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-------- WHAT'S NEW NOW --------
Important Stories, Commentary & More from Ziff Davis
By Jim Louderback
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October 12, 2004
Vol. 3, No. 78
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This Week: Media Center 2005, Hack Everything, PayPal Problems,
the Future of the Processor, Understanding VOIP
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Does Oracle Really Want PeopleSoft Anymore?
>From where I sit, it looks like the damage has been done.
Oracle has severely wounded PeopleSoft, to the point where
Oracle might just be better off letting it wither on its
own. And that might just be Oracle's strategy, as the
company announced Monday that it might dramatically reduce
its bid--by up to a third. Our story has the details, but
from where I sit, it looks like Oracle's cat-and-mouse game
might end up with Oracle on top--and without a
billion-dollar price tag.
Oracle Considering Lowering Bid:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13781-1
Longhorn Alternatives on Tap
Were you concerned about how Microsoft abandoned some pretty
vital pieces of Longhorn to make its 2006 ship date? We've
got details on three key vendors, including Borland and
Compuware, who are readying stop-gap programs to fix what
Microsoft can't ship. Is this a case of fools rushing in
where angels fear to tread, or is there something there? Our
story has details.
Fixing What Microsoft Can't Ship:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13784-1
PayPal Problems Cause eBay Woes
A monthly upgrade of PayPal's systems went awry on Friday,
causing big headaches for buyers and sellers on the Net. The
problem seemed to go away, but then picked up speed again
Monday. For details on what's going on, check out our story.
Alas, no word yet on when the whole thing will be fixed.
PayPal Problems:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13787-1
Apple Readying Color, Photo iPod--Maybe
That's the conclusion of Internet rumor sites. A 60-gigabyte
iPod is due out in the next two months, with the ability to
display photos on a built-in color screen. It'll be just a
tad bigger but will maintain the same form factor. Our story
wraps up the rumors in one place, for your perusal.
Photo iPod Coming?
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13790-1
Gates Launches New Version of Media Center
Promising to integrate television, video, music and photos,
the 2005 version of Microsoft's Media Center PC hit the
streets Tuesday. We've got reviews of the first set of
machines, and an update on what it all means, right from the
gala event--including coverage of Gates' keynote at the Los
Angeles launch event. Want to put it all on one machine?
Perhaps now, finally, Media Center is ready. And in an
interesting development, Intel has chosen New York to show
off prototypes of its entertainment PCs.
Intel, Microsoft Face Off:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13793-1
First Media Center PCs Reviewed:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13796-1
Report from the Launch:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13871-1
Digital Life Show Coming This Weekend
Want to see the competing entertainment PCs in action? Want
to compare them with TiVo to see which does a better job?
Then by all means head to New York City Thursday through
Sunday, and join me at our amazing Digital Life show. We'll
be hanging out with rock stars, NFL players and more digital
gadgets than you can shake a shtick at. See you there!
Digital Life Coming:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13799-1
Microsoft Launches New WebTV
It's called MSN TV now, but it's really WebTV version 2.0.
We got our hands on a review unit and put it through the
paces. What did we find? It's better, certainly. But it's
still mostly for the PC-averse, not for you and I. Check out
our review to see if it's right for your tech-scaredy-cat
friends and family.
New Web TV Review:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13802-1
Biggest LCD TV Ever
At 46 inches, it's the biggest LCD on the market--bigger
even than some plasmas. But how does it perform? We put
Samsung's latest TV through our battery of HDTV tests to
figure out whether it's the right TV for your digital
future. Check out our story for the complete review.
Huge Samsung LCD TV Reviewed:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13805-1
Charting the Future of CPUs
Want to go inside AMD's new dual-core Opteron? What about a
look at Intel's coolest new technology? If you weren't at
last week's Fall Processor forum, don't worry! PC Magazine's
Lab Director Nick Stam was, and he's written up a detailed
look at all of the coolest happenings. So, if you're
concerned with where microprocessors are going, don't miss
his report.
The Future of the Chip:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13808-1
Hack Your Gadgets
Did you know that Canon's awesome Rebel EOS digital SLR is
hackable? Yup, you can add nifty new features only found on
higher-end models. Your Xbox can be turned into a Linux
workstation, those inkjet cartridges can be filled, your
TiVo can be updated, and you can even twist your robotic
vacuum cleaner into a cell-phone-controlled mini-bot. Want
to know how to do it? We've got details on all of that, and
more, in our fascinating article.
Hack Everything!
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13811-1
Business Week Gets It Wrong
That's what John C. Dvorak has to say in his latest column
lambasting Business Week's lame Tech Future cover story.
He's aghast at the editors' discovery that PCs are made in
China, that Korea has universal broadband and that piracy is
more of a risk to Microsoft than to open source. What's with
all of the bad reporting? Read his column and decide for
yourself.
Common Tech Wisdom Is Wrong:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13814-1
Mandating XP SP2 Could Be Tough
That's what resellers are saying in the wake of Microsoft's
decree that new computers need to be loaded with the Service
Pack 2 version of Windows XP. It's going to require a lot of
testing, and there are bound to be problems. What are
vendors doing about it? Our story details the problems and
some answers.
SP2 Giving PC Vendors Fits:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13817-1
What's IP Telephony Really Worth?
VOIP offers the promise of delivering tremendous value to
individuals and to corporations, too. But what's it really
worth? Can you actually save money? We explore how it really
works, and where the real benefits are likely to be, in our
detailed analysis--including strategies for rolling it out
successfully.
Understanding VOIP:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13820-1
That's it for today's What's New Now. Remember, you can
always read the same stuff online at the
blog--www.whatsnewnow.com. Or subscribe to the RSS feed:
http://eletters.wnn.ziffdavis.com/zd1/cts?d=75-326-1-1-1004620-13823-1
--Jim Louderback
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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