James Banogon

Microsoft is afraid of Linux

Posted on August 5, 2009 in Technology

Microsoft has long taken too lightly Linux as a desktop challenger. But the latest filing with the Security and Exchange Commission has the company acknowledging for the first time that Linux signifies a major threat to Windows.

News indicate that in Microsoft’s latest yearly filing with the SEC, it listed for the first time Ubuntu’s producer Canonical, and Linux distributor Red Hat as competitors to its Client division, which makes most of Windows. In the past, Red Hat was listed but merely as a competitor to its Business and Server & Tools divisions. Read the rest of this entry »

Google will acquire Adobe Flash codecs

Posted on August 5, 2009 in Technology

Google confirmed today that it plans to acquire digital video compression company On2 Technologies in an all-stock contract, valued at $106.5m.

Mountain View said that On2 shareholders will be given 60 cents worth of Google class A common shares for each outstanding share they have in the company.

Based in Clifton Park, New Jersey, On2 employs around 60 individuals. It began as the Duck Corporation in 1992. Read the rest of this entry »

iPhone update reveals next iPod Touch + iProd?

Posted on August 5, 2009 in Technology

Apple’s impending iPhone OS 3.1 firmware update will give a few new features like increased application programming interface support and a number of bug fixes. After the 3rd beta of iPhone OS 3.1 SDK was out, a software developer tipped Ars Technica with information that the updated USBConfiguration.plist contained particulars about Apple’s upcoming unidentified device dubbed as iProd and also the next generation iPod Touch. The proof of the unknown Apple product dubbed iProd originally came up in March this year when Apple seeded the iPhone OS 3.0 beta software development kits to developers. Read the rest of this entry »

Windows 7 XP Mode is now a Release Candidate

Posted on August 5, 2009 in Technology

Microsoft has declared that the status of the XP Mode add-on of Windows 7 that will permit end users with the appropriate hardware to run a virtual adaptation of Windows XP inside Windows 7 is at this moment a Release Candidate.

There are quite a few latest features in XP Mode Release Candidate. XP Mode applications currently present users a jump list of the most recently opened files with that application. This brings one of Windows 7′s additional helpful productivity features into play with older applications that would not otherwise cover it. As a result, not only will you be capable of directly running your most recently used XP Mode applications from the Windows 7 taskbar, but you will also be able to open particular files from the Windows 7 taskbar, too. You can now make use of USB devices in XP Mode without having to make it full screen, straight from the Windows 7 taskbar. Read the rest of this entry »

Why end users would not pay money for tablet PCs

Posted on August 2, 2009 in Technology

Word is that Apple is a month away from advertising a new tablet PC. One more tablet, the Crunchpad, is also due for impending release. These and other keyboardless PCs get vast coverage on gadget websites, but in reality, I consider this entire category a hopeless case. Why we continue waiting for the killer tablet PC is beyond me. Only a small number of people really want one, particularly at the prices that they will have to put up for sale.

Tablet computers – pleasing to the eye slates that you operate with a touch screen – are nice-looking if you are a sci-fi buff. There is a bit functionally attractive about a computer that is all screen and nothing else, and where your interaction is straight through that screen, not a go-between like a keyboard or mouse. And the notion works well on smart phones. Read the rest of this entry »