Intel shows new Dell Duo tablet, old phone
A new Dell tablet with an innovative swivel-screen that turns it into a netbook grabbed all the attention at Intel’s developer forum on Tuesday.
But smartphones running the chipmaker’s Atom processor were notable in their absence again, suggesting Intel is making heavy weather of breaking into the key mobile handset industry. Read more
Setting light to the Haystack
An idealistic young San Francisco developer (with photogenic long hair and a gift for talking to the press) is inspired to create software to help those living under repressive regimes to get around internet censorship. He tests it first in Iran, with plans to roll it out around the world.
“It’s the perfect narrative that people wanted to believe,” says Mehdi Yahyanejad, the creator of a successful Persian language Website who reviewed the software, known as Haystack.
Alas, the software – the brainchild of 26-year-old Austin Heap – did not deliver as advertised, and could actually have put its users at risk (though Mr Yahyanejad points out that using censorship-circumventing technology is not in itself illegal in Iran). Read more
From the FT’s Alphaville blog
It seems somebody doesn’t believe Apple, Intel, Samsung or some other big company is going to launch a cash offer for the UK chip designer. Read more
Intel’s Sandy Bridgehead in graphics world
Intel introduced “Sandy Bridge” on Monday as a chip that would revolutionise the PC, with analysts agreeing it was part of a graphics trend that could reshape the industry.
Sandy Bridge will compete with rival products from AMD and Nvidia, with chipmakers focusing on consumer interest in watching and processing high-definition video as the best use case for the extra capability they are adding to processors. Read more
Microsoft suffers a black eye in Russia
Microsoft’s shareholders have applauded in recent years as it has fought a zealous campaign against software piracy. But it clearly should have tempered that zeal with much more circumspection.
General counsel Brad Smith was forced into a humiliating concession on Monday. Quoting a piece in The New York Times over the weekend, he said there had been reports that police in Russia have used the crackdown on piracy of Windows and other Microsoft software as a cover for human rights abuses, confiscating the computers of campaigners and journalists who have caused the government trouble. In some cases, according the the NYT, outside lawyers representing Microsoft were willing and eager participants in the actions. Read more
| About this blog | Blog guide |
Richard Waters has headed the FT's San Francisco bureau since 2002 and covers Google and Microsoft, among other things. A former New York bureau chief for the FT, he is intrigued by Silicon Valley's unique financial and business culture, and is looking forward to covering his second Tech Bust.
Chris Nuttall has been online and messing around with computers for more than 20 years and since 2004 has reported from the FT's San Francisco bureau on semiconductors, video games, consumer electronics and all things interwebby.
Maija Palmer has been writing about technology for the FT since 1999 and is fascinated by cybercrime, privacy and all the other issues of the information society. Based in London, she covers European tech companies and hopes that they won't all get acquired by American rivals.
Robin Kwong is the FT's technology, media and telecoms page editor in London. Formerly he was the Taipei correspondent and wrote about the companies that manufacture the vast majority of the world's computers and gadgets. He is interested in the intricacies of the technology supply chain and how China is increasingly changing the tech landscape.
Tim Bradshaw is the FT's digital media correspondent, and has just moved from London to join our team in San Francisco. He has covered start-ups such as Twitter and Spotify, as well as the online ambitions of more established media companies, such as the BBC iPlayer. He also covers the advertising, marketing and video-game industries. Tim has been writing about technology, business and finance since 2003.
