From CNN | Windows XP, which debuted nine years ago in 2001, will continue to be with us for yet another decade. Microsoft announced it would allow some Windows 7 customers to buy Windows XP “downgrade” licenses until January 2020. Those licenses allow customers to swap out the newer operating system and instead install a legal copy of the older one. Get the full story »
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T-shirt maker Threadless will design for Dell
A design from Threadless.com. (Dell)
The Chicago-based company Threadless, which has been putting artists’ designs on T-shirts for a decade, now is giving consumers something for their fingertips and something else for their feet.
Threadless announced on Thursday that it had partnered with Dell to offer 11 of its designs on the lids of Dell Mini or Dell Studio laptop PCs. And on Monday, it will announce a separate venture to offer six of its designs, including two new ones, on high-end Havaianas flip flops.
The partnerships highlight moves to extend the Threadless brand and the artistic expressions of its 80,000+ artists beyond the well-known T-shirts. Company executives also have had discussions about putting designs on water towers, beverage containers and integrating them into video games. Get the full story »
Boeing picks up firm to prevent cyber attacks
Boeing announced its second acquisition in as many weeks, saying it will buy anti-cyber attack software company Narus.
Narus will be a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the Network & Space Systems unit of Boeing’s defense business. Narus also will develop smart grid energy projects, as well as help protect Boeing’s in-house computer network, it said. Get the full story »
S. Korea, U.S. cyberattacks do no damage
Hundreds of computers that helped cause a wave of outages on U.S. and South Korean government websites last July launched new attacks on the same sites, but no major interference was reported, police said Thursday.
The computers were programmed to attack every July 7, according to police, so this year’s assault appeared to be a continuation of last year’s, which began over the July 4 holiday weekend in the U.S. but reached South Korea on July 7. Get the full story »
Network glitch slowing some iPhone 4 uploads
In the latest snag for the iPhone 4, AT&T Inc. said Wednesday that a software defect in its network is limiting data uploads from the phone in some areas in the U.S.
That means it takes longer for users to send pictures, video and other content from the phone.
Apple boots developer who hijacked iTunes accounts
Apple Inc. has booted a developer and his apps from its applications store after hundreds of hijacked user accounts were used to push his titles to best sellers over the weekend.
Developer Thuat Nguyen has been banned for violating an Apple license agreement, “including fraudulent purchases,” Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said Tuesday. About 400 iTunes users were affected, she said
Hulu Plus not playing well with iTunes users
It seems users of its iTunes app are not too happy with Hulu Plus, the $9.99-a-month online video service launched Tuesday. But who would be when they are spending $10 to get shows — with the commercials?
Hard-drive theft puts AMR personnel data at risk
AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, Friday said a hard drive containing personal information on 79,000 retirees, former employees, and current employees has been stolen from the company’s pension department. Get the full story »
Sony recalling 535,000 Vaio laptops
Sony Corp. on Wednesday announced a voluntary worldwide recall of approximately 535,000 Vaio laptop computers because of potential overheating and burn hazards. The recall involves certain units of VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series notebooks.
Cisco unveils Cius tablet computer for business
Cisco Systems Inc is launching a tablet computing device aimed at business customers, becoming the latest company to wade into the red-hot tablet market. The networking equipment maker unveiled the Cius Tuesday, a lightweight, 7-inch tablet based on Google Inc.’s Android operating system. Get the full story »
Conference to show ATM vulnerability to hackers
A security expert has identified flaws in the design of some automated teller machines that make them vulnerable to hackers, who could make the dispensers spit out their cash holdings.
Barnaby Jack, head of research at Seattle-based, security firm IOActive Labs, will demonstrate methods for “jackpotting” ATMs at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas that starts on July 28. Get the full story »
HP to sell $300 netbook for classroom use
By Frank Michael Russell | Computer and printer giant Hewlett-Packard today is introducing a $300 netbook PC designed for heavy-duty classroom use. According to a company statement, the HP Mini 100e Education Edition is designed “to close the digital divide by offering students and teachers an interactive learning experience at an affordable price.”
Google to launch music service
Google Inc. is planning to launch an online music downloading service tied to its search engine, the Wall Street Journal reported, a move that would pit it against Apple Inc and its popular iTunes site.
Google’s plans are still vague, but it has been “stepping up conversations” about offering music services online as well as over mobile phones that use its Android operating system, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the company’s talks with the music industry. Get the full story »
IBM helping fund data analysis center at DePaul
By Wailin Wong | IBM is helping to fund a new center at DePaul University that focuses on
advanced data analysis for businesses.
The Center for Data Mining and Predictive Analytics, which is scheduled
to open in September, is partially the fruit of last year’s $1.2 billion
acquisition of Chicago-based software company SPSS Inc. by IBM. SPSS
specializes in data mining and predictive analytics, which sifts through
massive amounts of data to spot patterns.
Companies in a wide range of
industries use predictive analytics — an insurance firm, for example,
could better detect fraudulent claims by examining millions of past
claims and identifying certain variables that indicate a statistical
probability of fraud.
Rubicon secondary offering priced at $30 a share
By Michael Oneal | Rubicon
Technology Inc., a Franklin Park materials science company that went
public in 2007, priced a secondary offering of 2.6 million shares of
common stock at $30 per share. The company will sell 1.8 million shares, while selling shareholders
will unload 834,000 shares. Rubicon hopes to raise $50.2 million, or
$61.5 million if it sees an opportunity to exercise an over-allotment
option.
