Microsoft plans iPod killer

Microsoft and its allies have moved to try to halt the seemingly unstoppable progress of Apple Computer`s iPod music player, announcing they will offer portable gadgets that play music and movies in the second half of this year.

The Independent reports that these would-be "iPod killers", from companies including the US-based Creative Technology and iRiver of Korea, will use Microsoft`s Portable Media Centre software - which is not yet released - and aim to grab a share of the fast-growing digital media player market.

Based on job openings it advertised last year, Apple is rumoured to be preparing its own "video iPod". Unconfirmed reports suggest it will launch the product by mid-year. HP will sell a rebranded version of the iPod this month.

Enterprise software giant SAP has "closed the gaps" in its NetWeaver integration/application platform and expects customers to reap the benefits of an all-in-one network architecture, reports Internet News.

Scheduled for general release at month-end, NetWeaver 2004 is a conglomeration of back-office applications. Previously, the products were sold individually. It wasn`t until last year that the company`s developers rolled them into one suite, called NetWeaver. But at the time, officials acknowledged the applications weren`t completely integrated.

Kathy Quirk, an analyst with Nucleus Research, said that traditionally it`s been difficult for software developers to provide an integrated platform. "Time will tell," she said. "There are a lot of vendors on the market who are trying to appeal to customers to standardise their integration platform, and the decision comes down to cost and the benefits of doing so."

A key product in Microsoft`s strategy to make patch management easier will be late, because the development team working on it is also busy improving the patch-management capabilities in Windows XP, reports Information Week.

Microsoft said this week that Windows Update Services, patch-management software aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, has begun beta testing and will go through another round of testing early in the third quarter. The software, a follow on to the currently available Software Update Services 1.0, had been due for general availability in May. It`s now scheduled for availability in the second half of the year.

NamITech now offers "proactive" network security in the form of scanning equipment from Qualys. Qualys spokesmen at the launch said the telling examples of last year`s security breaches have necessitated acting before viruses and worms strike.

A proactive approach implies network perimeter scanning as well as anti-virus software. Intrusion detection and even intrusion prevention are reactive measures, according to the company. Qualys provides network audits through QualysGuard, its scanner.

Discussions aimed at resolving the European Commission`s investigation of Microsoft have concluded without a settlement, Microsoft said yesterday.

"I believe we reached agreement on the issues of the case," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. "But we were unable to agree on principles for new issues that could arise in the future." Ballmer added that the company wanted to avoid litigation, and hoped it was still possible to settle.