Canonical and the chip designer are to collaborate on a version of Ubuntu tailored to ARM's architecture, with a focus on low-cost subnotebooks. Canonical has announced it will be developing a version of its Ubuntu Linux desktop operating system specifically for ARM's Cortex-A8 and Cortex-A9 processor architectures. ...

Stability and security releases for the browser will end next month, despite ongoing problems with Firefox 3 The Mozilla Foundation is planning to end support for the Firefox 2 browser in mid-December, despite the persistence of significant flaws in the most-recent version of the popular browser. ...

Version 6.5 of the open-source NetBeans IDE has support for the PHP scripting language and a preview of Python support. Sun Microsystems on Wednesday introduced a version of the open-source NetBeans integrated development environment IDE, with expanded support for web and Java software development. The...

Online networks suffered their heaviest brute force attacks to date this year, with more sites than ever coming under sustained assault. Online networks suffered their heaviest brute force attacks to date this year, with more sites than ever coming under sustained assault. IP networks were...

Silicon.com sat down with SAS's CEO in Las Vegas this week to find out his thoughts on cloud computing, succession planning and the iPhone. SAS is unique among tech heavyweights for its private ownership - the business intelligence BI company has been run for more than 30 years by...

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer dismissed Google's Android operating system, saying he believed it was financially unsound. Sydney, Australia--Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer on Thursday dismissed Google's Android operating system, saying he believed it was financially unsound. Speaking at Telstra's annual investment day, Ballmer said that Android was...

The final specification for so-called SuperSpeed USB, which is said to be 10 times faster than USB 2.0, has been published by the USB Implementers Forum. Version 3.0 of the universal serial bus specification has been released. Unveiled on Monday by the USB Implementers Forum,...

Two systems, including one based on x86 chips, have become the first ever to break the petaflop/s barrier in the latest Top500 supercomputer list. Cray's XT5 Jaguar supercomputer has narrowly missed displacing IBM's Roadrunner system as the world's fastest supercomputer, according to the results of the bi-annual 'Top500' supercomputing...

Larry Brilliant, executive director of Google's philanthropic arm, says the IT industry has a major role to play in tackling climate change and global disease. The technology industry can play a major role in tackling global disease and battling climate change, according to the executive...

The Department of Homeland Security has disputed Bruce Schneier's claim that the US-Visit program has had no impact on reducing criminal and terrorist threats. Security expert and BT chief security-technology officer Bruce Schneier has attacked the US-Visit border-biometrics program, saying it has had "zero benefit" in terms of security....

The analyst house warns that, although take-up of open-source software is widespread, most companies do not have formal procurement or governance policies in place for such software. Eighty-five percent of companies are already using open-source software, with most of the remaining 15 percent expecting to do so...

Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by a mobile-phone warranty firm has found. Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by...

Chinese Internet users have expressed fury at Microsoft's launch of an anti-piracy tool targeting Chinese computer users to ensure they buy genuine software. BEIJING--Chinese Internet users have expressed fury at Microsoft's launch of an anti-piracy tool targeting Chinese computer users to ensure they buy genuine software. ...

RSA says cloud-computing crimeware means networks of zombie machines can be hired to steal online-banking details for as little as $299 a month. Cloud-computing crimeware means networks of zombie machines can be hired to steal online-banking details for as little as $299 (£185) per month....

Application downtime, whether you're measuring intermittent availability or fully downed systems, is too costly to ignore. The best way to avoid trouble is to view the infrastructure through the eyes of your transactions says OpTier's Motti Tal. Application downtime, whether you're measuring intermittent...

Rising costs of energy - along with limited availability of energy in some areas – are forcing the IT industry to take a new approach in designing and managing data centers, says IBM's Christopher O'Connor. Commentary--Energy efficiency is a significant global issue today, and is expected to be even...

The GSM Association has called on manufacturers to build technology for contactless payments into their handsets by the middle of next year The GSM Association has called on phone manufacturers to build RFID technology into handsets from mid-2009, in a bid to kick start the mobile-payment industry. ...

Businesses rely on location technology to plan store and office placement and logistics - and to learn about their customers, says Ventana Research's Mark Smith. Commentary--Information about location has never been more available or more widely used. Businesses rely on it to plan store...

Jim Whitehurst has claimed the proprietary software-development model is coming to an end, as open source better meets customer needs Big software releases like Windows Vista mark the end of "planned software" for the industry, according to Red Hat chief executive Jim Whitehurst. Speaking at a...

Sony recalls LittleBigPlanet, just after it had been shipped to retailers, over two lines from the Koran that can be heard in one of the songs on the game's soundtrack. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced that it is recalling the Playstation 3 video game, LittleBigPlanet, from retailers after...