Only a month or so after announcing intentions to dabble in the SoC game for embedded systems, Intel's showing off its first iteration at the Intel Developers Forum. The CE 3100 (previously known as "Canmore" in Intel speak) combines HD video processing, "home theatre quality" audio and 3D graphics with the internet connectedness to run widgets from Yahoo's Widget Channel on TVs and STBs like the mockup you see here. Great, another web-connected TV platform.

Read More »

The Olympics start tomorrow, and if you're not yet excited by the idea of athletes pushing themselves to the limit in a country where the cabs are bugged and the towns are filled with gadget refuse, then you never will be.

Because of the similarity in time zones between China and Australia, there are going to be a lot of people wasting their work day watching the games. Telstra have an agreement with Channel 7 to show Olympic coverage over their NextG mobiles, Yahoo7 will also have online video streaming of the games.

If, however, you got excited by the Reuters article detailing the IOCs decision to showcase games highlights on YouTube, you're destined for disappointment - the YouTube channel isn't available to Australians, thanks to the Yahoo!7 deal.

Let's just hope that Yahoo!7 doesn't drop the ball when it comes to their Olympic video coverage - Channel 7 have never been known for their willingness to offer users what they want, when they want it...

Read More »

Yes, Yahoo! Music Store's shutting down their DRM servers, but Big Purple's said that it'll definitely still be taking care of its customers. According to a Yahoo spokesperson, anyone who bought DRM music from the store "will be compensated for whatever they paid." No word on timetables or what form the compensation will take, but possible options include cash back or an un-DRMed MP3 version of the same track. [Information Week]

Read More »

In a continuation of Yahoo Music's move to send their customers over to Rhapsody, YM's shutting down their DRM servers as of September 30. Unlike when MSN's Music servers shut down and then re-opened, it's very unlikely that Yahoo's will do the same, seeing as there's a process to convert your existing Yahoo Music tunes over to Rhapsody. You'll have to transfer the songs before the deadline, or else all you'll be hearing is the sound of yourself weeping over your lost tunes. [LA Times]

Read More »

Google's brand new Gtalk webapp for the iPhone is as crappy as I expected it would be. It has a nice design, and sending messages was easy, but at the end of the day it's still running in Safari—which means if you get a call you are signed out of chat. And unlike other web-based IM apps, Gtalk doesn't work in the background, so interruptions as simple as going to the home screen sign you out too. Also, there are no preference settings, so you are stuck looking at your whole contact list, online and off. Gtalk's AIM support is also curiously absent from this release. In short, this program sucks. If you're looking for a solid IM solution before the App store opens, I strongly recommend Agile Mobile's AM client recently released on Installer, which I've been playing around with.

Read More »

Looks like Microsoft isn't completely ready to let its dreams of a deal with Yahoo die yet. Despite calling the purple giant's demands "excessive" and retiring its US$47.5 billion bid just two weeks ago, Microsoft is now saying that it's discussing an "alternative transaction." Apparently something has changed enough in the last few days for Microsoft to resume negotiations, like a scorned lover lured back by a "I promise everything will be different, baby. I'll really try to make things work this time around!" [BBC]

Yahoo founder and beleaguered CEO Jerry Yang decided yesterday that it was Microsoft's fault that the merger talks fell apart, even though Microsoft upped its bid from US$31 to US$33 in order to keep negotiations going. Yang wanted US$37 per share—a far cry from the US$24.37 it dropped to when Microsoft walked. Bottom line: Jerry finally figured out everyone hates him for screwing up a good thing, and now he's sitting there calling Microsoft's number over and over, bottle of Beam by his side, hoping beyond hope that Microsoft, and not Microsoft's angry mum, picks up. Actually, Jerry, from what we've read, we're not sure anyone's gonna pick up. [Reuters]

Read More »

Microsoft has retired their bid over Yahoo completely, citing "excessive demands" on Yahoo's part. They won't try to do a hostile takeover either, because "Mr Yang would "take steps that would make Yahoo undesirable as an acquisition for Microsoft," according to Steve Ballmer. The potential nightmare/dream love story is over. Do you think this is bad for the world, given Google's almost monopolistic position? Or maybe it's good because Microsoft already has enough power? Tell us your comments after reading the rest of Steve Ballmer's farewell letter after the jump.

Read More »

The month-long saga of the Borg (in FSJ's words) assimilating Yahoo might finally be coming to a close, with the two finally entering into actual merger negotiations, according to the NY Times. Microsoft has reportedly upped its original $44.6 billion bid by several billion. The deal might still fall apart, but they're actively doing the dance. Looks like this could actually happen, folks. [NYT]

Read More »

Yahoo! and Microsoft have failed to agree on a takeover deal. The deadline for the deal was last weekend, and Saturday came and went without so much as a peep from either party. This means two things: a hostile takeover, which would mean kicking out the Yahoo! board at the shareholders' meeting; or Ballmer et al will quietly drop the proposal. So, will we be seeing the launch of Microhoo!, or has the fat lady just sung on the tie-up? [MacWorld]

Read More »