Microsoft starts testing Office 2008 for Mac

Microsoft has started private testing of the next version of Office for the Macintosh, which is due out in the second half of the year.

[The previous version was released in 2004]. This signifies two things... one that mac is gaining some critical mass... and the other that MS feels the need for as many allies as possible...

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How Web Widgets Help With Viral Marketing

A Web widget is a mini tool—a chunk of code that people can insert in just about any Web page to perform a specific function. Usually, Web widgets are snippets of HTML. Examples:

* HTML that displays a picture on a MySpace profile

* HTML that embeds a YouTube video in a blog entry

* HTML that embeds a portion of one's calendar on a personal Web site

Experienced Web developers may question the significance of Web widgets. For them, the concept of chunks of reusable HTML doesn't seem particularly revolutionary. However, for marketers, widgets have become very important on the Web.

YouTube (www.youtube.com) is perhaps the quintessential example of the success of widgets. YouTube is a Web site that enables users to share and view online video clips. When you visit a video at the YouTube Web site, you'll find a chunk of HTML that you can copy and then paste into your blog, MySpace page, or other Web site. Visitors to your site can then watch the video without having to click over to the YouTube site. Every time someone embeds a YouTube video on a page, it serves as an advertisement for the YouTube service.

read on....

Microsoft to Release VoIP Server Beta on Monday

Microsoft will make available for public download the beta versions of its unified communications server and client software on Monday. Office Communications Server 2007, the company’s voice-over-IP (VoIP) server software, and Office Communicator 2007, its application for mobile devices, will be included in the beta. The software is compatible with gateways, phones and other servers that companies might already be using, according to a Microsoft executive. The server has been integrated with Office 2007, and both bits of the beta release have instant-messaging and video-conferencing functions.

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Oracle Sues SAP for ‘Corporate Theft'

News from IT companies is rarely of the jaw-dropping variety, but the lawsuit Oracle slapped SAP with this week is nothing short of stunning. Oracle alleges that IP addresses originating at a U.S. SAP subsidiary were used to illegally access Oracle’s customer support computer systems thousands of times and that SAP employees used log-in credentials of Oracle customers to copy software and support materials.

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M&A Time!

Seems like it the time for Mergers and Acquisitions. First, it was Tata's bid for Corus. Then, it was Vodafone's bid for Hutch. And then, we are hearing the mother of all bids.. the Barclay's $155 billion offer for ABN Amro Bank.

Remember what followed the last time that we saw a slew of M&A activity??

Here is a list of recent M&A:
Qantas Bid Faces Another Testing Week
Affiliated Computer gets $5.9 bln Cerberus bid
BP may bid for $10 billion Abu Dhabi gas project
ServiceMaster accepts $4.7 billion bid from CD&R
Bid for Triad topped
Imperial Tobacco Makes $15 Billion Bid for Spanish Rival
Altadis Shares May Climb on Speculation Imperial Will Raise Bid
CVS' $26.5 billion bid beats out Express Scripts' higher offer

The Mobile War

With Apple's plans to come out with the iPhone and all the buzz around it, the competitors are also joining the fray. First, it was all the rumours around Google's entry into the arena (Why Would Google Make a Phone? ; Google is mum on the issue). And now it is Yahoo. Not another phone, but a new Internet search system for mobile phone users that delivers locally relevant answers.

"We are now putting search on every mobile phone that has a browser," said Marco Boerries, senior vice president of Yahoo's Connected Life business unit. "We are delivering the results consumers want with just one search, not a list of Web links."

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A Manager Mom's Very Busy Day

This Boston MBA's typical day involves meetings, planning for presentations, and keeping an eye on the day-care pickup schedule

"As vice-president of media services, I manage the growth and expansion of 360i's media department, overseeing a team of 25 people. I ensure that search engine marketing strategies are flawlessly executed for clients. I lead the integration of search strategies with online display advertising. I assess new opportunities and ensure efficiency and quality control in my unit. "

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Let the rolling begin!

I thought about this for a brief moment and here I am.. starting a new blog - a Tech blog. I shall be posting all my techie thoughts and the latest tech news here.

Its my attempt to streamline my thoughts and all the technical mumbo jumbo I roll on. And it is dedicated to all you Techies out there!!