Microsoft and Skype will empower people and businesses to connect in new ways

October 15, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

Microsoft Corp. has closed its acquisition of Skype.

Negotiations of the definitive agreement under which Microsoft would acquire Skype, an Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion were led by investor group Silver Lake and the transaction was originally announced on May 10, 2011. Boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype previously approved the acquisition.

Microsoft and Skype will remain focused on their shared goal of connecting all people across all devices and accelerating both companies’ efforts to transform real-time communications for consumers and enterprise customers. The completion of the acquisition also marks the official introduction of Skype as a new business division within Microsoft.

“Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues — anytime, anywhere.” Read more

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IBM Unveiled Breakthrough Software and New Services to Exploit Big Data

May 24, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

As companies seek to gain real-time insight from diverse types of data, IBM unveiled new software and services to help clients more effectively gain competitive insight, optimize infrastructure and better manage resources to address Internet-scale data. For the first time, organizations can integrate and analyze tens-of-petabytes of data in its native format and gain critical intelligence in sub-second response times.

IBM also announced a $100 million investment for continued research on technologies and services that will enable clients to manage and exploit data as it continues to grow in diversity, speed and volume. The initiative will focus on research to drive the future of massive scale analytics, through advancing software, systems and services capabilities.

The news comes on the heels of the 2011 IBM Global CIO Study where 83 percent of 3,000 CIOs surveyed said applying analytics and business intelligence to their IT operations is the most important element of their strategic growth plans over the next three to five years.

Today’s news further enables Smarter Computing innovations realized by designing systems that incorporate Big Data for better decision making, and optimized systems tuned to the task and managed in a cloud.

According to recent IT industry analyst reports, enterprise data growth over the next five years is estimated to increase by more than 650 percent. Eighty percent of this data is expected to be unstructured.

The new analytics capabilities pioneered by IBM Research will enable chief information officers (CIOs) to construct specific, fact-based financial and business models for their IT operations. Traditionally, CIOs have had to make decisions about their IT operations without the benefit of tools that can help interpret and model data.

With today’s news, IBM is expanding its portfolio and furthering its investments in analytics with: Read more

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Dolby Digital Plus Drives Evolution of HD 7.1 Entertainment Experience

April 30, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

Dolby Laboratories delivers a highly efficient end-to-end audio solution capable of providing full HD entertainment with 7.1 surround sound, as experienced in the cinema, to television, streaming media, and portable devices.

Dolby works closely with content creators to help establish the best audio possible on all five screens—cinema, television, PC, tablet, mobile device—important in an age in which consumers choose to experience entertainment where and when they want it.

“From the cinema to broadcast television to streaming media, the way people experience entertainment has evolved. There are more options than there were in the past. But today, consumers don’t have to sacrifice superb quality and high-fidelity sound due to smaller screen size or new delivery mode,” said Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby continues to innovate and reinvent entertainment to meet the demands of next-generation content by delivering significant improvements that enhance the experience regardless of medium. Dolby is committed to providing premium quality entertainment exactly as the content creator intended it to be experienced across devices and delivery platforms.”

Dolby technology is at the core of the entertainment ecosystem, delivering outstanding audio across all five screens without compromising content quality. The key in bringing the entertainment experience to the living room is Dolby Digital Plus, a flexible digital audio coding technology that delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound over a wide range of bit rates, ensuring optimized sound quality and efficiency for the available bandwidth. With Dolby Digital Plus, consumers can enjoy a cinematic audio entertainment experience virtually anywhere. Read more

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Spyware Compromises 150,000+ Symbian Devices

February 24, 2011 · Filed Under Security Software, Software News · Comment 

A new variant of spyware “Spy.Felxispy” on Symbian devices causing privacy leakage has recently been captured by the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Centre of China. According to NetQin Mobile Inc., a global leader in mobile security service, there are more than a dozen variants of the spyware since the first was spotted, and the latest has affected 150,000+ devices.

Once installed, the spyware will turn on the Conference Call feature of the device without users’ awareness. When users are making phone calls, the spyware automatically adds itself to the call to monitor the conversation. “The Conference Call feature allows more than two parties to join a conversation, and it’s easily available to most smart-phone users. The privacy stealers exploit the vulnerability of this feature for financial purposes. The privacy protection on mobile devices becomes more important than ever,” said Dr. Zou Shihong, Vice President of R&D from NetQin.

NetQin Cloud Security Centre detects that the spyware can remotely turn on the speaker on the phone to monitor sounds around users without the users’ awareness. Apart from that, the spyware is also capable of synchronizing the messages the user received and delivered to the monitoring phone. These performances will compromise users’ privacy.

According to NetQin, the privacy stealers usually install the spyware on the phone or send MMS containing the spyware to users to lure them to click. As the spyware is artfully disguised, users will easily be trapped.

NetQin warns that smart-phone users are exposed to more mobile security threats than ever and users should always be cautious whenever performing operations on their mobile devices. To stay safe, NetQin experts give the following tips in using your phone: Read more

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Five Teams Advance to Finals in National Cyber Competition

February 19, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

After four exciting rounds of competition and nearly five months of preparation, five All Service teams have advanced to the finals of CyberPatriot III, the nation’s largest high school cyber defense competition.

Today, CyberPatriot concluded its two-day semifinal round for the competition’s All Service Division – comprised of Junior ROTC units of all Services and Civil Air Patrol squadrons – at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida, where 12 teams competed for the five spots in the finals.

Congratulations to the advancing teams:

  • Ramona High School, Navy JROTC, Ramona, Calif.
  • Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, Marine JROTC, Fitchburg, Mass.
  • Clearfield High School, Air Force JROTC, Clearfield, Utah
  • Buena High School, Army JROTC, Sierra Vista, Ariz.
  • Orlando Cadet Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, Orlando, Fla. Read more

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