iPhone software lock-out is key to security - Symantec

Apple's decision not to allow third-party software onto the iPhone will go a long way to ensuring that it is not prey to viruses and other malware, according to security firm Symantec. Writing on the company's Security Response Weblog, principal software engineer Eric Chien, says that as long as the iPhone remains a closed system - and Apple CEO Steve Jobs seems determined that it will - the risk of infection will be very low. 'The lack of the ability to install just any software will greatly mitigate the risk of malicious code on Apple iPhones,' he wrote. ...more

Borland spinning Web Services for Linux

Borland is looking to provide Web Services to the Linux operating system. Following in the wake of Kylix, which Borland claims to be the first Rapid Application Development (RAD) environment for Linux - the Web Services will build on the Apache Web Server to help put systems up on the Web. "Extending business processes and systems to the Internet is a high-priority for corporate enterprises," asserts Simon Thornhill, VP of Borland's RAD business unit. ...more

Zune lacks iPod polish - US reviewers

Two of the leading technology columnists in the US have given their first impressions of the Zune portable media player and were largely underwhelmed by Microsoft's rival to the iPod. The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg acknowledges that it does have some good points - the user interface and navigation for instance - but on the whole Zune falls short of the standards set by Apple. 'This first Zune has too many compromises and missing features to be as good a choice as the iPod for most users, he wrote. ...more

The low-down on... programming languages

In the wake of the new Web programming language Curl, here's something to help you sort your C# from your C++, not to mention Java and C and JavaScript. Here's a brief low-down on the various languages out there in the wide world of software development. A language to aid communication with machines Programming languages are the particular sequences of text used to control computers. ...more

Dell and HP to seize over 35 per cent of the global notebook in 2003

Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell, the world's top two notebook vendors, are expected to each ship over six million notebooks in 2003 and together seize over 35% of the global market, according to estimates by Taiwanese notebook makers. In the past, combined sales of the two companies have accounted for over 30% of the global market, local notebook makers said. Last year, HP and Dell respectively sold about 4. ...more