Google is challenging hackers to rip apart their ActiveX alternative called Google Native Client. Native Client allows users to run native x86 code on the web — something that has been deemed as extremely dangerous, especially from untrusted sources.

Google says this challenge is to make Native Client more secure, but I think this may also be a great way to gain some trust points for technologies like this. Winners of the challenge are awarded cash prizes — .. Read Further »

It has been four months since Microsoft took the official wraps off its cloud-computing initiative.  Yet still relatively little still is known about the Azure platform and plans.

The part of Azure which intrigued me the most was the cloud operating system, code-named “Red Dog,” that is at its heart. Late last month, Microsoft allowed me access to many of the principals behind Red Dog — everyone from the infamous father of VMS and NT, David Cutler, to the handful of top-dog engineers who helped design and develop the various Red Dog core components. Over the course of this week, I’m going to be publishing a post a day about Red Dog.

Novell is now facing the consequences of leaving its fate in another company’s hands. (Picture from OS2Voice.org.)

Its terrible horrible, no good, very bad quarter was driven partly by its troubles in the proprietary market, partly by its failure to line up the big Linux licensing deals that came in the wake of its 2007 cross-licensing agreement with Microsoft.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that
Today’s Apple annual meeting was dominated by questions about the charismatic founder’s health – and the board’s refusal to say much more. At bottom is the fear that Apple can’t survive without Jobs driving the company.

Hogwash. Apple and Jobs in 2009 are very different from the Apple that lost its way after his ouster in 1985. Here’s what is new.

Then: intuition.
The Apple // and the original Mac were cool technology in search of a market. Fortunately, .. Read Further »

India mobile users in larger cities and the biggest states will be able to retain their mobile number even if they switch operator from September, the telecoms minister said on Thursday.

Andimuthu Raja told parliament the government would announce on March 5 the successful bidders which will operate the mobile number portability (MNP) system and award letters of intent.

“MNP is to be implemented in all ‘Metro’ and Category ‘A’ service areas within six months of the award of the licence and in rest of the service areas within one year of the award of the .. Read Further »

While leaving my gym this evening I noticed our lady of the front desk had the local fishwrap open to the sales.

Look at this, she said in amazement. When I bought my iPod it cost $250, and that was before it had video. Now here it is for $145 and it’s the one with the video. I guess if you wait it always comes down.

What she was describing was .. Read Further »

Earlier today Apple unveiled the first public beta of the Safari 4 browser. I downloaded the browser and took it for a quick spin … and I have to say, this is a huge improvement on what I’ve come to expect from Safari.

I’ve only had my hands on Safari 4 for a little while now so it’s very early days, but I thought I’d pass on some of my initial thoughts on this latest browser offering from .. Read Further »