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Bill Gates talks about the tablet PC and ways to enhance productivity in an uncertain economy during his keynote address at the sixth annual Microsoft CEO Summit.
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Today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2002, Microsoft Game Studios announced that "MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries," the latest installment in the ever-popular "MechWarrior" franchise, is in development and scheduled for release this fall. Updating the critically acclaimed guns-for-hire theme of the original "Mercenaries" title, "MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries" adds an edgy standalone chapter to the ongoing saga.

"MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries' takes fans back to one of the most popular gaming themes in the 'Mech universe: playing for cold hard cash," said T.J. Wagner, a producer at FASA Studios. "By combining the soldier-of-fortune gameplay of 'Mercenaries' and the stunning 'MechWarrior 4' game engine, we've created the ultimate 'Mech game that fans have been asking for."

This morning at Microsoft's sixth annual CEO Summit, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates outlined some of the key technology trends that will drive what he calls the "Digital Decade." Addressing an audience of over 100 CEOs representing virtually all major industries, Gates explained how versatile, powerful computing devices, ubiquitous networking and software innovations will converge to revolutionize individual productivity and streamline business processes.

"Over the next five or six years, we will see some very dramatic advances," Gates said. "Even today, we've seen an impact on productivity that's phenomenal."

A legal fight that has pitted file-swapping software companies Kazaa BV and StreamCast Networks against big record labels and movie studios is collapsing as the small companies run out of funds. Netherlands-based Kazaa BV, which created the file-swapping technology underlying Kazaa, Grokster and earlier versions of Morpheus, is conceding defeat--although its founders already appear to have started another near-identical company. Meanwhile, StreamCast is losing a high-powered attorney with a winning track record against the music companies in court.

"The case is in jeopardy of collapsing simply from the financial attrition of the defendants before a decision on the merits can be reached," StreamCast's attorneys wrote in a legal brief filed with the court Friday. "If that happens, it would be an unfortunate procedural triumph of a band of enormously powerful and wealthy companies, arising purely from their power and entirely unrelated to the substantive issues in the case."

Some will remember the big move from AGP 2X to 4X that took place ages ago. In our industry, even weeks are long, and in the past five years many things happen in this 3D graphic market. When the original AGP was introduced, it was a big step in computer graphics since it presented an alternative to the slow PCI slot that was hindering the display of juicy eyecandy on our screens. Right now, we are using AGP 4X that makes our AGP texturing operation hellishly fast, but this is a year of "evolution" so we need to see a new AGP that will once again tempt many folk to go out and buy a new motherboard. We wonder if the "quantum leap" and "paradigm" shift from 4X to 8X will wow us this time around.

After playing with the new preview version of Netscape 7, released yesterday, I found myself asking, "Why?" More specifically, why is AOL Time Warner releasing this thing? Don't they know the browser wars are over and that Internet Explorer won? It reminds me of the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, arms and legs long since hacked away, defiantly shouting, "Come back here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!"

A brand-new user, a Microsoft-hater, or someone who lives on AOL mail and messaging would be very well served by Netscape 7. But for the rest of us who are reasonably happy with Microsoft, none of these improvements is compelling enough to make me want to switch. At this point, Netscape needs to offer something earth-shattering if it's going to make up ground on IE. Netscape 7 ain't it.

Microsoft's MSN and Verizon Wireless will announce Thursday that they have teamed to deliver MSN services to Verizon Wireless customers. Under their multimillion-dollar deal, the companies said the service, dubbed "VZW with MSN," will offer new and current customers who have Web-enabled Verizon Wireless digital phone access to MSN content, including MSN Hotmail, MSN Calendar and MSN Messenger, an instant-messaging service that will be available for the first time in the United States as a mobile service. Subscribers to the co-branded service will also have access to Microsoft .Net alerts as well as other MSN information, such as news, stocks, sports and weather.

Microsoft says its next version of SharePoint portal-building software--due by mid 2003--will be designed to take advantage of its forthcoming Windows .Net application server and incorporate XML-based Web-services standards, making it easier for in-house developers to create custom portals for their companies. The new SharePoint software will also feature improved search and information-aggregation tools and will let users E-mail team members from within a SharePoint site, says Trina Seinfeld, program manager for SharePoint. Microsoft's BizTalk Server will allow users to access other business applications while working in SharePoint.

With its Tablet PC software, the tech titan is aiming to boost the appeal of pen-based devices by making them more in keeping with full-fledged notebook computers. The latest version combines Microsoft's Windows XP operating system with a pen interface and handwriting-recognition software. Devices using the software will have special displays but otherwise use standard notebook processors and other PC components, which will help to cut down on costs. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates promoted the technology at last fall's Comdex show, holding it up as a sign of hope amid a declining PC market and an economic downturn. Compaq Computer, NEC, Toshiba, Intel and other companies all showed off prototypes at the tech event.

Solaris 9 couldn't arrive soon enough for troubled Sun, which has seen almost $1 billion in losses over the past year and the departure of five senior executives, including former president Ed Zander. Despite rumors that the company's constantly changing Linux strategy was responsible for most of the executive turnover, the problem might be a bit more serious than that: With a viable and low-cost UNIX-like competitor available on the low-end in Linux, Sun is seeing more and more of its core business eroded by the Open Source sensation. And the company's chief server competitor, IBM, has embraced Linux and worked with the Open Source community to ensure that Linux is compatible with all of IBM's hardware.