Software ‘N’ Stuff


Bitstream Launches Bolt 1.6 Smartphone Browser

Bitstream announced earlier this week that it has made the latest version of its Web browser for smartphones available to the general public. Bolt 1.6 has several new features, including a new password manager, full socket-based connectivity and the ability to set it as the default browser on Blackberrys. The new password storage feature is similar to that found on full-featured Internet browsers... [Read more]


Password Theft Becoming More Prevalent

Computer Business Review has further proof that despite advances in Internet password storage, many Web surfers are leaving their passwords vulnerable to attack from hackers and other people using password software to crack their accounts. The magazine says that 29 million people were hit by data loss in the UK last year alone. Despite the widespread ability of Web surfers to use a password manager... [Read more]


50 Cent Hoping for “Blood on the Sand” Sequel

Rapper 50 Cent says that he is hoping to create a sequel to his February 2009 video game “Blood on the Sand,” which is the follow up to his 2005 video game debut, “50 Cent: Bulletproof.” According to MTV, “Blood on the Sand” has been so well received by the gaming community that he’ll “try to do it again.” He added, “[Fans] said it’s a good video game. They enjoyed it. I had... [Read more]


Apple Rumored to Be Considering EA Purchase

Recently, there has been a proliferation of rumors about possible Apple acquisitions. First, Apple was rumored to be eyeing hot microblogging service Twitter. Once that rumor was effectively squelched by Twitter Co-founder Biz Stone, another round of Apple rumors hit. This time, it’s EA that the company is purportedly considering. The rumors alone were enough to send shares of EA—the second-largest... [Read more]


Mobile Advertising Growth Expected to Coincide with Release of Google’s New Phones

Although the recession has caused mobile advertising to plateau in recent months, advertising is expected to pick up soon, coinciding with the upcoming release of new Google cell phones built with the company’s Android software, Forbes reports. A new study by Brian Wieser, global director of forecasting for Magna, shows that U.S. advertisers could spend as much as $229 million on mobile ads this... [Read more]


Mobile Commerce Applications Abound, but Near Field Communications Adoption Still Years Away

Making online purchases using mobile and other wireless devices is not uncommon these days. Computerworld reports that the news from the recent Go Mobile 2009 conference is that mobile payment and mobile applications are here to stay. However, widespread adoption of Near Fields Communications (NFC) technology is still years away. At the conference, more than a dozen companies showcased technologies... [Read more]


Apple May Lower Prices on iMac and MacBook Lines

As the computer industry grapples with the protracted recession and slowed consumer spending, rumors have surfaced that Apple plans to lower prices on its iMac and MacBook lines in the near future. AppleInsider reports that the company is making changes that will push down prices. According to AppleInsider, “Word of the changes comes just weeks after the Cupertino-based company became the target... [Read more]


Amazon Introduces New Widescreen Kindle for Newspapers, Textbooks

The flagging newspaper industry may receive an unexpected boost from the new widescreen Kindle, the e-book reader that sold an estimated 500,000 devices in 2008. Unlike its smaller predecessors, the bigger Kindle DX, with a 9.7” display (the original Kindle had a 6” display), is being touted as ideal for newspapers and textbooks. According to Forbes, this summer both The New York Times and... [Read more]


Microsoft’s Stimulus360 Helps Track Stimulus-Funded Projects

Microsoft recently unveiled a new software program called Stimulus360 designed to help government agencies monitor projects that have received funding from the economic stimulus program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. According to the company, “the Microsoft Stimulus360 solution can help public agencies track funded programs, monitor progress, and provide intuitive views of... [Read more]


2009 CODiE Award Winners Announced

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has named its 2009 CODiE Award winners. The awards, originally called the Excellence in Software Awards, are given “to showcase the software and information industry’s finest products and services and to honor excellence in corporate achievement and philanthropic efforts.” According to the SIIA, the CODiE Awards are the only peer-reviewed... [Read more]