Google Inc. announced this week that it had created Web software that runs both online, and offline, marking a sea change for the Internet industry by letting users work on planes, trains, spotty connections and even in the most remote locations.

Google Gears allows users of computers, phones and other devices to manipulate Web services like e-mail, online calendars or news readers whether online, intermittently connected to the Web or completely offline.
Google plans to make the Gears technology available for free as 'open source' software, meaning other developers are free to use and enhance the software in their own products.

The technology also allows developers to build Internet search and indexing of Web pages into their own software applications.

Many such products will be able to make limited searches offline, since they will have downloaded data automatically when connected. Google's full Web search functions would return once the user reconnects to the Internet.
Analysts said Google's move capitalizes on a growing trend over the past couple of years for Web applications to behave as responsively as desktop software.
Microsoft already offers technologies like Groove, which allows users to work offline, then synchronizes changes when connected later. But the software giant has been reluctant to make existing products work both online and offline.

The first Google product to feature Gears will be Google Reader, which allows consumers automatically to track updates to hundreds of Web sites. Users could connect temporarily for updates, then go offline and read up on recent Web news.

Microsoft is entitled to receive key technical documentation from the Linux distributor because of controversial alliance with Novell.

Under the deal, Novell must provide to Microsoft documentation relating to the tools used to manage Novell's SUSE Linux operating system on virtual servers.
Microsoft and Novell reached an accord in November under which Microsoft agreed not to press its patent claims over Linux against Novell's SUSE customers. In exchange, Microsoft won the right to re-sell Novell's Linux products and services at a markup.
Microsoft claims that Linux and other free software programs violate 235 of its patents.

Virtualization is the process through which a single server is subdivided to run multiple operating systems. Large enterprises are increasingly implementing virtualization strategies in their data centers in an effort to reduce hardware needs, cut power consumption, and add flexibility.
In addition to giving Microsoft first crack at some of Novell's virtualization management technology, Novell is allowed to use and create tools enabling SUSE Linux to run alongside Longhorn using Microsoft's application programming interface for virtualization.However, Novell will be able to do so without fear of stepping on Microsoft patents.

The deal also calls for the two companies to develop protocols for testing Novell's virtual machine technology running on Microsoft's Viridian virtualization tool, which is expected to ship after the company releases Longhorn later this year or early next year.

Microsoft Corp unveiled Surface computer that is a coffee-table shaped computer that responds to touch and to special bar codes attached to everyday objects.

They are set to arrive in November in T-Mobile USA stores and properties owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Harrah's Entertainment Inc.

The coffee table computer is actually a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a shiny black table base, topped with a 30-inch touch screen in a clear acrylic frame. Five cameras that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world items tagged with special bar-code labels on top of it.

Unlike most touch screens, Surface can respond to more than one touch at a time. The price is estimated to be between $5,000 and $10,000 per unit.
Some of the first Surface models are planned to help customers pick out new cell phones at T-Mobile stores.

When customers plop a phone down on the screen, Surface will read its bar code and display information about the handset. Customers can also select calling plans and ring tones by dragging icons toward the phone.

Microsoft is working on a limited number of programs to ship with Surface, including one for sharing digital photographs.
Microsoft is making the Surface hardware itself, and has only given six outside software development firms the tools they need to make Surface applications.

According to analysts at Jupiter Research Surface is important for Microsoft as a promising new business, as well as demonstrating very concretely to the market that Microsoft still knows how to innovate, and innovate in a big way.

Google announced recently that it has purchased security firm Green Border, which offers software to protect Web users that takes a fairly unique approach. Its software has been offered as a free download, with a Pro version costing $49.95 USD.
GreenBorder helps Microsoft to build an extensible operating environment around the browser, separating its session from that of the operating system. The purpose of this virtual wrapper is to disable any active content downloaded and run through the browser from having any kind of direct and unwarranted access to the operating system.

Activating the GreenBorder, the Web browse is launched within a virtual session, which is marked on the screen with, literally, a green border around the browser window. Any new windows spawned through the browser also exist within this virtual session. Conceptually, Microsoft offers a similar capability in Windows Vista with IE's Protected Mode.
In what is surely not a coincidence, Google last week launched a new blog devoted to covering online security issues. An initial post on the blog covered the topic of malware, which is exactly what Green Border's technology is focused on.

Four year deal with BT adds wireless broadband to PlayStation Portable in the UK, but no plans for a similar deal in Australia.

BT and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have signed a four-year deal to add wireless broadband functionality to the PlayStation Portable, including high quality handheld video calls, voice calls and messaging.
The offer will be available initially to PSP owners in the UK, and Sony is working with other communications providers to roll out the service to Europe's eight million PSP users.

The deal forms part of BT's 21st Century Network, and intends to integrate the PSP with the BT Broadband video and voice 'softphone' products already available in the market
Additional features will be launched in the following months to enable calls and messages to PCs, fixed lines and mobiles.
According to president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe the opportunity to combine our expertise with BT's knowledge in communications opens up many possibilities and we look forward to bringing many exciting communication functions to PSP fans.