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The Nexus One smartphone is now compatible with AT&T's 3G network in the United States. Though the unlocked device can be used with SIM cards from most GSM operators worldwide, frequency differences meant its 3G compatibility was previously limited to T-Mobile's network in the U.S. The Android-b...

The Linux OS offers users a variety of applications for taking notes and keeping information accessible in one place. Two popular choices, Tomboy Notes and Xpad, provide quick and easy ways to coral a stampede of wild notes and information. Note-taking apps have few features in common. That makes pi...

Sun Microsystems' loss was Google's gain on Monday, as former Sun guru Tim Bray announced that he's joined Google's Android push in the role of Developer Advocate. "Google and I have been a plausible match for a long time," Bray wrote in a blog post announcing the decision. "Web-centric, check. Sear...

Users of Android smartphones now have a new option for browsing the Web: A beta version of Opera Mini 5 was released Thursday for the Linux-based Android platform. New features in the software, which is an upgrade to the current version 4.2, include tabbed browsing, which lets users browse several W...

Some system utilities do a variety of things well. They come with tools to give users lots of solutions in one package. Other system apps like the Atol File Manager perform a dedicated function flawlessly without adding other specialties. Atol took a while to grow on me, but now this app is one of m...

A new industry group hopes to improve the design and construction of data centers through the application of open source principles. Dubbed the "Open Source Data Center Initiative," the group was formed last week by GreenM3 along with the University of Missouri and ARG Investments. The University is...

With its $99 price, the new Android-based Motorola Backflip clearly stands apart from Apple's iPhone on more than just appearance. Both are smartphones, to be sure, and both are offered through AT&T. They also provide many of the same features and functionality. However, in addition to their dif...

With its $99 price, the new Android-based Motorola Backflip clearly stands apart from Apple's iPhone on more than just appearance. Both are smartphones, to be sure, and both are offered through AT&T. They also provide many of the same features and functionality. However, in addition to their dif...

The lawsuit Apple filed this week may target smartphone maker HTC, but Cupertino is likely shooting for much bigger prey. Specifically, Google is the real focus of Apple's wrath, said Chris Hazelton, research director for mobile and wireless with the 451 Group. Based on the details of the lawsuit, "...

I am an avid user of open source software and a firm believer in the benefits of FOSS. I have a choice of operating systems at my disposal, but I now cringe whenever I have to work in the Microsoft world. I much prefer the vast array of Linux apps. Why? They are bloat-free problem solvers. Take, for...

As a result of recent updates to the BBC's Flash-based iPlayer, open source media players can no longer play its content. The updates implement SWF Verification, a copyright protection mechanism that excludes free alternatives to Flash player, such as that offered by the XBMC community, among others...

As communication becomes more Web-centric, text editors become more essential writing tools. Blocks of text get tweaked with HTML codes to provide a more graphical appearance. So good text editors are those with many of the same features found in word processors, only without the added formatting an...

Microsoft and Amazon have entered into a patent cross-licensing deal that covers, among other things, Amazon's Kindle and its use of Linux-based servers. The agreement calls for Amazon to pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount of money. Microsoft has forged similar deals with other companies that marke...

After nearly four years of legal battle, a case involving the unauthorized use of open source software last week came to a final conclusion that affirms the legal right of open source developers to collect damages when their code is used improperly. The case of Jacobsen v. Katzer dates back to 2006,...

Cloud computing describes an Internet-based computing infrastructure that has abstracted users and user applications from the underlying computing resources that support them. In concept, cloud computing is functionally different from previous IT architectures in that users no longer need to own, ha...