Technology Insight

Nine out of 10 American adults believe that driving while texting is dangerous and should be against the law, according to a new survey.

In addition, 91 percent of adults surveyed by research firm Harris Interactive thought that drivers sending text messages or e-mails are as dangerous as those who have had a couple of drinks before getting behind the wheel.

However, the survey, which was commissioned by Pinger Inc., a mobile messaging service that uses a hands-free head set, also found that 66 percent of adults who drive a car and have used text messaging said they have read text messages or e-mails while driving, and 57 percent of the same people said they have sent text messages or e-mails while driving. Via

With Monday’s news that it will bundle Linux on laptops, Lenovo becomes the second major PC maker to offer the open-source operating system on consumer PCs. But though the move is a boost for the OS, analysts say it’ll be years before desktop Linux can seriously threaten proprietary systems like Windows.

“It’s still very early stages,” 451 Group analyst Raven Zachary said when asked about the No. 3 PC maker’s decision to sell its ThinkPad notebooks preloaded with Novell’s SUSE version of Linux. “In terms of elegance and aesthetics, Microsoft and Apple are many years ahead of Linux.”

For the scrappy OS to truly trespass on territory long held by Windows and the Mac OS, commercial Linux distributors such as Novell, Ubuntu, and Red Hat would have to place engineers and designers on their payroll, Mr. Zachary suggested.

“Apple and Microsoft have the advantage of having usability engineers and designers on staff and working on a single initiative,” he said.

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By Slash Lane Published: 10:00 AM EST A small Florida-based firm is suing iPhone maker Apple Inc, alleging that handset’s new touch-screen keyboard interface infringes on patent claims dating back over 7 years. Related AppleInsider articles: * Apple to license interface technology as part… * Apple’s interface held to the fire in dubious… * Quantum says no current plans for… * Touch sensor firm issues legal warning to… * Apple and Cisco return to the bargaining table After writing Apple in late February and receiving no response, SP Technologies, LLC on Thursday turned to a patent litigation-friendly federal court in Tyler, Texas, where it filed a formal complaint against electronics maker. Specifically, the 4-page suit charges that Apple’s iPhone keyboard interface treads on four claims outline in an August 4th, 2000 U.S. patent titled "Method and medium for readable keyboard display incapable of user termination." Via

Virtual Iron Software (www.virtualiron.com), a provider of software for server virtualization and virtual infrastructure management, today announced that more than 750 organizations are using its enterprise-class solutions. The company’s momentum in the first half of 2007, which includes significant growth in its distribution channels, partner ecosystem and product footprint is a direct result of growing demand from organizations looking for a cost-effective alternative to VMware.

While VMware has been on its own in the virtualization space for more than nine years, it’s begun to share some of the spotlight with Virtual Iron. Turning the economics of virtualization upside down, Virtual Iron is delivering comparable capabilities and performance to VMware at just one-fifth the cost. As a result, Virtual Iron has quickly become "the VMware alternative" for a growing number of companies such as CaixaTerrassa, Charlotte Observer, City of Evanston, City of Gainesville, Hitachi, Lane Community College, Manz Automation, Meganet Communications, Office of the Attorney General of South Carolina, Owen-Bird Law, Parker-Hannifin, PGA TOUR Superstores, Priceline.com, Stanley Betting International, ServePath, Toshiba, Truck-Lite, Vita-Mix, Weiss and XCalibre Communications.

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