New iPhone strategy for Apple

Apple is adopting a more open strategy for selling its iPhone as it dramatically expands the number of countries where the combination cellphone-media player is available, reports CNNMoney.com.

The Cupertino, California, computer maker has sold the iPhone since June through deals that call for only one operator per country to sell the phone. US carrier AT&T is one such exclusive partner.

On Tuesday, Apple said its iPhone would be offered in Italy later this year by both Telecom Italia SPA and Vodafone Group. This will mark the first time two operators in the same country will sell the iPhone simultaneously.

Microsoft is now offering TV shows through its Zune Marketplace. The downloads will bring its selection of content for the pocket-sized media player a step closer to what Apple's iTunes has been offering for iPod users, says Fox28.com.

Beginning Tuesday, Microsoft will offer episodes of TV shows, including NBC programming, as well as Comedy Central's South Park and other titles.

The addition of NBC shows is a bit of a coup for Microsoft. NBC Universal has pulled its shows from iTunes because Apple was unwilling to set different prices for TV shows.

Yahoo has penned a deal with McAfee to use its SiteAdvisor software to warn users about potentially dangerous Web sites, reports PC Pro.

The new security feature will place a red exclamation mark next to search links McAfee believes are involved with spam, phishing or the spread of malicious software.

SiteAdvisor has been available for some time as a browser plug-in, but Yahoo says it has been working for almost a year to integrate the technology into its search results. As part of the integration, sites that are found to be automatically installing malicious code, or attempting to exploit browser vulnerabilities will be completely dropped from search results.

HTC, the Taiwanese handset manufacturer, has laid down the gauntlet to Apple with a slender new phone that aims to dislodge the iPhone from its position as the pre-eminent touch-screen device, states Time Online.

HTC says its new handset, the Touch Diamond, is 11.3mm thick, giving it a 0.3mm edge on the iPhone, and has a more responsive screen, meaning that typing - traditionally the bugbear of touch-screen phones - is much easier.

It also has several unique features, HTC says, such as the ability of the phone's Internet browser to re-arrange text on Web pages to fit the mobile screen.