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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...

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. ...

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. ...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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 (Ł185) per month....

It took a decade of indexing advances such as skip lists and index compression to make indexing practical, and another decade of computing advances to give us billions of searchable documents says Attivio's Jonathan Young. Commentary--It seems as though there is a watershed event in...

Atos Origin explains how risk-management tech helped to prioritize the real risks hidden within. The security team behind the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has revealed how it found the real risks hidden within the millions of alerts received every day. Faced with 12 million alerts per...

Sony said five PC makers including Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba will recall 100,000 computer battery packs made by the Japanese electronics maker due to a fire hazard. SAN FRANCISCO/TOKYO--Sony said five PC makers including Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba will recall 100,000 computer battery packs made by the Japanese electronics maker due...

Companies that play a key role in the Britain's national infrastructure are facing sustained cyber-espionage attacks, says a UK cyber-defense chief. Sustained cyber-espionage attacks are being waged on companies that play a key role in the Britain's national infrastructure, a UK cyber-defense chief has warned....