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Microsoft IE7 Gets a New Icon!

Hopefully, by now you’ve seen from our posts that there are a lot of new features and work going into IE 7. As part of this update, we’re refreshing our icon and logotype. We considered more radical departures from our current logo, but blue “e” with the ring is very recognizable and familiar to users, so we elected instead to make more subtle changes.

As you can see, the new “e” has more modern look, and the edges are a bit darker so the icon stands out better against different backgrounds. We liked the gold ring too since it brings in new energy and helps the icon pop a bit more than the old one.

This icon and text treatment will be used on the versions of IE 7 for Windows XPSP2, Server 2003 SP1, and x64 versions. We’ll have a slightly different look for the Windows Vista™ version, one that’s more consistent with the icons there. We’re not quite ready with that one yet, but we’ll share it here once we do.

Source: ieblog
See a bigger image here: click me

Amazon Eyes DVD Rentals

Amazon.com job listings for software engineers raise the specter of the internet retail giant entering the online DVD rental market in the United States, challenging companies like Netflix and Blockbuster.

Advertising for positions based at the company’s Seattle headquarters, the listings seek engineers to help in “building systems and algorithms that must move inventory between our fulfillment centers and our customers in a way that gives customers exactly what they want, when they want it.” The postings indicate they are specifically for an online DVD rental service.

Source: WiredNews

Microsoft Messenger for Mac 5.0 Released

Since late 2004 Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit (MBU) have not released a single update for the failing MSN IM Client for Apple OSX.

Today the team released Microsoft Messenger 5.0 for Mac OS X. Aimed more at workers than home users who use the MSN IM protocol the client has the ability to use two unique accounts at the same time. Personal & Corporate accounts have been integrated (Windows has two separate clients for this use ? MSN Messenger & Windows Messenger). The “personal” account stays the same like the previous MSN client; the “corporate” account allows users to connect to a Microsoft Live Communications Server to transfer data securely behind a firewall within a business or corporation.

You are now able to use multiple IM protocols with Microsoft Messenger, something that has been lacking for a long time which has made users migrate to other IM clients on OS X. AOL/AIM/iChat/Yahoo protocols are now supported within the client by default.

Interface-wise, Microsoft Messenger has had an overhaul that adheres to the Mac OS X interface (Aqua), using the familiar brushed-metal that is contained in mainstream applications such as Safari and the iLife applications. Interface buttons are now customizable in the sense they can be moved as well as added or deleted.

Display pictures are default in the new client with a sidebar to show a display picture of the person you are talking to. Emoticons have been taken from the current version of MSN Messenger for Windows and integrated into Microsoft Messenger (which are animated). However it doesn’t allow you to add your own custom emoticons like the Windows client. Winks and Nudges are also not present in this version.

Audio & web cam support is still missing from this version, which will infuriate users of waiting for these features being added. The preferences have stayed the same with the exception of a few things being added for the “corporate” account, such as message logging and the ability to block users ? like the “personal” account.

File transfers have improved greatly and are very fast in use with multiple file transfers, which the previous version was lacking.

All in all, people were expecting this version to bury the gap between the Windows client. Alas it hasn’t and we play the waiting game again for MBU to release a top notch version of Messenger for the Mac.

From discussions I have read, I guess file transfers still do not work? no personal messages, no pictures on contact list, but a nicer interface, display pictures and that now AOL/AIM/iChat/Yahoo Protocols are now supported.

Download: Microsoft Messenger for Mac 5.0
Screenshots: Courtesy of Neowin/Radish, all credit for these screenshots go to him.
Main Window | Main Message Window | Contextual Menu | Corporate Login | General Tab | Appearance Tab | Alerts Tab | Accounts Personal Tab | Accounts Corporate Tab | Mobile Tab | History Tab | Privacy Tab

Cisco wants to buy Nokia?

It seems that Cisco Systems Inc. is considering buying the worlds leading mobile handset producer. This, in a bid to gain its wireless infrastructure technology. The value of Cisco, the worlds leading provider of internet equipment is valued at $123 billion dollars, while Nokia’s market value is around $78 billion dollars.

Source: Yahoo!

Konfabulator 2.1.1

Konfabulator is now free. Yup. If you download version 2.1 you know what you’ll never ever see? That’s right a registration reminder. Fear not, there’s nothing sneaky in there, no spyware, no ads, nothing that’s keeping track of information and sending it to us… it’s pure, uncut Konfabulator goodness.

Right after releasing the free version (2.1), the Konfab. team has released an update to the ever-popular cross-platform Javascript runtime engine.

Download: Konfabulator

Yahoo acquires Konfabulator! = FREE NOW!

Yahoo! Inc. on Monday will announce the acquisition of Konfabulator, a Macintosh and Windows application that allows users to run mini files known as Widgets on their desktop — the same model used by Apple for its Dashboard application. Yahoo! company executives said they would also be giving Konfabulator away for free, completely doing away with the US$19.95 currently charged for the product.

Also, If you have bought Konfabulator within the last 2 months, Yahoo will reimbursh you.

Konfabulator is a great widget program for Mac and Windows users, recently this past year it was made available for Windows users.

Download: www.konfabulator.com
Source: macworld.com

Oracle Caves on Multicore Licensing

Oracle has finally caved?a little?to industry outrage over its refusal to get in line with competitors IBM and Microsoft and update its licensing policy to accommodate multicore chips.

Licensing terms for the Oracle Store Web site now state that, for the purposes of counting how many processors need to be licensed, a multicore chip with “n” cores will be multiplied by 0.75. Oracle will then round up fractions to the next whole number.

For example, if you have a multicore chip with 11 cores, multiply 11 by 0.75, which equals 8.25. Round that up to nine processors, and that’s what you’ll be paying for.

Notwithstanding the three-quarters rule, Oracle will count only one processor when licensing Oracle Standard Edition One or Standard Edition programs on servers with a maximum of one processor with one or two cores.

Oracle plans to host a conference call Friday to discuss what a spokesperson referred to as the company’s multicore pricing policy “update,” although one software pricing expert contacted for this story was unsure whether this was a licensing change or merely a clarification of existing policy.

[ source : eWeek ]

Once again, could Oracle be on the move for higher incentives for companies, purchasing its multi-core system? or just another way of getting Business to purchase their product?

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