Stefania Spagnuolo

Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced last Wednesday that the two companies will be joining in a $300 million, three year partnership. The aim of the "People-Ready Business" duo is to attract more large business customers. (Source: ... reuters.com ) With HP making the most personal computers and Microsoft holding the title of the world's largest software maker, the partnership offers mutual potential to each party. In a statement released last Wednesday, Microsoft called HP "the most comprehensive partner we have," a great accomplishment since the software giant has over 640,000 partners ... (view more)

That's gotta hurt! As if being portrayed as a rigid dork in Mac commercials isn't enough, Microsoft took another blow when an email sent in January 2004 was made public at an antitrust trial. The email, which was sent from Windows Development Chief ... James Allchin to CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates, said "I would buy a Mac if I didn't work for Microsoft." Ouch! (Source: macnn.com ) Allchin published an entry on a Microsoft blog on Monday which stated that he only said he wanted a Mac "for effect." His intention was to convey the severity of Microsoft's problems and push for change. ... (view more)

The major television networks must be sick and tired of seeing their content streaming for free on YouTube. Viacom, Fox, CBS, and NBC have been in talks to jointly develop a YouTube competitor that would let the networks keep the advertising ... proceeds. But is such an arrangement possible? Perhaps. On one hand, the major networks have shown an interest in online content streaming. Many have their own portals that show the network's content with commercials. Developing a joint service would enable the networks to combine their expertise and create a central location for television network media ... (view more)

With the world going digital, new online products and services are constantly being introduced. Earlier this month, Microsoft expanded their online offerings by launching a beta version of "Live Search Books." With the consortium of blogs and ... message boards on the Internet, sometimes legitimate information is not so easy to find online. A Microsoft spokesperson said that Live Search Books is helping users sort through information by making trusted sources -- that is, published books -- available online: "Live Search Books is advancing the way people search online by digitizing and indexing ... (view more)

"i" has been an important letter for Apple. The company literally resurrected itself when it introduced the iPod and iTunes to the world, and the quickly became the leader in digital music and digital music players. Yet, one half of the "i" team ... does not seem to be pulling its weight. A new study by Forrester Group revealed that iTunes sales have fallen by 65 percent this year. (Source: theinquirer.net ) The three month study said that 58% of the decrease was due to a fall in the number of transactions, while the remaining 17% was attributed to average size per purchase. (Source: reuters.com ... (view more)

Earlier last month, Universal Music Group signed a deal with Microsoft that gives Universal a percentage of the profits of each Zune sold. Now, Universal has set its sights on Apple, hoping to grab a slice of iPod sales. At a recent Reuters Media ... Summit, Universal executive Doug Morris revealed the company's desire to strike a deal with Apple that would give iPod royalties to the music company. "It would be a nice idea. We have a negotiation coming up not too far. I don't see why we wouldn't do that... but maybe not in the same way," Morris explained at the conference in New York City. ( ... (view more)

Google made yet another addition to the expanding Google empire last week, when the company launched the beta version of Google Patent Search. The search engine allows users to search through United States patent filings in a variety of ways, ... including searches by patent number, inventor, filing date, and keyword. Patents that have been issued up to mid-2006 are included in the results. Although international patents and patents applications are not included in the search, it does allow potential inventors (or the perpetually curious) to sift through millions of U.S. patents. (Source: news. ... (view more)

You never know when a good news story might develop. But you do know that you have your trusty camera phone on hand if it does -- and so do Reuters and Yahoo. The two companies have teamed up to offer "You Witness News," a news service that allows ... people to submit their photos and videos, which may end up being published. Selected content will be featured on Reuters.com and Yahoo! News. Reuters also hopes to use some material in print beginning next year. (Source: dailytech.com ) The partnership attempts to capitalize on an increasingly popular form of news, known as "citizen journalism." The ... (view more)

It seems that Hewlett-Packard's courtroom woes are far from over. The company's shareholders, who recently sued the company over the much discussed spying scandal, have amended the suit to include allegations of insider trading. The original lawsuit ... claimed "breach of fiduciary responsibilities" by HP executives. It alleged that the executives' spy-like tactics to uncover boardroom leaks harmed the company. (Source: macnewsworld.com ) Now, the lawsuit -- which asks for an undisclosed amount -- also implicates HP Chief Executive Officer Mike Hurd, former General Counsel Ann Baskins, Chief ... (view more)

Oops! The new product from Apple and Nike seems to do more than monitor athletes' workout information. As two University of Washington researchers discovered, the Nike + iPod Sport Kit can be harmful to the privacy and security of those who use it. ... The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is comprised of two parts: a chip which resides inside the running shoe and a receiver which attaches to an iPod. The receiver stores information obtained from the chip, and after a workout, users can upload information such as distance travelled and speed. (Source: theregister.co.uk ) Sounds like a great idea, and perhaps ... (view more)