tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18366010368946259292008-07-21T14:36:04.274-07:00CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comBlogger581125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-42184347783812016912008-07-21T14:36:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:36:04.291-07:00<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2134055620080721"></a>(Reuters) - Tattoos have become increasingly popular among U.S. young people, but women may be more likely than men to regret getting their "body art" so much that they try to have it removed, researchers said on Monday.<span id="midArticle_1"></span> <p>About a quarter of Americans ages 18 to 30 have at least one tattoo, and this figure is expected to jump to 40 percent in the next few years, the researchers said.</p><span id="midArticle_2"></span> <p>Along with lots of happy customers -- an estimated 80 percent are pleased with their tattoos -- some are so unhappy that they undergo laser treatment to have them erased. An estimated 6 percent of tattoo customers eventually undergo procedures to erase them.</p><span id="midArticle_3"></span> <p>A team led by Texas Tech University's Myrna Armstrong went to tattoo removal clinics in Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas to see who was getting rid of their tattoos and why.</p><span id="midArticle_4"></span> <p>About two-thirds of them were women. And many said their tattoos had caused them embarrassment, drawn negative comments and created problems when choosing clothing to cover them up.</p><span id="midArticle_5"></span> <p>A similar study a decade ago found that more men than women sought tattoo removal, the researchers said.</p><span id="midArticle_6"></span> <p>"You can't go to a wedding these days without seeing one bridesmaid with a tattoo on her back. But there are still a lot of people in our society who have problems with that. So anybody who gets a tattoo takes a social risk," Armstrong said in a telephone interview.</p><span id="midArticle_7"></span> <p>The women in the study, published in the journal Archives of Dermatology, said they were pleased with their tattoos when they got them, but changed their mind within a few years. Women are estimated to make up about half of those getting tattoos. <span class="label"><strong><a href="javascript:goToPage(2);">Continued...</a></strong></span></p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2134055620080721">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-77203638351046182872008-07-21T14:35:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:35:33.273-07:00<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1847047920080720"></a><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new rule requiring New York chain restaurants to post calorie information on their menus took effect on Friday, marking a first for a U.S. city.</p><span id="midArticle_1"></span> <p>Starting on Saturday, health inspectors can slap fines of up to $2,000 on fast-food and casual-dining chains if calorie counts are not displayed on their menus in the same font and format as the name or price of food items.</p><span id="midArticle_2"></span> <p>The move follows the city's 2003 ban on public smoking and a ban on artery-clogging trans fats that began on July 1.</p><span id="midArticle_3"></span> <p>New Yorkers appeared unfazed by the rule, and some said they would not be dissuaded from ordering a 540-calorie Big Mac at McDonald's or a 440-calorie Iced lemon Loaf at Starbucks.</p><span id="midArticle_4"></span> <p>"I'm going to eat whatever I'm going to eat," said Erika Roberson, 19, leaving an Applebee's restaurant in Brooklyn.</p><span id="midArticle_5"></span> <p>The rule affects such restaurants as McDonald's; Burger King; Applebee's, operated by DineEquity Inc; Dunkin Donuts; Starbucks and Subway.</p><span id="midArticle_6"></span> <p>"I'm for it. I don't think the average person has any idea what they're eating," said Amanda Goodwin, 33, a school administrator.</p><span id="midArticle_7"></span> <p>Analysts said they did not expect the rule to have much impact on consumer habits. <span class="label"><strong><a href="javascript:goToPage(2);">Continued...</a></strong></span></p><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1847047920080720"><br />Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-8270132147880699952008-07-21T14:34:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:34:26.115-07:00<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/us/politics/22obama.html?bl&amp;ex=1216785600&amp;en=64c9c3848c52667d&amp;ei=5087%0A"></a><h1><nyt_headline version="1.0" type=" "> </nyt_headline> </h1> <div class="image" id="wideImage"> <img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/07/21/world/21obama3-600.jpg" alt="" border="0" width="600" height="330" /> <div class="credit">Ssg. Lorie Jewell/U.S. Army, via Associated Press</div> <p class="caption"> Senator Barack Obama with Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American military commander in Iraq, in a helicopter above Baghdad.<br /></p><p class="caption">enator <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a> arrived in Baghdad on Monday, meeting with Prime Minister <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/nuri_kamal_al-maliki/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.">Nuri Kamal al-Maliki</a> and other senior Iraqi politicians, as an Iraqi spokesman said that the government was hopeful that foreign combat troops would withdraw in 2010.</p><p>Mr. Obama, on the latest leg of his first overseas tour as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, arrived in the Iraqi capital in the early afternoon with an American delegation after first stopping in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. </p><p> Mr. Obama met with Mr. Maliki; the United States ambassador to <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iraq/index.html?inline=nyt-geo" title="More news and information about Iraq.">Iraq</a>, <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/ryan_c_crocker/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Ryan C. Crocker.">Ryan C. Crocker</a>; the Iraqi national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, and other Iraqi officials at the prime minister’s residence in the Green Zone. </p><p>Mr. Obama described his talk with Mr. Maliki as “a wonderful visit,” but news agencies reported that a government spokesman said that they did not discuss the timing of any troop withdrawal. However, the spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, addressed the issue. According to Reuters, he said, “We cannot give any timetables or dates but the Iraqi government believes the end of 2010 is the appropriate time for the withdrawal.” The Associated Press quoted Mr. Dabbagh as saying, “We are hoping that in 2010 that combat troops will withdraw from Iraq,” but noting that any plans would have to change should violence rise. </p> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/us/politics/22obama.html?bl&amp;ex=1216785600&amp;en=64c9c3848c52667d&amp;ei=5087%0A">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-64367626159706022342008-07-21T14:33:00.001-07:002008-07-21T14:33:43.759-07:00<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7517413.stm"></a><div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44849000/jpg/_44849892_iranriceafp226.jpg" alt="US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="170" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap"><br />Rice said Iran had to choose talks or "punitive measures" </div> </div> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned that Iran may face further United Nations sanctions.</b> </p><p>Iran has been set a two-week deadline to respond to an offer of incentives in return for halting its uranium enrichment programme. </p><p>Ms Rice said the US would consider asking the UN to take further measures against Iran, while the US would impose more of its own sanctions. </p><p>She said Iran could not stall on the deadline set at talks on Saturday. <!-- E SF --></p><p>On Sunday, the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, described the talks as a step forward. </p><p> <!-- S IBOX --> </p><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="231"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="5" height="1" hspace="0" /></td> <td class="sibtbg"> <div> <div class="mva"> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif" alt="" border="0" width="24" height="13" /> <b>[The meeting sent a] very strong message to the Iranians that they can't go and stall... and that they have to make a decision</b> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif" alt="" align="right" border="0" vspace="0" width="23" height="13" /><br /> </div> </div> <div class="mva"> <div>Condoleezza Rice<br />US Secretary of State </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Iran says its nuclear programme is for entirely peaceful purposes, while the US and its allies believe it could be used to develop a nuclear weapon. </p><p>At talks in Geneva on Saturday, envoys from the US, EU and UN asked Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment in return for a pledge not to introduce new sanctions. </p><p>Iran gave no guarantees it would halt its activities, so the diplomats gave Tehran two weeks to provide an answer. </p><p>The meeting was the first time US and Iranian officials have held face-to-face talks on the nuclear issue. Senior US official William Burns was present at the Geneva talks. </p><p><b>'Strong message'</b> </p><p>"[The meeting sent a] very strong message to the Iranians that they can't go and stall... and that they have to make a decision," Ms Rice said. </p><p>"It clarifies Iran's choices and we will see what Iran does in two weeks. But I think the diplomatic process now has a kind of new energy in it." </p><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7517413.stm">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-70091356786631201192008-07-21T14:33:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:33:00.159-07:00<a href="http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807211603DOWJONESDJONLINE000481_FORTUNE5.htm"></a><p> <location>SAN FRANCISCO</location> -(Dow Jones)- A deal ending a proxy fight between activist shareholder Carl Icahn and <org>Yahoo Inc.<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> (YHOO) means a quick sale of the Internet portal to <org>Microsoft Corp.<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> (MSFT) isn't in the immediate future. But <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> may still look to buy all or part of <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> in order to jump-start its money- losing Internet operations.</org></org></org></org></p><p> On Monday, <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> announced it had struck a deal with Icahn, who launched a proxy battle to replace the <location>Sunnyvale, Calif</location>., company's board after it rejected an initial deal. The end of the proxy battle takes heat off <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid>, which has seen its shares sink almost 28% since the initial <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> bid was launched.</org></org></org></p><p> Still, <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> badly needs to expand its presence in the increasingly rich Internet search advertising space. And with investors pressuring the Redmond, Wash., software firm to either make its Internet strategy work or stop pouring money into it, an acquisition of <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid>, or some of its parts, is almost certainly still the best way to get where it wants to be.</org></org></p><p> Increasingly, investor concerns about the direction of <org>Microsoft's<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> Online Services Business, the unit that houses all its Internet operations, are beginning to outweigh worries about the terms of a potential deal for <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid>. At a strategy briefing for analysts Thursday, <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> is expected to face pressure to articulate its online goals and how it will challenge <org>Google Inc.<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:GOOG"></orgid> ( GOOG), the leader in Internet search.</org></org></org></org></p><p> "Many investors' positions have shifted from being scared about (<org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid>) overpaying for <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> to being scared about what not having <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> means for their Internet strategy," a person familiar with the thinking at one of <org>Microsoft's<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> biggest shareholders said.</org></org></org></org></p><p> <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> didn't respond to calls seeking comment.</org></p><p> In February, <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> offered <money>$44.7 billion</money> for <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid>, the world's second- largest Internet search company. The deal was rejected, though several separate rounds of further background talks have taken place since.</org></org></p><p> In retaliation, Icahn tried to remove the <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> board by proposing a slate of alternative directors inclined to sell the company to <org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid>. Icahn owns about 5% of <org>Yahoo's<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> shares.</org></org></org></p><p> <person>Walter Pritchard</person>, an analyst with Cowen &amp; Co., said investors are increasingly concerned about <org>Microsoft's<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> Internet strategy.</org></p><p> "<org>Microsoft<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> has damaged itself, both by raising questions about its inability to be a strong No. 2 to <org>Google<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:GOOG"></orgid> without <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> and also through the way this process has been conducted," Pritchard said. "This is reflected in the company's share price."</org></org></org></p><p> <org>Microsoft's<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT"></orgid> shares have fallen by almost a third since its original <org>Yahoo<orgid value="NASDAQ-NMS:YHOO"></orgid> offer and are trading near its 52-week low of <money>$24.87</money>, set <chron>July 11</chron>.</org></org></p><br /><br /><a href="http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807211603DOWJONESDJONLINE000481_FORTUNE5.htm">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-2683489342679688712008-07-21T14:31:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:31:52.660-07:00<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1935661120080721"></a><p><br /><span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p><span id="midArticle_0"></span> <p>The latest installment in the Caped Crusader franchise, "The Dark Knight," enhanced its status as the biggest movie opening of all time at the North American box office, according to final data issued on Monday by its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures.</p><span id="midArticle_1"></span> <p>The film grossed $158.355 million during its first three days of release across the United States and Canada -- a $3 million improvement over Sunday's estimate from the Time Warner Inc-owned studio.</p><span id="midArticle_2"></span> <p>It's not unusual for final weekend data to veer slightly from the initial estimate. In the case of "The Dark Knight," some rival studios had suggested Warner Bros. was a little optimistic, though no one really doubted that it would beat the opening-weekend record of $151.1 million set by "Spider-Man 3" in May 2007.</p><span id="midArticle_3"></span> <p>Moreover, "The Dark Knight" collected $41.3 million in ticket sales from 20 foreign markets -- up from Sunday's estimate of $40 million. That brings its worldwide total to $199.655 million.</p><span id="midArticle_4"></span> Foreign sales were led by No. 1 openings in late co-star Heath Ledger's native Australia ($13.7 million), Mexico ($7 million) and Brazil ($4.45 million). Upcoming openings include Italy on Wednesday and Britain on Friday<br /><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1935661120080721">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-34043000819854788172008-07-21T14:29:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:29:50.381-07:00<a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/desktop/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209400110"></a><span id="articleBody">Startup CherryPal on Monday introduced a low-cost, hassle-free "cloud computer" aimed at people who need a PC only for Web browsing, some light document work, and checking e-mail.<br /><br /></span><span id="articleBody">The $249 Linux-based system consumes only 2 watts of power, compared with the 100 watts of some desktops. Called the <a href="http://72.51.37.17/">CherryPal</a>, the paperback-size computer has no moving parts. The system contains 256 MB of <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=memory&amp;x=&amp;y=">memory</a> and a 4-GB solid-state drive and runs on a 400-MHz Freescale MPC5121e processor, which is a Power <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=Architecture&amp;x=&amp;y=">Architecture</a> chip. Apple used Power processors before switching to Intel (NSDQ: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&amp;Page=QUOTE&amp;Ticker=INTC" class="stockLink">INTC</a>) x86 a couple of years ago. <p> The CherryPal also includes two <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=USB&amp;x=&amp;y=">USB</a> 2.0 ports, an Ethernet jack for connecting to wired broadband, built-in <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=Wi-Fi&amp;x=&amp;y=">Wi-Fi</a> support, and a <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=VGA&amp;x=&amp;y=">VGA</a> connector for a display. The mini-PC weights 10.5 ounces. </p><p> For software, the device ships with the <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">OpenOffice.org office productivity suite</a>, Apple iTunes, and a CherryPal-branded media player and instant messaging client. The computer's OS, open source Debian Linux, is inaccessible to the user. The Mozilla <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=Firefox&amp;x=&amp;y=">Firefox</a> browser provides the user interface. </p><p> In launching the CherryPal, the user is automatically connected to the "CherryPalCloud," the company's Web portal. Accessible through a user name and password, the portal, which is available at no additional cost, offers 50 GB of free storage and handles software upgrades. </p><p>The company plans to make money through advertising, which it expects to roll out this year. CherryPal is taking orders now for the mini-desktop, which is scheduled to ship at the end of the month. </p><p>No-frills computers, particularly lightweight, sub-$500 notebooks, are growing in popularity among people who want a simple device to browse the Web and check <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=e-mail&amp;x=&amp;y=">e-mail</a> on the road. </p><p> Asus sparked the mini-notebook craze with the introduction of the 7-inch Eee PC in October. Since then, the Taiwanese company has sold several hundreds of thousands of units and said it's on track to sell between 3 million and 5 million notebooks by the end of this year. </p><p> The <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/desktop/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208401611">success of the Eee PC</a> has prompted others to follow with their own competing products. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&amp;Page=QUOTE&amp;Ticker=HPQ" class="stockLink">HPQ</a>), for example, has shipped the Mini-Note PC, and Dell (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.techweb.com/financialCenter/index.jhtml?Account=techweb&amp;Page=QUOTE&amp;Ticker=Dell" class="stockLink">Dell</a>) has confirmed working on its own mini-system. </p></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/desktop/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209400110">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-64013489302337839162008-07-21T14:28:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:28:55.755-07:00<a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Motorola_sues_exmobile_exec_over_Apple_iPhone_job/1216660105"></a><span id="intelliTxt"><p><b>Financially ailing Motorola has slapped Michael Fenger, a former executive of mobile phones, with a lawsuit for allegedly violating a non-compete pact and landing in a position to reveal trade secrets at Apple, a company that has taken Motorola's crown with the second-generation iPhone.</b></p><p>The lawsuit alleges that Fenger -- who is now Apple's VP of global iPhone sales -- received "millions of dollars in cash, restricted stock units, and stock options" in return for inking an agreement not to work for a competitor for two years after leaving Motorola.<br /></p><p><span id="intelliTxt">Fenger took the job at Apple on March 31 of this year, less than a month after leaving his position at Motorola, where he was senior VP of mobile devices for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), according to Motorola's complaint. <p>Filed in Illinois on Thursday, the suit doesn't claim that Fenger stole any documents, but it does purport that Fenger "cannot perform his duties for Apple without inevitably disclosing Motorola's trade secrets." </p><p>Motorola's phone sales have taken a nosedive over the past two years due to its ongoing failure to produce a successful follow-on to the Razr. </p><p>After the ousting of Ed Zander as CEO last year and the subsequent departure of Padmasree Warrior, who moved on to Cisco, many other staff departures followed in a massive restructuring fueled by the desire of majority shareholder Carl Icahn to spin off Motorola's mobile phones as a separate division. Now that Icahn is also snapping up Yahoo stock, the activist shareholder is becoming an <a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/To_end_fight_Yahoo_gives_activist_shareholder_Icahn_board_seats/1216655133" title="To end fight, Yahoo gives activist shareholder Icahn board seats">increasingly influential figure at Yahoo</a>, too.</p></span></p></span><br /><a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Motorola_sues_exmobile_exec_over_Apple_iPhone_job/1216660105">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-39935909959291797332008-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:25:08.464-07:00<a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38498/118/"></a><b>upertino (CA) - Research data from Gartner and IDC show Apple is battling Acer for the third spot in US computer system sales for the second quarter. As always, estimates from Gartner and IDC differ slightly, but they are enough to place Apple ahead of Acer by 65,000 units in Gartner's estimate, while IDC data shows Apple just behind Acer by 2,000 units. We have to wait for the official second quarter reports from vendors to know more (Apple will report earnings Monday). Cupertino-based gadget maker's exceptional growth should continue into the upcoming quarter since its continues to target upwardly-mobile middle class citizens resilient to economic downturn – meaning they still have bucks to spend.</b><br /><br />Both research firms concluded that PC shipments are steady, but warn there are no guarantees that growth can be sustained in the upcoming quarter. Some cracks have already appeared, forcing vendors to decrease average selling prices (ASP) at their expense in order to stimulate consumers and enterprise customers into purchase. Notebook shipments were the primary growth driver, both in the US and internationally, helped by aggressively decreased ASPs.<p><b>US market outlook</b></p><p>Second quarter US shipments reached 16.5 million units (IDC: 17 million), a 4.2% increase (IDC: 3.6%) from the same quarter a year ago. Gartner points out that US shipments "actually accelerated during the quarter," but warns that "this acceleration appears to have been achieved at the expense of revenues as vendors appear to have cut prices in response to the economic woes." </p><p>Home notebooks continue to drive the US market growth due to aggressive pricing. Gartner warns that ASP declines with notebooks "were greater here than in other segments." Although several mini-notebooks were introduced during the quarter, Gartner says they accounted for less than 3% of US mobile PC shipments.<br />Big business responded to economic concerns by shrinking IT budgets and lesser unit orders. Gartner says that some pro users with tight budgets pushed desktop sales due to lower deployment costs with desktops than that of mobile PCs.<br />Apple overtakes Acer to become third-largest PC vendor in the US?<br />Dell remains top US vendor with 31.9% share of the market (IDC: 32%), up from 29.7% (IDC: 29.6%) from a year-ago quarter. The company shipped an estimated 5.2 million systems (IDC: 5.4 million). Dell continues to see double-digit annual growth (Gartner: 11.9%, IDC: 12.1%) and is likely to continue the trend with aggressive channel and retail expansion. Dell recently launched a series of service centers located within Wal-Mart stores to compete with Best Buy’s Geek Squad.<br /><br />HP pushed estimated 4.2 million units (IDC: 4.3 million) in the quarter, coming in second with 25.3% market share (IDC: 25.1%) in the US. The company's recovered from a slower first quarter, with 5.6% growth (IDC: 5.9%), a little above the US industry average. Gartner says that HP's inventory issues now appear "resolved."<br /><br />The third place depends on who you ask. Gartner placed Apple on the third spot in US shipments for the quarter, ahead of Acer by 65,000 units. IDC puts Apple in the fourth slot, lagging behind Acer by just 2,000 units. We will know who is right when Apple reports its earnings Monday morning.<br /><br />Gartner estimates Apple shipped 1.4 million PCs (IDC: 1.3 million) between April and June. The company is estimated to have increased its US share of the market by 2 percent, grabbing 8.5% (IDC: 7.8%), up from 6.4% a year ago (IDC: 6.2%). Mac sales grew 38.1% (IDC: 31.7%), far outpacing the industry average. Mac sales to consumers and education institutions head of the back-to-school were the strongest driver for Apple.<br /><br />Apple's outstanding growth defies economic situation but is not without logic since it aims buyers who are immune from the economic slowdown. "The mindshare of that company is significant. Not only among consumers, but small-to-medium businesses and even enterprises are looking at Apple hardware," said David Daoud, research manager at IDC. He estimates that Apple will sustaining growth in the upcoming quarters, citing strong more PC switchers and third quarter back-to-school shipments as the primary growth driver. According to the analyst, Apple is seeing notable growth in Japan where it shipped 130,000 Macs in the first quarter of 2008.<br /><br />The remaining two of the top five US vendors are Acer (1.3 million units) and Toshiba (907,000 units, IDC: 888,000) who grabbed 8.1% (IDC: 7.8%) and 5.5% (IDC: 5.2%) respective shares of the market.</p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38498/118/">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-86026560485135544032008-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:24:20.123-07:00<a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_promises_data_corruption_fix_in_final_Home_Server_Power_Pack/1216671218"></a><span id="intelliTxt"><p><b>7 months of beta testing later, Microsoft is finally ready to say it has squashed the data corruption bug that has plagued Windows Home Server since its launch last year, releasing the final build of Power Pack 1 to existing customers and OEMs.</b></p><p>The update to the company's operating system designed to function as a media server in the home was originally slated to include features such as backing up of shared folders, Vista x64 support, more efficient power consumption and improved performance. However, the release was delayed so Microsoft could figure out, and a include a fix for, the <a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_struggles_to_fix_data_corruption_bug_in_Windows_Home_Server/1204145747" title="Microsoft struggles to fix data corruption bug in Windows Home Server">data corruption problem</a>.</p></span><br /><span id="intelliTxt">The issue occurred when certain programs were used to edit or transfer files stored on a Windows Home Server-based computer that has more than one hard drive. Applications that caused the corruption included: Windows Vista Photo Gallery, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Office OneNote 2003 and 2007, Office Outlook 2007, Money 2007, SyncToy 2.0 Beta, Intuit's QuickBooks, and uTorrent.<p>Why did it take so long for Microsoft to resolve the bug? After isolating the issue, the company was forced to completely rewrite the storage subsystem for Windows Home Server. A beta release of Power Pack 1, which Microsoft hoped would "prove we fixed the bug," was <a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_addresses_data_corruption_with_WHS_Power_Pack_beta/1213155527" title="Microsoft addresses data corruption with WHS Power Pack beta">released last month to testers</a> to make sure nothing was missed.</p><p>"Our OEM partners will be updating their systems with Power Pack 1 and HP will release a software update for the HP MediaSmart Server, delivering enhanced media streaming capabilities from PacketVideo, server-side anti-virus from McAfee and compatibility with 64-bit home PCs," the Windows Home Server team wrote in a <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2008/07/21/power-pack-1-come-and-get-it.aspx" target="_blank">blog post</a> Monday.</p></span><br /><a href="http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_promises_data_corruption_fix_in_final_Home_Server_Power_Pack/1216671218">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-55586714421211572492008-07-21T14:23:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:23:44.946-07:00<a href="http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&amp;ned=us&amp;topic=t"></a><span id="articleBody">Facebook has sued a German <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=social%20networking&amp;x=&amp;y=">social networking</a> site, saying the site stole its look and feel by creating a clone site and merely replacing a blue background with a red one, according to a report in the <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8cd4ebbe-551f-11dd-ae9c-000077b07658.html"><i>Financial Times</i></a>. <p> The site, <a href="http://www.studivz.net/Default">studiVZ</a>, is available in French, Italian, Polish, and German. Its membership comes mainly from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 2006, a publishing company, Hotzbrink Group, bought the site for more than $110 million.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span id="articleBody">The company has denied Facebook's intellectual property claims, which were filed in federal court in California. It said the American social networking site is suing because it has failed to gain popularity in Germany. It has requested a declaratory judgment in a Stuttgart court. <p>Facebook called the site a "counterfeit product" in the complaint and said its "uncontrolled quality standards for service, features, and <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=privacy&amp;x=&amp;y=">privacy</a> negatively impact the genuine article." </p><p> Facebook is seeking compensatory damages from StudiVZ but has not specified an amount. It filed suit right before <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/social_network/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209400033">unveiling a redesign</a>. </p><p> A news article on <a href="http://mashable.com/2007/07/11/10-facebook-clones/comment-page-2/">Mashables</a> last year listed StudiVZ as one of the 10 most profitable "copycat" Facebook sites. Several German sites were listed, as well as similar sites in China, Russia, India, Turkey, and Australia. The Australian site is called StudentFace and it features feeds that informs users when their friends have updated profiles or added friends. </p></span></p></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/social_network/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209400084">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-62692524567089457612008-07-21T08:21:00.000-07:002008-07-21T08:21:00.270-07:00Jalili, Iran's negotiator, has spoken ofhis "positive intentions" [AFP]<br />Iran officials have ruled out any halt to uranium enrichment, as widely anticipated talks on its nuclear programme began in Switzerland. There had been a positive mood before the meeting on Saturday, the first time in almost thirty years that senior US and Iranian diplomats had met face-to-face, but the remarks were likely to cast doubt on the value of the talks.<br />"Suspension, there is no chance for that," Keyvan Imani, a member of the Iranian delegation, told reporters gathered in the courtyard of Geneva's city hall.<br />Iran's comments dampened hopes which had been raised by upbeat statements ahead of the talks, following Washington's decision to send William Burns, the US under-secretary of state, as an observer. 'Positive intentions'Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister, had said he hoped the meeting would be "positive and constructive". While Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, spoke "positive intentions" when he arrived in Geneva on Friday.On the European side, Christina Gallach, spokeswoman for Javier Solana, the EU's diplomatic chief, said "the basis for successful negotiations is very substantial".<br />"We are very flexible about how to work towards our expectations ... we are ready to look at creative manners that allow negotiations to start," she said.<br />A Western diplomat described the atmosphere of Saturday's talks as "fine", but confirmed that the Iranians were unwilling to address suspending uranium enrichment, or freezing it at current levels.The US has repeatedly said that real negotiations can only begin after Tehran halts its nuclear work."That remains the US position and it will continue to be the US position," Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said in Washington.De-escalation 'vital'"We've seen a lot of resistance from various parties in the US to any escalation that may lead to a use of the military option against Iran," Riad Kahwaji, who works for the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis in Dubai, told Al Jazeera. "It's become very vital for both sides to de-escalate to try and reach a solution."<br />The presence of Burns at the talks marks a policy shift for the US [EPA]<br /><br /> "Both sides are willing to make concessions but they're trying to come up with a formula so that they don't lose prestige in front of their own people or have to give up too many of their demands."<br />The attendance of Burns, the number three official at the US state department, had widely trumpeted before the talks got under way, as a major policy shift by Washington, which has not had any diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980 following the Islamic Revolution.<br />"The key story here [in Geneva] is the presence of William Burns," Nazanine Moshiri, Al Jazeera's correspondent reporting from Geneva, said.<br />But she said Burns was keen to be seen as an observer.<br />"When they broke for lunch ... Burns was keen not to be photographed with the rest of the delegates," she said.<br />The US has said it is in Geneva just to listen to Iran's response and not negotiate.<br /><br />Clickry Post Source Link<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-17199397608794031512008-07-20T08:26:00.000-07:002008-07-20T08:26:01.164-07:00Last Sunday, Terry Childs, a network administrator employed by the City of San Francisco, was arrested and taken into custody, charged with four counts of computer tampering. He remains in jail, held on US$5 million bail. News reports have depicted a rogue admin taking a network hostage for reasons unknown, but new information from a source close to the situation presents a different picture.<br />In <a href="http://weblog.infoworld.com/venezia/" target="_blank">posts to my blog</a>, I postulated about what might have occurred. Based on the small amount of public information, I guessed that the situation revolved around the network itself, not the data or the servers. A quote from a city official that Cisco was getting involved seemed to back that up, so I assumed that Childs must have locked down the routers and switches that form the FiberWAN network, and nobody but Childs knew the logins. If this were true, then regaining control over those network components would cause some service disruption, but would hardly constitute the "millions of dollars in damages" that city representatives feared, according to news reports.<br />Apparently, I wasn't far off the mark. In response to one of by blog posts, a source with direct knowledge of the City of San Francisco's IT infrastructure and of Childs himself offered to tell me everything he knew about the situation, under condition that he remain anonymous. I agreed, and within an hour, a long e-mail arrived in my in box, painting a very detailed picture of the events. Based on this information, the case of Terry Childs appears to be much more -- and much less -- than previously reported.<br />A Man and His Network<br />It seems that Terry Childs is a very intelligent man. According to my source, Childs holds a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert certification, the highest level of certification offered by Cisco. He has worked in the city's IT department for five years, and during that time has become simply indispensible.<br />Although Childs was not the head architect for the city's FiberWAN network, he is the one, and only one, that built the network, and was tasked with handling most of the implementation, including the acquisition, configuration, and installation of all the routers and switches that comprise the network. According to my source's e-mail, his purview extended only to the network and had nothing to do with servers, databases, or applications:<br />"Terry's area of responsibility was purely network. As far as I know (which admittedly is not very far), he did not work on servers, except maybe VoIP servers, AAA servers, and similar things directly related to the administration of the network. My suspicion is that you are right about how he was "monitoring e-mail"; it was probably via a sniffer, IPS, or possibly a spam-filtering/antivirus appliance. But that's just conjecture on my part."<br />Like many network administrators who work in the rarified air of enterprise network architecture and administration, Childs apparently trusted no one but himself with the details of the network, including routing configuration and login information. Again, from the source's e-mail:<br />"The routing configuration of the FiberWAN is extremely complex. Probably more so than it ought to be; I sometimes got the feeling that, in order to maintain more centralized control over the routing structure, [Childs] bent some of the rules of MPLS networks and caused problems for himself in terms of maintaining the routing.<br />"Because the system was so complex (and also because he didn't involve any of the other network engineers in his unit), Terry was the only person who fully understood the FiberWAN configuration. Therefore, to prevent inadvertent disruption of this admittedly critical network, he locked everyone else out. I know most of the networking equipment ... does use centralized AAA, but I get the impression he may have configured the FiberWAN equipment for local authentication only."<br />Childs' attitude toward other administrators is by no means unusual in the IT industry. This is generally due to the fact that admins who are tasked with constructing and maintaining networks of this size and scope care for them like children, and eventually come to believe that no one else could have the knowledge and skills to touch the delicate configurations that form the heart of the network.<br />Sole Administrator<br />A key point made in the e-mail is that Childs' managers and co-workers all knew that he was the only person with administrative access to the network. In fact, it was apparently known and accepted in many levels of the San Francisco IT department. Again, quoting from the e-mail:<br />"This is where it gets tricky for the prosecution, IMO, because the localized authentication, with Terry as sole administrator, has been in place for months, if not years. His coworkers knew it (my coworkers and I were told many times by Terry's coworkers, "If your request has anything to do with the FiberWAN, it'll have to wait for Terry. He's the only one with access to those routers"). His managers knew it.<br />Other network engineers for the other departments of the City knew it. And everyone more or less accepted it.<br />No one wanted the thing to come crashing down because some other network admin put a static route in there and caused a black hole; on the other hand, some of us did ask ourselves, "What if Terry gets hit by a truck?" If a configuration is known and accepted, is that "tampering"?"<br />My source appears to believe that Childs' motivation was the antithesis of tampering, and that Childs did everything possible to maintain the integrity of the network, perhaps to a fault:<br />"He's very controlling of his networks -- especially the FiberWAN. In an MPLS setup, you have "provider edge" (PE) routers and "customer edge" (CE) routers. He controlled both PE and CE, even though our department was the customer; we were only allowed to connect our routers to his CE routers, so we had to extend our routing tables into his equipment and vice versa, rather than tunneling our routing through the MPLS system."<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/148669/the_story_behind_san_franciscos_rogue_network_admin.html">Clickry Post Source Link </a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-46097614469697763502008-07-19T08:25:00.000-07:002008-07-19T08:26:08.826-07:00If Mac clone maker Psystar manages to survive what's sure to be an expensive copyright battle with Apple over its right to sell Mac clones, the company may need to find new headquarters -- again.<br />Internet real estate sites show that the building that houses Psystar -- a Doral, Fla., property that is essentially a distribution warehouse -- is on the market for $4.6 million.<br />One <a href="http://www.loopnet.com/property/15477309/10475-NW-28TH-STREET/">ad for the property</a>, which makes no mention of Psystar, notes that it's a 47,000-square-foot "warehouse/office building." The ad boasts that the property is "priced for quick sale" and adds that it includes "space for bulk, rack and bin storage, aisle space, receiving and shipping space, packing and crating space, and office space with bathrooms."<br />In other words, it's perfect for assembling and shipping computers.<br />Florida state records indicate that the property is currently owned by a company called Constructora Canahuati, which has no apparent connection to Psystar.<br />Psystar has had several addresses in its brief history. When it first popped up in April, it called 112th Street in Miami home. It then switched to two different addresses on NW 28th St. in Doral, Fla., before settling on building number 10475.<br />Apple filed a copyright infringement suit against Psystar earlier this month, charging that Psystar has been selling Macintosh clones in violation of Apple's software license. "We take it very seriously when we believe people have stolen our intellectual property," said an Apple spokeswoman earlier this week.<br />Apple is asking the U.S. District Court in San Francisco to order Psystar to stop selling Mac clones and to recall units it's already sold. Psystar officials have not returned calls seeking comment.<br />Psystar claims its Mac clones cost about one-quarter to half of what Apple branded systems sell for. In defense of its clones, the company charges that Apple marks up the cost of the hardware on which its operating systems ride by as much as 80%.<br />One version of Psystar's Open Computer features Apple's Leopard <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=OS&amp;x=&amp;y=">OS</a> X 10.5 <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=operating" x="'&amp;y=">INTC</a>) Core2Duo <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=processor&amp;x=&amp;y=">processor</a> at 2.66 GHz, a 250-GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics card.<br /><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209101319">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-91477904676899440082008-06-29T16:59:00.000-07:002008-06-29T16:59:25.893-07:00<div id="col1"> <div id="company_logo"><a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/person/bill-gates"><img src="http://www.crunchbase.com/assets/images/resized/0001/7609/17609v1-max-250x250.jpg" alt="Bill Gates Picture" border="0" /></a></div> <div class="col1_content"> <table> <tbody><tr><td class="td_left">Birthdate</td><td class="td_right">10/28/55</td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div class="col1_content"> <div class="col1_people_name"><a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/company/microsoft" title="Microsoft">Microsoft</a></div><div class="col1_people_title">Founder, Chairman</div> </div> </div><a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/person/bill-gates"></a><p><br /></p><p>William (Bill) H. Gates is chairman of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft had revenues of US$51.12 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2007, and employs more than 78,000 people in 105 countries and regions.</p> <p>On June 15, 2006, Microsoft announced that effective July 2008 Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation. After July 2008 Gates will continue to serve as Microsoft’s chairman and an advisor on key development projects. The two-year transition process is to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities. Effective June 2006, Ray Ozzie has assumed Gates’ previous title as chief software architect and is working side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight responsibilities at Microsoft. Craig Mundie has assumed the new title of chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft and is working closely with Gates to assume his responsibility for the company’s research and incubation efforts.</p> <p>Born on Oct. 28, 1955, Gates grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. Their father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney. Their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International.</p> <p>Gates attended public elementary school and the private Lakeside School. There, he discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13.</p> <p>In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsoft’s chief executive officer. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer - the MITS Altair.</p> <p>In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Gates’ foresight and his vision for personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry.</p> <p>Under Gates’ leadership, Microsoft’s mission has been to continually advance and improve software technology, and to make it easier, more cost-effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. The company is committed to a long-term view, reflected in its investment of approximately $7.1 billion on research and development in the 2007 fiscal year.</p> <p>In 1999, Gates wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought, a book that shows how computer technology can solve business problems in fundamentally new ways. The book was published in 25 languages and is available in more than 60 countries. Business @ the Speed of Thought has received wide critical acclaim, and was listed on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Amazon.com. Gates’ previous book, The Road Ahead, published in 1995, held the No. 1 spot on the New York Times’ bestseller list for seven weeks. Top row: Steve Wood (left), Bob Wallace, Jim Lane. Middle row: Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, Gordon Letwin. Bottom row: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood, Paul Allen. December 7, 1978. Top row: Steve Wood (left), Bob Wallace, Jim Lane. Middle row: Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, Gordon Letwin. Bottom row: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood, Paul Allen. December 7, 1978.</p> <p>Gates has donated the proceeds of both books to non-profit organizations that support the use of technology in education and skills development.</p> <p>In addition to his love of computers and software, Gates founded Corbis, which is developing one of the world’s largest resources of visual information - a comprehensive digital archive of art and photography from public and private collections around the globe. He is also a member of the board of directors of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which invests in companies engaged in diverse business activities.</p> <p>Philanthropy is also important to Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, have endowed a foundation with more than $28.8 billion (as of January 2005) to support philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning, with the hope that in the 21st century, advances in these critical areas will be available for all people. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $3.6 billion to organizations working in global health; more than $2 billion to improve learning opportunities, including the Gates Library Initiative to bring computers, Internet Access and training to public libraries in low-income communities in the United States and Canada; more than $477 million to community projects in the Pacific Northwest; and more than $488 million to special projects and annual giving campaigns.</p> <p>Gates was married on Jan. 1, 1994, to Melinda French Gates. They have three children. Gates is an avid reader, and enjoys playing golf and bridge.</p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/person/bill-gates">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-19850881288871467692008-06-29T16:26:00.000-07:002008-06-29T16:26:05.686-07:00<a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp"></a><p>Sometimes, software isn't so magical. Even for Bill Gates. </p> <p><a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/specials/billgates"><img src="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/library/GATESBUG.gif" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" alt="Picture" border="0" /></a>For <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/368078_gatesclout24.html">the opening piece</a> in our series on Gates leaving daily life at Microsoft, one goal was to give a clear picture of the Microsoft co-founder's role inside the company, as a gauge of the impact his departure will have. As part of that, I went back through the internal e-mails turned over in the antitrust suits against the company, looking for new insights into his personality.</p> <p>Read on past the jump for one of the gems that turned up, showing Gates in the role of chief rabble-rouser. (Original document: <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/library/2003Jangatesmoviemaker.pdf">PDF, 5 pages</a>.) It shows that even the Microsoft co-founder -- who champions the "magic of software" -- isn't immune to the frustrations of everyday computer users. Keep in mind that this was more than five years ago, so it doesn't necessarily reflect the specific state of things now. At the bottom, see what Gates said when I asked him about the message last week.</p> <a name="#extended"></a> <blockquote>---- Original Message ---- <p><b>From:</b> Bill Gates<br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 15, 2003 10:05 AM<br /><b>To:</b> Jim Allchin<br />Cc: Chris Jones (WINDOWS); Bharat Shah (NT); Joe Peterson; Will Poole; Brian Valentine; Anoop Gupta (RESEARCH)<br /><b>Subject:</b> Windows Usability Systematic degradation flame</p> <p>I am quite disappointed at how Windows Usability has been going backwards and the program management groups don't drive usability issues.</p> <p>Let me give you my experience from yesterday.</p> <p>I decided to download (Moviemaker) and buy the Digital Plus pack ... so I went to Microsoft.com. They have a download place so I went there.</p> <p>The first 5 times I used the site it timed out while trying to bring up the download page. Then after an 8 second delay I got it to come up.</p> <p>This site is so slow it is unusable.</p> <p>It wasn't in the top 5 so I expanded the other 45.</p> <p>These 45 names are totally confusing. These names make stuff like: C:\Documents and Settings\billg\My Documents\My Pictures seem clear.</p> <p>They are not filtered by the system ... and so many of the things are strange.</p> <p>I tried scoping to Media stuff. Still no moviemaker. I typed in movie. Nothing. I typed in movie maker. Nothing.</p> <p>So I gave up and sent mail to Amir saying - where is this Moviemaker download? Does it exist?</p> <p>So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated. </p> <p>They told me to go to the main page search button and type movie maker (not moviemaker!).</p> <p>I tried that. The site was pathetically slow but after 6 seconds of waiting up it came.</p> <p>I thought for sure now I would see a button to just go do the download.</p> <p>In fact it is more like a puzzle that you get to solve. It told me to go to Windows Update and do a bunch of incantations.</p> <p>This struck me as completely odd. Why should I have to go somewhere else and do a scan to download moviemaker?</p> <p>So I went to Windows update. Windows Update decides I need to download a bunch of controls. (Not) just once but multiple times where I get to see weird dialog boxes.</p> <p>Doesn't Windows update know some key to talk to Windows?</p> <p>Then I did the scan. This took quite some time and I was told it was critical for me to download 17megs of stuff.</p> <p>This is after I was told we were doing delta patches to things but instead just to get 6 things that are labeled in the SCARIEST possible way I had to download 17meg.</p> <p>So I did the download. That part was fast. Then it wanted to do an install. This took 6 minutes and the machine was so slow I couldn't use it for anything else during this time.</p> <p>What the heck is going on during those 6 minutes? That is crazy. This is after the download was finished.</p> <p>Then it told me to reboot my machine. Why should I do that? I reboot every night -- why should I reboot at that time?</p> <p>So I did the reboot because it INSISTED on it. Of course that meant completely getting rid of all my Outlook state.</p> <p>So I got back up and running and went to Windows Update again. I forgot why I was in Windows Update at all since all I wanted was to get Moviemaker.</p> <p>So I went back to Microsoft.com and looked at the instructions. I have to click on a folder called WindowsXP. Why should I do that? Windows Update knows I am on Windows XP.</p> <p>What does it mean to have to click on that folder? So I get a bunch of confusing stuff but sure enough one of them is Moviemaker.</p> <p>So I do the download. The download is fast but the Install takes many minutes. Amazing how slow this thing is.</p> <p>At some point I get told I need to go get Windows Media Series 9 to download.</p> <p>So I decide I will go do that. This time I get dialogs saying things like "Open" or "Save". No guidance in the instructions which to do. I have no clue which to do.</p> <p>The download is fast and the install takes 7 minutes for this thing.</p> <p>So now I think I am going to have Moviemaker. I go to my add/remove programs place to make sure it is there. </p> <p>It is not there.</p> <p>What is there? The following garbage is there. Microsoft Autoupdate Exclusive test package, Microsoft Autoupdate Reboot test package, Microsoft Autoupdate testpackage1. Microsoft AUtoupdate testpackage2, Microsoft Autoupdate Test package3.</p> <p>Someone decided to trash the one part of Windows that was usable? The file system is no longer usable. The registry is not usable. This program listing was one sane place but now it is all crapped up.</p> <p>But that is just the start of the crap. Later I have listed things like Windows XP Hotfix see Q329048 for more information. What is Q329048? Why are these series of patches listed here? Some of the patches just things like Q810655 instead of saying see Q329048 for more information.</p> <p>What an absolute mess.</p> <p>Moviemaker is just not there at all.</p> <p>So I give up on Moviemaker and decide to download the Digital Plus Package.</p> <p>I get told I need to go enter a bunch of information about myself.</p> <p>I enter it all in and because it decides I have mistyped something I have to try again. Of course it has cleared out most of what I typed.</p> <p>I try (typing) the right stuff in 5 times and it just keeps clearing things out for me to type them in again.</p> <p>So after more than an hour of craziness and making my programs list garbage and being scared and seeing that Microsoft.com is a terrible website I haven't run Moviemaker and I haven't got the plus package.</p> <p>The lack of attention to usability represented by these experiences blows my mind. I thought we had reached a low with Windows Network places or the messages I get when I try to use 802.11. (don't you just love that root certificate message?)</p> <p>When I really get to use the stuff I am sure I will have more feedback.</p></blockquote> <p>When we were concluding our interview last week, I showed Gates a printout of the e-mail and asked if he ever got Movie Maker to work. Gates noted that Microsoft plans to include Movie Maker as part of Windows Live, so people will get the program when they download that online package. The company isn't confirming that officially yet, but's not a complete surprise. See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Live_Movie_Maker">this Wikipedia entry</a> and <a href="http://www.liveside.net/blogs/main/archive/2008/03/27/getting-ready-for-windows-live-wave-3.aspx">this related post on LiveSide.net</a>. (Site temporarily down as of Tuesday morning.)</p> <p>As for the message, Gates smiled and said, "There's not a day that I don't send a piece of e-mail ... like that piece of e-mail. That's my job."</p><br /><a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-11122272074249252052008-06-29T16:20:00.000-07:002008-06-29T16:20:47.090-07:00<a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/96337;_ylt=AvD6f_nYIHB2sTIR8EN4q9EFLZA5"></a><div class="postbody"> <p><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmO4jOfsUxlyVoLq_8sJTr3PMZA5/SIG=12oosojm9/**http%3A//f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/null__10/null-721560672-1214534918.jpg%3FymHkem_CZbnx6rxL"><img src="http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/null__10/null-721560672-1214534918_thumb.jpg?ymIkem_C4oAqNAqm" border="0" /></a>All good things must come to an end, and in the case of Bill Gates' career at Microsoft, it's coming to an end today.</p><p>Friday, June 27th is Gates final day on the job as an employee of Microsoft, the company he's been with for 33 years. It's been a career full of much turmoil and more than a few industry-shaking quakes, but an immensely important one. If nothing else, Gates personally proved that business savvy was just as crucial as technical smarts in the high-tech war that continues to rage today. Gates was (and remains) a master of both.</p><p>In an era when many tech CEOs have no idea what their company really does, Gates has long been a hands-on anomaly. Back in the '70s, he personally reviewed every line of code that Microsoft engineers wrote. If he didn't like what he saw, he rewrote it on the spot. As DOS and Windows grew to mammoth proportions, such oversight became impossible, but Gates continued to weigh in on all matters great and small that faced the company. Getting comments back from Gates on a product submitted for his approval has long been one of Microsofties' most terrifying moments. Why? <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp">Because it might look something like this (from 2003)</a>. In an age when managers massage employees with nothing but "you can do it!" encouragement for fear of being sued, seeing straight talk like Gates' scathing memo, which could have driven weaker-willed employees to leap from the roof, is a bracing surprise. You may not like Microsoft or what its products have become of late, but give Gates the man the props he deserves.</p><p>What happens now? Gates heads off with wife Melinda to focus on his mega-zillion-dollar endowed charity, the Gates Foundation, while Microsoft looks toward an era of getting on without him. The 52-year-old Gates will reportedly check in once a week (specifically to aid in the company's battle vs. Google) and will remain a non-executive Chairman, but it's up to CEO Steve Ballmer and Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie to keep the ship afloat. Craig Mundie also steps in to fill Gates' other role as "product master planner and technology strategist," as it was felt that Gates' shoes were too big for just one man to fill. But even then, as CNN notes, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/20/technology/ballmer_0707.fortune/">Gates can never truly be replaced</a>.</p><p>Lastly I leave you with this: Remember that iconic photo of Microsoft's original team, back when 11 (well, 12, actually) employees worked for the company? The group reformed for a follow-up shot earlier this month. <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/142636">Check it out here</a> for a little bit of teary nostaligia. The more things change, the more they stay the same.</p><p>Good luck out there Bill. Do some good. </p> </div><br /><a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/96337;_ylt=AvD6f_nYIHB2sTIR8EN4q9EFLZA5">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-62053499683934568822008-06-29T16:08:00.000-07:002008-06-29T16:08:56.453-07:00<a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/96283"></a><div class="postbody"> <p><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmO4jOfsUxlyVoLq_8sJTr08MZA5/SIG=12o1n35nv/**http%3A//f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/null__10/null-735677209-1214407938.jpg%3FymDk_l_Cy313Or2w"><img src="http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/null__10/null-735677209-1214407938_thumb.jpg?ymEk_l_Cf3bxa2hv" border="0" /></a>The new iPhone hasn't even landed in stores yet, but already pundits are grumbling about the revised iPhone, based on demos and published specs, about what the new model has failed to fix since the first-gen device. </p><p>Yes, we get 3G and GPS, a way to connect to Exchange, and the new app store, but what about everything else? Forbes' Brian Caulfield outlines seven (actually eight) iPhone disappointments, and most of these observations are spot on. Some highlights (<a href="http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/06/20/iphone-disappointment-features-tech-wireless08-cx_bc_0620iphone.html">get his full list here</a>).</p><p><strong>The cost </strong>- I've <a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/94465">written about the value proposition of iPhone 3G already</a>, and sure enough it'll cost you an extra $160 or so over the next two years vs. the original iPhone. Worth it? It's debatable, but I can't blame people for not being happy about the service price hike.</p><p><strong>The camera</strong> - Forbes notes that there's still no flash and no video recording on the device. I'll add the camera resolution: We're going to see 8 megapixel cell phone cameras in the U.S. this year, and the iPhone is still stuck with a puny 2MP model? Many early rumors also had expected the iPhone 3G to include a forward-facing camera for videoconferencing use. Naturally <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5015395/apple-introduces-iphone-3g-videoconferencing-kit-zomg">that didn't happen either</a>.</p><p><strong>The battery</strong> - Not replaceable. Again. On the other hand, this shouldn't be a surprise considering that Apple is now actually making laptops without replaceable batteries, too.</p><p><strong>No MMS</strong> - Again, the lack thereof. It just makes no sense. Apple is basically right that you don't need MMS to <em>send</em> pictures on a device that has a full email client, but the problem comes when users of other phones send <em>you</em> a photo via MMS: You simply can't view it on the iPhone. It's a ludicrous limitation on what should be the most advanced phone on the planet. </p><p>I'll add a few of my own complaints to Caulfield's list: </p><p><strong>No live TV</strong> - That YouTube feature was fun last year, but now it's grown tiresome and old. Live TV is coming to all manner of handsets now as part of the standard data plan, but one gets the impression that Apple keeps it off the iPhone just so it can sell you TV episodes at $1.99 a pop instead.</p><p><strong>No 32GB option</strong> - 8GB feels pathetically small in 2008. 16GB is really barely passable now. 32GB USB thumbdrives have been on the market since 2006, as cheaply as $140. I'm sure Apple will launch a 32GB model in the near future (another $100, please!), probably around Christmas, in the hopes that you'll buy a third phone. </p><p>LINK: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/06/20/iphone-disappointment-features-tech-wireless08-cx_bc_0620iphone.html">Seven iPhone Disappointments</a> </p> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/96283">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-5122620252276613752008-06-29T12:28:00.000-07:002008-06-29T12:28:16.351-07:00<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/technology/24obscene.html?_r=1&amp;bl&amp;ex=1214884800&amp;en=d7216c7714ac3b90&amp;ei=5087%0A&amp;oref=slogin"></a><p>Judges and jurors who must decide whether sexually explicit material is obscene are asked to use a local yardstick: does the material violate community standards? </p> <p>That is often a tricky question because there is no simple, concrete way to gauge a community’s tastes and values. </p> <p>The Internet may be changing that. In a novel approach, the defense in an obscenity trial in Florida plans to use publicly accessible <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/google_inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More information about Google Inc">Google</a> search data to try to persuade jurors that their neighbors have broader interests than they might have thought.</p> <p>In the trial of a pornographic Web site operator, the defense plans to show that residents of Pensacola are more likely to use Google to search for terms like “orgy” than for “apple pie” or “watermelon.” The publicly accessible data is vague in that it does not specify how many people are searching for the terms, just their relative popularity over time. But the defense lawyer, Lawrence Walters, is arguing that the evidence is sufficient to demonstrate that interest in the sexual subjects exceeds that of more mainstream topics — and that by extension, the sexual material distributed by his client is not outside the norm.</p> <p>It is not clear that the approach will succeed. The Florida state prosecutor in the case, which is scheduled for trial July 1, said the search data may not be relevant because the volume of Internet searches is not necessarily an indication of, or proxy for, a community’s values. </p> <p> But the tactic is another example of the value of data collected by Internet companies like Google, both from a commercial standpoint and as a window into the thoughts, interests and desires of their users.</p> <p>“Time and time again you’ll have jurors sitting on a jury panel who will condemn material that they routinely consume in private,” said Mr. Walters, the defense lawyer. Using the Internet data, “we can show how people really think and feel and act in their own homes, which, parenthetically, is where this material was intended to be viewed,” he added.</p> <p>Mr. Walters last week also served Google with a subpoena seeking more specific search data, including the number of searches for certain sexual topics done by local residents. A Google spokesman said the company was reviewing the subpoena. </p> <p>Mr. Walters is defending Clinton Raymond McCowen, who is facing charges that he created and distributed obscene material through a Web site based in Florida. The charges include racketeering and prostitution, but Mr. Walters said the prosecution’s case fundamentally relies on proving that the material on the site is obscene.</p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/technology/24obscene.html?_r=1&amp;bl&amp;ex=1214884800&amp;en=d7216c7714ac3b90&amp;ei=5087%0A&amp;oref=slogin">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-7538567011921598342008-06-29T12:27:00.000-07:002008-06-29T12:27:42.653-07:00<a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2008020208_microsoft27.html?syndication="></a><div style="display: block;" class="ImageDiv" id="2008020211"> <p><a target="popup" class="popup" href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2008020211.html"><img src="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/06/25/2008017787.jpg" alt="Gates gives an update on the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation's work in agriculture at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland early this year. " title="Gates gives an update on the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation's work in agriculture at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland early this year. " class="pic" height="464" width="296" /></a></p> <a target="popup" class="popup" href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2008020211.html"><img src="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/ui/zoom_photo.gif" alt="Enlarge this photo" class="ui" align="left" height="11" width="48" /></a><p class="credit">PIERRE VERDY / AFP/GETTY IMAGES</p> <p class="caption">Gates gives an update on the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation's work in agriculture at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland early this year. </p> </div><img src="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/06/26/2008019405.jpg" alt="" class="pic" height="216" width="296" /><p class="credit">MARTY LEDERHANDLER / AP</p><p class="caption">Bill Gates shows off Windows software in this 1990 photo. That was also the year Microsoft became the first software company to surpass $1 billion in sales.<br /></p><br /><div class="body"> <p>He made a career, a company and an industry by looking over the horizon and charting a course.</p> <p>Bill Gates, who today ends his full-time involvement with the company he and Paul Allen cofounded 33 years ago, was often right. The Microsoft empire of 91,200 employees, billions in profit and ubiquitous products stands as testament.</p> <p>Now, Seattle's most famous son points his full intellect and attention to the world's poor, giving them a voice in a global market that responds disproportionately to the rich.</p> <p>Microsoft's success, which has enabled Gates, 52, to launch a second career that could install him as history's greatest philanthropist, was not a sure thing. Aided by a growing crew of technical and business smart guys, Gates spotted opportunities and challenges, and pushed his company toward them.</p> <p>He wrote a series of course-setting memos to lead the company in these new directions — a new computer interface, the Internet, computer security. They stand as signposts at several key junctures in Microsoft's history.</p> <p>The 1995 Internet memo in particular</p> <p>marked an important turning point, when Microsoft's huge software success confronted an uncertain future online.</p> <p>In many cases, these prescient missives launched the company toward ever-greater heights. But even Gates couldn't see everything coming. And he knew it.</p>"We never come into work and say, 'Hey, we're golden. You know, hey, let's just lie around today,' " Gates said in an interview with The Seattle Times last week. "That's not our culture. And so it's a hungry company, and it's always thinking. ... " <p><strong>An Open Letter to Hobbyists</strong></p> <p><strong>February 1976:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>"As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software. ... Who cares if the people who worked on it get paid?"</em></strong></p> <p>Gates wrote his first famous memo when Micro-Soft was still spelled with a hyphen. "An Open Letter to Hobbyists," published in the early newsletter Computer Notes<strong>,</strong> came at a time when communicating with his handful of colleagues required only shouting across their small office in Albuquerque, N.M. He aimed this brief at the small and growing community of computer users for whom Gates and staff wrote programming languages.</p> <p>With his characteristic sarcasm, Gates argued that software had economic value — a necessary condition for a successful software company.</p> <p>"Nothing would please me more than being able to hire 10 programmers and deluge the hobby market with good software," Gates concluded.</p> <p>Dennis Báthory-Kitsz, a composer, author and technologist, followed the intellectual-property debate raging in computer clubs and courtrooms that would set the rules of the software game. In a 1980 interview, Gates told Báthory-Kitsz: "There's nobody getting rich writing software that I know of."</p> <p>"He didn't mean they weren't getting back their investment, but rather they were not making <em>a lot</em> of money," Báthory-Kitsz said. "[Gates], as a prime example of the capitalist notion, felt that high investment of time, energy and imagination deserved a multiple return rather than equal return."</p> <p><strong>Applications Strategy</strong></p> <p><strong>June 1983:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>"Microsoft believes in mouse and graphics as invaluable to the man-machine interface. We will bet on that belief by focusing new development on the two new environments with mouse and graphics ... Macintosh and Windows."</em></strong></p> <p>Gates' memos often gathered the thinking of many in the company and were sometimes signed by other executives. In 1983, he and Steve Ballmer, who had joined the company three years earlier, ordered Microsoft full speed ahead toward the graphical user interface. They laid it out in the "Applications Strategy" memo, written on a Mac.</p> <p>Charles Simonyi, an illustrious Microsoft alumnus who was leading application development at Microsoft at the time, said in a recent e-mail that Microsoft had been studying graphical user interface, a big step up from controlling computers with text commands, for two years when the memo was sent.</p> <p>Simonyi, now CEO of Bellevue-based Intentional Software, said Gates was a visionary who could see big shifts coming, but that's not the hard part.</p> <p>Gates, he said, "selects the promising ideas that are over the horizon but not too far over, studies them in great detail, and then communicates them very effectively to the company, but also to the industry."</p> <p>Others say Gates' skill was not in pointing Microsoft toward promising ideas, but rather toward promising targets — competitors the company could follow into a new market and clobber.</p> <p>"Let 100 companies blossom, let one survive and then we'll take that one down — we'll replace that one," Mark Anderson, a Friday Harbor-based analyst and adviser, said of the company's approach.</p> <p>Microsoft's bet on the graphical user interface started paying off big-time by the late 1980s.</p> <p>Windows was taking off on IBM's PC and its clones. Microsoft applications were grabbing market share on the Apple Macintosh. The company had its initial public offering in 1986.</p> <p>In spring 1987, Bill Gates, despite being "conservative ... about self-congratulations and celebrating our achievements," took a moment to enjoy some hard-fought success.</p> <p>"I have to say, as today went on, I got pretty excited about the fact that we are now the number 1 software company in every respect (sales, profit, units, leadership, people ... )," Gates told his top lieutenants in an e-mail written after midnight.</p> <p>The overtaken foe was Lotus. Gates, always wary of complacency, quickly noted that "their sales may go past ours again," but for a moment, he was exultant.</p> <p>By 1995, Microsoft, in business 20 years, was king of the hill. It was the dominant provider of operating systems and launched Windows 95 with previously unseen fanfare.</p>"They were really just reaching their apex with Windows 95 coming out," Cusumano said. "... Just tremendous confidence in their development abilities, their marketing abilities. The world was the limit." <p>Gates turned 40 that year, still a newlywed, not yet a father. He had built an empire with astonishing speed. That summer, Forbes named him the richest private individual on Earth with an estimated net worth of $12.9 billion.</p> <p>But as a careful student of business history, Gates knew "some startup just like Microsoft could come in and blindside them," Cusumano said.</p> <p><strong>The Internet Tidal Wave</strong></p> <p><strong>May 1995:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>"In this memo I want to make clear that our focus on the Internet is critical to every part of our business."</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Netscape</strong> Communications was that startup. In 1994, it released its Internet browser, providing a gateway to the growing volume of content on the World Wide Web and diminishing the importance of Windows because the browser worked the same regardless of a computer's operating system.</p> <p>On May 26, 1995, Gates sent one of his most famous memos, comparing the arrival of the Internet with IBM's PC. It would "set the course of our industry for a long time to come," he predicted.</p>Government Exhibit 20 in U.S. v. Microsoft was "The Internet Tidal Wave" memo. <p>The episode showed another side of the company's character.</p> <p>"You see the paranoid side come out," Cusumano said. "... Microsoft would have won the browser wars anyway without illegally doing things to limit Netscape's presence in the market."</p> <p>Larry Page and Sergey Brin were still bickering Stanford graduate students when Gates set his company on course for the Internet.</p> <p>Today, the company they founded, Google, is the unquestioned leader in what has become the Internet's all-important application and business model: search and online advertising.</p> <p>Gates dismissed the notion that Microsoft overlooked search in the mid-1990s.</p> <p>"The whole 'information at your fingertips' thing" — an idea Gates first introduced in a 1990 industry speech — "is a superset of search, in the sense that you don't want to just get a bunch of links back. That's not an end to itself," Gates said last week.</p> <p>Microsoft didn't field a search engine based on its own technology until 2005.</p> <p>Gates, who said he will work on search as a Microsoft part-timer, acknowledged that "the importance that advertising would play is not in [the memo]."</p> <p>But, he said, advertising was not part of the early plans of Google or other rivals, either. Google's advertising machine wasn't started in earnest until 2000.</p> <p>"Google really got the business model right," he said. " ... [It's] a thing which I would claim we didn't see — maybe should have — and others didn't see. Where was Yahoo?"</p> <p><strong>Internet Services Disruption</strong></p> <p><strong>October 2005:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>"The broad and rich foundation of the internet will unleash a 'services wave' of applications and experiences available instantly over the internet to millions of users."</em></strong></p> <p>In the fall of 2005, several months before he announced plans to "reorder his personal priorities," Gates put his hand to another major memo. This time, he wrote only a brief introduction, in which he handed off strategic leadership for this next big shift.<br /><br />But the number of markets, opportunities and challenges the company faces today leave plenty of room for Gates, who will remain Microsoft chairman, to contribute.</p> <p>"In fact," he said, "there's one that I'm thinking about writing now."</p> </div> <p class="copyright"><br /></p><p class="caption"><br /></p><p class="caption"><br /></p><br /><br /><a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2008020208_microsoft27.html?syndication=">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-37593536337297664632008-06-29T12:24:00.000-07:002008-06-29T12:24:28.873-07:00<a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/google-plays-with-your-living-room-tv/"></a><p>Google has entered the living room, but it’s not clear whether it is just wandering through or whether it will grab some popcorn, plop on the couch and stay for a while.</p> <p>The company has introduced a new feature to its Google Desktop program that can help get content from the Internet onto televisions. It is called the <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/06/media-server-from-google.html">Google Media Server</a>, and it’s a bit of software meant to run all the time on your home computer. It can send video, audio and photos to any other device on your home network that uses a standard called called Universal Plug and Play — most significantly, Sony’s PlayStation 3 game console. It also works with some televisions made by Hewlett-Packard and a handful of other geeky devices. </p> <p>There is other media server software out there, but Google adds two tricks: it can also pass video from YouTube and photos stored on Picasa Web Albums from the Internet to the television. (Both services are owned by Google.) </p> <p>You could make the argument that this is another sign that Google has too many engineers with too little to do. Is the company really serious about telling mass-market consumers that they should run media servers in their homes? And is it willing to devote the resources to make sure it has a product that it can explain and that really works? (Looking at the <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/media-server">Google Media Server user forum</a> it looks like there are a fair number of glitches right now. )</p> <p>Google’s throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks strategy makes sense in some areas. Google wants to be a big player in video advertising, and it already has the largest Web video site in YouTube. It has an opportunity to make YouTube an important link in the chain that will get video from the Internet to consumer electronic devices.</p> <p>Since YouTube has more video than any other source, Google can offer a hardware maker a very easy way to add Internet video capability to a television, Blu-Ray player or some other device. Google has already cut such deals with Apple, HP and others. This new software provides a way to get YouTube videos onto other devices that use the UPnP standard. </p> <p>This could all help Google in a virtuous circle. Video producers will find YouTube an ever more attractive place to distribute their programs because it not only has the broadest reach on the Web but will also have a wider range of devices that it can link to. More content brings more users and more devices. Since Google is adding more advertising on YouTube, that ultimately means more profits. </p><br /><br /><a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/google-plays-with-your-living-room-tv/">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836601036894625929.post-89711232695013294202008-06-29T12:22:00.000-07:002008-06-29T12:22:38.237-07:00<a href="http://www.sundaypaper.com/More/Archives/tabid/98/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2648/Wanted-ups-the-ante-for-summer-action-films.aspx"></a><div class="article_pullbox"><a href="http://www.sundaypaper.com/Portals/0/2008/062908/Wanted.jpg" title="Click image to view larger" target="_blank"><img id="dnn_ctr922_NewsArticles_ucArticleView_rptListing_ctl01_NewsArticles_9402648_48" src="http://www.sundaypaper.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/ImageHandler.ashx?Width=250&amp;HomeDirectory=%2fPortals%2f0%2f&amp;FileName=2008%2f062908%2fWanted.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" /></a><br /></div><p><span class="article_cutline"><span class="article_credit_icon">Courtesy of Universal Pictures</span><br />James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie in “Wanted”<br /><br /><strong>“WANTED”</strong><br />James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie<br />Directed by Timur Bekmambetov<br />Rated R<br />Wide release</span></p><p><br /><span class="article_cutline"></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Wanted,” based on the comic-book miniseries by Mark Millar, is every action movie you ever loved, at twice the speed. It should be the most original live-action blockbuster of the summer. Russian director Timur Bekmambetov, who made the imaginative “Night Watch” and “Day Watch” for pennies, expands his talent to fit a <st1:place st="on">Hollywood</st1:place> budget. Not only hasn’t he missed a beat, but he’s added a few.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">James McAvoy, an unlikely actor to portray an action hero, plays an unlikely action hero. Put-upon wimp Wesley Gibson introduces us to his so-called life, working as an account manager in a soul-draining cubicle he shares with his best friend, Barry (Chris Pratt), who thinks Wesley doesn’t know he’s sleeping with his girlfriend (Kristen Hager).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Wesley’s life changes—what man’s wouldn’t?—when he encounters Angelina Jolie. Suddenly her character, Fox, is protecting him in a shootout, before whisking him away in that great “How’d they do that?” moment you’ve seen in the trailer, and they’re off on a wild ride that should get “Wanted” nominated for all sorts of technical awards. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Fox recruits Wesley into the Fraternity, a thousand-year-old secret society of assassins headed by Sloan (Morgan Freeman) and headquartered in a functioning textile mill in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city>. They say they want Wesley to kill Cross (Thomas Kretschmann), the man who killed their top assassin, the father he never knew, from whom he unknowingly inherited skills that include the ability to shoot bullets on a curved path.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Wesley is toughened up with repeated beatings (this should appeal to disciplinarian parents) and rides with Fox atop elevated trains until he’s ready to start killing. The trail involves some globe-hopping and a surprising revelation that turns the story around. Needless to say, there’s more action before it’s resolved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></o:p></span></p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The plentiful violent action incorporates real stunts and CGI work, both of the highest order. Bullets meeting in midair and being tracked over a course of several miles are just a couple of the elements that will have geeks in heaven. Bekmambetov’s crew uses every trick in (and out of) the book to create visceral excitement.</span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sundaypaper.com/More/Archives/tabid/98/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2648/Wanted-ups-the-ante-for-summer-action-films.aspx">Clickry Post Source Link</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-6694965009311527"; /* 336x280, created 3/29/08 */ google_ad_slot = "6383676716"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"> </script></div>CLICKRY.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07561248454283110396