Nokia and Intel announced the new project release (version 1.1) of the company’s MeeGo open-source OS software yesterday. Nokia has been quick to point out though, that this project release isn’t a finished product for the average user to load up on their phone or netbook, but is intended for developers to enable them to get acquainted with the code and capabilities of future devices.

 

For the handset version, there’s a basic user experience (UX) for tasks like voice calling, SMS messaging, web browsing, music and video playback, photo viewing and connection management. The handset release will work on the Nokia N900 as well as Intel’s Aava smartphone, whilst the netbook release will work on any Intel Atom netbook.

 

Developers who have the N900 with the latest 1.3 update can set their device to dual-boot into MeeGo on a memory card. 

 

 

Google-owned YouTube has announced that its user subscription has surpassed the billion mark. The YouTube channel to get the billionth hit was MachinimaSports. The company also stated that there are more than a billion subscription notification emails are sent every week and there are 15 YouTube channels that have crossed the one million subscriber mark.

 

 

 

The American mobile phone manufacturer has reported that its mobile device unit posted an operating profit for the first time since 2006. According to Cnet, the company announced its third quarter earnings, posting better-than-expected sales of its Google Android-powered smartphones (such as the Motorola Milestone in SA). The mobile device unit delivered $3 million in operating profit for Q3, up from an operating loss of $183 million compared to the same period last year. Motorola’s profit for the whole company also increased to $109 million, up from  $12 million for the same period last year.

 

 

 

Formula 1 star Rubens Barrichello is to receive $118 000 (about R828 000) compensation from Google Brasil over failing to remove fake online profiles of him. These fake profiles mock Barrichello over the time he played second fiddle to Michael Schumacher as a Ferrari driver. According to USA Today, a judge in Sao Paulo ordered Google Brasil to pay to Formula 1 racer for failing to remove these fake profiles from the social-networking site in due course after he notified the company of their existence. Barrichello now drives for Williams-Cosworth.

 

 

 

 

Microsoft has announced a record first-quarter revenue of $16.20 billion for the quarter ended 30 September 2010, which is a 25% increase over the same period last year. The Redmond-based company’s operating income and net income for the quarter were $7.12 billion (a 59% year-on-year increase) and $5.41 billion respectively (a 51% year-on-year increase).  

 

The company’s partner and rival Apple, however, also reported its financial results for its fourth quarter that ended on 25 September 2010 recently, which was a record quarter for the iPhone maker as well. Cupertino announced a new record of $20.34 billion in revenues, which is significantly more than Microsoft’s $16.20 billion.