Business Tech

Cloud and open source meet to test Web apps

The world has largely moved from a client/server application development model to a Web-based app development model. Web app developers have to keep up with frequent new browser releases from Microsoft (IE), Apple (Safari), Mozilla (Firefox), and Google (Chrome) in order to enhance their experience and keep up-to-date with security vulnerabilities.

With more applications being built for the Web, cross-browser testing is crucial to application performance. More than 2 million people have turned to an open-source, cross-browser testing platform called Selenium, to solve this problem.

Selenium is a popular open-source cross-browser testing tool that was created by Jason Huggins … Read more

Analysts ponder the power inside Apple's tablet

As speculation over an Apple tablet reaches a crescendo before the January 27 event, analysts offer their insights into what will power the device--or devices, as the case may be.

Richard Doherty, director of technology consulting firm Envisioneering Group, believes that multiple tablets and/or a Macbook with touch-screen features will emerge. So, what's inside depends on the device. "Anything that's not a Mac touchscreen, will be an ARM processor," according to Doherty, who said he believes that Apple, sooner or later, will also bring out a MacBook that has tablet-like features, in addition to tablets. … Read more

Samsung settles with Rambus for $900 million

Samsung Electronics and Rambus said Tuesday that they have reached an agreement settling all claims between them and the licensing of Rambus' patent portfolio for all Samsung semiconductor products.

Under the agreement, Samsung will initially pay Rambus $200 million. In addition, the South Korean electronics company will make quarterly payments of about $25 million over five years and agree to purchase $200 million worth of Rambus stock. In total, about $900 million.

The agreement includes a perpetual fully paid-up license to certain current dynamic random access memory (DRAM) products. DRAM chips are used as the main memory for PCs.

In addition, Samsung and Rambus have signed a memorandum of understanding covering a new generation of memory technologies which combines Samsung's and Rambus' memory technologies. Rambus' expertise lies in high-performance memory interfaces.

The two companies will initially focus on graphics and mobile memory solutions and will further review a potential collaboration on server and high-speed NAND flash memories, the companies said.

The settlement came just as Rambus was set to go to trial against Samsung, Hynix Semiconductor, and Micron Technology.

Rambus has a long and convoluted history of lawsuits and legal action.… Read more

IBM beats fourth-quarter estimates

IBM on Tuesday beat Wall Street's estimates for the fourth quarter, reporting income of $4.8 billion, or $3.59 per share, a 10 percent jump from the year-ago quarter. Revenue for the quarter was $27.2 billion, down slightly when adjusted for currency. (Statement)

Analysts had been expecting earnings of $3.47 per share on sales of $26.98 billion.

For the fiscal year, the company reported net income of $13.4 billion, or $13.01 per share, a 13 percent gain over the previous year. Sales for the year were $95.8 billion, an 8 percent drop … Read more

Analyst: Intel Netbook growth to slow

Growth of Intel-based Netbooks will slow this year, and the emergence of "smartbooks" based on chips from Intel rivals will also be poky, according to analysts.

Though Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini was upbeat about Netbook growth in 2009 during the chipmaker's earnings conference call last week, standard laptop shipments will outpace Netbook growth in 2010, according to Avian Securities.

"The big surprise over the past couple years has been the emergence of Netbooks. However we believe regular notebooks will likely outpace the growth in Netbooks in 2010," according to a research note from Avian … Read more

IPv4 addresses in short supply

The shortage of IPv4 addresses has reached a critical stage, according to the registries that allocate Internet numbers around the world.

The Number Resource Organization (NRO), which represents the registries, said Tuesday that less than 10 percent of all IPv4 addresses remain available, threatening the future network operations of all businesses and organizations unless ISPs and businesses step up their migration to IPv6.

"The limited IPv4 addresses will not allow us enough resources to achieve the ambitions we all hold for global Internet access," NRO Chairman Axel Pawlik said in a statement Tuesday. "The deployment of IPv6 … Read more

EU poised to approve Oracle-Sun deal

The European Commission's approval of Oracle's $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun is imminent. Though EU regulators have until late January to make their decision, sources close to both companies tell me they expect approval this week--perhaps even as early as Wednesday or Thursday. They caution, however, that the EC is nothing if not mercurial; there's always a chance it could fail to reach a quorum, in which case approval will fall closer to the review deadline of January 27.

Either way, the deal is likely to officially close in early February. And when it does, Oracle … Read more

Mozilla releases second Firefox release candidate

Mozilla on Sunday released a second release candidate of Firefox 3.6 for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It's a modest upgrade that embodies Mozilla's effort to increase the frequency the open-source browser is developed.

Mike Beltzner, president of Firefox, announced second Firefox 3.6 release candidate Sunday but didn't share details. The release notes were equally mum, but the update process called the new software a "security and stability update."

The software is available from Mozilla's download site. More than 1 million people are testing Firefox 3.6 at present, and more than 300 … Read more

HP, Dell offer 3G in laptops, so why not Apple?

Apple aluminum MacBooks are definitely cool--until you want 3G in a laptop. Then they're not.

I've said this before. But I'll say it again. There are consumers--including those potentially opting for laptops from Hewlett-Packard or Dell--who would like to buy a MacBook with 3G built in. Let's hope Apple sees the light with the expected upgrade to the MacBook Pro line.

Yes, there are ways to bootstrap a MacBook to get 3G. I've done tethering with my BlackBerry Storm. And then there's Verizon's tiny MiFi portable hotspot--which I use now.

But it would be nice if Apple offered one laptop in its MacBook lineup with a built-in 3G option. Like Wi-Fi and Ethernet, 3G should be part of the standard connectivity mix on a laptop.

And it wouldn't have to be an AT&T-only deal, like the iPhone. HP offers, across its consumer and business laptop lines, the Qualcomm Gobi 3G modem, which works on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint networks. Dell, too, offers plenty of 3G options on its notebooks, including an AT&T wireless option on its new ultrathin Vostro v13 laptop.

And visit a Verizon or AT&T store and you'll see a growing collection of Netbooks (including a couple from HP), all with built-in 3G.

Those very big PC and carrier companies offer 3G because customers demand it. I don't see Apple meeting this market need. HP ad copy is accurate when it states that "mobile broadband is typically more protected than Wi-Fi hotspots...Because of its popularity, most HP laptops now offer a built-in HP mobile broadband card or it can be added as an option."

It's--let me put it gently--strange that in 2010 when everyone is using an iPhone 3GS that Apple doesn't offer the MacBook Air (which I use everyday) with a 3G option. After all, the Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro are both take-with-you-anywhere laptops that cry out for 3G.

Let me repeat: yes, technically inclined consumers can go with tethering or a mobile hotspot. But--and I don't think I'm going out on a limb here--more than a few consumers would prefer it built into the laptop.

A couple of additional thoughts. Though the credit card-size MIFi portable hotspot is definitely handy, in my experience it's not as reliable… Read more