MaSSSoftech

By JESSICA E. VASCELLARO and NICK WINGFIELD

Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are close to sealing an Internet-search partnership, said people familiar with the matter, ending a protracted dance and uniting the rivals against Google Inc.

Microsoft, which last year made a failed $47.5 billion takeover bid for Yahoo, would finally win what it wanted most from the Internet pioneer -- huge volumes of queries that run through Yahoo's search engine.

At the same time, Yahoo is expected to reap additional search-advertising business to expand its share of the market.

The agreement, which could be disclosed as soon as Wednesday, includes Yahoo agreeing to use Microsoft's Bing search-engine technology on its own sites, these people say.

One person familiar with the matter said the Bing brand is expected to be used by Yahoo.

A deal between the two companies would immediately narrow the gap with Google.

According to Comscore, Microsoft and Yahoo combined accounted for less than half of Google's 65% share of searches in the U.S. market in June.

Microsoft handled 8.4% of searches that month and Yahoo accounted for just under 20%.

Internet users won't notice a dramatic difference on either Yahoo or Microsoft's sites, since the technology involved in the exchange operates behind the scenes.

Yahoo would continue to handle sales of the text ads that appear next to the search results for its own sites, as well as some Microsoft sites, said the people familiar with the matter.

These people said the deal would involve revenue-sharing from advertising sales. The two aren't expected to exchange hefty up-front payments.

The companies would argue any deal will eventually lead to better search results, in part by giving Microsoft more data to refine its search technology.

Yahoo may also argue that the pact will be a boon to Internet advertisers, helping them more easily reach people conducting searches via Yahoo and Microsoft.

The deal could make it simpler for advertisers to choose an alternative to Google as a vehicle for online-search advertising, said industry observers.

"They should be worried," Danny Sullivan, editor of SearchEngineLand.com, said of Google. "It's going to give Microsoft in one fell swoop a much bigger share of the search market."

Bryan Wiener, chief executive of digital advertising agency 360i, said the proposed deal would make Bing more attractive to advertisers who have been excluding it from their campaigns because its search traffic is relatively low.

Any deal would free up Yahoo to invest in new search ad-sales staff and technology, areas where, he said, it has trailed Google.

Still, Mr. Wiener said it remains unclear whether Yahoo and Microsoft will be able to greatly increase their current combined market share.

"The only thing that can increase that is product development and smart marketing and there is nothing in this deal per se that changes that landscape," Mr. Wiener said. With Google's commanding position, "as long as they focus on their customers, they are going to be fine."

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

Both companies have expressed concern that a deal that reduced the number of search competitors might be opposed by antitrust authorities, the people familiar with the talks said.

These people said Microsoft and Yahoo plan to argue that the deal would enhance competition by helping them provide a stronger alternative to Google.

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment.

Continuing to sell search ads could reduce the cost savings that Yahoo could generate from selling its search-advertising business outright.

But it would help Yahoo maintain its relationships with advertisers who buy its other online advertising services, such as selling graphical ads on Web sites.

The deal comes as Microsoft has begun garnering positive buzz for its Internet search engine with the launch of Bing in early June.

But even with Bing, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer made it clear in a recent interview that he still favored a deal with Yahoo to help accelerate Microsoft's search business and the creation of a more serious competitor to Google.

—Joann S. Lublin contributed to this article.

Write to Jessica E. Vascellaro at jessica.vascellaro@wsj.com and Nick Wingfield at nick.wingfield@wsj.com

Mon, Jul 20 05:12 PM

New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) Only three telecom operators can roll out third generation (3G) services in Delhi due to a spectrum crunch, Communications and IT Minister A. Raja said Monday.

'Delhi has only 15 Mhz of spectrum available making it possible only for three telecom operators to offer such services,' Raja told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The minister also told parliament that an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) had been constituted to look into matters concerning 3G spectrum auctions, scheduled to happen this year.

Each telecom operator (successful bidder) will be allocated 5 MHz of 3G spectrum once the auctions are over.

In Delhi, only two private players will be able to offer this high-end services as one slot is already reserved for the state-run telecom operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL).

The minister said West Bengal will get only 10 MHz of spectrum, while Gujarat will have 15 MHz.

Such a crunch may lead operators to make crazy bids to acquire spectrum in maximum number of telecom circles, industry officials worry.

The government is expected to earn about Rs.35,000 crore from the 3G auctions.

Wed, Jul 22 01:05 PM

Washington, July 22 (ANI): Apple has introduced a new application in their iPhone and iPod Touch that lets you find medical marijuana.

Priced at 1.99 dollars, the new application called 'Cannabis' can help find the medicinal drug in the 13 states that have such laws, and lawyers in the 37 others that don't.

It has been developed by AJNAG, or Activists Justifying the Natural Agriculture of Ganja, a Los Angeles-based online group created in 2006.

According to the group's website, this application helps "connect, educate and empower individuals on the cultural, economic, and medicinal benefits of legalization, production, regulation, distribution, and taxation of Cannabis sativa."

AJNAG said it will donate 50 cents for every purchase of the "Cannabis" app to an as-yet nonexistent "cannabis non-profit reform fund, which will be set up once the application reaches 1000 subscriptions."

"Our goal is to put the power of cannabis change in your pocket while you enjoy the most sticky and potent iPhone application available!" Fox News quoted the Web-based brochure as saying. (ANI)

Fri, Jul 24 10:55 AM

Washington, July 24 (ANI): What is being expected to prove the most powerful computer of its kind in the world became operational at the University of Florida this week.

The supercomputer has been named by its designers 'Novo-G'. The first part of its name came from the Latin term for "make anew, change, alter", and the second from "G" for "genesis".

It is a "reconfigurable" computer that can rearrange its internal circuitry to suit the task at hand.

Alan George, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of UF's National Science Foundation Center for High-Performance Reconfigurable Computing, says that applications may range from space satellites to research supercomputers - anywhere size, energy and high speed are important.

Traditional computers use so-called "fixed logic devices" to perform a large variety of tasks, but this approach requires a substantial amount of overhead in space and energy, no matter what work needs to be done.

While special-purpose computers can be built to perform certain tasks very well, they are not flexible.

According to George, reconfigurable computers make the best of both worlds because they can rearrange their internal circuitry like Lego blocks to create the most appropriate architecture for each assignment, and, thus, can be from 10 to 100 times faster than other computers their size, while using five to 10 times less energy.

Although the concept has been proven, reconfigurable computers remain at the research stage and are not easy to use. One of the main goals of the NSF Center is to pioneer techniques to make reconfigurable computers more accessible.

"It is very powerful technology, but it is also very complicated technology. We don't want this important technology to be accessible only to experts," George said.

The University of Florida has three partner universities in its reconfigurable computing center - Brigham Young University, George Washington University and Virginia Tech.

The university also has about 30 industry and government partners. (ANI)

Fri, Jul 24 05:30 PM

Enlarge Photo Tech For Your Pet

Amanda Tsao, Forbes.com

When billionaire Leona Helmsley passed away in 2007, she shocked many by willing $12 million to her Maltese dog, Trouble.

While it seems none have surpassed Helmsley in the amount bestowed on a pet, the average pet owner in the U.S. is not afraid to splurge on their Mr. Fluffles. According to the American Pet Products Association, total pet spending has nearly doubled in the past 10 years. In 2008, sales topped $43 billion, up from $41 billion in 2007; sales for 2009 are expected to reach $45 billion.

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The association says every pet sales category is growing, including gadgets and other technologies. While sales figures aren't widely available for pet tech products, Amazon.com says this category has become quite popular on its site. "Amazon customers are showing considerable interest in pet-based technology. We are seeing strong sales in 2009," says Chris Nielsen, Amazon's home and garden store vice president. "The most significant year-over-year growth is technology applied to pet training and behavior." Nielsen declined to provide Amazon's pet tech sales.

In Pictures: Tech For Your Pet

Experts say high-tech novelty items tend to be top sellers. One popular product has been the Takara Bowlingual/Meowlingual pet translation device. The company claims that the device can translate a pet's barks and purrs into intelligible sentences, such as, "I can't stand it." Other popular novelties include the Pet's Eye View Camera, a digital camera that attaches to your cat or dog's collar and takes photos at timed intervals. When you come home, you can view photos of what your pet has been up to that day.

But not all novelty items are designed with frivolous, fun intent. At first glance, the Zen Dog, a kit that provides therapy and relaxation for your pooch through calming music and massage, seems like a luxury but experts say it has practical uses. "This is great for dogs who have been through puppy mills, bad foster homes or traumatic experiences," Pets Enthusiast editor Dawn Pieke says. "For some dogs, it's really something to be able to reach the point of being touched again."

After novelty products, Amazon says practical gadgets that help owners care for their pets are the next best sellers. One example is the HydroSurge Rapid Bath Dog Bathing System, an "all-in-one" wet, wash and rinse device that resembles a garden hose with a spray-nozzle comb head. The product's patented InjectAir technology draws shampoo and oxygen into massaging shower jets to simultaneously create a sudsing action and eliminate long, messy baths.

GoDogGo, a fetch machine for dogs that automatically shoots out tennis balls at timed intervals, is another practical product that has been successful. Sales reached $200,000 in 2008. Creator Ron Thompson expects sales to double this year, due to a recent factory and distribution reorganization.

"We've always sold consistently," Thompson says. "We started 10 years ago, and there are some pet gadgets that haven't stood the test of time, but ours is basic. It achieves what it is intended for: to provide exercise for your dog."

Thompson also said he has received testimonies from owners who had been paralyzed or were in need of service dogs, and rely on GoDogGo to help keep their dog healthy.

Animal safety products also rank high with pet owners. Products such as the Komfort Pets climate-controlled pet carrier fit the bill. It's ideal for times you need to leave Chuckles in the car when you're running errands. The carrier automatically keeps pets cool when the temperature is hot and warms them when it's too cold.

If your pet is more exotic than a dog or cat, there are tech gadgets for these creatures too. The Retripro 5000 is a small incubator for reptile and bird eggs that allows you to watch your pets being hatched at home. Retripro's creator, Chris Baker, says egg incubators had existed before, but they were made of unreliable Styrofoam or too large and cost thousands of dollars. "I had used Styrofoam incubators before, but they usually fall apart in about a year or so," Baker says. "When I tested out this thermal incubator, my hatch rates went up 25%. The difference is that this incubator both heats and cools, and it only costs $250."

If you're allergic to animals or can't have one where you live, check out The Haptic Creature, a robot designed to recreate the touch-based communication between pet and owner. The creature resembles a small rabbit with long "ears" and fur. When petted, it responds with breathing, ear movements and purring vibrations. Although the Haptic Creature is not available for purchase, creator Steven Yohanan says he is interested in marketing the product.

Still, there are those in the pet industry who believe the old-fashioned, low-tech way of doing things is always best. Sal Peretz, the owner of Groom-O-Rama, a pet store in New York City, is one such advocate.

"The GoDogGo is a fun toy as long it doesn't replace having daily time spent with your dog," Peretz says. "I've been in this business for 19 years, and the products that sell best have been on the market for a long time. We have to remember that pets don't ask for much."

In Pictures: Tech For Your Pet

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Mon, Jul 27 01:20 PM

London, July 27 (ANI): Osaka University engineers in Japan have turned to an unlikely source of inspiration to improve dexterity among robots-a pizza parlour.

"An Italian chef dextrously manipulates a pizza in an oven using a tool called a pizza peel," New Scientist magazine quoted Makoto Kaneko, the team's leader at the university, as saying.

Impressed by the way a pizza peel gives the chef a surprising degree of control over the pizza, the researchers have designed a robotic hand that allows robots to exert similar control.

Kaneko points out that a pizza chef can only move the peel with two degrees of freedom - back-and-forth and by twisting the pole - but still the two motions in combination can be used to provide an extra degree of freedom and rotate the pizza horizontally.

The researcher says that the novel robot "hand" also has the same capability, which allows it to manipulate an object with great precision.

According to Kaneko, this approach is not only simpler than mechanical fingers, but it also has the advantage that none of the electronics or mechanics need be contained within the manipulator itself.

The researcher feels that this should be useful for robot manipulators that need to be operated in confined spaces or harsh environments.

A research article describing the study will be published in IEEE Transactions in Robotics. (ANI)

Tue, Jul 28 12:55 PM

Washington, July 28 (ANI): Forming an international team with US experts, an IIT Kharagpur researcher is developing a new in-car yawn-detection system that will keep an eye on a driver while behind the wheel.

Aurobinda Routray and his colleagues - including Indian-origin researchers Aurobinda Mishra of Vanderbilt University and Mihir Mohanty of ITER - say that their system will warn a drive to pull over and take a break when he/she starts to yawn.

Writing about the new computer program in the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Computational Vision and Robotics, the researchers have revealed that it is based around an in-car camera hooked up to image-processing software that captures a sequence of images of the driver's face.

The team say that the system analyses changes in the face, and accurately identifies yawning as distinct from other facial movements-such as smiling, talking, and singing.

According to them, the yawn frequency can be correlated with fatigue behaviour, and hooked up to a warning system to alert drivers to the need to take a break.

They believe that the program will be effective at yawn detection regardless of image intensity and contrast, small head movements, viewing angle, spectacle wearing, and skin colour.

The researchers point out that for traffic safety, it is essential to recognize and understand the physical and mental stress leading to fatigue in drivers.

They reckon that a system that watches the driver and analyses their facial expressions would be so much simpler and less invasive. (ANI)

People leave Facebook every day so what should we read into the high profile exodus of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and home-making queen Martha Stewart?

Mr Gates said he quit because managing his profile became "way too much trouble". He also said that he had 10,000 people wanting to be his friend and that he really didn't have the time to sift through all those messages. Besides, he really couldn't tell who was the real McCoy when it came to his friends.

During an event in India, Mr Gates revealed that despite the amazing benefits that the digital revolution has wrought, some technology could turn out to be a real time-waster.

I am not sure if he remembered that Microsoft ploughed a considerable amount of investment into the social networking site or not.

While Bill might have removed his Facebook page, this very fun mock-up by PC World is worth a look.

And another well-kent figure has followed in Mr Gates' footsteps.

America's so-called domestic goddess Martha Stewart talked to the Daily Beast and said "I'm not knocking Facebook. We use both Facebook and Twitter (at Martha Stewart Organisation). They're very different tools, and I personally don't use Facebook. I prefer Twitter as a means of mass communication - it's the Wal-Mart of the internet."

She also said that the reason she prefers the micro-blogging service is that "I don't have to 'befriend' and do all that other dippy stuff that they do on Facebook."

On Twitter, Ms Stewart has over 1.1 million followers. But despite feigning social media nous, Ms Stewart must not be aware that Twitter has a rough worldwide band of users numbering 40 million while Facebook boasts over 260 million.

Twitter might be less hassle but if you want to reach the biggest possible audience, surely being on Facebook makes business sense at least? Or why not both, especially when it seems you have "staff" to take care of the task of posting on the site?

Perhaps the decision of Mr Gates and Ms Stewart to give up on Facebook speaks to something that affects the human psyche.

"While many users are very engaged, perhaps for some people it has become a place that is too noisy and cluttered," said internet analyst Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence.

On a more philosophical level, Mr Sterling told me:

"This reveals something that is hard to articulate, which is that maybe there are limits that have been reached by these people.

"It's the same if you go away for a weekend and there is no internet and pretty soon you realise there is a lot of stuff that is way more important that all the technology you are so involved in. People have to remember these are tools to communicate with and not confuse them with things in our life like our real world communities."

Less prosaically, I have a friend who has also quit Facebook for a pretty simple reason. In an e-mail, she told me "it feels like it's so over?"

For her at least, and for Bill and Martha, it is.

(alleyinsider.com) --

Perhaps the most exciting tech battle to watch: Google's (GOOG) intensifying clash with fellow titan Microsoft (MSFT), as the two square off in almost every major line of business.

Click here to see 10 ways Google is trying to kill Microsoft →

The latest: In the last few months, each company has launched a direct attack on their arch rival's most important business. Most recently, Google announced that it was developing a desktop operating system, Chrome OS, and Microsoft launched a new search engine, Bing.

Google's success or failure with its operating system attack will be particularly interesting to watch, as it's Google's first attempt to disrupt Microsoft's most important business. Redmond has enjoyed many years (and billions of dollars) on top of the operating system market with DOS and Windows, and besides Apple, no one's been able to obtain share in the consumer market.

But Chrome OS -- starting with cheap, mobility-focused netbooks -- promises to be fast, simple, and -- important -- free to gadget makers, which are already facing paper-thin margins on netbooks, and pressure to cut costs. If Google can make a great user interface and link easily to cloud services like the Web, Google search, GMail, and Google chat, then the Windows juggernaut could be at risk.

Why does that matter? During Microsoft's last fiscal year, Windows contributed 25% of Microsoft's revenue and 53% of its operating profit.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is attacking Google's biggest business, search. Its most recent product launch, Bing, is a good product that's been just a modest success so far: Microsoft's share of the U.S. search market was 8.4% in June, up from 8.0% in May, according to comScore.

Perhaps more important: It looks like Microsoft is close to finally signing a search and advertising partnership with Yahoo. While that takes one of Google's enemies out of its sights, it means that its lone major rival will have more resources and motivation behind it.

Why does this matter to Microsoft? Because it's burned through billions of dollars over the last few years trying to be a big player on the Web, and it will have great hopes and expectations for its deal with Yahoo. And for Google, because search generates more than 90% of its revenue, and funds many of its unprofitable, maybe-Microsoft-killing projects, such as Google Apps, Chrome OS, and Android.

But those are just two of the many fronts in Google's war with Microsoft.

Click here to see 10 ways Google is trying to kill Microsoft →

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