Carlo Orlando

Microsoft's revamped search engine , long rumored to be named 'Kumo,' is now being called 'Bing'. The belief is that the search engine has a hip, easy-to-remember name, and will fare much better among casual users. Multi-Million Dollar Advertising ... Blitz In total, Microsoft is expected to use online, television, print and radio mediums that will see the company dole out anywhere from $80 to $100 million in advertising expenses. To put this figure into perspective, Google's entire advertising budget for 2008 reached about $25 million. Analysts do not expect Microsoft's ads to call out rival ... (view more)

Microsoft will have a chance to prove that it can do everything Google can do (and supposedly better) when the company launches the revamped MS Live search engine in the next few days. Well, that's the rumor, at least. The new program will divide ... the results into different categories, making it easier for users to conduct Internet searches. The software boasts a left-side panel that lists the categories, past searches, and related queries. (Source: app.com ) Public Reaction Confidential Apparently, Microsoft has started to test public reaction to the software in ultra-selective fashion. The ... (view more)

Although it's been quiet in recent weeks, the dreaded Conficker worm is far from done its reign of terror. In fact, never before has this virus caused so much havoc than when the news mediums stopped printing urgent warnings about its dangers. Now, ... as the reports of countless victims come pouring in, security officials are getting a clear sense of just how many computers are infected on a daily basis. According to one security expert, Conficker infiltrates as many as 50,000 new PCs every day. International Incident What makes matters worse is that the virus has no specific target area, as all ... (view more)

Security officials are asking administrators to proceed with caution when using Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) Version 6, after it was learned that some of the services were vulnerable to attacks. These potential attacks could ... reveal encrypted folders and documents without requiring a password. Internet Information Services are a set of Internet services for Microsoft-created servers. IIS accounts for the second most popular web servers (behind the Apache HTTP Server) in terms of overall websites in use. One Slash Changes Everything The compromised password-protected ... (view more)

After a steady increase in market shares since the first week it was made available to the public, gains for Windows 7 release candidate (RC 1) have started to decrease at a consistent pace each day, according to reports. This is dismal news for ... Microsoft, considering that RC 1 release date was just 2 weeks ago on May 4, 2009. The bottom line: if market shares are starting to decline now, while the product is supposed to be in high demand, the actual release of Windows 7's full version will not be very well received by the public either. Consumer Interest Decreases The reports don't suggest ... (view more)

A new mobile WiFi hotspot device about the size of a credit card is threatening to make USB cellular modems look primitive. One such devices is the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. It works by tapping into the Verizon 3G Mobile ... broadband network to create a personalized WiFi ' cloud ' for a fixed number of devices within a 50 foot area. USB-based modems boast similar features in allowing users to connect to the Internet while in motion or from a remote location. However, the biggest drawback of using a USB modem is that they are exclusive to only one device. (Source: ... (view more)

When Microsoft released Windows Vista "Ultimate Edition" a while back, many users purchased the special version because of the promised "extras" not available to standard Vista users. Imagine the disappointment when Microsoft failed to live up to ... the hype. (Source: cnet.com ) Now, a group of dejected consumers are urging Microsoft to give all Vista Ultimate owners a free upgrade to Windows 7 as compensation for their trouble. Vista Ultimate Disappointment In 2007, amidst the anticipation and fanfare over the upcoming "Ultimate" version release of Vista, Microsoft began touting all ... (view more)

Web hosting services in China are allowing anyone to pay about $700 to send out an unlimited amount of spam worldwide. The service, also called "bulletproof hosting," is nothing new in the tech world. The actual intent of bulletproof hosting is to ... allow leniency in the kinds of material that users may upload. Unfortunately, spammers , gambling websites and porn pushers have constantly abused this system to the point where deviant behavior is almost expected. The Ministry of Public Security in China has been cracking down on online gambling sites and Internet pornographers for some time now, ... (view more)

According to popular blog TechCrunch, Apple is in the process of finalizing a sales pitch for Twitter that would see them acquire the microblogging platform for an estimated $700 million. The report comes off the heels of a different rumor ... suggesting that Apple is also in the process of securing the popular computer-game maker Electronic Arts. Rising Popularity to Explain Apple's Interest Oprah and Ashton Kutcher are not the only ones using Twitter. The social networking haven has attracted new users by the hundreds each day since its inception back in 2006. While Apple declined to comment on ... (view more)

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is behind new-age systems the Highway E-Z Pass and the MasterCard PayPass bank card. Unfortunately, it now seems hackers are trying to take advantage of this convenient technology, and security experts are ... facing a serious challenge in keeping people safe. To participate in the Highway E-Z Pass, a person must first install a RFID tag in their windshield prior to traveling on a toll highway. When the driver approaches the stretch of the road that requires payment, their account is electronically debited. MasterCard PayPass bank cards work in a similar ... (view more)