IBM, GOOG putting a cloud on campus

[Newsfactor] The cloud-computing project announced by Google and IBM combines "IBM's historic strengths" with Google's "expertise in Web computing," said IBM CEO Sam Palmisano. "We're aiming to train tomorrow's programmers to write software that can support a tidal wave of global Web growth and trillions of secure transactions every day."

RIAA defendant vows to appeal $220,000 verdict

[InfoWeek] From her MySpace: "He explained how we're going to take the RIAA's theory of making [files] available and appeal it," she wrote. "He also explained how if we win, this would stop the RIAA dead in their tracks!!! Every single suit they have brought has been based on this making available theory, and if we can win this appeal, they would actually have to prove a file was shared and by someone other than their own licensed agent."

Seagate shipping hard/flash drive

[TGDaily] Seagate today said that it has begun shipping its first hybrid hard drive, a device that combines standard hard drive storage technologies with NAND flash, in volume. There is still a premium to pay for these drives, but Seagate undercuts the price of its competition and expects the new model to hit the notebook mainstream soon.

VMWare offers virtualization for small business

[PCW] The packages offer varying levels of features depending on price. At the core of all three is either VMware's ESX Server or ESX Server 3i, a product released last month whose hypervisor is embedded in flash memory in the server hardware. The hypervisor enables multiple OSes to run on one machine.

iBricking lawsuit claims Apple a monopoly

[CompWorld] Timothy Smith filed the lawsuit Friday with a California state court in San Jose seeking class-action status. The suit demands that Apple be barred from selling locked iPhones and that it be required to provide warranty service for owners of unlocked devices. The lawsuit also asks for unspecified monetary damages.

UK Wi-Fi grows as Mickie D's offers wireless access

[News.com] The company hopes the Wi-Fi service will attract more businesspeople into it outlets, but Chief Information Officer Ivan Brooks said the company expects its existing customer base to respond to the service too. The company estimates that a regular hot spot user who pays to log on for an hour per week will save as much as $530 (260 pounds) per year on premium Wi-Fi charges.

New Zune boss on board at MSFT

[WSJ] Rick Thompson will run a revamped product line. Microsoft last week unveiled a line of Zune devices, featuring sleeker designs and a broader range of options for storage and sharing of songs. He will be charged with Zune business development, including supervising relationships with the music industry and content providers.

Nano catches fire!

[DigitalTrends] Atlanta's Danny Williams says his nerly two year-old iPod nano caught fire in his pants pocket while he was at work in a kiosk at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Williams claims the flames leaped up to his chest, and the fre lasted about 15 seconds—in interviews, Williams sais glossy paper in his pocket may have prevented him from being burned.

Trust MSFT with your health info?

[Forbes] Microsoft has long been labeled an enemy of the people--the company you didn't even trust with your PC's serial number. Now the new Microsoft, led by philanthropist Bill Gates, hopes you will entrust your medical records with it.