Yahoo Inc. Again Expands Free E-Mail Storage to 1 GB,
Upgrades Desktop Search Software
Yahoo Inc. is quadrupling the amount of storage provided with its free e-mail accounts and upgrading its
desktop search software in its ongoing duel with rivals Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. Yahoo said late
Tuesday that it will provide 1 gigabyte of storage for each free e-mail account. The current limit is 250
megabytes. The expanded storage will be available in mid-April, said Brad Garlinghouse, Yahoo's vice
president of communications products. The Sunnyvale-based company also is expanding the reach of its
desktop software, a test product designed to find material stored on computer hard drives. Yahoo's
software, licensed from X1 Technologies, will now index content from e-mail address books and
discussions in Yahoo's instant messaging service. The expanded e-mail storage enables Yahoo to catch
up with online search engine leader Google, which offers an invitation-only service that has been offering
1 gigabyte of storage for nearly a year. When Google introduced "Gmail," Yahoo provided just 4 megabytes
of free e-mail storage. Yahoo, which runs the world's most popular Web site, has gradually increased its
e-mail capacity in response to Google's competitive threat. Microsoft's Hotmail service offers 250 megabytes
of free e-mail storage. As part of its e-mail changes, Yahoo also is providing software from Symantec Corp.
to clean viruses detected in attachments. Yahoo's desktop software is also competing an array of similar
products, including offerings from Google and Microsoft.
Microsoft to release key update to Windows Server
SEATTLE (Reuters) -- Microsoft Corp. will release an update to its Windows Server software for networked
computers that will include new security enhancements, the world's largest software maker said Wednesday.
The update, called Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, was designed to make it harder for hackers to
attack computers that store files, crunch data and serve up Web pages, said Mike Nash, vice president at
Microsoft's security business unit. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft updates its major operating
systems and applications using software updates called "service packs". Last summer, Microsoft released
Service Pack 2 for the Windows XP desktop operating system with major security enhancements. "This
release is a pretty important milestone," Nash said, "We've learned about new kinds of threats, new
engineering techniques and procedures." Windows Server, which competes directly with Linux in the
market for personal computer-based servers, acts as the operating system for SQL Server database
software. The SQL Slammer worm attacked this software in 2003, slowing global Internet traffic and caused
disruption in flight traffic systems and even automated teller machines.
Philadelphia plans nation's first citywide Wi-Fi network
The city of Philadelphia will become the largest U.S. Internet "hot spot" next year under a plan to offer wireless
access at about half the cost charged by commercial operators, city officials said Thursday. Last year, officials
unveiled a pilot scheme offering users of Wi-Fi-enabled computers access to the Internet within a radius of about
a mile of downtown's Love Park. Thursday's announcement expands the network to the city's entire 135-square-
mile area, marking a U.S. first. The "Wireless Philadelphia" network is expected to be up by late summer 2006
and available to computer users paying up to $20 a month. Commercial Wi-Fi services run about $40 monthly.
"People are watching all over the world to determine whether a city of 135 square miles can become one big
hot spot," Philadelphia Mayor John Street told reporters. "People want to be connected and we think it is our
obligation to provide that kind of access," Street said. The network, based on devices attached to city streetlight
poles, is expected to cost the city $15 million to set up. The service will cost subscribers from $16 to $20 a
month and will be available through a device costing about $80, city chief information officer Dianah Neff said.
The city hopes the plan will get 80% of Philadelphia households connected to the Internet within five years, up
from the current level of 58%.
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12
BRATS Home Page
