Microsoft unveiling free anti-virus

Microsoft unveiling free anti-virus
REUTERS


BOSTON: Microsoft Corp is getting ready to unveil a long-anticipated free anti-virus service for personal computers that will compete with produ
cts sold by Symantec Corp and McAfee Inc.

A Microsoft spokesman said on Wednesday that the world's biggest software maker is testing an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would "soon" make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.

Symantec shares fell 0.5 percent on Nasdaq and McAfee fell 1.3 percent on the New York Stock Exchange, while Microsoft was up 2.1 percent. The Nasdaq composite index was down 0.47 percent.

Investors are closely monitoring the free service, code-named Morro after Brazil's Morro de Sao Paolo beach, amid concern it could hurt sales of products from Symantec and McAfee, which generate billions of dollars of revenue a year protecting Windows PCs from attacks by hackers.

"It's a long-term competitive threat," said Daniel Ives, an analyst with FBR Capital Markets, though he added that the near-term impact was minimal.

Microsoft has said that Morro will offer basic features for fighting a wide range of viruses, which would likely make it comparable to low-end consumer products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $40 per year.

Their top-selling products are security suites that come with features including encryption, firewalls, password protection, parental controls and data backup.

Three years ago, Microsoft entered that market with Live OneCare, which turned out to be a commercial flop. It announced plans in November to kill that product suite, saying it would launch the free Morro service by the end of 2009.

Analysts said they are looking forward to Morro's beta to see exactly how its features compare to those in products from competitors.

Microsoft has said it will provide protection from several types of malicious software including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.

Officials with Symantec and McAfee have said they do not see Morro as a threat.

"Microsoft's free product is basically a stripped down version of the OneCare product Microsoft pulled from the shelves," said Symantec Consumer division president Janice Chaffin. "A full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected."

Joris Evers, a spokesman for No. 2 security software maker McAfee, said his company is already enjoying strong growth despite competition from free anti-virus products that are on the market.

"On a level playing field, we are confident in our ability to compete with anyone who might enter the marketplace," he said. A spokeswoman for Trend Micro Inc, the No. 3 player, declined to comment.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Brian Moss, Richard Chang)


Source : http://infotech.indiatimes.com

Apple iPhone 3G S Sports Faster, More Powerful Chip

Apple iPhone 3G S Sports Faster, More Powerful Chip

Specifications for the iPhone 3G S have surfaced, indicating that Apple's latest mobile device has a 600-MHz processor and 256 RAM on board.

By Antone Gonsalves
InformationWeek

The higher performance touted by Apple in the iPhone 3G S is because of a new ARM processor that delivers roughly twice the performance of its predecessor in the older iPhone 3G.

In unveiling the iPhone 3G S Monday at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, executives boasted that the new smartphone had twice the overall performance of the older model, but did not offer any technical details. On Tuesday, however, wireless carrier T-Mobile in the Netherlands posted iPhone 3G S specifications that indicate a "600-MHz processor" and "256 RAM."

The iPhone 3G is powered by a 400-MHz ARM processor and 128 MB of RAM, or system memory. The new specs indicate that the latest iPhone would have twice the processing power of the older model.

What won't be known for sure until Apple releases the iPhone 3G S on June 19 is the kind of processor in the smartphone. Before the device was introduced, Apple-focused tech sites speculated that it would contain an ARMv7 Cortex processor.

On Wednesday, however, AnandTech reported that the iPhone 3G S uses a Samsung Electronics system-on-a-chip with an ARMv8 Cortex and PowerVR SGX graphics processor, the same CPU and GPU, respectively, as the recently released Palm Pre. The iPhone 3G also uses a Samsung SoC, but with the slower ARM processor.

The iPhone 3G S may be the last to use ARM's off-the-shelf reference designs. Future versions are likely to use an ARM processor surrounded by Apple's proprietary technologies based on PA Semi, a low-power chip designer that Apple bought last year.


Source :http://www.informationweek.com

Apple selling iPhone 3G S at 8 a.m. June 19, AT&T at 7 a.m

Apple selling iPhone 3G S at 8 a.m. June 19, AT&T at 7 a.m.
by Erica Ogg










This post was udpated with information about AT&T store hours at 3:45 p.m. PDT.

Apple offered clarification Wednesday for when exactly the new iPhone 3G S will go on sale.

Though Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller said during his keynote speech at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference that the phone will first be available in the U.S. and seven other countries on June 19, he didn't offer a specific time. The 3G S will go on sale starting at 8 a.m. (in all time zones) next Friday. We know that many stores will open early that day for the occasion.

AT&T Stores will open even earlier, at 7 a.m., just for those who have pre-ordered an iPhone 3G S from the carrier. Those who haven't will have to wait outside AT&T stores until 8 a.m. with the rest of the public.

As usual, we'll be following iPhone sales in various time zones. Will Apple fans stand in line for the third straight year? We'll find out. In the meantime, click the photo above for a gallery of very committed line standers from the 2008 launch of the iPhone 3G.
Originally posted at Apple

Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica.


Source :http://reviews.cnet.com

Stronger, faster iPhone 3GS will hit stores June 19

Stronger, faster iPhone 3GS will hit stores June 19

By John D. Sutter
CNN

(CNN) -- A new, faster version of the popular iPhone will hit stores June 19, Apple said Monday.
The new iPhone 3GS will have a camera that shoots video and zooms, among other new features.

The new iPhone 3GS will have a camera that shoots video and zooms, among other new features.

The iPhone 3GS is billed as a more powerful, feature-laden follow-up to the 3G, which the company says revolutionized the way people use mobile phones.

The 3GS features a similar look to the current iPhone, complete with a sleek rectangular shape and a large touch screen. But the phone comes packed with new features inside, according to CNET reporter Erica Ogg, who blogged live from the event.

Ogg says the 3GS has a new camera that shoots video and zooms. A touch-screen feature also lets iPhone photographers tap the area of the photo they would like to put into focus, she says.

The new phone reportedly will have a longer battery life.

iPhone 3GS will be available in the United States on June 19 and will hit 80 countries by August, Ogg says.

The new iPhone carries a price tag similar to the old iPhone. A version with 16 gigabytes of storage will sell for $199 with a new contract; one with a 32-gigabyte storage capacity will cost $299. Video Watch Wired.com's Dylan Tweney on Apple's big announcement »

Apple also said it has dropped the price of the current iPhone 3G to $99 ahead of the release of the 3GS. The $99 model features 8 gigabytes of storage.

The announcements came at Apple's much-anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California. The annual event was attended by 5,000 Apple tech developers, Fortune reports.

WWDC, as the conference is called, is known for its innovative announcements. Apple appeared to meet expectations of many tech bloggers, who had been awaiting a new iPhone model.
Don't Miss

Perhaps the only disappointment was that Apple CEO Steve Jobs did not make an appearance on stage. There had been speculation online that the popular tech figure would make a cameo at the event. Jobs has been on medical leave since January.

Apple also discussed a new iPhone operating system, version 3.0, which adds a cut-copy-paste feature to current iPhones. Apple said the new software adds 100 new features.

One of those getting the most buzz was the Find My iPhone feature, which will be available only for customers of Mobile Me, an Apple service that lets users sync e-mail and other data between computers and iPhones.

If you lose your phone, Mobile Me will display a Google Map that shows where your iPhone is, as long as it's turned on. You can then send a message to the phone, and it will sound an alarm, alerting nearby people to save it for you. If you think you've lost the phone permanently, you can remotely wipe all your data; if you find your missing phone later, you can plug it into iTunes and restore all your data.

New iPhone applications were also discussed. Apple has gotten widespread praise for the fact that independent developers can create programs for the iPhone.

Read blogs from CNET and Fortune for details on the latest iPhone apps and other news from Monday's event.

Apple's laptops and computer operating systems were also discussed Monday.

Apple Senior Vice President Bertrand Serlet took the stage to demonstrate the company's newest operating system, called Snow Leopard. It will hit stores in September, although a "near-final" version was made available for developers Monday.

Serlet also said that Apple's Safari 4 browser, which was released in beta in February, will ship Monday.

Apple marketing head Philip Schiller also unveiled a new version of a 15-inch MacBook Pro, which he said will feature up to seven hours of battery life. The unibody aluminum laptop boasts a new battery that can handle 1,000 recharges and should last five years before its life begins to diminish, he said.

Phones remained the focus of the event, however.

Apple's phones are the second-best-selling consumer smartphones in the U.S., according to the NPD Group, an online market-research firm.
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Smartphones are a category of mobile phones that act kind of like personal computers, allowing people to surf the Internet, share photos and keep up with e-mail while on the move. About a quarter of all consumer phones sold from January to April of this year were smartphones, NPD says.

The iPhone faces new competition from the Palm Pre, a smartphone that debuted Friday and claims to combine Apple's popular touch screen with a more functional keyboard, like the one found on a popular business-class smartphone, the BlackBerry.

CNN's Brandon Griggs contributed to this report.

Source :http://edition.cnn.com

Inside the IPhone 3G S's Pricing

Inside the IPhone 3G S's Pricing
Dan Moren, Macworld.com


The news that Apple would be selling its fancy new iPhone 3G S for the same prices as the iPhone 3G was greeted by applause at Monday morning's WWDC keynote. The new, faster iPhone will cost $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model; the 8GB iPhone 3G price, meanwhile, will be reduced to $99.

But, as interested customers soon discovered, those prices aren't necessarily the same for all customers. The price points Apple touted during its presentation are available only to new AT&T customers and those the provider deems eligible for an upgrade, which depends largely on how far along they are in their contract. AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel told Macworld that customers should check their eligibility status, which they can do via Apple's online store or AT&T's Web site before purchase, just to make sure.

Some current customers will also be eligible for early upgrade pricing, which comes at a slightly discounted price--though it's a higher price than the one that Apple mentioned in its keynote. Under this discount, the current 8GB iPhone 3G costs $299, the 16GB iPhone 3G S $399, and the 32GB iPhone 3G S costs $599. In addition, customers will have to pay an $18 upgrade fee.

A quick survey of existing iPhone and iPhone 3G users in the Macworld office found that the date at which customers became eligible for the full discount prices varied, in part due to when they purchased their phone, though other factors seem to play in as well, since the dates ranged from July 12, 2009 to March 12, 2010.

Of course, the reason for the price hikes boils down to subsidies. The original iPhone was sold with no subsidy at all for the carrier: the price of the device that the consumer paid was Apple's full retail price. Instead, Apple got a cut of the monthly subscription fees that AT&T customers paid.

However, when Apple announced the iPhone 3G, it gave up its cut of subscriber fees in exchange for AT&T subsidizing some of the cost of the phone. So, while customers could pick up a brand new iPhone 3G for $199 or $299, the full retail cost of the phone--paid by those who, for example, didn't want to sign a two-year contract--was higher: $599 and $699.

Wireless companies often offer subsidies for devices that require lengthy contracts, since they're guaranteed to recoup the discount by having customers for a long period of time. That's also why early termination fees are so hefty: they help compensate for the discount that the provider gave the customer on the handset.


Source :http://www.pcworld.com

New Apple iPhone 3G S shows promise with speed, battery life

New Apple iPhone 3G S shows promise with speed, battery life
By Edward C. Baig, USA TODAY


SAN FRANCISCO — On the surface anyway, Apple is giving the smartphone faithful many features they've been clamoring for. The new iPhone 3G S that arrives in the U.S. and certain foreign countries on June 19 adds a better digital camera (3 megapixel, autofocus, still no flash), the ability to shoot and edit video, plus voice controls for making calls or playing back music.

Apple is promising superior battery life (let's hope) and faster performance — the "S" in 3G S signifies "speed." Apple claims it'll render Web pages and launch applications twice as fast on average as the iPhone 3G. We'll see.

UNVEILING: Apple shows off new iPhone 3G S

A model with 16 gigabytes will cost $199 with the usual two-year AT&T contract; a new 32-GB model goes for $100 more.

Meanwhile, by dropping the price on the existing 8-GB iPhone 3G to just $99, Apple is making a major play for new buyers.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Apple Inc.

The 3G S models are virtual twins to the iPhone 3G, except there's now a white version to complement traditional black.

Both the new and existing iPhones can take advantage of iPhone OS 3.0 software. This major upgrade, free for iPhone customers and $9.95 for folks who use iPod Touch, brings cut, copy and paste, better search, expanded parental controls, and MMS picture messaging, among other features.

Actually, you'll have wait for AT&T to turn on MMS for U.S. subscribers. It plans to add the capability late in the summer.

The 3.0 software, coming June 17, also promises to let you "tether" the iPhone to a PC or Mac, meaning your computer can piggyback on the iPhone's wireless connection when Wi-Fi isn't available. AT&T must flip the switch on that, too; no word yet on when, or what (if anything) it will charge.

If you lose your iPhone there's now a feature that may help you get it back, though you'll have to subscribe to Apple's $99-a-year MobileMe service.

It is aptly named Find My iPhone. If the phone is turned on and has coverage, you can display its whereabouts on a map. You can also remotely send a message that will appear on the screen to let the Good Samaritan who may have picked it up know how to get in touch with you. And if it turns out the missing phone is actually in your house somewhere, you can make it sound an alarm (even if it is set on silent mode). If the phone is lost for good, you can erase all its data from afar.

Of course, some touted features are unique to the iPhone 3G S. Take voice. You can dial a number or name in your address book by talking aloud, but lots of phones do that. The difference here is you can also use voice to control music playback. You can ask out loud to play a song or album — and even ask the iPhone to play more music like the song you're listening to. The iPhone taps into the "Genius" feature in iTunes to come up with a playlist.

Also new to the 3G S is built-in digital compass to keep you pointed in the right direction. I'll let you know if Apple is still on the right course once I've had a chance to put the new iPhone hardware and software through the ringer.

E-mail: ebaig@usatoday.com

Source :http://www.usatoday.com

New Apple iPhone features get under your skin

New Apple iPhone features get under your skin
Posted by: Eddie Chan

Among all the limelight-hogging features and rock-bottom prices unveiled at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers’ conference on Monday, two underscored the potential for the consumer electronics giant to sidle up and get up-close and personal with users – whether they like it or not.

For the hundreds gathered in San Francisco for the company’s annual developers’ pow-wow, Apple previewed a new iPhone feature that will allow users to remotely locate their device if they ever get separated from it. Executives highlighted another application that, eerily, can directly monitor a person’s vital signs.

In this day and age, when millions advertise not just their location but what they had for dessert via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, it’s unclear how consumers will respond to functions that monitor their movements or their inner workings. Favorably, judging from the applause and hooting when those features were expounded upon.

Find My iPhone allows users to remotely locate their device via the Web. Logging onto Apple’s MobileMe, users can locate their phone on a map; send a text message to the phone, asking that it be returned; or play a strdient alert or alarm. The feature is intended to aid finding a phone left unattended at a restaurant or hidden under a couch cushion, developers said.

The new software also has a feature that allows users to remotely “wipe” the device of all data if it is truly lost or stolen - but allows users to reload the wiped data via Apple’s iTunes Web site — which usually offers music, applications and even video for sale — if the phone is then found, meaning data is periodically stored via a user’s iTunes account.

Besides additional uses of the phone’s GPS capability, Apple on Monday highlighted a third party app that allows doctors to monitor patients’ vital signs remotely - real-time heart rate, temperature, blood pressure and other data - clearly helpful for on-call doctors but also very private information.

The Critical Care app from AirStrip Technologies has yet to be approved by the FDA, but the company said it was in advanced testing and expects the app will soon be available.

(By Clare Baldwin)

Source : http://blogs.reuters.com