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| News Headlines For Friday 10th March 2000 |
| Official X-Box Press Release & Website |
- Microsoft
Game Console Impresses
Time: 19:18 EST/00:18 GMT News Source: AP Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp.'s (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) new X-Box entertainment game console may have gained a number of converts among skeptical developers Friday, though whether that will translate to commercial success against already formidable competition is far from certain.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who introduced the new console at the Game Developers Conference here, put his company's challenge succinctly: ``One key element that is crucial is making it fun, making sure that people are entertained by what they do.''
- THOMSON
multimedia Endorses Microsoft's X-Box
Time: 17:40 EST/22:40 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonTHOMSON multimedia, a worldwide leader in digital consumer electronics products through its popular RCA and THOMSON brands, today announced its support for the new Microsoft X- Box that is expected to fuel even more demand for interactive digital products and services. THOMSON multimedia sees the definition of home entertainment dramatically changing over the next few years, with innovations in hardware, software, and content delivered to an ever more demanding consumer through advanced platforms.
- X-Box Based On The Windows 2000
Kernel
Time: 17:23 EST/22:23 GMT News Source: GDC/E-Mail Posted By: Byron HinsonThe X-Box will be based on a Windows 2000 kernel and Microsoft's DirectX 8 gaming technology. "The X-Box takes game platforms from being programmer-driven consoles to an artist-driven consoles," said Shamus Black, director of X-Box advanced technology for Microsoft, who showed off several demos of the technology.
"We can solve the problems you (developers) run into when creating a game without you needing to fix it." "It's a console designed by software engineers for software engineers," said Black.
- X-Box
Launch Photos
Time: 16:12 EST/21:12 GMT News Source: AP Posted By: Byron Hinson(Updated) We have started to post the X-Box launch photos from Japan onto the site, expect more over the next few hours or so...Keep a check on our new X-Box section (On the nav bar) to keep up to date.
- X-Box
launches Microsoft into heart of the house
Time: 15:56 EST/20:56 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft is trying to get into your living room, whether you like it or not. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates today outlined his vision for the X-Box--a game console with built-in high-speed Internet access and e-commerce capabilities--to a packed crowd at the Game Developers Conference.
Arriving on store shelves in the second half of 2001, the X-Box will compete directly against Sony's PlayStation2, Nintendo's Dolphin and Sega's Dreamcast in the lucrative gaming market.
The battle between the four companies will largely be waged over winning the hearts, minds and wallets of teens. To lure that crowd, Microsoft promises the X-Box will come with an easy-to-use operating system, an 8 GB hard drive, built-in connections for high-speed Net access, ultra-realistic graphics and a bevy of games. As previously reported, an Intel chip will serve as the brains of the box.
- Hasbro
Interactive to Develop Games for Microsoft X-Box
Time: 14:19 EST/19:19 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonLeading game publisher Hasbro Interactive, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS - news), today announced its support of Microsoft's X-Box, saying that it plans to develop several of its renowned game franchises for the new game console.
``X-Box is going to help make interactive game-playing very broad-based, attracting more consumers with new and diverse entertainment interests to our industry,'' commented Hasbro Interactive President Tom Dusenberry. ``Our all-family approach to interactive games, with something for every member of the household, positions us well to capitalize on and help fuel the further broadening of interactive game-playing.''
- Intel
says it will make the chip for Microsoft game console
Time: 14:18 EST/19:18 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonComputer chip giant Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - news) said on Friday it would make the processor for Microsoft Corp.'s (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) new X-Box video game console, joining the software heavyweight in its expansion away from traditional computers to smaller, cheaper consumer devices.
``It will be Intel technology. It will be an Intel processor that will drive this thing,'' Intel spokesman Bill Calder told Reuters.
- ActiveWin:
Frequently Asked Questions - Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me)
- Updated
Time: 14:17 EST/19:17 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert SteinWe have updated the Windows Me FAQ with some new bits and pieces that have come into us over the past few days whilst speaking with Mary Jo Foley from ZDnet. Such as the May 26th RTM date touted around by some sites is not likely to happen.
- NVIDIA
selected for Microsoft X-Box
Time: 12:00 EST/17:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonNVIDIA(TM) Corp. (Nasdaq:NVDA - news) today announced that Microsoft® Corp. has selected NVIDIA to design and manufacture the 3D graphics and multimedia sub-system for Microsoft's highly anticipated X-Box game console.
Microsoft officially announced X-Box today to an anxious audience at the Game Developer's Conference, being held this week in San Jose, Calif. The design win represents an important strategic step for NVIDIA. For the past three years, NVIDIA has dominated the performance 3D segment of the desktop PC market with its RIVA TNT(TM), TNT2(TM) and GeForce 256(TM) graphics processors.
- X-Box
to Deliver Ultimate Console Gaming Experience
Time: 08:58 EST/13:58 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson
At
a Microsoft executive retreat last March, a suggestion that the
company develop its own video game console coincided with a similar
idea already being explored by Microsoft’s DirectX team. The
proposal quickly made its way up the ranks of approval and, one year
later, has become reality.Today, at the annual Game Developers Conference, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates revealed that Microsoft is entering the video game scene with the introduction of a new game console, code-named X-Box. Capitalizing on its software expertise, experience in maintaining MSN Gaming Zone (http://www.zone.com/) -- the most popular gaming community on the Internet -- and advances in PC technology, X-Box is a game console that will deliver the most realistic, intense and action-packed game experience available.
- Intel Confirmed As CPU Chip In
X-Box
Time: 07:35 EST/12:35 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron HinsonThis morning we have spoken with a few people at Microsoft about the X-Box and have received confirmation that the CPU inside the X-Box will indeed be powered by Intel. It is a plain old Pentium III 600 chip with the Streaming SIMD Extensions. Microsoft also said that the press release will be updated later today and that Intel will also be mentioned during the Bill Gates speech at the GDC.
- Microsoft
Enters Videogame Battle With X-Box
Time: 07:24 EST/12:24 GMT News Source: Yahoo Newswire Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft headed into the living room battle zone Friday, unveiling the ``X-box'' videogame console with which it will challenge market leaders Sony and Nintendo. ``The X-box will be a huge milestone for Microsoft and the entire game industry,'' Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told a Tokyo news conference in a recorded video. It did not display an actual model of the machine, but showed various graphics illustrating its capabilities.
- Microsoft
Unveils New Game Console
Time: 07:23 EST/12:23 GMT News Source: AP Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. is setting up a battle of the gaming giants as it takes the wraps off an entertainment console code-named ``X-Box'' in a bid for a larger chunk of the $11 billion video gaming industry. The system was unveiled Friday in Tokyo, ahead of a planned announcement at an annual gaming conference here by Chairman Bill Gates - a sign of how serious the company is about taking on the Big Three Japanese game makers: Sony, Sega and Nintendo.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-008) - Patch Available for "Registry
Permissions" Vulnerability
Time: 07:00 EST/12:00 GMT News Source: Microsoft Product Security Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft has released a tool that installs tighter permissions on three sets of registry values in Microsoft(r) Windows NT 4.0. The default permissions could allow a malicious user to gain additional privileges on a machine that they can interactively log onto.
[Submit News] [Return To Headlines] [Translate] [Site News]
- Gates
Hints Microsoft Serious About Settlement
Time: 04:27 EST/09:27 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates said in a broadcast interview that his company was doing its best to reach a settlement with the Justice Department of its landmark antitrust case.
"The idea of a settlement could be attractive for Microsoft, for the government, and for consumers. And we're very serious about exploring that and putting a lot of effort into it," Gates said in an interview with CNBC.
- Official
X-Box Website Opens
Time: 02:35 EST/07:35 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonAs we announced yesterday, Microsoft today opened up their Official X-Box website to the public, the site contains some interesting quotes and the official specs on the console, check it out.
[Submit News] [Return To Headlines] [Translate] [Site News]
- Microsoft
Unveils Plans for X-Box Video Games System Inspires Developers to
Create Better Games, Faster
Time: 02:25 EST/07:25 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonBill Gates announced today at the annual Game Developers Conference that Microsoft Corp. is entering the video game world with the introduction of a future-generation dedicated video game console, currently code-named X-Box, designed to deliver intense, action-packed games. Building on the company’s software expertise and advances in PC technology — such as 3-D graphics and Internet connectivity — Microsoft is developing a high-performance, easy-to-use platform that will enable developers to create better games, faster.
“Building on our strengths as a software company, X-Box will offer game developers a powerful platform and game enthusiasts an incredible experience,” said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft. “We want X-Box to be the platform of choice for the best and most creative game developers in the world.”
[Submit News] [Return To Headlines] [Translate] [Site News]
- Bill Gates Announces The X-Box On
CNBC
Time: 18:15 EST/23:15 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron Hinson
Bill
Gates tonight finally announced what everyone has known about for
the past 7 months, Microsoft's first entry into console gaming...The
X-Box. We were tipped off early this morning that Bill Gates was due
to talk about the new console on CNBC so we stayed on to watch and
thankfully we were not disappointed. An hour earlier Bill Gates also
confirmed the console on another Satellite channel and here in the
UK on News 24 although he wouldn't go into specifics. Here are the
official bits and pieces:Nvidia will make the graphics chip
Onboard Disk Drive
Internet Connection
Won't be available till 2nd Quarter 2001
May have a price point as low as $200Sega was quoted as saying they won't back down from the race, stating that even though Microsoft is a huge company, it is a company that has never dealt with the console industry before. Bill Gates also stated that it would be a "Breakthrough product" although he wouldn't exactly say how.
ActiveXBox
(Opening Soon)Visit
the Microsoft X-Box website (Opens Tomorrow)
Read
more| News Headlines For Thursday 9th March 2000 |
| X-Box Officially Announced |
- Bill Gates Announces The X-Box On
CNBC
Time: 18:15 EST/23:15 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron HinsonBill
Gates tonight finally announced what everyone has known about for
the past 7 months, Microsoft's first entry into console gaming...The
X-Box. We were tipped off early this morning that Bill Gates was due
to talk about the new console on CNBC so we stayed on to watch and
thankfully we were not disappointed. An hour earlier Bill Gates also
confirmed the console on another Satellite channel and here in the
UK on News 24 although he wouldn't go into specifics. Here are the
official bits and pieces:Nvidia will make the graphics chip
Onboard Disk Drive
Internet Connection
Won't be available till 2nd Quarter 2001
May have a price point as low as $200Sega was quoted as saying they won't back down from the race, stating that even though Microsoft is a huge company, it is a company that has never dealt with the console industry before. Bill Gates also stated that it would be a "Breakthrough product" although he wouldn't exactly say how.
ActiveXBox
(Opening Soon)Visit
the Microsoft X-Box website (Opens Tomorrow) - Microsoft
security hole bugs Web-based email
Time: 17:46 EST/22:46 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft today confirmed a security hole in Windows 95 and Windows 98 that could result in problems for Web surfers or users of particular email programs.
The hole could also potentially be used to create more significant system damage, experts say.
The vulnerability, which was just discovered, works by forcing a computer to process a certain sequence of characters. A user could encounter this situation in several instances: when downloading a Web page that has been embedded with malicious code, when opening an email message on Hotmail or some other Web-based email service or simply by typing the code at a DOS prompt. When a computer encounters the sequence of characters and tries to process them, it crashes.
Microsoft confirmed the vulnerability, which is a type of "Trojan horse," and said it is working on a patch.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-014) - Patch Available for "SQL Query
Abuse" Vulnerability
Time: 17:14 EST/22:14 GMT News Source: Microsoft Product Security Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft® SQL Server 7.0 and Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) 1.0. The vulnerability could allow the remote author of a malicious SQL query to take unauthorized actions on a SQL Server or MSDE database or on the underlying system that was hosting the SQL Server or MSDE database.
- Get
a jump on Windows 2000 with deployment planning tool from Compaq,
Microsoft
Time: 15:06 EST/20:06 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisCompaq and Microsoft are helping IT professionals get a head start on deploying Microsoft® Windows® 2000.
The two companies are offering a Windows Media™-based deployment planning tool that delivers technical seminars and other information on Windows 2000 right to the desktop. The Deployment JumpStart for Windows 2000 is a Compaq ProLiant server preconfigured with Windows 2000 Server and loaded with 50 one-hour technical seminars and two white papers. Using Windows Media Services, the Deployment JumpStart delivers the seminars with high-quality audio and video synchronized with PowerPoint® slides and demonstrations.
This information is designed to help companies’ IT staff and other employees plan for, deploy and begin using Windows 2000.
- Why
Microsoft Wants Sega
Time: 15:06 EST/20:06 GMT News Source: MCV Posted By: Byron HinsonSure, conversations between companies like Microsoft and Sega happen all the time. Some times they work out, other times they fall apart. MCV examines more details behind these proposed deals, why Sega would be an excellent partner for Microsoft and why Sega would say yes within the scope of its long-term vision.
Let's start at the top. There are four key elements to any platform when examining it at the most macro level: the hardware, the operating system, the network and the content. Each has ramifications for development costs, publishing support, hardware manufacturing costs, retail support and consumer demand for the system. Examination of Microsoft's support in each of these areas shows very obvious holes; the largest is probably content.
- Former
MS execs invest in wireless
Time: 15:06 EST/20:06 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisA group of former Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) and McCaw Cellular executives has formed a new-company incubator firm. The new firm, Ignition, will fund, mentor and build wireless Internet startup companies. Based in Bellevue, Wash., Ignition has already raised $140 million from investors, including Qualcomm Inc. (Nasdaq: QCOM), Softbank Venture Capital and Madrona Venture Group.
- Web
attacks: Cure worse than disease?
Time: 15:04 EST/20:04 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisThe difference between checking for security holes and exploiting them is purely one of intent, as anti-virus maker Trend Micro Inc. has discovered.
Trend Micro's enterprise anti-viral program OfficeScan -- which also scans for denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerabilities -- also is a prime vehicle for foul play. According to Bugtraq reports and Trend Micro itself, OfficeScan also opens the door for internal attacks.
- The
rise and fall of Netscape
Time: 15:02 EST/20:02 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisWhen Netscape employees first heard their company was going to be bought by America Online in November 1998, they worried whether their dogs would still be allowed in the office. A year and a half later, the dogs are still allowed, but little else is the same. Key executives and engineers cashed in their options and left, and the company that once was synonymous with the Web itself -- the pioneer of the Net as we know it -- is now merely the "at-work" arm of AOL's multi-brand media strategy.
"The merger has been a disaster," said Michael Cusumano, professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management and co-author of "Competing on Internet Time," which details Netscape's struggles in its now legendary browser war against Microsoft. "All the best engineers and managers have left. Sun has taken over the client software. ... They're no longer a player."
- Microsoft
is still 'The Evil Empire'
Time: 14:53 EST/19:53 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft bashing is just not as fun as it used to be. Everyone, from the government, to disgruntled developers -- to yours truly, I must admit -- has elevated to the level of a national past time the practice of kicking Microsoft when it's down. The cumulative damage has started hitting Microsoft where it hurts. For more than a month, the company's stock price has been hovering around $90. Even Santana couldn't help Microsoft hype Windows 2000 enough to bring the share price back to over $100.
- Microsoft
and Dunn Computer Sign Partner Letter to Jointly Market Windows 2000
solutions
Time: 12:13 EST/17:13 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonDunn Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DNCC - news) announced it has signed a letter of understanding with Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) to become a partner in the Microsoft 2000 Jumpstart program. Dunn and Microsoft will jointly market Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system along with Dunn's migration and desktop deployment services to commercial accounts in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Dunn sales and technical consultants will work with Microsoft's inside sales team and local field account representatives to seed new accounts with the new Microsoft software, associated Dunn services and Dunn's new line of Windows 2000 platforms.
- MSN
Continues Aggressive Spam Protection for 58 Million Hotmail Users
With Customizable Inbox Protector
Time: 09:33 EST/14:33 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMSN today unveiled the new Hotmail Inbox Protector, the most customizable and user-friendly bulk mail filter that puts users of the world's largest e-mail service in more control of their Web experience. MSN also announced continued integration of communication services on the MSN™ network of Internet services, including updates to the MSN Hotmail® Web-based e-mail service, MSN Messenger Service and MSN Calendar. These enhancements bring consumers closer to experiencing the Everyday Web any time, anywhere and on any device.
- FILMSPEED,
ShowBIZ Data and Microsoft Announce New Syndication Model for
High-Quality Internet Video
Time: 09:33 EST/14:33 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonFILMSPEED, ShowBIZ Data Inc. and Microsoft Corp. announced a new syndication model for streaming and downloaded video distribution on the Internet, using ShowBIZData's deep, multileveled entertainment database, fully optimized FILMSPEED video imagery and Microsoft® Windows Media™ technologies.
This alliance enables the Hollywood film and television community to distribute movie trailers and other video content on the Internet at less expense, with higher quality, and to a wider audience than ever before, all from the central FILMSPEED distribution service in Los Angeles. The service is available immediately at http://www.FILMSPEED.com/.
- Microsoft To Hold A Conference On
"New Game Business" Tomorrow
Time: 06:20 EST/11:20 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron Hinson
Microsoft
Corp said on Thursday it will hold a news conference at 02:00 GMT on
Friday in Tokyo about a new game business. "The company will
talk about its new game business. We can't comment any further"
a Microsoft spokesman said.
Microsoft Vice President Rick Thompson, who is in charge of hardware, will attend the conference.
[Submit News] [Return To Headlines] [Translate] [Site News]
- Microsoft, Sega X-Box Deal Off
Time: 06:18 EST/11:18 GMT News Source: Gamespot Posted By: Byron HinsonHere is a new article from Gamespot about the Microsoft and Sega dealings (Which we announced a while back exclusively) over the X-Box:
According to Nikkei Shinbun, Microsoft will join the race in the console-gaming industry independent of Sega's help, despite recently published rumors that stated otherwise. The reason behind the decision, which apparently was made late last night by Sega, is mostly due to a negotiations breakdown with Microsoft on the night of March 6. According to the article, the royalties for the Windows OS and the cost to make the X-Box compatible with Sega's Dreamcast were factors in Sega's decision.
The deal is not entirely off, however, as Sega may possibly be manufacturing an OEM X-Box for Microsoft in the future. Microsoft has now decided to prioritize X-Box development by seeking Japanese developers and publishers directly. Without Sega's support for the X-Box, however, Japanese game companies might be a bit ambivalent about jumping on the X-Box bandwagon.
| News Headlines For Wednesday 8th March 2000 |
| DirectX 8 |
- Fixed
Font Alignment in Japanese Windows 2000
Time: 21:40 EST/02:40 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron HinsonFor Windows 2000, Japanese language-version only. This update resolves the "Fixed Font does not Align Properly when using Double-Byte Character Set" issue in the Japanese language-version of Windows 2000. When you use a fixed pitch font, such as MS Gothic or MS Mincho, the fonts may not be aligned properly on your monitor or printer.For Windows 2000, Japanese language-version only. This update resolves the "Fixed Font does not Align Properly when using Double-Byte Character Set" issue in the Japanese language-version of Windows 2000. When you use a fixed pitch font, such as MS Gothic or MS Mincho, the fonts may not be aligned properly on your monitor or printer.
- Microsoft
X-Box trails Playstation on software support
Time: 19:53 EST/00:53 GMT News Source: EE Times Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp.'s decision to jump into the game console business is a testament to the PC industry's belief that it has the technological underpinnings to take on the likes of Sony Computer Entertainment's Playstation 2. But observers say Microsoft and its allies will be hard-pressed to match the support SCE has won from the software developer community.
SCE has made lofty claims about the new level of realism in computer graphics that will be ushered in by its powerful new graphics subsystem. Playstation 2 is powered by two custom-made processors, the 128-bit Emotion Engine CPU with two channels linking it to Direct Rambus DRAMs, and a fast graphics processor with embedded RAM. SCE claims the graphics subsystem will provide a floating-point performance of 6.2 Gflops, and can churn out some 75 million polygons per second.
- New
Content Added To The Official StarLancer Site
Time: 15:58 EST/20:58 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson
Microsoft
today unveiled new content on the official StarLancer Web site,
located at http://www.microsoft.com/games/da/starlancer/.
The site now provides even more detailed information on the game,
including new screen shots and AVIs. StarLancer is the highly
anticipated new game being developed by Erin and Chris Roberts,
creators of the popular Wing Commander and Privateer series. A
futuristic space combat game that combines the action of a
first-person space shooter with the drama and intrigue of a classic
air combat movie, StarLancer will be available in stores this April. - NVIDIA
And Microsoft Jointly Promote New 3D Standards At Game Developers
Conference
Time: 15:12 EST/20:12 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson
Continuing
its commitment to drive new 3D graphics standards for the desktop
PC, NVIDIA™ Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) today announced its premier
sponsorship of the Microsoft Windows® DirectXTM Developer Day.
Microsoft's DirectX Developer Day provides developers with critical
technical information regarding the DirectX API's (Application
Programming Interface) next generation features. The event will be
held at the Game Developer Conference on Wednesday, March 8th from
8:00AM to 6:00PM at the San Jose Convention Center. - China approves Windows 2000
Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: Reuters Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) has won approval from Beijing to sell its Windows 2000 software in China, laying to rest fears that new rules on encryption technology would snarl the product launch later this month. China began enforcing rules in January that require companies and individuals to register their encryption products with the government, then apply for permission to use them. Many executives fear the rules are the first step toward an outright ban of the sale in China of foreign encryption technology, which is embedded in everything from software and mobile phones to cable television systems and Internet servers.
- Microsoft
Previews Next Version of DirectX at GDC 2000
Time: 14:41 EST/19:41 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonThis week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2000, Microsoft Corp. will preview for software developers the next version of its powerful game-development DirectXâ application programming interface (API). With sweeping advances in real-time rendered music, photo-realistic graphics and the addition of advanced voice technology, the forthcoming version of Microsoft® DirectX, scheduled to ship in late summer 2000, is expected to enable the creation of game titles that deliver the most sensory, immersive Windowsâ -based gaming experience to date.
- Stride
Rite Deploys Windows 2000 to Maintain Competitive Edge
Time: 14:41 EST/19:41 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced that Stride Rite Corp., one of the leading marketers of high-quality footwear, has deployed the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system and replaced their Novell NetWare environment.
The result is a powerful, scalable network that operates more efficiently, a consistent and smoothly functioning client architecture that is more manageable and cost-effective, and a rapid-development environment for building line-of-business applications that take advantage of the Windows DNA 2000 architecture.
- Microsoft
Acts to Thwart Software Piracy in Wisconsin
Time: 10:25 EST/14:25 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. today announced that the company has filed lawsuits against four resellers in Wisconsin as part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers and legitimate resellers and to lessen the negative effects of software piracy on Wisconsin's economy. The four resellers allegedly distributed counterfeit and/or infringing Microsoft® software.
Wisconsin has a piracy rate of 25 percent, the same as the average piracy rate in the United States. This means that one in four computers is running pirated software in Wisconsin. According to a recent study by International Planning & Research Corp., in 1998 Wisconsin lost almost $79 million in combined wage, salary and tax revenue to software piracy. The state also lost more than 2,400 jobs due to the severe impact of the distribution of illegitimate software, as well as more than $11 million in tax revenue - money that otherwise could have contributed to local and state improvement projects.
- Microsoft
Announces Technology Tools For Helping Faculty Create and Manage
Online Resources And Comply With Instructional Management System
Standards
Time: 10:23 EST/14:23 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. today announced new technology tools developed to empower faculty members to create and manage online learning resources with MicrosoftÒ Office 2000 in compliance with Instructional Management Systems (IMS) specifications, as well as a new set of resources to enhance educators' use of the Microsoft FrontPage 2000 Web site creation and management tool in the classroom. With the new IMS Meta-Data Add-In for Microsoft Office 2000 Professional and access to the add-in source code, which supports the IMS Learning Resource Meta-data specifications, educators using Office 2000 can easily create meta-data. In addition, using FrontPage 2000 and the new add-in, faculty members can design rich instructional Web sites and incorporate simple computer-based quizzing solutions into their instruction materials.
- Go2Net
Selects TransPoint as Exclusive E-Bills Provider
Time: 10:20 EST/14:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisTransPoint LLC and Go2Net Inc. (Nasdaq "GNET") today announced an exclusive agreement that will allow users of the Go2Net Network to receive and pay bills offered by the TransPoint™ online bill payment service in spring 2000. The agreement gives users of the Go2Net Network access to both the TransPoint e-billing service and the Pay Anyone feature that was launched Feb. 1, 2000, enabling users to pay and manage all of their bills via TransPoint. Today's agreement also includes a multimillion dollar promotional component, through which TransPoint will be marketed across several of the Go2Net Network's most popular sites.
Initially, Go2Net will feature the TransPoint service on four of its primary properties, including Go2Net.com, Dogpile, HyperMart and Silicon Investor. The Go2Net Network was among the fastest growing of the Internet's top 20 destinations in 1999, according to the Media Metrix Web measurement service.
- XML:
Does MS really have nothing up its sleeve?
Time: 10:18 EST/14:18 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisWith the rise of XML, Microsoft is being cast in an unfamiliar role: that of being a leading innovator (but not the instigator) of an architecture for interoperable distributed Web applications.
XTech in San Jose last week brought together many of the hard-core developers of XML protocols without the marketing types. The focus is now on developing a serialisation and transport layer for XML messaging/RPC (remote procedure calls), and how such standardization should be brought about. A protocol is essential if Web applications are to be connected in ways chosen by users, rather than vendors, with the result being what has been dubbed the two-way Web.
- Microsoft
resigns from industry body SIIA
Time: 04:05 EST/09:05 GMT News Source: IDG.net Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Tuesday resigned from industry organization the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA). The move, which was not entirely unexpected, follows SIIA's filing of a "friend of the court" brief against the software giant in the ongoing U.S. government antitrust case last month.
Also Tuesday, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Bob Herbold, who had been a member of SIIA's 19-person board, announced his resignation from the body's board.
- Microsoft
and Leading Data Mining Vendors Line Up In Support of Data Mining
Specification
Time: 03:39 EST/08:39 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. today announced the beta release of the OLE DB for Data Mining specification, a protocol based on the SQL language, that provides software vendors and application developers with an open interface to more efficiently integrate data mining tools and capabilities into line-of-business and e-commerce applications. A dozen leading data mining and business intelligence vendors announced their support for the new protocol, which will enable diverse data mining products to more easily exchange data and results and allow developers to more easily incorporate data mining technology into existing data warehousing solutions. Supporting vendors include ANGOSS Software Corp., Appsource Corp., Comshare Inc., DB Miner Technology Inc., Knosys Inc., Magnify Inc., Megaputer Intelligence Inc., Maximal Innovative Intelligence Ltd., NCR Corp., PolyVista Inc. and SPSS Inc.
- Stride
Rite takes big step toward Business Internet by migrating to Windows
2000
Time: 03:37 EST/08:37 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisStride Rite Corp., a longtime leader in the shoe business, wants to stay a step ahead of the competition.
And a state-of-the-art IT system is key to meeting that goal. Stride Rite recently implemented Microsoft® Windows® 2000 across its organization, migrating from a patchwork of Novell and legacy systems. Windows 2000 Server gives Stride Rite a more powerful, scalable and efficient network. Windows 2000 Professional offers a more manageable, cost-effective client architecture. And Windows 2000 delivers a rapid-development environment for building and deploying applications for the Internet.
- Continental
Airlines, eHome save money with Windows 2000 Server-based VPN
solutions
Time: 03:35 EST/08:35 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisRemote access services connect workers to important tools and information.
But dial-up charges can be costly, especially for companies with lots of workers connecting via long-distance or 800 numbers. That's why many businesses are using Internet access and virtual private networking (VPN) to connect their remote users to company networks. And by taking advantage of VPN support in Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server, companies like Continental Airlines and online real estate firm eHome have saved money while gaining fast, secure and manageable remote access capabilities.
- AMD,
Intel pushing beyond 1GHz
Time: 03:30 EST/08:30 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisThe gigahertz race may be over, but don't count on the PC industry stopping just there.
According to PC makers, the computing public's hunger for greater performance remains unabated -- and that means 1GHz, or 1,000MHz, processors will, sooner rather than later, be surpassed by even more powerful chips.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) beat archrival Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) to the 1,000MHz mark Monday when it announced it is shipping a 1GHz Athlon processor for desktops
- Gaming's
battle for your living room
Time: 03:30 EST/08:30 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) has long eyed Sony Corp.'s dominance of the living-room gaming scene. On Friday at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif., however, Microsoft is expected to finally open hostilities against the PlayStation2 maker.
According to sources, Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates will use the conference to unveil Microsoft's Xbox -- a game console based in PC technology but with all the ease of use of console devices. Based on a high-powered PC, the Xbox, which the software giant hopes will lure living-room gamers, is expected to have Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (NYSE: AMD) Athlon processor, the latest NVidia GeForce graphics chip, 64MB of RAM, and a hard drive of between 4GB and 6GB, according to sources close to the deals.
- Analysts
divided over VeriSign's purchase of Network Solutions
Time: 03:24 EST/08:24 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Alex HarrisSecurity software maker VeriSign wants to become a gatekeeper of the Internet economy, but it is unclear whether its proposed acquisition of Network Solutions will provide the key.
The company today said it would pay $21 billion in stock for the leading Net name registrar in an ambitious move aimed at vastly expanding its core offerings.
"VeriSign's goal is to be a transaction hub," said Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst with CIBC World Markets. "People still see them as an encryption company, but that stops short of what they're all about."
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- Analysts
say settlement possible in Microsoft trial
Time: 03:22 EST/08:22 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft could have a chance soon to settle the antitrust case brought against it by the Justice Department, an analyst said today after a briefing by the company's new chief financial officer.
"The feeling was there was a near-term opportunity to have this settled, some language being given that they wouldn't have any change in culture or structure," said Walter Winnitzki, a well-known software analyst with Chase Hambrecht & Quist.
"My sense was that there was something being thrown about (in the talks)," Winnitzki told Reuters after Microsoft chief financial officer John Connors met analysts at the company's New York office.
| News Headlines For Tuesday 7th March 2000 |
| Lots Of XBox/X-Box Info |
- Nvidia Stock Soars on XBox
Speculation
Time: 15:58 EST/20:58 GMT News Source: Reuters Posted By: Byron HinsonShares of Nvidia Corp., a provider of 3D graphics processors, soared on Tuesday on speculation that Microsoft Corp. will soon announce plans to use Nvidia's technology in its XBox gaming console.
Nvidia shares were up 17 to 75 1/2 on the Nasdaq stock market. Neither company was available for comment. ``We now believe that Microsoft will use 3D graphics technology from Nvidia in its gaming console that will compete with the Sony Playstation and other gaming consoles,'' said Hans Mosesmann, an analyst with Prudential Securities.
Mosesmann said Nvidia (NasdaqNM:NVDA - news) shares soared on speculation that Microsoft and Nvidia would announce something at the March 8-12 Game Developers Conference. ``If true, this would represent a very important strategic step as Nvidia moves toward the home electronics market,'' said Mosesmann.
- Microsoft
pairs with Nvidia on X-Box gaming console
Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: EE Times Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates will announce the company's long-rumored X-Box game console at the Game Developers Conference (San Jose, Calif.) on Friday (March 10). Still in its final stages of development, X-Box is touted as a killer consumer platform designed to compete against Sony Computer Entertainment's recently-launched Playstation 2. And Microsoft has decided to work with Nvidia Corp., its graphics chip partner, on the X-Box architecture. Current plans call for an X-Box launch in time for the Christmas 2001 selling season.
- Microsoft
Unveils Integrated E-Mail, Word and Excel for the Pocket PC
Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonToday at the Mobile Insights 2000 Conference, Microsoft Corp. unveiled new business productivity features of the Pocket PC, including pocket versions of Outlook® Inbox, Microsoft® Word and Microsoft Excel, which together result in the most functional and flexible office companion ever delivered on a personal digital assistant (PDA).
- Ora-Creative
NetFlow 2.1: Review
Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron HinsonEvery web surfer knows that downloading files can be painful due to many factors: huge file size, server failure, bad quality internet connection, human errors, power cut, etc…There’s a solution for all this annoying issues. Since a few months we’ve seen many download managers, but one has retained all our attention. It’s NetFlow 2.1. This program is a shareware and it was made by a young French startup. Yep, French have also got “Savoir-faire” to build amazing software! By the way this software has received awards by Ziff-Davis and France Telecom.
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- Microsoft
to Introduce Game Console
Time: 10:05 EST/15:05 GMT News Source: AP Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp.'s (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) new video game system, expected to be unveiled at a game technology conference on Friday, will have the power of a high-end gaming system and the flexibility of a personal computer.
Sources close to the project, dubbed ``Xbox'' by company insiders, told The Associated Press Monday that the game consoles themselves would be based on the same components that power personal computers.
- Sweeney
Confirms X-Box
Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Voodoo Extreme Posted By: Byron HinsonVoodoo Extreme: With the X-Box rumored to run about about 1 GHz and the Dolphin not too far behind, is Epic planning on porting the Unreal Tournament to other console systems? Have you seen the mysterious X-Box in action yet?
Tim Sweeney: We're very excited about X-Box and have been working closely with Microsoft since the project's inception. You can definitely look forward to the Unreal engine on the platform.
We haven't heard much about Dolphin and don't have any plans to do anything on it ourselves. It and the Dreamcast are on our list of "cool things we just don't have any time to deal with". We're going to be targeting PC, PlayStation2, and X-Box very thoroughly, and that's all.
- Microsoft
Chooses Active Voice Call Control Application for Windows 2000
Time: 09:57 EST/14:57 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonActive Voice Corporation (Nasdaq: ACVC - news), a global provider of unified messaging and computer telephony software solutions, today announced at CT EXPO the general availability of Phone Dialer, a voice and video communications application developed for Microsoft and packaged with Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system products.
- Voice
of the Customer is Key Focus of New Microsoft Windows 2000 Web Site
Time: 09:57 EST/14:57 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonZentropy Partners, a leading global Internet-services company that integrates the building and marketing of digital businesses, today announced the launch of the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 information Web site and its companion online advertising video banner campaign.
Working with the Microsoft Windows division, Zentropy Partners created a unique interactive information site designed to educate customers about the new Windows 2000 software. By keying or clicking on one of the customer story urls from a print or video banner advertisement such as the referring url: www.seemystory.com/jeff, a user can experience ``Jeff's'' story.
- NDS
and Microsoft Announce Strategic Alliance To Extend Availability of
Enhanced TV
Time: 09:56 EST/14:56 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonNDS Group plc (Nasdaq/Easdaq "NNDS"), a News Corporation (NYSE "NWS") company, and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT") today announced a strategic alliance to extend the availability of Microsoft® TV-based enhanced television solutions for network operators worldwide, based on open standards. As part of this relationship, Microsoft announced a new component of the Microsoft TV platform targeted at the current generation of digital set-top boxes, which enables Microsoft to offer the most comprehensive enhanced TV platform solution available.
- WindowsMedia.com
to Bring Kingdome Implosion to the Web With Live Footage, Archived
Implosions and 3-D Viewing
Time: 09:56 EST/14:56 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft® WindowsMedia.com announced today it will work with Controlled Demolition Inc. and ISee3D Inc. to make a webcast of the March 26 Kingdome implosion in Seattle broadly available to Internet viewers. The implosion will be webcast live - in regular streaming video as well as 3-D - and will be featured at WindowsMedia.com (http://www.windowsmedia.com/), the MSN™ guide to audio and video content on the Internet. In addition, WindowsMedia.com will make available to all interested Internet media outlets a free webcast feed of the implosion that they can offer to their viewers.
- U.S.
confident of ruling in Microsoft case, but remedies up in the air
Time: 04:27 EST/09:27 GMT News Source: SiliconValley Posted By: Matthew SabeanGovernment lawyers, emboldened by Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's earlier decisions, are counting on him to soon declare that Microsoft Corp. has deliberately and systematically violated antitrust laws. But despite their private talk of impending victory, the Justice Department and 19 state attorneys general who are plaintiffs in this historic case remain unsure of the precise penalties they will ask Jackson to impose on the company.
Sources close to the government's case say they hope Jackson will find that Microsoft's behavior was both outrageous and pervasive enough to justify a request for a ``substantial'' remedy, such as a breakup of the company. They insist, however, that the government has not decided whether or not to ask Jackson to break up Microsoft.
``Nobody can tell you what remedy is appropriate until Judge Jackson tells everybody how the laws have been broken,'' said one individual who has worked with the government on the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
- Gates
files to sell $28 million in stock
Time: 04:24 EST/09:24 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft's founder and chief software architect filed with securities regulators to sell about $28.65 million worth of common stock in the world's leading software maker.
Bill Gates filed on Feb. 24 to sell 300,000 shares he received as founder's stock back in 1981, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made available late on Friday.
The sale represents a small fraction of Gates' holdings in Microsoft. As of September 1999, the latest available data showed he owned more than 780 million shares, or 15.3 percent, of Microsoft, a stake worth more than $73 billion at the current stock price.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-015) - Patch Available for "Clip Art
Buffer Overrun" Vulnerability
Time: 04:00 EST/09:00 GMT News Source: Microsoft Product Security Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in the Microsoft® Clip Art Gallery. The vulnerability could allow a malicious party to cause hostile code to execute on the computer of a user of the Clip Art Gallery.
The Microsoft Clip Art Gallery software is used to allow users to retrieve and use clip art in their documents. One of the features of the Clip Art Gallery allows the user to download additional clips from the Microsoft Clip Gallery Live web site, and then install that clip art on their computer. To do this, Clip Art Gallery and Clip Gallery Live use a file format called the CIL format to contain the newly downloaded clips. Under certain circumstances, a very long field embedded in a clip art CIL file could cause a buffer overrun in the Clip Art Gallery software. The buffer overrun could cause the software to crash or, under certain circumstances, could cause the execution of hostile code on the computer where the Clip Art Gallery software was executing.
| News Headlines For Monday 6th March 2000 |
| Ultima 9 Review - MS Israeli Site Hacked Home Publishing Suite 2000 Review - Vizact 2000 review |
- Flink
Ink: Sun Burns Java Standardization Effort
Time: 16:59 EST/21:59 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron HinsonFor me, the most under-reported story of the week was Sun's withdrawal of Java from the ECMA standards body. The ECMA Secretary General referred to it as "an enormous waste of experts' time and companies' money". I'd refer to it as another example of Sun acting like a bunch of spoiled children. You can read the report on ZDNet. For a change, I recommend reading the Talkback associated with this ZDNet article. As of this morning (3/4/00), the vast majority of the responses are not the normal mindless bashing, but rather serious concern about another good idea gone bad. This tells a chilling story. In my not so humble and reasonably experienced opinion, Sun has really damaged itself with this move.
- 'South
Park' Trojan Storms E-Mail
Time: 15:16 EST/20:16 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisThe cult cartoon series South Park has taken television by storm. Now a Trojan horse bearing the same name is ready to take your e-mail by storm. The Trojan, which made its first appearance on the Internet last June, is on the loose once again, antivirus software vendors warned last week.
The Trojan spreads by sending itself as an e-mail attachment to all the addresses listed in a user's Outlook Express program. It attempts to do that every 30 minutes, and has the potential to cause storms of e-mail that can clog up a company's network, the vendors say.
- AMD
Ships 1-GHz Athlon
Time: 15:14 EST/20:14 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisAdvanced Micro Devices beats Intel to the punch Monday, launching its 1-GHz Athlon processor. You can buy one of the fast new systems from Compaq and Gateway, and PC World.com's exclusive WorldBench 2000 test results prove the CPU delivers its promised boost.
Intel's fastest Pentium III chip currently runs at 800 MHz, but Intel will probably respond to AMD's salvo with faster chips in days, not weeks, says one industry analyst. Even so, Intel's 800-MHz systems hold up well against AMD's newest CPUs in early benchmark tests. The 1-GHz Athlon Compaq Presario 5900Z scored 154 on the PC WorldBench 2000 benchmark test: It runs about 11 percent faster than another Athlon machine we tested, the Compaq Presario 5900Z-850, which scored 139. Note that the 1-GHz Presario has 256MB of SDRAM memory while the 850-MHz Presario shipped with 128MB of memory. But the extra memory didn't seem to make much difference on PC World's tests.
- Microsoft
sells 500,000 copies of Win2000
Time: 15:09 EST/20:09 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisAt a briefing for Seattle-based media last week, Microsoft provided an update on Windows 2000 sales, which stood at 500,000 copies after two weeks of retail availability.
According to Windows marketing director Keith White, the 500,000 figure consisted mainly of Windows 2000 Professional sales. Noting that the figure doesn't include worldwide or major-account sales figures, White conjectured the figure consisted of individuals and small and midsize businesses.
- Microsoft
boosts salaries to keep talent in hot job market
Time: 15:07 EST/20:07 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisEven though it has minted more millionaires than perhaps any company in history, Microsoft is finding that recruiting employees, particularly in Silicon Valley, is getting harder than ever.
Facing a hiring crunch in California, Microsoft has boosted salaries of its Silicon Valley employees by 15 percent to stem turnover and increase staffing, the software giant confirmed. In other words, a Silicon Valley programmer receives 15 percent more in salary than one based in Redmond, Wash., for doing the same job. In the past, Microsoft has not offered regional cost-of-living raises.
- ActiveWin:
Microsoft Home Publishing Suite 2000 - Review
Time: 14:53 EST/19:53 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert Stein
Julien
has posted our review of Microsoft Home Publishing Suite 2000. Here
is a snippet from the review:
Behind this long name there’s a powerful consumer tool to create home publishing projects. Unlike Microsoft Publisher 2000, which is designed for small businesses, Home Publishing Suite 2000 is for home and family users. With it you’ll be able to create great and professional looking greeting cards, personal Web pages, animated email messages, calendars, signs, banners, party sets and much more. Home Publishing 2000 comes with photos, music, animated pictures and sounds to activate and animate your documents. As it comes with Microsoft Picture It 2000 editing pictures will be a child’s game for any users!
- ActiveWin:
Microsoft Vizact 2000 - Review
Time: 14:53 EST/19:53 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert Stein
Julien
has posted our review of Microsoft Vizact 2000. Here is a snippet
from the review:
Running Vizact 2k for the first time is a real pleasure! You’ll find the GUI of all the Microsoft Office 2k software and the same shortcut so users won’t be disrupted. The GUI presents you a timeline toolbar, a left outlook like panel that shows different views to change settings or to start wizard. And sure a white right panel where you can create or modify your documents. As you the documents that Vizact produces contain animations you’ve got ‘VCR’ like buttons to play/pause or stop your animations. The TimeLine panel shows you all the objects of your current documents plus all the other events such as animations, and sounds that play in your document. The TimeLine is also useful to see and change the length of your objects and events.
- Microsoft
Announces Unprecedented Momentum for MSDN At 3 Million Members
Time: 10:05 EST/15:05 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced unprecedented momentum for its MSDN™ Online developer portal and the MSDN developer program, with membership reaching more than 3 million worldwide at the end of 1999. According to data from Media Metrix Inc., MSDN Online serves more than 20 times as many unique users as competing programs from Sun Microsystems Inc., IBM Corp. or Oracle Corp. Also, MSDN grew 50 percent last year, more than twice the combined total of Sun, IBM and Oracle programs, according to research conducted by Market Decisions Inc. for Microsoft.
- Microsoft
Announces Customer Relationship Management Roadshow
Time: 10:05 EST/15:05 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced it will begin a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Conference roadshow on March 14, 2000. The 10-city nationwide tour is designed to present business decision-makers and IT professionals with the framework they need to interact more effectively with their customers now and in the future. Microsoft and its key software services partners will demonstrate how they are leveraging the Windows® 2000 operating system, Microsoft SQL Server™ and other core Windows DNA platform technologies to help businesses gain competitive advantage through better customer relationships.
- Microsoft
and DENSO to Collaborate on Future Navigation and ITS Devices
Time: 08:55 EST/13:55 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonToday at the SAE 2000 World Congress, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) announced it is working with DENSO Corp., a worldwide leader in automotive navigation, to create next-generation devices for navigation and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) applications. Microsoft and DENSO will deliver powerful navigation and ITS products that will assist motorists in avoiding traffic jams, preserving the environment and increasing safety.
DENSO and Microsoft agree that as navigation systems evolve, the industry will benefit from an open platform environment like Microsoft® Windows® CE for Automotive. The current lack of standardization severely limits manufacturers from sharing development costs and leveraging technological advances that could benefit all consumers.
- TIBCO
Announces Integration With Microsoft's COM and COM+ for Windows NT
And Windows 2000
Time: 08:55 EST/13:55 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonTIBCO Software Inc. (Nasdaq: TIBX - news), the leading provider of real-time infrastructure software for e-business, announced today the release of TIB®/Adapter for COM(TM). The Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) Component Object Model (COM) and COM+ are the leading component software models available today for Windows NT and Windows 2000. Applications developed using COM are growing in ever-increasing numbers, while others, including legacy applications, are being enhanced to provide COM interfaces. TIBCO's TIB/Adapter for COM provides a transparent, scalable solution for seamless integration between COM-based applications and other enterprise applications, including SAP R/3, Siebel, PeopleSoft, Clarify and Lotus Notes.
``Microsoft's focus on creating great software for e-business is complemented by TIBCO's adapter and legacy-to-XML technology, enabling companies and suppliers to conduct business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce,'' said Charles Stevens, vice president of Microsoft's business solutions group. ``Microsoft technology and TIBCO are a great combination to provide application developers with the integration tools they need to quickly transform brick-and-mortar businesses into e-businesses.''
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- ActiveWin:
Ultima 9 - Review
Time: 08:13 EST/13:13 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron Hinson
I
have posted my review of Origin/EA's Ultima 9 that was released late
last year. Here is a snippet from the review:
As the Avatar prepares to solve the riddle of the columns and dismantle the evil loosed in Britannia, he is once again aware that this is the handiwork of his arch-enemy, the Guardian. It seems that Britannia, in spite of the Avatar's protection and service, has not been able to sustain peace and prosperity, but has been vulnerable to the forces of evil, particularly those of the Guardian who wishes to conquer it once and for all. As the Avatar accepts the task at hand, the spirit Hawkwind tells him that this will be his last visit to Britannia. The Avatar, having come back to Britannia repeatedly for the purpose of saving it, wishes to teach it to become a self-sufficient system for good that is resistant to evil. Having undertaken this noble task eight times previously, the Avatar is no longer the boy enthralled with the challenge of battle, but a man with a maturing perspective. If in the future Britannia is to survive without him, it must prepare itself for forthcoming battles and prosper independently and beyond direct help. Britannia must not remain in a position of helpless stasis, but must ripen into an empire capable of defending its borders, protecting its people, and ridding itself of those who would harm it. Likewise, the Avatar must face the challenge of ascending as a being, of becoming actualized morally, ethically, and spiritually. He is ready to attain closure with Britannia and call an end to his perpetual adventuring there.
- Microsoft
Corp opens Pakistan office
Time: 06:23 EST/11:23 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonSoftware giant Microsoft Corp announced on Monday the opening of an office in Karachi to target Pakistan's growing information technology industry. Behram Mohazzebi, the company's regional manager said Pakistan was a market with a huge potential for the computer industry that could be used to boost the country's economy, which is largely dependent on cotton-based textile products.
- Hackers
Attack Microsoft Corp's New Israeli Site
Time: 06:22 EST/11:22 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonThe Israeli Internet service provider Internet Gold (NasdaqNM:IGLD - news) said Sunday hackers had briefly paralyzed its new Israeli site with Microsoft Corp (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) Saturday.
Internet Gold's chief executive, Eli Holtzman, said hackers had bombarded Microsoft's new Israeli site, www.msn.co.il, with so much traffic that slowed access for about an hour. He said hackers had channeled the traffic through Internet Gold with the aim of harming another Web site, which he declined to name, located outside Israel.
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- Quintus
to Participate in Microsoft CRM Conference Series
Time: 06:22 EST/11:22 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonQuintus Corporation (Nasdaq:QNTS - news), a provider of contact center solutions for e-customer relationship management (eCRM), today announced its participation in a nationwide Microsoft CRM Conference Tour titled ``Helping the Customer Succeed Through Effective CRM Solutions.''
Starting March 14 in San Jose, Calif. and winding up on May 11 in San Francisco, Calif., the conference tour will bring industry leaders together to talk about how CRM applications can be easily integrated and quickly adapted to meet the changing needs of businesses online and offline.
| News Headlines For Sunday 5th March 2000 |
| UK Net Access |
- Unlimited UK Net Access For £10
A Year Coming From AltaVista
Time: 19:38 EST/00:38 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Byron HinsonUK internet users are to be offered unlimited access to the internet for just £10 a year starting this summer. The move by US company AltaVista comes after UK ministers said that it was important for the cost of using the internet in the UK to fall as soon as possible. UK internet subscribers are currently used to paying both subscription and phone call fees by the minute.
AltaVista announced that its subscribers would pay £36 to join the service and then just £10 a year to connect to a free 0800 number 24 hours a day. AltaVista stated that it expects to make money from adverts and e-commerce, but its main rivals have said that they can expect to make big losses.
- Biometrics
-- the end of online fraud?
Time: 04:03 EST/09:03 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIn any given James Bond movie, 007 will be subject to an iris scan, a hand print scan or voice analysis by technology that secures and verifies his identity. All the cool gadgets, fictional or not, make for great entertainment.
For many companies engaging in e-business, however, avant-garde technology that can positively identify individuals would be a lot more than a few laughs. It could be a way to thwart online crime.
- Japan
swoons for PlayStation2
Time: 04:01 EST/09:01 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisThousands of Japanese consumers swept away by PlayStation2 fever braved frigid weather and enormous queues to get their hands on Sony's new dream machine as sales started here Saturday. Hundreds of thousands of gleaming new PlayStation2 units flew off store shelves as retail outlets in the capital attracted queues stretching in some cases more than a mile. Many game fanatics, including some who traveled thousands of miles from Europe and North America, had camped out for two nights in Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district to make sure they would be among the first owners. The object of their desire, priced at about $360, is a console that many analysts say takes home entertainment to a new dimension with lifelike animation and the capacity to play DVDs and surf the Internet. PlayStation2 is due to be launched in the United States and Europe late this year.
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- AMD
moves to 1-GHz on Monday
Time: 03:45 EST/08:56 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisAMD will try to trump Intel by releasing a 1-GHz Athlon processor on Monday, sources said today, although it's a good bet that Intel will try to move up the release of their one-gig chip to the beginning of the week as well.
The two companies are locked in a race to get the first PC processor running at 1-GHz, or "one gig," out the door first. Two weeks ago, chips running at this speed weren't expected until the middle of the year. Intel, however, recently moved up the release of its 1-GHz Pentium III. Intel's release has so far been planned for Wednesday, sources said.
| News Headlines For Saturday 4th March 2000 |
- Windows
2000 Professional Review
Time: 14:43 EST/19:43 GMT News Source: Window Planet Posted By: Alex HarrisWindow Planet have released their review of Windows 200 Pro. Here is a snippet of the review:
When Microsoft renamed Windows NT 5.0 to "Windows 2000", they probably didn't know what kind of confusion this would cause. People think that it's a new major upgrade to their existing Windows 98 installations. In fact, it MUST be a W98 upgrade, that's why it's called Windows 2000 and NOT Windows NT 5.0, eh? - Wrong.
With Windows 2000 being released on February 17th 2000, people on the net as well as personal friends are curious if they should migrate to Microsoft´s new enterprise Operating system. And, of course, there are the folks that just want to have "The latest and greatest" in software.
But what makes people think about upgrading to Windows 2000, is probably that it has all the Windows 98 technologies in it, like DirectX 7.0, USB-support ect built-in. So, why wouldn't it make sense to use it instead of Windows 98 then?
- Three
Minutes With Patrick Gelsinger
Time: 03:07 EST/08:07 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisPatrick Gelsinger is vice president and general manager of Intel's Desktop Products Group. He joined Intel in 1979, and worked on the i386 and i286 chip-design teams. Gelsinger spoke at the recent Intel Developer's Forum and during a break, PC World asked him about the company's rocky 1999, and its promising 2000.
- Finger-pointing
begins in Windows 2000 bug claims
Time: 02:56 EST/07:56 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has been unable to douse allegations that one of the hotly anticipated technologies in Windows 2000 Server has a security hole.
Whether this so-called security hole is a bug or not depends on who's doing the talking. Microsoft disputes the claim. By contrast, Novell--a competitor that stands to lose sales of its flagship product if Windows 2000 Server takes off--says differently. Third parties, meanwhile, say the problem seems to come from a lack of familiarity with Active Directory, which is completely new.
Novell first leveled the security bug accusation days before last month's Windows 2000 launch. Microsoft easily batted away the claim.
- Sun,
Intel square off over Itanium support
Time: 02:54 EST/07:54 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisSun Microsystems and Intel are in a high-stakes game of chicken in a debate about which company needs the other more in the e-commerce world.
Two weeks ago, Intel said it was rapidly winding down efforts to bring Sun's Solaris operating system to Intel's upcoming flagship Itanium chip. Sun, said Intel, wasn't doing enough to encourage software companies to rework their programs for the effort.
This week, Sun reaffirmed its commitment to bring Solaris to Itanium and its successors in the 64-bit family, with or without help from Intel. However, doubts linger on how deep this commitment will go and what the final result will be.
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- So
you think you're a great Web designer?
Time: 02:52 EST/07:52 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisWeb designers on the hunt for faster page downloads have a new challenge in front of them. A contest launched earlier this week asks designers to create a Web page coming in at only 5K.
Most pages on the Web are usually 80K to 150K. At larger companies with more expansive sites, the ideal size for a page is around 45K to 50K. The size of a page includes everything from HTML to graphics to plug-ins. The smaller the page, the faster it loads.
| News Headlines For Friday 3rd March 2000 |
| Win2k Sales |
- Microsoft's
VPN plan irks partners
Time: 17:38 EST/22:38 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisE-business partnerships are a precious commodity, one which Microsoft Corp. apparently is not handling with care.
What started as an innocuous press release earlier this week about Windows 2000's ability to handle VPN (virtual private network) capabilities has raised the ire of major Microsoft partners Cisco Systems Inc. and Nortel Networks Corp., which were upset by the message and the way it was foisted on them.
Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., repositioned the VPN security capabilities in Windows 2000 as a lower-cost, more flexible alternative to other software-based VPNs. But the implication, at least to partners who do hardware-based VPNs, was that Windows 2000 will compete with them as well.
- Pretty
Park virus returns, sparking e-mail storms
Time: 17:36 EST/22:36 GMT News Source: ComputerWorld Posted By: Alex HarrisA cartoon-themed Trojan horse that first hit the Net last June is back in the wild.
Pretty Park — often called the South Park virus after the icon of Kyle, a character from Comedy Central's "South Park" adult cartoon, that comes with it — has attacked companies, universities and other organizations in North America. Samples have also been found in the U.K. and Europe.
- Rivals
take AOL Instant Messenger beef to Senate
Time: 17:34 EST/22:34 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisExecutives from eight prominent online companies have sent a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee asking the committee to review America Online Inc.'s refusal to allow users of other instant-messaging products to communicate with its AOL Instant Messenger subscribers.
The letter, sent Wednesday, is the latest salvo in an ongoing war between AOL and a host of high-profile rivals over instant-messaging interoperability.
- NSTL
study finds Windows 2000 Advanced Server scales to 5,000 concurrent
VPN connections
Time: 17:15 EST/22:15 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisEnterprises can connect thousands of remote users to their corporate networks—and save money—with Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Advanced Server.
That's the result of independent tests by NSTL. The NSTL study found that Windows 2000 Advanced Server scales to 5,000 simultaneous virtual private networking (VPN) connections with performance sufficient for real-world applications. This scalability is two to five times greater than that of other server-based VPN solutions at similar levels of performance. The study also found that Windows 2000 offers enterprise-level VPN scalability and performance for as little as $5 per connection. That's less than half the price of other server-based VPN solutions.
- Windows
for Express Networks 1.0 released to OEMs; eases networking for
small businesses
Time: 17:13 EST/22:13 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisNetworking makes personal computers an even more valuable asset for small businesses.
And with server appliances based on Microsoft® Windows® for Express Networks 1.0, small businesses can easily build a new network or upgrade an existing network to improve performance, reliability and security. Based on Windows® NT Embedded, Windows for Express Networks 1.0 powers easy-to-use server appliances that provide reliable file and printer sharing and Internet access for networks with up to 25 PCs. Microsoft has released the new operating system to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Intel Corp. will be the first manufacturer to ship a Windows for Express Networks-based server appliance, beginning March 15 in the United States.
- Bush
Tries To Clarify Remarks on Microsoft
Time: 16:57 EST/21:57 GMT News Source: Washington Post Posted By: Alex HarrisWith four days to go before Super Tuesday, George W. Bush's presidential campaign is scrambling to clarify comments made in Washington state that implied he sided with Microsoft in the government's antitrust lawsuit.
Several representatives of high-technology companies, particularly in vote-rich California, and industry trade groups that back the government's case have contacted the Bush campaign in recent days after the comments. Yesterday a Bush spokesman said the executives are being told the Texas governor remains neutral in the case.
- AMD
phasing out K6-III as speed race heats up
Time: 16:55 EST/21:55 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisAmid the race between AMD and Intel to release chips running at 1 GHz, AMD is phasing out its K6-III processor line.
The K6-III, an enhanced version of AMD's budget K6-2 processor, appears to be headed for the same fate as Apple's Newton, the AMC Pacer and other once-futuristic products that never quite found a viable niche.
Although the processor performed well on benchmark tests, the chip proved a shade too expensive for the budget PC market, analysts said. Unlike the K6-2, the processor contains 256KB of integrated cache memory. The integrated cache boosts performance, but also adds costs.
- What
Sam Donaldson can teach Microsoft
Time: 14:41 EST/19:41 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron HinsonLongtime ABC White House correspondent Sam Donaldson could teach Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer a thing or two. One: It's no crime to admit you missed the boat. Two: Once you admit that, give credit to those who busily are bailing you out.
Just this year sherlock Donaldson figured out that the Net and the future of journalism are inextricably intertwined. These days he is anchoring a thrice-weekly (soon to go five-times weekly) Internet-only video news program on ABCNews.com.
- Windows
98 Usage at All-Time High, Especially Among Home Users
Time: 07:48 EST/12:48 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonWebSideStory® (http://websidestory.com), the technology leader in Internet-based Web audience analysis, today reported that Windows® 98 from Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) has nearly doubled in use among Internet surfers in the past year and is currently at an all-time high. The operating system version is particularly popular among home users, as reflected in statistics showing large spikes in weekend usage, according to WebSideStory's StatMarket.com, the industry's most accurate source of data on global Internet user trends. The site publishes data gathered from more than 40 million unique visitors a day to hundreds of thousands of sites worldwide using WebSideStory's HitBox Web audience analysis technology.
- Microsoft
To Release Software For Group Updating
Time: 04:26 EST/09:26 GMT News Source: Pyzr Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has plans to manufacture Microsoft Project Central software. The software's purpose is to help customers get team projects organized and also to help keep each employee updated with the latest news for their project. The software can also handle the task of updating the employees in separate companies that are working on the same project. It comes with a decent sized set of graphics that can be used to indicate which parts of the project are behind schedule, which are on time, and which ones have been completed. According to Microsoft, the interest in the software is the highest it has ever been. The software has been in the public beta stage of development since the middle of November last year. Now more than 400,000 beta copies are in the hands of the consumer. The software is due to be available on the market by April 2000.
- Host
Integration Server 2000 offers complete integration tools; Beta 1
now available
Time: 04:11 EST/09:11 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft is making it easier for companies to integrate their mainframes and other legacy systems with newer technologies.
Microsoft® Host Integration Server 2000, formerly code-named "Babylon," offers complete integration tools to help developers solve a myriad of host integration challenges. Built on the gateway technology of Microsoft SNA Server, Host Integration Server 2000 provides comprehensive network, data and application integration. And now that Beta 1 of Host Integration Server 2000 is available for download, companies can start evaluating how it can benefit their business.
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-
MS official: Win2000 sales topping expectations
Time: 04:06 EST/09:06 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) officials said that Windows 2000 has gotten off to a surprisingly good start. Windows marketing director Keith White said during a local media briefing here Thursday that the industrial-strength operating system exceeded the company's own expectations by racking up more than 500,000 unit sales to small and medium businesses and to individual users in the U.S. alone. In disclosing the figure, White noted that it does not take into account worldwide sales or those to large corporate accounts.
| News Headlines For Thursday 2nd March 2000 |
| Visio - EU - Wireless - Mobiles |
- Microsoft
Linux: Forecast or Fantasy?
Time: 18:11 EST/23:11 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanThe year is 2010 and when you boot up your PC, you're no longer greeted with a four-color Windows pane logo, but instead you see Tux, the fat black-and-white Linux penguin. Most of your applications are different from ten years ago, but one program from your Windows days now runs on your Linux box. It bears the telltale green, orange, yellow, and blue puzzle-piece logo: It's Microsoft Office.
This snapshot of the future is neither the far-fetched fantasy of an antitrust lawyer nor the ranting of an open source programmer, but a portrait painted by various industry experts who consider it a likely scenario.
Others argue there'll be a hailstorm in hell before Microsoft ports Office to Linux.
- Microsoft
Gives Grants To Solve DoS Attacks
Time: 18:06 EST/23:06 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft is awarding two grants to university researchers to help network administrators fend off distributed denial of service attacks, executives said Thursday.
One is a $125,000 grant going to the University of California, Davis for mathematical research into the DoS problem.
The second is a $225,000 grant to the University of Virginia. Its purpose "is to provide tools to network administrators so that they know when, in fact, a particular site is under attack," said Bob Herbold, Microsoft's chief operating officer.
- Microsoft
Releases Windows-Based Terminal Standard Version 1.5
Time: 16:47 EST/21:47 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced the availability of Windows®-based Terminal (WBT) Standard 1.5 to WBT original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. This new version of the Windows CE-based WBT Standard delivers improved performance and functionality in a client platform for task-based workers that traditionally utilize "dumb" terminals. In addition, Microsoft will deliver a local Microsoft® Internet Explorer 4.0 for WBT Standard 1.5 to OEMs in the first half of 2000.
- Microsoft
Makes Mobile Headway
Time: 16:33 EST/21:33 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft is finally going mobile. In a stream of recent announcements, the software giant that dominates PCs and is marching on corporate networks has made clear it still intends to be a player in wireless and handheld devices despite earlier efforts that foundered.
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced Microsoft Windows Player, which lets handheld computers play music, video, and graphics. A day earlier, Microsoft forged a pact with high-flying mobile communications company Qualcomm to design wireless devices.
- MS
offers $100,000 purse in cybergolf tournament
Time: 16:31 EST/21:31 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Gaming Zone has announced its largest online golf promotion ever. Microsoft, in partnership with Wingspan and the PGA, will host the Virtual Golf Association Tournament. Players will compete in games of Links LS 2000 online, and the winner will take home a whopping $100,000 purse. The VGA tour will take place over the next nine months, and the top four players will be flown out to Hawaii in November, all expenses paid, to duke it out for the prize. To enter the tour, you'll need Links LS 2000, as well as a VGA tour CD and an MSN Zone membership (both of which are free). Sign-ups have already begun.
- Blodget:
Microsoft needs a Yahoo!
Time: 16:29 EST/21:29 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisWhen Merrill Lynch Internet expert Henry Blodget talks, markets move. And as a result of some of Blodget's freewheeling predictions during his Thursday morning keynote address at the Silicon Alley 2000 conference, some stocks could start swaying. Blodget, head of Merrill Lynch's Internet research, didn't hold back with opinions on everything from the impact on stockholders resulting from a potential court ordered breakup of Microsoft, to why he remains bullish on the America Online-Time Warner merger, in spite of possible management defections.
- Introducing
Microsoft Visio
Time: 15:41 EST/20:41 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron Hinson
Microsoft
Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition delivers powerful, automated tools for
visualizing proposed or existing systems architecture, so you can
streamline the design, documentation, and development of your IT
systems. Rather than supporting one IT specialty in isolation,
Enterprise Edition delivers critical tools for these IT. - Microsoft
Readies Channel on Home Networking
Time: 15:01 EST/20:01 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced it is readying a broad swath of traditional and untraditional channel members for the burgeoning home networking industry. As an initial step in these channel efforts, Microsoft has created a training curriculum for custom home automation, security installers and home entertainment systems integrators, which it will kick off at the Electronic House Expo 2000 on March 3. Over the next several months, Microsoft plans to offer six training sessions on the essentials of home networking, to be held in the following locations: Orlando, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; St. Paul, Minn.; Stamford, Conn.; Chicago; and Indianapolis. By initiating this program, Microsoft will help make it easier than ever for homeowners and consumers to gain access to the connected home of the future.
- Microsoft
Launches Music Video Guide on WindowsMedia.com
Time: 15:00 EST/20:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced the launch of the Music Video Guide at WindowsMedia.com, the MSN™ guide to audio and video content on the Internet, which delivers high-quality videos on demand, special video premieres and promotions, and comprehensive information about artists. The new Music Video Guide gives music lovers a single, easy-to-navigate source for finding music videos from top artists and offers content providers a targeted promotional mechanism for greater visibility.
- Microsoft
Kicks Off Gamestock
Time: 13:06 EST/17:06 GMT News Source: Gamecenter Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft's annual Gamestock kicked off today with an opening address by Ed Fries, general manager of the Games division at Microsoft, and a two-hour presentation of Microsoft's upcoming titles.
In his opening address, Fries discussed a changing marketplace for games, in which the average age of gamers is declining, genres are disappearing, and a broad audience with diverse needs is beginning to emerge. As part of the strategy to meet the needs of that changing marketplace, Fries revealed what he considered to be the five fundamentals of interactive entertainment.
- Microsoft
to Publish New Relic Game
Time: 13:06 EST/17:06 GMT News Source: Gamecenter Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft announced several new games at this year's Gamestock event, but one overshadowed the rest: Microsoft will publish at least one new game currently in development at Relic Entertainment, the studio that created Homeworld.
"I'd like to introduce the man who stole a couple of 'Strategy Game of the Year' awards from [Age of Empires II:] The Age of Kings," joked Ed Fries, Microsoft's general manager of Microsoft's Games group, "Alex Garden, CEO of Relic Entertainment." Both Fries and Garden were tight-lipped about the game: no demos or screenshots were shown, and even the name and genre of the game is still secret. Garden did tell Gamecenter that the game would ship in "some quarter of 2001.
- Microsoft
Takes Stake In Radiant Systems
Time: 12:43 EST/16:43 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft said Wednesday it had taken an undisclosed equity stake in Radiant Systems, makers of electronic commerce systems. The software giant said the two firms will work together to craft e-commerce marketplaces for retailers. Microsoft and Radiant will engage in joint marketing programs, product development, consulting services, and developer support.
- MS
Win2k video drivers vanish between gold and retail code
Time: 12:41 EST/16:41 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisWhen does 2195 not equal 2195? Why, when it refers to the build number of Windows 2000, of course.
Attempting to discover why a system that ran happily under the gold code version of Win2K refused to have anything to do with AGP graphics when upgraded to the full retail version of the OS, we discovered that there are two sorts of 2195. So two versions of a Microsoft product can have the same build number, but that doesn't mean they're the same.
- Telefonica,
Microsoft in mobile Internet agreement
Time: 07:53 EST/12:53 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonThe mobile arm of Spanish telecoms group Telefonica and the Spanish unit of U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) said on Thursday they would jointly develop Internet products, services and applications for mobile telephones.
The agreement would last an initial two years and the two companies said in a joint statement they would work together to develop technology and promote new mobile Internet products. The statement said Telefonica and Microsoft would target both the home and corporate markets and pilot projects based on Microsoft technology would focus on business clients, e-commerce and multimedia services among other areas.
- Microsoft
Network Security Uses Columbia Data Products' SnapBack DatArrest as
Primary Utility in Forensic Tool Chest
Time: 07:53 EST/12:53 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonColumbia Data Products®, Inc. (CDP), today announced the selection and use of SnapBack DatArrest by Microsoft Network Security as their primary forensic utility. David Swartzendruber, Senior Technologist for Microsoft Network Security stated, ``Columbia Data Products' SnapBack DatArrest is one of the primary utilities in my forensic tool chest. This software has a very easy user interface, is seamless in operation, and flawless in its ability to mirror image a variety of Operating Systems. Recently, many corporations were subject to a malicious virus attack, which in my circumstances required a very quick defensive plan, including mobilizing a forensic data recovery lab. Although the attack left minor damage, SnapBack DatArrest, the forensic tool of choice, was responsible for the successful back-up and restoration of mission critical information.''
- EU Extends Microsoft Telewest Buy
Ruling
Time: 07:52 EST/12:52 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonThe European Commission said on Thursday it had extended its deadline to rule on Microsoft's (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) planned buy of MediaOne's (NYSE:UMG - news) 29.7 percent stake in Telewest Communications Plc (TWT.L), after the companies made concessions to address competition problems.
``The deadline has been extended after they made undertakings,'' a Commission official said, adding the deadline had been changed to March 23 from March 9.
- MS
Going Wireless Crazy
Time: 04:28 EST/09:28 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Alex HarrisIn a stream of recent announcements, the Redmond, Washington software giant made clear that it still intends to be a player in wireless and handheld devices despite earlier efforts that foundered on clumsy and ill-conceived products.
On Tuesday, the company said it was releasing software for handheld computers that will let the devices play music, video, and graphics.
- Citroen
claims first production WinCE car
Time: 04:20 EST/09:20 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisCitroen claims to have become the first manufacturer to go into volume production with a "communicating car." It's got email, it's got voice recognition and control, GSM, GPS and in-car navigation, and it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday.
It is, says Citroen, "the first Windows car," and with the flair for marketing that has made Citroen what it is today (i.e., a subsidiary of Peugeot), the company has named it the Xsara Windows CE. Yes folks, it's the biggest CE appliance so far. It'll be available in two successive series of 250 (the level of volume production that made Citroen what it is today) in the first half.
- AMD's
Sanders: A call to arms!
Time: 04:12 EST/09:12 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisJerry Sanders, chairman and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices Inc., sat down Monday with ZDNet UK Editor Richard Barry in Hannover, Germany, to discuss his company's future processor strategy, its continuing battles with Intel Corp. and his dream of seeing his processors in the corporate environment. Of all the underdogs in this industry, AMD must rank as one of the favorites as it wrestles what Sanders calls the "800-pound gorilla" -- Intel.
In a frank interview, the 62-year-old leader of the Sunnyvale, Calif., processor manufacturer spoke openly about the challenges AMD faces as it prepares to take on Intel on three fronts: value, desktop and corporate. For background information, read about the recent comment from Michael Dell in which he called AMD's processor technology "too fragile" for Dell customers; he then clarified the statement, saying AMD architecture has compatibility problems.
- 1-GHz
Pentium III computers coming this month
Time: 04:10 EST/09:10 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisConsumers will likely be able to buy PCs containing 1-GHz chips later this month, a lurch forward in the release date of these systems, sources said today.
Hewlett-Packard will start shipping consumer PCs containing Intel's Pentium III running at 1 GHz (1,000 megahertz) later this month, sources at HP said. Corporate computers containing these chips won't come out until June.
Likewise, IBM is expected to make an announcement regarding 1-GHz systems next week, sources said. With the anticipation building around 1-GHz systems, consumers should be able to buy whatever computers are available soon after the shipping dates.
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- Microsoft
takes aim at Linux with reworked system
Time: 04:08 EST/09:08 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft took a swipe at the growing Linux movement today as it joined forces with Intel to tackle the emerging market for "server appliances," a new category of special-purpose computers.
Microsoft announced it has revamped its Windows NT Embedded operating system to run on server appliances, computers used for specific tasks, such as handling email or serving data to client PCs.
Intel today said it will use Microsoft's reworked operating system--now called Windows for Express Networks--in a server appliance aimed at helping small businesses network their computers. Called Intel InBusiness Small Office Network, the all-in-one product will allow a small business to connect up to 25 computers and allow them to share an Internet connection, access email, files, and printers, the company said.
| News Headlines For Wednesday 1st March 2000 |
| New SideWinder Devices - Win CE Java |
- Mozilla
Releases Final Pre-Beta Milestone
Time: 18:59 EST/23:59 GMT News Source: Beta News Posted By: Byron HinsonMozilla.org has taken another large step towards shipping a full beta version of it's open source Web browser, by releasing Mozilla Milestone 14 this afternoon. Milestone 14 is considered the last milestone until Mozilla's genuine beta version, which has been timed to coincide with the project's second anniversary a month from now.
A recent decision by Netscape will result in cryptography (encryption) components being included in a later release of M14, a highly demanded feature by advocates of the new browser. Daniel Nunes, an "Arborist" for the mozilla source code tree, says we will probably see these additions next week. A recent post to the Mozilla.org crypto newsgroup by Bob Lord, Manager for Security Engineering at Netscape, indicated that initial support for the HTTPS protocol would be included.
- Balancing
Fraud Risk With Booming Online Business
Time: 17:41 EDT/22:41 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew SabeanExpedia, Microsoft's Internet travel website, on Wednesday said it would take a third-quarter charge of up to $6 million to cover the cost of fraudulent credit card transactions.
The company said it had discovered in mid-February a number of fraudulent transactions that were conducted on Expedia using stolen credit card numbers. The company said the transactions were conducted by professional thieves and with credit card numbers stolen in "traditional manners," and not from Expedia data. In a release, the company said that the fraudulent activity represents less than one half of 1 percent of the travel tickets sold.
"We have discovered we are the target of larger-scale fraud," Richard Barton, chief executive officer for Bellevue, Wash.-based Expedia, said in a conference call. "This activity is a fact of life for all merchants."
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- Plantronics
Lightweight Stereo PC Headset Selected to Complete Microsoft's New
SideWinder Game Voice Offering
Time: 17:23 EST/22:23 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonPlantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT - news), the world leader in communications headsets, today announced that it has been selected by Microsoft® (NASDAQ: MSFT - news) to deliver a stereo headset for the PC gaming enthusiast. Leveraging Plantronics' 39-year heritage in premium headset design and manufacturing, Microsoft will bundle a Plantronics lightweight stereo PC headset with its new interactive gaming package, Microsoft SideWinder® Game Voice. The complete package enables gamers to talk with each other through Internet or LAN connections while allowing voice control of game commands.
``We're thrilled to have been selected by Microsoft,'' said Neil Snyder, president of the Plantronics Computer Audio Systems Division. ``This effort allows us to deliver exciting new technology to a rapidly increasing number of gaming enthusiasts. The inclusion of a Plantronics stereo PC headset in the SideWinder Game Voice reflects not only Plantronics' long-standing leadership in headset technology, but the significance of the PC headset as an essential component of the gaming experience,'' Snyder added.
- Win
NT Powers Small Office Server
Time: 16:50 EST/21:50 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex Harris
After
more than a month of delays, Microsoft finally announces on
Wednesday a stripped-down version of the Windows NT operating system
designed to run on appliance servers for shared Net access in
offices.Don't expect to pick up a shrink-wrapped copy of Windows for Express Networks (or WEN) at a local computer store. It will only be available loaded on appliance servers, starting with Intel's InBusiness Small Office Network.
- Intel,
MS team on small-biz miniserver
Time: 16:34 EST/21:45 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp.and Intel Corp. on Wednesday unveiled a new device they said will help millions of small businesses wire their offices and connect to the Internet.
The device, based on Intel's (Nasdaq: INTC) Celeron processor and running a version of Microsoft's Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows NT business operating system, would act like a mini-server, letting up to 25 computers share files, printing and Internet access, company officials told a conference call.
Intel already has several business appliances on the market that handle individual tasks like printing, file sharing and e-mail, but the company said the new device will be its first to integrate all of those functions.
- New
chips could make pikers of Pentiums
Time: 16:38 EST/21:38 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIBM Microelectronics researchers are touting a new technology that they say could eventually enable chip makers to place tens of billions of transistors on a single chip.
To enable processors to reach ever-higher clock speeds, microprocessor manufacturers are integrating millions of microscopic transistors onto each chip. For instance, Intel Corp.'s (Nasdaq: INTC) top performing Pentium III processor, built using 0.18 micron technology, currently features 27 million transistors.
But to fit increasingly larger numbers of transistors onto a chip, manufacturers have had to continually reduce component size. Now, with transistors heading toward 0.10 micron (1 micron equals about 1/25,000 of an inch) and smaller, manufacturers are nearing the limits on current lithography methods.
- Windows
2000, trial concerns hit Microsoft stock
Time: 16:34 EST/21:34 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisIf the new Windows 2000 operating system is so great, why is Microsoft's stock sliding?
That's a question on many analysts' lips these days, as the software giant's stock hovers around the $90 mark. After hitting a 52-week high in December, Microsoft shares have skidded this year in contrast to the gains from competitors such as Oracle and Apple.
Although the exact cause of the slide is difficult to pin down, an impending judgment or settlement in the federal antitrust case is causing jitters, analysts said, while some concerns persist about the adoption rate of Windows 2000, the company's new operating system for businesses.
"The stock has gone nowhere for the past few months," said Andrew Roskill, an analyst at Warburg Dillion Read, who nonetheless rates the stock a "buy."
- Q&A:
Microsoft’s Shawn Sanford Discusses the Future of PC Gaming
Time: 16:08 EST/21:08 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonAs the use of personal computers has grown over the past two decades, so has their popularity as a way for people to play games. In fact, playing games has become one of the PC’s more typical uses in recent years. Microsoft has developed its Windows software to support PC gaming for years and continues to incorporate new technologies to make the PC gaming experience more enjoyable for the home user.
On the eve of Microsoft Gamestock 2000, Microsoft's annual gaming press event that begins today on the company’s Redmond, Wash., campus, PressPass interviewed Microsoft’s Shawn Sanford, group product manager for Microsoft’s Windows Division, to better understand the PC gaming market and its future. Sanford and his team are currently working on Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft’s next version of Windows for the consumer.
- Microsoft
Delivers Enterprise-Level Performance and Scale With Virtual Private
Networking in Windows 2000
Time: 16:08 EST/21:08 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced that NSTL Inc. tests have illustrated the first real-world performance validation of both 5,000 simultaneous point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) and 5,000 simultaneous layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP/IPSec) virtual private networking (VPN) connections, as much as two to five times the number of tunnels than other server-based VPNs at this level of performance. The tests prove that the server-based scalability of Microsoft® Windows® 2000 VPN meets the needs of even the largest organizations for as low as $5 per connection while proving the scalability ranges of PPTP and L2TP/IPSec on a server-based VPN gateway. Results also show site-to-site performance as high as 70 Mbps using L2TP/IPSec protocol, exceeding the connection speed of most server-based VPNs. With everything needed for integrated VPN, Windows 2000 is an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes, and it now offers large customers secure remote access with enterprise performance and scale at less than half the price of other server-based VPN solutions.
- Microsoft
Announces Three New Hardware Products
Time: 13:25 EST/18:25 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert SteinMicrosoft was so inclined today to give us a call and inform us about their three new hardware products; the SideWinder Game Voice (Hawk), SideWinder Strategic Commander, and the SideWinder ForceFeedback 2. Check out our article for more information!
- Microsoft
Opens Business Internet Solutions Center
Time: 07:11 EST/12:11 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) today announced the opening of the Microsoft Business Internet Solutions Center (http://www.microsoft.com/newengland/ebizlab) in Waltham, Massachusetts. This first-of-its-kind facility will provide east coast based companies greater access to the people, partners, tools and information they need to develop scalable and reliable eBusiness solutions.
- Insignia
Unveils First Java Virtual Machine Integrated With Internet Explorer
4.0 for Windows CE
Time: 06:59 EST/11:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonWith the introduction today of the Jeode platform, version 1.6, Insignia Solutions® (Nasdaq: INSGY - news) has delivered the first Java virtual machine for the Microsoft Windows CE platform that enables the Internet Explorer 4.0 (IE4) browser to execute Java applets. The Jeode Embedded Virtual Machine(TM) (EVM(TM)) is integrated with the IE4 browser as a plug-in compatible with the PersonalJava(TM) specification. Insignia will show the Jeode platform at the Embedded Systems Conference this week at Microsoft Corp's (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) booth number 303.
The latest version of the Jeode platform also supports a set of tools that allow developers to tailor their EmbeddedJava implementations to the specific requirements of their Internet appliances or embedded devices.
- Netier
Technologies signs Windows NT Embedded 4.0 Agreement with Microsoft
Corp.
Time: 06:59 EST/11:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonNetier Technologies, Inc. announced a license agreement with Microsoft® (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) for its Windows® NT Embedded 4.0 operating system that provides for vastly increased capabilities in the exploding server-based computing market.
The agreement allows Netier to further its achievements in designing and developing innovative server-based computing solutions based on the Windows NT Embedded 4.0 operating system. Windows NT Embedded 4.0 offers server-based computing users PC-like utility with thin-client manageability and security. Enabling a true Windows-based desktop, Windows NT Embedded 4.0 and its wide variety of supported embedded applications and drivers are centrally manageable using Netier's Rapport(TM) Administrative Software.
- American
Software Announces Windows 2000 Availability For Flow Manufacturing
Time: 06:59 EST/11:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonAmerican Software (Nasdaq: AMSWA - news) today announced the availability of the graphical Flow Manufacturing product for the Microsoft Windows 2000 environment. Flow Manufacturing® is the first complete solution for automating demand-based manufacturing to existing ERP and e-business applications, as well as operating in a stand-alone environment. Flow Manufacturing for Windows 2000 can be integrated with American Software's e-Intelliprise front-to-back office solution to empower an organization's e-business strategies. Flow supports mixed-model production of discrete products and accommodates manufacturers using flow manufacturing techniques such as lean, agile, Just-in-Time (JIT) and demand-based manufacturing.
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- X-Box
to ship fall 2001, nuke Sony, Nintendo et al
Time: 04:44 EST/09:44 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisWith Bill Gates' attendance at next month's Games Developers' Conference now confirmed (and Microsoft having registered the xbox.com domain, apparently; x-box.com having being snapped up by some crafty Germans) we shouldn't have to wait too long to find out whether the much-rumoured specifications for Microsoft's X-Box PlayStation killer are correct.
Veteran IT pundit John D Dvorak, writing for Forbes put in his tuppence worth this week in true "my sources tell me..." style. Dvorak's deep throat trotted out the now standard line: high-speed x86 CPU (a 600MHz Athlon, according to the sources), 3D accelerator chip, DVD drive, game controller and hard disk.
- IBM
Unveils Evolutionary Mouse
Time: 03:57 EST/08:57 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisJust when you thought there was nothing new with computer rodents, along comes IBM. Its latest creation, the ScrollPoint Pro Mouse, announced this week, offers a new shape and a new look.
Announced this week, the ScrollPoint Pro features a unique contoured and curvy shape, which the company claims is based on the latest research into ergonomic design. And this mouse looks good, too, turning computer equipment into "high-tech, functional art," according to an IBM spokesperson.
Available immediately, the ScrollPoint Pro retails for $39.95. Measuring 2.5 inches wide by 5 inches deep by 2 inches high, the mouse also has rubberized side panels that IBM claims provide a surer grip.
- Sony
Set to Launch PlayStation 2
Time: 03:55 EST/08:55 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisThis week, impatient Japanese video game players are queuing up to be the first in their prefecture to fire up Sony's groundbreaking PlayStation 2. Clearly, this is a system worth getting excited about, even though it won't hit U.S. shores for several months. The update to Sony's successful game system boasts an innovative processor and exceptional graphics, plus some stuff you don't expect on the playground.
The power behind the PlayStation 2 is the Emotion Engine, its 300-MHz processor, developed by Sony and Toshiba. This chip handles twice as many floating-point operations per second as a 733-MHz Intel Pentium III, which translates to very good graphics, say analysts at MicroDesign Resources. Sony also includes a high-powered graphics synthesizer chip with 4MB of video memory and 32MB of high-speed Rambus memory.
- Paving
the Way for a Wireless Web
Time: 03:51 EST/08:51 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisThe wireless Web means more than the ability to get abbreviated Web sites through your mobile phone. It's a matter of convergence, from service providers that let you both talk and surf, and diverse devices that communicate wirelessly.
For example, there's Compaq's new Aero, a Windows CE handheld device that supports the wireless application protocol and is not itself a wireless device but connects wirelessly through a phone. With it comes a "Connectivity Suite" of fax software, a Web browser, a WAP browser, and cable. The $50 package is scheduled to ship in March.
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- RealNetworks
finds new outlets for jukebox software
Time: 03:47 EST/08:47 GMT News Source: CNet News Posted By: Alex HarrisIn a sign that retailers can no longer ignore the popularity of Net music, several big-name stores have teamed with RealNetworks to carve a place in the growing digital distribution market.
Under a partnership program announced today, retailers including TransWorld Entertainment, Virgin JamCast & Megastore and The Wherehouse each will be able to extend their online music sales to RealNetworks' estimated 25 million listeners.
In return, the music retailers can download and sell custom versions of RealNetworks' RealJukebox music software through more than 3,300 stores and via their Web sites.
Read more of the past months news in our News Archive for January and February News.
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