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December 02, 2006

Technology & Science

Technology & Science News, Product Reviews

 

Comcast's C-TV: Channeling Disney A new video-on-demand deal is only the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the cable giant and the Magic Kingdom

  MORE OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES

• Microsoft's Message on Vista Security 12/1

• Pfizer Seeks to Cure Its Ills 12/1

• Intuit's Billion-Dollar Banking Bet 12/1

• Radio's High-Definition Blitz 12/1

• Alcatel-Lucent CEO's Tricky Trip to Paris 12/1

• Yahoo! China, Out of the Game? 12/1

• New Leader for Sony's PlayStation Unit 12/1

• The New God Game 12/1

 BW'S PICKS FROM AP NEWS >>

• Netgear CFO leaves for American Repro

• SEC finds no options problems at Xilinx

• Intuit to buy Digital Insight for $1.35B

• HP lawsuit adds insider trading claims

• Hirai to oversee Sony video game unit

MORE BREAKING NEWS FROM AP >

  COMPUTERS >>

Marvell's Trio of Processors

The company is rolling out three versions of its new PXA300 chips. Now it just needs to convince potential customers it can be a reliable long-term supplier 11/29

Much to Be Thankful for at Dell

A better-than-expected third quarter earns Dell CEO Kevin Rollins some needed goodwill on Wall Street 11/22

Apple Shares Soar on Sales Outlook

One day after its record close, the iPod maker's stock remains strong thanks to optimism about music-player sales and future products 11/17

Energy Could Eat Up to 40% of IT Budgets

Gartner says the power demands of IT hardware, plus rising fuel prices, make the industry "unsustainable" and companies must consider green technology 11/8

  INTERNET >>

O, Come All Ye Online Shoppers

Despite a slow start for some brick-and-mortar stores, e-tailers are poised for a prosperous holiday season 11/29

France's Blogging Phenom Goes Global

A free blogging service started by a rap radio station, Skyblog has MySpace beat in France—and is looking to expand in Europe and the U.S. 11/29

What Podcasting Revolution?

More people are downloading audio feeds, but few do it regularly, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project 11/27

The Dark Side of Second Life

Software that lets residents copy others' possessions is the latest reminder that this virtual world may need tougher law enforcement 11/21

Cuban Talks Trash to YouTube

Mark Cuban ridiculed Google for purchasing the copyright lawsuit-prone YouTube. Now he may be ready to back an adversary to prove his point 11/16

  SOFTWARE >>

Microsoft Vista: Companies Can Wait

Corporate buyers may be slow to adopt the new operating system and Office business programs 11/30

Sun's Surprising Openness

That the programming language Java would be open-source software was expected—what caught many off guard was exactly how 11/14

When Companies Do the Mash

Corporations from IBM to Google to E*Trade are jumping onboard the trend of mixing and matching software from different sources 11/13

  CONSUMER ELECTRONICS >>

GPS Navigates Onto Holiday Wish Lists

The navigation devices are more popular than ever this year thanks to lower prices, better performance, and enhanced multimedia capabilities 11/29

Slide Show: Best Mobile Navigators

Handheld devices that help you find your way around are everywhere this holiday season, but you may need help choosing among their many features 11/29

Goldman's Mission: Stop Sanyo's Slide

The investment bank faces a tall order in helping turn around the slumping electronics outfit 11/29

Bigger TV Screens, Lower Prices

Consumer-electronics manufacturers are gearing up for the holidays by cutting prices on high-def TVs. Here's a handy buyers' guide 11/22

Game Definitely Not Over

On the eve of the launch of PS3 and Wii, stakes in the console tussle amid Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have never been higher 11/16

Next-Gen Gaming Cheat Sheet

Can't keep your PS3s and Wiis straight? We cut through the game-battle babble to give you all you need to know before buying 11/16

A Brief History of Game Console Warfare

Slide Show: Video game console makers are gearing up for a new battle in November, but the war has been going on for more than 30 years 11/15

Big-TV Battle: LCD vs. Plasma

Dropping prices on large-screen sets mean viewing pleasure for consumers who buy early—and thin margins for manufacturers 10/4

  DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT >>

TiVo Heads South

The TV recording pioneer reports a smaller loss and plans to expand into Mexico, but investors sell down the shares thanks to a weak outlook 11/30

Sponsor Fixation

British company Bunnyfoot offers sophisticated eyeball tracking and physiological analysis of gameplay to improve the placement and design of in-game advertising 11/30

Samsung and Sony's Win-Win LCD Venture

A manufacturing collaboration between the two tech giants is reaping big rewards in the cutthroat field of large-screen, flat-panel TVs 11/29

Predatory Packaging

Are expensive bundles of next-gen consoles, games and assorted add-ons just one big con? 11/13

Zune: Equipped for Success

Hoping to replicate the success of iPod accessory market, Belkin and other makers are releasing a flurry of add-ons for Microsoft's music player 11/7
Slide Show: 12 Zune Accessory Hopefuls

  TELECOM >>

3Com Unties the Knot with Huawei

The networking gear maker's shares dropped Wednesday after it said it would buy out its Chinese joint-venture partner 11/30

Nokia Gets Design-Conscious—Again

The world's largest mobile-phone maker is building a new design studio and emphasizing looks as it vies to regain the edge from slimmer rivals 11/30

Nokia Knows It, Thin is In

The Finnish handset pro is playing catch-up in the slim phone segment. Take a look at its late entries aimed at hanging up the competition 11/30

In Hong Kong, a Telecom Family Feud

Richard Li, chair of PCCW, wanted to sell his share of the telecom giant—until his billionaire dad, Li Ka-shing, got into the act. Now it's up to shareholders 11/30

Upward Mobility

Ultrafast networks and whizzy features are about to turn your cellphone into—well, your right arm 11/27

The Many Faces of Mobile

Cell phone manufacturers are adding new technology for instant Web searches, mapping, and wallet-free payments. Here are a few recent popular designs 11/27

China's 3G Mobile Marathon

A new homegrown wireless standard, TD-SCDMA, is being rolled out in time for the Beijing Olympics. Will it win gold or create headaches for global players? 11/27

Time to Rename the Cell Phone?

They're not just for making calls, and they don't have a lot to do with cells. Maybe it's time to name the ubiquitous gadget something else 11/27

VoIP Patents: Innovation—and Lawsuits

New patents scored by Nokia, IBM, and others should revolutionize Internet-calling, and breed legal battles for control of that red-hot market 11/26

  TECH INVESTING

Bubble 2.0?

Venture firms are pouring money into Web 2.0 startups in hopes of funding the next MySpace. But is the frenzy getting out of hand—again? 11/8

Nokia's Roller-Coaster Report

Mixed results highlight strength at the top and bottom of the market and weakness in the mid-range, where Motorola and Samsung continue to gain 10/20

  SCIENCE >>

Novartis in China: East Meets West in R&D

Lower costs, top talent, and access to the huge mainland market drive the Swiss drugmaker's plans for a $100 million research center in Shanghai 11/7

High-Tech Hoops Brouhaha

The NBA's new synthetic ball is rubbing players the wrong way. Who decides what advances prevail in sports—players, fans, or Big Business? 10/18

  BEST OF THE MAGAZINE >>

You Oughta Be in Webcasts

Scripted Web shows are piquing the interest of Madison Ave and giving filmmakers a new venue 11/29

There's Not Enough "Me" In MySpace

Just as the big online social networks are branching out to reach an audience broader than teens and Gen Y, a raft of upstarts hopes to reach these same prospects 11/28

Six Sigma Still Pays Off at Motorola

The company is thriving, with a culture that lets left-brain and right-brain types co-exist 11/28

The Soul of a New Microsoft

The software giant is embracing the need for innovation, and it's giving a team of edgy thinkers the go-ahead to look far beyond Windows for the next big thing 11/23

Slide Show: Microsoft's Change Agents

As Bill Gates prepares to step away, a new breed of leaders is retooling the company and searching for growth opportunities 11/23

  MORE BREAKING NEWS FROM AP >>

• FCC chair moves to break AT&T deadlock

• Stocks falter after downbeat ISM report

• Business Highlights

• New E-Discovery Rules Benefit Some Firms

• Jury hears Microsoft competition suit

• Trident Microsystems sued

MORE  >

  PRODUCT REVIEWS > >
 VIDEO PODCAST >>

Tech 101

Technology should make life easier. When it doesn't, it's not your fault. Need help? Ask us!

Each week Senior Technology Writer Arik Hesseldahl answers your toughest tech questions—in plain English. Write to him at Tech101@hzvt.com.

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WILDSTROMTECH MAVEN >>

Mashups

Corporations from IBM to Google to E*Trade are jumping onboard the trend of mixing and matching software from different sources

BLOG TECH BEAT >>
POLL INSTANT SURVEY >>

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