Jeeves was dropped from the brand in 2006 as the search engine began a series of facelifts aimed at increasing market share and gaining on Google.

At the time there was a brief campaign from users to have him reinstated.

Ask says the return of the valet, based on a character created by PG Wodehouse, is in response to “user demand”.

Managing director Cesar Mascaraque denied the rethink was a last-ditch effort to gain ground on market leader Google.

“We have seen a growth of 20% this year, so we are not struggling,” he said.

“We have been focused on developing an outstanding producer that will deliver outstanding results and Jeeves is just the icing on the cake.

“Our aim is to give our users the answers they need for the lives they lead and Jeeves’s role is to give our users answers in a more human way.”

But Peter Matthews, manager of the brand and digital consultancy Nucleus, said Ask needed to put some clear blue water between itself and Google.

“Ask is struggling, as all search engines other than Google are,” he said.

“With Google, you get 90% of the market, so the other search engines – Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Ask to name but a few – are all trying to grab a share of the remaining 10%.”

The search engine has been through a series of rebrands, including a TV advertising campaign portraying it as an underground alternative to Google.

In the autumn of 2008 it had another makeover, this time branding itself as the search engine that could best answer specific questions.

Mr Matthews added: “Ask Jeeves was quite a strong brand, in the sense it had brand values that were different from everyone else.

“Ask without Jeeves lacked character and while the actual product – searching the web – is very effective, in trying to be more like Google they shot themselves in the foot.

“The opportunity for Jeeves would be to get the site to be used as it was first intended – not by putting in a few key words, but by asking it a proper question.

“Not only have they got a brand issue, but they need to be famous for answering questions rather than producing reams of search results.”

Original URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7990296.stm

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The problem is that most computers today rely on antivirus software that blocks malware by checking the code in a file against a database of signatures of known viruses. With thousands of new viruses arriving each day, many of them encrypted in part or otherwise disguised with modification, the signature lists require frequent updates and many new viruses slip through undetected.

As a result, security providers are turning their attention to behavior-based approaches for identifying new viruses, with software that focuses on watching for suspicious behavior, such as a program trying to write data to an executable program. Two security companies are set to make announcements on Monday that follow this trend.

Antivirus provider AVG is introducing AVG Identity Protection, software that analyzes the behavior and characteristics of programs running on a computer and shuts down activity that looks suspicious. The software is based on technology the firm acquired when it bought identity theft specialist Sana Security in January.

“The antivirus companies are flooded with malware to add to signature databases,” with 20,000 to 30,000 new unique samples coming out every day, said Roger Thompson, chief research officer at AVG. “It’s time to do something different.”

Meanwhile, Damballa is releasing its Failsafe 3.0 appliance that is designed to discover botnet malware on computers by listening for communications between compromised systems and command-and-control nodes controlled by attackers on the Internet.

As much as 5 percent of computers in a corporation are compromised with targeted attack type of bot malware, even with up-to-date antivirus and intrusion detection software in use, said Bill Guerry, vice president of product management and marketing at Damballa.

Of a sample of more than 200,000 malware samples scanned by a leading antivirus tool over six months, the average gap between the release of the virus and its detection was 54 days, with almost half going undetected on the day received and 15 percent still undetected after 180 days, according to a Damballa study.

Another company, Triumfant, announced behavior-based software last week that protects companies against zero-day attacks that arise from exploits of security vulnerabilities in software that has not yet been patched.

Triumfant Resolution Manager looks for changes in attributes of the computer, such as registry keys, security and port settings, and performance statistics, and removes code that is suspicious.

Original URL: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10184407-83.html

In a surprise move, the company recently shocked fans by announcing this year’s event is its last.

It also revealed that chief executive Steve Jobs would not present the keynote address, reigniting speculation his health has deteriorated following pancreatic cancer surgery in 2004.

Some analysts, however, see Mr Jobs’ decision as part of a succession plan.

“Steve is clearly beginning to share the spotlight with some other executives and sooner or later someone has to step up to the CEO role,” said Van Baker, vice-president of research for IT consulting firm Gartner.

“I don’t think this is about Steve’s health. I think he is trying to back off from being a ‘one man band’ and he is trying to make way for a possible succession and spread the wealth among the executive team that Apple has,” explained Mr Baker to BBC News.

Apple has said the reason for pulling out of future shows is because it feels the forum does not provide value for money.

In an earlier statement, the company said that “every week 3.5m people visit our retail stores. And like many companies, trade shows are a minor part of how Apple reaches its customers”.

Rumour mill
With Apple refusing to answer questions about Mr Jobs’ health, concern and rumour continues to take on a life of its own. Much of it was sparked off in the middle of last year when he appeared at Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference looking very thin and gaunt.

Just last week Gizmodo.com, a popular tech and gadget website, posted a report from an anonymous source who said Mr Jobs’ health was “rapidly declining”.

Within minutes, Apple stock dipped from $87.92 (£60.60) to $84.72 (£58.42). It rallied at the end of the day but this demonstrates how sensitive the market is to the issue.

Mr Baker, however, believes there really is nothing to worry about when it comes to either the health of Apple’s boss or that of the company he has been credited with turning into such a dominant force.

“I think it’s much ado about nothing, to be honest with you. Of course I could be wrong, but I think if he had anything that was truly life threatening there is an onus on the board and on him to share that with shareholders,” stated Mr Baker.

However, some analysts believe that Apple will suffer without Mr Jobs at the helm.

“Apple can’t survive the way it is without Steve Jobs,” Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told the San Jose Mercury News.

“It will have to change dramatically because it’s been so designed around Steve.”

That view is upheld by LA Times columnist Michael Hiltzik, who asks what he calls the crass question – “What is Apple Inc’s plan if CEO Steve Jobs dies?”

Mr Hiltzik wrote: “I hope the day when Apple has to contemplate life without Steve Jobs stays far, far in the future. But the value of the company and the perception of its future are now tied, at least in the short term, to the public perception of his future.”

Silent protest
Mr Jobs’ decision not to present Tuesday’s keynote speech now means the spotlight will be turned on Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Shiller, who will stand in.

The presentation has in the past been likened to that of a rock concert, with the audience cheering every announcement. It has also been a highly visible platform for Steve Jobs, who has delighted the Mac fans by giving them a first glimpse of new products such as the iPhone, the iPod and the Mac Air book among others.

“This really feels like we are making a pilgrimage to the mother ship to see what Steve is going to give us for the next year,” explained Lesa Snider King, who met her husband at Macworld and planned the wedding around the expo in 2006.

As a long time Mac user, regular Macworld attendee, and Mac training instructor, Ms Snider King told the BBC she was so disappointed at Apple’s decision to pull out of future shows that she had organised a protest. She has called on the Mac community to stay silent during Mr Shiller’s keynote address.

“I don’t want anybody to be rude, or throw things or heckle or anything. Our anger will speak volumes by us not saying anything. This isn’t personal against Mr Shiller but it’s aimed at sending a message to Apple,” Ms Snider King explained.

“There is a whole ecosystem that centres around Macworld and it’s not just about Apple. There are hundreds of mom-and-pop companies who will be adversely affected,” she said.

Ms Snider King added that while she has had a lot of positive response, there has been something of a backlash to her idea.

“There have been quite a number of very vile, mean personal attacks over it which I have found shocking. I never dreamt in a million years that I would have people calling me names that I don’t dare repeat. But this is important. Apple pulling out of Macworld has the potential to kill the show.

“Apple have always had this thing about eating their young and I feel that is what they have done here,” said Ms Snider King.

Original URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7810293.stm

The guidelines, to be announced Tuesday, call for Google Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to try to reduce the scope of government requests that appear to conflict with free speech and other human rights principles. They also require participating companies to seek requests in writing, along with the names and titles of the authorizing officer.

The Global Network Initiative guidelines were drawn up by the Internet companies along with human rights organizations, investors and academics.

But ultimately, the documents are less about “what happens when you get a knock on the door than what are you doing before then,” said Leslie Harris, chief executive of the Center for Democracy and Technology, one of the main groups behind the guidelines.

Harris said the companies are agreeing to consider human rights issues ahead of time as they decide which countries to operate in and what services to offer. The guidelines also call for companies to train employees and develop mechanisms to resolve conflicts.

It was not immediately clear, however, what practices, if any, will change, as the guidelines do not ban any specific conduct, and many of the key points are open to interpretation or are left to individual companies to implement.

“What’s disappointing is that the amount of effort … didn’t produce something more substantial,” said Morton Sklar, executive director of the World Organization for Human Rights USA, which sued Yahoo for giving Chinese officials information that led to the arrest of two journalists. The lawsuit has since been settled for an undisclosed amount.

He said the documents do not offer specific guidance on how a company’s employee is supposed to respond when presented with a particular set of circumstances.

But Sklar praised the companies for recognizing “that there was a huge problem here and needed to be addressed.”

About 18 months in the making, the guidelines do call for the creation of an oversight organization to regularly review the companies’ practices, though what sanctions they face have yet to be decided. Other companies may join the Global Network Initiative.

The guidelines stress that free expression and human rights are ultimately principles requiring the commitment of governments, and that organization will also help companies collaborate on lobbying.

Internet companies have felt compelled to expand into China because of its growth potential, but the push into the world’s most populous country has raised thorny issues, particularly for Yahoo and Google, which were both co-founded by immigrants.

Yahoo and its Taiwan-born chief executive, Jerry Yang, have faced the biggest backlash for handing over e-mails that led to the imprisonment of two Chinese journalists. Besides Sklar’s lawsuit, the outcry spurred a congressional hearing during which the late Rep. Tom Lantos likened Yang to a moral “pygmy” for cooperating with the Chinese government.

Yang has since been more proactive about speaking out for human rights. Leading up to the Olympics in Beijing, Yang urged the Bush administration to use its diplomatic influence to obtain the release of jailed political dissidents.

Google has refrained from offering e-mail or blogging services in China because it doesn’t want to be put in a position where it might have to turn over any of its user’s communications.

Still, Google has come under fire for censoring about 2 percent of its search results in China to comply with government rules. Google’s Russian-born co-founder, Sergey Brin, has maintained that the people living there will be better off with an abbreviated version of the search engine than a full version that is entirely blocked by the government.

“From the start, Google has promoted free expression and the protection of our users’ privacy,” said Bob Boorstin, Google’s director of policy communications. “We see this as another crucial step. The coming together of all these diverse companies and groups is more likely to bring change in government policies than any one company working by itself.”

In a statement, Yang said the guidelines “provide a valuable roadmap for companies like Yahoo operating in markets where freedom of expression and privacy are unfairly restricted.”

Original URL: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081028/ap_on_hi_te/internet_human_rights

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Steve Jobs was rushed to the ER just a few hours ago after suffering a major heart attack. I have an insider who tells me that paramedics were called after Steve claimed to be suffering from severe chest pains and shortness of breath. My source has opted to remain anonymous, but he is quite reliable. I haven’t seen anything about this anywhere else yet, and as of right now, I have no further information, so I thought this would be a good place to start. If anyone else has more information, please share it.

Was this just a short seller trying to make a quick buck, or someone trying to see how fast and far they could spread a false rumor? And what does it say about the value of citizen journalists?

CNN’s iReport site lets anyone put up posts and videos about the news. Its tagline is “Unedited. Unfiltered. News.” Sometimes these reports get on CNN proper (presumably, after being vetted). But as this incident shows even the an unvetted report carries more weight than if it had appeared on Twitter or a random blog because it is on a CNN site. And that may be purely because it gets distributed more broadly.

Original URL: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/03/citizen-journalist-hits-apple-stock-with-false-steve-jobs-heart-attack-rumor/

GNOME is the default for many popular Linux distros, and the latest version will be included in upcoming versions of Ubuntu, Fedora and many other Linux distributions. The basic idea behind GNOME (and competitor KDE) is to provide a unified interface for common apps — a file browser, multimedia tools and productivity apps.

The latest release brings GNOME to version 2.24 and includes some new apps like the Empathy, an instant messaging client which promises tighter integration with the GNOME desktop and a smoother IM experience on Linux.

Although it’s a relatively minor feature, longtime GNOME fans will be happy to note that the latest release adds the much-requested support for tabbed windows in the Nautilus file browser (we’d still like to see a “column view” option as well, but at least now you have tabs).

Other minor but welcome new features include a task manager/to do list applet for the GNOME panel, additional screen resolution tools for those with multiple monitors, and support for high-resolution YouTube videos in the GNOME Movie Player app.

Taking a tip from OS X’s Spotlight search tool, GNOME’s own Deskbar search app can now perform calculator operations, search Google, update Twitter and more. There’s also a new, easier way to install plugins directly from the online Deskbar repository.

The other major part of today’s announcement is the release of GNOME mobile, which provides a desktop environment and development framework for Linux mobile devices. While Apple and Google may be grabbing mobile headlines at the moment, Ubuntu Mobile and others are hard at work trying to bring Linux to a phone near you.

The GNOME mobile stack should make that process somewhat easier with its pre-built tools like the GTK+ toolset and frameworks for writing apps in C, C++ and Python.

At the moment, however, GNOME is probably best known as a desktop enviroment for Linux and the latest release is definitely worth the upgrade. If you’d like to install it now, check your distro’s repositories to see if an update is available. If not you can grab the live CD from the GNOME downloads page. Or, if you can stand to wait a few weeks, both Ubuntu and Fedora will be releasing GNOME 2.24-based updates in October.

Original URL: http://www.webmonkey.com/blog/Upgrade_Your_Linux_Desktop_Experience_With_GNOME_2DOT24

At one tech company, innovation can mean bringing a dazzling new product to store shelves. At another, it can translate to a tiny new button on a Web site. That’s why, executives say, the word itself has been overused and devalued.

Still, new cutting-edge products mean everything to a successful tech company.

Executives from eBay, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and others were here at SDForum’s first Corporate Innovation and Research Fair on Friday to talk about their techniques for staying creative. Each company has its own style, with some strategies that overlap. But they all acknowledged it’s not easy to innovate, especially considering that large corporate cultures can be a curse to fresh ideas.

Max Mancini, eBay’s senior director of Platform and Disruptive Innovation, went so far as to say that Silicon Valley venture capitalists wouldn’t make so much money on start-up investments if tech companies were better at developing new products.

“Venture capital firms thrive on inefficiencies in large organizations,” said Mancini, who spoke at the gathering held at the Computer History Museum.

His counterpart at HP added to the idea by saying that demands from Wall Street and senior management can stifle innovation. “If you’re a larger company, there’s high probability you have creative people (in your organization). But creative people get impatient,” said Rich Friedrich, director of HP’s Enterprise Systems and Software Lab.

That means that these companies either must invest billions in research and development units, or bake in policies to ensure that people dream up new products. Google, of course, asks engineers to spend 20 percent of their time on pet projects. Microsoft, in contrast, employs more than 800 researchers in labs around the world.

A bottom-up style
Roy Levin, Microsoft’s director of research in Silicon Valley, said that one reason the labs have proven helpful to Microsoft, including bringing products like Windows Media to consumers, is their bottom-up style. The labs’ researchers pick projects themselves and collaborate with each other. They’re also not beholden to profit-and-loss goals or managers, he said.

“Every time you introduce (managerial) hierarchy, you introduce barriers to collaboration; and collaboration is key,” Levin said.

But once a technology is ready, transferring it to a product group or bringing it to market can be highly difficult, he said. That’s why so-called technology transfers are “a contact sport,” he said. Researchers must travel a lot to get new ideas and prototypes in front of the right people, Levin said.

eBay’s Mancini said that the auction company does two big things to promote creativity. The first is operating a technology platform that mirrors the eBay framework so that its engineers can experiment with new tools. That way, developers can test products outside of the company’s rigid software development process, he said.

The other method is to invite third-party developers into the fold through application programming interfaces. He said that in the last year developers have created an estimated 12,000 applications for eBay, producing as many as 60 percent of the listings on the site. “That’s innovation we probably couldn’t afford,” he said.

“Innovation is about the ecosystem, either removing barriers internally or allowing third parties to help meet the needs of your customers in ways you can’t afford to do (or have the time to do),” Mancini said.

Similarly, HP’s Friedrich said that one of his company’s strategies is to partner with outsiders on projects. “All of the innovative people don’t work for your company,” he said.

HP, for example, teamed up with DreamWorks years ago to work on technology for life-like animation and “cloud” services that were used to produce the movie Shrek. Last week, HP also teamed up with Intel and Yahoo to create six large-scale computing centers that would allow outsiders to test technology.

Cloud services are one of several areas of research for HP, which invests about $3.6 billion annually in R&D, Friedrich said. It’s also looking at projects in sustainability and managing data. On a broader level, HP is trying to shift the company from a hardware maker to a software company; and it’s doing that largely through acquisitions.

Oracle’s Marie-Anne Neimat, vice president of development for embedded databases, also pointed to acquisitions as a way to evolve, beyond Oracle’s multibillion dollar annual investment in R&D.

“It’s new blood,” she said.

Finally, some technology companies have turned into venture capitalists, too.

Ike Nassi, SAP’s executive vice president of research for the Americas and China, said it recently started a venture capital incubator. It solicits ideas from internal employees and external start-ups; and if it’s a good idea, SAP will help form a new business unit, fold the start-up into an existing product line, or spin it out as a new company, he said.

“If you have an interesting idea and don’t want to go the VC route, we provide seed funding,” Nassi said.

That’s similar to other technology companies. Intel, Google, Motorola, Amazon, and Comcast run venture capital units either formally or informally.

What about the word innovation?

“It’s completely devalued,” Nassi said. “The thing we need to look at is managing risk–whether placing an investment on this versus that, and what’s the payoff of that investment.”

Original URL: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10018320-92.html