Canonical announced today the release of Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop Edition [Feature Tour], the latest version of the popular Linux desktop distribution. Ubuntu 9.10 brings changes small and large that all have a common purpose – to make Ubuntu the most user-friendly operating system available. Ubuntu 9.10 features a redesigned, faster boot and login experience, a revamped audio framework, and improved 3G broadband connectivity, all of which contribute to a first-class user experience. MORE »

Today Microsoft Corp. announced the worldwide availability of its new Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 delivers on a simple premise: make it easier for people to do the things they want on a PC. The new operating system offers a streamlined user interface and significant new features that make everyday tasks easier and allow people to get the most out of computers of all styles and sizes. MORE »

Today Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the new Web browser that offers the best solution for how people use the Web today. It can be downloaded in 25 languages at http://www.microsoft.com/ie8 starting at noon EDT on March 19. Internet Explorer 8 is easier to use, faster and offers leading-edge security features in direct response to people’s increasing concerns about online safety. A new study commissioned by Microsoft and the National Cyber Security Alliance and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. shows that 91 percent of adults in the U.S. are concerned about online threats in the current economic climate, and 78 percent are more likely to choose a Web browser with built-in security than they were two years ago. MORE »

UPnP Forum, the industry initiative designed to provide simple and robust connectivity among consumer electronics, intelligent appliances, computers and mobile devices from different vendors, announces that UPnP™ technology has attained worldwide recognition by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In December 2008, ISO and IEC published an international standard version of the UPnP Device Architecture and Device Protocols. This achievement as the world’s first international standard for device interoperability on IP networks solidifies UPnP architecture’s position as the leading technology for discovery and control of networked devices. MORE »

A US consumer study into High Definition TV purchase drivers carried out by Oregan Networks™, an Internet TV software company and Micronas®, a leading supplier of innovative TV application-specific IC system solutions, has revealed that the ability to access the Internet from the comfort of the living room in parallel or in addition to watching regular TV programming, is making its way into the purchasing criteria of today’s tech-savvy consumers who plan to purchase a TV within the next 2 years. MORE »

A new study from international research firm Parks Associates finds consumer demand for networking features will drive the next wave of consumer electronics purchasing, particularly for imaging and mobile devices such as digital cameras, photo frames, and mobile phones. Digital Media Evolution, a new survey from Parks Associates, finds nearly 50% of U.S. broadband households want a digital camera with networking capabilities, with nearly 40% similarly interested in a networked digital photo frame. MORE »

The rise of IP-enabled consumer electronics products is fueling increasing demand for browsers and web-based user interfaces in these devices. ABI Research expects the number of web browsers embedded in consumer electronics devices such as digital TVs, game consoles, and set top boxes to grow from 60 million shipped in 2008 to 214 million by 2013. MORE »

VUDU Inc., a leading provider of digital technologies and services that deliver Internet entertainment to consumers’ HDTVs and Home Theaters, today unveiled HDX, a groundbreaking video format that for the first time enables the viewing of Internet-delivered movie content in full High Definition 1080p format optimized for 40 inch and larger HDTVs and Home Theaters. MORE »

AMD today announced the introduction of the ATI Radeon™ HD 4550 and ATI Radeon™ HD 4350 graphics cards, the latest additions to the award-winning ATI Radeon™ HD 4000 series graphics line up. These feature-rich graphics cards deliver exceptional gaming and HD multimedia performance at value prices. Both cards are based on the same technology found in the celebrated ATI Radeon™ HD 4800 series, including support for the latest DirectX® 10.1 games and superior HD multimedia capabilities.Delivering mainstream-class performance at a value price, the ATI Radeon HD 4550 graphics card plays demanding game titles previously unplayable by cards in this price segment², and for less than USD $59 for a 512MB memory configuration. An even more incredible value, the ATI Radeon HD 4350 graphics card is the ideal introduction to the ATI Radeon HD 4000 series, priced for less than USD $39 for a 256 MB memory configuration, giving gamers and multimedia enthusiasts more features than products available from the competition today.³ MORE »

NETGEAR®, Inc., a worldwide provider of technologically advanced, branded networking solutions, today launched its new family of Wireless-N networking solutions to make it even simpler for consumers to upgrade their home networks to enjoy the performance, security and range provided by Wireless-N technology. The new NETGEAR Wireless-N Router (WNR2000) and Wireless-N Router with Built-in DSL Modem (DGN2000) deliver the performance necessary to support the simultaneous use of bandwidth-intensive applications including Internet surfing, Internet telephony, online gaming, and high-definition video streaming, along with Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure the right prioritization of simultaneous traffic. MORE »