Software and Services - News

Mozilla adds privacy mode to Firefox test build

Developers working on Mozilla's next browser Tuesday added a privacy mode to the still-under-construction Firefox 3.1, a major milestone in the development of the upgrade.

Firefox cracks 20 percent market share in October, then slips

Mozilla's Firefox climbed above 20 percent market share for two weeks last month, but ended October just under the milestone, a Web metrics company said Tuesday.

Gmail gets integrated Calendar and Docs

Ever want to have a quick glance at your calendar appointments while in Gmail? Users so far had to open separate tabs for access to their Google Calendar and Google Doc documents. But now there's an easier way. Google labs has announced two gadgets t...

Microsoft: Data shows Vista more secure than XP

Microsoft's latest security report shows that the number of new vulnerabilities found in its software was lower in first half of the year than the last half of 2007, with the Windows Vista OS proving more resistant to exploits than XP.

Windows 7 leaks to Web, pirates downloading

Leaked copies of Windows 7 hit the Internet only hours after Microsoft handed out a preview build to developers last week, according to searches at several BitTorrent tracking sites.

ActiveX bugs pose threat to Vista, Microsoft reports

Although computers running Windows Vista are significantly less likely to be infected with attack code than machines running Windows XP, the newer operating system continues to be threatened by Microsoft's own ActiveX browser plug-in technology, acco...

Google introduces service-level guarantee for its Apps suite

Google is offering a service-level agreement for a version of Google Apps, a move that may provide some comfort to enterprises spooked by a long Gmail outage and a buggy Apps portal last month.

Ubuntu 8.10 released, Kubuntu gets KDE4

Canonical has updated its flagship Ubuntu Linux operating system to version 8.10 “Intrepid Ibex” with the KDE-centric distribution, Kubuntu, the first to ship with KDE4 as the default desktop.

Ozzie points to slimmer future for Windows client

Microsoft is putting the Windows client OS on a diet as a way to bring the PC OS into the age of cloud computing.

OpenOffice.org issues critical patches for older versions

OpenOffice.org has released two patches that repair older versions of its open-source office productivity suite.

Vista fights for relevancy against poor sales, XP, Windows 7

Recent sales numbers for Windows Vista paint a somewhat dreary picture for the OS as consumers and enterprises try to save dollars in an economic downturn.

For Windows 7, Microsoft tries addition by subtraction

For most of Microsoft's history, it designed software the same way Detroit built cars during its mid-century heyday. Adding features was like building a bigger engine and longer tailfins. What could be finer? It may not be entirely coincidence that M...

Windows 7 UAC changes just 'lipstick,' argues vendor

Microsoft's plans to change a controversial security feature in Windows 7 are only cosmetic, nothing more than "lipstick on UAC," a developer of enterprise rights management tools said Wednesday.

Microsoft leaks Windows 7 details

Hours before Microsoft executives trotted out Windows 7 at the company's developer conference, officials leaked some details about the impending alpha edition on Microsoft's own Web site.

MS finally to bring Office to the Web, Windows smart phones

After teasing the market multiple times, Microsoft plans to finally confirm that it's bringing its most money-making desktop software franchise online and to smart phones.