disgruntled former insiders is out of control.

Apple promises September fix for iPhone security flaw

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

A recently discovered security flaw that would allow access to a locked iPhone will be fixed next month, Apple said on Thursday.

Target agrees to $6M settlement of accessibility lawsuit

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Target has agreed to a $6 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed in early 2006 by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and others charging that persons who are blind cannot access Target.com.

Judge finds Qualcomm in contempt of injunction

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

A U.S. federal judge found Qualcomm in contempt of an injunction issued last year preventing the chip maker from selling certain products that rely on patented Broadcom technology.

Sharp unveils its thinnest LCD TVs yet

Martyn Williams — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Sharp has developed a new range of LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs that are thinner and have larger screens than its previous thinnest televisions.

Wall Street Beat: Spending slows, Dell does too

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Investors betting on tech stocks got some unwelcome news this week that corporate customers are cutting their IT spending plans, and Dell's financial results, announced Thursday, seem to bear out that trend. Meanwhile, Sun's stock took a dip in heavy trading, seemingly fueled by a research report showing it had dropped in server market rankings, overtaken by Dell.

Novell revenue up, net income loss at $15 million

John Fontana — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Novell Thursday posted a net income loss of $15 million for its fiscal third quarter fueled by a charge related to its “auction-rate securities.”

Vista: IT loves it, hates it

Mark Gibbs — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Seems that Microsoft Vista is both loved and hated in the IT world – which depends on who you’re listening to. Let’s find out what you really think.

Cisco strengthens UC story with PostPath buy

Tim Greene — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Cisco is putting up $215 million for PostPath so it can include the company's e-mail and calendaring software in Cisco’s upcoming collaboration service, WebEx Connect. But the software could also become a component in a unified communications bundle that businesses buy outright, industry observers say.

Industry mourns slain Cisco exec

Michael Cooney — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

A Cisco exec who was shot to death in Detroit last week is being mourned this week as a gentle family man, a "gifted techie" and a voice of reason.

Sony to launch centimeter-thin LCD TV this year

Martyn Williams — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Pushing new boundaries in LCD (liquid crystal display) TV size, Sony will launch later this year a set that's considerably thinner than others on the market, it said at the IFA electronics show in Berlin on Thursday.

Dell profit falls as revenue grows

Stephen Lawson — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Dell posted a decline in profit for its fiscal second quarter even as its revenue grew, while economic doldrums held down its results in some parts of the world.

IBM flash memory breaks 1 million IOPS barrier

Jon Brodkin — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

An IBM flash-storage research project is delivering speeds 2.5 times faster than the world's fastest disk storage.

Author beware: 'Net publisher's IT pitfalls

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

The online publisher iUniverse has been battling IT problems of late. The difficulties may stem from its takeover last September by rival self-publisher AuthorHouse, the transfer of its operations from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Bloomington, Indiana, in April, and the relaunch of its Web site in mid-August.

Performance-improvement integral to Windows 7, IE8

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Fixing performance issues that have plagued previous versions of its Windows client OS and Internet Explorer (IE) browser are key development goals for the next versions of those products, Microsoft has revealed in company blogs.

Samsung stained by ink cartridge suit

Brad Reed — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Electronics giant Samsung has been slapped with a lawsuit alleging that it "rigs" its printers to tell users falsely that they need to replace their ink cartridge even if there is plenty of toner left.

20 tech habits to improve your life

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Technology is supposed to make life easier, but it doesn't seem that way when you're struggling to wrangle 289 new e-mail messages, dealing with a hard-drive crash, or suddenly realizing that you left an important file on the office computer. Thankfully, plenty of tools can help. We'll tell you which ones are worth trying, and we'll also suggest some practices that you can incorporate into your workday to use tech tools more effectively and efficiently.

Google introduces Android apps store

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Google unveiled on Thursday its plans for a store where mobile users can find Android applications, a concept similar to the iPhone's App Store.

Yelp for iPhone

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

You'd be hard pressed to find a more opinionated, verbose, and downright catty group than the citizen reviewers on Yelp.com--which is one reason this user-driven business directory is so popular. Yelp now offers an iPhone app that lets you access all this snarkiness on the road while also finding local eateries, shops, and gas stations that are open when you need them.

Intel demos prototype in India of US$114 Atom device

John Ribeiro — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Intel Thursday showed a prototype of a range of low-cost "nettops' that are to be introduced in the country over the next several months. The devices, will be offered in the country by domestic and multinational PC vendors and local system integrators.

Panasonic to bring Blu-ray Disc burners to Europe

Martyn Williams — 2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

Panasonic will soon begin selling Blu-ray Disc-based video recorders in Europe, it said Thursday at the IFA electronics show in Berlin.

European court won't stop UK hacker's extradition to US

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

The European Court of Human Rights has refused U.K. hacker Gary McKinnon's appeal against demands for his extradition to the U.S.