CustomScoop's Tech Jots

Microsoft “Works” for Free

Microsoft to Offer Works Suite at No Cost
PC World’s Techlog
Microsoft is planning to release Works, the tech giant’s low-end “home productivity suite,” as free, ad-supported software. According to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft may also offer a hosted version of the service that would compete directly with Google’s Docs & Spreadsheets. Harry McCracken sees an escalating battle between the two companies. “The monopolistic cash cow known as Microsoft Office is under attack from Google Apps, and while Apps is a long, long way from being able to match Office feature for feature, it's flexible, fun, and free. And from what I can tell, it's not going to just go away--Google seems to be serious about improving it steadily and marketing it aggressively.”

Retrevo Aims to Ease Online Shopping with Graphs
TechCrunch
Retrevo, a shopping research site offering automated and aggregated reviews, is launching a new service that will let buyers view graphical displays of any product’s relative strength in price and features. “Product Snapshot,” now in alpha testing, is expected to see a full launch by the end of September. Nick Gonzalez believes that Retrevo’s impressive depth of knowledge, especially in regard to consumer electronics, could make the offering a success. “Retrevo distinguishes itself by focusing on consumer electronics and finding a great deal of auxiliary material on products. Searches return PDF product manuals, aggregate user ratings, product previews, written reviews, forums & blogs, and shopping links.”

eMusic to Offer Mobile Music Downloads
engadget
The nation’s number two online music seller has announced a partnership with AT&T that will allow users to download music directly to cell phones. Joshua Tropolsky is surprised that AT&T was unable to work out a deal with iPhone partner Apple, but suggests that this arrangement could prove fruitful. “Granted, eMusic's catalogue is somewhat more eclectic than iTunes, but with artists like Paul McCartney and The Pixies, the cash registers could start ringing.”

Swarm and Save

eSwarm Uses Web 2.0 to Create Bulk Rates
TechCrunch
A new web service helps potential buyers organize online in order to generate better prices from sellers. eSwarm helps users with interest in any consumer product to group together and then accept bids from sellers offering that product at bulk rates. Duncan Riley argues that eSwarm could prove to be a useful consumer tool. “CEO Tim Newcomb says that eSwarm is a ‘global economic revolution;’ it’s not, but it does have potential.”

Flirt on the Go with MatchMobile
Mashable!
The popular dating service Match.com has announced plans to launch a mobile version of their site that will allow users to exchange text messages through the site for an additional $5 per month. Pete Cashmore anticipates that services like MatchMobile could be successful, but will prove to be a nuisance to employers concerned about productivity. “This will most likely be popular with users, but not with employers: now Match members can be sending romantic text messages back and forth all day. Unlike websites, you can’t really block cellphone signals legally.”

Citizen Journalism Gets a Boost
GigaOM
NowPublic, a Canadian website specializing in citizen journalism, has just brought in over $10 million in Series A funding. In an interview with GigaOM’s Liz Gannes, CEO Len Brody credits his company’s relationship with the Associated Press for early successes, saying that “the AP picking us was the big win.” Meanwhile, Gannes is intrigued by NowPublic’s plans to move towards news for mobile devices, noting that “the site could use SMS to alert people who are in the vicinity of a news event.” This, of course, is something that the blogosphere has taken increased interest in since the Virginia Tech killings earlier in the year.

Are You an Addict?

The Bizarre Habits of an Email Addict
GigaOM
A new AOL survey claims that a significant number of Americans are hooked on email. According to the report, 40 percent of us check email first thing in the morning and 83 percent check in on vacation. But it gets more… interesting when you look at habits of mobile emailers. The report suggests that a significant percentage of that group checks email while in bed, driving, or using the bathroom. Om Malik appears to be almost relieved to know the numbers are so high. “I used to think that with my email addiction, I was an extreme case, an email addict of the worse kind. Apparently, I am not alone.”

Twitter’s Character Limit is Apparently Too Short for a Business Model
Infectious Greed
Twitter, the popular new micro-blogging service, has reportedly received a significant (and undisclosed) amount of venture funding from the investment group behind del.icio.us and other Web 2.0 companies. What bloggers are perhaps more interested in is that Twitter was able to convince investors to buy-in without offering a business model. Paul Kedrosky is not surprised, however, and argues that a detailed plan can often be an obstacle towards acquiring venture capital. “VCs are professional nit-pickers. Give them something to find fault with, and they'll do it with abandon.”

HD DVD or Blu-ray?
Joystiq
The HD video format war is heating up, as both fronts are highlighting news that could give their version an edge. In the wake of a Blu-ray exclusivity announcement from Blockbuster, Target has revealed that it will begin to more heavily promote Blu-ray players and stop selling HD DVD players altogether. Meanwhile, Microsoft is advertising plans to lower the price of its XBOX 360 HD DVD player, and include 5 videos. Alexander Sliwinski isn’t convinced that the discounted price will impact sales, and suggests that Blu-ray has gained significant traction. “So, even with the HD-DVD attachment price drop for your Xbox 360, plus five movies, is it worth getting? Umm, might want to put that money aside for now… The last thing any consumer wants is to have an expensive machine which plays a dying format.”

Power Outage a Wake-up Call?

Power Outage Blacks Out Websites
Between the Lines
A power outage affecting the 365 Main data center in San Francisco caused a number of major websites to go dark yesterday. Sites such as Craigslist, Technorati, Yelp, and Six Apart went down for 30 minutes or longer because the data center’s backup generator did not start. While rumors are swirling as to what caused the backup power supply to fail (including reports of an angry drunken employee), a number of bloggers are calling the incident a wake-up call to improve disaster recovery efforts. Larry Dignan suggests that a more significant event could spell doom for sites, especially those relying on only one data center. “What if this outage was something worse–say a terrorist attack or Katrina? I’ll tell you what would happen: Sites would have been out of business.”

Congress Calls P2P Networking a National Security Threat
George Ou
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) is considering legislation that would outlaw P2P software like Lime Wire, arguing that it could inadvertently lead to security leaks. Tech bloggers are mercilessly panning Waxman, arguing that he “hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about.” George Ou quips that rather than grand stand, Waxman and other government officials ought to enforce common sense rules and select employees more carefully. “Why pick on Lime Wire?  Sandy Berger stole secret documents from the National Archives by shoving the documents in to his socks so will Congressman Waxman propose a new law against socks?  Will Congressman Waxman call the CEO of Fruit of the Loom to the hearings and grill him about the dangers of socks?”

Joost Claims One Million Beta Users
TechCrunch
The popular IPTV startup Joost has announced that it now has one million beta users, and will launch by the end of the year. Michael Arrington notes that some are put off by the fact that Joost requires a separate third party application, rather than streaming video through a browser, but he argues that the company’s prospects look bright. “Joost is a solid application that is attracting some well known content owners… This could be the web application launch of the year.”

Let’s Make a Deal

AOL Acquires Ad Network
Epicenter
AOL has acquired TACODA, an online advertising firm that employs behavioral targeting technology. TACODA has a client base comprised of a number of large players that should allow AOL to significantly extend its advertising reach. Adario Strange notes that the acquisition is the most recent in a series of buy-outs for the former ISP giant. “With all these recent ad solution acquisitions (AdTech AG, Lightningcast, Third Screen Media and Advertising.com) it appears the rumors of AOL’s shuttering may have been greatly exaggerated.”

Nokia Dials Up Twango
Mashable!
Cell phone manufacturer Nokia has purchased the media sharing service Twango for a reported $97 million. Twango, which Om Malik calls a “combo of YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly, Photobucket and Xdrive,” should help Nokia to build more advanced media sharing features into its hardware. Kristen Nicole suggests that this acquisition could change the way people share content. “With the ability to share photos, videos, Twango’s availability in an integrated, cross-platform existence will offer access to friends and their content, as well as a way to organize and manage your own content.”

Computer Manufacturer Calls Out Vista
Compiler
Acer President Gianfranco Lanci is turning heads with complaints that "the whole industry is disappointed with Windows Vista." Lanci, whose gripe centers on system stability, claims that his company has been “inundated” with customer requests for the older XP operating system. Scott Gilbertson suggests that the issue could explode early next year, when consumers will have fewer options. “Lanci’s beef with Vista will take on more significance come January 2008 which is when Microsoft says it will no longer offer Windows XP to resellers, which means users who want to stay on XP will need to pony up for an additional copy to replace a new machine’s pre-installed copy of Vista.”

Privacy Anyone?

Big Day for Browser Privacy
24/7 Wall Street
Yahoo, Microsoft, and Ask have just announced plans to implement stronger browser privacy measures. The latter two are planning a joint project with advocacy groups to develop privacy guidelines for search, while Yahoo is promising to make its search data anonymous after 13 months. Douglas McIntyre suggests that the move is as much a ploy as it is a step towards protecting consumers. “The search functions from Microsoft and Yahoo! do not work as well, so if they can get government and consumer advocates to attack the collection of data by search companies, they may be able to cut Google's edge.”

Security Firm Reveals Major iPhone Flaw
Compiler
Researchers at Independent Security Evaluators have discovered a security flaw in Apple’s iPhone that could allow hackers to gain control over the device. Scot Gilbertson, who highlights a video of the “the attack in action,” is particularly interested by reports that the exploit is linked to the iPhone’s Safari browser. “If the flaw is indeed on the Safari side, it highlights the downside to a phone with a semi-real browser installed on your phone — it’s vulnerable to attack like any other machine.”

Hi5 Makes a Splash
GigaOM
While not nearly as well-known stateside, Hi5’s social network matches the size of Facebook with 30 million members. The company, which does most of its business in Eastern Europe and Latin America, has just brought in $20 million in funding – creating significant buzz among tech bloggers. Om Malik notes that Hi5 is just one of many successful internationally-based networks. “Someone like Google or Yahoo should attempt a large scale consolidation - or at least that is what Hi5’s backers must be hoping for.”

VisualSize Computes 3D Measurements from Photos
TechCrunch
In the near future, VisualSize is expected to launch a service that will calculate the length, angle, area, and volume of objects based on photographs. Michael Arrington suggests that the company’s promise of highly accurate data could drive profits. “It does have commercial value. Home improvements, interior design, general contracting estimates, crime scene investigation, military planning, insurance claim assessments, etc. all need accurate measurements.”

Facebook OS?

Facebook in Acquisition Mode
The Next Net
Facebook has just purchased Parakey, a startup working to bridge the gap between desktops and the Internet. Speculation suggests that this acquisition is part of Facebook’s effort to create a web-based operating system – with help from the Firefox founders that are behind Parakey. Erick Schonfeld believes that this acquisition, a first for Facebook, could be the beginning of an offline presence. “As a result of the Parakey deal, you can imagine that software developers will be able to create Facebook apps with offline components as well.

Google to Bid $4.6 Billion on Spectrum?
Between the Lines
Google is promising to bid at least $4.6 billion on the government’s 700 MHz spectrum auction, if the FCC will agree to enforce “open access” requirements that would allow consumers more choices in the types of applications and devices they can use, and enable third parties to buy unused spectrum at wholesale rates. Larry Dignan likes the idea of having more options as a consumer, but notes that there are downsides to the proposal. Dignan suggests that Google’s strategy could backfire. “Google’s gambit sounds a bit condescending to me. And I could easily see Martin becoming miffed. The letter, made public via a Google release, could be interpreted as if Google is trying to mandate policy–in exchange for a hefty minimum bid.”

Ask’s Eraser to Increase Browser Privacy
Compiler
Ask.com has unveiled plans to launch a new tool that will allow users to block the browser from storing any search information. Scott Gilbertson is clearly impressed, calling the service a “real” solution that compares favorable to Google’s privacy efforts. “With Google under fire for its meaningless cookie policy change, Ask has stepped forward to give searchers a reason to move away from the Googlopoly.”

Congress Targets Google Acquisition

Congress Takes a Closer Look at Google-DoubleClick
Techdirt
Both the Senate and House are planning to hold antitrust hearings on Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick. Techdirt believes that Google should get used to this sort of thing, as these hearings suggest that Big G has grown large enough to be a future target. “This doesn't spell doom for the deal just yet, but it does suggest that politicians are growing wary of Google's power, in the same way they had concerns about Microsoft.”

Micrsoft Reports Strong Earnings
All About Microsoft
Microsoft has revealed that its fiscal year revenue was $51.12 billion, buoyed by strong Vista sales and a better than expected fourth quarter. The tech giant’s impressive showing was hampered by massive charges relating to its XBOX 360 warranty extension, but were in-line with expectations. Mary Jo Foley notes that the report also reveals significant increases in spending. “There were lots of… meaty bits buried in the Microsoft balance sheets — including the cost of rapidly growing headcount across various divisions, as well as the huge expense Microsoft is incurring to build out its datacenters to support its Live strategy.”

Ooma Promises Free Landline Calls
VentureBeat
Ooma has launched a new device that lets users make free calls inside the U.S. using peer-to-peer technology. The company is earning positive reviews from a number of well-known tech bloggers, while others argue that the device’s initial $399 pricetag will scare off consumers. Eric Eldon is a mixture of both – he seems impressed by the technology, but is not so sure that the company can stay afloat. “From the demo version we saw it’s easy to use, [but] on first blush, we see success for this company as a long shot.”

Smile for the Chevy/Google Camera

Google Planning Invasion?
Gizmodo
A fleet of 30 cars, equipped with what some suggest are mounts for Google’s Streetview 360 degree camera, has been spotted in the search king’s parking lot. Naturally, the blogosphere is abuzz with speculation that Google is readying itself to expand its Streetview imagery across the nation and the globe, but Charlie White thinks that is probably still a ways off. “It looks like an auspicious addition to the camera car fleet, but it's going to take more than thirty Chevy Cobalts to take a portrait of the entire Earth, or even of the Silicon Valley. However, with Google's zillions, just about anything's possible.”

SocialMedia Launches App Network
Mashable!
The people behind Root Markets and some of Web 2.0’s most popular widgets have just launched SocialMedia.com, a service designed to be a hub for widget developers interested in monetizing their work. SocialMedia will promote and host applications and widgets, and incorporate them into an ad network that will pay developers 50 percent of the proceeds. Pointing to the track record of SocialMedia’s founders, Pete Cashmore believes that the project can be a success. “This team has all the right people to make it work.”

Yahoo’s Earnings Fail to Inspire
GigaOM
Yahoo’s second quarter earnings were essentially as-expected, but lower than analysts had predicted earlier in the year. Revenue and operating cash flow grew modestly, which Kevin Kelleher suggests is a disappointment given hopes that Panama, Yahoo’s new search advertising platform, would buoy numbers. Kelleher believes that Yahoo is clouded in uncertainty right now, something that could change depending on the success, or failure, of Panama and the company’s new management team. “Not only will Panama continue to prove itself through the rest of the year, but more importantly, a new and unproven management team is steering the company in the post-Semel era.”

Fun With Phones and Search

Google Eyes Mobile Search
TechCrunch
The Wall Street Journal reports that Google is developing a search engine designed specifically for mobile content. The new service will help cell phone users find and purchase ringtones, games, and other content. Duncan Riley argues that this is a “logical step,” but one that could pose a threat to cellular providers. “Where the offering becomes interesting is in the challenge it presents to cellphone operators who profit well from services such as ringtones… I’d find it hard to believe given history so far that mobile operators will allow Google to undermine one of their most lucrative revenue streams without a fight.”

iPhone Applications Pour In
Laughing Squid
A number of businesses and independent developers are focusing their resources on creating iPhone-specific applications in an effort to capitalize on Apple’s wildly popular phone. Several blogs are praising the newly launched FlickIM, a new chat client designed for the iPhone. And Scott Beals is particularly excited by PocketTweets, an application designed for Twitter users on the iPhone. Beals also highlights Leaflets, a group that has created a suite of “really cool” iPhone applications, and suggests that this is just the beginning. “The possibilities are endless as more and more developers dive into the world of iPhone apps.”

Google Custom Search Targets Businesses
Search Engine Land
Google has launched Custom Search Business Edition, a “beefed-up” version of the search king’s integrated search tool. The new service includes improved customization features for search tools tailored for a particular website, including control of look and feel, branding, and advertising space. As Chris Sherman notes, the price of the new offering varies dramatically based on website size. “Google Custom Search Business Edition is available for $100 per year for sites up to 5,000 pages, $500 per year for up to 15,000 pages, and $15,000 or more for sites with a million or more pages.”