25
February
2008
|
06:03 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Newswatch 2.25.08: Adobe launches AIR

Fresh AIR for apps that span desktop, net

[WSJ] Someone who wants to put an item up for bid on eBay, for example, could fill out the form through the AIR software while the PC isn't connected to the Web. The software would automatically post the information to eBay the next time the computer is connected to the Internet.

Pakistan shoots down YouTube (for a few hours)

[NYT] The chain of confusion started when Pakistan's Internet tinkering was copied to an affiliated I.S.P. in Hong Kong, which copied it to other companies routing Internet requests across the world. Experts on Internet routing agreed on their mailing list that the spread of the YouTube-blocking beyond Pakistan was an accident.

Nokia previews Morph, a futuristic rubbery device

[TechNewsWorld] Morph is currently just a concept that demonstrates how future mobile devices might look, Nokia said, with pliable materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. Actual, commercial devices based on the concept won't be available for a good seven years at least. "Nokia Research Center is looking at ways to reinvent the form and function of mobile devices; the Morph concept shows what might be possible," said Bob Iannucci, Nokia CTO.

'Vista Capable' lawsuit gets class action status

[InfoWeek] Seattle District Court Judge Marsha Pechman, who last year rejected Microsoft's request for a dismissal of the case, last week effectively expanded the lawsuit to potentially include all consumers who purchased a Windows XP PC advertised as "Vista Capable."

Semantic Web firm gets $13m funding

[ZDNet] Spivack says that the additional injection of cash will be used to move Radar Networks’ initial product, Twine, from its current beta status toward mainstream adoption. He suggests that the thousands of individuals already on Twine’s waiting list will gradually be granted access from next month, and encouraged to drive viral growth by passing invitations to friends and colleagues. He believes that Twine will be open to the public by early Summer.

Security hole in VMWare

[CRN] Core Security Technologies, based in Boston, Mass., announced the discovery of a flaw in VMWare's desktop virtualization software for Windows that could leave companies vulnerable to hackers. "What's most relevant about this vulnerability is it demonstrates how virtual environments can provide an open door to the underlying infrastructures that host them," said Core Security's CTO Ivn Arce.

Japan launches high-speed net satellite

[Wired] After a week of delays, Japan launched a new, experimental Internet satellite on Saturday that shows why Japan is still so much farther ahead than the United States in terms of bandwidth. The "Kizuna" satellite is designed to give extremely high Internet speeds to rural and other areas that have been left off the country's already high-speed grid.