Business

NBC Universal is not wasting any time sulking over their recent failure to reach a deal with Apple Inc. that would see the company offer shows from their hit fall lineup on the iTunes website. NBC Universal officially announced that all of the ... episodes for the new fall season will be made available on the Amazon Unbox digital downloading service. Amazon Inc. and NBC Universal have signed a lucrative contract that will see NBC television shows selling at $1.99 per episode on Unbox. New episodes are promised to be consistently uploaded onto the website the day after they air on network ... (view more)

When Apple's invitations for an upcoming special event were sent out last week, a buzz about the possible release of new iPods began almost immediately. Now that Apple's event has come and gone, it is safe to say that the company did not disappoint ... -- in fact, they left much to be excited about. At the media event on Wednesday, CEO Steve Jobs announced some minor changes to the iPod classic and the iPod shuffle, but the big news came from the iPod nano and the new iPod touch. The new nano has been dubbed the "fat" iPod nano. The modified device includes a 2 inch 320x240 LCD screen, with a ... (view more)

In 1995, Microsoft attempted to fend off their ever-increasing rival companies by adding a free web browser to their brand new operating system, Windows 95. This effort was effectively blocked by several court rulings and the subject was never ... spoken of again. Over a decade later, Microsoft is giving the strategy one more try by offering free software that connects their current brand new operating system, Windows Vista, to software services delivered over the Internet. (Source: nytimes.com ) This practice is not uncommon in the technological world and is often referred to as "cloud" ... (view more)

Is Microsoft going to buy out BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM)? This purchase may be beneficial for Microsoft since RIM has been going through a period of strong growth in terms of subscribers and profits. However, RIM does have its ... downsides, the main one being its customers. So far, retail consumers are very few and far between. On the other hand, the company is striving to gain a broader consumer population by equipping its devices with new multimedia features such as cameras and music players. It has also negotiated with carriers in order to reduce consumer prices. A ... (view more)

Please don't be too shocked by this one: Microsoft has again delayed one of its highly anticipated products. This time the unfortunate one is Windows Server 2008, unsurprisingly pushed back until, you guessed it, 2008. At one time, Microsoft had ... planned to release Windows Server 2008 just in time for reindeer and Santa Claus, although recent troubles have left representatives scratching their heads. Now, it seems work on the software could take as long as an additional ninety days, moving the final release well into spring of next year. (Source: computerworld.com ) What is Windows Server 2008 ... (view more)

Move over Sony, Apple's iTunes has won the online music battle. As a result, Sony will surrender and close its Connect Music Store as early as March 2008. Although Connect's official ending is certainly big news, the vultures have been circling for ... months. Back in June, suspicions arose when Sony Connect Inc. announced that it was eliminating positions. The reason the company gave for this layoff surrounded shifting its resources to other online services such as its PlayStation video game system. Officially, Sony denied any connection between these changes and a possible closing. For those ... (view more)

In an effort to lure thousands of music fans away from Apple, RealNetworks has teamed with MTV Networks and Verizon Wireless to offer a digital music joint venture expected to rival iTunes, the iPod and even the new iPhone. The three companies plan ... to implement their technological takeover by making the MTV "Urge" music downloading service compatible with RealNetworks Rhapsody streaming software programs. While the merger will be made available to all U.S. customers via their PC music players, Verizon Wireless' VCast multimedia service will also be equipped with the new music system on their ... (view more)

After a long wait and much speculation, Microsoft has finally announced plans for its upcoming service pack, SP1 for Windows Vista. Unearthing details on Wednesday, the Redmond-based company revealed it will be launching the update over the course ... of a 90-day period, with the SP1 beta test planned soon. What is SP1? SP1, or Service Pack 1, is the first major update to Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows Vista. It's a critical "patch", if you will, and may lure more of the tech world's cynics to a troubled OS that could, and should, be the next wave in its market. And so, some of our ... (view more)

This is a story about Sony batteries. Although you might be anticipating an article about another Sony battery exploding somewhere at some time injuring someone, you're wrong. Instead, the Japanese company has made an environmentally-friendly ... breakthrough in battery technology. The sweet science Believe it or not, the battery runs on sugar. It works by breaking down sugar with enzymes so that electrical energy is created. When asked why sugar was chosen to be the miracle ingredient, a Sony representative replied, "Sugar is a naturally occurring energy source produced by plants through ... (view more)

Google Apps may be a bad career choice for architects. The communication and collaboration tools, released less than a year ago, can be described as a no-frills version of Microsoft Office that sells for a lower price. Unfortunately, a research and ... consulting firm, the Burton Group, has found that those who have high expectations for the program may face career-limiting consequences. The group's report confirms that Google Apps is only useful in a limited set of circumstances. Small businesses should only rely on it as a basic tool rather than an important suite for collaboration. It can also ... (view more)