Three technology companies join to finance research

In the US., with federal funds for basic computer science research at universities in decline, three of the industry's leading companies are joining to help fill the void.

The New York Times reports (15 December) that University of California computer scientists plan to announce immediately that the companies - Google, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems - will underwrite a US$7.5 million laboratory on the Berkeley campus. The new research centre, called the Reliable, Adaptive and Distributed Systems Laboratory, will focus on the design of more dependable computing systems.

The Berkeley researchers say that under the terms of their agreement with the three companies, the fruits of the research will be nonproprietary and freely licensed. Each company has agreed to support the project with US$500,000 annually for five years. Although the companies are frequently rivals and only occasionally allies, they have concluded that they can operate most effectively by bringing technology innovations to market quickly.

The newspaper says that computer scientists have grown increasingly alarmed that federal support for basic or "pre-competitive" research is being eroded by shifts toward applied research and shorter-term financing.

Earlier this year, M.I.T. researchers announced several similar corporate-backed basic research efforts, and Carnegie Mellon University officials said they were working on similar arrangements.

According to the NYT., the Berkeley lab's founding director, David A. Patterson, is a veteran computer scientist who has led a variety of academic research projects that have had a significant influence on the computing industry since the 1980's.

Mr. Patterson, currently the president of the Association for Computing Machinery, a national technical organisation in the US., has recently been a vocal critic of the shift of basic research funds away from universities and toward military contractors.

The NYT says that the Berkeley researchers began looking for industry support last year when they realised that the Pentagon Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, known as Darpa, was withdrawing support for basic research at the university.

In a memorandum submitted to a Congressional committee earlier this year, Darpa officials disclosed that its spending on basic computer science research at universities had declined by 5 percent between 2003 and 2004. Government officials and corporate research executives noted the indirect effects of the changes in federal research support over the last five years.

The newspaper says that while welcoming corporate funds for research on information technology, a number of industry executives and academic officials cautioned that such financing would not fill the gap left by the federal shift in priorities.

{mospagebreaktitle=Next-gen Wi-Fi rivals may join forces next month}Next-gen Wi-Fi rivals may join forces next month

The Intel-backed Enhanced Wireless Consortium (EWC) appears to have reached a closer understanding with the IEEE Task Group charged with developing the specification for the next-generation Wi-Fi standard, 802.11n.

The Register reports (15 December) that according to the EWC, at meetings held in Vancouver last month, the Task Group has said it will adopt elements of the EWC's proposed specification. An EWC spokeswoman yesterday told The Register that the two parallel proposed 802.11n specifications were now "85 per cent aligned".

The two bodies' remaining differences are expected to be brought together before the end of the year, she claimed.

The Register says that the EWC was formed in October to "accelerate" the ratification of 802.11n. Until August, the 802.11n development process was essentially a two-horse race, says The Register,but the two rival camps, TGn Sync and WWiSE, agreed to work on aligning their respective proposals, as the so-called Joint Proposal, under the IEEE Task Group's oversight.

The EWC said the Joint Proposal team will next month review its updated specification and vote on its incorporation into the Joint Proposal.

{mospagebreaktitle=IBM in Linux deal with Red Hat, Novell}IBM in Linux deal with Red Hat, Novell

IBM has strengthened in links with the two top corporate Linux disributions - Red Hat and Novell SUSE - by elevating the pair to IBM's Strategic Alliance program, its highest tier partner status.

The Register reports (15 December) that the move is designed to make it easier for firms to acquire Linux-based systems by integrating and streamlined sales, distribution and service channels between the hardware vendor (IBM) and its two principal open source software partners, Red Hat and Novell.

Elevated status in IBM's firmament also means Novell and Red Hat get increased access to IBM Innovation Centres, including those in emerging countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and Korea, giving the two Linux distributors new sales channels in rapidly developing markets.  According to The Register, the deal comes with new subscription models for IBM to resell both Novell and Red Hat products and services alongside its own offerings to customers in key vertical markets such as government, retail, health care and financial services, as well as emerging global markets.

In return, Novell and Red Hat have pledged to support IBM-backed platforms including the Java-based Apache Geronimo web server and Apache Derby database, along with lending their backing to the Eclipse development platform.

The Register says that Novell has agreed to distribute the Apache Geronimo open source J2EE application server as part of its SUSE Linux Enterprise Server distribution starting next year. Novell already includes the Apache Derby database in SUSE Linux 10.0. Red Hat will work with IBM to certify IBM's version of Geronimo application server - WebSphere Community Edition. Red Hat will also support IBM's efforts to promote Apache Geronimo, a Java-based relational database IBM donated to the open source community in August 2004.

IBM described the announcement as the "most significant elevation of IBM's strategic partnerships with its key Linux distribution partners since it embraced Linux six years ago", and testament to its continued support of open source technologies.

The Register reports that according to analyst firm IDC, the overall Linux marketplace is growing annually at 26 percent and is expected to reach US$35.7billion by 2008.

Gartner reckons IBM enjoys a 29.7 per cent share in Linux-based server revenues, placing it ahead of its competitors. IBM Business Partners contribute over one third of IBM's Linux revenue, a figure IBM hopes will increase thanks to closer ties with Novell and Red Hat.

{mospagebreaktitle=Microsoft to reorganise entertainment division}Microsoft to reorganise entertainment division

Microsoft has split its entertainment and devices division into four businesses, the latest reorganisation at the world's largest software maker, according to a company e-mail to employees seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Reuters reports in The new York Times (14 December) that the reorganisation follows Microsoft's decision in September to streamline its businesses into three divisions to compete more effectively against Google, Oracle and the Linux operating system.

The chief of the entertainment and device unit, Robbie Bach, responsible for launching Microsoft's Xbox video game business, told employees in a Wednesday e-mail he would turn his focus to longer-term strategy and partner relationships.

According to Reuters, the decision to reorganise the unit comes after the company in November launched its latest Xbox 360 video game console. Next year, Xbox rivals PlayStation 3 from Sony Corpand Nintendo's Revolution will hit the market.

Bach said Bryan Lee would take over as head of a new entertainment business charged with overseeing the company's growing digital efforts in music, television and video.

Other changes include broadening the role of Peter Moore as head of the interactive entertainment business, which includes both the Xbox and Games for Windows business, Bach said.

According to Reuters, the company aligned the three divisions along its core Windows product and its MSN Internet arm to challenge web search leader Google, a business division to focus on Office and other business software products, and a division including the company's Xbox, consumer and device businesses.

Bach was tapped as president of the entertainment and devices division that also includes the company's cell phone software business.

Reuters says that the changes came amid threats from competitors that are delivering software-based services over the web, such as Google. Longtime business software rival Oracle has been on an acquisition spree while Linux remains a threat in the server software market.

{mospagebreaktitle=BlackBerry dispute aids rivals}BlackBerry dispute aids rivals

The patent dispute between NTP and Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry, has become a marketing opportunity for its competitors in the wireless e-mail business.

The New York Times reports (15 December) that to that end on Wednesday, a wireless e-mail software provider, Visto, joined Good Technology and Nokia in licensing NTP's patents for reasons that appear to have as much to do with marketing as with law.

Research In Motion, which is based in Ontario, is exhausting its avenues for appeal in its defense against accusations that its software violates patents held by NTP, an intellectual property holding company. While most analysts say a settlement will ultimately prevent a shutdown of BlackBerry service, several of Research In Motion's competitors say the dispute has prompted a noticeable increase in queries from potential customers, including many BlackBerry users.

The NYT reports that Danny Shader, the chief executive of Good Technology, which signed a license with NTP in March, noted the increase in inquiries but said it had not necessarily translated into sales. Seven Networks, another vendor of wireless e-mail software with more of a following among cost-sensitive consumers, has also seen increased interest from BlackBerry's woes.

Another wireless e-mail software maker, Intellisync, was acquired last month by Nokia. In an interview on Wednesday, Donald E. Stout, a co-founder of NTP, said Intellisync was now covered by Nokia's license.

{mospagebreaktitle=Siemens says US mobile could shift to GSM}Siemens says US mobile could shift to GSM

Siemens believes North American telecoms operators could shift to the GSM mobile standard from the rival CDMA system, a senior company executive said in an interview published on Thursday.

Reuters reports in The new York Times (15 December) that CDMA (code division multiple access) technology was invented by San Diego-based Qualcomm (QCOM.O) and the company delivers virtually all chips needed in CDMA networks and mobile phones used by some 500 million consumers mostly in the Americas and Asia.

The rival European-invented Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) has 1.6 billion users globally, according to the GSM Association.

According to Reuters, Siemens aims to grow its network infrastructure services operation faster than the market grows. It has 80 deals with operators in 50 countries.

Among the markets the company is active in is China, which reportedly could issue third generation (3G) licenses in several stages, starting early next year.

Reuters says that China is expected to spend more than US$10 billion to set up its 3G networks after licenses are awarded, widely expected to be in the first half of 2006.

{mospagebreaktitle=Survey: interest in MP3 players grows}Survey: interest in MP3 players grows

More than one in five US consumers, or 22 percent, say they plan to buy an MP3 player in the next three months, up from 13 percent from last year, according to the Ipsos Insight survey. Meanwhile, digital cameras held steady at 22 percent for the third year in a row.

The Associated Press reports in The New York Times (14 December) that a new category -- portable multimedia devices, such as the newer iPods that can display photos or video besides playing music -- also jumped into the mix this year, with 14 percent of consumers expressing interest in buying one.

Interest in cell phones and personal computers dropped this year, though at 20 percent and 21 percent, respectively, they remain high on wish lists, according to the survey, reports AP.

{mospagebreaktitle=Google to launch music content feature}Google to launch music content feature

Online search engine leader Google will begin giving some musical artists the star treatment by spotlighting links to their songs, lyrics and other related material at the top of the results page.

The Associated Press reports in The New York Times (15 December) that the music section, scheduled to debut Thursday, is designed to provide a more direct route to the content that most music fans want to see when they inquire about a singer or band, said Marissa Mayer, Google's director of Web products. ''We are addressing a deficiency in our Web search,'' she said.

The music section is similar in concept and placement to other special sections Google has created to make it easier to find information about airline flights, express freight shipments, news stories, movies and weather.

According to AP., among other things, Google's music section will provide lists of all the songs recorded on a specific album and also will point to places where the music can be legally downloaded. Google is working with several online libraries to make sure its song list remains up to date.

Unlike Yahoo, Google has no plans to create a music library of its own, Mayer said. Google also won't collect a referral fee if its visitors click on the new music section and go on to buy songs from one of the linked libraries.

However, the AP report says that Google does stand to profit if the new section spurs more search requests about music because that gives its search engine more opportunities to display ads about the same subject. The advertising displayed alongside Google's main search results accounted for a substantial chunk of the company's US$4.2 billion in revenue through the first nine months of 2005.

{mospagebreaktitle=Orange does Wi-Fi}Orange does Wi-Fi

Orange is to start offering its business customers Wi-Fi access from next month with its new "Business Everywhere" package, giving users access to Wi-Fi and 3G services in a single bill.

The France Telecom-owned cellco has some 1,700 Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK and access to a further 12,000 overseas as part of a partnership with Orange France, BT Openzone and WeRoam.

The Register reports (15 December) that, acording to a blurb from the company, the combined service enables users to mix their Wi-Fi, 3G and GPRS, "setting no requirements to 'use or lose' minimum portions of any network type".

Orange's Wi-Fi service costs £6 an hour, which can be spread across several connections in any 24 hour period, says The Register.