When "Free Public WiFi" is an XP Bug

When a computer running an older version of XP can't find any of its "favorite" wireless networks, it will automatically create an ad hoc network with the same name as the last one it connected to, including "Free Public WiFi."

Other XP ccomputers within range of that new ad hoc network can see it, and will remember the ad hoc connection, in turn.

Microsoft has eliminated the network in more recent versions of Windows. It also created a fix to the problem for the older version of Windows XP — Windows XP Service Pack 3 — but many people still haven't updated their computers.

The point is that there isn't quite so much "free public Wi-Fi" available as some might think, but that is just a bug that requires a patch.

The Zombie Network: Beware 'Free Public WiFi' : NPR

Orange Mobile Exposure 2010 Study Reveals European Mobile Media Users Choose Browsers Over Apps

Users seem to prefer browser apps over mobile apps about 70 percent of the time, a survey suggests.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Orange-Mobile-Exposure-2010-prnews-968643210.html?x=0&.v=1

Android OS Now Number One for Sales Share

Android now appears to be the top operating system for new buyers of smartphones, according to Nielsen.

Unified Communications Suites for Small Business

A brief video on what unified communications is, and how a small business can use it.

Unified Communications Suites for Small Businesses

Making the Leap to VOIP

A short video tutorial on how a smaller business can make the jump to IP telephony from legacy voice.

Making the Leap to VOIP

Apple Will Report Over $20 Billion In Quarterly Revenue, Blogger-Analysts Predict

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-will-report-over-20-billion-in-quarterly-revenue-blogger-analysts-predict-2010-10?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Falleyinsider%2Fsilicon_alley_insider+%28Silicon+Alley+Insider%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Web service creates mobile version of a web site

Very useful.

http://fuelingnewbusiness.com/2008/08/28/mobile-marketing-for-advertising-agencies/

How Carriers Can Crack the App Discoverability Nut

To sell an app, a user first must find it.

http://jkontherun.com/2010/10/09/how-carriers-can-crack-the-app-discoverability-nut/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OmMalik+%28GigaOM%29&utm_content=Twitter

NTT, Olympus Augmented Reality

http://www.fastcompany.com/1693829/ntt-olympus-dream-up-wearable-ar-monitor-that-doesnt-look-ugly?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+shovelarts+%28Shovel+Arts%29&utm_content=Twitter

Apple On Augmented Reality Apps

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2010/10/apple-shining-spotlight-augmented-reality-apps/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AppAdvice+%28AppAdvice%29

7% of Households Have Abandoned Video Service, Study Suggests

Wedbush Securities analyst James Dix says research suggests consumers are getting rid of their cable and satellite TV services to a greater extent than they're dumping their Internet connections. He thinks that means they are substituting Web video.

In a survey of 2,500 consumers, seven percent said they had stopped using basic cable service and 12 percent reported cutting their premium cable or satellite services. Two percent of respondents cancelled their Internet connections.

Dix also found that cord cutting was more related to income than age, despite the common view that younger consumers would be among the first to abandon traditional pay TV.

Homes with income under $50,000 cancelled basic cable at the highest rate, 8 percent, while only 3 percent of higher-income homes, those at $100,000 and above, axed basic cable, according to the survey.

Study shows consumers choosing Internet over cable in 'cord cutting' decisions

Microsoft Closing In-Game Ad Unit

Microsoft reportedly is closing will its in-game advertising unit Massive. Microsoft acquired Massive in 2006.

At the time of the acquisition, the exuberance for dynamic in-game advertising was at a peak. Since then, Microsoft’s Xbox Live has become a more-compelling venue for Microsoft, in part because Microsoft keeps all ad revenue it earns from Xbox Live, while it must share Massive’s ad revenue with game providers.

more here

Google starts showing full page previews in search results

Google is testing a major new layout to their search results, which allows a user to see full page previews of target sites, when you hover over them.

Google starts showing full page previews in search results

3/4 of Americans Have Found a TV Commercial Confusing

Fully 75 percent of U.S. TV viewers surveyed by Harris Poll say they have found a commercial on TV confusing. One in five (21%) often find commercials on television confusing while 55 percent say they at least occasionally find commercials confusing.

Just 14 percent say they never find commercials on television confusing and 11 percent do not watch commercials on TV.

That apparently is what happens when advertising professionals try to be too clever, one suspects. It's good to be entertaining; it apparently is not so good to be obscure.

Harris Interactive: Harris Polls > Three-Quarters of Americans Have Found a TV Commercial Confusing

Windows Phone 7 to launch Oct. 11, 2010

Microsoft will introduce its new Windows Phone 7 operating system Oct. 11, 2011. Some experts predict will be a make-or-break product launch.

Analysts say Microsoft's success with Windows Phone 7 (WP7) is important to its mobile initiatives as well as to the overall future prowess of the software giant, which is best known for its desktop operating systems and office productivity software.

Competitors obviously will be watching to see whether WP7 gets traction.

Windows Phone 7 to launch Monday