Panda Software presents the beta version of the new Panda GateDefender Integra, an all-in-one appliance that protects SMBs against all types of threats.

GateDefender Integra is the new UTM (Unified Threat Management) appliance from Panda Software. This hardware device with software is designed to protect SMB networks through seven types of protection: firewall, VPN service, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), anti-malware, content filtering, anti-spam protection and web filtering. These modules work together to offer protection against both known and unknown network and content threats.

The device is installed at the gateway between the corporate network and the Internet, or another network. It is managed through a straight-forward, centralized Web administration console. GateDefender Integra scans all inbound and outbound traffic in the corporate network, ensuring complete protection for all networks without degrading the performance of the connection. It also automatically updates the virus signature file every 90 minutes.

TiVo and satellite provider DirectTV said Wednesday that they will continue their relationship for another three years.

TiVo, whose PVR boxes compete with those offered by rival carriers, such as Comcast’s cable business, will continue to offer the DirectTV TiVo service to existing DirectTV TiVo subscribers. The two companies also agreed not to file a patent suit against the other for the duration of the agreement.

Source: extremetech

PHP creator Zend Technologies on April 12 introduced upgraded software that helps protect application code written in open-source PHP from hackers and intellectual property pirates.

Zend Guard 4 enables independent software vendors, developers and businesses—anybody who does original PHP programming—to protect intellectual property written in the language. By combining encryption and code obfuscation with license management, the new product offers an unprecedented level of protection, Zend said.

Source: eWeek

CNNMONEY Magazine and Salary.com researched hundreds of jobs, considering their growth, pay, stress-levels and other factors they have ranked the title of Software Engineer the best job in America.

In second place comes College professor and Computer IT Analyst ranks 7th on the list, closing the list is Psychologist.

Source: CNNMoney

Mozilla released on Wednesday the first round of amateur videos produced by supporters of the Firefox open-source browser.

The 30-second videos are part of Mozilla’s Firefox Flicks promotions contest and are another example of grassroots marketing. Firefox backers will be able to receive a daily dose of the homespun marketing.

Source: News.com

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced the beta release of its Windows Live Academic Search service in seven countries. The new search service is designed to help students, researchers and university faculty conduct research across a spectrum of academic journals.

The program is a cooperative effort between Windows Live Search, industry association CrossRef and more than 10 leading publishers. The initial beta release will target the subjects of computer science, electrical engineering and physics, and the company is working with multiple organizations to bring new subjects online in the near future. Windows Live Academic Search will offer peer-reviewed content from leading scholarly societies such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and leading publishers Elsevier and John Wiley & Sons Inc.

The beta service will be available today with English versions in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Australia. Additional markets and content will be added throughout the beta period.

Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) today announced that it will acquire Portal Software, Inc. through a cash tender offer for $4.90 per share, or approximately $220 million.

“The combination of Oracle and Portal delivers the first end-to-end packaged enterprise software suite for the communications industry,” said Oracle’s President Charles Phillips. “We supply technology and applications to over 90% of communications companies worldwide today, and billing is a logical and complementary addition for those customers.”

Portal offers the only billing and revenue management solution with a modern, object-oriented architecture built on Oracle that can bill and manage all communications services including wireline, wireless, broadband, cable, voice over IP, IPTV, music, and video. As communications, publishing, media, and entertainment services converge, Oracle can support companies with a proven offering for billing, customer interaction, and management of digital services and content.

Portal’s management and employees will form a dedicated global communications business unit within Oracle concentrating on billing and revenue management. Bhaskar Gorti, Portal’s current SVP of worldwide sales, services and marketing, will lead the unit as General Manager, and Dave Labuda will become the unit’s CTO.

Yahoo added global satellite imagery to Yahoo! Maps beta. The new satellite imagery will help people visualize maps, driving directions, and local search, and is available across Yahoo! and to developers through APIs.

The satellite imagery has Wall-to-wall coverage within the lower 48 states in the US. Yahoo also has global images at 15 meters per pixel (zoom level 5, medium resolution), which basically lets you find and see every city, town, and major land feature in the world at medium resolution.

Also Yahoo releasing maps and overlays at medium resolution for the whole world as well. This should help you view not only the suburbs of Bangkok, Thailand, but also help see the context of the imagery in hybrid mode.

Winternals Software sued Best Buy Co. Inc. in federal court on Tuesday, alleging that the nation’s largest consumer electronics retailer was using unlicensed versions of its diagnostic equipment.

The lawsuit by Austin-based Winternals alleges employees of Best Buy’s computer-repair subsidiary, Geek Squad Inc., have been using pirated versions of the software since talks on a commercial licensing agreement broke off.

The suit accuses Best Buy and its subsidiaries of copyright infringement, circumvention of copyright infringement systems and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Source: AP

Yahoo Inc. is introducing an upgraded travel service on Tuesday that blends the breadth of Yahoo search with handy travel-specific features, stepping up its challenge to dedicated travel sites.

Using Yahoo’s central search site, consumers can receive instant airfare and hotel price comparisons, satellite overview maps and user reviews of restaurants and tourist destinations, features that previously existed in different corners of the Yahoo network or elsewhere across the Web.

Analysts say that by embedding travel features in its core search system as well as throughout the broader Yahoo network, and improving its travel destination site, the company could lure customers away from online travel agents where most online shoppers now look for travel deals.

Source: Reuters