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12 May 2008 21:38:18 GMT

Microsoft said in a blog posting Sunday that the issue was a mistake made by the third party that handles blocking of potentially unsafe content for MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.

12 May 2008 21:18:56 GMT

By Connie Guglielmo May 12 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.'s iPhone is sold out at its online stores in the US and UK, a sign that a new model with faster Internet access may be introduced soon.

12 May 2008 22:02:22 GMT

Soon-to-be merged World of Warcraft maker supersizes annual convention in Anaheim, CA, taking place October 10 and 11; tickets run for $100.

12 May 2008 15:40:35 GMT

A burglary victim helped police catch suspected thieves by logging onto her Mac remotely and snapping photos with its Webcam. By KC Jones Remote access and a Webcam helped police catch two people suspected of stealing a laptop.

12 May 2008 20:29:05 GMT

by Marcus Lai Electronic Arts Inc. on Mon. said that it will release Skate It to Nintendo Co.'s Nintendo DS handheld and the Wii home video game sytem.

12 May 2008 21:31:46 GMT

By Damon Poeter, ChannelWeb Microsoft has not officially named Hewlett-Packard as the sole culprit in shipping desktop PCs with a driver glitch that causes systems to crash or enter an endless reboot cycle upon installing Windows XP service pack 3.

12 May 2008 21:38:19 GMT

Nintendo on Monday put its latest shot across the bow of Microsoft and Sony when it officially launched WiiWare, its new online repository of downloadable games.

12 May 2008 20:02:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO / SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Apple Inc has signed deals to bring the iPhone to four Asian countries later this year, which should help the company surpass its sales goal of 10 million units by the end of 2008.

12 May 2008 04:38:43 GMT

Iceland's most popular torrent tracker, torrent.is has announced that it has won another court decision and the site will reopen next week, May 16th. In late March the original case against torrent.is was dismissed but the Icelandic movie and music industry appealed to the Icelandic Supreme Court. In the original case, the courts ruled in favor of torrent.is and awarded it 400,000 ISK ($5025 USD). Last night the Supreme Court ruled in favor of torrent.is again, and awarded it an extra 500,000 ISK. The case was dismissed once again because of legal formalities. Torrent.is owner, Svavar Kjarrval, confided that he was “very happy with the decision,” and added that he wants to reopen the site next week. “However, the executive of one of the plaintiffs [SMÁÍS] claims he will use any means available to stop the site from reopening. I don’t know if that will succeed or not.” A spokesman of SMAIS added “this verdict is sad, and it is incredible to deny copyright holders seeking their rights. This is an unnecessary adherence on legal formalities in this case, rather than taking on the subject as it should. There still has not been a formal verdict in this case and it seems to be hard to get a judge to review the facts of the case itself, that is, the copyright laws themselves.” However, Svavar warns that it may not be the best idea to run out to host torrent sites in Ireland just yet. “This ruling doesn’t state that torrent sites are legal so there is still no certainty as to their legality.”

12 May 2008 05:20:51 GMT

Samsung has introduced a new high-definition video camera that can also take high resolution digital photos as well as take smooth slow-motion video. The new HMX20, which was originally shown off at the CES event, can manage full blown 1080p full high definition (1,920 pixel by 1,080 pixel resolution) and 8-megapixel images. Also of note is the feature of being able to take pictures while video is being recorded. The camcorder also has a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD monitor. The most interesting feature is a 300 frames per second slow-motion video shooting mode that will allow video to be slowed down by as many as 10 times and still appear smooth during playback. The camcorder is much smaller than most current video cameras as it has no optical drive or HDD and instead saves all images and video to flash memory, 8GB of internal to be exact. You can add extra memory through SD cards. So far the camera is only for sale in South Korea for a cost of 899,000 won ($860 USD) and launch dates for other markets have yet to be revealed.

12 May 2008 05:38:54 GMT

For those interested Amazon has begun offering a new "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" sale on hit Blu-ray titles effectively dropping the price of each title (when buying 3) from about $28 USD to $18 USD, a very good price for Blu-ray titles. There are 34 titles available including "X-men: The Last Stand", "I, Robot", "28 Weeks Later", and all the "Die Hard" movies. Amazon has been sending out emails to customers informing them of the sale and all you have to do is add 3 titles to your cart and Amazon will automatically deduct the price of the lowest priced title. The whole list of movies available can be found here, and there are a few good movies available for those looking.

12 May 2008 06:02:00 GMT

The Criterion Collection, the leading distributor of classic cinema, has announced that it will begin its Blu-ray support this year with at least 13 confirmed titles. The announcement, through the company's official email newsletter, says that the first releases will hit retail shelves in the Q3 of this year. The thirteen confirmed titles are 'The Third Man,' 'Bottle Rocket,' 'Chungking Express,' 'The Man Who Fell to Earth,' 'El Norte,' 'The 400 Blows,' 'Gimme Shelter,' 'The Complete Monterey Pop,' 'Contempt,' 'Walkabout,' 'For All Mankind,' 'The Wages of Fear,' and the 'The Last Emperor.' Criterion adds that the new editions will feature "glorious high-definition picture and sound," and all the special and supplement content of their DVD cousins. There was no word on exact prices yet for the titles but it is safe to assume they will match the average for other Blu-ray titles on the market.

12 May 2008 06:36:04 GMT

Orb Networks is claiming that they have developed "the world's first way to stream live TV to the iPhone and iPod Touch." OrbLive, as the application is called, will work with "jailbroken" iPhones and iPod Touches. Despite being the "first" to make an application of the sort, it is really not all that special. Users install the Orb streaming application on their TV-tuner enabled PCs and OrbLive on their handheld devices. You then set the PC to live TV and stream it directly using the Wi-Fi. Adds Orb's CEO, Joe Costello, "Although the iPhone provides users with a great way to experience the Web, it offers a ridiculously sub-par streaming video experience. When all the carriers' free phones can stream lots of things that my iPhone can't, something's seriously wrong. OrbLive finally brings the iPhone's streaming video experience up to par with other mobile phones."

12 May 2008 04:44:12 GMT

What do you get when you stretch an 8-minute video out into an hour-long nature documentary? Mostly, repeated edited clips of those precious 8-minutes diluted by ho-hum back story and speculative experts voicing their opinions.

12 May 2008 04:05:50 GMT

By MARK VEVERKA WHEN MICROSOFT PUSHED AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND EXCUSED itself from deal talks with Yahoo!, it left many Yahoo! shareholders with indigestion.

12 May 2008 01:42:38 GMT

By Jacqui Cheng | Published: May 11, 2008 - 08:35PM CT Anonymous pranksters who made a fake Facebook profile for a high school dean and used it to send out messages may soon be exposed, thanks to a court order issued late last week.

12 May 2008 04:14:52 GMT

By Winda Benedetti "Defend Your Castle" isn't the kind of game you'd ever find sitting on a store shelf next to the likes of "Grand Theft Auto IV" or "Halo 3." The game doesn't boast any spectacular digital effects or cutting-edge artificial ...

12 May 2008 03:38:43 GMT

Contractors and subcontractors have ripped off the federal government for about $3.5 million in bogus networking parts, an FBI investigation has revealed.

12 May 2008 05:46:55 GMT

Still on Windows XP? Me too. So we'll both want to be sure to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), which should be available from Microsoft by the time you read this.

12 May 2008 04:57:15 GMT

Amid speculation that Microsoft is looking to make an acquisition, Powerset launched a public beta of its Wikipedia search engine.

12 May 2008 03:54:36 GMT

A remote desktop access feature found in some Macintoshes is being credited with leading police to two suspects in the burglary of an apartment in New York.

12 May 2008 04:06:51 GMT

World: Say hello to the RIM BlackBerry Bold. *Cue dramatic music* You may know it as the RIM BlackBerry 9000, but today, Research in Motion officially took the wraps off the highly anticipated and much-rumored smartphone, complete with a new name.

11 May 2008 21:17:05 GMT

By Michael Todd According to Climate Counts, a nonprofit group, Apple trails far behind when it comes to climate friendliness. The environmental group, funded by organic yogurt maker Stonyfield Farm, used publically available information in order to ...

11 May 2008 21:28:09 GMT

By Matthew Lasar | Published: May 11, 2008 - 04:22PM CT The United States will get a sneak preview of the DTV transition on September 8th, when Wilmington, North Carolina's five commercial television stations cease analog broadcasting and go completely ...

11 May 2008 14:19:40 GMT

By John Wolper The crew of STS-124 participated Friday in a launch dress rehearsal at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida .

11 May 2008 00:08:10 GMT

Just two weeks after the device sold out in the UK, it seems the 1st generation Apple iPhone is now sold out in the US as well. A quick search of the Apple website will show that the popular device is "Currently Unavailable" in both the 8GB and 16GB variations. The news has generally sparked rumors that the upcoming 3G iPhone will be released in the next 30 days, giving it the June launch date that many have been predicting. The speculation puts the launch of the 3G model at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June, a one year anniversary of the launch of the 1st generation of the device. More updates as they become available.

11 May 2008 02:26:27 GMT

Citing “minor input” from the MPAA and RIAA, the Los Angeles County government has now added piracy to its definition of “public nuisance", meaning all properties used in the dissemination of counterfeit goods can now be seized. Physically pirated goods, such as bootleg DVDs or CDs, are now considered to be the same as counterfeit watches or handbags. This new so called "Counterfeit Goods Nuisance Abatement ordinance" says that the counterfeit goods “substantially interfere with … lawful commerce in the county, property values, and is detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare of the county's citizens, its businesses, and its visitors.” Any property owner that knowingly allows piracy on their premises can be held responsible to pay $1000 USD for every, yes every, pirated work produced. The district attorney can also “temporarily restrain, preliminarily enjoin, and/or permanently enjoin the person or persons intentionally conducting, or knowingly maintaining or permitting the public nuisance from further conducting, maintaining, or permitting such public nuisance.” The ordinance is similar to that of the recent one passed in New York City but this ordinance does not seem to bother those who upload or download pirated movies and music from the Internet.

11 May 2008 06:23:16 GMT

After what some consider a long snub, Apple finally arrives in Boston. And its Back Bay store, set to welcome customers on Thursday, was worth the wait.

11 May 2008 05:03:03 GMT

There I was, merrily fixing someone's computer. Among other things, they'd been having trouble connecting to Microsoft's Windows Update Web site.

10 May 2008 22:31:36 GMT

Just days after being hit with one of the largest fines in copyright infringement history, a lawyer for the now dead torrent search engine TorrentSpy has said the business is bankrupt and they will not be able to pay the fine. The fine, $110 million USD, was ordered two days ago by a judge, following a high profile case brought forth by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Because the site refused to turn over any internal documents the judge also ruled that the site can never go online again. According to attorney Ira Rothken the owners of TorrentSpy have filed for bankruptcy protection in England "and have no appreciable assets." "This was a Hollywood publicity stunt," Rothken added. While the site is set to appeal the ruling, the MPAA says it is still going to go after the cash and hopes the ruling will serve as a reminder that they are still on the prowl.

10 May 2008 23:47:51 GMT

Apple has announced that they will be settling a pair of class-action lawsuits in Canada stemming from claims that the company misled customers "about the staying power" of the popular iPod MP3 players, especially the gradually dwindling battery life of first and second generation devices. According to court documents, Apple is offering an online store credit of about $44.75 CAD for those living in Canada that purchased an iPod before June 24, 2004. To be eligible for the credit, the battery life of your iPod "while continuously playing music — needs to have dropped to five hours or less for the first and second generation of the device and four hours or less for the third generation." The lead plaintiffs in the case, two iPod owners, claim that the company misrepresented its product by saying it was capable of 10 hours of continual music playback. It is a well known fact that after even the first recharge, iPod battery lives began declining. A similar case was settled in the US in 2005 and Apple offered a similar settlement as well. $50 USD in store credit or $25 in cash if the battery life has dwindled to a certain threshold.

10 May 2008 16:04:23 GMT

Back in February, we learned that Pandemic Studios was working on a new entry in Tolkien's fabled "Lord of the Rings" franchise.

10 May 2008 23:58:56 GMT

Apple has announced that they will be settling a pair of class-action lawsuits in Canada stemming from claims that the company misled customers "about the staying power" of the popular iPod MP3 players, especially the gradually dwindling battery life ...

10 May 2008 18:54:52 GMT

The FBI announced Friday that an investigation into counterfeit network components made in China and sold to the US government has recovered about 3500 fake devices with a value of $3.5 million.

10 May 2008 19:08:44 GMT

Australia, (AHN) -- Researchers studying platypus genes have found new insights to evolutionary transitions, and maybe even a new source for pain medication.

10 May 2008 13:47:20 GMT

If there?s one thing the folks at Apple could teach their friends at AT&T, it?s how to parcel out the good news. Case in point: the Starbucks-iPhone-Wi-Fi deal that?s been on and off all week and generating all the wrong kind of headlines (see for ...

10 May 2008 07:01:26 GMT

The inland settlement, about 14000 years old, predates the Southwestern Clovis sites by about a millennium and coincides with findings at Paisley Cave in Oregon, researchers say.

10 May 2008 07:44:36 GMT

By Brandon Bailey, Mike Antonucci and Matt Nauman For most techies, it's generally not good to be associated with a virus of any sort.

10 May 2008 12:21:21 GMT

By LISA W. FODERARO WHITE PLAINS - The thieves were voracious, filching flat-screen televisions and computer games, purloining iPods and DVDs, even making off with a box of liquor and a set of car rims in a burglary two weeks ago at an apartment three ...

10 May 2008 18:41:16 GMT

Google is expected to join the social network data portability crowd with "Friend Connect" on Monday. TechCrunch speculates that Friend Connect will be a set of "APIs for Open Social participants to pull profile information from social networks into ...

10 May 2008 02:38:54 GMT

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI on Friday said an investigation into the sale of counterfeit Chinese computer components to the US government has recovered about 3500 bogus devices with a retail value of $3.5 million.

10 May 2008 03:08:25 GMT

By Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides May 09, 2008 | 10:04:43 PMCategories: Space Last night on the Colbert Report, Astronaut Garrett Reisman was patched through Mission Control in Houston through to New York for a live interview with Stephen Colbert.

10 May 2008 00:55:59 GMT

Sure, Google owns the search market. And, as a result, the company is the online advertising leader. But Microsoft has all those Windows desktops out there, and owns the corporate market, right?

10 May 2008 03:18:37 GMT

COLOGNE, Germany, May 9 (UPI) -- A German geologist said layers of sediment in the bottom of a lake in the Sahara suggest the region dried up gradually over thousands of years.

10 May 2008 03:10:33 GMT

By LISA W. FODERARO WHITE PLAINS - The thieves were voracious, filching flat-screen televisions and computer games, purloining iPods and DVDs, even making off with a box of liquor and a set of car rims in a burglary two weeks ago at an apartment three ...

10 May 2008 04:01:18 GMT

IBM's alignment with Google around Linux and Internet standards should have its longtime rival sweating sans Yahoo. By Rob Preston It's a bit surreal to watch ibm come off as the plucky, self-deprecating maverick.

10 May 2008 05:04:09 GMT

The Grand Theft Auto series has grown up in GTA IV, featuring a living breathing city, incredible graphics, wonderful physics, and a deep rich gravelly storyline that starts in the Bosnian war and continues on the streets of Liberty City.

10 May 2008 00:10:59 GMT

Following MySpace's lead, Facebook's upcoming service includes user-maintained controls for basic profile information, photos, personal videos, and friend lists.

09 May 2008 19:03:51 GMT

Google is adding security for Web surfing and remote workers to its Google Apps set of office tools. Made possible by last year's acquisition of security vendor Postini, Google Web Security for Enterprise includes real-time malware protection and URL ...

09 May 2008 13:49:00 GMT

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates says sales of Windows Vista have been "rapid", with more than 140 million copies sold worldwide.