Microsoft is dropping the Visual Basic for Application (VBA) from it’s soon to be released 2008 Mac version. VBA will be replaced with AppleScript. This means that macros created with Office for the Windows version will not run on Office for the Mac.

Microsoft Office for Mac will not update its earlier draw back of lack of support of the Unicode and BiDi languages. Therefore, if Mac users wanted to write in Arabic or Hebrew then the Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac will be of no use to them.

The Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac can be run both on PowerPC as well as on Intel Macs. The Office Open XML format will be built into Office 2008 for Mac. Mac users can now gear up for the new Microsoft Office suite that is variously priced between $400 and $150.

Source & image:gizmodo

AMD, the leading service provider in US has showcased a next generation graphics processor with a native DisplayPort interface at the Video and Electronic Standards Association’s (VESA) PlugTest event in Milpitas, California. The DisplayPort toting graphics processor is tested by the VESA. The association is performing interoperability testing at its PlugTest event in Milpitas, Calif.

DisplayPort is an open standard, which has no licensing fees like HDMI. The standard is intending to replace three existing standards, including DVI, LVDS and VGA interfaces. AMD is lunched the R700 and RS780 products with DisplayPort outputs. The company is planning to implement native DisplayPort in its ATI Radeon graphics processors in the early 2008.

Display manufacturing companies like Samsung are developing new display products by using the Genesis Microchip DisplayPort receiver. Samsung is planning to launch a 30′ LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution and 10 bits of color depth by the end of next year. Intel is also planning to launch its DisplayPort packing Eaglelake-G chipset. While Dell is intending to release DisplayPort capable displays in the future.

According to Alan Kobayashi, Vice President, DisplayPort and Monitor Marketing, Genesis Microchip, the creation of DisplayPort is AMD’s milestone, which will deliver incredible performance in displays. DisplayPort addresses the concerns of growing bandwidth of any high-resolution audio and video application.

Image Credit: Nestor & Gizmodo

Via: Bit Tech

Pure innovation from IBM: Better, cheaper, denser, faster, more reliable and simpler.

The New memories: Two possible configurations of a novel type of memory. The vertical arrangement (left) is more difficult to make, so researchers will probably create the horizontal device (bottom) first. In both, bits of data are stored as domain walls–boundaries between adjacent magnetic regions oriented in different directions. The domain walls can be shuttled along the nanowire past a reading device (purple) that detects magnetic fields, and a writing device (green) that generates them.
A new nanowire-based memory device being created by the researchers at IBM may well coalesce the finest qualities of the different types of memory used today.

With innovation comes in better products at cheaper costs and quicker results.

Even now, the work is in the very beginning phase of development. But the prospects of it could serve as a universal memory, substituting for the different types that are being used now.

This is termed as a Nanowire memory. This magnetic nanowire (thin line at top) made of iron and nickel is expanded linking electrical contacts to test properties that could direct to improved memory devices.

The device stores bits in the form of domain walls which are areas where two magnetic regions in the nanowire meet.

Stuart Parkin, an experimental physicist at IBM’s Almaden Research Center, in San Jose, CA, says that

The memory, which would pack a hundred bits of data on a single nanowire, could potentially store 10 to 100 times more data than flash–the type of memory used in digital cameras and other small portable devices–while operating at much faster speeds. And because it’s solid-state memory, it would be far sturdier than magnetic hard drives, which require mechanical devices to read and write data. In principle, we could be cheaper than flash would be, denser than flash would be, and orders of magnitude faster. And there’s no wear-out mechanism, so it’s totally reliable.

Parkin’s earlier discoveries and inventions have led to a thousand-fold increase in the storage density of magnetic hard drives, paving the way for the massive data-storage centers crucial to today’s Internet, as well as making possible the immense storage capacity of portable devices such as iPods.

The different combinations and technological applications that seem to be going to the making of this brilliant memory also adds in that it would not require a mobile head and spinning disks to read and write these bits.

Thus, there would be no mechanical parts, making Parkin’s memory much more strong than a hard drive. These devices could also be more compact and cheaper than conventional solid-state memory.

So as we keep awaiting our future to get better and cheaper, it seems it is going to bring in lots of such good memories.

In depth view of a memory ‘Nanowire’(image below)

Via Source: technologyreview

Image Source: eurekaalert
blog

Based on DeepMatrix technology, Microsoft’s Gatineau would be firstly come in English. Gatineau is Microsoft’s Web analytics for Microsoft’s adCenter online ad platform. Microsoft’s Gatineau includes following features:

• Demographic segmentation
• An integrated view of marketing campaign effectiveness
• Integration of conversion value data
• New tools for viewing behavioral data
• Click and visitor tracking
• Marketing campaign reporting
• Paid and natural search analysis

With the Gatineau, Microsoft is especially targeting marketing customers by providing them better analysis tool to get better ROI. With the new suit of Microsoft Windows Live services and good combination of superior analytics tool, Microsoft has especially designed this analytics tool for advertisers.

Image: 10e20

This is the first time that Skype has allowed its technology to be integrated with a 3rd-party application.

MySpace users with a Skype account will be able to call the computer or telephone number of another member with a single click on button in their MySpace profile. Users can make free calls using MySpaceIM without downloading any additional Skype software or sign up for Skype account.

Standard PC-to-PC phone calls will be free but users have to pay for ‘premium’ options like their own personal phone number, voice mail, call forwarding, and the ability to make calls from a computer to land lines or cell phones.

In addition, the integration of MySpace and Skype will allow MySpace users to transfer information, such as portraits, from their profiles to their Skype accounts. Users who have set their MySpace profile in ‘private’, they will not receive any Skype call from someone who is not on their friend list. Users can select their individuals and add them in their Skype personal contact list.

MySpace, the largest social networking site with 110 million users will share its revenue from the deal with Skype, which allows its customers to make a long-distance calls using their computers. The service would be available in 20 countries.

Motorola has unveiled the company’s next generation Linux based platform, named MOTOMAGX for mobile phones. The MOTOMAGX is based on Motorola’s earlier Linux based platforms, which delivers new level of openness, flexibility and support for third party applications on Motorola mobile devices.

The company is planning to install Linux on its 60 percent mobile phones in next two years. Motorola has sold more than 9 million mobile handsets with Linux. Now, the model, RAZR2 V8 will come to the United States within next two month as Motorola’s first Linux phone in this country.

MOTOMAGX platform supports a wide range of content created by third-party developers. The company is planning to introduce WebUI, a new platform to support Java ME based applications and native Linux applications environments. The WebUI applications will run on webKit. The native Linux applications is a combination of relevant tools available from Motorola’s MOTODEV Studio integrated development environment, which will enable MOTODEV developers to innovate and accelerate time to market for their applications.

According to Christy Wyatt, vice president of ecosystem and market development at Motorola, MOTODEV Developer network enables software developers to write applications on Linux phones and also allows developers to get their applications on the carrier software and services on mobile devices.

Image Credit: QJ Net & Prog

Via: Info World

Microsoft has launched the first version of its cross platform, cross browser multimedia plug-in Silverlight multimedia player to give direct competition to Adobe’s Flash.

Novell’s team is already working on a Silverlight implementation from more than two years. Initially, Silverlight was dubbed as ‘Moonlight’ by Microsoft. While Microsoft executives had given their tacit support to the project, now they have upped their commitment and will be formally collaborating with Novell on the initiative.

Microsoft’s Silverlight is a browser plug-in to play media files as well as interactive Web applications, which work on Windows PCs and Macs on Firefox, IE and Safri. With the use of vectors, Silverlight can resize the DRM and the Windows.

A pre-release version of Silverlight is available for download in the market. Currently, Silverlight 1.1 is in alpha stage and it will release by the end of the year. Soon Silverlight will be the standard across Microsoft destinations will underpin prominent projects like it’s highly anticipated ‘Halo3′ video game previews. Other content providers, including Netflix, MLB.com, “Entertainment Tonight,” World Wrestling Entertainment and the Home Shopping Network are partnering with Microsoft.

Image Credit: Beta News

With this acquisition, OnTheToob is now an integral part of the Joost. It means that there would be pre-determined RSS feeds as well as customized channels and RSS feeds for Joost’s 238 channels and more than 10,000 programs.

The acquisition came just a few days after the introduction of API feature in Joost. Thus, it is more or less apparent that Joost is now inviting developer community to create more niche features for its users.

This time BitTorrent is again coming back with its BitTorrent 6 which slightly resembles with previous uTorrent. The only difference is that it includes three toolbar icon, which are quite similar than BitTorrent but with advanced features like tweaking your Web UI. Now, the uTorrent run with uTorrent capability which is bit faster and takes up less space than BitTorrent.

The BitTorrent 6 is featured with RSS tracker and search bar, which takes you to the MiniNova torrent site. The BitTorrent goes to a pay-for-most content site BitTorrent.com. The BitTorrent 6 includes a menubar item in the BitTorrent client, called Get Stuff, with links to Movies, TV, Music and Games. The bitTorrent can be promoted as a desktop program, while uTorrent can be continued to be a lightweight and portable option.

Image: Gnome files

Web designing company and Google AdWords Qualified Company, Solid Cactus has launched a state-of-the-art pay per click (PPC) bid management software, Cactus Insight to analyze keywords throughout the day. Cactus Insight allows Solid Cactus’s Internet Marketing department to manage client advertising campaigns across several marketing channels, including Search Marketing, E-Mail marketing, & Media Buys.

The software allows the Solid Cactus Internet Marketing department up-to-the minute predictions on the most effective keywords to use at different times, days and positions to achieve the highest possible return on investment (ROI) for their clients. The software has latest feature, which allows e-Commerce operators to manage and optimize large and search campaigns.

Advertisers can also take benefits of a certified Google/Yahoo! Search Engine Marketing Manager for developing a strategy based upon their visions and goals. Even they can combine it with powerful ROI based bid management software. This combination offers the very latest tools to their customers to mange their PPC campaigns.

According to Scott Sanfilippo, President of Solid Cactus, successful business manages dozens of keywords for multiple search engines and perhaps hundreds of product.

Image Credit: TrueShip

Via: Managing & Automation