Microsoft says XP is dead in June, Dell says it ll' keep selling it

Steve Ballmer kicked up a little dirt last week when he said that Microsoft could "wake up smarter" and keep selling XP after the June 30 cutoff date if customer feedback demanded it, but as you'd expect, the company is busily trying to "clarify" that statement by saying that while it always listens to customers, XP is definitely going to die on the 30th. Well, apart from the ultraportable exception that'll last until 2012 or so. And the backlog of licenses still in reseller's hands. Oh, and a little company called Dell, which, as rumored, is going to take advantage of a Vista licensing loophole that allows it to sell a copy of Vista but preload XP instead. Yep, that's the plan -- Dell's going to report a Vista sale to Microsoft, but deliver an XP box with Vista upgrade DVD to customers. (That sound you just heard was a million accountants sighing in appreciation.) The program will be available for Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision, Vostro, and XPS systems (some with a minor fee), and Dell says it'll keep going as long as Microsoft supports the "downgrade" license option, which could be forever. Looks like June 30 just got a lot less scary for XP fans, no?

Read - Microsoft clarification of Ballmer's comments
Read - Dell to keep selling XP

(Engadget)

Apple Buys Chipmaker P.A. Semi For $278 Million

Wondering what Apple (AAPL) was going to do with all that cash? Here's one answer: The company has acquired small chip designer P.A. Semi for $278 million in cash, Forbes.com reports.

Late Tuesday, in response to questions from Forbes.com, Apple's top spokesman said the deal is done. "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not comment on our purposes and plans," Steve Dowling said. The company is due to announce its quarterly earnings Wednesday.

The decision to center the iPhone design around a chip that Apple could own marks a significant strategic choice by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs, and is aimed at ensuring Apple can continue to differentiate its flagship phone as a raft of competitors flood the market. According to a source affiliated with the chip company, Jobs and Senior Vice President Tony Fadell led the tiny group of executives who spearheaded the acquisition, which included negotiations that took place in Jobs' home.

Apple's choice is a blow for chip maker Intel (INTC), which has been trying to convince Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple to rely on Intel's chips--particularly its latest low-power line up, called Atom.

In February 2007, P.A. Semi debuted a 64-bit dual core microprocessor which the company asserted was 300% more efficient than any comparable chips. It consumes only 5 to 13 watts running at 2 gigahertz. Telecommunications, networking and wireless companies embraced P.A. Semi's work.

It will probably take more than a year before Apple products incorporate any of P.A.'s chips, Forbes.com says.

(Silicone Alley Insider)

Revenge of the desktop app

The cloud is taking over the world of applications, casting a shadow on the desktop. The browser rules. Operating systems are simply plumbing. The Web is the new OS.



Hello folks, Dan Farber has written an interesting article over at Cnet, about the new world of software which is largely RIA ( Rich Internet Application) and how is desktop apps are fitting into this crazy world of software when everything is browser based?

Why would any one even want a desktop application when everything just runs off the web browser?

Blockbuster offers $1 billion for Circuit City

Video rental giant Blockbuster on Monday announced it has offered to purchase Circuit City Stores for $6 to $8 per share, or about $1 billion to $1.3 billion.

Blockbuster initially made the proposal on February 17, but says Circuit City has not provided the due diligence it needs to make a more definitive offer. On Monday, Blockbuster decided to go public. In a letter to Circuit City CEO Philip Schoonover, Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes notes that the two companies have been discussing proposed tie-ups since December.

(Credit: Blockbuster)

Blockbuster says the offer is intended to "capitalize on the growing convergence of media content and electronic devices."

"Our proposal offers Circuit City a significant premium to its existing stock price and creates a game-changing retail concept with a sustainable competitive advantage. We believe the combination will result in a compelling consumer proposition that will drive significant revenue and margin enhancements as well as cost synergies," Keyes said in a statement.

Circuit City issued its own statement saying it had received the offer, and was still evaluating its options.

A combination of the two companies would add up to an $18 billion business, according to Blockbuster's calculations. Both companies have struggled in the past year--Circuit City posted a $200 million loss near the end of 2008, and Blockbuster has been fending off Netflix's success in online video rentals, as well as the growing threat of digital movie downloads.

Last week news leaked out that Blockbuster had a set-top box under development that would stream video content directly into homes, which was seen by many as a last-ditch effort to adapt its business.

( Erica Ogg, Cnet)

Now playing: Adobe Media Player 1.0

Adobe Systems on Wednesday plans to release Adobe Media Player (AMP), a free download for playing Flash-based Web videos on Macs or PCs.

Written with Adobe's AIR, AMP is a hybrid online/offline application that lets people subscribe to different video Webcasts. Adobe has signed on some initial partners including CBS, PBS, MTV Networks, Universal Music Group, CondeNet, and Scripps Networks. (See my colleague Rafe Needleman's review of AMP on Webware.)

The videos are either streamed from the content producer's Web site or they can be downloaded. Adobe will host a catalog, called Adobe TV, on its site where people can find videos. Because it's written with AIR, people can be offline or online when they watch.

Initially, many of the videos available will have advertising attached to them. Using Adobe's digital rights management server, content producers are able to put controls on their media.

Later, Adobe intends to enhance the client software so that different business models can be used, such as paying to download a video or renting videos, said Ashley Still, a senior product manager at Adobe.

There are already a number of existing media players, like iTunes. But Adobe thinks that having its own player will be strategic for a number of reasons, Still said.

PBS is one of the content partners to use the Adobe Media Player.

(Credit: Adobe)

Adobe is trying to garner more revenue from online services; the company will be sharing revenue from advertising with content producers.

The player complements Adobe's multimedia content-creation multimedia products and Adobe wants to make sure there is a high-quality way to deliver that video to consumers, Still said.

"This is the first time Adobe is participating directly in the playback of Internet video content," she said.

With the 1.0 version, the player will only display Flash content, but Adobe could add support for other formats, Still said.

( Martin LaMonica, Cnet)

I've tested the player and it works, really well even with slower connections internet, what's even cooler is that unlike others Adobe allows international users to enjoy ad supported US television content. (though selection is still extremely limited).

9000 school in swiss will switch to linux only

Duvet-Dayz is reoprting that Beginning from next term, all computers at schools in the Swiss canton of Geneva will be switched to Ubuntu Linux only.
Geneva newspaper Tribune de Geneve reports today that from September 2008 all computers at schools that currently are dual-boot MS Windows and Linux will have MS Windows removed and become FOSS (Free Open Source Software) only.

Besides lower costs for the administration, students will also profit from the use of Ubuntu, as they then will be able to use the same applications at home without additional cost.

Manuel Grandjean, director for the schools (Ecoles-Médias) IT services pointed out that the use of FOSS “…encourages participation and the democratization of knowledge and provides product independent competences…“.
He also sees the use of FOSS as a “reinforcement of equal opportunities” for students. More information and the full text of the article at Tribune de Geneve (in French)

Intel trots out wireless chips, discusses eight cores at IDF

Intel has started shipping its long awaited low-power chip for wireless devices, but the company is clearly starting at the high end of the market.

The Centrino Atom--which took almost four years to develop--is the world's fastest chip under 3 watts of power, according to Intel. The first Atoms run at speeds up to 1.8GHz and sport a thermal ceiling of 0.65 to 2.4 watts. By contrast, the average laptop chip runs at 3.3GHz and consumes 35 watts at a peak.

The company unveiled the chip at the Intel Developer Forum taking place in Shanghai this week. Intel also said that the first chips based around Nehalem, a new chip architecture for desktops, notebooks and servers, will come out this year. Nehalem is designed to go up to eight cores. (Hubba, hubba.)

Then there is a whole new architecture coming in 2010 code-named Sandy Bridge.

Atom will probably get the most attention at the show. Intel has been trying to play a bigger part in the wireless market for years and create new categories of devices for wireless, cranking out another chapter in the so-called "new users, new uses" strategy. Intel will initially aim Atom at "pocketable devices" which can play movies, hold hours of music, and let users scroll the Internet. A few companies like OQQ and Samsung have come out with ultra-portables like this. They haven't sold in huge numbers. The first devices with Atom will sell for around $400 to $600.

The mobile sector is the fastest-growing category in the semiconductor business and Intel wants to be in there to compete with companies such as Dallas-based Texas Instruments, Samsung Electronics, Qualcomm, and STMicroelectronics.

"The architecture is going to be able to bring all the PC functionalities, what you saw in the market in 2003 and 2004," Gary Willihnganz, director of marketing in Intel's mobile group, said in a conference call from Shanghai on Tuesday.

To help convince wireless handset makers to select its chip, Intel promises a "seven year extended life support." That is, handset makers will be able to get chips and support for seven years for the same processor. Handset and consumer electronics device makers change internal silicon slower than PC makers.

The company presented a list of around 20 manufacturers, 10 service providers, and a big group of software companies that have signed on to work with Intel. How many come out with devices remains to be seen, but it's a start. In the past, Intel has kicked off mobile phone efforts with less support.

(Carl-Gustav Linden, Cnet)