UPDATED: Palm buys Handspring

Handheld maker Palm has acquired rival and software licensee Handspring in a stock for stock deal and approved the spin-off of its PalmSource software arm. In a deal that gives Handspring shareholders nearly one third ownership in the newly merged company, Palm shareholders will end up with around a 67.2 per cent hold. ...more

Apple releases QuickTime security update

Apple has released a security update that addresses a vulnerability in QuickTime where visiting malicious websites may lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw is caused by a buffer overflow in QuickTime's handling of RTSP URLs. By enticing a user to access a maliciously-crafted RTSP URL, an attacker can trigger the buffer overflow, which may lead to the execution of code. ...more

The Liberty Alliance Project - a name not a number

Sun Microsystems rallies industry support for an alternative electronic identity scheme. The Liberty Alliance Project is - in Sun's words - an attempt to "develop and deploy an open, federated identity solution". Think of it as the main rival to emerged, so far, to Microsoft's plan to enrol the world in its Passport-based unique-identity scheme. ...more

Siemens launches anti-spy phones

Siemens has launched what it claims is the 'world's first cordless encryption phone' in a bid to improve business call security. The Gigaset SL965 DECT handset includes a digital signal processor with 3072-bit Public Key encryption, leading to 'interception proof conversations', according to the company. 'The public keys are newly created with each call and shredded after each call,' explained Nicholas Ord, vice president of innovation at Siemens. ...more

What's new in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition?

Tablet PC Edition isn't a subset of Windows XP - it's a clear superset. Think of it as Windows XP Professional with extra features. Nothing's been taken out of the Professional product. ...more