Daily Marauder

TECHNOLOGY

For the first time ever, worldwide sales of portable computers this year will surpass those of desktops, according to a new study by IDC. Acer is indicative of the trend: It expects to ship 5% to 10% fewer desktops in 2009 but increase notebook shipments by 35% to 40%. The New York Times (4/18)

Adobe Systems is expected to announce it is expanding its Flash technology beyond computer screens and into set-top boxes and television, a move TV executives believe will pave the way for watching more Web-based video on TV. Bud Albers, the chief technology officer of the Disney Interactive Media Group, said bringing Flash to TV screens will enable viewers to watch what they want, when they want and on just about any device they want. “This gets us where we want to go,” he said. The New York Times (4/20)

Photo Credit: Adobe Systems

Adobe’s concept of how Flash video could look on the TV.

Sony has introduced a prototype of a 21-inch OLED TV display that would feature resolutions of 1366×758, a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and a superslim package that’s just four-tenths of an inch thick. The company also said it planned to put its new 4K 3-D digital projectors in more than 4,500 AMC North American theaters. Electronista (4/17)

TiVo will challenge Nielsen, whose audience ratings provide the basis for most ad sales, with a service that will provide year-round, second-by-second information about the shows and commercials watched by people who have one of the company’s digital video recorders. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2009-04-20-tivo-data-new-plan_N.htm 4/20)

As the nation’s chief technology officer, Aneesh Chopra will be charged with finding ways to use technology to improve security, lower costs and make the government more efficient, President Barack Obama said. Tech industry heavyweights welcomed the appointment. “Aneesh is an inspired appointment. His smarts and experience in technology, health care and investing will serve us well,” said one venture capital leader. The Wall Street Journal/Digits blog (4/18)

Nine execs from tech companies including Twitter, Google, and YouTube are in Iraq to meet with the local government and private groups to see how technology can help rebuild the country. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/20/can-silicon-valley-help-save-iraq/ 4/20)