Desktop software

Chrome begins RSS support, solidifies extensions

Google has begun work on one much-requested feature of its Chrome browser, the ability to detect when a Web page offers a subscription service through RSS or Atom technology.

Google programmer Finnur Thorarinsson formally marked the RSS support issue as "started" on Wednesday, though the feature is disabled for now.

"The first part of this has been implemented and checked in," Thorarinsson said, referring to the part that discovers when RSS feeds are available on a Web site. The feature is disabled for now, though, because the second part, which will produce a page that lets … Read more

Google offers better-tested Chrome version

Google released a new beta version of Chrome Tuesday, offering a better balance between software that's stable but out of date on the one hand and cutting-edge but crash-prone on the other.

The new version offers a number of new features, including zooming that increases or decreases the graphics as well as text; autofill to ease the chore of re-entering information in Web site forms; and new tab-dragging features that let you dock browser windows to the sides of the screen. The new beta version is essentially the same as Chrome 2.0.169.1 that was released last … Read more

Israeli VC funds to face steep drop in '09

Israeli venture capitalists are expected this year to raise $300 million, setting the stage for a second consecutive year of decline, according to figures released Wednesday by the IVC Research Center.

Israeli venture capital funds are expected this year to post a 62 percent decline over last year, when $793 million was raised.

And should Israeli venture capital funds generate only $300 million, it would put it on par with levels not seen since 2003 to 2004.

Last year, Israeli venture capital funds declined 30 percent over the previous year, when $1.14 billion was raised.

But despite the two … Read more

Markets soar, tech stocks post doube-digit gains

Tech stocks soared Tuesday, as the broader markets surged ahead on news that Citigroup generated an operating profit for the first two months this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 379.44 points to end the day up 5.80 percent at 6,926.49. And the Nasdaq climbed 89.64 points to close the session up 7 percent at 1,358.28.

Technology stocks also surged ahead, with the CNET Tech Index climbing 67.84 points to jump ahead by 7.35 percent to 990.66.

Within the tech sector, Adobe Systems jumped 10.37 percent to close … Read more

Tech job postings fall 40 percent in March

Tech job postings fell 40.4 percent in March over year ago figures, with most of the decline coming from full-time positions, according to a report released Tuesday by tech career site Dice.com.

Dice, which collects its figures at the start of each month, noted tech job postings fell to 54,301 in March, down from 91,080 a year earlier. The decline in job postings comes at a time when the nation's unemployment rate has worsened, reaching 8.1 percent in February.

According to the Dice report, full-time job postings dropped 44.2 percent to 35,570 … Read more

A few bright spots in tech stock gloom

Red ink flowed throughout the broader markets Thursday following unsettling news that General Motors auditors are casting doubt on the company's ability to survive..

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 281.40 points, or 4 percent, to 6,594.44, a low it hasn't seen since 1997.

The Dow's decline has been rapid. Just four trading days ago it was in the 7,000 range. And just 13 trading days before that it was in the 8,000s, where it languished for months.

The Nasdaq closed down 54.15 points, or down 4 percent, to 1,… Read more

Google Chrome now bundled with RealPlayer

Google wanted to release version 1.0 of Chrome in part so it could bundled with other products, and now one such deal has arrived.

The option to install Chrome is checked by default, which no doubt will help some people to add the software without really deliberating much on its merits or drawbacks. However, the Chrome option shows on a separate stage of installation, so it's not hidden on some invisible "advanced options" section off the beaten track of the process.

Contrary to its practice with most of its products and services, Google is actively promoting Chrome … Read more

Adobe issues warning about first-quarter revenue

Corrected at 3:45 p.m. PST: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Adobe announced it will miss both its revenue and profit forecasts for the first quarter. The company said it will miss its previous revenue forecast.

Faced with growing weakness in it business, Adobe Systems announced Wednesday it will miss its previous revenue forecast. But, the software maker said it expects to meet its profit forecast thanks to cost-cutting measures.

On Wednesday, Adobe shares were up nearly 9 percent in after-hours trading to $17.75. During the regular trading session, Adobe closed up 2 percent … Read more

Microsoft's Surface to touch 12 markets abroad

Microsoft is looking to keep the smile on its Surface computer, as it brings the PC to 12 overseas markets.

The software giant on Monday announced that the Surface computer, which responds to touch and hand gestures, will be marketed in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The computer is currently distributed in the United States and Canada.

According to a statement by Panos Panay, Microsoft Surface's general manager:

Since our initial launch of Microsoft Surface, we've received an overwhelming response from companies worldwide that are … Read more