Low Cost PCs Threaten Ability To Innovate
Maintaining that "someone" is subsidizing the actual cost of low-cost PCs ($199 at Wal-Mart) running the LindowsOS, Microsot's Steve Ballmer insists Microsoft won't cut costs to be competitive. Ballmer: Windows prices are firm [ZDNet Tech News] 

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Software Assurance: "Protection Money"
Unhappiness over Microsoft licensing program remains.

Microsoft Licensing: Still A Sticking Point For Some Enterprises [TechWeb] 

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Marketers Don't Get It - Chapter 95
There are days when I'm just astounded that the technical marketing community gets anything done at all, what with their heads shoved so far up their, well, you know. Word comes from a panel discussion in Europe that consumers don't want an identity management system on the order of Liberty Alliance or Passport. No consumer demand whatsoever - don't trust them, don't see any benefit, a little worried about the whole thing, actually. So. What does our crack team of panelists think about this? Perhaps the concept should be re-thought? Maybe go out and talk with people about how it could better serve their needs? Nope. We're expected to get used to it - and by golly, they're sure we will. We just need to be educated. Maybe toss on in a coupon or two.

I read things like this, and it makes me embarassed that I work in marketing. These people show such contempt for their customers. Verizon Wireless is a perfect example. They've recently switched their mobile web users from a proprietary setup - myvzw.com - to MSN. In the process, they're pulling the plug on the myvzw.com domain - if you want to get email, you need to switch to MSN - and get a Passport. After reviewing the 20+ page usage agreement - which includes provisions such as they're not responsible for misuse of your account that costs you, but you're responsible for misuse that costs them money - I took a pass. In addition to ridiculous terms (do you trust MSN to be secure?), it's just a pain. Why should I change the email address I've set up in a variety of systems? The Verizon response was a classic from the "all we need to do is educate the user" strategy. I received an email explaining how wonderful it was all going to be. And I didn't really need to get a Passport. Unless, of course, I actually wanted to do anything with the system. I responded that this didn't really address my issues. Haven't heard back.

Educate the user? That's fine. Just don't ignore them. 

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Sony Gets 6% of Palm Source
Sony to Put $20 Million Into Palm Software. SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Sony Corp. agreed to invest $20 million Tuesday in Palm Inc.'s software division, which the handheld computer maker plans to spin off next year. By The Associated Press. [New York Times: Technology] 

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Upside Shuts Down, Red Herring Retrenches
The NYT reports that Upside has followed Forbes ASAP into publishing oblivion by ceasing publication. Also, Red Herring has been sold to an investor and has seen staff shrink from 400 to less than 50. Data specific to Upside isn't at hand, but the entire tech publishing sector has seen ad pages - and consequently revenue - disappear. Pages for Red Herring are down nearly 70% year over year. 

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Barrett: Clap Really Hard If You Believe
Intel chief talks up tech rebound. Craig Barrett, boss of semiconductor giant Intel, says the long awaited technology sector recovery is just around the corner. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY] 

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Happy Birthday ThinkPad
IBM's ThinkPad turns 10. The computer maker's notebook design set a standard for other designers to follow. Where does it go from here? [CNET News.com] 

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NetIQ Snaps Up Pentasafe
Leaves the clock ticking for other smaller security vendors who need to be acquired, or risk being out-marketed by larger, more market-savvy competitors.

NetIQ to purchase PentaSafe for $255 million. Deal is latest example of consolidation in security software industry [InfoWorld: Top News] 

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Ballmer: Don't Need No Services...
MS chief Ballmer rules out services buys. No consulting arm? Shurely shome... [The Register] 

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Hurwitz Goes Under
Computerworld and InformationWeek report that IT analyst firm Hurwitz Group Inc. closed its doors and has gone out of business. 

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BMC Picks Up Remedy From Distressed Peregrine
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Troubled software maker Peregrine Systems Inc on Sunday said it filed for bankruptcy protection and that it plans to sell its coveted Remedy unit to BMC Software Inc for $350 million in cash -- less than a third the price Peregrine paid for it. The company also said it would file suit for more than $1 billion against its former auditor Andersen LLP and related parties whom Peregrine blames for not detecting the problems that lead to its bankruptcy. 

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EDS Earnings Fall Off Cliff
The concern, obviously, is whether the halt in spending is a harbinger of a larger trend.

EDS sees services cash "virtually stop" [ZDNet Tech News] 

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Physician, Heal Thyself?
Ex-Palm developer creates tools to track product development.

Start-up software moves products [ZDNet Tech News] 

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The Network Is The Computer?
StarOffice, it seems, will set you free. It turns out that Sun's strategy isn't all that new and different after all, just a retread of the network computing model with Linux as the starring player.

Sun's punts cheap PCs at blue collar workers. Our hairball is cheaper than their hairball [The Register] 

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Watch Me Pull A Rabbitt Out Of My Hat
General Magic, once the hottest property in the tech market, throws in the towel. A high profile and good technology seemingly weren't enough to establish momentum in any market.

General Magic calls its quits. The formerly hot Silicon Valley company once enjoyed investments from Apple and Microsoft and let rabbits wander free around its offices to inspire creativity. [CNET News.com] 

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Sun To Pursue Linux Desktops?
You know you're off to a bad start when the media start to refer to your plan as a "Frankenstein-like" strategy. Of course, if the shoe fits... Perhaps all will be clear after the official announcement, but at the moment, there doesn't seem to be much reason to buy into this, unless of course, you really hate Microsoft. But even there, with all the frustration expressed with Microsoft few people appear to have taken the step of kicking them out. IDC data reveal that the penetration of Linux on the desktop has increased for six straight years - but it still rests at only a 1.7 percent share of the client market.

Sun to shed light on desktop Linux plans. Linux play to be spelled out at SunNetwork conference [InfoWorld: Top News] 

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Linux: A Rising Tide?
Linux continues to gain in viability at the corporate level.

I.B.M. Agrees to Expand Its Use of the Linux Operating System. I.B.M. and the software company Red Hat plan to announce a multiyear alliance to greatly expand the range of I.B.M. computers and software products that run Linux. By Barnaby J. Feder. [New York Times: Business] 

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"Innovation" In The Eye Of The Beholder
Round-up of the latest and greatest tech offerings, including some that don't seem all that new. For example, Microsoft's 802.11 network in a box may bring a new level of ease of use to the Windows environment, but Apple - with Airport - has been offering an exceptionaly simple to use wireless network offering for several years.

DemoMobile launches high-tech hopefuls. New monitors, wireless network management, and roaming on display [InfoWorld: Top News] 

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Expect Further 3G Delays
Rally round the lawyers as IP issues slow adoption of the standard.

Analysis: Patent disputes could further complicate 3G. Intellectual property issues threaten to hamper 3G adoption [InfoWorld: Top News] 

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