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Friday, April 22, 2011

Sony investigating PlayStation Network outage (AP) : Technet

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Sony investigating PlayStation Network outage (AP) : Technet

Sony investigating PlayStation Network outage (AP)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 08:41 PM PDT

– 17 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Sony Corp. is investigating the outage of its PlayStation Network, a system that links gamers in live play worldwide.

The company first blogged about the outage Wednesday, and on Thursday said it could take a "full day or two" to get the service back up and running. It did not indicate what it believed to be the cause of the outage.

Posts on a PlayStation message board on Friday afternoon indicated the system was still down.

Sony representatives did not return messages left seeking comment.

The outage comes just after Tuesday's release of the game "Mortal Kombat," which is available on the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360. It also comes as Amazon.com tries to restore computers used by other major websites as an outage stretched beyond 24 hours.

Samsung files lawsuits against Apple (AP)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 06:27 AM PDT

– Fri Apr 22, 9:27 am ET

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said it is suing Apple Inc. for patent rights violations, only days after Apple sued Samsung for the same reason.

Samsung is accusing Apple of violating its rights to 10 smartphone and computer patents. The company filed lawsuits Thursday in Seoul, Tokyo and Mannheim, Germany.

The lawsuits come only days after Apple sued Samsung in a California court. Apple alleges Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones and tablet computers copy Apple's popular iPad and iPhone.

The lawsuits are the latest in a long string of patent disputes among phone makers. In recent years Apple, Microsoft Corp., Nokia Corp., HTC Corp. and others have taken legal action to protect their intellectual property rights.

The New York Times' Cascade: Data Visualization for Tweets [VIDEO] (Mashable)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 02:48 PM PDT

Jolie O'Dell Jolie O'dell – Fri Apr 22, 5:48 pm ET

The research and development department of The New York Times has recently been pondering the life cycle of the paper's news stories in social media -- specifically, on Twitter. Cascade is a project that visually represents what happens when readers tweet about articles.

Even now, however, Cascade is more than just a nifty data visualization. Some journalists think it also gives us new ways of to think about and optimize for sharing and engagement on the social web, especially since it helps identify the most influential sharers, the more shareable terms, and more.

Its creators write on the project's website that Cascade "links browsing behavior on a site to sharing activity to construct a detailed picture of how information propagates through the social media space. While initially applied to New York Times stories and information, the tool and its underlying logic may be applied to any publisher or brand interested in understanding how its messages are shared."

Here's what a cascade for a typical article looks like:

For the developers among our readers, Cascade was created using Processing and MongoDB.

What do you think of Cascade?

Anonymous May Have Taken Out PlayStation Network (NewsFactor)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:07 PM PDT

Barry Levine, newsfactor.com Barry Levine, newsfactor.com – Fri Apr 22, 6:07 pm ET

If you've been trying without success to access the PlayStation Network, you're not alone. The online gaming network has been unavailable to 70 million PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable registered users since Thursday.

Sony has acknowledged the network outage, although no explanation has been offered. The company said in a posting Thursday on its PlayStation Blog "that it may be a full day or two before we're able to get the service completely back up and running." Some observers are speculating that the outage is the result of denial-of-service attacks by Anonymous.

'No Qualms'

In early April, several Sony sites were brought down by members of Anonymous, the hacker group known for its politically oriented online attacks. The sites included Sony.com, Style.com and the U.S. site for PlayStation. The hacker group has both denied responsibility for the outage, and, in a statement on its Facebook page, implied that it caused the outage.

"Take a break from online gaming for a while," the Facebook posting read, adding that "your skills, your health, and your emotional levels" are out of order "if they are shackled" because the PlayStation network is down. "We have no qualms about our actions."

Before the attacks on the Sony sites, Anonymous had announced it would target the company because of Sony's lawsuit against a user named George Hotz. Sony obtained a restraining order against Hotz and other hackers for allegedly jailbreaking the PlayStation 3 game console to run unauthorized software such as pirated games, and for providing software tools that others could use.

'Disciplinary Actions'

Sony also sought and received access to Hotz' social-media accounts, and to the IP addresses of visitors to his web site. The company also obtained access to his PayPal account to see donations in support of his jailbreaking efforts.

According to news reports, Sony was looking especially for payments from supporters in northern California. The company has been seeking to try the case in Northern California, which Hotz, a New Jersey resident, has resisted.

In an open letter to Sony, Anonymous said Sony "abused the judicial system in an attempt to censor information on how your products work." It added that the company had "victimized your own customers merely for possessing and sharing information," adding that these actions mean Sony "violated the privacy of thousands."

Anonymous said the anti-Sony effort against the sites, which it is called OpSony, were "disciplinary actions" against Sony's private domains, which were paid for with Sony's own money, and implicitly compared that to Sony's actions against Hotz's privately owned game console. Sony has said it was protecting its intellectual-property rights.

Sony and Hotz reached a settlement two weeks ago. The terms of the agreement were not made public, although Hotz agreed to a permanent injunction.

T-Mobile Merger Will Fix Bad Service, AT&T Says (NewsFactor)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:06 PM PDT

Adam Dickter, newsfactor.com Adam Dickter, newsfactor.com – Fri Apr 22, 6:06 pm ET

As regulators scrutinize the impact of AT&T becoming the nation's biggest wireless provider, the carrier is telling regulators the $39 billion deal won't hurt competition. It also says its purchase of T-Mobile will lead to better service and wider adoption of high-speed broadband Internet access -- a priority for the Federal Communications Commission.

The "transaction will give the combined company the scale, resources and spectrum that will enable it to deploy LTE to more than 97 percent of Americans -- approximately 55 million more Americans than under AT&T's current plans," AT&T wrote in its official FCC proposal. "That deployment will help fulfill this administration's pledge to connect every part of America to the digital age, and it will create new jobs and economic growth in the small towns and rural communities that need them most."

'Fewer Dropped Calls'

But in an interesting turn, AT&T also made a case for how the deal will benefit its current customers, citing its own reputation for dropped calls.

"AT&T faces network spectrum and capacity constraints more severe than those of any other wireless provider, and this merger provides by far the surest, fastest and most efficient solution to that challenge," the carrier said. "The network synergies of this transaction will free up new capacity -- the functional equivalent of new spectrum -- in the many urban, suburban and rural wireless markets where escalating broadband usage is fast consuming existing capacity."

"This transaction will thus benefit consumers by reducing the number of dropped and blocked calls, increasing data speeds, and dramatically expanding deployment of next-generation mobile technology."

The deal is strongly opposed by the nonprofit Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports. The group warns that the merger would put 80 percent of the U.S. wireless market under just two companies, AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

In an ad on the web site Politico, Consumer Reports says, "To put it lightly, this wireless merger is tipped against you. Higher prices. Fewer choices. Say no to the AT&T T-Mobile merger."

Parul P. Desai, policy counsel for Consumers Union, said, "We routinely hear a lot of complaints from wireless customers about high prices, hidden charges, and poor customer service, and it's hard to see how AT&T buying T-Mobile would improve the situation. We have long sought reform on a number of issues to help promote a marketplace that fosters consumer choice and fair prices, such as interoperability and access to broadband infrastructure. We feel that these should be addressed to facilitate competition in the wireless marketplace before ruling on this transaction."

Pay More for Bad Service?

CU's analysis of voice and data plans from AT&T and T-Mobile shows that T-Mobile plans typically cost between $15 and $50 less per month than comparable plans from AT&T, which got lower satisfaction ratings in surveys of wireless customers. That means a potential setback for T-Mobile customers, CU said.

Wireless analyst Ramon Llamas of IDC Research said the potential downside of the merger is a decrease in the range of devices offered by the new company to reduce internal competition and crowding.

"T-Mobile has its own branded smartphone series, such as the G2 and Magic 4G," Llamas said. "Assuming this all comes together, a lot of those devices are going to be eliminated. When you have fewer devices, the question comes up of how much competition users see in the end when they have less selection."

On the other hand, he said, the merger could help AT&T beef up weak service in key market areas such as New York and San Francisco, places where iPhone users have reported the most dropped calls.

"It also remains to be seen what the pricing will look like, which is something that Sprint and Verizon will make some noise about," he added. As the only major nationwide carriers using the GSM standard, the merged AT&T and T-Mobile could conceivably dictate prices for users who don't want to switch phones, he said.

Android App Quick Picks (PC World)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 06:00 PM PDT

Armando Rodriguez Armando Rodriguez – 2 hrs 58 mins ago

Looking for some new Android apps to download? Here are two Android games to check out, and one that we recommend you skip.

Apps You Should Pick Up

Soccer Superstars ($5)

With old-school graphics and easy-to-pick-up controls, Soccer Superstars is loads of fun. The fairly in-depth Manager Mode allows you to tweak your team and transform it into an international powerhouse, but the game is still approachable for casual fans.

Bebbled (Free)

Looking to scratch your puzzle-game itch? Bebbled is an incredibly addictive puzzle game that will keep you playing until your phone battery runs dry. The goal of the game is to match similarly colored orbs to clear them from the board. While simple, the game will captivate you for hours as it gets harder and harder after each level.

Apps to Avoid

Bistro Cook (Free)

Bistro Cook will definitely not win any beauty contests anytime soon. In a game where you are expected to fill your customers' orders rapidly, the unintuitive interface makes it hard to tell what exactly you are frying on the stove top. On top of that, the game can be unresponsive at times. I suggest you stay away from this kitchen disaster.

What app gems did you find this week? Feel free to shout them out in the comments area below.

AT&T Adds More iPhone Customers Than Verizon (NewsFactor)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:07 PM PDT

Mark Long, newsfactor.com Mark Long, newsfactor.com – Fri Apr 22, 6:07 pm ET

Verizon Wireless activated 2.2 million CDMA iPhones during the handset's first eight weeks of availability on the wireless carrier's network. But only 22 percent of the iPhone activations through the end of March represented new Verizon customers, the company's executives told investors during a conference call Thursday.

Industry observers were surprised that Verizon's highly anticipated iPhone launch last February only attracted about 500,000 new customers to the carrier's wireless network. On the other hand, Verizon's total iPhone sales exceeded Piper Jaffray's estimate of 1.5 million for the March quarter.

Overall, Verizon had a very strong quarter of device sales, with 906,000 retail postpaid customers added. "Roughly 60 percent of all phones sold in the quarter were smartphones -- up from 36 percent just one year ago," noted Verizon CFO Francis Shammo. "Sixty-five percent of all smartphone sales were new to the category, meaning they were existing customers with feature phones or new Verizon customers."

Record iPhone Sales

AT&T enjoyed record iPhone sales in the first quarter of 3.6 million units -- despite losing its iPhone exclusivity in the U.S. wireless market. "That's almost one million more than last year, with 23 percent of these subscribers new to AT&T," said AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets CEO Ralph de la Vega. In other words, AT&T gained more than 828,000 new iPhone customers in the quarter versus 500,000 net iPhone customer additions at Verizon.

Furthermore, few of the new subscribers buying an iPhone from Verizon appear to have switched from AT&T. "iPhone churn by itself was the same year over year," de la Vega said. "And iPhone sales increased, which means we continued to grow our iPhone base."

Some analysts have attributed AT&T's stable churn rate to the carrier's aggressive drive to sign up existing customers to long-term contracts in advance of Verizon's iPhone launch, but AT&T executives disagreed. "The reality is, even if customers were under contract, they have the ability to break that contract, pay a termination charge, and, most likely, take that device that they had and sell it and recover most, if not all, of that contract termination," AT&T CFO Rick Lindner told investors Wednesday.

Verizon's Strengths

Lindner attributed AT&T's stable churn rate to capabilities available on AT&T's GSM iPhones that Verizon's CDMA model cannot currently match, such as allowing voice and data sessions simultaneously as well as using the device around the world. However, the biggest factor behind AT&T's 33 percent year-over-year iPhone sales growth is undoubtedly the wireless carrier's $49 iPhone 3GS, which "is selling very well," de la Vega said.

Still, Verizon continues to lead AT&T in several important wireless network categories. For example, the postpaid churn rate at the nation's leading wireless carrier continued to outperform the U.S. market overall at just 1.01 percent in the first quarter. AT&T's churn rate during the same period was 1.36 percent.

What's more, Verizon added 906,000 retail postpaid customers, versus just 62,000 at AT&T. Even better, Verizon activated more than 260,000 units of the carrier's first 4G LTE smartphone -- the HTC Thunderbolt, which is priced at $249.99 -- in the final two weeks of the first quarter. By contrast, AT&T has drawn numerous buyer complaints concerning the carrier's 4G smartphone offerings -- the Atrix 4G and HTC Inspire 4G -- because the network has not yet switched on the high-speed HSUPA capabilities built into the new devices.

Chuck fans turn to twitter to save the show (Digital Trends)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 07:30 PM PDT

Jeff Hughes Jeff Hughes – 1 hr 28 mins ago

Twitter Chuck via we give a chuck

NBC's spy-nerd-next-door series Chuck is once again on the bubble between renewal and cancellation. This time the show's fanshave decided to shift gears and use the power of social media in their mission to get Chuck picked up for it's fifth season. This week, the fans have begun a twitter campaign in an effort to become more visible to the show's advertisers.

Every Monday, according to: We Give a Chuck the fan site which is organizing the campaign, Chuck fans will simply tweet to the advertisers when they see a commercial while the show is airing. The fan site gives a list of guidelines and what to include in each 140 character tweet:

  • Include the the twitter handle for both advertiser and NBC
  • A mention that the ad was seen on #Chuck. The closer in time between the sent tweet and the commercial's airing the better.
  • The hashtag #NotANielsonFamily.
A sample tweet would be like: "@McDonalds just saw your ad on @NBC's #Chuck, my reasons to live are Chuck and BigMacs! #NotANielsonFamily"

The last hashtag NotANielsonFamily represents the point the fans are trying to get across. They believe the Nielsen ratings system is faulty and isn't presenting the fans accurately. In an email to Wired.com, co-founder Kris Schneider said,"The Nielsens are basically just a tool to tell a network and advertisers that people are watching the commercials aired during a show." The Twitter campaign aims to do the same thing, but with better data.

Organizers have previously targeted Nielsen families in order to get them to watch the show and fans have mailed postcards to advertisers, but the twitter campaign seems to be more direct and already seems to be showing much promise. Honda and Diet Pepsi's twitter accounts have given a positive response to this past Monday's efforts.

The campaign's progress, whether it succeeds or fails, may provide valuable information on social networking's sway over the real world.

More Proof DVDs Are a Dying Medium (PC World)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:05 PM PDT

Ed Oswald Ed Oswald – Fri Apr 22, 6:05 pm ET

While Hollywood pushes Blu-ray as the next-generation entertainment format of choice, new research suggests that it may be wasting its time peddling the optical disc format. In a research note to clients, BTIG Research analyst Richard Greenfield notes that Google searches for rental services such as Redbox and (especially) Netflix have skyrocketed and searches for DVDs have flat-lined.

Greenfield suspects that the rise in Netflix's popularity has a lot to do with the rise in on-demand content, as consumers are no longer interested in ownership. If this is the case, it could spell trouble for Blu-ray: Hollywood is banking on the proposition that physical media still has a few years of life left.

Google Searches Predict the Future?

Searches for DVD terms such as "DVDs," "movies on DVD," "new DVD releases," and "top DVD rentals" were off some 45 percent since their late-2008 peak, according to Google data. Contrast this with "Netflix," whose query growth has eclipsed 90 percent in each of the past two years. Has the term Netflix become synonymous with home video, as Google has with search?

The entertainment service's rise in search queries does match up pretty well with its recent, dramatic subscriber growth. However, the Google research paper that Greenfield cites in his report also notes that current subscribers themselves were increasingly using the term Netflix in their own searches.

If that's the case, maybe my Google analogy isn't that far off.

It's Full Stream Ahead for Hollywood

Much of Netflix's growth seems to be due to online streaming. Greenfield notes that numerous players are either solidifying or throwing their hats into the space--HBO's GO service is a good example--which likely means that we're in the early stages of a serious ramping up of interest in this format.

But let's get back to Blu-ray and its prospects. Sales data shows that the format has only now reached a par with traditional DVD in player sales. While research group NPD says that about 77 percent of movie viewers still watch movies on DVD, streaming has become much more popular.

Match this against the growth in interest of Netflix (at least according to Google), and the company's successful push to streaming content, and Hollywood has to be a little worried.

Pepto Bismol Throws Pinata-Smashing Fiesta on YouTube for Cinco de Mayo (Mashable)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 01:32 PM PDT

Todd Wasserman Todd Wasserman – Fri Apr 22, 4:32 pm ET

Targeting the victims of the next big hangover-inducing holiday, Pepto Bismol has introduced a YouTube app for Cinco de Mayo.

Visitors to Pepto Bismol's YouTube channel can find a handful of options to make their own "Pinata Smash" video. There are four different pinatas to choose from, two snacks to fill them with and two "smashers." When the video is completed, users can share it on Facebook or Twitter.

Kristen Stutz, assistant brand manager for Procter & Gamble, says that there will eventually be 15 to 20 iterations of the video. “The idea was not just to provide content, but be able to enage [consumers] with it,â€

The effort will be promoted with a YouTube takeover on May 1 and a "Pinata Smash" segment during the Jimmy Kimmel Live! On May 4, an online ad campaign and PR outreach featuring Busy Philipps of Cougar Town.

The program is part of the brand's marketing overhaul that began last July with the sponsorship of the Nathan's Famous July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Since then, the brand has sought to align itself with other days on the calendar linked to overeating, like Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. Cinco de Mayo fits the bill, Stutz says.

Another facet of the plan is a complete reversal of Pepto's ad spending breakdown. Previously, up to 90% of the brand's ad budget went to traditional media like TV; now that figure is as low as 10%. Most of the rest goes toward digital media. The company claims that since the switchover, sales have improved.

The brand's reliance on a YouTube app also illustrates an experimentation among marketers in social media outlets beyond Facebook and Twitter. While YouTube is usually seen as a launchpad for would-be viral videos, few have used it for branding widgets. Likewise, LinkedIn, which has been barely touched by most marketers, is beginning to see some new experimentation as well.

HBO Go likely to pave the way for more TV on your iPad or iPhone (Appolicious)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:00 PM PDT

Comment of the Day: Of Course Apple and Google Track Us (The Atlantic Wire)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 02:33 PM PDT

Ray Gustini Ray Gustini – Fri Apr 22, 5:33 pm ET

So it turns out Apple and Google aren't just tracking the locations of iPhone and Droid users--they're also saving the data, with an eye towards building "massive databases capable of pinpointing people's locations via their cellphones," according to the Wall Street Journal. Commenter AP, for one, took the news in stride.

what I found most alarming is that I am not even remotely surprised to learn this

Thanks for reading, everyone. And be sure to check out Open Wire, where you can share links, feedback, and opinions on the stories you think we should be covering.

Apple's cloud-based iTunes gets record labels' blessing (Digital Trends)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:15 PM PDT

Molly McHugh Molly Mchugh – Fri Apr 22, 6:15 pm ET

itunes-cloud-mobileme

Google may be interested in partnering with established streaming service Spotify, but Apple may have just one-upped any progress it was making with its cloud-based music application. CNET is reporting that Apple has officially signed an agreement with Warner Music Group, giving its coming product rights to the label's entire music library.

And so the race heats up. Google Music has allegedly been held back only by exactly what has gone in Apple's favor: Reaching an agreement with record labels. Apparently Google has been unable to come to a deal concerning licensing with these higher ups, and it's majorly stalling a product launch. Meanwhile, All Things Digital claims that Apple is very close to inking deals with other major players in the music business, giving it a massive leg up on the competition.

This competition, of course, also includes Amazon. Amazon beat both Google and Apple in the race to the cloud, debuting its Cloud Drive Player nearly a month ago. Despite getting there first, the music storage and delivery service has been subject to mixed reviews, and its cloud servers have had some notable trouble handling user demand lately. There were also questions over the legality of the actual music it was offering up thus restricting the music it can actually offer. So if Apple can secure agreements with major record labels and provide more stable delivery and storage, it will easily take the lead.

Regardless of your personal feelings about any of these companies, this should all be great news for consumers. Three major digital players are competing for your money, and all are trying to best the other with improved UIs, larger music collections, and more capable, convenient ways to access and store your own libraries. Now we're just ready to see (and compare) them.

iPhone's 'iTracking' Spurs Questions from Congress (NewsFactor)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 03:07 PM PDT

Barry Levine, newsfactor.com Barry Levine, newsfactor.com – Fri Apr 22, 6:07 pm ET

Should Apple's previously unknown recording of location data on the iPhone be described as LocationGate? Maybe, since Congress is now asking questions.

U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) has written to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, saying reports of the secret location tracking raise "several questions." These questions, he wrote, include why the location data is being collected, is it being done for laptops, how is the data generated, and why consumers were not informed.

Children's Locations 'Compromised'?

Franken's letter points out that, because the data is stored unencrypted on the iPhone and on any computer to which it syncs, "third parties could gain access to this file." He also noted that it means "millions of children and teenagers who use iPhone and iPad devices also risk having their location collected and compromised."

In addition, there are reports that some European countries will investigate whether Apple has violated privacy laws. Officials in Germany, Italy and France have indicated they are opening investigations or considering them.

But some researchers say the existence of the location recording was previously known. Alex Levinson of Katana Forensics, which retrieves information from electronic devices for legal cases, told The New York Times that the data "has existed in earlier iPhones." In fact, he said, his firm has helped law-enforcement agencies "harvest geolocational evidence from iOS devices," including the iPhone. A new version of the iOS operating system, he said, simply changed the location of the file.

In July, Apple sent a letter to U.S. Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe L. Barton (R-Texas) noting that it collects location data anonymously, but only when consumers agree. The letter indicated that such data is used for location-based apps, with consent. Some experts have suggested the data is used so the iPhone knows its position, not to track users. If so, it's not clear why older location data would be stored.

iPhone as an 'iTrack'?

Markey sent a letter to Apple on Thursday, asking why the data is being stored and raising questions about whether the practice violates the Communications Act. "Apple needs to safeguard the personal location information of its users to ensure that an iPhone doesn't become an iTrack," he said.

But it's not just Apple. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Google's Android phones transmit locations to Google on a regular basis. The Journal discovered that a HTC Android phone collects location data every few seconds, and transmits it several times an hour.

On Wednesday, two researchers announced at a technology conference in San Francisco that they had discovered the iPhone records latitude and longitude coordinates, along with a time stamp, in a previously unknown, unencrypted file that is duplicated on any computer with which that smartphone is synced. The researchers also said they didn't find any such ability in Android phones.

Avi Greengart, an analyst with Current Analysis, described the location-tracking revelation as "a black eye" for Apple, but he added that it isn't clear yet if "consumers are freaked out about this." He said there are a number of outstanding questions, such as why the data is being collected and why it isn't protected, and he suspects Apple hasn't responded yet "because they're trying to figure out these questions themselves."

IBM Tailors BPM for Small Business (PC World)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 11:10 AM PDT

Joab Jackson Joab Jackson – Fri Apr 22, 2:10 pm ET

IBM has customized its new BPM (business process management) software to help small and midsized organizations set up their own automated workflows just like big businesses do.

Most BPM tools "are built for thousands of users and to run across multiple servers, and so they can get complex and expensive. This [software] addresses the BPM need in the mid-market," said Ron Kline, an IBM director for marketing to small and midsized businesses. "It fits the need for a midsized company, without it being too lightweight."

The software is based on the recently revamped enterprise BPM software IBM launched earlier this month, called Business Process Manager.

The standard edition of Business Process Manager combined two of IBM's previous BPM offerings, the WebSphere Process Server and IBM WebSphere Lombardi Edition. IBM obtained the latter when it purchased Lombardi last year.

This Express edition offers the same capabilities, though its usage is limited to four CPUs, 200 users and three "authors," or administrators who build the processes, Kline said.

BPM software is designed to automate routine business processes, such as hiring help or tracking shipments.

The new software is "departmentally oriented," Kline said. "You wouldn't use this software like a large enterprise would to track multiple processes across your entire business process."

Instead, this software could accommodate a handful of processes. Organizations can upgrade to the standard edition should they require larger deployments. The standard edition has no user limit and can be clustered across multiple servers.

Express is different from IBM's Blueworks Live, another lightweight IBM BPM offering, in that its processes can be coupled with back-office systems, such as CRM (customer relationship management) software.

This software could be used to automate simple processes such as filing and submitting expense reports, Kline said. Instead of having employees fill out spreadsheets and e-mail them to their supervisors to be approved, an organization could use this software to automatically shuttle the employee's expense data, once filled out, to the supervisor for approval, and then submit the approved data to the appropriate financial system.

BPM Express is available directly from IBM and through its partners. The price for the software itself starts at US$600 per author and $120 per user. An average deployment for about 200 users would cost around $25,000, Kline said.

Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab's e-mail address is Joab_Jackson@idg.com

Sun Gone Wild: NASA Releases Highlight Reel of Solar Flares [VIDEO] (Mashable)

Posted: 22 Apr 2011 10:42 AM PDT

Charlie White Charlie White – Fri Apr 22, 1:42 pm ET



Look what the sun's been up to over the past year. This spectacular highlight reel of videos shot by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) commemorates the year anniversary of when NASA revealed the first images taken by the spacecraft.

Over the past year, the sun has gone from one of the most docile periods in many years to the point where you might say that all hell is breaking loose. That's what makes this video so compelling. Says NASA:

The Solar Dynamics Observatory mission has returned unprecedented images of solar flares, eruptions of prominences, and the early stages of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In this video are some of the most beautiful, interesting, and mesmerizing events seen by SDO during its first year.

To get an idea of the scale we're talking about, take a look at this:

When you look at a video of the sun, you're looking at the origin of all life. As Carl Sagan told us, "The Earth -- and every living thing -- are made of star stuff."

Can't get enough sun gazing? Go to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory site, where you can see the way the sun looks right now.

Video and picture courtesy NASA

Upgrade Your Life: Gadget secret powers (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 20 Apr 2011 09:05 AM PDT
at 9:23 PM

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