Bakersfield.com Technology

Software execs sentenced in fraud case

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:58:58 PDT

Two former software executives have been sentenced in federal court to prison time for inflating revenue numbers to attract venture capital.

Paul Johnston, chief executive of Entellium and the scheme's architect, received three years - splitting the difference between what prosecutors and defense attorneys requested.

Giant Internet worm set to change tactics April 1

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:58:57 PDT

The fast-moving Conficker computer worm, a scourge of the Internet that has infected at least 3 million PCs, is set to spring to life in a new way on Wednesday - April Fools' Day.

That's when many of the poisoned machines will get more aggressive about "phoning home" to the worm's creators over the Internet. When that happens, the bad guys behind the worm will be able to trigger the program to send spam, spread more infections, clog networks with traffic, or try and bring down Web sites.

Progress Software shares gain after upgrade

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:03:59 PDT

Shares of Progress Software Corp. rose Friday after a Key Banc analyst upgraded the stock, citing a 37 percent price decline over the past six months.

The shares' price creates "an attractive entry point for investors," Key Banc analyst Steven Koenig told clients in a note Thursday, upgrading shares to "buy" from "hold."

FairPoint service problems may lead to hefty fines

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:48:58 PDT

FairPoint Communications Inc. has been suffering lost revenue, lost customers and a tarnished image because of ongoing customer service problems the last couple of months. It also faces the prospect of hefty fines down the road.

State regulators in northern New England can hit FairPoint in the wallet with penalties totaling millions of dollars if it fails to improve customer service.

Consumers can be stuck when Web sites change terms

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:38:58 PDT

A recent e-mail from Eastman Kodak Co. didn't lead to a Kodak moment for Vanessa Daniele. It got her angry.

On May 16, the company's Kodak Gallery online photo service will delete her picture albums unless she spends at least $4.99 by then and every year thereafter on prints and other products.

Hockaday stepping down from Sprint's board

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:29:00 PDT

Sprint Nextel Corp. says the most-senior member of its board of directors is stepping down after almost 12 years.

The wireless carrier disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday that Irvine O. Hockaday Jr. won't stand for re-election to the board at the company's annual stockholders' meeting on May 12.

Ad watchdog: Cablevision Internet not 'fastest'

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:29:00 PDT

Cablevision Systems Corp. should stop saying its Internet service is "the fastest around," the advertising industry's self-regulatory body said Thursday, in response to complaints from competitor Verizon Communications Inc.

Cablevision should also stop saying it has "America's most advanced fiber optic network," the National Advertising Division Council of Better Business Bureaus said. Like other cable companies, Cablevision uses optical fiber in its network but connects homes with coaxial cable, not optical fiber.

Charter files for prearranged bankruptcy

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:48:58 PDT

Charter Communications Inc. on Friday filed for a prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy to get relief from its creditors, as the nation's fourth-largest cable operator strives to keep its head above water and still compete with phone companies and satellite TV providers.

The St. Louis-based company seeks to emerge from bankruptcy as early as the end of summer and doesn't plan on selling any of its assets to competitors. After Chapter 11, interest costs at Charter, which has never posted a profit since going public in 1999 due to massive debt interest payments, will be cut in half to $830 million a year.

Amazon.com to close 3 distribution centers

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:37:31 PDT

Amazon.com is closing distribution centers in three states.

Company spokeswoman Patty Smith said Thursday that about 210 workers at the centers in Munster, Ind.; Red Rock, Nev., and Chambersburg, Pa., will receive up to eight weeks of severance pay and the opportunity to transfer to nearby Amazon warehouse operations.

Tibco Software saw 1Q profit rise 2 percent

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:57:29 PDT

Tibco Software Inc. said on Thursday its first-quarter profit rose 2 percent, saying it was benefiting from companies moving toward infrastructure software as a means to increase efficiency.

Tibco said it earned $5.6 million, or 3 cents per share, during the quarter that ended March 1, up from $5.5 million, or 3 cents per share, during the same period last year. Revenue fell 9 percent to $132.9 million, from $146.6 million a year earlier.

With Shaq, tweets aren't always the ref's whistle

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:17:27 PDT

Lance Armstrong was minutes away from surgery, but still took time to post a photo of himself in his hospital bed.

Charlie Villanueva and his team were told by their coach to step it up during halftime of a game, and the Milwaukee Bucks forward just had to tell his fans all about it before he went back on the court.

Fargo uses social networks to fight floodwaters

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:07:28 PDT

When Kevin Tobosa got word Thursday that a friend needed help building a sandbag dike, he immediately posted a status update on his Facebook page: "Heading to 2825 Lilac Lane in North Fargo - needs to be raised another 2 feet."

When city officials needed volunteers at other dikes, Tobosa suggested setting up a Facebook group. By Thursday, it had attracted more than 4,550 members and was constantly picking up new ones.

I'm a PC, and this time Microsoft's buying

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:57:28 PDT

Apple's Macintosh computers may be cool, but Windows PCs are easier on the wallet.

That's the recession-sensitive message Microsoft Corp. is pushing in a new series of commercials that debuted Thursday. The ads also continue Microsoft's work to reclaim the "I'm a PC" catchphrase from Apple Inc. and undo the stodgy image its competitor has bestowed on the Windows operating system.

AT&T to start sending copyright warnings

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:32:26 PDT

AT&T Inc., the nation's largest Internet service provider, will start sending warnings to its subscribers when music labels and movie studios allege that they are trafficking in pirated material, according to an executive.

The phone company thus joins other major ISPs that either go beyond legal requirements or interpret their duties under the law to mean that they have to forward such notices.

Google dumps 200 jobs in company's largest layoffs

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:22:30 PDT

Google Inc. is jettisoning nearly 200 workers in its largest round of layoffs yet, demonstrating that even highly profitable companies are feeling the recession's pinch.

The job cuts announced Thursday affected less than 1 percent of the 20,200 workers employed by the Internet's search leader.

The thrill of Twittering and the agony of de Tweet

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:22:30 PDT

A look at some significant sports figures who use the social networking Web site Twitter, along with their screen names on the site:

Lance Armstrong, cycling: lancearmstrong

With Shaq, tweets aren't always the ref's whistle

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:02:29 PDT

Lance Armstrong was minutes away from surgery, but still took time to post a photo of himself in his hospital bed.

Obama seizes bully pulpit online to pitch budget

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:07:28 PDT

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama seized the bully pulpit Thursday and reprised the best of his acclaimed campaign skills in an unprecedented Internet town hall from the White House - a direct sales pitch for Americans to get behind his $3.6 trillion budget and be patient as he tries to right the tottering economy.

After an opening statement and declaring, "This isn't about me, it's about you," Obama took up a microphone and strolled the ornate East Room, playing to an audience of 100 invited guests and what the White House said were an estimated 67,000 people watching him in cyberspace.

NBA's Arenas says he's 'retired' as a blogger

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:47:22 PDT

Gilbert Arenas apparently is ready to return to the court. He swears he is done, however, with his computer.

Yes, one of the best-known and most-quoted examples of a star professional athlete conveying his thoughts to the world via his blog is hanging up his keyboard. The Washington Wizards point guard said so himself Wednesday when asked whether he plans to resume writing now that he's ready to get back to balling.

Global sales of Nintendo's Wii top 50 million

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:37:22 PDT

Japanese game maker Nintendo Co. said Thursday global sales of its popular Wii video game console have topped 50 million since it went on sale worldwide in late 2006.

Nearly 50 percent of the total sales of the Wii machine were in the United States and Canada, with Europe accounting for about 40 percent and Japan taking much of the rest, said the maker of Pokemon and Super Mario games.