SMS adoption sky rockets in USA

"After years of lagging behind Europe and Japan in the adoption of mobile text messaging, US subscribers have finally caught the SMS (short messaging service) bug.

A total of 48.7bn SMS messages were sent in the last six months of 2005, up 50 per cent from 32.5bn in the first six months of last year, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA)."

Source: FT

Google expands into business software market

"Google Inc. is making a concerted move beyond search and advertising into the business software market, starting with a set of Web programs for e-mail, scheduling and communications, it said on Sunday.

The online search leader said it has created a software platform to run basic business activities -- based on programs it already offers separately. The move marks a stepped up challenge to rival Microsoft Corp. as the software giant prepares to upgrade its Windows and Office franchises.

The free set of Web-based programs for small businesses, universities and nonprofit businesses goes by the mouthful "Google Apps for Your Domain" (http://www.google.com/a). "

Source: Reuters

Coming Zune

The Microsoft answer to Apple's iPod - Zune - should be in the market before end of the year. The first picture of the proposed device just "slipped" to the internet as you can see here on the right.

Some expected features:
- FM transmitter (also song info)
- Drive-based
- Wi-Fi
- Xbox 360 integration/link

For more info:
http://www.comingzune.com (not a lot there yet)


Source: Gizmodo.com

Google Opens Doors To Writely (BETA)

"Five months after being bought by Google, the Writely online word-processing application is now open for anyone who wants to sign up and use it.

Writely has been closed to all but its existing members since its acquisition by search giant Google back in March. But last Thursday, Google allowed anyone to join up and make use of the hosted word-processing application."

Check it out:
http://www.writely.com/

Writely allows you to share and collaborate documents in real time, edit from any remote location simply using the web browser, offsite storage and backup, and, it's claimed to be easy to use.

Source: ZD Net

Ricky Gervais For Microsoft UK

Two excellent training videos for Microsoft UK employees featuring Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in their roles from the BBC version of The Office.

Part 1:



Part2:



You can also download them:
video 1 (33.7 Mb, .mov)
video 2 (28.7 Mb, .mov)

Google plans free Internet access

"Google on Wednesday plans to offer free, high-speed Internet access to everyone in its Silicon Valley home town — a hospitable gesture that the online search leader hopes to see spread to other parts of the country.

The new wireless, or "Wi-Fi," network, is believed to establish Mountain View, Calif., as the largest U.S. city with totally free Internet access available throughout the entire community, according to both Google and city officials.

St. Cloud, Fla., a suburb of Orlando with a population of about 28,000, had claimed that mantle earlier this year after it launched a free Wi-Fi network."

Source: USA Today

PRWEB sold for $28

PRWeb - one of the long time Press Release services was sold on monday for a reported $28million.

"Vocus is paying $28 million in cash and stock for a company that develops technologies to help clients get their news to journalists and to the top of search engines.

Lanham-based Vocus, which make software for corporate communications and public relations, has acquired PRWeb of Ferndale, Wash., for $20.8 million in cash and 494,543 shares of Vocus stock. "

Source: Washington Business Journal

Redirect when logging in with IE

In a recent update of Internet Explorer 6 (also in the upcoming IE7) the handling of https has been changed for security reasons.

The consequence for AME Info users resulted in a wrong redirect when logging in and user were redirected to http://www.ameinfo.com/news and not the page they logged in from as intended.

The issue has now been fixed - please do let us know if you face any problems.

Google partners with MySpace

"SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Google Inc. has been chosen by News Corp's MySpace to provide search listings for the social-networking site in a four-year deal that will give Fox Web sites at least $900 million in payments, the companies said Monday.

The agreement, announced after the market closed, also calls for Google to provide search-advertising services for the majority of Fox Interactive Media Web sites, which are owned by News Corp.

In winning the agreement, Google will replace Yahoo Inc. as the search provider now being used by MySpace, one of the Internet's most popular sites. "

Source: MarketWatch

AOL launches video

"What sets AOL apart from its competition is the breadth and scope of its other channels. It is here that AOL video proves it isn't some fly-by-night startup, but a company with the backing of a media giant.

AOL also has content agreements with the likes of Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Spike TV, TV Land, TV Guide, Sorpresa!, A&E, the History Channel, and TNT. "

http://video.aol.com/

Source: BusinessWeek.com

Google to start paying for content?

"Recently completed deals, which include arrangements in which media organizations such as the Associated Press will be compensated on a pay-per-click basis, could herald a major shift in the relationship between the old media and new Internet gatekeepers."

Source: MercuryNews.com

Microsoft replaces MSN Spaces with Live Spaces

"Microsoft has released Live Spaces, a social network with blog hosting and photo sharing. The new service replaces its existing offering, MSN Spaces.

Live Spaces combines social networking features with blogging and photo sharing."

Source: vnunet.com