Top Tech Story of the Day
|
IBM Launches Eight-core Power7
Processor |
| |
 IBM
on Monday launched its latest Power7 processor, which adds more cores and
improved multithreading capabilities to boost the performance of servers
requiring high up time.
The Power7 chip has eight cores, with each core able to run four
threads, IBM said. A Power7 chip can run 32 tasks simultaneously, which is
quadruple the number of cores on the older Power6 chip. The Power7 will also run
up to eight times more threads than Power6 cores.
The new chip also has TurboCore technology, which allows customers
to crank up the speed of active cores for performance gains. The technology also
puts memory and bandwidth from eight cores behind the four active cores to drive
up the performance gains per core.
The company also launched four Power7-based servers. IBM Power 780
and Power 770 high-end servers are based on modular designs and come with up to
64 Power7 cores. The IBM Power 755 will support up to 32 Power7 cores. The
company also launched the 750 Express server. The Power 750 Express and 755 will
ship on Feb. 19, while the Power 770 and 780 will become available on March 16.
Read more... |
|
Latest Tech News Headlines
 Google to Add Social
Features to Gmail |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Google plans to
take another stab at capturing some of the momentum surrounding social
networking companies like Facebook and Twitter by leveraging Gmail, its popular
e-mail service.
Later this week, Google will unveil add-ons to Gmail
that let people post and view messages about their day-to-day activities,
according to a person at Google briefed on the company’s plans. This simple
tweak to Gmail will let Google mimic the status updates that have driven much of
Facebook and Twitter’s success, as people return to the services again and again
to check out what their friends and co-workers are doing.
To date, Google has let people post only a brief message
about their status through its Chat system, which is linked to Gmail. The new
features would allow a more vibrant back-and-forth among Gmail users.
It is not clear whether Google will link the new Gmail
features to rival social-networking services.
Read more... |
|
Apple Execs Ready to
Drop iPad Pricing Based on Demand |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Apple
has already acknowledged a willingness to drop iPad pricing, says Credit Suisse
analyst Bill Shope. Shope notes that he recently met with Apple executives, who
explained that iPad pricing could well change should the tablet not attract as
many buyers as Apple is hoping for. While a 16GB, Wi-Fi-only iPad is initially
set to cost $499, prices will range as high as $829 for a 64GB model with 3G.
The first iPads go on sale in March.
The executives add that there is no worry about cannibalizing
iPhone and iPod touch sales. The iPad may, in the future, prove better than both
handhelds and notebooks for some tasks, including web browsing, media playback
and using the App Store. But iPhones and iPods will still have their uses, the
executives say, which leads Shope to argue that cannibalization is not as
serious a concern as some analysts have implied.
Read more... |
|
|
Barnes & Noble's
Nook Is Finally Available |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Barnes & Noble's
Nook e-book reader is now available online and will be in stores by mid-week,
the book retailer announced Monday.
"Customers can visit the Barnes & Noble nook In-Store
Locator at www.bn.com/nook/instore, updated daily beginning February 10, to find
local stores with devices in-stock," the company wrote in a blog post.
Barnes & Noble unveiled the Nook on October 20.
Pre-orders started shipping on November 20, but demand for the e-book reader
delayed a second round of shipments until December 11. The devices are now
listed as in-stock at barnesandnoble.com/nook.
Customers using their Nooks in a Barnes & Noble store
can use the device's Wi-Fi capability to access special "More In Store" features
and promotions.
In February, for example, users will have access to: a
short story from Adriana Trigliani featuring characters from her novel "Brava,
Valentine"; a recipe for red velvet cupcakes from Anne Byrn, author of the Cake
Mix Doctor blog; and "Read Between the Wines" tips from wine expert Kevin Zraly.
"More In Store" content will be added on a weekly basis and will be available
for one month.
In February, Nook users will also get 10 percent off any
CD. To redeem, show the cashier the special offer on their Nook during
check-out.
Read more... |
|
Facebook Unveils
Redesign |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Facebook on
Friday formally introduced a number of changes it says makes it easier for users
to navigate their way around the social networking site.
"Over the past few months, we've been testing several different
designs of the home page to improve navigation to and discovery of commonly used
features," said Facebook engineer Jing Chen, in a post on the company's official
blog.
"Today we started rolling out the most recent navigation updates
to help you find what you are looking for on Facebook," said Chen.
Among other things, the redesign puts some of Facebook's more
commonly used areas, such as pages, status updates, and links, in a more
prominent location. "Now from the top left menus you can quickly get to what's
new and important," said Chen.
Also, Facebook moved the Home and Profile links to the top right
corner of the home page.
Additionally, Facebook made the Chat tool "more prominent by
showing you a list of some of your online friends, and the Events dashboard
lists your upcoming events along with events your friends are attending," said
Chen.
Read more... |
|
Apple
hopes to keep mobile advertising all to itself |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Apple has told developers that they cannot use location-based
services to deliver advertisements to the iPhone, iPod touch and - when it
appears - the iPad.
The compay's Core Location framework allows location-based apps
such as information on local weather, restaurants and so on.
But the company is now warning developers that apps will only be
accepted if they offer 'beneficial' information.
A message on its developers' news page reads: "If your app uses
location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver
targeted ads based on a user's location, your app will be returned to you by the
App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App
Store."
Call us cynics, though, but we're not sure Apple is doing this
just to protect its users from nasty junk ads.
Read more... |
|
|
Third
Major Publisher Dumps Amazon $9.99 E-books Model |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 The future of the $9.99 e-book is in danger. A third major
publisher, Hachette, is going for Apple's agency model in order to sell e-books
for up to $14.99 apiece, the company revealed in a memo to agents.
Following Amazon's public dispute over e-book prices with
Macmillan early this week, Hachette is also seeking a shift to the agency model,
which allows the publisher to set the price for the e-book, while the retailer
keeps 30 percent of the sales.
Hachette follows a similar move by HarperCollins, whose owner
Rupert Murdoch was quoted saying during an earnings call that "We don't like the
Amazon model of $9.99 . . . We think it really devalues books and hurts all the
retailers of hardcover books . . .And now Amazon is willing to sit down with us
again and renegotiate."
In the memo to agents, Hachette claims that it is "not looking to
the agency model as a way to make more money on e-books. In fact, we make less
on each e-book sale under the new model; the author will continue to be fairly
compensated and our e-book agents will make money on every digital sale."
Read more... |
|
US
Department of Justice objects to Google book plan |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 The US Department of Justice has said that it is still
not satisfied with a deal that would allow search giant Google to build a vast
digital library.
It said the plan failed to address antitrust and
copyright concerns.
It echoes objections by online retailer Amazon, which
has said that Google's plan to scan and distribute millions of books online
could lead to a monopoly.
Google were forced to amend details of the plan in 2009
after objections by the Department of Justice (DoJ).
"The amended settlement agreement still confers
significant and possibly anti-competitive advantages on Google as a single
entity," the DOJ said.
It said that the agreement would allow the Google to be
"the only competitor in the digital marketplace with the rights to distribute
and otherwise exploit a vast array of works in multiple formats".
Read more... |
|
Microsoft
Discontinuing Xbox LIVE for Xbox Gamers |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Some thing aren't built to last, but it might surprise
you to find out Microsoft's Xbox LIVE online gaming service turns out to be one
of them.
On April 15, 2010, Microsoft plans to pull the plug on
Xbox LIVE services for its original Xbox as well as online services for Xbox
games playable on the Xbox 360. Microsoft's Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb broke the
news on his blog and said the shutdown will commence with immediate
discontinuation of auto-renewals for gamers still subscribed to the service
through an original Xbox.
"While I can’t comment on the specifics, this change
will allow us to continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and
experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE
community," wrote Hryb. "We did not make this decision lightly, but after
careful consideration and review we realize that this decision will allow us
unprecedented flexibility for future features."
How does shutting down a naturally diminished branch of
your online media service amount to "unprecedented" flexibility (i.e. "having no
previous example")? Will it finally embolden Microsoft to offer Xbox LIVE Gold
service for free? Could it lead to a radical overhaul of the service, more
elaborate than 2008's glorified interface update? Any of those would arguably be
"unprecedented."
Read more... |
|
|
Microsoft
Warns of Record Patch Tuesday |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Microsoft issued its Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance
Notification for February 2010 yesterday. The notice warns that Patch Tuesday
next week will see 13 security bulletins, tying October 2009 for the most
security bulletins released in a single month.
January was an exceptionally light month for Microsoft security
bulletins, with only one released on schedule on Patch Tuesday. However,
revelations about an Internet Explorer zero-day exploit being used to launch
attacks against Google and other companies in China led Microsoft to also issue
an out-of-band update addressing the vulnerability in the Web browser.
Tyler Reguly, senior security engineer for nCircle expressed some
"sticker shock". "As an information security professional, the first word that
comes to mind when I see this advanced notice is "yikes!". nCircle VERT works
all night to deliver local and remote detection to customers and this many
bulletins means a long night requiring plenty of caffeine."
Reguly added "I'm most intrigued by bulletin number nine in the
advanced notification. I'm curious to know what issue it is that plagues only
Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2 in x64 configurations."
Read more... |
|
First
Month Nexus One Sales Slow, Says Analytics Group |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Google Inc. sold about 80,000 Nexus One mobile phones in
its first month on the market, roughly one-eighth the number of units the
original Apple Inc. iPhone sold in its debut month, according to analytics group
Flurry Inc.
The slow sales figures highlight the challenges Google
faces as it attempts to establish a new model for pricing, marketing and
distributing mobile phones. The Mountain View, Calif.-based Internet giant broke
with conventional sales models when it launched its smartphone, saying it would
sell the unit directly to consumers without a cell phone company contract.
Nexus One sales appear to have been steady week over
week during its first month, according to Flurry's analysis. The company made
its estimates by measuring mobile applications usage and then extrapolating
overall ownership.
By contrast, Apple's iPhone got off to a very strong
start when it debuted in mid-2007, selling an estimated 600,000 units in its
first month, according to Flurry. Apple announced it sold 1 million iPhones
during the first 76 days they were on sale.
Meanwhile, Motorola Inc.'s Droid, which, like Nexus One,
is built with Google's Android mobile software, sold 525,000 in its first month
after launching last November, according to Flurry.
Read more... |
|
Apple
offers hush money for dodgy iMacs |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Apple is offering cash payments to customers still having grief
with their 27-inch iMacs, which have been plagued with various screen problems.
In the UK there are no 27-inch LCDs screens available to fix the
iMacs so instead Apple is offering full refunds plus 15 per cent, Gizmodo
reports.
Some of the machines have suffered from flickering screens, now
fixable with a firmware update. But others have developed a strange yellow tint
on the screens.
Despite the saga of problems Apple claims the current shortages
are not due to stopped production but the overwhelming popularity of the
machines.
A UK reseller told the site there was a backlog of 230 orders for
the unavailable screens with no date for expected delivery.
Read more... |
|
Intel
Pushes out VPro for Core I5, I7 Processors |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Intel on Thursday announced a new vPro platform for its Core
processors to make remote maintenance and management of PCs easier in an
enterprise.
Laptops and desktops with vPro technology enable IT administrators
to use hardware-based technologies to manage and secure PCs through a wired or
wireless network. The new vPro technologies will be in systems with Intel's Core
i5 and Core i7 processors, which were announced earlier this year, Intel
executives said during a webcast on Thursday.
The vPro platform includes new hardware that can solve a larger
number of problems than prior vPro platforms. The technologies could help reduce
support costs and the number of support visits to desktops, said Rick Echevarria,
vice president of the Intel architecture group.
For example, a technology called Anti-Theft 2.0 uses software and
hardware technology to remotely disable systems and lock access to data if a PC
falls into wrong hands. A message can also be designed for disabled PCs that
will be displayed after boot. This feature will be especially important to
secure data on laptops, which can get easily stolen. The technology can also
enable a disabled laptop remotely.
Read more... |
|
Google
turns over hack details to the NSA |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
Google has handed over the investigation of the recent intrusion
into its systems to the National Security Agency (NSA).
The attacks took place in early January, reportedly in an attempt
to infiltrate several Gmail accounts.
Google accused the Chinese government of organising the attacks in
an effort to eavesdrop on human rights activists, and announced that it would no
longer co-operate with the country's web search censorship policies. China has
denied any involvement in the attacks.
Since Google disclosed the attacks, other companies, including
Adobe, have come forward and admitted to being targeted in the attack, while
others, including Microsoft, have defended their decision to do business in
China.
Reports suggest that Google and the NSA are still hammering out
details on the investigation, which will focus not on the attack itself but on
ways to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Read more... |
|
Google
Adds Pinch-to-Zoom to Nexus One |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Google has updated its Nexus One Googlephone to use
multi-touch gestures. Specifically, pinch-to-zoom now works.
The update brings some other new goodies, such as Google
Goggles (which initiates a search by pointing the phone’s camera at something),
some changes to Google Maps and fixes for 3G connectivity problems.But it is the
unlocking of the multi-touch gestures that will be of interest to most Nexus
owners.
Or at least, to users in the united States. Googlephones
sold in other parts of the world already had full multi touch support. Updates
will come over the air — just wait for a message from Google and then go ahead
with the installation. After a reboot, you can now lend your phone to friends
and not feel embarrassed as they instinctively pinch the screen and nothing
happens.
Read more... |
|
Torrent site users
left vulnerable to Twitter attacks |
| |
Tech Junkeez Latest Tech News
 Twitter has
pushed out a password reset to a selection of users after two accounts
experienced a suspicious surge in followers in the past five days.
Those forced to update their passwords are users who
began following the suddenly very popular accounts.
Del Harvey, trust and safety director at Twitter,
explained in a post on the Twitter Status blog that hackers had gained the
password details to the affected accounts through torrent sites.
"Torrent sites are not exactly new, but this is one of
the first times that we've seen an attack that came from this vector," he wrote.
Harvey mostly laid the blame on one individual, who he
said had built a number of torrent sites and related forums that required a
log-in and password. The individual had then sold the sites to unsuspecting
buyers wanting to start download sites of their own.
When the sites began to get popular, Harvey said that
the person had started using security exploits created before he sold the sites
to get hold of their password details.
Read more... |
|
Previous Tech News
|
|
