Miller's Choice is a weekly selection of the top news, features and commentary by Ziff Davis journalists. Edited by Michael J. Miller, Executive Vice President and Editorial Director of Ziff Davis Media as well as Editor-in-Chief of PC Magazine, this copyrighted material is offered with the understanding that any fair usage will give attribution to the source.
Week in review for October 25 This week saw more integration of top web sites and desktop applications. The new Google Desktop (http://www.pcmag.com/review/0%2C2491%2Cs%3D26692&a%3D137729%2C00.asp) while still in beta, looks to our editors to be a great free search tool - - one that does a great job of integrating with the web search. Meanwhile, Yahoo was out buying more applications - - this time buying Stata Labs (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1681708,00.asp), makers of Bloomba (http://www.pcmag.com/review/0%2C2491%2Cs%3D25406&a%3D133928%2C00.asp) and SAProxy. Earlier the company had purchased Oddpost (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622407,00.asp) and Musicmatch (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1645710,00.asp). For a complete list of what we think of as the best of the web, check out the latest version of the PC Magazine top 100 web sites (http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1738,7488,00.asp). It's unfortunate that a pair of different vulnerabilities were discovered affecting Google this week, one aimed at phishing schemes (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1681680,00.asp) and another that could potentially affect Google Dekstop (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,,1682396,00.asp). At week's end, these holes were patched, but it highlighted the security problems on all platforms. We're still seeing new Netsky threats against Windows (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1680549,00.asp), for example. But there's always hope. The Red Sox made it to the series, reminding me of Baseline's story early in the season on how the Sox were using IT to remake their business (http://www.baselinemag.com/article2/0,1397,1679575,00.asp) And here's more from the Ziff Davis magazines and websites: _________PC Magazine______________________________ TOP 101 WEB SITES FALL 2004 http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1738,7488,00.asp You'll find PC Magazine's choices, updated for Fall 2004, in these categories, among others: News, Security, Careers, Computing, Shopping, Lifestyle & Fun. Plus, we've created a downloadable favorites file! THE BEST AUDIO PLAYERS http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1681373,00.asp Hard-drive digital audio players abound, letting you tote more tunes than ever before. We look at three of the best recent models. _________ExtremeTech______________________________ TALK FOR FREE ON YOUR PDA http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1681742,00.asp It's a neat idea: Use your PDA as a wireless VOIP phone. But ExtremeTech's testing revealed that issues like feedback and scratchy audio mar the experience promised by Skype for Pocket PC. Check out the review. _________eWEEK____________________________________ GOOGLE FERRETS OUT ENTERPRISE POTENTIAL http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1681587,00.asp Although the perplexing field of enterprise search has seen entrants come and go, Google execs say they're intent on providing "unified, simple search to all of the content in a given company." Read about it with eWEEK. IE EXPLOIT LETS ATTACKERS PLANT PROGRAMS ON SP2 http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1680701,00.asp New attack finds yet another leak in local resource security that Windows XP Service Pack 2 and subsequent patches were supposed to plug. APPLE INTROS NEW IBOOK NOTEBOOK, G5 DESKTOP http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1680036,00.asp Company unveils new lower-cost notebook line and entry-level PowerPC G5 desktop. Official says new video card in the works for 30-inch LCD. TIME TO FORGET SPEED? http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1680191,00.asp Talking up dual-core processors at the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, Intel's CEO says users will accept less processing power in exchange for more features. SHEDDING LIGHT ON DARK FIBER SAVINGS http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1681713,00.asp One IT architect reveals how his company is tapping unused fiber - - today's "black gold" - - to save money and increase bandwidth. _________Microsoft Watch__________________________ PC MAKERS NOT PUTTING ALL SECURITY EGGS IN SP2 BASKET http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1680946,00.asp The biggest PC makers are preloading Windows XP SP2 by default. But most, if not all, are supplementing SP2 with third-party security wares. And some are even replacing elements of SP2 with third-party security products. Why aren't PC makers putting all their security eggs in the Microsoft basket? Read Microsoft Watch's story for more. _________CIO Insight______________________________ TOYOTA'S BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: OH! WHAT A FEELING http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1397,1666697,00.asp Toyota's business-intelligence system mirrors the company's corporate culture, or, kaizen - - the Japanese business philosophy that demands obsessive cost control and relentless micromanagement. Read how it's paying off, with CIO Insight. _________Baseline_________________________________ INGERSOLL-RAND: HIDDEN NUGGETS http://www.baselinemag.com/article2/0,1397,1679172,00.asp Ingersoll-Rand has spent millions of dollars over the past year to create documents, in detail, on how it tracks its business and records its financial operations - - all to comply with a provision in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. And it's also learned some lessons through the ordeal. Find out which lessons can help you with Baseline. _________1UP______________________________________ THE SAN ANDREAS BIBLE http://1up.com/do/feature?cId=3135759 1UP.com has everything you need to know about the next Grand Theft Auto. _________Sync_____________________________________ GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! http://www.syncmag.com/article2/0,1759,1681377,00.asp They're young, beautiful and eager to blow your brains out. Meet the new rock stars of today's virtual arcade, with Sync. _________Newsletter Information_________________________________ The e-mail address for your subscription is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNSUBSCRIBE from Miller's Choice, click here: http://www.pcmag.com/unsubscribe_newsletter/0,4223,,00.asp?n=81&type=u&[EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE to Miller's Choice or other PCMag.com newsletters, click here: http://www.pcmag.com/newsletter_manage/ Copyright (c) 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016 Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Media is prohibited, except that journalists are free to use any of the summary descriptions above as long as they cite the author and source, and, in the case of online use, as long as they include the link back to the actual story. PC Magazine, ExtremeTech, eWEEK, CIO Insight, Baseline, Microsoft Watch, 1UP, Sync and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Ziff Davis Media.
