online

Although it seems as if everyone was wrong about the Microsoft purchase of Yahoo, there have been a few other notable acquisitions online in the last few weeks. First, there was Google's incorporation of advertising firm DoubleClick, a move that ... should consolidate the big G's hegemonic presence on the web. Now, there's word that major television broadcaster CBS has soaked up Last.fm, a hugely popular Internet radio project. So, what is Last.fm? We all know CBS for its Dan Rathers, corny holiday made-for-TV movies, and CSI crime-o-ramas, but many web users may still be unfamiliar with Last.fm ... (view more)

Zone Screen ZoneScreen is a solution for extending your desktop using displays of other computers (including Pocket PC) through a network connection. Like VNC, ZoneScreen is able to mirror a local desktop to another computer in your network. The ... main difference is that it also allows you to extend desktop, not only mirror it. Also, you could use ZoneScreen for Windows Mobile to extend/mirror your desktop to screen of your handheld. All you need for ZoneScreen to work is network connection between your computers (your computers are both connected to the same network, or connected directly with ... (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)

It's been a while since we reported a big hire or promotion by one of our favorite major software or hardware companies. Back in the earlier months of 2006, it seemed like good 'ol Microsoft was moving people from one position to the next -- as if ... playing a game of boardroom magical chairs. As the Christmas season has set into gear, however, most companies have remained mum: until now. Dell has recently announced that former Wells Fargo employee, Sona Chawla, has been appointed head of online sales and support. Chawla will be working directly under Dell's senior vice president, John Hamlin. ... (view more)

If there's one thing that Google can do well (and let's be serious -- there's certainly more than one thing), it's creating extremely useful applications for average computer users. Google Checkout, a service that centralizes online shopping by ... eliminating the need to maintain separate user names and passwords for different shopping sites, was launched back in June. However, Google has recently developed a promotional offer just in time for the busy holiday shopping season. Shopping malls are always crammed with shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving, which has come to be known as "Black ... (view more)

A group that supports online freedom of the press has recently admonished China for being among the worst culprits of systemic online censorship. The organization, known as Reporters without Borders, has also claimed that of the 61 people currently ... imprisoned worldwide for "subversive" content, 52 originate from China. (Source: theglobeandmail.com ) Reporters without Borders is an international non-government organization that promotes worldwide freedom of the press and Internet etiquette. China is one of 13 countries singled out by the group following a recent protest against Internet ... (view more)

The times are a-changin'. And no one knows it more than Microsoft. At the recent Convergence Conference held in Munich earlier this month, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates spoke about the company's line of applications for mid-sized businesses, called ... "Dynamics." Microsoft Dynamics is the company's effort to recognize and adapt to the evolving technological needs of businesses. Dynamics offers hosts of online services the ability to streamline various business practices. Among Dynamics' product offerings are customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools. (Source ... (view more)

Statistics Canada announced that Canadians only purchased $7.9 billion worth of goods and services over the Internet in 2005. This figure is rather low, considering that $762 billion was spent on online goods and services worldwide in the same year. ... (Source: technology.canoe.ca ) Other data revealed that nearly 7 million Canadians 18 years or older placed actual online orders, while in excess of 9 million Canadians logged on primarily to browse the products available. The most common online purchases included hotel reservations and car rentals, followed by books, magazines and various ... (view more)

Imagine a world where minors can have their online game sessions legally ended after a fixed amount of playtime. Envision a place where psychiatric clinics are available to wean children away from compulsive Internet use. Picture a country that bans ... its youth from Internet cafes. Welcome to China. The psych wards are already open, Internet cafes may soon be closed to children in China if legislation passes, and Chinese Parliament is currently considering technology to shut down a minor's online game access after the designated quantity of time has passed. (Source: physorg.com ) The Reason ... (view more)