Deborah Rothberg

New York—Microsoft Corp. kicked off the Interop New York 2005 show with the release to manufacturing of the Web-based version of its Office Communicator 2005 enterprise instant messaging client. Microsoft launched its enterprise IM client the same day that it unveiled its beta-test plans for Windows Live Messenger, aka MSN Messenger 8.0. Microsoft announced a […]

The Portland, Oregon-based, venture-backed software company Attensa, Inc. recently announced that it has completed a Series B equity funding led by RSS Investors, which along with existing investors, SmartForest Ventures, bring its total investment to date to $12 million. This round of financing raised $9 million, with the Portland company, SmartForest, adding $4 million to […]

Program Manager Imran Qureshi announced this week on the Windows Live Mail blog the release of the Milestone 4 update to Hotmails successor, code-named Kahuna. The latest update of what is now known officially as “Windows Live Mail” boasts a slew of features, with a focus on spam-blocking, phishing detection, “spell check as you go” […]

Skype Technologies, S.A. recently announced that it has signed a deal with RadioShack Corporation to distribute the first Skype-certified Motorola Bluetooth-enabled phones and headsets in America, making it the first U.S. retailer to offer this Internet phone service. Recent product partnerships are in line with Skypes apparent goals in the last two years to grow […]

America Online, Inc. announced today the launch of AOL Pictures, a free photo sharing Web site with unlimited online digital storage in original resolutions, photo sharing and printing. “Available for free to anyone on the Web at AOL.com, AOL Pictures gives consumers a complete digital photo experience with benefits like unlimited, free photo storage and […]

Yahoo Inc. took a plunge into social commerce this morning with the beta launch of the Shoposphere and its user-generated feature, Pick Lists. “We think that the community of people shopping on the Web is a fantastic source of information. What we are trying to do is create a place where people can find and […]

The Microsoft Network announced on Wednesday that it will be teaming up with the Associated Press to develop the AP Online Video Network,slated to launch in the first quarter of next year. Based on an advertising-supported model, the network will provide AP members with news videos for their Web sites. “We think the AP is […]

Microsoft put another piece of its Windows Live strategy into place with its announcement Thursday that it had acquired the file synchronization vendor FolderShare. FolderShare is an online service that lets users synchronize data from multiple computers and access the files through a Web browser. The FolderShare technology was owned by a subsidiary of the […]

Microsoft released on Thursday its Works Suite 2006, a collection of software from the Home Retail Division marketed as a time-saver for busy families to get the most out of their home PCs. The release includes refreshed or new versions of several Microsoft consumer products. Among them: upgrades of Digital Image Standard, which now supports […]

Microsoft Corp. set off a storm of comments and feedback—both glowing and damning—this weekend when officials requested feedback on a proposed RSS icon redesign for the Internet Explorer 7.0 tool bar. Details about the planned RSS icon redesign emerged on the Microsoft RSS Teams Weblog on Saturday. “The choice of what icon to use is […]