Microsoft introduced what it said would be a slimmer and more responsive version of its Windows operating system on Tuesday, while unceremoniously dropping the brand name Vista for the new product.

The company also said that it was planning to introduce a Web-based version of its Office programs, which is aimed at heading off a new wave of competitors like Google Docs and Zoho, which have deployed word processors, spreadsheets and presentation programs that run on a Web browser. The company was vague, however, about how it would price the programs and acknowledged that it would face skeptical Wall Street analysts who think the strategy would cannibalize the company’s profitable Office franchise.

After almost two years, Windows Vista is still getting a lackluster reception from consumers and facing a relentless marketing barrage from Apple.

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The Wall Street Journal reports Motorola Co-CEO Sanjay Jha has decided to adopt Google’s Android mobile operating system as one of the company’s three platforms for building next-generation cellular handsets and smartphones.

Jha, who left Qualcomm to join Motorola in early August, also reportedly intends to further trim the company’s workforce. Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper said Jha will announce the company’s next round of job cuts when Motorola reports its quarterly results on Thursday.

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The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has launched its Sikap Tulen IT Mall campaign, with the aim of stamping out software piracy in IT retail outlets in the country’s malls.

As a part of the six components of the larger Sikap Tulen campaign, the Sikap Tulen IT Mall initiative want to have piracy-free zones in IT malls and other stores by ­addressing the awareness and enforcement aspects of respecting intellectual property rights.

The campaign also aims to cultivate a “go genuine attitude” in buying and selling among consumers, where they consciously stay away from pirated and counterfeit products.

Sikap Tulen IT Mall is jointly supported by antipiracy watchdog, the Business Software Alliance (BSA); the management of Low Yat Plaza, one of the country’s biggest and most well-known gadget havens; and ­software giant Microsoft Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »

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Bill Gates(pict.) and other Microsoft Corp officials stepped up lobbying of top U.S. communications regulators on Monday, ahead of an important vote next week to open up unused wireless airwaves.

The Federal Communications Commission has scheduled a November 4 vote on a plan to allow unlicensed use of parts of the airwaves called “white spaces.” These pockets of the spectrum will become available when U.S. broadcasters are required to move completely to digital television next year.

Microsoft co-founder Gates planned to speak to Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell later on Monday, according to Microsoft chief strategist Craig Mundie, who was also in Washington for a lobbying trip.

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After a 19-month battle over Internet radio royalties, a truce between record labels and webcasters is finally in sight that would allow Internet radio start-ups to eke out an existence for at least a little while longer.

The two sides have signaled that they are nearing a compromise that would lower the royalties that online radio stations pay artists and labels for the rights to stream songs to listeners. On Sept. 30, they jointly persuaded Congress to pass a bill that would put into effect any changes to the royalty rate to which the parties agree while lawmakers are out of session.

Still, even if royalties decrease as expected, webcasters must figure out how to bring in enough revenue to cover the costs.

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It looks like the mini ­notebook (or often referred to as netbook) is now a bona fide market segment, with all the big companies jumping on the ­bandwagon to produce one as well.

So what we have here is the Ideapad S10, sporting almost all the same specifications as the rest of the mini notebooks on the market.

It has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom ­processor, 1GHz RAM, Windows XP Home Edition, 10in screen, webcam and all the usual ­complement of USB ports and VGA output.

However, the S10 does have one feature found in only one other notebook — an ExpressCard slot, something which until now, only the Hewlett-Packard MiniNote has.

So does the S10 sink or swim in a virtual sea of mini notebooks on the market? If you want the quick answer, skip to the end of this ­article. If you want the long answer, then read on. Read the rest of this entry »

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