Google awards $100 million to Eric Schmidt (AP) : Technet

Google awards $100 million to Eric Schmidt (AP)
Firefox, Google Chrome adding "Do Not Track" tools (AP)
Pope to Catholics online: It's not just about hits (AP)
Latest HP-Palm tablet leak points to dual-core Qualcomm processor, camera (Ben Patterson)
Is a white iPhone 4 still in the pipeline? Really? (Ben Patterson)
Motorola's Xoom Prepares To Challenge Apple's iPad (NewsFactor)
Creative Accessories for the IPad (PC World)
Motorola Xoom Price Will Shoot Tablet in the Foot (PC World)
Motorola Xoom Tablet's Price Will Shoot It in the Foot (PC World)
Kodak patent complaint against Apple, RIM rejected (AP)
Longtime Online Sex Columnist Dan Savage Gets MTV Pilot (Mashable)
Talking character app trend inexplicably blowing up (Appolicious)
Google Cloud Print lets you print GMail content from your mobile device (Macworld)
Facebook film tipped as Oscars nods unveiled (AFP)
Remains of the Day: Hello, is your iTunes running? (Macworld)
Security apps boost Apple as BlackBerry alternative (Reuters)
The State of Windows 8 (PC World)
HP CEO to Reveal Strategy March 14 (PC World)

Google awards $100 million to Eric Schmidt (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 12:32 PM PST

By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay, Ap Technology Writer – Mon Jan 24, 3:32 pm ET

NEW YORK – Google Inc. has awarded $100 million worth of equity to Eric Schmidt, who is stepping aside as CEO but will stay with the company as executive chairman.

Google said in a regulatory filing on Monday the stock and stock options will be granted on Feb. 2 and will vest over four years.

The magnitude of the award is "unusual" for an executive who is transitioning out of the CEO role — and may even be unusual for sitting CEOs, said David Wise, senior principal at management consulting firm Hay Group. But given Schmidt's success, "the board clearly wants to retain his guidance for the next four years."

"It's a signal to shareholders that he'll continue to steer the boat," Wise added.

Schmidt, 55, is being replaced as Google's CEO by co-founder Larry Page. Both men, along with Google's other co-founder Sergey Brin, have limited their salaries to $1 for years. But the three are Google's controlling shareholders and Schmidt's net worth is about $5.45 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

Page, 37, takes over the CEO role in April. Schmidt summed up seismic shift at Google's helm in a Twitter post last week that said, "Day-to-day adult supervision no longer needed!"

Schmidt has led Google since 2001, three years before the company went public in August 2004. Since then, Google's shares have grown more than sixfold, at one point surpassing $700. Google's market capitalization is now about $196 billion. Though it faces a formidable crop of young new rivals, notably Facebook, Google so far has managed to stay on top of the online advertising food chain, relying mainly on its search prowess but flexing its muscles in other areas too.

Schmidt, Brin and Page had led Google through the past decade as a ruling triumvirate. With the changes, Schmidt will serve an adviser to Page and a liaison for Google's business partners and government officials, the latter an important role as Google faces growing regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.

Page will lead product development and technology strategy and run Google's day-to-day operations. Brin, meanwhile, will work on strategic projects with an emphasis on new products.

Schmidt held about 9.2 million of Google's shares as of Dec. 31, 2010, according to a separate filing from last week. This amounts to about 2.9 percent of Google's outstanding shares and about 9.6 percent of the voting power. He plans to sell about 534,000 Class A shares as part of a pre-arranged trading plan. If he does, he will then hold about 9.1 percent of Google's voting power, the company said.

Shares of Google slid $3.51 to $608.32 in afternoon trading.

Firefox, Google Chrome adding "Do Not Track" tools (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 02:20 PM PST

By DANA WOLLMAN, AP Technology Writer Dana Wollman, Ap Technology Writer – Mon Jan 24, 5:20 pm ET

NEW YORK – The Firefox and Google Chrome browsers are getting tools to help users block advertisers from collecting information about them.

Alex Fowler, a technology and privacy officer for Firefox maker Mozilla, said the "Do Not Track" tool will be the first in a series of steps designed to guard privacy. He didn't say when the tool will be available.

Google Chrome users can now download a browser plug-in that blocks advertisers — but only from ad networks that already let people decline personalized, targeted ads. According to Google Inc., these include the top 15 advertising networks, as rated by the research group comScore, a group that includes AOL Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Google itself.

The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer browser, which is still being developed, will include a similar feature, though people will have to create or find their own lists of sites they want to block.

Google and Mozilla, however, are developing tracking-protection tools that will work automatically — once people decide to turn on that privacy feature, that is.

Microsoft, Google and Mozilla's promises of stronger privacy comes on the heels of government complaints that online advertisers are able to collect too much data about people in their quest to target ads.

Last month, the Federal Trade Commission recommended the creation of a "Do Not Track" tool that would invite consumers to restrict advertisers from collecting information about them, including the websites they visit, the links they click, their Internet searches and their online purchases.

Meanwhile, the Commerce Department last month called for guidelines that would require online advertisers to warn consumers what information about them they are collecting and how they plan to use it. Consumers, the department said, should be able to "opt out," or decline, some or all of that data collection. And if companies do collect information, they would be required to store it securely.

Google product managers Sean Harvey and Rajas Moonka said the new Chrome tool will allow for more permanent ad blocking. Before, opt-out settings were typically stored through small files known as cookies; when users clear cookies, however, the opt-out settings get erased, too. Another benefit is that the new tool allows users to opt out of all participating ad networks at once, rather than one at a time.

Google eventually hopes to develop a similar plug-in for other browsers as well, Harvey and Moonka added.

Pope to Catholics online: It's not just about hits (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 05:05 AM PST

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Nicole Winfield, Associated Press – Mon Jan 24, 8:05 am ET

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI told Catholic bloggers and Facebook and YouTube users Monday to be respectful of others when spreading the Gospel online and not to see their ultimate goal as getting as many online hits as possible.

Echoing concerns in the U.S. about the need to root out online vitriol, Benedict called for the faithful to adopt a "Christian style presence" online that is responsible, honest and discreet

"We must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its 'popularity' or from the amount of attention it receives," Benedict wrote in his annual message for the church's World Day of Social Communications.

"The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once respectful and sensitive."

Benedict didn't name names, but the head of the Vatican's social communications office, Archbishop Claudio Celli, said it was certainly correct to direct the pope's exhortation to some conservative Catholic blogs, YouTube channels and sites which, with some vehemence, criticize bishops, public officials and policies they consider not Catholic enough.

"The risk is there, there's no doubt," Celli said in response to a question. He confirmed that the Pontifical Council for Social Communications was working on a set of guidelines with recommendations for appropriate style and behavior for Catholics online.

"I don't love such things, but I think we can define some points of reference for behavior," he said, adding that he hoped such a document would come out as soon as possible.

The Vatican's concern comes at a time when incendiary rhetoric — in the media and online — has come under increasing fire; even U.S. President Barack Obama has urged greater civility in political discourse following the attempted assassination of a U.S. congresswoman.

In his message, Benedict echoed many of the same themes he has voiced in years past about the benefits and dangers of the digital age, saying social networks are a wonderful way to build relationships and community. But he warned against replacing real friendships with virtual ones and warned against the temptation to create artificial public profiles rather than authentic ones.

"There exists a Christian way of communication which is honest and open, responsible and respectful of others," he wrote. "To proclaim the Gospel through the new media means not only to insert expressly religious content into different media platforms, but also to witness consistently, in one's own digital profile and in the way one communicates choices, preference and judgments that are fully consistent with the Gospel."

The 83-year-old Benedict is no techno wizard: He writes longhand and has admitted to a certain lack of Internet savvy within the Vatican.

But under Benedict, the Holy See has greatly increased its presence online: It has a dedicated YouTube channel, and its Pope2You.net portal gives news on the pontiff's trips and speeches and features I-Phone and Facebook applications that allow users to send postcards with photos of Benedict and excerpts from his messages to their friends.

Celli said the Holy See was working on a new multimedia portal that would be the point of reference for the whole Vatican that he hoped would be operational by Easter. It would start out in English and Italian, with other languages added later.

Currently, the Vatican website http://www.vatican.va has links to the Vatican newspaper, the Vatican Museums and other Vatican departments, but it's clunky and out of date.

Celli acknowledged that the pope's annual message — which is full of technical jargon — is not his alone. Celli's office prepares a draft and the pope then makes changes. Celli said he didn't know if Benedict had ever been on Facebook, but said he expected one of his aides had probably shown him around.

Latest HP-Palm tablet leak points to dual-core Qualcomm processor, camera (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 11:14 AM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Mon Jan 24, 2:14 pm ET

Details of HP's long-awaited WebOS-based tablet — or tablets, as the case may be — are finally starting to take shape. A just-leaked spec sheet ticks off such features as a dual-core processor, a front-facing camera, and more on the tablet's rumored cloud-based abilities.

The "massive," authentic-looking document comes from PreCentral, which also has a series of prototype images for the 9.7-inch tablet, code-named "Topaz." (Another, smaller WebOS tablet, the 7-inch "Opal," is also said to be in the works.)

Among the features listed in the document (still unconfirmed by HP, which snapped up WebOS maker Palm in April): a 1.2GHz, dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 processor, 512MB of RAM, a built-in accelerometer and digital compass, a microUSB port, and "optional" support for wireless HSPA and LTE networks.

The Topaz's 9.7-inch display will boast a resolution of 1024 by 768, according to PreCentral's leaked document, making it the same resolution as the existing iPad display but a bit shy of the 10-inch, 1280 by 800 screen on the upcoming Android-powered Motorola Xoom.

The 1.5-pound, 13.7 mm-thick Topaz is also (supposedly) slated to get a single, front-facing 1.3MP camera for video chat, along with stereo speakers, a built-in microphone, and a choice of three internal storage capacities (16GB, 32GB and 64GB), according to PreCentral.

The site also details a new version of Palm's inductive Touchstone wireless charging system that would add features such as wireless sharing of pictures, websites, contacts and music, as well as audio/video streaming and wireless printing (this is HP we're talking about, after all).

Last but not least, PreCentral also has some diagrams that show the Topaz's rumored cloud-storage abilities in action, including cloud-based file storage, document sharing, photos (via SnapFish) and music (via Melodeo).

Still unknown: exact release dates and pricing. Hopefully we'll get answers to those questions and more during HP's WebOS event on Feb. 9.

— Ben Patterson is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

Follow me on Twitter!

Is a white iPhone 4 still in the pipeline? Really? (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 08:38 AM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Mon Jan 24, 11:38 am ET

Believe it or not, there may still be a white iPhone 4 in our future. The mythical beast was recently sighted in carrier inventory systems and on AT&T's subscriber website.

The ridiculously late white iPhone was spotted just a week ago in these screenshots of Vodafone Germany's inventory database, before surfacing again on Best Buy's internal website with a listed "in-stock" date of Feb. 27 — although as Boy Genius Report points out, the "in-stock" date might not represent the actual launch day.

The latest white iPhone 4 sighting comes (again) courtesy of Boy Genius, which found the MIA handset listed among the choices in AT&T's "online account management" site for subscribers.

Being an AT&T subscriber myself, I logged in and checked it out. Lo and behold, there it was, the white iPhone 4 (in both 16GB and 32GB models).

Hmmmm, very interesting. As MacRumors points out, though, it's not clear how long the white iPhone 4 has been listed on AT&T's "OLAM" system, or whether AT&T added the listings based on actual news from Apple.

Boy Genius and others have speculated that the white version of the latest iPhone, first announced six months ago and later delayed — twice — by Apple, might at last see the light of day in late February or early March.

The last official word on the white iPhone came in October, when an Apple spokesperson told Reuters that the tardy handset wouldn't hit stores until this spring.

The first delay came in July, when Apple admitted that the white iPhone 4 was "more challenging to manufacture" than originally thought.

But wait — didn't we put a man on the moon? How hard is it to make a white iPhone?

Well, apparently there's more to it than just slapping on a coat of white paint. Various sources claimed that Apple's manufacturing partners were having a terrible time getting white versions of the iPhone 4's glass front and plastic "home" key to match. Another (unconfirmed) headache, according to Cult of Mac, was light leaking into the iPhone 4's camera lens because of the white glass backing.

Given that a brand-new iPhone is expected to be revealed by June or July, you'd think it might be time to call it a day and cancel the white iPhone altogether.

Yet it looks like the white iPhone 4 may yet make an appearance, late though it is. Stay tuned.

Related:
White iPhone 4 appears in AT&T's online system [Boy Genius Report]

— Ben Patterson is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

Follow me on Twitter!

Motorola's Xoom Prepares To Challenge Apple's iPad (NewsFactor)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 02:02 PM PST

Barry Levine, newsfactor.com Barry Levine, newsfactor.com – Mon Jan 24, 5:02 pm ET

As the post-Consumer Electronics Show jockeying for competitive positioning against Apple's iPad tablet shapes up, Motorola's new Xoom tablet is being eyed as a possible contender. New reports indicate that the Xoom will launch Feb. 17 at a price between $700 and $800 for a 32GB model. This compares to the $729 price for the iPad 3G 32GB. Motorola has indicated that Xoom tablets will have 3G connectivity.

The Xoom, with a 10.1-inch 1280x800 multi-touch screen, has a variety of strengths as it steps into the ring. It's the first tablet to be based on Google's tablet-optimized version of Android, the 3.0 Honeycomb, and it contains a two-gigahertz dual-core processor. It will also be distributed by Verizon Wireless,. A model that will run on Verizon's growing 4G LTE network is expected in the second quarter.

Xoom Apps?

There's support for 1080p HD, including the ability to operate as a HD camcorder, Adobe Flash 10.1, and battery life that Motorola says is up to 10 hours. A front-facing two-megapixel camera is available for video chatting, and a rear-facing five-megapixel camera has a dual LED flash.

A built-in accelerometer and gyroscope are available for games and apps, Google maps and GPS are included, and a maps app has 3-D renderings of buildings when zoomed. According to news reports, the e-reader looks similar to the one offered in the iPad.

In terms of post-CES attention, Motorola's Xoom, Research In Motion's Playbook, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab have been leaders. Motorola stoked interest in its tablet before CES with a video promo that positioned the then-unseen device, draped for unveiling on a pedestal, as the latest in the evolution of tablets that began with the Ten Commandments.

But aside from specs and price comparisons, a key measure of any prospective iPad challenger is the apps. Apple, which just announced the 10 billionth app download last weekend from its App Store, has more than 60,000 apps developed specifically for the iPad, while the Xoom will, at launch, likely only have a handful.

Tab, Playbook, HP

While Apple's iPad also launched with only a few, it was able to run other non-optimized apps originally designed for Apple's other mobile devices until the developer community got going.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab, featuring an earlier 2.2 version of Android, has reportedly sold a million units, although Samsung hasn't made clear if those sales were all to end users or if some were to distribution channels. In terms of numbers sold, though, the Galaxy Tab is currently in second place.

RIM's new PlayBook, which the company is hoping will allow it to re-emerge as a market leader in innovation, begins with a well-established advantage in the enterprise market because of its BlackBerry. The PlayBook is designed for online access through an accompanying BlackBerry smartphone. Some observers have noted that this is an awkward combination for consumers, but PlayBook-with-BlackBerry could make IT management of a large number of units a simpler proposition.

And there's Hewlett-Packard, which is releasing its line of webOS-based tablets, and possibly other mobile devices, at a Feb. 9 event. The company, which acquired Palm in large part to obtain that OS, said it delayed its tablet launch to help its new line stand out.

Creative Accessories for the IPad (PC World)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 12:30 PM PST

Agam Shah Agam Shah – Mon Jan 24, 3:30 pm ET

Accessories that add personality and functionality to Apple's iPad are swarming the market. M-Edge offers customizable cases for the iPad and Zaggmate has a hardcover case that includes a keyboard. A heart monitor, hard drive and digital crayon designed for the iPad were also shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January.

M-Edge's customizable tablet accessories

M-Edge wants to bring personality to tablets and e-readers with its MyEdge jackets. Users can create artwork for jackets using online design tools available on M-Edge's website, where images and photos can be uploaded and customized. Once the design is complete, M-Edge prints the image on the jacket. M-Edge adds a layer of Scotchguard film to protect the artwork. MyEdge jackets are "coming soon" and will be available for Apple's iPad (US$50) and Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader ($40).

Zaggmate protective cover and keyboard

Zagg is offering Zaggmate plus keyboard, a multifunctional accessory that protects an iPad and functions as a keyboard. The hard cover is made from aluminum. In the middle of the case is a keyboard, which connects to the iPad using Bluetooth. On the side of the case is an iPad holder. The keyboard runs on a battery, and Zaggmate says it can operate for several weeks on one charge, going into sleep mode when idle. It could be a handy accessory for travelers and users who regularly create documents using Apple's iWork suite. Priced at $99, Zaggmate is available on Zagg's website.

Blood pressure monitor

iHealth Labs earlier this month released the iHealth blood pressure monitor that connects to the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The package includes a blood-pressure arm cuff for measurement, a hardware dock that connects to the iPad, and an application that collects blood pressure information. The application can collect data over time and allows users to view blood pressure information trends on custom graphs or charts. This device costs $99.95 on iHealth's website.

iPad hard drive

Sanho Digital has started shipping the HyperDrive hard drive, which it calls the "world's first and only USB compatible hard drive." It offers up to 750GB of extended storage for the iPad, which includes internal storage of up to 64GB. The drive connects to the iPad using Apple's Camera Connection Kit ($29). The device includes a 3.2-inch LCD screen to view photos and select files. It also has a Secure Digital memory card slot. The hard drive is handy for those who want to store documents, high-definition movies and photos, all of which may not fit in iPad's limited storage. Prices for the HyperDrive range from $299 for 120GB to $599 for a 750GB drive. The hard drives are available on Hypershop's website.

Bringing crayons to the iPad

The iMarker stylus is a digital crayon from Griffin Technology and Crayola that resembles good old Crayola crayons. With the iMarker in hand, kids can draw on the iPad in coloring books provided through the ColorStudio HD application, which will come with the iMarker. Music and special effects can also be added to supplement the artwork, which can then be directly posted on sites like Facebook. The accessory was announced at CES and will be available next quarter through Griffin's website, though the company hasn't announced a specific date.

Motorola Xoom Price Will Shoot Tablet in the Foot (PC World)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 09:52 AM PST

Tony Bradley Tony Bradley – Mon Jan 24, 12:52 pm ET

The Motorola Xoom--slated to the be the first Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" tablet to hit the streets--is one of the biggest potential iPad rivals to emerge from CES 2011. Rumors of the Xoom's pricing, though, suggest that the tablet could face an uphill climb to compete with the Apple tablet.

On paper, many of the announced tablets, like the Xoom, seem formidable, and compare nicely to the Apple iPad--or even the rumored features anticipated in the iPad 2. However, price is the big x-factor when it comes to competing against Apple's established dominance of the nascent tablet market.

leaked reports and images suggesting that the Motorola Xoom will launch on February 17 and that it will have a minimum advertised price of $799. At $800, the Xoom would be $300 higher than the entry-level WiFi iPad, and only $30 less than the 64GB 3G model.

When information on Samsung's tablet business model came out, I predicted that the Samsung Galaxy Tab would have trouble competing with the Apple iPad given its pricing, and reliance on a carrier-subsidized wireless contract in order to get it at a reasonable price. While the Galaxy Tab has fared better than other tablet rivals, it has not been any sort of threat to the iPad.

Right or wrong, there is an expectation that Apple devices cost more. People expect to pay more for a Macbook than for a comparable Windows notebook. People expect to pay more for an iPod Touch than for a Zune HD. And, people expect to pay more for an Apple tablet than iPad competitors like the Motorola Xoom.

Granted, there will still be a market for the Motorola tablet. There will always be some who are simply anti-Apple, and others who are simply pro-Android to the point that they overlook price. But, the vast majority of the consumer and business market looking to purchase a tablet will compare the features and functions of the different tablet platforms in order to choose which platform to go with. All else being equal, devices that cost as much or more than the iPad will be at a disadvantage.

It is possible that the Xoom could be offered at a subsidized price through wireless carriers like Verizon. Bringing the initial out-of-pocket expense down with a two-year wireless commitment might snare some additional market, but factoring the total cost over the two years including the contractual obligation to maintain a data plan will still most likely make the iPad appear to be the better value.

The Xoom is formidable against the current iPad, so it might do well out of the gate. But, at $800 I expect Xoom sales to nose dive once the iPad 2 hits the shelves.

Motorola Xoom Tablet's Price Will Shoot It in the Foot (PC World)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 09:52 AM PST

Tony Bradley Tony Bradley – Mon Jan 24, 12:52 pm ET

On paper, many of the announced tablets, like the Xoom, seem formidable, and compare nicely to the Apple iPad--or even the rumored features anticipated in the iPad 2. However, price is the big "X" factor when it comes to competing against Apple's established dominance of the nascent tablet market.

The Xoom is formidable against the current iPad, so it might do well out of the gate. But, at $800 I expect Xoom sales to nose dive once the iPad 2 hits the shelves.

Kodak patent complaint against Apple, RIM rejected (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 04:44 PM PST

By BEN DOBBIN, AP Business Writer Ben Dobbin, Ap Business Writer – Mon Jan 24, 7:44 pm ET

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Eastman Kodak Co. lost a crucial opening round Monday in a high-stakes patent dispute over whether iPhones and BlackBerry camera phones infringe on its digital-imaging technology.

The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington said in a preliminary ruling that Apple Inc.'s iPhones and Research in Motion Ltd.'s camera-enabled BlackBerry models do not violate Kodak's 2001 patent covering ways to preview digital images.

The federal agency's six commissioners can choose by a May 23 deadline to either alter the initial determination by Paul Luckern, its chief administrative law judge, or let it stand.

While the ruling appears to undermine Kodak's chances of negotiating royalty-paying deals with the two smart-phone makers, the Rochester-based picture-taking pioneer still expects to prevail.

The judge's recommendation "represents a preliminary step in a process that we are extremely confident will conclude in Kodak's favor," said Laura Quatela, Kodak's chief intellectual property officer.

"We fully expect the ITC commission will ultimately rule that the patent claim at issue is valid and infringed by Apple and RIM," Quatela added in a statement.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple declined to comment. There was no immediate comment from RIM

After failed negotiations with Apple and Canada-based RIM, Kodak filed its complaint a year ago with the commission, which oversees U.S. trade disputes. Kodak also filed two lawsuits against Apple in federal court in Rochester but did not specify damages it was seeking.

The 130-year-old company has amassed more than 1,000 digital-imaging patents, and almost all of today's digital cameras rely on that technology.

Kodak scored major patent-litigation triumphs against South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. last winter. After a yearlong tussle, the commission ruled that cell phones made by Samsung and LG Electronics infringed the same image-preview camera patent. Kodak negotiated a one-time, $550 million royalty-paying deal with Samsung and a $414 million deal with LG Electronics.

Kodak is leaning heavily on royalties from digital-camera inventions as it battles to remake itself into a powerhouse in digital photography and inkjet printing. It has licensed digital-imaging technology to about 30 companies, including mobile-device makers such as Motorola Inc. and Nokia Corp.

Patent cases can take years to resolve, and agreements over licensing and royalty payments often emerge. But the trade commission, which can order Customs to block imports of products made with contested technology, is seen as a fast-track mediator that typically resolves disputes in 12 to 15 months.

Shares of Kodak fell 31 cents, or 6 percent, to $4.91 in after-hours trading Monday.

Longtime Online Sex Columnist Dan Savage Gets MTV Pilot (Mashable)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 01:00 PM PST

Jolie O'Dell Jolie O'dell – Mon Jan 24, 4:00 pm ET

Dan Savage, an online columnist who has been dishing out sex and relationship advice on The Onion and in other publications since 1991, is going to be shooting a pilot for MTV.

According to sources for Entertainment Weekly, Savage will be filmed as he tours several college campuses and gives his characteristically entertaining, frank and actionable advice to students and others. The format will be a Q&A between Savage and his auditorium audience, much like a live version of his column, Savage Love.

We have no doubt that Savage will make for excellent and watchable television; his last name could also be an accurate descriptor for his sometimes-scathing indictments of people who write to him asking for advice.

"I treat people who write me the way my friends and I all treat each other when we go to each other for advice," he said in an A.V. Club interview, " which is sometimes with supreme cruelty. I think that's what helps the advice sink in.

"If somebody comes at you with both barrels, the first shot opens your head, and the second shot allows the advice to get lodged inside."

But Savage isn't always a double-barrel-shotgun type of figure. In fact, he's made significant contributions to increasing the self-esteem of LGBT teens, and his stance earned him a well-deserved place atop Mashable's list of captivating online personalities in 2010.

Last fall, Savage responded to a rash of gay teen suicides with a YouTube channel, which featured inspiring messages from celebrities -- including President Obama -- and others telling teens, "It gets better."

Talking character app trend inexplicably blowing up (Appolicious)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 01:16 PM PST

Google Cloud Print lets you print GMail content from your mobile device (Macworld)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 04:02 PM PST

Marco Tabini Marco Tabini – Mon Jan 24, 7:02 pm ET

Apple's AirPrint technology may not be quite ready for primetime (at least outside of a few specialized printers), but that's not stopping Google from offering its own competing service, aptly christened Google Cloud Print.

Announced on the Google's Gmail blog on Monday, Cloud Print allows you to register one or more of your printers with Google's cloud services and associate them to your GMail account. Once you have done so, you can print e-mails and selected attachments (which includes any file format that GMail can render, such as HTML, DOC, and PDF) directly from your phone's GMail interface, regardless of whether you are on the same network as your printers or not.

The registration process is simple enough: it consists of downloading a special beta version of Google Chrome from the Cloud Print Website, installing it on a computer connected to a printer that you want to make available through the service, and enabling the printer.

Unfortunately, Google has made available only a Windows version of the Chrome beta, which means that OS X users are, at least for the moment, locked out of the Cloud Print. However, Google promises that Mac and Linux versions of the software will be "coming soon." Interestingly, the company has also opened the Cloud Print interface specification, paving the way for printer manufacturers to create their own "Cloud Print-aware" devices that can connect to the service without having to go through a computer.

The installation of what is essentially a piece of software that connects your computer to Google clearly raises some serious security questions—a fact that must not have escaped the company, which addresses several of them in the FAQ. In essence, printed information is only kept for as long as it takes to complete a print job and "to improve printing quality," a rather nebulous term that doesn't quite explain whether Google gets to hang on to your documents or not. Either way, all the data is covered by Google's exhaustive privacy policy.

The client-side printing functionality offered by Google Cloud Print works with any device compatible with GMail's mobile service, including all versions of the iPhone and the iPad, without any special software. For the printer side of things, you will need a PC running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 until a Mac-friendly version of the software becomes available.

Facebook film tipped as Oscars nods unveiled (AFP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 08:10 PM PST

by Michael Thurston Michael Thurston – 52 mins ago

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Facebook movie "The Social Network" hopes to make more friends Tuesday when this year's Oscar nominations are to be announced, as the climax to Hollywood's annual awards season looms.

But rivals vying for Academy Awards glory include British historical drama "The King's Speech," which many say could come good at the Oscars despite its disappointing Golden Globes showing earlier this month.

Movies also likely in the running for Oscars awards next month include Globes winners "Black Swan" and "The Fighter," lesbian parenting film "The Kids are Alright" and the Coen brothers' update of the Western classic "True Grit."

Hollywood watchers claim one of the safest Oscar bets is Colin Firth for best actor as the stammering King George VI, while Natalie Portman is tipped for best actress for her role in ballet-themed drama "Black Swan."

Jeff Bridges also has a buzz behind him for what would be his second Oscar in a row for "True Grit," while actress tips include Julianne Moore and Annette Bening from "The Kids Are All Right," or Nicole Kidman for "Rabbit Hole."

The best director shortlist is expected to include "Social Network" director David Fincher, Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech" and Christopher Nolan for thriller "Inception."

The nominations for the Oscars, by far the most prestigious of Tinseltown's awards season, will be unveiled at 5:30 am (1330 GMT) on Tuesday, launching the final straight toward the February 27 Academy Awards show.

"The Social Network" grabbed four Golden Globes, including Best Picture, on January 17, in what is traditionally seen as an indicator of success at the Academy Awards.

The Facebook movie, about how Mark Zuckerberg founded the social networking site, also won best director Globe for Fincher as well as best screenplay and best score.

"The King's Speech" scored only one Globe -- best actor for Firth -- while there were two for boxing movie "The Fighter" and one for "Black Swan," with Portman for best actress.

But industry observers note that the British royal movie could do better at the Oscars because it is better suited to the tastes of the 6,000-plus members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The British movie, about King George VI's battle with a stammer, also got a small boost over the weekend when it won best picture award at the Producers Guild of America awards.

The Los Angeles Times noted that, for the past two decades, the Producers Guild of America results have correctly forecast the Oscar best picture 13 times.

"There's a good chance that 'The King's Speech' will score the most Oscar bids," said the newspaper's awards-watching correspondent, predicting as many as 11 nods for the British movie.

The producers' show was the latest in a string of ceremonies that make up the annual awards season. Others still to come include the Screen Actors Guild prizes on January 30.

But for insiders, the Oscars are the multi-billion-dollar industry's real deal, and much of Hollywood will therefore be up early Tuesday for the pre-dawn nominations announcement.

On the eve of the Oscars nominations, nominees for Hollywood's Oscars spoof the Razzies were revealed Monday, with the "Sex and the City" sequel and the final installment of teen vampire series "Twilight" top of the flops.

Jennifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher, Robert Pattinson, Miley Cyrus and Barbra Streisand were also nominated by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which organizes the annual salute to the worst of the worst.

Remains of the Day: Hello, is your iTunes running? (Macworld)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 04:30 PM PST

Dan Moren Dan Moren – Mon Jan 24, 7:30 pm ET

Let's start the week off right with a white iPhone sighting, an Apple commercial's debut, and a whole new meaning for "Google TV." That and more in the remainders for Monday, January 24, 2010.

White iPhone 4 appears in AT&T's online system (Boy Genius Report)

Boy Genius Report says that AT&T's online account management system is now showing entries for 16GB and 32GB white iPhone 4s. (Apple's latest word on the ivory phones' arrival pegged them for spring 2011.) And here I was despondent that speculation was dead in the wake of the Verizon iPhone announcement.

New AT&T Verizon iPhone 4 Commercial (YouTube)

Speaking of the fast-approaching Bizarro iPhone, here's Apple's first commercial showing off the Verizon and AT&T iPhones side-by-side. I hope they're not totally identical, or else we're going to be really sad when we can't make calls from our Verizon phone either.

$10K iTunes Winner Hung Up On Apple, Thought It Was a Prank [Exclusive] (Cult of Mac)

On the topic of interrupted phone calls, the woman who downloaded the ten billionth app from the App Store actually hung up when a representative from Apple called to congratulate her. Gail Davis thought it was a prank call, so she told the rep she wasn't interested. Fortunately, the matter was eventually resolved and she received her $10,000 iTunes gift card. On the downside, poor Ms. Davis is probably now going to be second-guessing every e-mail she gets from a deposed Nigerian prince.

Exclusive: Apple Taps Former Navy Information Warrior for Global Director of Security (All Things Digital)

According to All Things Digital's Arik Hesseldahl, Apple has hired security expert David Rice to be its global director of security. Previously, Rice worked as a Special Duty Cryptologic officer in the U.S. Navy and an analyst at the National Security Agency. So I guess it remains to be seen how he'll do in a truly secretive environment.

Google's Schmidt eyeing TV (New York Post)

And now for an Eric Schmidt chaser. The Google CEO, who last week announced his intention to step down from the role, has reportedly been talking with a CNN producer about hosting a show on the network. Allow me to share my short list of potential titles for the program:

Eric Schmidt, Ph.D. Street View with Eric Schmidt Eric Schmidt 360°, 24/7, 365, Live, Outside Your House Right Now Creepy Time with Eric Schmidt Schmidt My Dad Says

I think we have a winner.

Security apps boost Apple as BlackBerry alternative (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 02:48 PM PST

By Alastair Sharp and Gabriel Madway Alastair Sharp And Gabriel Madway – Mon Jan 24, 5:48 pm ET

TORONTO/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A slew of small security software developers are helping Apple's iPhone gain a foothold within corporations that were once the exclusive domain of Research In Motion's BlackBerry.

The shift reflects efforts by some companies to accommodate the preference of many employees for Apple's iconic smartphone, a trend that has led software makers to develop programs to deliver secure email and other data over the iPhone.

To be sure, the status of BlackBerry's security features as the industry standard is not under threat. But the new programs could mean that many employees may no longer have to carry a company-sponsored BlackBerry in addition to their store-bought iPhones.

One company that is experimenting is Deutsche Bank. In conjunction with California-based software maker Good Technology, the German bank is delivering corporate email to some employees in a trial that its internal analyst said was "overwhelmingly positive" despite some minor flaws.

"You're seeing consumers, or employees, bring their iPhones in to IT managers and 'say make this work,'" Deutsche's Chris Whitmore said by telephone.

Good and other security specialists like MobileIron and NetHawk are developing programs that can provide the extra assurances required by financial services and healthcare providers, which require airtight communications.

"What they're very good at doing is going into an enterprise where they're very concerned about security and say we're going to beef up the iPhone and iPad because they're not very secure," analyst Jack Gold of J.Gold Associates said, referring to Good Technologies.

"It basically puts a lockbox around an unsecure device," he said.

Good says it has more than 4,000 enterprise customers, including 40 Fortune 100 companies and more than 100 of the Fortune 500 companies.

PLAYBOOK PLAYS CATCH-UP

Apple's push into boardrooms and sales offices also reflects the headstart it has with its iPad tablet, introduced almost a year ahead of RIM's PlayBook. Companies should be able to begin PlayBook trials within weeks for a March launch.

An August report from tech research company Forrester said security on Apple's iPhone -- while not yet in the same league as BlackBerry as a corporate tool -- has improved enough to be used by most enterprises safely and securely.

"IT initially dismissed the iPhone as unserious, insecure, trendy, and suitable only for consumers," the report said.

But three years later, "Apple's mobile devices provide enough security features that most enterprises can use them safely and securely," Forrester said.

Many financial institutions are at least testing whether the iPhone can be trusted with access to proprietary data that have long flowed through the BlackBerry.

Contrary to RIM's image, consumers now account for most of its sales - more than 80 percent of net subscriber additions in the three months to end-November 2009, the last time RIM broke out the metric.

In part that's because RIM has already saturated the market with BlackBerry smartphones provided by corporations. A business can save itself the cost of a BlackBerry by hooking an employee's iPhone into its corporate network without footing the bill.

BLACKBERRY BALANCE

The problem for RIM is that many employees, including senior executives, want to use other devices, said Matthew Thornton, an analyst from Avian Securities.

On top of that, Thornton said, corporate budget officials want to push ownership of the devices out to the employee, saving the company the expense of buying the BlackBerry.

Acutely aware of the challenge, RIM has unveiled its own program, called BlackBerry Balance, to address the issue. Balance would allow a BlackBerry user effectively to keep management-controlled apps separate from personal apps run on a single device.

In the Deutsche iPhone trial, users need to log into the Good Technologies app to access corporate information and exit again to update their Facebook status, for example.

BlackBerry Balance would not require the user to log in and out, providing a more seamless experience between work and personal apps for the user.

Good Technology, a privately held company that Motorola bought in 2006 and sold in early 2009, manages many of the functions offered on the BlackBerry, including calendars and contact lists that are accessible and sync to Microsoft Outlook on the user's desktop.

(Editing by Frank McGurty)

The State of Windows 8 (PC World)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 05:30 PM PST

Jared Newman Jared Newman – Mon Jan 24, 8:30 pm ET

Only Microsoft knows how the next version of its Windows operating system will look and what it will be called, but big changes could be ahead for the OS observers refer to as "Windows 8."

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft announced that Windows 8 will support system-on-a-chip architectures using ARM processors. Unlike the x86 architecture that today's Windows laptops and desktops work with, ARM-based chips tend to run such low-power devices as tablets and smartphones.

In his CES keynote speech, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, "This announcement is really all about enabling a new class of hardware, and new silicon partners for Windows, to bring the widest possible range of form factors to the market."

In other words, Windows won't be just for laptops and desktops anymore.

Actual Facts

Microsoft's ARM announcement represents the firm's only officially released factual detail about Windows 8. Consistent with it, the company named Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments as silicon partners, so Windows devices built upon their three low-power platforms are likely.

At an architectural summit in London last year, Microsoft encouraged the idea of virtualizing Windows more heavily, possibly storing apps, data, Windows settings, and parts of the OS itself in the cloud.

Rumors

No rumor about Windows 8 is more precise than a series of leaked slides that supposedly provide a blueprint for Microsoft's next OS. The slides alone don't indicate final features of Windows 8, but they do show where Microsoft is headed, especially since other reports have corroborated them.

One slide, for example, talks about an OS that follows users wherever they go; instead of being tethered to hardware, users may roam between desktops, laptops, and tablets in whatever way is most convenient.

Another slide speaks of a reset button that preserves apps and settings while wiping out viruses and other hindrances. Some industry watchers suggest that storing apps and data in the cloud could make this feature possible.

As for Microsoft's goal of "instant on" computing, blogger Manan Kakkar spotted a Microsoft patent for using a hypervisor-another virtualization method-to split the operating system into a general-purpose OS and a number of appliancelike applications, such as for TVs and tablets. Those uses, Kakkar says, could switch on instantly even if the core OS took 30 seconds to start up.

How will Microsoft achieve these lightweight versions of its operating system? A rumor circulated by Paul Thurrott posits that Windows 8 will introduce a tile-based interface called "Mosh" to serve as an alternative UI for tablets and other low-power touchscreen devices.

We've also heard rumblings about a new application development framework code-named "Jupiter," whose goal is to help developers create dynamic, visually appealing, and immersive applications for a forthcoming Windows app store. It may also be an attempt by Microsoft to enable developers to create apps that work on both traditional x86-based CPUs and ARM-based processors without extensive recompiling and reprogramming.

Speculation

If you doubt whether Windows 8 will be a profoundly different operating system from its predecessors, consider this breathless bit of hype that briefly appeared on a Microsoft developer's blog in 2009:

"The minimum that folks can take for granted is that the next version will be something completely different from what folks usually expect of Windows...The themes that have been floated truly reflect what people have been looking [for] for years and it will change the way people think about PCs and the way they use them. It is the future of PCs."

Microsoft quickly removed the blog, as if to erase the evidence. So is the company really trying to shake things up with Windows 8?

The Big Picture

Microsoft clearly wants to create an operating system that scales between devices. ARM support provides the foundation, and cloud services could be a major building block. The challenge for Microsoft will be to leave the core Windows experience and legacy compatibility intact while also pursuing its lofty ambitions.

A final rumor: Reportedly, Microsoft is targeting a 2012 release for Windows 8. Think the company can get everything figured out by then?

HP CEO to Reveal Strategy March 14 (PC World)

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 01:30 PM PST

James Niccolai James Niccolai – Mon Jan 24, 4:30 pm ET

Hewlett-Packard has invited journalists to an event March 14 where CEO Léo Apotheker is expected to lay out his plans for the company, including anticipated greater investments in enterprise software.

HP sent the invitations on Monday for its "March summit meeting" in San Francisco. It didn't provide details but the event is likely to be a forum for the recently appointed CEO to reveal his strategy for HP.

Apart from a quarterly earnings conference call late last year it will be Apotheker's first big public engagement since starting as HP CEO in November. The former SAP chief replaced Mark Hurd, who resigned from HP last August amid a scandal involving an HP marketing contractor.

Hurd did a lot to cut costs at HP and improve its financial position, but he didn't build a strategy that distinguishes HP from big rivals like IBM, said analyst James Staten of Forrester Research. "That's what they're expecting Leo to do for them," he said.

Given Apotheker's experience at SAP, Staten and other analysts expect his plans to involve bigger investments in software for the enterprise, including potentially some big acquisitions. Apotheker indicated as much on HP's earning call.

"The management software they have -- Mercury and Opsware and the legacy HP software -- needs to become a far more integrated and significant part of the business," Staten said.

Analysts say business intelligence may also be a target area. Right now, HP is like a "BI sandwich without the middle," Forrester analyst James Kobielus said recently. "They've got the hardware, they've got the services, but they don't have the software."

Apotheker will also expand HP's investment in storage and networking, two other profitable areas that are becoming increasingly strategic in corporate data centers, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources.

His plan may also include new duties for top HP executives including Ann Livermore, who runs HP's enterprise business, and executive vice presidents David Donatelli and Tom Hogan, the Journal reported.

HP didn't return a call Monday seeking comments for this article.

It's been a bumpy time for the company since Hurd's departure. As soon as it named Apother to be its new CEO, Oracle tried to make him appear in court in connection with its intellectual property lawsuit against his former employer, SAP.

Apotheker avoided a court appearance -- and faced no charges in the case -- but the events appeared to force him to keep a low profile while the Oracle-SAP case was ongoing. HP said at the time he was busy traveling the world getting to know its customers and employees.

"Hopefully, Ellison has finished chasing him around with a subpoena and HP can put the CEO follies behind them," said analyst Dan Olds of Gabriel Consulting.

HP also has a separate big event scheduled for Feb 9, also in San Francisco, where it's due to discuss its strategy for the webOS software it bought from Palm to use in smartphones, printers and other products.

(Chris Kanaracus contributed to this article.)

Technet

Monday, January 24, 2011

Google awards $100 million to Eric Schmidt (AP) : Technet

Google awards $100 million to Eric Schmidt (AP) : Technet

No comments:

Post a Comment

My Blog List