Murdoch, Microsoft hold talks on locking out Google

Microsoft has held talks with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp over a possible plan for the software giant to pay the media company to remove its news websites from Google, a report said.

November 23, 2009

The plan sets a scene for a battle between search engines for access to websites and puts pressure on search juggernaut Google to start paying for content, the Financial Times said.

"This is all about Microsoft hurting Google's margin," an unnamed source was quoted as saying.

However, the biggest beneficiary of the tussle could be the newspaper industry which has yet to construct a reliable online business model to replace declining newspaper circulation and print advertising revenues.

Google to challenge Microsoft and Apple

GOOGLE'S new operating system, which is designed to bypass computer hard drives and work via the internet, got its first public preview on Thursday.

SMH

November 21, 2009

Chrome OS, due to be released in about a year, could pose the first real competition for Microsoft's and Apple's computer operating systems.

Chrome's main difference is that applications and other materials that normally exist on hard drives will live online.

It will initially only be available for the small netbook computers that use solid-state drives.

One of the main advantages of the operating system, as extolled by Google's product manager, Sundar Pichai, is speed.

New hope for Google super-phone

A new wave of controversy has erupted in Silicon Valley over, whether or not, Google is finally creating its very own Google-branded phone to rival Apple's iPhone.

Louisa Hearn

SMH

November 19, 2009

According to the TechCrunch blog, Google is tinkering away on a “super” Android device that promises to be thinner than all existing iPhone and Android devices.

The blog claims that the Android-powered phones released by the likes of HTC and Samsung have just been a warm-up to the Google Phone as the internet giant seeks to dominate the mobile sphere.

Netbooks are dead. Long live the notebook.

Netbooks were hot in 2008 and the first half of 2009, but the trend was actually more of a fad. Learn why it’s over, and why that’s a good thing.

Jason Hiner

TechRepublic

November 16th, 2009

Netbooks — those underpowered mini laptops with 7-inch screens and unusable little keyboards — are a dying fad. However, the legacy of the netbook will be that inexpensive notebook computers are here to stay, and they are lighter and thinner than ever.

Analysts and pundits will continue to use the term “netbook” but I’m going to argue that the device that we originally called the netbook is being phased out — and thankfully so.

Video: Common habits of superstitious computer users

From avoiding upgrades to refusing reboot requests, Bill Detwiler takes a lighthearted look at superstitious end-user habits IT pros should debunk

Bill Detwiler

TR Dojo

November 16th, 2009

IT pros tend to use their powers of deductive reasoning and critical thinking when confronting a technical challenge, but less-knowledgeable users often come up with beliefs about computers that owe more to superstition and magic than pure science. In this episode of TR Dojo, I’ll take a light hearted look at some of the superstitious habits you may encounter with your users.

Microsoft supercharges Excel

By Todd Bishop on

TechFlash

Monday, November 16, 2009

Microsoft this morning released a test version of Excel 2010 that the company says will be able to tap into distributed clusters of computer servers to crunch huge volumes of data much more quickly than before. You aren't going to need this to complete your weekly expense report -- well, hopefully not -- but it could come in handy for scientists and others that work with very large Excel workbooks.

What to know about Android
Who predicted this: an operating system for a phone has effectively attained Tickle Me Elmo status for this holiday buying season. Backed by a clever and persistent ad campaign (ever hear of Droid?), it seem everyone is talking about phones based on Google's Android OS. But what exactly is Android, why is it different than the current darling of the smart phone market--the iPhone, natch--and is it right for you? CNET's Kent German has the answers to those questions (well, not that last one) in this handy, one-stop guide to all things Android. If you're considering signing a two-year contract for phone service in the next few weeks, you should first invest 15 minutes understanding Android and the competition--and another 2 minutes sending Kent a thank-you e-mail.

Awesome mobile technology for demonstrations

Rick Vanover gets a chance to view some major hardware installations while attending Gestalt IT Field Day in Silicon Valley.

IT failure wreaks havoc on Qantas, others

ALL Qantas check-ins were thrown into chaos yesterday, after the computer check-in system failed across the country and the world.