Sidekick Data Loss, Cisco Buying Spree
There was a little bit of everything this week -- Sidekick users got a nasty surprise, Cisco made another acquisition, Oracle had its big user conference while questions lingered regarding the effect its plan to buy Sun will have, Biz Stone insisted he doesn't want to sell Twitter, and the world prepared for the launch of Windows 7 next week even as administrators grumbled their way through a monster patch Tuesday.
1. T-Mobile, Microsoft tell Sidekick users we 'continue to do all we can' to restore data and Sidekick's lesson: Back up your data: T-Mobile and Microsoft finally spoke up to say that they are dealing with problems that caused Sidekick users to lose data and contend with connection issues. Users of the smartphone were having problems for days, so the belated reaction of the companies vexed many of them. Meanwhile, the problems serve as a reminder that it's important to back up data, no matter what device you have it stored on.
2. Starent buy continues Cisco's direction toward collaboration and video: Cisco Systems plans to add Internet Protocol-based mobile infrastructure provider Starent Networks to its portfolio for a cool US$2.9 billion. Cisco announced on Oct. 1 that it is buying videoconferencing stalwart Tandberg for about $3 billion. The combination led Computerworld's Matt Hamblen to liken Cisco to a 1930s-era Hollywood mogul, with its fingers reaching into distribution and content, including a steady advance into the mobile Internet space.
3. Reporter's Notebook: Oracle OpenWorld 2009: CIO took an in-depth look at Oracle's OpenWorld, offering keen insights into the show's highs and lows. Meanwhile ...
4, Fate of some Sun technologies still up in the air: While Oracle executives have been talking about various Sun Microsystems technologies, it has been noticed there are some they have not talked about, and some Sun officials involved in those technologies haven't heard much about Oracle's plans, if any.
5. Corporate PCs up to task of Windows 7, but age could be mitigating factor: Most corporate PCs will be able to support Windows 7, but considering that many companies have put update cycles on hold, they'll have to weigh the costs of keeping aging hardware versus the cost of migrating to newer machines and upgrading existing applications, according to a newly released survey. And the weighing has undoubtedly begun in some quarters with the hoopla-laden launch of Windows 7 upon us next week.
6. Google Editions embraces universal e-book format: Google is getting into e-books, with plans to open Google Editions, an online store that will not be device-specific, so that content will work on an array of e-book readers. Just in time for all the new e-readers set to hit the market next year.
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