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Ok Beelz, and yes they (CENT) win award year after year for that. And they are a little bit on the MS bashing side so when its good you can count on it. They really dont make any money yet but they are good!
Brian Cooley I have known for a while and has good video pieces as well!
64 mb's of Video Memory in a XP Media edition ought to slay big video's.....Niceeee
Whoo, Whoo - Toshiba jazzes up multimedia laptop
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
July 21, 2003
Toshiba is making it easier to play video and music on its big-screen Satellite P25 notebook.
The company on Monday introduced a new Satellite P25 model with Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition software, a new combination DVD/CD burner drive and additional video memory.
The Media Center model, known as the Satellite P25-S607, is similar to the first Satellite P25 model, introduced earlier this month. However, the Media Center software lends the machine a user interface dedicated to multimedia. The interface is based around a series of large buttons--visible from across a room--designed to give people direct access to multimedia files that hold video, music or digital photos, as well as offer them the ability to watch or record TV programs and view DVD movies.
The software works with standard Satellite P25 features such as a TV tuner and a built-in DVD burner. While the newest notebook has nearly the same hardware as the first Satellite P25 model, Toshiba added to it a DVD burner that can also burn CDs and an Nvidia GeForce FX Go5200 graphics card with an additional 32MB of video memory for a total of 64MB. The notebook also comes with a remote control for operating Media Center features.
Like its siblings, the Media Center Satellite P25 features a 17-inch, wide-angle display. It also includes an Intel 2.8GHz desktop Pentium 4 processor with hyperthreading technology, 512MB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive and built-in 802.11b wireless networking. It will sell for $2,699, a $600 premium over the standard Satellite P25, a Toshiba representative said. The notebook weighs 9.9 pounds and is 1.8 inches thick. It's the biggest notebook in Toshiba's lineup.
Reader Resources
CNET First Take: Toshiba Satellite P25
Read the CNET review.
The Media Center machine is the latest example of manufacturers catering to a consumer trend toward larger-sized notebooks. Many consumers who are replacing older home PCs are now stepping up to a notebook instead of buying another desktop. Such consumers seek desktop-like performance, large screens and fast processors, but are willing to pay extra for relative portability.
The Satellite P25 is one of several models offered at retail by Toshiba and other manufacturers, such as Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard and Sony, that address the trend.
Toshiba's first Media Center notebook model was its Satellite 5205-S705 that came out in early June.
I think there is a market for this still in the biz world and the home user with a small place or little need for super power as such.
MPC Computers debuts all-in-one desktop
By John G. Spooner
July 21, 2003, 10:44 AM PT
It's not a stealth bomber. It's a PC.
MPC Computers, formerly known as Micron PC, on Monday unveiled a new all-in-one desktop based on a special project it did for the U.S. government.
The new ClientPro All-in-One PC combines a 17-inch LCD (liquid-crystal display) with an Intel Celeron or Pentium 4 processor. The desktop's processor, hard drive, optical drive and other components are integrated into the back of the display.
MPC did not reveal the name of the government agency for which the original machine was designed. But the company builds a large number of custom PCs for the U.S. government, MPC executives said. The company believes other government agencies, the health care sector, and midsize businesses will be interested in the new machine.
Despite their more compact design, all-in-one desktops have historically been hit-or-miss products. The desktops often cost more than machines with a separate display, making the purchase of one a decision based purely on design.
Apple Computer found success with its iMac all-in-one, and Gateway continues to sell its Profile 4 all-in-one desktops.
But IBM discontinued its NetVista X series in 2002. Despite the sleek appearance of its swing arm-mounted flat-panel display, Big Blue said it believed it could achieve the same effect for a lower price with a PC and a separate flat-panel display.
MPC will not aim its new all-in-one at home consumers--a space already dominated by the iMac and Sony's new Vaio W PC--or small businesses with less than 250 employees. However, the company is optimistic about the machine's prospects, given the number of businesses and agencies that have inquired about it.
Rob Wheadon, director of product marketing at MPC, said that while some businesses insist on buying a computer with a separate display--believing the display will outlast the computer's hardware--government agencies like the simplicity of having a single gadget to keep track of.
"We found that there seemed to be across our accounts--government, health care and midsized businesses--a need for this type of product, which has a smaller footprint and can be managed as a single asset," Wheadon said.
The price of the ClientPro, when configured with a 2.4GHz Pentium 4, 256MB of RAM (random access memory), a 40GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive and a TV tuner, will start at $1,699, MPC said.
Cool, I need about 20 minutes!
Hey, we all knew this was coming. I have a feeling Linus is back on board to very quickly get rid of any trail he may have left.
SCO takes aim at Linux users
By Stephen Shankland and Lisa M. Bowman
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
July 21, 2003, 2:42 PM PT
update SCO Group, a company arguing that Linux infringes on its Unix intellectual property, said Monday it has been granted key Unix copyrights and will start a program to let companies running Linux avoid litigation by paying licensing fees.
Read more about SCO and Linux
The company, which is at the heart of a controversial lawsuit over Linux code, said that it plans to offer licenses that will support run-time, binary use of Linux to all companies that use Linux kernel 2.4 versions and later.
"We have a solution that gets you clean, gets you square with the use of Linux without having to go to the courtroom," Chief Executive Darl McBride said in a conference call Monday.
SCO sparked a major controversy in the Linux world in March, when it sued IBM, saying the company had incorporated SCO's Unix code into Linux and seeking $1 billion in damages. The company alleged, among other things, trade secret theft and breach of contract. SCO then updated its demands in June, saying IBM owed it $3 billion. In the meantime, it sent out letters to about 1,500 Linux customers, warning them that their use of Linux could infringe on SCO's intellectual property.
The claim of copyrights on the Unix code in question may raise the stakes in the dispute. Some attorneys say a copyright claim, which was not included in the earlier allegations against IBM, could be easier for the company to prove.
SCO said prices for the licenses for its Unix System V source code would be announced in the coming weeks. Pricing will be based on the cost of UnixWare 7.13, the company's current Unix product.
SCO's lawsuit against IBM hits next stage
Darl McBride, CEO, SCO
The move bypasses companies such as Red Hat that develop, distribute and advocate Linux and goes straight to the users, who might be inclined just to pay up rather than get ensnared in an ideological and legal battle.
"It's a very smart strategy, if it works," said Mark Radcliffe, an intellectual property attorney with Gray Cary. "If the price is low enough, better to buy a certainty than get tangled in a murky war."
But the move hinges on several complicated issues, some of them at the heart of SCO's suit against IBM. Specifically, SCO must be able to persuade courts or Linux users that IBM and other Unix licensees weren't permitted to transfer to Linux the programming code they'd created themselves for use in Unix.
And proving Unix copyrights isn't a simple matter. "Unix is now a patchwork of stuff that's in the public domain and stuff that isn't in the public domain," Radcliffe said.
If successful, SCO's move essentially would impose a tax on Linux, an operating system that has spread quickly across the computing industry in part because its open-source nature has sparked a broad, lively, unfettered development process. But a tax would undermine that movement, said Illuminata analyst Gordon Haff.
"I'm not sure I really see the option where SCO in the long term succeeds in collecting a tax on every copy of Linux sold, because that really destroys what Linux is," said Illuminata analyst Gordon Haff. "It seems to me that either someone ends up buying SCO, or SCO basically succeeds in destroying Linux."
SCO previously hadn't been able to base any actions on Unix copyrights because the U.S. copyright office had them registered to Novell, an earlier owner of Unix intellectual property. A contract unearthed from a filing cabinet showed that SCO had some of the copyrights, and now SCO has registered copyrights for Unix System V and Unixware, McBride said.
"Since the year 2001 commercial Linux customers have been purchasing and receiving software that includes misappropriated Unix software owned by SCO," Chris Sontag, senior vice president and general manager of the company's SCOsource intellectual property division, said in a statement. "We intend to provide them with choices to help them run Linux in a legal and fully-paid for way."
SCO's claims have raised the ire of many Linux enthusiasts, who have said that the ailing company is engaging in a last-ditch effort to save itself by recouping license fees when it has no rights to do so. The company further alienated itself from the Linux community in May, when it agreed to a licensing deal with Microsoft, which has roundly blasted Linux for years. Some Linux fans have suspected that Microsoft jumped into the fray in order to spread uncertainty about the rival operating system, which has displaced Microsoft's Windows in some markets.
Earlier this year, SCO hired high-profile attorney David Boies, who led the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust case against Microsoft, to help it in its case against IBM.
Take a look at this and say to yourself: Self I wonder if the primary desktop will be MS. Yeppers and probably XP.... At least 97 of 100 home users say - XP is the Shiznit!
Korea backs home-networking efforts
By CNETAsia Staff
Special to CNET News.com
July 21, 2003
Korean authorities are looking at home networking as a key area of growth and have zoned an area for construction devoted to companies in that industry.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) plans to build a 165,000-square meter industrial cluster in Korea's South Kyongsang Province to house companies that are conducting research and development into home-networking products and standards, the Korea Times reported.
According to the report, authorities will sink in $406 million (480 billion won) into the project over the next five years, of which $254 million will come from the central government and South Kyongsang provincial government.
"A research institute to study effective ways to industrialize the smart-home business will be established within the industrial cluster," Kim Jae-hong, a director with the MOCIE, was quoted as saying. "They will conduct basic researches on different human lifestyles and sort out promising technology development projects."
In addition, Kim said, the center will be responsible for setting standards for home-networking services throughout the country.
Once the project is under way, the production of "smart home"-related products is expected to double from $81.2 billion in 2007 to $195.6 billion in 2012, and 880,000 jobs will be created as a result.
While the Korean government has only started taking notice of the economic potential of technologies for the future home, other Asian countries may have gained a first-mover advantage.
In Japan, electronics giants such as Sharp, Toshiba and Hitachi have already banded together to create standards for linking networked home appliances. More recently, Panasonic has said it plans to start a selling smart-home system that--among other features--lets users control household appliances through mobile phones.
The Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore in January commissioned a $9.8 million experiment to conduct trials of smart-home technologies in more than 400 households. The project is supported by 32 local and international companies including electronics makers such as Philips as well as application developers and systems integrators.
CNETAsia staff reported from Singapore.
Beelz - Those announcements are awesome. Those will have a very very large big impact long term potentially.
Can you see if you can me an interview with Matt tomorow night for the show. Around 8pm EST! I got a great show and would like to plug the board here.
MSN's got some serious search competition with this technology ammo of Yahoo's Overture acquisition.
Overture to a patent war?
By Stefanie Olsen - CNET News.com
News analysis Dominance in Web search may be determined by the scope of a company's patent portfolio, rather than its ability to shuttle people to Internet sites.
At least, Yahoo Chief Executive Terry Semel seems to think so.
With the Web portal's proposed $1.63 billion buyout of commercial search specialist Overture Services on Monday, Yahoo would acquire 60-plus patents related to technology and processes for indexing the Web, as well as for pay-per-click and bidding systems to grant sites higher placement in search results.
In his brief comments to investors Monday, Semel highlighted the role intellectual property (IP) played in his decision to buy Overture instead of building a rival system to replace its two-year partner.
"We'll add...to our technology assets Overture's impressive intellectual property portfolio of both algorithmic and sponsored search patents," he said. "These are some of the key reasons we have opted to acquire Overture. We believe that the advertising industry is in its earliest days of a great future."
The search market is expected to be reap $4 billion in revenue by 2005, according to researchers. As the industry matures, the competition for a piece of that large pie could lead companies to bulk up their IP legal teams, much like in other industries such as online advertising sales during the dot-com bust.
"Yahoo has been giving this issue more weight than others," U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray analyst Safa Rashtchy said.
Overture has already filed two lawsuits against rivals Google and FindWhat, and plans to "vigorously protect its patents," the Pasadena, Calif.-based company said Wednesday.
From ridicule to dominance
Overture, formerly called GoTo.com, claims the rights to a system and method for Web sites to influence their rankings within search results. The company auctions keywords, giving the top bidders the highest placement in searches that use those terms. Overture's system also uses a pay-for-performance model, under which advertisers pay the bid price only when someone actually clicks on a displayed link.
The business was ridiculed at first, but proved its worth in recent years, eventually attracting America Online, Yahoo and Microsoft's MSN as customers. AOL recently dropped Overture in favor of rival Google.
Behind the scenes, Overture has long sought to protect its growing market dominance, having hired a staff of IP experts and aggressively wielded its portfolio of pay-for-performance search patents against rivals.
Overture sued FindWhat.com in February 2002 after FindWhat filed a summary judgment request in a New York federal court in an attempt to fend off any potential infringement charge from Overture. Two months later Overture filed a second lawsuit, charging Google with patent infringement in its pay-for-performance ad system.
According to the Google lawsuit, Overture's patent covers 67 separate claims, including exclusive rights to a "system for enabling an advertising Web site promoter using a computer network to update information relating to a search listing within a search-result list generated by an Internet search engine."
Overture CEO Ted Meisel on Monday touched on the growing importance of IP to the company. "We…have been No. 1 based on (our IP), have engaged in some licensing of that," he said, adding that it’s "not at this point material, but I think it's just indicative of the value of the IP in that area."
Google declined to comment on the IP issue.
Overture insiders say that when the company bought AltaVista and the Web search assets of Fast Search & Transfer, patents played a big role in the decisions. With respect to AltaVista, Overture owns some of the oldest patents on Web search.
When Altavista was part of Digital Equipment Corp., it secured seven patents related to Web crawling technologies, seven on indexing and two on query processing. It has 16 patents pending related to forward-looking search technologies.
The push for patents
Overture and Yahoo aren't alone--all of the key players in search have been amassing patents lately.
Earlier this year, Google was granted a patent from the U.S. Patent Office for a method of determining the relevance of Web pages in relation to search queries. Google founder Larry Page patented PageRank, its formula for calculating the importance of Web pages based on the number of other pages linked to it. Google also has three outstanding patent applications.
Meanwhile, Microsoft holds general search-related patents including methods for searching directory listing information, a system for improving search area selection and a third for "concept" searching using a Boolean or keyword search engine.
Online retailer Amazon.com also has a patent application that could affect search-related advertising. In March, it updated a patent application for a method of auctioning advertisements that appear on a Web page to the highest bidder.
Business method patents, such as Overture's bid-for-placement system, are common but controversial within the computer industry.
A U.S. appeals court significantly expanded the definition of business processes that can be patented in a 1998 decision in State Street Bank v. Signature Financial Group. The ruling opened the floodgates to patent applications from e-commerce companies seeking to protect their services. Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com and Expedia are among the major names to become entangled with patent suits, most of which ended in settlements.
Lately the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been curtailing its grants of various business methods patents because of criticism that the patented ideas were overbroad and obvious.
Patent cases are notoriously hard to win. If patents are too broad they can become obsolete and if they're too specific it can be hard to prove infringement.
"No matter what, this industry is growing so large that if someone has a valid patent on a fundamental part of search or paid listings it will have a big impact on the industry," said Phillip Thume, chief operating officer of FindWhat.com. "But only when someone tries to enforce them do you find out if they are valuable."
Because of the uncertainty over patent enforceability, companies often seek to secure patents as a defensive measure aimed primarily at preventing rivals from threatening them with infringement suits.
"Having patents on your own technology, business and inventions is invaluable in today's competitive market, even if you're not enforcing your rights directly against others, they become invaluable when you get sued or threatened," said Neil Smith, senior partner at Howard Rice and a specialist in IP litigation. "You can have counter claims for infringement of your own patents, or cross-license with" the plaintiff.
"It gives you something to trade or helps you stay out of trouble when you're dealing with companies that are competitors."
But other legal experts said they are worried that advancements in search technology might be stifled due to patent conflicts.
"If (search companies) turn around and offensively try to shut down competition then you could see significant lags in innovation and dimishing the quality of people's access to information," said Jason Schultz, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Ace _ I say no on the "has any company had that much cash on hand." The only one close to me with cash would have been GE a while back and most especially with their Financial Services Divisions - IMO.
Also it is apparent with their filing MS is pretty much on an upturn as new people dioscover computing. And as we all know that is everyday as people get machines or 2nd machines. Or, businesses buying up 100's and 1000's all the time.
Also lets look at Apple which really has a downturn in overall sales across the board according to their own filings which I am sure Stevie looked at (with a Zanny review afterwards) wink. They cannot argue their own facts I would think!
Now with those basic numbers and even a swing 2-3% either way MS is in position to gain more marketshare than Apple ever could with no matter how many switcher do it. Heck a whole 5% swing could occur and it would not affect MS at all. Why because new users and people discover them daily. Also with that; whichever way, a 5% swing could occur and Linux has more to gain than Apple. I state that based upon their own headlines of Linux. Apple is down in all sectors according to their last filings. Its that simple.
Also add in people buying machines which is pretty much everyday with having to decide - 95 would purchase a MS machine and 1 or 2% to Apple would not even matter. Let us also add in with the Best Buys of the world building their own with XP as the OS, they could impact more sales for MS than Apple could hope for in any sector any day!
Its just rediculous to look at it in any other way than math! And it seems to me Apple Religious cult memebers cannot do the basics of Business 101!
MHO
Whino!
This board is fast with posting man!
SG, WM - I definately agree IBM is a boon for it and it is good code no doubt. Clean and efficient. And with Linus now on board it has a better chance than ever. I really dont consider it a competitor so much as a solution for part of the enterprise where appropriate. Its like its your job as CIO and CTO to install the necessary components in each area. I welcome it all. I still think as we all agree that MS Office is adeifnate component, Doc management, Media Serving and Management and a desktop most people of the world understand!
Its alllllll Gooood!
WM it is a great Internet Content Edge Server as well and it has little overhead.
SG - I agree some marketshare will go and some will come. Its all whatever floats yoru boat as an IT person. I dont judge on what OS or Network someone uses. Its like "Its Their Livelyhood" and just keep the thing (network) up. But I personally MS has a total package that you really cannot go wrong with. You give somewhere in the chain:
As in BackEnd
Manpower
Up Time
Desktop Components - I harp on that part as most workers have similar to MS at home more than likely being MS has 97% of the desktop market. In that; it is unlikely to have an employee whom is not familiar with those aspects and tools Office. It is a crime to not take advantage of that skill set. When you work it from there Desktop backwards - MS Servers are the obvious!
This could affect MS and many many companies but I love the little guy stories -
Broad patents on streaming media upheld
By John Borland
July 16, 2003
California-based holding company Acacia Research Corporation said Wednesday it has won a preliminary court ruling in favor of broad patent claims covering virtually all streaming media transmissions.
The company has won a preliminary injunction against five adult entertainment Web sites, barring them from using on-demand digital video or audio online, or providing advertising links to any other such sites. The ruling was a default decision, after the five companies declined to respond to a lawsuit, but does mark the first court validation of sweeping patent claims that could ultimately encompass virtually every site offering online multimedia content.
Acacia owns patents on the process of transmitting compressed audio or video, which is one of the most fundamental multimedia technologies used on the Internet.
"We will not allow for the unauthorized use of our technology," said Acacia General Counsel Rob Berman. "Although not our preference, we are willing to use the power of the courts where necessary to stop unauthorized use."
Acacia edged slowly into the Internet scene last year, when it began seeking patent licensing revenues from a long list of adult entertainment companies. Its claims initially raised few eyebrows beyond the panicked adult-media businesses, but it became clear that Acacia's targets ultimately included the biggest Internet multimedia companies, cable giants, and Fortune 500 companies.
The company's claims are based on a series of patents it contends cover virtually all types of on-demand transmission of compressed audio or video, whether online, over ordinary cable-TV cables, or through other means.
The first mainstream company to license Acacia's technology was Virgin Radio, a popular Internet radio site and division of the Virgin media conglomerate. That company said it often received frivolous patent claims but that Acacia's appeared to be valid.
The company has filed infringement lawsuits against a total of 19 adult entertainment companies, and plans more if other companies do not sign licensing agreements, Berman said. A total of 27 companies have signed licenses so far, including Virgin; LodgeNet, a hotel in-room entertainment company; and a host of smaller companies.
Berman said that Acacia is now in negotiations with large cable TV companies and several Fortune 500 companies as well. A spokesman for cable giant Comcast confirmed that Acacia had contacted the company, but he declined to go into details.
The suits that resulted in the injunctions against the five small adult-media companies were filed in the Central District of California.
SG - When your THE COMPANY (MS) who else would they be converts from? Unix? IBM? Its one os those "Its Good To Be King" Gates things!
Ace - Most do not understand MS is underlying in many things Apple. Some must remember MS makes tools that makes OS's and App's. How do you get around that? You usually dont!
WM - I am not joking this is th fastest board I have ever posted to and I have posted to hundreds.
If you talk to Beez I was wondering if he can arrange a phone interview with Matt for me tomorrow in the afternoon after 2 EST!
I am buzzier than a Bee!
WM - They are running MS Server
I guess this answers our questions regarding "The #1 Browser is Answered - IE" - the number is incredible using IE, with all the media integration and such its just so far ahead!
AOL slashes Netscape staff
By Evan Hansen
July 15, 2003, 4:02 PM PT
America Online on Tuesday said it has laid off 50 employees involved in Web browser development at its Netscape subsidiary amid a reorganization of its Mozilla open-source browser team.
The move affects fewer than 10 percent of Netscape employees, according to an AOL representative, who added that the company plans to continue to support current versions of the Netscape browser and the Netscape Web portal.
"Netscape remains a key part of our multibrand strategy," said AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein. "We will continue to support the browser and the portal."
The layoffs mark the latest setback for AOL subsidiary Netscape Communications, which has fought an increasingly lopsided battle with Microsoft for browser market share. Microsoft's Internet Explorer is currently used by more than 90 percent of Web surfers, according to site visitor statistics published by Google.
Netscape suffered its latest blow at the hands of its parent last month, in a sweeping deal with Microsoft guaranteeing that AOL would offer Internet Explorer as the default browser to subscribers to its proprietary online service for the next seven years.
"If Netscape pulls back, does anyone notice?" said IDC analyst Jonathan Gaw. "These guys have been losing market share for years."
The layoffs come as the loose Mozilla.org group, which had overseen the open-source development efforts of the Mozilla browser, transforms itself into a nonprofit foundation. The foundation is funded in large part by a $2 million donation from AOL and $300,000 from Lotus founder Mitch Kapor.
Mitchell Baker, who will be president of the new Mozilla Foundation, said the group would use part of its seed funding to hire "a core group of people," which would include project managers and "key technical contributors" to the open-source project. Some of those people are expected to come from Netscape's ranks. A broad group of independent volunteers and staffers at other companies are expected to continue working on the open-source browser effort, however.
As part of the agreement with AOL, the Foundation will also receive all the trademarks and logos associated with Mozilla.
AOL's purchase of Netscape, when announced in November 1998, was valued at about $4.2 billion. By the time shareholders approved the deal the following March, a run-up in the price of the price of AOL stock had inflated the price tag to nearly $9 billion.
The Mozilla open-source browser project has traveled a bumpy road over the past year. Its long-awaited first full release was followed by a snub from Apple Computer, which passed over Mozilla in favor of another open-source technology for its Safari Web browser.
Not long afterwards, the project switched direction--choosing to base future versions on Web standards rather than on code specific to operating systems--in an effort to shrink the size of the program. The last major release before the direction switch was distributed to the developer community late in June.
In addition to AOL, Red Hat and Sun Microsystems continue to support the Mozilla project, which could help their own push towards use of open-source software as a replacement for Microsoft products.
Take a look at this Sony Multimedia Machine - Sony unveils bigger, badder Vaio W
My Note: A MS Race Car for Multimedia Enthusiasts
By John G. Spooner
July 15, 2003, 10:12 AM PT
Sony is preparing to launch a W desktop with a wider view.
The company announced on Tuesday its plan to offer a new version of its all-in-one Vaio W desktop with a 17.5-inch display.
Along with its distinctive fold-down keyboard, the forthcoming Vaio W will also incorporate Sony's Giga Pocket personal video recorder, letting owners use the PC to record and watch television programs. Dubbed PCV-W500GN1, the new model marks the first major U.S. revision of the Vaio W, which Sony first introduced here in October 2002.
Like its predecessor, the souped-up W model will face a tough audience. All-in-one PCs, which meld a desktop's internal components and its display, generally don't sell as well as standalone desktops.
Complicating the market for the W is the new trend of consumers opting for large-screen notebooks to replace aging desktops. Those who choose to stick with desktops, especially businesses, often expect to use their monitor with two or more desktops.
Price can also work against all-in-one PCs, which often cost more than a similar, standalone desktop and a flat-panel display. But Apple Computer has proven, with its iMac desktop, that all-in-one PCs can win over customers. Gateway also sells an all-in-one Profile 4 PC. The company has pledged to offer new versions of that desktop later this year.
Sony is aiming to sway buyers by offering much more than a basic PC with an attached screen and keyboard. Aside from the Giga Pocket and the ability to watch TV, the Vaio W will sport a music mode that lets people fold up the keyboard and listen to music via the machine's built-in speakers. Sony is also playing up the cool factor with a sleek design that makes the computer look like a digital television.
Sony said in a statement that the Vaio W will cost about $2000 and go on sale in the United States in August.
Aside from its 17.5-inch display, the Vaio W PCV-W500GN1 model will incorporate a 2.66GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512MB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a combination DVD-burner and CD-burner drive, according to Sony's Web site.
The machine will also come with a remote control for viewing Giga Pocket recordings.
Sony's current Vaio W, which offers a 15.3-inch display and a 2GHz Pentium 4, sells for $1,599.
Serious war going to be going on here - Adobe expands e-forms push
By David Becker
July 15, 2003, 6:18 AM PT
update Publishing software giant Adobe Systems on Tuesday announced a new electronic forms application that appears to be aimed at Microsoft's upcoming InfoPath product.
The as-yet unnamed product, which Adobe plans to introduce next year, allows companies to create and distribute interactive forms using Adobe's portable document format (PDF) and Extensible Markup Language (XML), the fast-spreading standard behind Web services.
XML support means data from forms designed with the software can be automatically sucked into back-end software, such as corporate databases and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, eliminating the costly data re-entry associated with paper forms.
Microsoft is touting similar advantages for InfoPath, a part of the dramatically revamped Office productivity software line the company plans to introduce in a few months. InfoPath, formerly code-named XDocs, designs XML-based forms and ties them in to back-end software to automate data exchange and delivery.
Key differences in the Adobe product include reliance on PDF, a widespread format that can be read by any device equipped with the free Adobe Reader software. InfoPath forms can be used only by those who buy the application.
"We're combining the XML advantage with the best of PDF as far as document integrity and ubiquity," said Marion Melani, senior product makret manager for Adobe's ePaper division. "When you're conversing system to system, it's just an XML file. But the user gets the full PDF for the visual representation of that document."
Use of the free PDF Reader is particularly important for government offices looking to make greater use of electronic forms, Melani said. "As a government, I can't require you as a citizen to buy a piece of software to communicate with me," she said. "The burden is really on the people doing the forms, and PDF takes care of that."
But InfoPath has the advantage of being tied to Microsoft's equally widespread Word word-processing application, said John Dalton, an analyst for Forrester Research.
"I have a feeling those (Word versus Adobe Reader) are almost red herrings in terms of advantages," he said.
The new Adobe software will also include simple tools for adding XML functions to existing PDF forms. Many financial, government and other institutions use PDF for electronic distribution of forms ultimately intended for printout.
"Companies have thousands of forms already in PDF. Wouldn't it be great to be able to extend those?" said Charles Myers, product manager in Adobe's ePaper division.
Dalton said the Microsoft and Adobe approaches are disparate enough they they're likely to appeal to different markets. PDF forms will be attractive to institutions that have to exchange forms with the public, while InfoPath will be a conduit for streamlining a company's internal and business-to-business processes.
"Health care, government, large government contractors--that's where you're going to see some real opportunities for Adobe to exploit PDF," Dalton said. "Microsoft will be a much less well-defined cornucopia of Intranet and inter-enterprise deployments."
Joshua Duhl, an analyst with research firm IDC, added that a PDF-based will also appeal to organizations with a mixture of operating systems. "Lots of people like to think they're competing head to head, but that's not really the case," he said. "Microsoft is pretty much going to stay within Microsoft environment. PDF is cross-platform."
Laura DiDio, an analyst with research firm The Yankee Group, said both Adobe and Microsoft are promising compelling approaches to electronic forms, but neither is likely to capture immediate attention from cash- and time-strapped IT managers.
"This is not a pressing issue," she said. "IT people are concerned with migration issues, security issues. This stuff is still under the radar, and I think it will be until the economy turns around."
The new forms product marks another step in Adobe's ongoing transition from selling boxed software to offering a mix of desktop and server products. It's also a departure from Adobe's usual reluctance to discuss any new product until a few weeks before it goes on sale.
"When you look at an area where enterprises are making long-term decisions about what direction they want to take with their back-end systems--those are not decisions people are going to make in a 30-day time frame," Myers said. "They're taking more of a five-year view, and we feel they ought to know what Adobe has in store for them."
Dalton says prerelease hype is an inevitable part of the business software market. "I think they just got fatigued of being the only player out there that wasn't doing preannouncements," he said.
WM whats he pulling the old non-competitive stuff again. Tell him that they (apple) own their model with a very minimal selection of accessories and apps. Even lack of hardware third party stuff....ANd to this day why are the machines flying off the shelves. Whey because they will wait and the last months sales will flop...
MS plans things far better in ramping up for new everything and all the hardware people work closely to bring it to fruition fast!
Thats all folks@
Been super busy but wanted to chip in 2 cents, (wink) and MS always has forsight when building an OS with both backwards compatibility as well as forwarding thinking always porting 2-3 versions. As well as has many more compatability issues (Mfgrs) with the fact is does not OWN the Hardward and Software like some! Apple with all its wizbang colorful innovation forgets these issues.
I mean is how big could the overall driver database with hardware specs of MAC be. 100 drivers ma hahahahahahaha
MS about 35,000 if not more as their are so many hardware and software companies surround MS.
MS stands alone with tools!
Grandma probably owns a MS machine as do 97% of the desktop computing world! Their is nothing more compatible nor easy to use than XP. Thats a fact. She probably loves the MS 2 button,2 clicker, scrolling mouse I would bet!
Ace - He needs to understand the belief by their own in a company buying back the stock is a sign of strength!
It usually is because they believe in their own model and their model is undervalued. There are not to many examples of companies believing that deep!
Math is a tough subject for some Ace!
WM - Bottom line: Deader than a doornail. Hey I talked to our mans on the phone today for that project with Ace. Dudes it going to be cool. Beez, no word from Jean today and I may hook you up directly with him instead of me trying to catch him. I would just fo all the technical here and you could just mail me footage. We are going to be doing MSFT wrappers and streaming. I swear I have never seen anything so stable as their system for working the total media area!
Man is this board fast. This may be the fastest Board on the net right now. Fast,,,,, Great job Matt!
Bootz Thats was a good one. It was spelled good though. HAhahaha - He the markets I thought would have done well with Yahoo news. Unreal, they were all beat up last I looked before end of day!
Im the Head of GKCLU not the spell checker or punctuation!
Cool pick man! HE was out all afternoon and I tried him from the road. He left me a message when I got hom. We will talk tomorrow. I am setting up the inventory list and will send to you on the shots and such. I think it will go. Also can you ask MAtt if I can interview him on running a company and board like this. It would be awesome on my show and also give some real insight on running a board like this. Its lots of work and also would like to include you as whats going on here at the MSFT board. Ins and outs and do's and donts@
Tell me what you think!
eBay, MSN expand e-commerce alliance
July 10, 2003, 8:15 AM PT
MSN and eBay on Thursday announced plans to broaden their relationship and further integrate their services for online shoppers.
The expanded alliance would allow Microsoft's MSN customers to receive direct links to eBay for items related to their search queries from the MSN home page and its different sections. The Internet service will also showcase eBay's advertising across its network in contextually relevant places.
The San Jose, Calif.-based online auctioneer hopes to make it easier for customers to find eBay listings. eBay is also hoping that the expanded alliance draws new buyers and sellers to its online marketplace.
"eBay is consistently one of the top five search queries on MSN Search," said Richard Bray, vice president of MSN's U.S. region, in a statement. The company hopes the alliance will provide greater utility and convenience for its customers.
The tie-up builds on the alliance Microsoft and eBay had announced in March 2001 to expand their global online presence and improve the e-commerce experience for consumers.
MSN said it attracts more than 300 million unique users worldwide per month. With its localized versions, it is available globally in 34 markets and in 18 languages.
Zanny we know this as we read. I dont understand you just picking fights instead of good debates.
BTW, there are several 0's sperating the financial wealth of Gates and Jobs as well as their individual companies!
The winner is MSFT!~ By several billion.
Zanny the truth is they did not even make the Wired 40 list this year and Wired is a complete MAC house no less. Another interesting fact was Bill Gates is Entertainment G*d.
Do catch up on reading a nice cross section of magazines before you post Apple news only on the MSFT board.
You pick a lot of fights ya know!
whino
GKCLU
Sorry I asked a question meant for another board.
I dont understand MAC? What are you saying!
I love Comp USA's policies on returns. I have returned several items including a clients desktop (PC) and they didnt say a thing. Your the first I heard on their Apple policy! Nice going. Saves a few bucks. On the PC, Bang a new machine no less. Good to hear they take care of their customers!
Nice spread on server deployment. Dudes its like .5 sec. post time for any post. I love it.
Beez - Look what they are running - AWESOME! How about an interview on my show for Ihub where I interview you as the moderator and some of the great things about the site. Im liking it and I dont like many! Plus its MS no wonder its so fast!
Fast, informative and a cool MS group shaping up "Here!" This way my geek and investor audience can tune in to check it out here!
Look what they are running - AWESOME!
OS, Web Server and Hosting History for www.investorshub.com
OS Server Last changed IP address Netblock Owner
Windows 2000 Microsoft-IIS/5.0 3-Sep-2002 216.63.13.31 Web One
Windows 2000 Microsoft-IIS/5.0 8-Mar-2002 216.63.13.30 Web One
Windows 2000 Microsoft-IIS/5.0 31-Oct-2001 216.191.104.25 AT&T Canada Telecom Services Company
Windows 2000 Microsoft-IIS/5.0 15-Jul-2001 66.48.2.35 Dynamic Views Inc.
WM - I think thats as honest as they can be with stock and options. It will firstly be something they think about for any old talent and something of a great reward for existing talent. No worries, you know what you got and its always worth something. Its an asset to the comp packages that keep it honest!
This site is fast as can be across the whole thing. Nice work!
I will keep trying,,,hehehehehe
2B - what is Apples architecture for this going to look like. I am curios in their approach on how they will satisfy the Hollywood type for secure. Apple does not have a strong back end for this so it has me curious!