Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Google to open 'Google Ideas' global technology think tank
Hoping to apply technology solutions to solve the world's problems, Google is hiring Washington technology insider Jared Cohen.
Jared Cohen in 2007. Image Credit: Washington Life Magazine
A rumor surfaced last month which put Washington insider Jared Cohen on the fast track to Google-dom. Cohen is famous for his work as 'Twitterer in Chief' of the State department where he has lasted through two administrations.
He's a fascinating fellow.
Cohen was hired during the Bush Administration by Condoleezza Rice's State Department's policy planning staff at age 24, just after getting his M.Phil at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Since then, he has become an incredibly well connected and well traveled diplomat versed in '21st Century Statecraft'. He's also written a book called Children of Jihad where he advocates for the use of technology for social upheaval in the Middle East and elsewhere.
We've been told that Cohen is busy building a new entity for Google which is tentatively called Google Ideas. Ideas is a global initiatives 'think tank' office inside of Google and will be run out of New York. Cohen will be working for Google full time by this fall. His job will be to spearhead initiatives to apply technology solutions to problems faced by the developing world.
Another source tells us that Cohen's current boss, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is aware of his impending departure. Google told Fortune that it doesn't comment on topics of this nature. Cohen didn't respond to requests for comment.
Cohen counts among his friends Twitter and Square founder Jack Dorsey as well as entertainment figures like Whoopi Goldberg and Jimmy Buffett.
He's no stranger to Google either. Below is a talk in March with Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Jared Cohen and Alec Ross.
I've bookmarked the end but the full video is highly recommended. Or, view a shorter, easier to watch interview here.
This Stanford article tells the story of Cohen's rise to prominance in Washington:
Cohen who has traveled widely in the Middle East, was tracking developments on the ground by following the English and translated Farsi postings of Iranian dissidents and opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi on Twitter. Their protests about fraud in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, and the violent government crackdown that followed it, were flying to the outside world in 140-character-or-less bursts of comment.
Cohen read that the microblogging service was about to shut down its operations for maintenance. Although the shutdown would be routine and brief (and in the middle of the night in U.S. time zones), the prospect chilled the dissidents' leaders. Because the government was blocking cell phone texting, Twitter had become a lifeline. The protests were reaching a crescendo: What might happen if Twitter went silent in the middle of a turbulent day?
So Cohen emailed his friend Jack Dorsey, Twitter's co-founder and chairman. Dorsey had been part of a Silicon Valley delegation that Cohen had led to the Middle East earlier that spring to explore prospects for rebuilding Iraq. In a series of emails, Cohen asked Dorsey if the company was aware of the suddenly prominent role that it was playing on the international stage.
The rest—more or less—is history. Twitter agreed to postpone its upgrade for a few hours, and the pipeline of free expression continued uninterrupted in Iran. The Iranian government accused the Obama administration of meddling in its internal affairs, but a spokesman said Cohen's call was "completely consistent with our national policy. . . . We are proponents of freedom of expression." By the end of the year, CNN was including Cohen's call to Twitter on a list of the Top 10 Internet moments of the decade, along with the launch of Facebook and the introduction of the
iPhone .
From that same Stanford article is a collage of interesting meetings:
Image Credit: Stanford
Follow Google 24/7 and author Seth Weintraub on Twitter.
Libyana reaches a 1mil subscribers in 5 years, and Etisalat celebrated 15mil in 3 years
On the other hand, in a neighbor country: Egypt, Etisalat a United Arab Emirates based international mobile phone service provider, which started offering its services in Egypt about 3 years ago, becoming one of the few phone service provides able to survive in a very competitive market, with Vodafone and Mobinil buzzing in the air. Etisalat celebrated 15 million customers milestone in this very short period of time, becoming one of the best mobile phone service providers ever worked in Egypt.
Etisalat according to Egyptian public opinion drives its success from offering quality service with low prices, although its coverage area does not compete with Mobinil or Vodafone, but it is very popular for its offers and prices.
Leading me back to Libya, where the telecom sector could not compare to a neighbor country, and Libya is still relying on national operators with no service, marketing, or technology experience, and have to pay a lot to import services from moderate and unreliable service providers such as ZTE and Huwawi, where some of which have proved failure in other countries, so will Libya open its telecommunications market for major international service providers such Etisalat, and gain from its success in a tough market such as Egypt? We will wait and see.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
E3 2010: Sony launches PSN Plus
Premium subscription for PlayStation Network users unveiled at E3
Sony has announced PSN Plus, a premium subscription-based service for its PlayStation Network, at the E3 expo in Los Angeles. Sony president Jack Tretton said PSN Plus users would gain access to an exclusive set of features and content, such as preferred early downloads of demos and select betas, as well as free content including full PSN games, themes and avatars.
Tretton said that subscribers to the new service would also receive discounts for products on the PlayStation Store and a variety of online services including automatic downloads and firmware updates. He said that PSN Plus will be made available to US PlayStation 3 owners from June 29, with a one-year subscription costing $49.99, and a three-month pass costing $17.99. Sony will be offering free access to PSN Plus for a three-month trial period.
Sony plans to update PSN Plus content every month "in order to provide more value for subscribers". In the first month PSN Plus will offer the full game of Wipeout HD, a full game trial of InFamous, Minis and classic PlayStation One titles such as Age Of Zombies, Field Runners and Rally Cross.
Sony has promised that all features currently available on the PlayStation Network will remain free; only PSN Plus features will carry the subscription price tag.
PSN Plus’s arrival on the PlayStation Network follows months of speculation about Sony’s plans to introduce a premium service on PSN which PS3 owners would have to pay for. It was announced as part of Sony’s E3 keynote press briefing at E3, which also saw the unveiling of 3D games for the PS3 and some gaming demos for titles which make us of the Sony PlayStation Move wireless controller.
YouTube launches online video editor
Cloud-based application enables people to edit videos online before uploading them to YouTube
YouTube has launched a cloud-based video-editing tool to enable people to edit their videos online before uploading them to the video-sharing website.
"The editor is ideal for merging single, short clips in to a longer video," said Rushabh Doshi, a Google software engineer, and Joshua Siegel, a Google product manager, in a YouTube blog post. "For example, you can transform clips from your vacation in to a video travel diary set to music, or create a highlights reel from footage of your last basketball game.
"It's also great for trimming a long video down to the moments you really care about. Say you've uploaded a wedding ceremony – a beautiful event, but do you really need to see all the guests shuffle in? The video editor lets you easily remove unwanted footage so you can capture just the moment when they say, 'I do'."
Google, which owns the video-sharing website, has made the editor available through the TestTube section of YouTube, which hosts new and experimental features.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
They ban YouTube and forget Google Videos!
It seems that banning YouTube, which has been the most viewed video posting web destination for various age groups in the last two years, especially in Libya, it seems banning it influenced a lot of teenagers in the country.
The justification remains a dilemma, specially with the action being simultaneous with the shut-down of at least 5 independent Libyan electronic newspapers.
The question that puzzles me: is Libya behind this, and if it is behind banning YouTube, did they forget about: Google Videos, the same based web based video posting site, and did they forget about Google being YouTube's owner?
I read somewhere that YouTube is banned from Google, but why would Google risk loosing a market share that is estimated to be at least 200,000 internet users.
The reason will be explained I believe, its just a matter of time!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The five best products of CES 2010, for business users
Every year when I go to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, while most attendees are ogling over televisions and video games, I scour the show looking for the products that will have the biggest real world impact for businesses. This is my list of the five best from CES 2010.
Keep in mind that most of these products deal with mundane things like battery charging and printing, and aren’t very flashy, but I think they can offer some good value nonetheless.
5. Targus Premium Laptop Charger
Computer accessory-maker Targus unveiled its new Premium Laptop Charger at CES. There are several features that make this thing innovative. First, it allows you to charge both your laptop and cellphone from a single outlet. Second, it works as both an AC charger for a standard socket and a DC charger in your car. And third, it is future-proofed because it has interchangeable tips and Targus offers free tips for the life of the product (as long you register the product online). The only thing you pay for the tips is about five bucks for shipping.
The product comes with tips for nine different laptop brands, a mini-USB tip, and a tip for iPod/
I’m not sure many business folks will run out and buy this to replace their current chargers, but if you need a replacement laptop charger or you want a second or third charger then this one could be a great option.
4. Lexmark Platinum Pro905
There’s hardly any technology less exciting than printers but at CES Lexmark showed off its new Platinum Pro905 all-in-one that offers a great opportuntiy for small businesses and remote offices to save money on printing costs. Its black ink cartridges cost just $4.99, and each of its three color cartridges are $9.99. The device itself, which serves as a printer, copier, scanner, and fax machine, retails for $399 and comes with a five-year warranty.
The product also offers 802.11n wireless, printing directly from an
3. Powermat Wireless Charger
Powermat’s wireless charging system for smartphones and other small devices was one of the big hits at last year’s CES when it was first announced. The product officially hit the market in the U.S. at Best Buy and Target in the fall and has reportedly sold over 250,000 units.
Powermat allows you to replace your device batteries with Powermat batteries and battery doors (adding a little weight and bulk) and then simply laying them on a mat to charge them instead of plugging them in. At CES 2010, Powermat showed off the next generation of its product, which includes a new selection of mats in various shapes and sizes and, most importantly, new technology that makes the doors and battery covers integrate much more seamlessly and without adding any weight or bulk to the devices, especially smartphones.
The example below shows the existing Powermat battery cover on the right (with the raised finish) and the 2.0 battery cover on the left (naturally integrated with the existing device design). This is how Powermat will work with virtually any case that has a removable battery. However, that does not include the
2. BlackBerry Presenter
Research in Motion unveiled a new accessory at CES: The BlackBerry Presenter. It’s a little box that connects to a standard conference room projector and allows you to run a PowerPoint presentation wirelessly from your BlackBerry.
If you have BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), you can even email the PPT file to yourself and then just run the presentation from that email message. It will enable a lot of road warriors to ditch their laptops when they travel to give presentations, especially on same-day trips. Hooking up a laptop to a unfamiliar projector is a chronic help desk problem. The BlackBerry Projector can make it a little simpler. Just connect it to a VGA port and click the button on the top to activate it.
The device costs $199 and it requires BlackBerry OS 4.6 or later.
1.PlasticLogic QUE proReader
The PlasticLogic QUE was one of the most anticipated product launches of CES 2010. A lot of information had been revealed or leaked beforehand, but most of us tended to think of the QUE as an ereader oriented toward newspapers and magazines and aimed at business professionals.
The reality exceed those expectations as the QUE proReader turned out to be what PlasticLogic CEO Richard Archuleta called a “wireless briefcase.” Not only does the QUE have deals in place with all of the top business periodicals, but it also syncs with Microsoft Exchange, provides “print-to-device” functionality, reads Microsoft Office documents and PDFs, and allows BlackBerry users to transfer data from their smartphones.
Unfortunately, there was another way in which the QUE exceeded expectations: the price. The two models cost $650 and $800. At that price, it will have to compete with tablet and slate computers.
Jason Hiner is the Editor in Chief of TechRepublic. Previously, he worked as an IT Manager in the health care industry. You can find him on Twitter, LinkedIn and at JasonHiner.com. To see the gadgets and personal tech he uses, view his gdgt profile.Date: January 12th, 2010
Author: Jason Hiner
Category: BlackBerry, CES, E-reader
Tags: Consumer Electronics Show, Battery, Product, RIM BlackBerry, Laptop Computer, Powermat Wireless Charger Powermat, Powermat, Engineering, Notebooks, HandheldsSpecial Reports » See more posts on: CES 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Diamond Phoenix and System Logistics Combine Strength to Bring a New Level of Innovative System Design and Integration to the World Marketplace
LEWISTON, MAINE -- Diamond Phoenix, a full service material handling technology supplier and systems integrator, has combined efforts with Italian company System Logistics to create a new, dynamic and fast growing company in the material handling industry. System Logistics is a global leader in providing integrated systems for pallet and case picking operations, with solutions that include automated storage and case picking, laser guided vehicles, system vehicle loops (SVL), and complete WMS software solutions for automated warehousing. Diamond Phoenix is one of the world’s leaders in supplying solutions for automating order picking and storage across a wide range of industries, with systems for automating order picking, unit sortation, case sortation, automated pallet handling and many other areas of warehousing and distribution. By teaming with System Logistics, Diamond Phoenix will offer even more solutions, backed by the creative talents of a global engineering team.
In addition, both companies also provide highly innovative technology solutions for storage and order picking. Diamond Phoenix will immediately offer the patented Modula line of Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) to its clients, as well as continuing to offer its patented SMARTdepot multi-bay VLM. This greatly enhances the ability to add value through an ever growing range of innovative technologies.
System Logistics, headquartered in Modena, Italy, has been in operation for 30 years. Their dedication to creating value through creative design and technological innovation is one of the many reasons their acquisition of Diamond Phoenix will ensure the continued growth of both. “We are happy to now be a part of a company with such amazing capabilities. I really think we are well positioned to bring our customers material handling systems unmatched in the industry,” states Tom Coyne, President and CEO of Diamond Phoenix.
The merging of the two companies brings 90 years of combined material handling experience. “The US logistics market is an important investment for System Logistics. Diamond Phoenix and System Logistics will now work together to deliver a wide range of solutions from single bay vertical lift modules, each picking with carousels, voice picking, to huge distribution centers utilizing AS/RS and automated case picking,” said Mauro Pelliciari, General Manager of System Logistics.
The transaction combines Diamond Phoenix systems design and implementation capabilities with the global reach and additional technologies of System Logistics. The combined companies will have a unique blend of complementary capabilities to bring the best of system design and implementation to the world market. Both companies have common values focused on customer care, innovation and reliability with familiar, large company customer references.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sunday, November 1, 2009
eGov News: Libya launches national services portal
Abdel Eljaroshi
Project Management Specialist
IT&IS Engineer
ABDELSALAM KHALIL ELJAROSHI
In a poor excuse of a national services portal, Libyan Information Agency launched a website claiming it to be a Libyan Electronic Services Portal.
The news was spread on local newspaper, and the General Information Agency of Libya informed local newspapers on Saturday (the day of officially launching the trial version), GIAL informed them that the portal will provide services to Libyan citizens through the internet to reach the eGov concept.
I hope they do reach level of competency, because most of the terminology used in this country isn't exact to be fair. In November 2006, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America, my study buddies decided to choose and mandate a graduation project for a degree in IT&IS Engineering at WGUni, they asked me to propose a subject, and without any second thoughts I said:
Establishing and Maintaining eGov in Libya
Why: Libya, because even bureaucracy did not succeed in this country, clients do not come first, and they are always wrong. So that was the challenge: Establishing a non-bureaucratic totally independent electronic services based community, in a society that can never leave the paper work, and also could never be organized with it, or without it.
The project was a study to defuse issue facing implementation, analyze the risk, and come out with an applicable plan to classify needs of services, and execute them to offer services from server based applications, to client end.
And now look what happened, 3 years from that project, Libya is trying an itsy bitsy portion of the eGov frame. I hope they succeed, but based on what we anticipated back in 2006, it will need not a lot of financial resources, but a whole lot of patience.
As for Libya Portal www.bawabtlibya.com, it lacks everything, as for now it is just a blog for newscasts and posts, nothing more, nothing less. But will it be a portal to the new Libyan electronic government, that we'll have to wait for to see.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Electronic Banking, in Libya!
The first privately operated Libyan banking service provider, Bank of Commerce and Development, launched an e-banking service, an Online Bank they called it, but my question is: Is it secure?
Banks deal with very sensitive data, its sensitivity comes from having to deal directly with bank accounts, and those have MONEY in them. So is the quality of services that high? Did Libyan banks, private or government owned, become that capable of providing such service, and running it without the risk of an info leak, or a security breach?
I guess not, my answer will be... But what might you think? My advice: Do not use such services, or any other kind of service that might make you the victim of online banking theft crimes, and believe me, there are a lot of those who can hack into banking systems and rob them clean.
Abdel Eljaroshi - IT&IS Engineer\Project Management Specialist
Abdel Eljaroshi: Libyana goes a long way the other way!
Not a long time ago, I was installing some games on a friend's portable computer, and I was amazed to find on his computer a copy of Libyana Mobile Phone Company's client's database, containing all kinds of very important information, to name a few: names, phone numbers, and addresses, I asked him: Where did you get this? He said: Everyone has it.
I found some people I know, and this just disturbed me, if they have to have it, they have to take care of it.
The other issue is the use of this database goes against all ethics, Islamic teachings, and it just disgusted me.
Please be aware that Libyana's database contains more then 2 million users, that just make the concept of Information Security trash material in Libya. And they get paid 150 Dirhams per minute, what a waste of time, money, and what a risk we take giving our REAL information for those people.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program ensures compatibility for Windows 7
- Date: October 6th, 2009
- Author: Greg Shultz
- Category: Performance, Windows 7, tip
- Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Operating Systems, Software, Greg Shultz
Greg Shultz explains how Microsoft is using the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program to ensure compatibility. How does your organization fit in?
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This fact is clearly spelled out in this excerpt from the “Application and Device Compatibility” section of the Overview of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 document, which emphasizes a dramatic increase in the number of compatible products:
In the past year, the ecosystem has made dramatic progress in addressing Windows Vista compatibility issues. More than 2,500 applications and 15,000 components and devices have earned either the “Works with Windows Vista” or “Certified for Windows Vista” logos. As of December 2007, 93% of the 200 top-selling applications and 46 of the top 50 downloaded applications on Download.com are Windows Vista compatible…. A year ago, when Windows Vista launched, there were 13,000 additional components and devices supported by Windows Update; now, there is support for more than 54,000 components and devices.
As you can imagine, the folks at Microsoft are very determined not to repeat that bit of history with Windows 7.
This blog post is also available in PDF format in a free TechRepublic download.
Compatibility
In addition to improving the overall performance of the new operating system, Microsoft has put a great deal of effort into making sure that Windows 7 is extremely compatible with new and existing hardware and software. To boost this effort, Microsoft has focused a lot of effort into fine-tuning the advances made with Vista such that all the work done by developers on Vista compatibility will transfer directly to Windows 7 and will allow them to build on those efforts as they work toward Windows 7 compatibility.
In fact, in February of this year Microsoft announced the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program, which is designed to help Independent Hardware Vendors (IHVs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), developers, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs) work toward compatibility with Windows 7 by providing them with access to all kinds of resources and by providing more direct contact with Microsoft, including access to application testing labs through Microsoft Connect.
You can read more about the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program along with an interview with Mike Nash, who is the Corporate Vice President of Windows Product Management, in an article on the Microsoft PressPass site.
Ecosystem Readiness
Now, it’s important to note that even before its official inception, the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program was already at work and making great strides in preparing the way for Windows 7 to be one of the most compatible-ready operating systems to date. In fact, at the October 2008 Professional Developers Conference, Microsoft partners received an API complete developer build of Windows 7 so that they could begin working directly with the new operating system a full year before the proposed release date.
Three months later, developers got access to one of the most stable Beta releases in recent history and were able to step up their development strategies. Five months after that milestone, developers received the Release Candidate and as such have had a good five and half months to fine-tune their product development while working with a very stable, feature-complete version of the Windows 7 operating system.
More significant is the fact that in a recent Windows 7 Team Blog, Mark Relph, the Senior Director with the Windows Ecosystem Team, reported on the success of the Windows Ecosystem Readiness Program by pointing out that over 50,000 developers from 17,000 companies are taking part in the program. He also highlighted the fact that more than 6,000 hardware and software products have received the Compatible with Windows 7 Logo. As you can see, comparing these numbers to those mentioned in the SP1 document reveals a dramatic increase in developer participation.
In addition, Ralph pointed out that while many other companies are not participating in the Logo program, their products will just work, because of the compatibility efforts built in to the operating system itself.
Mark also talked about Microsoft’s Ready. Set. 7. Web site where you can find a list of companies and detailed descriptions of the products that have received the Compatible with Windows 7 Logo. In addition to the Ready. Set. 7. Web site, you will be able to find more detailed information about compatible products on the Windows 7 Compatibility Center Web site, which will be officially open for business when Windows 7 debuts on October 22.
Windows XP Mode RTM
While working to make as many products as possible compatible with Windows 7 is Microsoft’s main goal, it is important to point out that in a roundabout way, Windows XP Mode is also very much about compatibility. While I wrote about Windows XP Mode when it was in Beta, development and significant improvements have been underway, and the Windows XP Mode add-on has been released to manufacturing and will be ready for download on October 22. You can learn more about Windows XP Mode improvements in a recent Windows 7 Team Blog by Brandon LeBlanc.
What’s your take?
As you can probably tell, I’m very excited about Windows 7 and the compatibility efforts that Microsoft has put into the development of the new operating system. What’s your take? Are you ready to give Microsoft a second chance when it comes to compatibility? As always, if you have comments or information to share about this topic, please take a moment to drop by the TechRepublic Community Forums and let us hear from you.
TechRepublic’s Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report newsletter, delivered every Friday, offers tips, news, and scuttlebutt on Vista and Windows 7, including a look at new features in the latest version of the Windows OS. Automatically sign up today!
Microsoft is trying hard to make Windows 7 as compatible as possible from the word go. Do you think they will achieve that goal?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Oracle ends computer tie-up with HP
BOSTON (Reuters) - Oracle Corp has ended a high-profile computer-building partnership with Hewlett-Packard Co as Oracle prepares to acquire Sun Microsystems Inc, a rival of HP.
Sun, the world's No. 4 server maker, and Oracle have jointly developed a second-generation version of a specialized database computer, dubbed Exadata. Oracle and HP launched the first version a year ago.
Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison unveiled the new machine on Tuesday, almost a year after he announced his company's entry into the hardware business with help from HP. At the time, he said that HP would be a key ally in that effort.
But the dynamics of that relationship have changed since April, when Oracle agreed to buy Sun for more than $7 billion. Hewlett-Packard and Sun are fierce rivals in the markets for server computers and storage equipment.
The new Exadata computer is the first of what Ellison has said will be many products that wed Sun's hardware with Oracle's software.
An Oracle spokeswoman said Oracle would continue to sell the Exadata computers, built in partnership with HP, until existing inventory is sold out, if customers request that model.
Officials at Hewlett-Packard could not be reached for comment.
When Ellison unveiled the HP partnership a year ago, he told customers that the product could not have been developed without that company's assistance.
On Tuesday he bragged that Sun's technology made the database computer far superior to hardware from rivals including Teradata Corp and Netezza Corp.
"Everything is bigger about Exadata, Version 2. Everything is faster about Exadata, Version 2," he said during a presentation to customers that was broadcast over the Internet.
Oracle does not break out sales of the Exadata machine. But during the company's most recent earnings call, Ellison said that it was one of the most successful products he had launched since he founded the company more than 30 years ago.
(Reporting by Jim Finkle, editing by Matthew Lewis)
HP shows off new ultra-thin PCs, stylish netbook
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co unveiled several new products for the important fall season, including thin and light laptop PCs and an eye-catching new netbook.
The world's No. 1 PC maker has ably navigated a steep industry downturn in computer sales, managing to grow its global market share to 20 percent even as consumers and businesses dial back on spending.
With the forthcoming launch of Microsoft Corp's new Windows 7 operating system on October 22, many analysts expect PC sales to begin a slow recovery from lows seen earlier year.
And despite the recession, PC makers continue to see a market in more expensive and stylish models for those who can afford them.
HP is marking its entry into the high-end, ultra-thin consumer PC market with its new Envy sub-brand. The Envy checks in at under an inch thick and less than 4 pounds, and will have a customized software interface that HP says makes the device more personalized, a growing trend in the PC space.
It will go head-to-head with Apple Inc's MacBook Air and Dell Inc's Adamo. The Envy will start at $1,700, while both the Air and the Adamo start at $1,500.
With 'thin and light' all the rage, HP will also launch a pair of more affordable PCs in the category.
The company is calling its new business PC, the ProBook 5310m, the "world's thinnest full-performance notebook" at 0.9-inches thick and an affordable entry point of $699.
The new HP Pavilion dm3, which has an optional CULV low-power processor from Intel Corp, starts at $549. It also measures less than an inch in thickness and claims up to 10 hours of battery life.
Consumer PCs have fared much better than business PCs in the downturn, helped by the sharp growth of netbooks, low-cost devices that are changing the face of the computer market. Ultra-portable and used primarily for Web surfing, email and other simple tasks, many consumers have flocked to the devices.
At the same time, PC makers are increasingly emphasizing design as a way to differentiate their PCs, and HP has been actively pushing its creative side.
On Saturday, it used a catwalk at New York's Fashion Week to unveil its latest collaboration with designer Vivienne Tam, a gold "digital clutch" netbook adorned with butterflies. The limited edition model won't be available until next spring.
HP is launching another netbook this fall designed by Dutch artist Tord Boontje, which has a floral and environmental theme etched in a three-dimensional design. The white device, which is targeted more at the youth market, will sell for $400.
It will also offer a new netbook model, the Mini 311, which features a slightly larger screen at 11.6 inches and Nvidia's Ion platform, which pairs Intel's Atom chip with an Nvidia graphics processor. It will also sell for $400.
(Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Google updates browser, plans to gain share
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc has rolled out a new version of its Chrome Web browser and a version of the Mac browser for mainstream users will be available within months, as the company moves to double Chrome's market share.
Almost exactly one year into Google's high-profile entry into the browser market dominated by Microsoft Corp, the Internet search giant is a distant No. 4, with a market share of roughly 2.8 percent.
For Google, Chrome is more than simply a browser, but part of a grand strategy to create a new Web-based operating system that could one day challenge Microsoft's control of the computer software market.
The Internet search company is readying a battery of updates, along with efforts to forge new distribution partnerships it hopes will soon make Chrome a much more significant player.
"If at the two-year birthday we're not at least 5 percent (market share), I will be exceptionally disappointed. And if at the three year birthday we're not at 10 percent, I will be exceptionally disappointed," Chrome Engineering Director Linus Upson said.
He noted the internal goals are even more aggressive than doubling share every year.
A much-anticipated Mac version of Chrome, currently only available for testing, will be released by the year's end, Google Product Management Vice President Sundar Pichai said recently during the same interview with Reuters at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Version 3.0 of Chrome for PCs, released on Tuesday, brings improvements to the browser's interface, including faster performance and "themes" that allow users to customize how the browser looks.
Analysts say Chrome's focus on performance has won it fans among the technologically savvy, but say the company needs to do more as it strives to broaden the product's appeal beyond the 30 million users Google currently claims.
"For people that care about it (speed), they've already made that switch," said Forrester Research analyst Sheri McLeish. "By and large, it's a high hurdle to get people to pick-up and change technology they've been using for a while."
According to market research firm Net Applications, Internet Explorer had roughly 67 percent of the worldwide browser market in August, while the Mozilla foundation's Firefox had 23 percent and Apple Inc's Safari browser had 4 percent.
The fact that Microsoft's Internet Explorer comes pre- installed on Windows PCs is another key obstacle facing Chrome, said Gartner analyst Ray Valdes.
Google recently signed a deal with Sony Corp to pre-install Chrome on certain Sony PCs, allowing it to reach a potentially new pool of users. Pichai said Google is talking with all the major PC manufacturers about similar deals, although he declined to provide any details.
While the Chrome browser does not contribute any revenue to Google -- which generated nearly $22 billion in revenue last year -- the product plays an important strategic role at the company.
In addition to Google's oft-cited credo that anything that improves the online experience will ultimately benefit its Internet advertising business, Google also sees Chrome as an important plank in developing online software such as email and word processing, which it refers to as "Apps," or applications. The software is free to consumers, but Google sells enterprise- grade versions to corporations.
(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; editing by Andre Grenon)
Facebook makes money, tops 300 million users
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook is making enough money to cover its costs and now has 300 million users, the world's largest social networking site said on Tuesday, proving the Internet's newest star industry can be a viable business.
Facebook is now generating enough cash to cover its operating expenses, as well as the capital spending needed to maintain its fast-growing service.
Analysts said this shows the financial viability of Facebook, which has faced questions about its underlying business model, despite its popularity, and was a good sign for a potential initial public offering.
"It's certainly meaningful to show that this is absolutely the real deal," said Broadpoint Amtech analyst Ben Schachter. "They are executing. People are spending money on the site."
Since its creation in a Harvard dorm room five years ago, Facebook has emerged as one of the Internet's most popular destinations and is increasingly challenging the Web's established powerhouses like Yahoo Inc and Google Inc.
Facebook unveiled a revamped search engine last month and is currently testing an online payment system. Facebook users have tripled from about 100 million a year ago.
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post on the company site on Tuesday that Facebook reached its goal of being free cash flow positive in its most recently ended quarter. The company had previously projected reaching the target sometime in 2010.
"This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term," said Zuckerberg in the blog post.
Facebook spokesperson Larry Yu said the free cash flow metric does not include any cash from private investment.
In May, Facebook announced a $200 million investment from Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies in a deal that valued the company's preferred shares at $10 billion.
DST valued Facebook's common shares at $6.5 billion in a subsequent deal to purchase shares from Facebook employees.
Facebook's becoming cash flow positive ahead of schedule provides another nugget of data to back up the lofty valuations, and according to one analyst, makes Facebook a more attractive candidate for a potential public offering.
"They can command higher confidence from investors now," said Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal, who noted that he believes Facebook could go public in the second half of 2010, or in 2011.
Zuckerberg said in May that any IPO is "a few years out."
Facebook did not provide any other financial details on Tuesday. The company has previously said its revenue was on track to grow 70 percent this year.
Facebook board member Mark Andreesen told Reuters earlier this year that the company will surpass $500 million in revenue this year.
Zuckerberg said in his post that the company is exploring ways to make the service perform faster and more efficiently as the number of Facebook users continues to grow.
(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Gary Hill, Richard Chang and Bernard Orr)
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