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News

• Top tech stories of 2011

  Apple, Microsoft, Google and others are givens for being among the top newsmakers of 2011. Others will no doubt surprise us as we go along. 

• Ultimate hoarding: Study finds mankind could store 295 exabytes of data

  University of Southern California researchers have put a number on how much information humans can store, communicate and compute: 295 exabytes, give or a take a zettabyte.

• Windows fix on Patch Tuesday 'breaks' VMware software

  <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&amp;cmd=displayKC&amp;externalId=1034262">VMware is telling customers</a> that two <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/topics/windows.html">Windows</a> 7 security patches have left the VMware View <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/112409-vdi-desktop-virtualization-cheat-sheet.html">desktop virtualization</a> client unable to access the View Connection Server, which brokers the connection between a user's computer and a virtual desktop.

• iPad 3 rumor mill powers up

  Despite efforts by Google, HP, Dell and others to grab center stage in recent weeks with tablet computer announcements, Apple and its market leading iPads remain the chief attention getters.

• HP TouchPad vs. Apple iPad tablet showdown

  How does <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/020911-hp-launches-first-run-at.html?hpg1=bn">HP's newly announced webOS-based TouchPad</a> stack up against the market creator, Apple's iOS-based iPad?

• Cloud Computing in 2011: 3 Trends Changing Business Adoption

  The business benefits of a cloud computing model have been well stated. You cut costs by switching to more flexible on-demand IT resources that can better handle the ebb and flow technology needs at a company.

• Intel core processors to get strong authentication security

  Looking to help customers strengthen data <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/topics/security.html">security</a>, Intel said it will include stronger one-time password authentication in its upcoming 2nd Generation Intel Core Processor platforms.

• Ambitious U.S. electronic records project face rising costs, delays

  The government's all-encompassing digital federal records keeping system is costing a lot more - perhaps as high as 41% more -- than originally planned and could top <a href="http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d1186.pdf">$1.4 billion</a> if estimates from the Government Accountability Office are correct.

• Apple reportedly cranking out iPad 2 tablets

  Apple has reportedly started manufacturing iPad 2 that might just have enough improvements to get tablet computer holdouts to jump on board, though might not have enough new bells and whistles to prompt massive upgrades from early adopters.

• Check Point expands security blade platform

  Check Point is introducing four applications for its a la carte security platform that allows customers to create tailored security appliances on off-the-shelf hardware.

• FCoE: From fee to free

  With demand for FCoE more sluggish than vendors had hoped, 10 Gigabit Ethernet switch and adapter makers are making it available for free.

• DEC founder Kenneth Olsen mourned by computer industry

  Kenneth Olsen, the computer industry pioneer who co-founded and led minicomputer king Digital Equipment Corp. for 35 years, died at the age of 84 on Sunday in Indianapolis.

• Will anyone really pay $800 for Android-powered Motorola Xoom tablet?

  The <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/010611-motorola-launches-xoom-tablet-with.html">Motorola Xoom</a>, the much anticipated Google Android 3.0-based tablet unveiled during CES last month, will sport a price tag of about $800 and be available on Feb. 24.

• Egypt 'Net Shutdown: Wake-up Call for CIOs

  Egypt's <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9207938/Blocking_Internet_cost_Egypt_at_least_90M_says_OECD">crackdown on Internet use</a> use amid huge anti-government protests should serve as a warning that CIOs around the world must create contingency plans to deal with the potential shutdown of critical infrastructure.

• Can 'encrypted blobs' help with secure cloud computing?

  Can cloud-based computing be made more secure in the future using what crypto geeks call "fully homomorphic encryption" to send data as "encrypted blobs" that can be understood and subject to processing without having to actually de-crypt them first to see the plaintext?