Google says it had Sun’s full support in building Android
Google built Android using parts of Java that didn't require a license and it had the full support of Sun Microsystems in doing so, a lawyer for Google said in court Tuesday.
"The source code in Android was written by Google engineers or taken from open source platforms that were available and open for use," attorney Robert Van Nest told the jury in Google's opening statement.
Sun's own chief executive, Jonathan Schwartz, congratulated Google when it released Android, saying it strapped a "set of rockets" to Java that would help ensure its success, Van Nest said. Read more...
Microsoft goes global with System Center 2012 at MMC
Microsoft announced the global release of System Center 2012 at its 10th annual Microsoft Management Summit in Las Vegas this morning, and has confirmed that the server version of Windows 8 will be released as Windows Server 2012.
As with the beta, the new System Center 2012 is now available globally in standard and data center editions.
Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of the Management and Security Division, used his keynote to extoll new automation and provisioning features. Pricing structures have also been simplified down to two, he said, adding Microsoft wouldn't "tax" increases in virtualization like others in the industry. Read more...
New Mac malware exploits old Java hole
Security specialist Sophos reports that it has discovered new Mac malware which exploits the same Java hole in Mac OS X that was also used by the "Flashback" malware and has since been closed by Apple. The backdoor trojan is called "OSX/Sabpab-A" and is said to establish a HTTP connection to a command & control server once it has infected a computer. According to Sophos's Graham Cluley, attackers then have the ability to execute arbitrary commands, upload and download files, and take screenshots on infected systems. Read more...
Sencha Architect 2′s new GUI makes mobile app development visual
Sencha has introduced Architect 2, a cross-platform development tool for HTML5-based mobile and desktop apps that aims to make it easier to create applications with the help of a new graphical user interface, the company said on Tuesday.
Architect 2 is an upgrade of Sencha's Ext Designer. But early on, the company decided it didn't want to develop just another interface designer, but a complete application builder, where the architecture and the interface of an app could be created and properly structured for development. Read more...
Google Co-Founder Blasts Entertainment Industry On Piracy
In a new interview where he outlines his fears for the future of freedom on the Internet, Google co-founder Sergey Brin slams the entertainment industry for its response to piracy. While lobbying for Chinese and Iranian-style censorship measures, Brin says the music and movie companies have failed to understand that it is their approach to making content available that fuels the problems.
Instead of the entertainment industry beating up the little guys on the issue of piracy, in 2011 and early 2012 they went for the nuclear legislative option. The ensuing battle for the free flow of information online polarized the Internet. Read more...
Drugstore of the Future: A 3D printer for medicine
From creating intricate guitars to delicious pieces of chocolate, 3D printing is moving beyond the realm of making simple models and into the realm of creating useful things. And thanks to researchers at University of Glasgow, this cutting-edge technology could take an incredible new turn that could save millions of lives: A 3D printer capable of creating drugs. Read more...
Another delay in domain name expansion
There's another delay in efforts to create hundreds of Internet address suffixes to join ".com" and others in use.
Last week, a technical glitch forced the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which is in charge of domain names, to abruptly shut down a system for letting companies and organizations apply for new names. Read more...
Who Wants To Come To The TechCrunch Mini Meet-Up In NYC?
So, I’ve just recuperated from our VA mini meet-up tour, during which John and I visited DC, Norfolk, and Richmond in an attempt to find startup gems in unexpected corners of the country. This time we’re bringing things a little bit closer to home.
That’s right New Yawkers: get your pitch in order, your demo up to snuff, and throw on your schmoozing hat! We’re having a meet-up in the Big Apple, and if you aren’t there, you’re probably shaped like a box. Read more...
Eau de unboxing: Australian artists create the scent of the opening of a new Apple product
While videos and photos of unboxing Apple products have become commonplace, what about immortalising the moment through the memory of a smell?
That thought came to three artists in Australia who have concocted a fragrance that will appeal to Apple fanboys the world over, the smell of the opening of a new Macbook Air, as Macworld Australia reports.
The Melbourne-based Greatest Hits collaboration — which includes artists Gavin Bell, Jarrah de Kuijer and Simon McGlinn — put the unique smell, which is most definitely not about to rival J-Lo or Britney’s perfumes, together for their upcoming ‘De Facto Standard’ exhibition. Read more...
Major European operators label Nokia smartphones expensive, unoriginal and buggy
European mobile operators appear to have dealt Nokia a fresh blow in its bid to overturn its flagging smartphone business, with its latest devices receiving a lukewarm response from four of the continent’s major carriers, Reuters reveals.
Nokia, which signed an agreement with Microsoft to power its new smartphones with the Windows Phone operating system in early 2011, has been accused of lacking innovation, inflating the price of its handsets, launching devices with major software issues and failing to back up launches with a big marketing spend. Read more...