http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/ Read about the changing world of technology. Get the latest social media trends and learn about the social media leaders in our technology and social media blogs. en-us Copyright 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:13:34 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.16 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss bwwebmaster@businessweek.com 10 Ubiquity, a new Firefox plugin from Mozilla Labs offers a really nifty way to get a variety of Web services from any page. Unfortunately, its text based interface will probably limit its appeal to people comfortable working with a command... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/mozilla_ubiquit_1.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/mozilla_ubiquit_1.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Firefox Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:13:34 -0500 I just heard about an interesting new service, tuitalk, which, if successful, could potentially alter Skype's business model. The service allows anyone with a computer to call phone numbers in many countries around the world for free. (Remember, Skype charges for this feature, which it calls Skype Out). The catch is, the caller has to view a 30-second ad from the likes of BMW or IMAX. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/tuitalk_ads-sup.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/tuitalk_ads-sup.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat VOIP Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:45:59 -0500 Web-calling expert Andy Abramson made an interesting comment on our mobile VoIP story that came out today. He thinks that wireless service providers may wish to compete with mobile Web-calling start-ups and to offer their own mobile VoIP services. That makes sense. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/should_wireless_1.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/should_wireless_1.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat VOIP Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:14:41 -0500 My sources say the new version is significantly thinner, has a better screen, is more stylish and includes fixes to some of the user interface annoyances with the first version. One person that has seen the device says it is as big a leap from its predecessor as the iPod mini was from the first iPod. “They’ve jumped from Generation One to Generation Four or Five. It just looks better, and feels better,” says the source. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/here_comes_kind.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/here_comes_kind.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Amazon.com Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:04:59 -0500 I'd also love to hear from people who are using VoIP applications on their mobile phones. Could you please e-mail me at olga_kharif@businessweek.com? I'd love to hear about your experience with the application. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/do_you_use_mobi.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/do_you_use_mobi.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat VOIP Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:02:09 -0500 Ever heard of a little handheld company called Palm? The company that helped popularize smartphones with the executive set even before the word smartphone was born is trying to get back in the game with its new Treo Pro device.... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/palm_goes_pro.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/palm_goes_pro.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Smartphones Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:37:20 -0500 Has Intel finally come up with a winning formula for conquering the digital living room? The magic eight ball says maybe. The company's announcement Wednesday of a partnership with Yahoo! could vastly simplify development of Intel-based hardware with consumer electronics... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/intel_nothing_b.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/intel_nothing_b.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Intel Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:42 -0500 If Rockville, Md.-based Hillcrest Labs has its way, the Nintendo Wii will soon be off the market in the U.S. Hillcrest has designed a motion-sensitive remote control and accompanying user interface designed to make it easier for consumers to choose... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/maryland_compan.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/maryland_compan.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat gaming Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:29:25 -0500 Short answer: No. Not even close. Not for a long time, anyway. But it's sure trying hard, and it would be dangerous for anyone to write off Microsoft. Its determination was on display today at the Search Engine Strategies... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/is_microsofts_v.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/is_microsofts_v.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Live Search Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:56:42 -0500 Today, Google has launched yet another publicity campaign. FreeTheAirwaves.com asks the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to carve out a piece of available airwaves, called white spaces, for free public broadband use. But while the idea sounds good, and has gained support from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, I just don't see it going anywhere any time soon -- despite this additional pressure from Google. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/googles_freethe.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/googles_freethe.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat wireless Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:21:16 -0500 As on old-media guy myself when I'm not blogging or podcasting, I tend to bristle when bloggers treat mainstream media as some sort of all-purpose curse word. But I have to say that NBC's silly dismissal of the Web during... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/nbc_a_gold_meda.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/nbc_a_gold_meda.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat media Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:59:33 -0500 The first mobile phone based on Android, which is software supported by Google, will debut this fall. Moe Tanabian, senior principal at IBB Consulting, has been able to give me a lot of details today on the software inside the device. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/googles_upcomin.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/googles_upcomin.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Google Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:43:47 -0500 In my column on the digital TV transition, space limitations forced me to shorthand what happens if you have cable, particularly if you have cable connected directly to a cable-ready TV. If you get cable (or satellite) through a set... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/cable_and_the_d.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/cable_and_the_d.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat TV Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:20:06 -0500 It so happened that my rather old TV decided to die on the second day of the Olympics, the one sports event my wife cannot do without. So I had to find a new one pronto. But once I... http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/good_enough_tec.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/good_enough_tec.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Tech Spending Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:26:07 -0500 I still remember how excited software developers were on July 10, when Apple launched its iTunes App Store, which offers iPhone applications from third-party developers. Many programmers figured Apple would finally give them a way to make the big bucks off of their craft. And some, indeed, have since struck gold. But many haven't -- and are seething with resentment at Apple. http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/developers_frus.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/developers_frus.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_techbeat Apple Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:34:15 -0500