- Cisco‘s open secret is a secret no more. After weeks of rumours speculating as much, the networking equipment powerhouse is entering the server market, posing a potential threat to IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Sun. Servers are lower-margin products, but analysts say Cisco will be able to charge more by offering bundled products.
- Apple is unveiling new iPhone software on Tuesday. Watchers don’t expect multimedia text messaging, but other desired features, including copy and pasting and integrated contact books, seem likely. Don’t expect an appearance from Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, who remains on medical leave, or the debut of Apple’s rumoured 10-inch touchscreen tablet.
- Facebook is expanding the reach of Facebook Connect, which allows users to log into other services using their Facebook ID. Over the weekend Facebook Connect was rolled out to iPhone applications, and it is now compatible with Tweetdeck, the most popular desktop client for Twitter. The moves suggest Facebook is placing more emphasis on leveraging its login to become a common denominator on the web, and signal the makings of a more direct rivalry with Twitter.
- Facebook is also allowing users to make the full content of their page available to anyone on the service. Previously full access to a profile was limited to viewing by friends or people in your networks. The shift is another accommodation to fans of Twitter, who are growing accustomed to communicating more publicly with a broader audience.
- Chip companies are squabbling again over patents and licences. Intel said AMD breached their cross-licensing agreement governing PC microprocessors when it spun off its manufacturing arm this month and gave Abu Dhabi investors 50 per cent of the new company, Globalfoundries.
Meanwhile, Qualcomm said it had won the dismissal of a case brought by its wireless chip rival Broadcom that alleged improper use of its wireless patents to suppress competition. - The iPhone and other smartphones seem to be giving a major boost to mobile internet usage. The comScore research firm reported the number of US cell phone users accessing news and information monthly doubled from 11m to 22m over the 12 months to the end of January.
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