Microsoft Answers beta website launched - Windows XP extended for those that wait!
December 24, 2008
(ChattahBox) — While many people stick with XP (see below) until Windows 7 comes along, Microsoft has thrown a lifeline to Windows Vista users, a new website just for them call: answers.microsoft.com. Microsoft Answers, currently in beta (the site is often down and under maintenance), is a support forum in the Q&A format.
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Google launches Cross-Language Enterprise Search
December 19, 2008
(ChattahBox) — Google is in the process of rolling out a new cross-language feature that should aid customers developing globalized applications and searches.
Cross-Language Enterprise Search will work only with the Google Enterprise Search Appliance (for documents on a companies network/intrenet) and will find internal documents written in any language, no matter what language was used to create the query.
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Bush set to Approve Loan Today as GM and Chrysler Reopen Merger Talks
December 19, 2008
Detroit (ChattahBox) — The White House will apparently come to the rescue of General Motors and Chrysler by providing them with low-interest loans to be announced this morning.
The Whitehouse plans to step in to help the ailing auto industry. Under the plan, the auto giants will be able to stay afloat into the new year reportedly until March. The government could take back the money should the automakers not comply with federal restrictions as a condition of receiving the funds. Read more
Google removes Firefox from Windows download bundle, in favor of Chrome 1.0
December 12, 2008
(ChattahBox) — Truthfully Google seems to be acting more like Microsoft every day. Yesterday, Google Inc. removed the “beta” label from Chrome, the browser it introduced three months ago, and issued the first production version for Windows XP and Vista. The search giant today replaced Mozilla Corp.’s Firefox with Chrome as the default browser in the English version of Google Pack. Read more
President Bush Disapproves of Free National Wi-Fi (sigh)
December 12, 2008
(ChattahBox) — Proving it’s probably actually a very good idea, President Bush has expressed disapproval of the free nationwide Wi-Fi proposal being considered by the FCC and Congress. In a nod to his alleged “free-market” principles, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez issued an open letter to the FCC this week, stating the administration’s argument against legislation that could lead to nationwide no-fee wireless Internet. The administration hopes to influence FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to overturn the proposal during the FCC’s next scheduled meeting on December 18th. Read more
$14 billion auto bailout bill passes in House but a tough battle looms in the Senate
December 11, 2008
WASHINGTON (ChattahBox) — The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday night by a vote of 237 to 170, that would provide up to $14 billion in bridge loans to automakers, but Republican opposition cast doubt about the bill’s fate in the Senate later this week. The legislation would let GM and Chrysler draw on $14 billion of loans while they develop restructuring plans required by March 31.
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Price of Oil Expected to Push Much Lower
December 5, 2008
(ChattahBox) — As the global recession settles in, the price of crude oil is expected to push much lower. According to the oil industry experts the price of crude oil could slump much lower into the $30s. The demand for crude oil has deteriorated significantly over the past week months. The slump in the price has been further triggered by factors like rise in inventories and shifts in the quality of oil used by refiners.
Oil prices were steady on near four year lows below $44 a barrel on Friday in Asia. The price for sweet, light crude was down by 3 cents at $43.64 a barrel in electronic trading on New York Mercantile Exchange. The profits for the oil companies have plummeted largely in the past several weeks. They had posted huge profits in past few years as the prices had risen to record levels. Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, had recorded $15 billion profits this summer when the oil prices touched nearly $150 per barrel. Chevron and Conoco Phillips made $18 billion and $5 billion respectively.
As some experts comments that “those record numbers are history” other speculate that the profits will bounce back soon as the economy is again on track and oil prices improve in due course.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ended their weekend meeting in Cairo without reaching any decision regarding a production cut. The group again meets in Oran, Algeria on December 17 and will once again discuss necessary action to be taken. The group has decided to wait and watch before ensuring strict compliance output limits before cutting again. Read our report here on why OPEC may not be able to come to a decision regarding a production cut.
Delta Cuts Down More Flights to Curb Costs
December 3, 2008
(ChattahBox) — As the economic recession continues to hurt the travel and tourism industry, airlines get more stringent to curb costs. Delta Airlines has announced that it plans to shed nearly 8 to 10 percent of its domestic seats in 2009 and cut nearly 3 to 5 percent of its international flights. The company has already trimmed its unprofitable routes and has reduced its capacity by 12 percent this year.
Falling gas prices had made passengers hopeful about reductions in airfares but the airlines have further witnessed a drop in their bookings due to a slowdown in business and leisure travel. Nearly every airline has undergone capacity cuts as they have either reduced their number of flights or are flying smaller planes with fewer seats. Read more
Yahoo! strikes search deal with Virgin Mobile in England
December 1, 2008
LONDON (ChattahBox) - Hoping to gain an edge on rival Google in the nascent mobile search and advertising markets, Yahoo has made an agreement with Virgin Mobile, making Yahoo search the exclusive pre-installed search service for Virgin’s 4 million mobile subscribers in Britain, the two companies said on Monday.
Yahoo having lost the battle for dominance in the desktop computer search market, is now spearheading its European efforts in Britain. The deal takes Yahoo!’s market share of the UK mobile search audience to 80% and follows similar deals with Orange, O2, 3 and T-Mobile. Read more
Carl Icahn Spurs a Rally in Yahoo Shares
November 29, 2008
(ChattahBox) — Yahoo shares rallied at the stock market after the billionaire, Carl Icahn announced that he had increased his stake in the struggling internet company. Yahoo’s shares had fallen60 percent after its takeover deal fell off with Microsoft. Investors had shown little appreciation when the Yahoo Chief, Jerry Yang, had stepped down and the company had announced that it is seeking its replacement. The company has been ailing, nevertheless.
Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor activist, is trying to move in further and has bought an additional 6.8 million shares of Yahoo on Thanksgiving. This has increased the speculation amongst the investors that Icahn may be trying to take over the company since the co-founder and the company chief have agreed to step down. Read more