Microsoft Patches 12 Critical Flaws in Office
by Alex Woodie

Microsoft yesterday issued four patches that fix 12 critical security vulnerabilities in Excel, Outlook, and other Office components that attackers could exploit to take total control of affected PCs. One zero-day flaw was also identified that hackers have already started exploiting, and another flaw could provide a pathway for infecting users with malicious ads served by otherwise secure Web sites. The monthly patch roundup continues the trend that has seen hackers probing for flaws in client-side applications, instead of problems with servers. READ MORE >

AMD Says Barcelona Bug Is Fixed, Almost Ready to Ramp
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

The executives at microprocessor maker Advanced Micro Devices have had to endure their share of grief in the past nine months. First, after boasting that its native quad-core 'Barcelona' and 'Budapest' Rev F Opteron processors would best quasi quad-core alternatives from rival Intel, the Barcelona Opterons, used in two-socket and four-socket machines, were delayed beyond their expected June launch, and when they debuted in September they came out at slower speeds than many expected. And then, in December, AMD said the Barcelonas had a bug in their cache. READ MORE >

IBM Hurls $1 Billion at Unified Communications Target
by Dan Burger

Maneuvering to score more points in the rock-tossing competition that accompanies the unified communications mindshare game, IBM has piled on investments, added technology and products, and expanded its business partner relationships to demonstrate that its battle with Microsoft will be fought on several fronts--not the least of which is the public relations front. Unified communications carries considerable weight. The skillful noodlers at IDC, who analyzed everything from social software to software development, say this market is an avalanche in the making, with projections building to $17 billion by 2011. READ MORE >

Mad Dog 21/21: Plane's Peeking
by Hesh Wiener

In computing, even the industry leaders can get hit with surprises coming from angles they never dreamed of. Sometimes these new ideas substantially change or extend the world of computing. These disruptive developments add new dimensions to information processing. And it's often very hard for the established leaders to understand what is emerging before their eyes. This is a situation much like the one at the heart of 'Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions,' a short, witty novel about mathematics and Victorian society written by Edwin A. Abbott, a theologian and scholar. Ballmer, Palmisano, and you ought to give it a quick read. READ MORE >