Can you smell the weekend? If so, you probably know it's Friday and it's almost time to relax. But before you do that, check out some of the stories from Thursday that you may have missed.
Apple goes on updating spree
Besides updating the iPhone, Apple was busy today updating most of its products. Besides the iPhone upgrades, the company updated iWork '08, iPod touch, iTunes PC, and Mac firmware.
It seems the United States is in 'dire straits' when it comes to broadband. The country's online regulator, the FCC, reported that the US is in need of a definitive 'national broadband strategy' that addresses the country's slow Internet speeds.
Microsoft has overhauled its Live search service by quadrupling its index size and revamping its results page. According to company representatives, the updates are aimed at competing more effectively against its competitors, especially Google and Yahoo.
Yahoo may be planning to shake its operations up a bit, according to recent reports. According to the reports, the most likely updates will focus on the company's entertainment business division. A big management meeting set for Friday should address significant issues with the company and ostensibly make the company more competitive.
Microsoft extends XP availability
If you're one of the people who was unhappy with Microsoft's recent release of Vista, you may be happy to know that the company has been persuaded (by customers) to extend the sale of XP for the next five months.
A new way of navigating your way around the computer may be in store. A new mouse called the Gyration Travel Air M2000 has been announced. The new mouse connects wirelessly to a computer and hand movements alone make the pointer slide across your screen.
For those of us who are looking for a smartphone, but don't want to spend the money it takes to have one, Palm has announced a new smartphone in the vein of the Treo, which only costs $99. Dubbed the Centro, the smartphone can surf the Web, check e-mail and keep important dates.
In just its first week, IBM's free Office suite has been downloaded 100,000 times. Known as Symphony, the IBM office suite is aimed at providing a viable alternative to Microsoft Office and is included as a standalone product, as well as a bundle with Lotus Notes 8.
