Microsoft rushes to fix IE kill-bit bypass attack

Of course real people use a real browser but for those that don't there is a fix coming today. Here is some detail from computerworld on why Microsoft is patching this

Microsoft has been forced to issue emergency patches for its Windows operating system after researchers discovered a way to bypass a critical security mechanism in the Internet Explorer browser.

During a Wednesday talk at this week's Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, researchers Mark Dowd, Ryan Smith and David Dewey will show a way of bypassing the 'kill-bit' mechanism used to disable buggy ActiveX controls. A video demonstration posted by Smith shows how the researchers were able to bypass the mechanism, which checks for ActiveX controls that are not allowed to run on Windows. They were able to then exploit a buggy ActiveX control in order to run an unauthorized program on a victim's computer.

More here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135950/Microsoft_rushes_to_fix_IE_kill_bit_bypass_attack?taxonomyId=17

New IBM Technologies Help Developers Build Safer Software

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new software that takes the complexity out of complex systems development and improves developer productivity. The new offerings allow developers to more easily adhere to protocols, standards and code review to ensure the quality of products before they hit the market.

Complex systems development brings hardware and software components together to create systems such as modern cellular phones and treadmills. Airplanes, space craft, missile defense systems and automobile anti-lock braking systems are also examples of complex systems with more severe consequences if they fail to function properly.

IBM Rational software provides an integrated approach to architecting, building and delivering complex system of systems. IBM software helps customers manage requirements and provide better traceability in systems, develop full systems models, increase predictability and reliability of systems, and improve development team collaboration. With today's announcement, developers of complex systems can better ensure the quality and reliability of complex systems software, while adhering to important industry standards.

Industries, from automotive to aerospace and defense, have long operated under a proprietary set of technologies. With increased competition and software and services driving innovation and differentiating the market, a concentrated push for adopting standards in these industries has been underway for nearly a decade. In some cases, standards are designed to simplify, save money, and capitalize on shrinking markets. In other scenarios, the standards are created to increase reliability, levels of precision and effectiveness, and higher degrees of error free code.

"Undoubtedly the stakes are raised," said Dr. Danny Sabbah, general manager, IBM Rational software. "There is no acceptable margin of error for military defense systems, automobile safety, and space exploration -- and increasingly these customers are turning to IBM to help them make certain that all systems are a go."

The new offerings help developers of complex systems meet specific industry standards to help ensure the quality and reliability of complex real-time and embedded software. This class of software developer faces monumental challenges -- not only getting the job done, but doing so in a manner that doesn't risk lives at the end of the day. The IBM software helps systems developers adhere to protocols, standards and code review -- ensuring that the lines of code they are writing are in line with broader project goals and helping to deliver higher quality final products.

New enhancements in complex systems development

IBM Rational Test Real-Time is a comprehensive testing solution which provides capabilities to help developers meet specific industry standards, such as DO-178B, MISRA and Defense Standard 00-55, and ensure the quality and reliability of real-time and embedded solutions. Unlike other industry offerings, IBM Rational Test Real-Time offers a complete testing solution which incorporates static analysis with component testing and runtime analysis in one product leveraging Eclipse. Additionally, each of these capabilities is available on multiple host and target platforms including C, C++, Ada and Java J2SE.

IBM Rational Systems Developer and IBM Rational Software Modeler are design and development tools that leverage model-driven development with the UML 2.1 for creating well-architected, quality software products and systems. IBM Rational Systems Developer and IBM Rational Software Modeler have been updated to support the new UML Profile for DoDAF and MoDAF (UPDM) standards defined by the Object Management Group (OMG) to describe enterprise architectures in such a way that the architectures can be exchanged, compared and analyzed. IBM Rational Systems Developer and IBM Rational Software Modeler are built on the open, modular, and extensible Eclipse platform.

"It's no secret that software systems are getting more and more complex, even as they are embedded into smaller and smaller devices. The only hope to control this complexity is to move to a model-driven, services-focused approach to software development, deployment & maintenance," said Richard Mark Soley, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO, Object Management Group. "Offerings like IBM Rational Systems Developer make it possible to deliver, support & maintain better software, faster and cheaper. Modeling standards make it possible to deliver high-quality systems over and over in the face of constantly changing requirements and infrastructure; and standards supporting consistent development methodologies like DoDAF/MoDAF in the defense industry lower initial cost, mitigate development risk and lower long-term project maintenance as well."

For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/software/rational/systems

Sun Showcases Next Generation Open Petascale Computing and Storage at Supercomputing 2007

Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA) today announced two new systems designed to address the extreme computation, scale and storage requirements of today's HPC customer. The Sun Constellation System - the world's first open petascale computing environment - combines ultra-dense, high performance compute, networking, storage and software into an integrated general purpose system. Running the Solaris Operating System (OS), Linux and Windows, the Sun Constellation System is capable of scaling from departmental clusters to the largest supercomputer configurations to help customers to solve complex computational problems. The Sun StorageTek 5800 System is designed to help ensure long-term preservation, protection and integrity of massive data stores with extensive metadata facilities.


"With today's announcements, we've designed and are delivering the next big thing – open compute and storage platforms in an extremely scalable architecture that brings the power of industrial grade computing to department level clusters and all the way up to the petaflop environments," said John Fowler, executive vice president, Systems Group, Sun Microsystems.



Sun will demonstrate a range of HPC products, services and solutions from servers to software to file systems to storage and archival tape at the Supercomputing 2007 conference in Reno, NV, as well as the systems announced today:

Sun Constellation System

The Sun Constellation System is the world's most scalable HPC computing architecture based on open standards and industry standard components. Scaling from departmental level clusters to systems capable of petascale level computing, the system features ultra-dense compute nodes, ultra-dense Infiniband switching and high performance storage.

Sun Constellation System comprises the following innovative components, bringing production-ready capabilities to petascale computing:

Sun Blade 6048 Modular System - An ultra dense blade server platform which supports SPARC, AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon processors and runs industry standard OS'es including Solaris and Linux.
Sun Datacenter Switch 3456 - world's first single chassis switch designed for petascale, delivers 12x the capacity of the largest Infiniband switch available today, enables the Sun Constellation System to require 1/6 the number of cables of competitive systems and simplifies the design and management of high performance clusters by reducing the number of Infiniband switching elements by up to 300:1.
High-throughput, high-density storage and high capacity tape archive in a unique end-to-end hierarchical storage solution with automated and seamless transfer supporting optimal placement of data.
New Sun Datacenter Express Services for HPC that can be combined with factory integration services and design through Sun's Customer Ready program provide a comprehensive, all-in-one systems and services solution that takes the cost and complexity out of HPC infrastructure procurement and management.
To learn more about the Sun Constellation System go to: www.sun.com/sunconstellationsystem

The Sun Constellation System will be demonstrated on-stage at the Sun Microsystems booth 514 at 11:00 a.m. PST on both Tuesday, Nov. 13 and Thursday, Nov. 15.

Sun StorageTek 5800 System

The Sun StorageTek 5800 System is a new category of storage system designed for large-scale storage of fixed data. The first commercially available fixed content storage system with a commitment to open source its code, the Sun StorageTek 5800 System helps ensure long-term accessibility to data and delivers simpler deployment and management capabilities than traditional file/block-based storage. The Sun StorageTek 5800 System allows customers to scale seamlessly, saving millions in administrative costs. Designed for long-term preservation and protection of data assets, the system helps protect against data corruption and loss with advanced data integrity functionality and assurances.

Check out the market's positive response to the Sun StorageTek 5800 System: http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/pr/2007-11/sunflash.20071112.2.xml

To learn more about the Sun StorageTek 5800 System: http://www.sun.com/storagetek/disk_systems/enterprise/5800/index.xml

The Sun StorageTek 5800 system will be demonstrated on-stage at the Sun Microsystems booth 514 at 3:00 p.m. PST on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Sun at Supercomputing 2007

For more information on Sun Constellation System and the other innovative products that Sun is showcasing at Supercomputing 2007, including ROCKS on Solaris, Solaris for HPC, the Lustre Parallel File System and the new HPC Developer Community on OpenSolaris.org, visit: www.sun.com/hpc or visit the Sun booths# 514 and #2840 at Supercomputing 2007 for live demonstrations. Sun's Supercomputing 2007 online press kit can be found at: www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/presskits/2007-1112/index.jsp.

ESPN and Microsoft Offer Sporting Events and Programming On Demand for Xbox 360

ESPN and Microsoft Corp. today announced an agreement that will add high- and standard-definition full-length games, television shows and video game programming to Xbox LIVE, the online games and entertainment network on Xbox 360. Effective immediately, fans of all ages can access a growing catalog of marquee sporting events and timely programming, including full-length NCAA college football and basketball games, Summer X Games 13, “World Series of Poker,” “The Contender,” “Madden Nation” and much more on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the leading high-definition video download service.

“Establishing this relationship with Microsoft on Xbox 360 provides an innovative way to reach our target demographic through this dynamic next-generation entertainment console,” said Matt Murphy, senior vice president, Digital Video Distribution, Disney and ESPN Media Networks. “This agreement embodies our mission to deliver the best sports content to fans, and does it through an exciting and robust platform that reaches millions of people.”

Through this agreement, Xbox LIVE users can download a variety of popular events and shows available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace each week, highlighted by the best matchups from the world of college football and basketball.

For video gamers, ESPN content on Xbox LIVE will include the 2006 and 2007 seasons of “Madden Nation,” an ESPN reality series taking fans inside the world of Madden NFL football competitive gaming. Additional programming will include the 2007 “World Series of Poker,” the 2007 season of “The Contender,” the full-length high-definition surfing documentary “Down the Barrel” and some of the best college football bowl games.

“This is a natural fit for us, as so many Xbox 360 owners are huge sports fans,” said Ross Honey, senior director of the media and entertainment group at Microsoft. “We are dedicated to providing our diverse community of Xbox LIVE users the premium entertainment content they want, and partnering with ESPN is a great example of our continued dedication in the video-on-demand space, especially in high definition.”

Currently offering more than 3,200 hours of premium entertainment content from more than 30 studios and networks, Xbox LIVE Marketplace is the only online service offering downloadable movies and TV shows in high definition. More information about the great ESPN content being offered on the service is available at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/marketplace/moviestv/?WT.svl=nav.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company with over 50 business entities. Sports media assets include ESPN on ABC, six domestic cable television networks, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and other growing businesses, including ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Products (wireless), ESPN On Demand, ESPN Interactive and ESPN PPV.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 will have a portfolio of more than 300 games and will be available in nearly 40 countries by the end of 2007. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox LIVE connects millions of members across 25 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, TV shows and movies in the United States as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

Verizon Redefines 'Fast' With Groundbreaking FiOS Internet Service Featuring 20 Mbps Download and Upload Speeds

Verizon has changed the definition of "fast" with the introduction of a new, symmetrical Verizon FiOS Internet service for consumers, featuring an upload and download speed of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps).

The groundbreaking new service - delivered straight to customers' homes on the nation's most-advanced all-digital, all-fiber network - is the first of its kind commercially available to U.S. consumers on a mass scale. It is available, starting today, in parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Verizon plans to offer similar symmetrical services soon in the 13 other states where the company offers FiOS Internet service, and to introduce a similar small-business offer.

"Verizon's new 20/20 FiOS service blows cable away. Their upload speeds don't even come close," said Susan Retta, vice president, Broadband Solutions for Verizon.

"For more than a decade, the Internet has been defined by how quickly you can download content," Retta said. "Our 20/20 FiOS service changes everything by creating an entirely new category of U.S. broadband where 'fast' means fast in both directions. FiOS customers don't have to wait for a new technology standard that's years away to fully participate in today's interactive Web. Our new FiOS service will encourage applications developers to create even more ways for consumers to benefit from immense upstream connectivity."

Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload a 250 megabyte (MB) file of 200 photos in about 90 seconds, compared with about 47 minutes over a 768 kilobits per second (kbps) upstream connection. A 500 MB file, such as 400 digital photos or a medical imaging data set, could upload in less than four minutes, compared with about 90 minutes over a 768 kbps connection. A 3 gigabyte (GB) file, such as a one-hour family video shot with a high-definition video camera, can be uploaded in around 20 minutes, compared with more than nine hours with 768 kbps upstream.

The equally fast upload and download speed of the new symmetrical FiOS service also enhances interactive services like video conferencing, online multi-player gaming, telemedicine, electronic home monitoring, online work collaboration, data backups and more.

"Verizon's new symmetric service is a smart response to the changing usage patterns of high-speed Internet subscribers," said Vince Vittore, senior analyst with Yankee Group. "We believe that as user-generated content continues to expand and telecommuting increases in popularity, upstream speed will become just as important as downstream for all users."

The new FiOS service is available in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for as low as $64.99 a month. Because consumers with ever-growing collections of photos, music, video and other data want to quickly and easily store and protect their files, the symmetrical FiOS service includes a comprehensive Internet security suite plus 1 GB of network-based backup at no additional charge. Customers who subscribe to the new Internet service can upgrade their backup to as much as 50 GB at competitive rates. More information is available by calling 888-GET-FiOS (888-438-3467).

About Verizon's FTTP Network and Verizon FiOS Services

In May 2004 Verizon became the first large U.S. company to launch mass-scale deployment of fiber-optic connections all the way to customers' homes. In addition to offering the fastest broadband speeds available in the United States today, Verizon also became the first major telecom company to utilize a hybrid RF (radio frequency) overlay and IP (Internet protocol) approach to deliver a robust video service to consumers. This provides a highly competitive alternative to services offered by incumbent cable TV companies.

At the end of the second quarter 2007, well over 1 million Verizon customers received their broadband service over Verizon's all-fiber network, and more than half a million customers have subscribed to FiOS TV.

Verizon offers FiOS Internet service in nearly 2,000 communities in 16 states, offering downstream speeds ranging from up to 5 Mbps to up to 50 Mbps and upstream speeds ranging from up to 2 Mbps to up to 20 Mbps. The company's all-digital FiOS TV service was available to nearly 3.9 million premises in 12 states at the end of the second quarter. FiOS TV delivers hundreds of digital video and music channels, high-definition programming, video-on-demand content, a robust interactive program guide and other innovative features.

FiOS Internet was named to the top five of PC World Magazine's 100 Best Products of 2007 - a roster of what the magazine called "the finest products and services of the past 12 months," selected "based on exemplary design, features, performance and innovation." Readers of PC World and Computerworld magazines have recently ranked FiOS Internet No. 1, with top scores across the board in overall satisfaction, connection reliability, download and upload speeds, customer service, and technical support. Additionally, Verizon is the only major telecom company whose network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

Microsoft Research Reveals New Trends in Cybercrime

Microsoft Corp. today released research showing an acceleration in the number of security attacks designed to steal personal information or trick people into providing it through social engineering.

Microsoft’s most recent Security Intelligence Report, a comprehensive analysis of the threat landscape, shows that attackers are increasingly targeting personal information to make a profit and are threatening to impact people’s privacy. The report found that during the first half of 2007, 31.6 million phishing scams were detected, an increase of more than 150 percent over the previous six months. The study also shows a 500 percent increase in trojan downloaders and droppers, malicious code used to install files such as trojans, password stealers, keyboard loggers and other malware on users’ systems. Two notable families of trojans detected and removed by the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool are specifically targeted at stealing data and banking information.

Microsoft also released findings from a recent survey of more than 3,600 security, privacy and marketing executives across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, including financial services, healthcare, technology and government. Conducted by the Ponemon Institute LLC, the study found that as security threats increasingly target personal information, more collaboration among security and privacy officers is critical to avoid costly compromises or breaches of personal information.

The study for the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Group, titled “Microsoft Study on Data Protection and Role Collaboration Within Organizations,” found that organizations with poor collaboration were more than twice as likely as organizations with good collaboration to have suffered a data breach in the past two years.

Ben Fathi, corporate vice president of development for the Windows Core Operating System Division at Microsoft, presented the research in a keynote address to information security professionals at the RSA Conference Europe in London. Scott Charney, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Group, will also share the results in his keynote address at the International Association for Privacy Professionals Privacy Academy in San Francisco later today.

“As a company committed to providing privacy and security solutions for our customers, we will continue to evolve our products, practices and processes as security and privacy become increasingly interdependent and as threats evolve,” Charney said. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution for organizations looking to effectively collaborate and protect data, but we hope this research will be a good resource for companies thinking about how to approach this.”

Security and Privacy Threats Converge Under New Attacks

As more people communicate, access and share information online and the delivery of services and information becomes more personalized, organizations are collecting larger amounts of personal information to provide services to customers. Increasingly, organizations need to share information and conduct business across borders and devices, and with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. For cybercriminals, these factors represent greater opportunities to steal personal information.

“As the security of the operating system improves, we are seeing cybercriminals becoming more sophisticated, diverse and targeted in their methods of stealing personal information,” Fathi said. “Personal information is the currency of crime, and malicious attackers are targeting it to make their cyberattacks and other scams more authentic, credible and successful, and to make a profit.”

Microsoft’s Security Intelligence Report provides customers and partners with a comprehensive understanding of the types of threats Microsoft customers face today so they can take appropriate action to help ensure they are better protected both now and in the future. According to the latest report, released today, during the first half of 2007, there was a growing number of security attacks by trojans, which often target personal information, and an upward trend in the use of malware to compromise the privacy and security of user machines. In that same time period, backdoors, a category that includes bots, posed the most significantly increasing threat to instant messaging users as attackers continue to use them to control systems and violate user privacy.

The Relationship Between Security, Privacy and Data Use Functions

With security threats increasingly posing a greater threat to privacy, data protection requires involvement from several groups within an organization that typically have different objectives and responsibilities. The research conducted by the Ponemon Institute showed that where the collaboration between security and privacy functions is good, the risk of a data breach is lower. Seventy-four percent of companies that admitted to poor collaboration said they had experienced one or more significant data breaches in the last two years. However, only 29 percent of companies that claimed to have good collaboration reported one or more breaches in the same period.

The research indicates there are tensions within organizations over how data should be managed. Security and privacy professionals see customer data as an asset to protect, while in functions such as marketing where personal data is collected and used, employees are more likely to see it as a resource to achieve business objectives. Conversely, representatives from all three functions agree that the theft or loss of customer data has a potentially damaging impact on brand value and organizational reputation.

“A lot of companies are struggling with approaching data protection holistically, because security and privacy people often don’t even speak the same language and often report to different parts of the company,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. “Understanding the issues and getting security, privacy and business leaders together to discuss ways to approach this collaboratively is a good first step for organizations.”

One finding in particular from the survey provides evidence that some organizations struggle to align security, privacy and marketing functions. According to the research, 78 percent of security and privacy executives said they were confident that their marketing colleagues consult them before collecting or using personal information. However, only 30 percent of marketers said they actually do so.

Another key finding from the research found that preserving or enhancing an organization’s reputation and trust is important, especially for marketing professionals. More than 65 percent of marketers who collect and use data reported that preserving or enhancing the organization’s reputation and trust was among the most important business drivers for data protection. Avoiding threats is the top business driver for security professionals, and regulatory compliance is the top driver for privacy and compliance professionals. This finding suggests that when approaching data protection issues with marketers, security and privacy professionals will benefit from communicating the reputation and trust impacts associated with a lack of focus on avoiding threats of managing compliance.

openSUSE 10.3 is Now Available

Novell today announced the availability of openSUSE® 10.3, the newest version of the award-winning community Linux* distribution. Available for free download or in a convenient packaged retail edition, openSUSE 10.3 provides everything a user needs to get started with Linux. To improve the user experience, openSUSE 10.3 includes a flexible Linux-Windows dual-boot configuration, improved user interface, Microsoft* Office file compatibility with the latest OpenOffice.org office productivity suite, and enhanced multimedia support.

“The openSUSE community continues to deliver innovations and has created a new version of openSUSE that will excite a wide range of computer users,” said Andreas Jaeger, director of the openSUSE project. “OpenSUSE 10.3 provides a stable and state-of-the-art operating system based on Linux kernel 2.6.22, and it contains a large variety of the latest open source applications for desktops, servers and application development.”

Enhancements to openSUSE 10.3 include the newest versions of the GNOME* and KDE desktop environments, including a KDE 4 preview. OpenOffice.org 2.3 makes sharing files with Microsoft Office users easy, and the newest version of AppArmor™ protects the Linux operating system and applications from attacks, viruses and malicious applications. OpenSUSE 10.3 also now includes MP3 support out of the box for Banshee™ and Amarok, which are the default media players in openSUSE. In addition, openSUSE 10.3 offers the latest open source applications for developing applications, setting up a home network and running a Web server, as well as the latest virtualization software such as Xen* 3.1 and VirtualBox 1.5.

Version 10.3 makes openSUSE the first Linux distribution to take full advantage of the “1-Click Install” option, which gives openSUSE 10.3 users easy access to many more software packages residing on the openSUSE Build Service. Contributed by a single openSUSE community member, the one-click install is an example of the value openSUSE's strong community of developers, testers, writers, translators, artists and users bring to the distribution. OpenSUSE 10.3 was created by the openSUSE project, the community initiative sponsored by Novell that promotes the use of Linux everywhere. The openSUSE project has more than 54,000 registered members.

Availability and Pricing
OpenSUSE 10.3 is now available for free download at www.opensuse.org. The retail edition of openSUSE 10.3 is available on www.shopnovell.com as well as in select retail locations. It delivers the same packages as the downloadable version on an installable DVD for 32- and 64-bit architectures, and it is accompanied by a second DVD containing a large selection of additional software available at the release date. Also included are a comprehensive user manual and 90 days of installation support, all for a suggested $59.95. For retail locations and more information, visit www.novell.com/products/opensuse/resellers/index.html. For more on openSUSE 10.3 and the openSUSE project, visit www.opensuse.org and news.opensuse.org.

Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ Processors To Play a Lead Role In Lucasfilm's Datacenter

At the launch of the new Quad Core AMD Opteron™ processor at Lucasfilm Ltd.'s Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC) today, AMD (NYSE: AMD) and Lucasfilm announced an expansion of the companies' relationship focused on building the world's most advanced and energy-efficient datacenters for producing digital arts and entertainment. Lucasfilm's global operations at the LDAC and in Singapore are currently powered by AMD Opteron processors to help create and render stunning visual content for dozens of major motion pictures, including the three most recent box office champions, among many others. Lucasfilm also uses AMD technology to create digital content for television programs and next-generation interactive games.

“We look forward to introducing Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors into production here at LDAC. AMD is a great technology partner for Lucasfilm in that they continue to innovate and push the boundaries of energy efficient processing power," said Kevin Clark, Director of IT Operations for Lucasfilm. "We are consistently required to raise the bar by producing cutting edge imagery, and AMD’s Quad Core technology has the potential to make a substantial impact on our capabilities going forward. Coupled with our requirements of high-performance is our desire to become a model of energy efficiency, and this is in lock-step with AMD's focus on delivering powerful yet energy-efficient processors."

With the introduction of the world's first native quad-core server processors, Lucasfilm looks to take advantage of the increased computing performance while maintaining the same thermal and cooling requirements as dual-core AMD Opteron processors.

"The Letterman Digital Arts Center forms the epicenter where next-generation movie-making meets next-generation interactive gaming. No other studio in the world has this capability or charter," said Charlie Boswell, director of Digital Media and Entertainment for AMD. "AMD and Lucasfilm share a vision of enabling the ultimate visual experience for consumers first by providing artists with technology that supports the creative process at the speed of inspiration and without hindrance."

Halo 3 Becomes Fastest-Selling Pre-Ordered Video Game in History, Soaring Past 1 Million Milestone

As the countdown continues for the entertainment event of the year — the launch of “Halo® 3” — the video game continues to set records and establish new precedents for an entertainment launch. Today, Microsoft Corp. announced that preorders in North America for the exclusive Xbox 360™ title have exceeded the 1 million milestone. In addition, Microsoft unveiled the first exciting details of upcoming promotions from leading consumer brands, including Mountain Dew, 7-Eleven, Pontiac, Comcast and Burger King Corp.


In a strategy utilized in other big entertainment launches, retailers around the world have begun taking preorders, enabling consumers to order one of the three versions of “Halo 3”: Standard Edition, Limited Edition and the ultra-collectible Legendary Edition. In fact, demand has been so strong for the Legendary Edition of the game that it is expected to be sold out by the time the game launches on Sept. 25. Retailers have also noted that the presales for “Halo 3” are the fastest in video game history.

“What we’ve experienced is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp. “‘Halo 3’ has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007.”

“The excitement for ‘Halo 3’ is incredible,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. “From our preorders online and the buzz we’re hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We’re thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers.”

For the first time in video game history and on par with the scope of major movie releases, some of the world’s biggest consumer brands have aligned to support the launch. Many plan to offer a variety of promotions that give consumers the opportunity to obtain unique “Halo 3”-branded products and prizes and participate in one-of-a-kind “Halo 3”-themed events.

“This September, ‘Halo 3’ will push video game entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture,” said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. “Teaming up with some of the world’s strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to ‘Halo 3.’”

Mountain Dew will unveil the first beverage co-branded with a video game, Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Game Fuel has the same great taste of Mountain Dew with an invigorating blast of citrus cherry flavor and added caffeine for maximum intensity. Game Fuel will come in 20-ounce bottles, 2-liter bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and will be available nationwide for a limited time starting Aug. 13, 2007.

7-Eleven today confirmed its plans to support the launch of “Halo 3” through a variety of in-store promotions, including three “Halo 3”-branded collectible Slurpee cups. In addition,7-Eleven will run a “Halo 3” promotion with Mountain Dew Game Fuel and Doritos, with thousands of “Halo 3”-themed prizes, including, as grand prize, a chance to win a role as a voice actor in the upcoming Xbox 360 video game, “Halo Wars™,” by Ensemble Studios. In a few select markets, Mountain Dew will offer a special-edition aluminum bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel with an exclusive design created by Bungie Studios, the developers of “Halo 3.” This bottle will be available in very limited quantities, making it a highly sought-after collector’s item.

Pontiac will provide consumers with several exclusive “Halo 3”-related opportunities. It will host Pontiac Gamers Garage events in select locations, providing consumers with a chance to play the game for the first time before its release. In addition, in support of the launch of its upcoming high-performance G6 GXP Street, Pontiac will provide 1,000 consumers with a copy of the game, and one lucky gamer will win a limited-edition “Halo 3” G6 GXP Street car.

Burger King Corp. will continue its sponsorship of Xbox 360 with national, in-restaurant support from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22. “Halo 3”-themed packaging will offer customers access to exclusive content by logging on to http://www.bk.com/halo3 beginning Sept. 23. Graphics will be featured on select packaging, including the 42-ounce cup and King FRYPOD™.

Comcast has also joined the “Halo 3” campaign and will host exclusive video content, including user-generated movies and machinima, on its Web sites http://gameinvasion.net and http://www.ziddio.com. Comcast will also feature standard- and high-definition “Halo 3” videos on its signature ON DEMAND service.

“Halo 3” is also the official sponsor of the Projekt Revolution tour this summer, which includes bands Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. Exclusive “Halo 3” VIP events will take place in select cities on the tour, where attendees will receive “Halo 3”-themed merchandise and have an opportunity to meet the members of Linkin Park.

More About Halo

“Halo 3,” the final chapter in the groundbreaking “Halo” trilogy, is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25. Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios and exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, “Halo 3” will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in the epic battle of Master Chief™ to save humankind.

In November 2004, the world’s view of video games changed forever with the release of “Halo 2,” which generated a record-setting $125 million (U.S.) in sales within the first 24 hours and changed the way people think about interactive entertainment. Three years later, it remains the most-played game on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE® online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly 1 billion hours of online gaming logged to date.

About Bungie Studios


Bungie Studios was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and then sell enough of those games to achieve its real goal of total world domination. Over the past 10 years it has produced games such as the “Marathon Trilogy” and the first two “Myth” games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. Bungie’s “Halo” franchise is an international award-winning action title that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.8 million units worldwide, logging nearly 1 billion hours of multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE, and spawning action figures, books, a graphic novel, apparel and more. Bungie is currently at work on “Halo 3,” which represents the third chapter in this “Halo” trilogy and is slated for release in 2007. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.bungie.net.

About Microsoft Game Studios

Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® and Xbox 360 video game systems, the Windows® operating system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games), including such franchises as “Age of Empires®,” “Flight Simulator” and “Zoo Tycoon®”; Xbox and Xbox 360 (http://www.xbox.com), including such games as “Gears of War” and franchises such as “Halo,” “Fable®,” “Project Gotham Racing®” and “Forza Motorsport®”; and MSN® Games (http://www.games.msn.com), the official games channel for the MSN network and home to such hits as “Bejeweled” and “Hexic®.”

Pre order now!
Halo 3
Halo 3 Limited Edition
Halo 3 Legendary Edition

Time Warner and IBM Enter Patent Cross-License Agreement

Time Warner Inc. and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that the companies have entered into a long-term patent cross-license agreement. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Patent cross-licenses support one of the basic reasons for granting patents -- sharing information about new inventions -- and give companies greater freedom to innovate.
According to Chuck Fish, vice president and patent counsel at Time Warner, "Time Warner recognizes IBM's record of sustained innovation. A license to IBM's broad portfolio of patents is a valuable asset for Time Warner."

Dan Cerutti, IBM's general manager of software intellectual property, said, "IBM and Time Warner have rich histories of pioneering innovation in online and networked systems dating back to before the development of the World Wide Web. We are pleased to be able to share our innovations through a patent cross-license."

Time Warner is a leading media and entertainment company, whose businesses include interactive services, cable systems, filmed entertainment, television networks and publishing.

IBM has earned the most U.S. patents for 14 consecutive years and is the world's largest holder of U.S. patents. The company has a strong global focus on the media and entertainment industry across all of its services and products, serving all the major industry segments -- entertainment, publishing, information providers, media networks and advertising. For more information on IBM, please visit www.ibm.com.

YSlow: Speed up your web pages

YSlow analyzes web pages and tells you why they're slow based on the rules for high performance web sites. YSlow is a Firefox add-on integrated with the popular Firebug web development tool. YSlow gives you:
Performance report card
HTTP/HTML summary
List of components in the page
Tools including JSLint

Learn more and download YSlow here: http://developer.yahoo.com/yslow/

Intel Joins One Laptop Per Child

Intel and One Laptop per Child (OLPC) today announced they have agreed to work together to bring the benefits of technology to the developing world through synergy of their respective programs. Under the agreement, Intel and OLPC will explore collaborations involving technology and educational content. Intel will also join the board of OLPC.

OLPC is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to bring learning opportunities to the most remote and poorest children of the world by providing connected, low-cost and rugged laptops to each and every child in their daily lives.

"Intel joins the OLPC board as a world leader in technology, helping reach the world's children. Collaboration with Intel means that the maximum number of laptops will reach children," said Nicholas Negroponte, founder of One Laptop per Child.

"Joining OLPC is a further example of our commitment to education over the last 20 years and our belief in the role of technology in bringing the opportunities of the 21st century to children around the world," said Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel.

Intel currently invests more than $100 million per year in over 50 countries to promote education, including efforts through the Intel Foundation, and has been developing products for the educational marketplace. Intel's focus on education for emerging markets is part of the Intel World Ahead program, the company's comprehensive approach to bring technology to everyone, anywhere in the world.

About One Laptop per Child
One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-profit organization created to design, manufacture, and distribute laptops that are sufficiently inexpensive to provide every child in the world access to knowledge and modern forms of education. The laptops will be sold to governments and issued to children by schools on a basis of one laptop per child. These machines will be rugged, Linux-based, and so energy efficient that hand-cranking alone will generate sufficient power for operation. Mesh networking will give many machines Internet access from one connection.

OLPC is based on constructionist theories of learning pioneered by Seymour Papert and later Alan Kay, as well as the principles expressed in Nicholas Negroponte's Being Digital. The corporate members are AMD, Brightstar, Chi Lin, eBay, Google, Intel, Marvell, News Corporation, Nortel Networks, Quanta Computer, Red Hat and SES Astra. More information is available at www.laptop.org.

VMware And Intel Capital Announce Investment

VMware, Inc., the global leader in software for virtualization solutions today announced that Intel Corporation, through its global investment arm, Intel Capital has agreed to become an investor in VMware. VMware's base virtualization platform virtualizes the Intel architecture. Intel microprocessors comprise the majority of the systems on which VMware's virtualization products are deployed.

Intel Capital will invest $218.5 million in VMware's Class A common stock subject to customary regulatory and other closing conditions including Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) review. At the completion of VMware's planned initial public offering and upon closing of the investment, Intel will own approximately 2.5 percent of VMware's total outstanding common stock (less than one percent of the combined voting power of VMware's outstanding common stock). Pursuant to the investment, an Intel executive is expected to be appointed to the VMware Board of Directors.

Intel's investment is intended to foster strengthened inter-company collaboration towards accelerating VMware virtualization product adoption on Intel architecture and reinforcing the value of virtualization technology for customers.

In addition, VMware and Intel have entered into a routine and customary collaboration partnering agreement that expresses their intent to continue to expand their cooperative efforts around joint development, marketing and industry initiatives.

About VMware, Inc.
VMware, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC), is the global leader in virtual infrastructure software for industry-standard systems. The world's largest companies use VMware solutions to simplify their IT, fully leverage their existing computing investments and respond faster to changing business demands. VMware is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit www.VMware.com.

About Intel
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

half of the people who bought iPhones have had activation trouble

Thomas Hawk writes

"Unfortunately it appears that some activations of Apple's new iPhone have gone
badly. After waiting in line 36 hours I'm still unable to activate my phone. I'm documenting
the AT&T circus call by call on my blog. I've had my hold calls dropped,
been patched into other users unable to activate their phone instead of AT&T
customer service reps, been told that my wife must get a new phone and that the
family plan can't work for me. I've been told that the problem is that I'm not
putting a new chip into my iPhone in the slot on the left side of my phone when
no slot there exists. PR Blogger Steve Rubel has also been documenting his problems on his
Twitterstream. According to an unscientific poll being conducted by Engadget about
half of the people who bought iPhones have had activation trouble with about
38% of problems still unresolved."

Sun Donates High Availability Cluster Code to the Open Source Community, Enables Accelerated Innovation In Scale Out Architectures

Sun Microsystems, Inc., (NASDAQ: SUNW), announced it will release the Solaris Cluster source code through the HA (High Availability) Clusters community on the OpenSolaris community. For the first time, developers will be able to participate in the evolution of the software itself, as well as leverage the open source cluster technology to develop and support highly available application services.


"Sun is releasing this code to the community to accelerate innovation around clustered solutions, in a world moving quickly to scale-out architectures. When applied to Solaris or other technologies, the Solaris clustering code is a great base to support clustered and HA systems innovation throughout the community," said Rich Green, executive vice president, Software, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "The Open HA Cluster code allows open source developers to use the same Solaris HA infrastructure that powers enterprises' most mission critical applications with their open source and network facing applications and services."

Sun's first contributions are application modules, or agents, which enable open source or commercially available applications to become highly available in a cluster environment.

The Open HA Cluster code will be made available in three phases, beginning at the end of June and continuing over the next 18 months. In the first phase of Open HA Cluster, Sun will deliver code for most of the high availability agents offered with the Solaris Cluster product. Solaris Cluster's high availability agents allow developers to cluster-enable applications to run as either scalable or failover services. Sun is also making available the source code for the Solaris Cluster Automated Test Environment (SCATE) along with agent related documentation, to assist in testing new agents. The test framework and first test suite will be contributed at the end of June 2007. Among these agents are the Solaris Containers agent, the BEA Weblogic agent, and PostgreSQL.

Agents written using Open HA Cluster will also run on Solaris Cluster version 3.2 on the Solaris 10 OS. Subsequent phases of Open HA Cluster will include delivery of the code for the recently released Solaris Cluster Geographic Edition - software that enables multi-site disaster recovery by managing the availability of application services and data across geographically dispersed clusters. Later, Sun will release the code for the core Solaris Cluster infrastructure, again with SCATE infrastructure tests and documentation.

To learn more about Open High Availability Cluster and the HA Clusters community on OpenSolaris, and to review a complete list of the high availability agents offered with the Solaris Cluster product, please visit: http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/ha-clusters/

In the two years since Sun first opened the source code of the Solaris software development build, the OpenSolaris project community has grown worldwide. More about the achievements of the OpenSolaris community can be found at http://blogs.sun.com/jimgris/entry/opensolaris_at_two

Sun offers a tiered set of support services for its software offerings, ranging from single incident to comprehensive developer plans. In addition, with a broad portfolio of training and certification offerings, developers can enhance their skillsets to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies. To learn more, please visit http://developers.sun.com/services

Apple and AT&T Announce iTunes Activation and Sync for iPhone

Apple® and AT&T Inc. today announced that iPhone™ users will be able to activate their new iPhones using Apple’s popular iTunes® software running on a PC or Mac® computer in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated. Activating iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to choose their service plan, authorize their credit and activate their iPhone. Once iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts, TV shows and movies just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.

“Users will be able to activate their new iPhone in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “There are tens of millions of people in the US who already know how to sync their iPods with iTunes, and syncing their new iPhone with iTunes works the same way.”

“iPhone’s user-driven activation is another example of how AT&T and Apple have partnered to bring innovative new features to our customers,” said Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO, AT&T. “iPhone’s innovative activation and sync is just one example of how this is going to be a real industry game-changer.”

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. iPhone combines three products into one small and lightweight handheld device—a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the Internet in your pocket with best-ever applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and maps. iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone goes on sale at 6:00 p.m. (local time) on Friday, June 29 and will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores and AT&T retail stores. iPhone will be available in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac.

System Requirements
iPhone activation requires an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a major credit card; a valid Social Security number (as required by AT&T); the latest version of iTunes available at www.itunes.com and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS® X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition. iPhone requires a new two-year AT&T service plan. Customers with existing AT&T accounts will have the option of keeping their existing phone number and upgrading their account to work with iPhone.

AT&T and Apple Announce Simple, Affordable Service Plans for iPhone

AT&T Inc. and Apple® today announced three simple, affordable service plans for iPhone™ which start at just $59.99 per month. All three plans include unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS text messages, roll-over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. With everything else already included, iPhone customers can easily choose the plan that’s right for them based on the amount of voice minutes they plan to use each month. In addition, iPhone customers can choose from any of AT&T’s standard service plans.

“AT&T has the largest voice and data network in America, the largest mobile-to-mobile calling community and the fewest dropped calls,” said Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO, AT&T. “AT&T has invested more than 16 billion dollars in its wireless network between 2005 and 2007, and iPhone customers will enjoy the best voice and data network in the nation.”

“We want to make choosing a service plan simple and easy, so every plan includes unlimited data with direct Internet access, along with Visual Voicemail and a host of other goodies,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of iPhone’s revolutionary features at affordable and competitive prices.”

All iPhone plans include Visual Voicemail, an industry first, which allows consumers to see a listing of their voicemails, decide which messages to listen to, then go directly to those messages without listening to previous messages. Just like email, Visual Voicemail on iPhone enables users to immediately and randomly access the messages that interest them most. Unlike most wireless plans that charge additional fees for new features, there are no additional fees for Visual Voicemail.

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. iPhone combines three products into one small and lightweight handheld device—a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod®, and the Internet in your pocket with best-ever applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and maps. iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone goes on sale at 6:00 p.m. (local time) on Friday, June 29 and will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores and AT&T retail stores. iPhone will be available in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac®. All iPhone monthly service plans are available for individuals and families and are based on a new two-year service agreement with AT&T. Individual plans are priced at $59.99 for 450 minutes, $79.99 for 900 minutes and $99.99 for 1,350 minutes. All plans include unlimited data (email and web), Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS text messages, roll over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile and a one-time activation fee of $36. Family plans are also available.





About AT&T
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com

About Apple
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and will enter the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.

Yahoo! Co-Founder Jerry Yang Named Chief Executive Officer

Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), a leading global Internet company, today announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Jerry Yang, Yahoo! co-founder and long-time board member, as Chief Executive Officer. Terry Semel, current Yahoo! Chairman and CEO, will assume the position of non-executive Chairman and serve as an advisor and important resource for the company's senior management team, while also working closely with the Board. The Board also named Susan Decker, formerly Executive Vice President and Head of Advertiser and Publisher Group, as President of the company.

Terry Semel said, "The Board and I have long talked about the importance of ensuring a smooth succession in Yahoo!'s senior leadership – and more recently, about the need for a leadership team committed to carrying Yahoo! through its multi-year transformation. As we discussed my future goals and plans, I was clear in telling the Board of my desire to take a step back sooner rather than later. I believe Jerry and Sue, with their superb talents and intense dedication to Yahoo! and its people, are the perfect combination to carry us forward. This is the time for new executive leadership, with different skills and strengths, to step in and drive the company to realize its full potential – it is the right thing to do, and the right time is now."

Semel continued, "Jerry and Sue will make an unbeatable team. Jerry has long been recognized as an Internet visionary. His incredible experience and close involvement since founding the company 12 years ago have given him tremendous strategic, technical and industry insight as well as unparalleled knowledge and understanding of Yahoo! and its great potential. We are equally fortunate to have Sue Decker, one of the most talented executives in the industry, as our new President. Sue has played a broad and important role in driving our strategy over the years, and has shown even greater skills and leadership with the success she's had in taking on more operating responsibilities. Both Jerry and Sue have been great partners to me and I am looking forward to collaborating with and supporting them both, as well as the Board, in any way that I can as Chairman. I'm proud of all that we've accomplished over the past six years during this exciting, still early stage of the Internet's development, and my single goal is to ensure that Yahoo! achieves its full potential."

Director Ed Kozel, speaking on behalf of the Board, said, "The entire Board appreciates the vital role Terry has played in making Yahoo! the Internet leader it is today. After joining the company in 2001, Terry helped refocus Yahoo! on key strategic priorities and execute clear plans for growth, while building and acquiring world-class products and properties. Under his leadership, we have delivered great value to Yahoo!'s users, advertisers and shareholders – increasing our revenues nearly nine-fold since 2001 to $6.4 billion for 2006, boosting our operating income from a loss in 2001 to nearly $1 billion last year, and creating more than $30 billion in shareholder value during his tenure. We've also built our industry-leading audience from 170 million users in 2001 to more than 500 million this year, and significantly expanded our strong and talented employee base from 3,500 to 12,000. All of us on the Board and throughout the company thank Terry for his many contributions over the years and for his willingness to stay on to assist Jerry, Sue and the Board as we drive Yahoo! forward."

Kozel continued, "We believe there is no better person in the world to run Yahoo! now than our visionary co-founder Jerry Yang, who has helped build and run this company over the past 12 years. Jerry provides phenomenal strategic, technical, product and market leadership, has developed important relationships with major business partners, and has defined and nurtured Yahoo!'s unique, winning culture. As the public face of Yahoo!, Jerry has been instrumental in attracting world-class talent to the company at all levels. In our new President Sue Decker, Jerry has the perfect partner. Sue was an outstanding CFO, has played a key strategic role as part of our senior management team, and in her growing operational role, has had enormous success as well. We are confident we have the right team in place to realize the enormous opportunities ahead."

Jerry Yang said, "I'm delighted to assume this leadership role at the company David Filo and I started 12 years ago. I want to thank Terry for his many contributions to Yahoo! and for giving the company six of its best years. He has been not only a strong leader, but a consummate partner. And, Sue and I look forward to working with him to build on our firm foundation for future success and improved financial performance. Sue has been an integral part of the management team and knows the company incredibly well. She has demonstrated her ability to build successful teams, drive critical partnerships, and lead some of our most important business initiatives. And she has proved herself to be adept in an increasingly broad range of complex operational responsibilities.

"I am very excited to be leading our exceptional team of 12,000 Yahoo!'s around the world," Yang continued. "It's an honor and a great responsibility, and I look forward to the challenge. My immediate and overarching priorities are to realize Yahoo!'s strategic vision by accelerating execution, further strengthening our leadership team and fostering an even stronger culture of winning."

Sue Decker said, "It is an incredibly important time for Yahoo! and I am thrilled to be partnering with Jerry to execute on our strategic vision. We have a terrific opportunity to build upon the benefits that we are already realizing from the recent reorganization around our core customers: hundreds of millions of users, hundreds of thousands of advertisers, and tens of thousands of publishers all over the world. It has been a great privilege to work with and learn from Terry and his leadership team over the past six years and that foundation will serve us well as we focus on the great opportunities and challenges ahead."

As part of this management change, Sue will assume leadership of Yahoo!'s business operations, which include the Advertiser and Publisher Group along with the Yahoo! Network, Connected Life, and our International operations. The Technology Group as well as all Corporate Functions will report to Jerry. David Filo will continue to play an important role in our management team by overseeing the company's strong technology organization as Yahoo! searches for a new Chief Technology Officer.

Because Mr. Semel resigned as CEO and will continue on as non-executive Chairman, the Company said there will be no separation agreement with him.


Analyst Conference Call

Yahoo! will host an analyst conference call to discuss the management changes at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time today. A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed through the Company's Investor Relations website at http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/index.cfm. In addition, an archive of the webcast can be accessed through the same link. An audio replay of the call will be available following the conference call by dialing (888) 286-8010 (Primary) or (617) 801-6888 (International), reservation number: 14345291.

About Jerry Yang

Jerry Yang co-created the Yahoo! Internet navigational guide in April 1994 with David Filo and co-founded Yahoo! Inc. in April 1995. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company in June 2007. Mr. Yang, a leading force in the Internet media industry, has been instrumental in building Yahoo! into the world's most highly trafficked Web site and one of the world's most recognized brands. Since the company's founding, Mr. Yang has been a key member of the executive management team. His focus at Yahoo! over the years has included corporate strategy, Yahoo!'s technology vision, strategic business partnerships and international joint ventures, and recruiting key talent. In addition to serving on the Yahoo! Board of Directors, Mr. Yang also currently serves on the boards of Cisco Systems, Yahoo! Japan, and Alibaba, and is a member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees. Mr. Yang holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University and is currently on a leave of absence from Stanford's electrical engineering Ph.D. program.

About Susan Decker

Sue Decker, most recently head of Yahoo!'s Advertiser and Publisher Group and previously Chief Financial Officer, was instrumental in developing the Company's recent reorganization plan and strategy. She also played a leading role in two of the Company's key strategic initiatives announced in 2006, the formation of a strategic partnership with eBay making Yahoo! the exclusive provider of graphical advertising and complementary search advertising on eBay's U.S. website; and the formation of a strategic partnership with a consortium of more than 150 daily U.S. newspapers to deliver search, display and classified advertising to consumers in the communities where they live and work. Prior to joining Yahoo! in June 2000, Ms. Decker was with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette for 14 years - most recently as the global director of equity research. She currently serves on the board of directors for Berkshire Hathaway, Intel Corporation and Costco Wholesale. Ms. Decker holds a bachelor of science degree from Tufts University and a master of business administration degree from Harvard Business School.

iPhone Delivers Up to Eight Hours of Talk Time

Apple® today announced that iPhone™ will deliver significantly longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when iPhone was unveiled in January. iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback.* In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours—more than 10 days—of standby time. Apple also announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its stunning 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity.

“With 8 hours of talk time, and 24 hours of audio playback, iPhone’s battery life is longer than any other ‘Smartphone’ and even longer than most MP3 players,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve also upgraded iPhone’s entire top surface from plastic to optical-quality glass for superior scratch resistance and clarity. There has never been a phone like iPhone, and we can't wait to get this truly magical product into the hands of customers starting just 11 days from today.”

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. iPhone combines three products into one small and lightweight handheld device—a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the Internet in your pocket with best-ever applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and maps. iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones.

Pricing and Availability
iPhone will be available in the US on June 29, 2007 in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac®. iPhone will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores, and through AT&T’s select retail stores.

*All Battery claims are dependent upon network configuration and many other factors; actual results may vary. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; actual capacity varies by content.

IBM and Red Hat Achieve Highest Security Certification for Linux on IBM Servers

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Red Hat (NYSE: RHT), the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced a new security certification for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 that is expected to further drive the adoption of Linux among businesses and governments worldwide. With the certification, no mainstream operating system in the world offers a higher level of security certification.

Today's announcement confirms that Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM servers now meets government security standards allowing Linux to be used in homeland security projects, command-and-control operations, and throughout government agencies that previously were limited to a select few other operating systems. This latest certification ensures that Red Hat Enterprise Linux running on IBM servers is now second to none in security among mainstream operating systems.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM systems, supporting applications such as those developed by Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc., a leading supplier of cross domain solutions for industry and government, has been approved by the National Information Assurance Partnership for Common Criteria Evaluation & Validation Scheme at Evaluation Assurance Level 4 (EAL4+) for Labeled Security Protection Profile (LSPP), Controlled Access Protection Profile (CAPP), and Role-Based Access Control Protection Profile (RBAC).

This marks the first Common Criteria certification for a Linux distribution at this globally recognized advanced level of security and assurance, which means Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM systems now meets government security standards for assured information sharing within and across government agencies. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is now positioned to provide best-of-breed security capabilities for commercial operating systems, offering government agencies and businesses alike an unprecedented choice for secure applications.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, which was released for general availability earlier this year, contains kernel and Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux) policy features developed through a significant open community effort with IBM, and the participation from other key contributors, including Red Hat, Trusted Computer Solutions, and federal government representatives.

"NSA is pleased that the work of its research organization in the area of secure computing is being used as the foundation for secure solutions in the open community," said Richard Mathews, Chief of NSA's National Information Assurance Research Laboratory. "We are committed to focusing on new technology research and promoting transfer of those technologies to the private sector to improve assurance of NIAP certified commercial products."

The Common Criteria is an internationally recognized set of standards used by the federal government and other organizations to assess the security and assurance of technology products. Under Common Criteria, products are evaluated against strict standards for various features, such as the development environment, security functionality, the handling of security vulnerabilities, security related documentation and product testing.

Wide Range of Choice for Linux Solutions

IBM and Red Hat have collaborated to ensure certification of RHEL 5 on multiple platforms to maximize choice and value for customers. RHEL 5 is certified on several IBM server brands, including System x, System p, System z, and BladeCenter. IBM's server product line offers customers industry-leading performance together with application flexibility, solution choice, and outstanding scalability, reliability and security.

"Today's announcement marks another significant milestone in the evolution of Linux, which is already established as a true enterprise-class system that routinely handles mission-critical applications," said Dave McQueeney, IBM Vice President, U.S. Federal. "In our federal government environment, we have the additional requirement for certifications to confirm the integrity of software for the most sensitive applications. We all recognize that Linux is a rock-solid system, with a vibrant and innovative development community, eclipsing many other offerings in common use across federal. Now, by achieving EAL4+ with multilevel security capability, we have further confirmation of the robustness and trustworthiness of Linux, and we expect its impact across federal to accelerate rapidly."

"Systems security is top of mind for enterprise customers, and especially in the government sector," said Paul Cormier Executive Vice President of Engineering at Red Hat. "Red Hat, IBM and TCS have partnered for years to ensure that Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a leading distribution that customers can trust with their most critical and private data."

About IBM

For more information on IBM and Linux, please visit www.ibm.com/linux

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat, the world's leading open source solutions provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with over 50 satellite offices spanning the globe. CIOs have ranked Red Hat first for value in Enterprise Software for three consecutive years in the CIO Insight Magazine Vendor Value study. Red Hat provides high-quality, low-cost technology with its operating system platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, together with applications, management and Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) solutions, including the JBoss Enterprise Middleware Suite. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com

Safari for Windows Public Beta Downloads Top 1 Million in First 48 Hours

Apple® today announced that more than 1 million copies of Safari™ for Windows were downloaded in the first 48 hours since the free public beta was made available on Monday. Safari 3 is the world’s fastest and easiest-to-use browser, and is available as a free download at www.apple.com/safari

Safari 3 is the fastest browser running on Windows, rendering web pages up to twice as fast as IE 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2, based on the industry standard iBench tests.* Safari 3 supports all modern Internet standards including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SVG and Java. Safari updates are delivered seamlessly through Apple’s Software Update, and the first update for Safari for Windows Public Beta which fixes some early reported bugs was released last night.

Safari 3 for Windows requires Windows XP or Windows Vista, a minimum of 256 MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor.

*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. Testing conducted on an iMac 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Windows XP, with 1GB of RAM.

Groundbreaking Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta Concludes; Official Countdown for Launch of Game Begins

The countdown has begun for the biggest entertainment event of 2007 with the close of Bungie Studios’ massively successful “Halo® 3” multiplayer beta. A first for the acclaimed “Halo” franchise, the limited public beta was an overwhelming success, seeing more than 820,000 unique participants and more than 12 million hours of online gameplay in its short test period, equivalent to more than 1,400 years of continuous play by one person.

Now that the beta has closed, consumers worldwide can gear up for the game’s release with a variety of new merchandise, including two new Xbox 360™ Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Controllers designed by Spawn and McFarlane Toys creator Todd McFarlane, as well as an Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Headset, which lets gamers talk with friends over Xbox LIVE®. The controllers and headset will be available starting in early September and can be preordered at select retailers today, allowing “Halo” fans everywhere to prepare for the launch of this year’s biggest game.

“The participation in the ‘Halo 3’ beta was staggering,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Witnessing such a great reaction to a small portion of the game has been inspiring. It’s a testament to the fervor and anticipation that surrounds ‘Halo 3.’ We’re confident that on Sept. 25 Halo 3 will drive an unprecedented wave of new gamers to the Xbox 360 platform and Xbox LIVE.”

The “Halo 3” beta, an early look at parts of the multiplayer gameplay of “Halo 3,” debuted to Xbox 360 owners worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16. The more than 820,000 users who played the beta resulted in more than 350 terabytes of data downloaded from Xbox LIVE, equivalent to more than 82 million digital music downloads from the Internet.* Also telling was the players’ response to an exciting new saved-film feature, which provided them with the unprecedented ability to record their games and share them over Xbox LIVE with friends for the first time on Xbox 360. The feature, which was unveiled in the beta, saw more than 580,000 saved films created by users, representing more than 2.7 terabytes of data. Because of the tremendous participation in the beta, Bungie now has an exhaustive amount of data that will be used to improve the overall game experience.

Fans looking to immerse themselves in the “Halo” universe before the game’s epic launch this September will be able to dive into “Halo” through a variety of new merchandise and accessories:


• Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Controllers. Two new Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Controllers will be available starting Sept. 18 and can be preordered today at select retailers. Designed with original artwork by legendary Spawn artist Todd McFarlane, they will be available in either the Covenant Brute or Master Chief themes. Each controller will be packaged with a limited edition “Halo 3” collectible figurine created by McFarlane Toys will sell for an estimated retail price $59.99 (U.S.).

• Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 3” Wireless Headset. For the “Halo 3” enthusiast who enjoys wireless mobility while playing with friends on Xbox LIVE, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Headset will sport the Spartan green and gold and provide high-quality voice connections over Xbox LIVE for an estimated retail price of $59.99 (U.S.). Available in early September, this accessory can be preordered today at select retailers.

• “Halo: Contact Harvest.” “Halo” fans can look forward to the latest book in the “Halo” saga, “Halo: Contact Harvest,” published by Tor Books and due Oct. 2, 2007. Written by Joseph Staten, the Bungie Studios cinematic and writing lead for the first two “Halo” games, the newest piece of fiction precedes the current New York Times’ best-selling book series, telling the tale of the first encounters between UNSC forces and the alien Covenant race that threatens to destroy all humanity. The trade paperback will cost $12.95 (U.S.).

• Marvel Comic miniseries. Bungie Studios has teamed up with Marvel Comics to release the monthly miniseries “Halo: Uprising.” The four-issue miniseries, featuring original storylines and artwork from the Eisner Award-winning team of superscribe Brian Michael Bendis and artist extraordinaire Alex Maleev, will launch with issue one on July 25, 2007 and cost $3.99 (U.S.) per issue.

• Zune™-Halo 3 edition. Encased in collectible packaging, the Zune-Halo 3 edition digital media player comes preloaded with artwork, trailers and music from all three “Halo” games, as well as an exclusive new episode of “Red vs. Blue” from the fan-adored machinima creator Rooster Teeth Productions LLC. The Zune-Halo 3 edition will be available exclusively at GameStop starting June 15 for an estimated retail price of $249 (U.S.).

About Bungie Studios
Bungie Studios was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and then sell enough of those games to achieve its real goal of total world domination. Over the past 10 years it has produced games such as the “Marathon Trilogy” and the first two “Myth” games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. Bungie’s “Halo” franchise is an international award-winning action title that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.7 million units worldwide, logging nearly 1 billion hours of multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE, and spawning action figures, books, a graphic novel, apparel and more. Bungie is currently at work on “Halo 3,” which represents the third chapter in this “Halo” trilogy and is slated for release in 2007. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.bungie.net.

About Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® and Xbox 360 video game systems, the Windows® operating system and online
platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games), including such franchises as “Age of Empires®,” “Flight Simulator” and “Zoo Tycoon®”; Xbox and Xbox 360 (http://www.xbox.com), including such games as “Gears of War” and franchises such as “Halo,” “Fable®,” “Project Gotham Racing®” and “Forza Motorsport®”; and MSN® Games (http://www.games.msn.com), the official games channel for the MSN network and home to such hits as “Bejeweled” and “Hexic®.”

SUNW: Sun Tunes Solaris Express Developer Edition for Enhanced Multicore Development

Sun Microsystems, Inc., (NASDAQ: SUNW), today announced new functionality for Solaris Express Developer Edition, including new compilers and development tools, to help application developers create better applications faster. The OpenSolaris-based distribution offers developers for the Solaris Operating System (OS), Java platform, and Web 2.0 applications a new set of products which are optimized for the newest multicore architectures. Solaris Express Developer Edition was created using the most current OpenSolaris community source code contributions and includes Sun Studio 12 software to accelerate application performance by parallelizing C, C++, and Fortran applications.


"Software developers increasingly demand innovative platforms and tools to allow their applications to take maximum advantage of multi-core chip architectures, such as the market-leading 32-thread Sun UltraSPARC T1. The new threading tools and compiler optimizations in Sun Studio 12 provide an advanced suite of tools and libraries that ease the development of applications on the newest multi-core SPARC and x86-based systems," said Marc Hamilton, vice president of Solaris marketing for Sun. "Coupled with the advantages of the underlying platform, the Solaris OS provides leadership in the development and deployment of next generation multicore applications."

The new release of Solaris Express Developer Edition offers a modern GNOME-based desktop including Mozilla Firefox 2.0, Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0 beta 2, and StarOffice 8 update 6 software. In addition, this update includes NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE) 5.5 for the development of desktop, web, and enterprise Java applications. Sun Studio 12 includes auto parallelizing compilers and support for the OpenMP 2.5 API, and has a new feature that identifies at runtime many common but difficult-to-detect multithreading issues, such as race and deadlock conditions. Combined with a next-generation IDE, Sun Studio 12 software offers a complete, integrated, easy-to-use toolchain for those that develop for the most advanced OS on the planet.

Sun Studio 12 software uses innovative optimization techniques on x86 systems to deliver up to 25% better performance on compute-intensive benchmarks, and up to 80% better performance for memory-intensive, industry-recognized benchmarks.

Additional functionality includes new wireless drivers, the first phase of a project to automatically configure network interfaces, new Xorg server enhancements and new X windows libraries, plus a DTrace provider to allow tracing X client applications.

Solaris Express Developer Edition supports a wide variety of common x86-based desktop and laptop hardware, and has been optimized for servers being developed based on Sun's 64-thread Niagara 2 processor. The Sun Blade 6000 blade server supports SPARC, AMD Opteron and Intel processors running Solaris Express Developer Edition, the industry leading developer OS for those processors.

Solaris Express Developer Edition 5/07 is available to download today at www.sun.com/sxde and is the second iteration of a new distribution based on the OpenSolaris project, providing developers with a fully integrated environment for developing applications for Solaris, Java technology, and Web 2.0. Solaris Express Developer Edition offers simplified installation so developers can get Solaris up and running more easily, saving time and effort, and Sun Developer Expert Assistance is available for developers to can get coding advice and learn best practices for development. Solaris Express Developer Edition is being developed in the OpenSolaris community, and Sun plans to release regular updates with additional capabilities and ease of use enhancements.

AOL Launches Open APIs for Xdrive Allows Developers to Enhance Their Websites with Online Storage, Rich Media Management and Sharing

AOL today announced the availability of Open Xdrive (available at dev.aol.com), a free, publicly available API that allows developers to create rich media management and sharing experiences for their Website users. With Open Xdrive, consumers can upload, organize, and share all file types – photos, videos, music, and documents – from any Website. All files are stored to and accessed from the consumer’s personal Xdrive online storage account.

Xdrive®, a free service available to all Web users at Xdrive.com, manages an online storage platform that provides consumers with 5GB of free storage without limiting file size or bandwidth consumption. Upgrades to 50GB accounts are available for $9.95 per month. Xdrive is a Verisign Secure Site, and provides password protection for all sessions and stored assets. Xdrive’s high volume network and horizontally scalable processor complex provide the performance and reliability that consumers demand.

“Rich media management and online storage increases engagement. Giving consumers the ability to share their media assets help Website owners build awareness and increase their audience,” said David Liu, Senior Vice President of AOL Portals. “By utilizing each consumer’s complimentary 5GB Xdrive account, a Website owner can benefit from these capabilities without incurring the usual infrastructure, operations, and development costs.”

Open Xdrive® APIs have been created for rapid application development. The JSON-based interface can be accessed by both Web and desktop applications. Open Xdrive has the native capabilities to perform the full range of functions that an application requires to deliver rich media and sharing capabilities. Full documentation, an interactive development environment, and a set of reference applications allow developers to rapidly become proficient with Open Xdrive.

The AOL Developer Network provides third-party developers with direct access to AOL’s technology platforms and open APIs. For more information about available open APIs, tools and documentation for services such as Open AIM®, Web AIM®, Open Xdrive®, AIM® Pages, AOL® Video Search powered by Truveo®, MapQuest®, Winamp® and others, please visit http://dev.aol.com/