Morning Browse: Google Voice, AT&T, and early iPhone 4 reviews |
Connect with TechFlash on our Facebook page for all the latest technology news headlines and commentary, plus information and access to special events, photos from events, promotions and more.
Stories and items that caught our attention this morning ...
Thinking about shifting to AT&T's new tiered data plans? Letting go of an unlimited plan will save money in the short run, as we've reported in the past, but about half of users will start exceeding the 2-gigabyte-a-month limit by 2013, estimates analyst Chetan Sharma, as reported by Bloomberg Business Week.
Microsoft lined up celebrities and tech industry notables ranging from Twitter's Biz Stone to American Idol's Ryan Seacrest to discuss the future of entertainment last night in West Hollywood after unveiling its Bing Entertainment search overhaul. Ina Fried of CNet News.com reports that Seacrest was especially on message, talking at one point about people "Binging" themselves. Don't worry, that's not some weird Hollywood thing. Apparently it means people are searching their names on the Microsoft search engine.
Thinking about trying Google Voice? Now that the service is open to the public, it's an option for more people. Christopher Dawson of ZDNet's Googling Google blog has a good rundown of the benefits of the service and the potential privacy drawbacks. This video from Google explains the basics of the free service.
The early iPhone 4 reviews are in, and it's sounding good, in more ways than one. One particularly interesting note from David Pogue in the New York Times: Voice calls sounds better, and fewer of them drop. Also see Walter Mossberg's comprehensive review from the Wall Street Journal.
The CodePlex Foundation's newly installed technical director, Stephen Walli, responds to a Free Software Foundation commentary on the CodePlex Foundation's relationship with Microsoft by reiterating his explanation of the group's independence, sparking the obligatory Slashdot debate. More background in our earlier Q&A with Paula Hunter of the CodePlex Foundation.
RealNetworks shares are down slightly in initial trading this morning following the news yesterday that the Seattle-based company is cutting another 85 jobs, including a quarter of its executives.
On the intellectual-property front, the Obama administration today announced a new anti-piracy initiative.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
Who's creating today's energy efficient buildings? Find out at the BetterBricks Awards, Feb. 16
BetterBricks Awards salute the individuals leading the way for high performance commercial buildings with an emphasis on energy efficiency. Join us as we recognize these standout green building professionals.
Award categories include: Advocate; Architect/Designer; Facility Manager/Operator; and Owner/Developer.
Keynote Speaker: Kevin Kampschroer, Director of U.S. GSA's Office of Federal High Performance Buildings. Kevin leads the U.S. General Services Administration's efforts in building sustainability and accelerating industry adoption of sustainable principles across all aspects of a building's life.
Register here by February 10!
If you are interested in buying a table, email Monica Alquist or call her at 206-876-5404.
The Triple Door Presents: The Atomic Bombshells "J'ADORE!: A Burlesque Valentine"
Seattle's reigning Burlesque super-troupe delivers a gorgeous and glittering VALENTINE featuring some of the Bombshells' most exhilarating acts to date. J'Adore! promises to celebrate l'amour with good humor, style, and a healthy dose of dazzle! Bring a friend, a lover, a family member, or a secret crush, and celebrate with the Valentine's Burlesque spectacular that will leave you shouting: "J'ADORE......The Atomic Bombshells!" The incomparable Jasper McCann emcees with high style and charm.
Please visit www.thetripledoor.net for a full schedule of future performances.
The Triple Door Presents: Bob Mould – See A Little Light: An Evening of Reading and Music
"Bob Mould. Those two words are synonymous with integrity. From Husker Du in the last century to right at this moment, Bob is the real deal, writing and playing music for music's sake. He's a great songwriter and performer. I have been a fan of Bob's for thirty years now with no end in sight." -Henry Rollins
Please visit www.thetripledoor.net for a full schedule of future performances.
Why Choose BDO for your SOC (previously SAS 70) Reports?
BDO’s experience in providing attestation services (SAS 70/SSAE 16, AT 101, AT 201, AT 601, etc.) to a broad range of industries, and our team of skilled professionals distinctly qualifies us to serve as your company’s Service Auditor. By leveraging the BDO global network of control specialists, we are poised to provide global services in more than 1,000 offices and across 119 countries. Many organizations find that investing in reports on controls may result in benefits, including:
• Increased client confidence
• Improved competitive advantage
• Minimization of frequent audits
• Streamlined business processes and controls
• Enhanced risk management
For detailed information contact Paul Martini at pmartini@bdo.com.