August 30, 2005

Windows File System (WinFS) beta released

Software Giantm Microsoft has released a beta version of its next-generation Windows File System (WinFS). WinFS was originally scheduled to be included in Windows Vista, but the technology was pulled from the forthcoming release last year and will be made available through an update in 2007.

A file system determines how data is structured and stored on a hard drive. WinFS promises to make it easier for users to find and organise documents regardless of their physical location reports vnunet

August 28, 2005

Zotob computer worm Creators Arrested

Farid Essebar, 18, of Morocco, and Atilla Ekici, 21, of Turkey, were arrested on Thursday on charges of unleashing the Zotob computer worm that infected networks across the United States nearly two weeks ago, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Microsoft announced yesterday.

"The swift resolution of this matter is the direct result of effective coordination and serves as a good example of what we can achieve when we work together," Louis M. Reigel III, assistant director of the F.B.I. Cyber Division, said in a news release.

The worm hampered computer operations at more than 100 companies, including news organizations like CNN, The New York Times and ABC News reports the New York Times.

According to reports Mr. Essebar wrote the code that attacked computers that run Microsoft Corp. operating systems and Ekici paid him for it, Riegel said. It's unclear they ever met, "but they certainly knew each other via the Internet," he said.

Essebar also worked with groups involved in bank card forgery

August 25, 2005

Google launches Google Talk

Search Giant, Google Inc. has announced Google Talk, Google's own instant messenger service that allows you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free-anytime, anywhere in the world. The new test program will compete with more established services offered by America Online Inc., Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc. and Skype Technologies SA. In total, there are already 80 million users of other IM services in the United States, and many services are beginning to link to one another writes Washington Post.

Google Desktop 2 (beta)

Search Giant, Google Inc. has announced Google Desktop 2 (beta) intended for personal computers and the worldwide web that uses self-updating navigation and personal information software to yield results reports EarthTimes. The move will no doubt intensify competition between Google and rivals Microsoft , Yahoo! and Time Warner AOL service reports Forbes.

Yahoo, Google and Microsoft's MSN are competing to lure users with new functions as the companies vie to expand their share of Internet searches and the growing market for Internet advertising reports Bloomberg

August 14, 2005

Google Inc., has temporarily scaled back plans to make the full text of copyrighted books searchable via the Internet

Search Giant Google Inc., has temporarily scaled back plans to make the full text of copyrighted books searchable via the Internet reports Reuters

Google, will allow copyright holders who contact the company to withhold books from the project, according to Adam Smith, program manager of the Google Print program.

"Any and all copyright holders ... can tell us which books they'd prefer that we not scan if we find them in a library," Adam Smith, the product manager of Google Print, said in a statement on Google's corporate Web site.

August 6, 2005

Yahoo Audio Search

Thursday, Web media giant Yahoo Inc. launched a free Web audio search service that helps users find, hear and buy everything from music downloads and podcasts to interviews and newscasts.Yahoo and rivals such as Google Inc. and privately held Blinkx already have launched video search services.

Yahoo Audio Search, at http://audio.search.yahoo.com, is still in testing and gives users access to more than 50 million audio files.

The company has integrated Yahoo Audio Search with its video search service and has invited people to submit videos and music through Media Really Simple Syndication, so it can be found by the new audio search engine reports Reuters.

It also integrated tools from its comparison shopping search engine, which helps users find CD prices and make purchases from a variety of retailers.

August 1, 2005

AMD Introduces The AMD Athlon(TM) 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 3800+

AMD has announced the launch of the AMD Athlon(TM) 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+ targeted primarily towards the prosumer and digital media segments -- sophisticated power users who run multiple processor-intensive applications simultaneously. The newest member to the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor family provides consumers with an entry point to dual-core computing on desktop PCs.

The AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+ is priced at $354 for 1K unit PIB.

With the new AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+, mainstream consumers now have the ability to multi-task, creating digital content while listening to MP3s and writing e-mails, allowing them to do more in less time. Desktop dual-core processors can also deliver increasingly superior performance as multi-threaded applications spread from the server to the client and consumer markets.

Fox likes Sony Blu-ray

20th Century Fox has announced plans to deliver future films, TV shows and other titles in the Sony Blu-ray DVD format. Fox plans to release video programming through its Home Entertainment subsidiary as soon as the new Blu-ray players are released.

As part of the announcement, Fox touted the Blu-ray developers' commitment to thwart content piracy and address the concerns of Hollywood studios.