Java

by Sara Firisen

HTC unveiled an advanced handset Wednesday that is powered by Qualcomm's Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform -- which provides developers with the technology for porting their applications between all Qualcomm devices. The move marks a major departure for the Taiwan-based company, which has heavily invested in the development of handsets based on Google's Android platform and Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS.

With key mobile platforms and their application communities rapidly moving forward, a group of wireless carriers and device makers have decided to simplify. On Monday, two dozen of the largest telecom companies announced plans to create an open platform called the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC).

The European Commission on Thursday approved Oracle's $7 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems. After heated debate among patent activists and technology and consumer groups, the EC decided the transaction will not significantly hinder software and hardware competition in Europe.

Ready, set, go ... Google moved into yet another IT realm Tuesday with a computer programming language called Go. Google is betting Go will address key trends in the computing landscape.

"Go combines the development speed of working in a dynamic language like Python with the performance and safety of a compiled language like C or C++," Google's Go team said in the company blog. "Typical builds feel instantaneous; even large binaries compile in just a few seconds. And the compiled code runs close to the speed of C. Go lets you move fast."

Google's Go Reasoning

After spending years and years gestating a significant new lineup of business software, Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison said on Oct. 14 that the company's long-awaited Fusion applications would make their debut next year.

Google's Android operating system isn't just for cell phones anymore. Number-three PC maker Acer has announced two new Android-based products -- a touchscreen smartphone called Acer Liquid and a netbook version of the Aspire One laptop that boasts a dual-boot system, running both Android and Windows XP Home.

Android is a mobile operating system based on the Linux kernel which allows developers to access it via Java libraries.

Sun Microsystems Inc. recorded a $147 million loss while sales eroded 31 percent in the April-June period, likely the server and software maker's last full quarter as an independent company.

Sun's latest numbers, reported Friday in a regulatory filing without the usual news release and conference call with analysts, highlight the uneven financial performance that forced the Santa Clara-based company to put itself up for sale.

Business software maker Oracle Corp. said Thursday it has received the Justice Department's approval to move forward with its $7.4 billion acquisition of former dot-com-era star Sun Microsystems Inc.

The deal still needs the go-ahead from the European Commission.

Clearance by the Justice Department had been held up over questions about the licensing of Java, a programming language that Sun invented that now runs on more than 7 billion electronic devices around the world, including cell phones and personal computers.

LG Electronics has joined its rival mobile-phone makers in launching its own online store for applications. The Seoul, Korea-based company and world's number-three handset maker will launch the beta version of the app store on Tuesday.

The LG app store located at www.lgapplication.com will first launch in Asia-Pacific nations, including Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, and will offer LG users 1,400 applications, including 100 free programs, in 15 different languages. The company said it plans to have 2,000 apps available to nations in Europe and South America by year's end.