http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog Jennifer LeClaire : Writer, Editor, Project Manager Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's a product four years in the making: Google Suggest debuted on Tuesday to help users formulate queries and get better results.Google began developing the search-suggestion product in 2004. The feature started as a "20-percent project" (a Google philosophy that allows employees to spend one day a week working on ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/28/google-suggest-comes-late-to-search-assist-party/ Microsoft on Monday revealed some new privacy features for Internet Explorer 8, the next version of its market-leading Web browser. The features address the concerns of consumers and privacy advocates, who called the plans a positive step.The new features will let users control their history, cookies and other information ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/27/microsoft-plans-native-privacy-features-for-ie8/ In a move to set itself apart from the flood of Bluetooth headsets on the market, BlueAnt Wireless on Tuesday introduced the BlueAnt V1 headset.The BlueAnt V1 is the only fully voice-controlled Bluetooth headset. The headset is powered by Sensory Inc.'s BlueGenie Voice Interface and BlueAnt's voice-isolation technology. The headset ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/27/blueants-bluetooth-headset-takes-your-voice-commands/ In a move to cash in on the back-to-school mobile phone-buying sprees, Verizon Wireless on Monday launched a new phone dubbed "Blitz."Verizon Wireless is billing the phone as a device designed for the heaviest of texters. Loosely translated, that means tweens, or preteens. The Blitz comes with a slide-out QWERTY ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/26/verizon-targets-tween-market-with-new-blitz-phone/ For business professionals who can't stand to waste a minute, Intuit is delivering the ability to do accounting on a smartphone. On Monday, Intuit announced integration for both the iPhone and Blackberry with QuickBooks Online, a Web-based business accounting application.Intuit is billing the integration as a means to give small-business ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/26/intuit-brings-quickbooks-to-blackberry-and-iphone/ Apple's iPhone partners may be working overtime to enhance the phone maker's image.Poland Orange, Poland's largest mobile operator, has launched a pre-iPhone 3G marketing campaign that is paying dozens of actors to stand in line to buy one of the new devices, according to a Reuters report. And Orange ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/23/polands-phony-iphone-lines-could-hurt-apples-image/ Microsoft will pay comedian Jerry Seinfeld $10 million to advertise its Windows Vista operating system. In all, the campaign, which includes a series of ads featuring Seinfeld and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, will cost $300 million.Based on the theme "Windows Not Walls," the series aims to shed a more favorable ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/22/10m-for-jerry-seinfeld-may-or-may-not-help-microsoft/ In a move that could help it avoid an iPhone 3G-like software drama, Google wants bug hunters to test its Android mobile platform. On Monday, the Android Security Team posted a message to introduce itself to the security research and vulnerability communities.Android is Google's Linux-based mobile development platform, which ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/21/google-invites-security-researchers-to-debug-android/ The Apple rumor mill is churning, but this week it's about software fixes instead of new products. News reports are raising expectations of yet another iPhone software fix in September.Apple was not immediately available for comment. What is known is that Monday's software update 2.0.2 didn't fix connection problems -- in ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/21/apple-reportedly-plans-another-fix-for-the-iphone/ he Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive Software acquisition drama continues as the mammoth video-game publisher said it won't extend a Monday deadline for its $2 billion offer to buy Take-Two, maker of the Grand Theft Auto franchise series.It may not be as dramatic as the Microsoft and Yahoo story, but ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/19/ea-declines-to-extend-take-two-bid-deadline/ Google is in the legal crosshairs once again. On Monday, GraphOn announced it has filed a lawsuit against the search giant alleging infringement on four of the company's patents.GraphOn, a developer of server-based application publishing and Web-enabling software solutions, filed the complaint in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/19/graphon-sues-google-for-patent-infringement/ For all talk the about the mammoth Patch Tuesday this week, there was little discussion surrounding a new set of ActiveX kill bits Microsoft also released. The update includes kill bits for third-party software applications Aurigma Image Uploader and HP Instant Support. Click here to read the rest of this ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/17/kill-bits-for-aurigma-hp-support-in-microsoft-patches/ South Florida cities rank high in foreclosure volume, commercial deals are hamstrung by the credit crunch, and property values are down 6 percent, said Matt Haggman, a real estate reporter at The Miami Herald, who keynoted Friday morning’s South Florida Property Opportunities Conference, presented by CPN. Nonetheless, Haggman remains optimistic ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/17/some-doom-some-gloom-but-plenty-of-optimism/ This month Microsoft issued 11 bulletins that address a record 26 vulnerabilities, 17 of them rated as critical. The 26 vulnerabilities are the most Microsoft has addressed since it had 25 in August 2006, which also had 17 rated as critical.The patch for the vulnerability in the Snapshot Viewer ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/14/patch-tuesday-fixes-a-record-26-vulnerabilities/ Apple's iPhone 3G reception issues could be more than a network problem -- or even a firmware problem. The issue could run as deep as the hardware, which could cause the handset maker millions in product repairs or replacements.iPhone 3G users have been complaining about dropped calls, abrupt network switches, ... http://www.jenniferleclaire.com/blog/2008/08/13/iphone-3g-problems-could-be-from-flawed-chipset/