Web search engine Google Inc. on Monday rolled out Google Video Viewer, a free software download that lets users watch some of the video clips on its new video search service.

Google’s viewer works only on its own video search site through the Internet Explorer and Firefox Web browsers — likely limiting its ability to compete against existing media players from Microsoft Corp. and RealNetworks Inc.

Google has said it plans to one day sell content from its video search site, which may lessen its dependence on advertising while further boosting revenue.

Source: Reuters

Borland Software Corp. announced Monday the latest version of its enterprise software modeling solution, Borland Together 2006.

Borland, of Scotts Valley, Calif., announced the availability of the upgrade at the JavaOne conference here.

Together 2006 supports both BPM (business process modeling) and MDA (model-driven architecture) from a visual environment, the company said. In addition, Together 2006 is based on the Eclipse open-source development framework.

Borland officials said Together 2006 is built on the Eclipse 3.1 integration framework, which will enable users to integrate Together into their Eclipse environments.

he new Borland offering is targeted at business users and analysts, as well as software architects, designers and developers, the company said.

Together 206 also includes model-level audits and metrics for improved quality, and code-level audits such as Java best practices and an auto-correct feature, the company said. In addition, the Together 006 suite supports the QVT (query/view/transformation) specification, which is a component of MDA.

Moreover, Together 2006 also supports BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation), a standard way of graphically depicting business process modeling in development efforts, enabling users to coordinate, track and visualize processes and messages.

Source: eWeek

Internet file-sharing services will be held responsible if they intend for their customers to use software primarily to swap songs and movies illegally, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, rejecting warnings that the lawsuits will stunt growth of cool tech gadgets such as the next iPod.

The unanimous decision sends the case back to lower court, which had ruled in favor of file-sharing services
Grokster Ltd. and StreamCast Networks Inc. on the grounds that the companies couldn’t be sued. The justices said there was enough evidence of unlawful intent for the case to go to trial.

File-sharing services shouldn’t get a free pass on bad behavior, justices said.

Source: AP

In an expansion of their alliance, Microsoft and Toshiba said Monday they plan to develop high-definition DVD players together, cross-license technologies and cooperate in designing new models of mobile personal computers.

The deal, announced by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Toshiba Corp. President Atsutoshi Nishida, is a big win for the HD-DVD format in its competition against another technology called Blu-ray Disc, which is backed by Sony Corp. and Apple Computers Inc., to become the world standard for next-generation of DVD players.

Nishida said it was unclear what effect the agreement between the Redmond, Wash., software giant and Japanese electronics maker will have on the format war. The competing sides, which have each lined up big-name companies and Hollywood studios for backing, have unsuccessfully been holding talks to try to agree on one standard.

Source: AP

Oracle on Monday will announce a deeper commitment to free development and involvement in open-source projects, while other open-source efforts also spring forth.

Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle Corp. will announce that it will be making its core Java development tool, Oracle JDeveloper 10g, available for free. The Java and Web services development tool has up to now cost $995 per user, the company said.

Source: eWeek