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Under the Radar: Virtual software for real people and businesses

Virtualization technology lets apps--even entire servers--coexist with localized software, for example, your computer's operating system. Virtualization's value to consumers and businesses is in producing fast, resource-saving experiences that boost productivity for businesses and consumers. Four newly launched companies using this technology share their products at Thursday's Under the Radar Conference, hosted at Microsoft's Mountain View, Calif., office.

First up is DeviceVM's Splashtop, a virtual operating system that hopes to break the cycle of long computer boot-up times by producing the Splashtop desktop a few seconds after the BIOS screen blinks on. You can access the … Read more

Study: Subliminal ads warp your brain

Science has proven, once again, that advertising is effective. Who knew?

Researchers from upset-destined Duke University (fill out those brackets, people) and the University of Waterloo have published the results of a study that suggests that brief exposure to Apple's brand logo drives higher levels of creativity than exposure to IBM's logo. In fact, the researchers suggest that subliminal advertising is actually more effective than regular advertising, because people don't have time to raise their anti-ad defenses.

The researchers tested 341 students, who were told they were taking a "visual acuity test." The test involved … Read more

Apple could split device sales with music labels

Updated: 8:10 a.m. PDT

Is Apple rethinking its music strategy?

As part of a deal to offer devices featuring preprogrammed music, Apple would have to agree to share sales revenue from the devices with the labels, says a source close to the deal. Cutting the labels in on iPod or iPhone revenue would mark a sharp turn in Apple's strategy.

The deal being discussed by the labels and Apple calls for the company to license the music and also "kick in a piece of the device sales," said the source. The Apple device, which hasn'… Read more

Top Chinese university weighs a ban on swearing online

Beijing University, one of China's top academic institutions, is considering a rule to ban its students form using obscenity or spreading rumors online, Xinhua reports. Rules may also affect faculty.

It's not clear if the enforcement would include any online speech by students or if it would be limited to university forums.

News of the possible regulations comes a few months after a popular student bulletin board--a physical board, not the campus BBS--was taken down by university authorities. Xinhua writes:

The university, concerned about abusive comments and rumors on Internet forums, is considering amending its "Student Rules,&… Read more

SpiralFrog gets loan extension, fortunes still look bleak

SpiralFrog continues to dodge bullets.

The troubled ad-supported music service that has needed loans to keep operating was supposed to pay creditors $7 million by April 19. At least from the outside the situation looked bad because it was only three months ago that SpiralFrog needed a $2 million loan. Where would a start-up that's only been in business for six months get that kind of money?

Turns out, SpiralFrog's managers renegotiated the loan terms and the company now has a year to repay, according to a company spokeswoman.

So SpiralFrog keeps hopping, but for how much longer? … Read more

Irish digital rights group criticizes top music labels

A digital rights group in Ireland condemned legal action taken by the major music labels against an Irish ISP.

Lobby group Digital Rights Ireland warned that attempts by the four largest music labels to hold ISPs accountable for copyright violations committed by users threatens privacy, and Ireland's reputation as an "Internet-friendly country," according to a story on Siliconrepublic.com.

"Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are intermediaries. They are not, in law, responsible for what Internet users do, any more than An Post is responsible for what individuals send in the mail," Digital Rights Ireland chairman, TJ … Read more

Did DivX close Stage6 to duck copyright litigation?

DivX, parent company of defunct video-sharing site Stage6, on Tuesday disclosed how it came to the decision to shutter the service rather than to sell.

"Potential copyright litigation" was one of management's top considerations leading up to the shuttering of Stage6, Dan Halvorson, DivX's chief financial officer, said during a conference call to announce the public company's fourth-quarter earnings. There was reason for concern. Turns out DivX, a maker of Internet-video technologies, had lost a bid to avoid fighting costly copyright suits just a few weeks before Stage6 was closed, records show.

Halvorson almost certainly … Read more

Report: YouTube to make 'big announcement' Wednesday

Is YouTube rolling out high definition, live streaming, or perhaps the company will announce profits?

By far the Web's favorite video destination, YouTube is making a big announcement Wednesday morning, according to a report on the blog TechCrunch. If correct, then tomorrow stands to be a big day for online video.

Hulu, the Web site created by NBC Universal and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, is scheduled to open its doors on the same day. The site is due to debut with a long list of feature films, TV shows, and sporting events.

A YouTube representative could not be … Read more

Hulu to offer lulu of a video selection

Hulu is finally ready to make a public debut.

The Internet video site created by NBC Universal and News Corp. is officially launching on Wednesday. Up to now the site has been accessible to people on an invitation-only basis. Here's one surprise: the Hulu honchos didn't come up with a better name.

Nonetheless, the site that began five months ago with a meager menu of content is now offering a far wider selection of movies, current hit TV shows, as well as some syndication favorites.

Among the feature films are The Usual Suspects, Requiem for a Dream, and … Read more

Quick reaction by companies to ricin and other health scares

What happens in Vegas could be contagious; but don't worry, despite the recent ricin scare on the Strip, your chances of dying from exotic poison or a bio-engineered infection are pretty slim - even at the buffet.

Still, companies are betting their R&D budgets that the government will ante up to protect you from the toxin de jour. Their odds are good. Universal Detection Technology received a rush of orders for its ricin detection kit after a man was found in critical condition in a Las Vegas motel room with a case of suspected ricin poisoning.

"… Read more