May 23, 2008

Top 10: Microsoft mania, AT&T goes 3G, IT awards

This week's roundup of the top IT news stories sees a lot of Microsoft action, AT&T's forthcoming 3G network, IT awards, the impact of rising energy costs, and more

It felt like all Microsoft, all the time this week. CEO Steve Ballmer was attacked by an egg-throwing Hungarian, the company said it will support ODF and PDF in Office next year, and it started the week by pitching another deal to Yahoo that involves buying assets and not the entire works. (Note to Microsoft: Take a weekend off already!)

[ Video: Catch up on the top stories of the week with the World Tech Update ]

1. Update: Microsoft to support ODF, PDF in Office next year and All eyes on how Microsoft pulls off ODF support: Microsoft is adding support for ODF (Open Document Format) and Adobe Systems' PDF (Portable Document Format) to Office next year in a service pack. Users will be able to save documents as ODF, PDF and XPS, as well as set ODF as the default file format. It's about time.

2. Yahoo postpones board meeting, director resigns: The Yahoo board's annual meeting was pushed back a few weeks until the end of July when all of the director seats will be up for re-election. Director Edward Kozel resigned from the board, which investor Carl Icahn hopes to replace with a slate of 10 candidates he's assembled. The meeting was to have been July 3; it's expected Yahoo will use the extra time to work through particulars of being acquired by Microsoft.

3. Microsoft puts new Yahoo deal on the table and Analysts: Microsoft likely eyeing Yahoo search assets: Microsoft proposed buying an unspecified part of Yahoo. Early bets were that the unspecified part involves search advertising. By week's end, with word that Yahoo had postponed its annual meeting, talk turned back to the likelihood of a full acquisition.

[ For the complete saga of Microsoft's bid to take over Yahoo, check out InfoWorld's special report ]

4. Facebook provides redesign details: It seemed like it would take an act of Congress to get any details, but Facebook finally let loose with particulars of its member-profile pages redesign. Profiles will consist of tabbed subpages for the subscriber's "activity feed," photos, personal information and applications. The aim is a return to a streamlined look.

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