Colin C. Haley

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft’s Professional Developer Conference is serious business. More than 7,000 programmers were here from around the world this week to learn about some of the company’s most important releases in years, including new versions of the Windows operating system and Office suite. Establishing enthusiasm for these programs now will be a key […]

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft’s server group is looking to displace Linux in the growing cluster computing market. The software giant released the first beta version of its Compute Cluster Solution today at its Professional Developers Conference as well as online. The formal release, which will help manage clusters of up to 128 machines, is scheduled […]

LOS ANGELES — Anyone who has seen Steve Ballmer’s famous video clip or stage presence knows the intensity of Microsoft’s feelings for developers (developers, developers, developers . . . ). That was evident again during the opening days of the company’s Professional Developer Conference (PDC) this week, when more than 7,000 code-writers saw new versions […]

LOS ANGELES — Before Microsoft began work on the next version of Office, it asked users what they would like to see in the workhorse suite. The answers were at once frustrating and encouraging. “Nine times out of 10 they named something that’s already in the product — they just couldn’t find it,” Chris Capossela, […]

Global IP Sound (GIPS), which provides VoIP technology to Google , Skype and others, is expanding. The San Francisco-based company today said it has opened a new office in Hong Kong to help get its VoiceEngine software built into landline and wireless VoIP hardware. Asia-Pacific is becoming a fertile area for telecom equipment makers. In […]

Microsoft will show an early version of its next-generation graphics and animation toolset at its Professional Developers Conference (PDC) next week in Los Angeles, internetnews.com has learned. The product, code-named Sparkle, is still in development and it’s unclear whether it will be ready to ship with Windows Vista next year. But industry-watchers say built-in animation […]

In a potential blow to Microsoft , Massachusetts is considering shifting to open standards office software. “[This proposal] identified the newly ratified OASIS Open Document Format for Office Applications as our standard for office documents,” Peter Quinn, the state’s CIO, said in a statement. “Additional open and acceptable formats are also identified for other types […]

Large corporations have cube farms full of online marketers augmented with outside consultants, but small and medium businesses (SMBs) don’t have the resources to do the same. So the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Verizon SuperPages.com, the regional telecom’s online yellow pages, are running a program to help SMBs learn how to market themselves on […]

Verizon Wireless is making it easy for mobile phone users to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Subscribers can now text “2HELP” on their wireless phones to donate to the American Red Cross. The service is being powered by mobile platform maker m-Qube. When users punch in the text address, they will be asked to […]

MCI shareholders will vote on Verizon’s takeover offer on Oct. 6, the companies announced today. The meeting will be held at MCI’s headquarters in Ashburn, Va. In May, Verizon won a bruising, drawn-out battle with Qwest for MCI. Ultimately, the long-distance and enterprise network services provider deemed Verizon’s $8.4 billion offer superior to Qwest’s $9.7 […]

Skype has partnered with German mobile carrier E-Plus, the first step in a strategy to extend its VoIP service beyond the desktop. Beginning in October, Skype’s software will be bundled with E-Plus’ flat-rate data-subscription plan. Initially, it will be available on Motorola handsets, but other handset vendors are expected to be added. Luxembourg-based Skype said […]

NextWeb said today that it will buy 1st Universe to strengthen its network, a system built on many of the specifications included in the emerging WiMAX standard. Financial terms were not disclosed, but NextWeb claims the deal is the largest cash acquisition in the fixed-broadband space. “1st Universe has been a strong competitor in the […]