Server virtualization is well on its way in corporate data centers and desktop virtualization is following fast behind. The pace of desktop virtualization deployment is only expected to speed up now that Windows 7 is on the scene and client-hosted virtual desktop offerings are emerging. Here’s a roundup of our most recent desktop virtualization/virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) coverage:

Facebook, Mobile Phones and the Future of Shopping

At least 22 retailers have been driven into bankruptcy protection during this recession, including RedEnvelope and Eddie Bauer, or gone out of business altogether, like Circuit City. Blockbuster, Virgin Megastores and many more have closed stores. Survivors, suffering deflated profits and slow sales, warn of bleak holidays: The National Retail Federation predicts a 1 percent sales decline for the season compared to last year. Even Wal-Mart feels the slump, with same-store sales down 1 percent in its second quarter--its first such drop in years.

Enable momentum scrolling for Magic Mouse in 10.5

If you happen to have a new Magic Mouse running on OS X 10.5, you may be disappointed to find that it lacks a feature you get with Snow Leopard: momentum scrolling. Momentum scrolling is the iPhone-like behavior whereby you can flick your finger and have a list continue to scroll while slowly coming to a stop. In 10.6, you can enable this option for your Magic Mouse, but the preference is missing in 10.5.

Apple iPhone Ad Succeeds Where AT&T Fails

Apple's jumping into the battle that sees Verizon Wireless and AT&T flaming each other in advertisements, but unlike AT&T's recent effort to defend itself, Apple's new pair of iPhone ads are actually good.

Windows 7 passes Mac OS X in market share race

Windows 7 passed the 5% market share milestone last weekend, which put it, if only temporarily, above the total market share of all versions of Apple's Mac OS X, Net Applications said today.

Senators call for transparency in copyright treaty talks

Two U.S. senators have asked President Barack Obama's administration to allow the public to review and comment on a controversial international copyright treaty being negotiated largely in secret.

Kindle Update Boosts Battery Life, Adds PDF Support

Amazon has boosted the battery life of its Kindle e-reader and added native support for PDF documents, and you don't even have to buy new hardware to get the benefits.

Apple updates Xsan software to 2.1

Apple has released an update to its Xsan software, to version 2.1. The update is available for download from Apple's Web site, and is recommended for all Xsan 2 users.

Downgrading the iPod touch

You've pungled up the 10 bucks necessary to install the 2.0 Software Update on your iPod touch. Yet after playing with the upgrade you suddenly become nostalgic for the old days. Is there a way to revert your iPod back to an earlier version?

Avery DesignPro software released for free

Avery Dennison Office Products has released Avery DesignPro Software for the Mac. The new utility is available as a free download from the Avery Web site. The software was first unveiled earlier this year at Macworld Expo in San Francisco.

LaCie lets Macs 'Remote Burn' CDs and DVDs

LaCie on Thursday announced Remote Burn software, which ships with its FireWire-based CD and DVD burners. The software lets you share multiple CD/DVD burners across a network in the home or office.

Buy a camera lens

If you purchased your digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) as part of a kit, you already have a basic lens that takes pretty good pictures. However, part of the attraction of this type of camera is that you can switch out lenses to get the best shot in any situation. From powerful zooms that get you up close to high-speed lenses that specialize in low-light settings, you have plenty of options for your second lens. While some lenses may go for more than you spent on your camera, you don't have to pay a lot to get a great lens. The real question is: how do you find the right one for your needs?

View event info in 10.5 iCal's Dashboard widget

Apple modified iCal quite a bit for the Leopard release. Many of the calendaring app's new powers are covered on Apple's OS X 10.5 features page--not to mention this Leopard preview article--but there's at least one new feature not covered there. It's a change in the iCal widget's behavior.

Kindle 2 gets native PDF support, improved battery life

Amazon has an early Thanksgiving gift for all you Kindle 2 owners out there. The company has just announced an upcoming firmware update for its six-inch e-book reader that adds a big new feature: native PDF support.

New Banking Trojan Horses Gain Polish

Criminals today can hijack active online banking sessions, and new Trojan horses can fake the account balance to prevent victims from seeing that they're being defrauded.

Picking the Right Security Software

In security software, you have plenty of options, from free antivirus programs to paid ones to full-blown, multifunction security suites. The big issue, of course, is deciding which approach is right for you.

Microsoft debuts 'streaming' Office 2010 beta

Microsoft has launched the beta of Office Home and Business 2010 and is delivering the preview using its new "streaming" download technology.

Advanced Antivirus

Today's vast threatscape of duplicitous Trojan horses, invisible exploits, and slithering worms make antivirus protection a must. But that doesn't mean you have to pay top dollar for a security suite that may have features you don't want or need.

IBM cat brain simulation dismissed as 'hoax' by rival scientist

A rival neuroscientist says IBM's "historic milestone" in brain research is nothing but a PR stunt.

Buffalo Ships USB 3.0 Hard Drive

In spite of rumors that the first USB 3.0 products wouldn't surface until the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Buffalo Technology has beaten all comers to the punch by announcing today it was shipping its new DriveStation HD-HXU3 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 drive.

Shazam intros special edition (SHAZAM)RED iPhone app

Shazam discovery provider, has announced the launch of its new iPhone application (SHAZAM)RED to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Holiday newsletters with iWeb '09

Holiday newsletters bring your relatives and friends up to date about the year's events, but designing, printing, and mailing them can be a chore. This season, save money and time by replacing a traditional newsletter with a Website created in iWeb '09. Here's how.

Apple 'won't repair machines belonging to smokers'

Apple is refusing to repair machines belonging to smokers because residue from cigarettes seeps into machines and creates a health risk for those fixing the Mac.

Mobile 4G moving closer

Mobile 4G trials are picking up pace, with operators eager to roll out 4G networks as soon as possible.

Pillow Talk

Maybe you've decided to show off your love for all things Mac with an Apple logo sticker affixed to your car or perhaps an Apple-themed t-shirt or even a framed "Think Different" poster. No offense, friend, but until your Mac fanaticism includes home furnishings, you've just scratched the surface of devotion. Throwboy offers a collection of handcrafted throw pillows designed to resemble half-a-dozen Mac OS X icons--the Finder, Dashboard, iTunes, iPhoto, iChat, and Photo Booth. Put those Icon pillows on your couch--they cost $29 each or $149 for the complete set--and people will know your Mac devotion the moment they enter your home. And if they don't turn heel and run, you know you've found a kindred spirit.

Let Your Light Shine

An iPhone with a flashlight app is useful for small tasks like finding your keys. But more rugged situations call for a bright light and free hands. With the $30 Gorillatorch, Joby has taken the popular pliable legs from its Gorillapod tripod and replaced the camera mount with a powerful LED flashlight. The light has a dimmer switch, can shine up to 65 lumens, and runs for up to 80 hours on three AA batteries. To increase the little guy's already impressive ability to mount almost anywhere, Joby added strong magnets to the end of each leg. The water-resistant Gorillatorch is ideal for camping, spelunking, late night-reading, and emergency kits.

Wake-Up Call

Many iPhone owners already use their phone as a makeshift alarm clock--why not go all the way by turning it into your nightstand clock? Kensington's $40 Nightstand Charging Dock charges your iPhone at night using a compact dock-connector base that supports the phone horizontally like a picture-frame stand. The base is thoughtfully covered in rubber, to avoid scratching your furniture, and features a USB cable that grabs power from the included AC charger or a USB port on your Mac. But the key is the free companion iPhone app that turns the iPhone's screen into a dimmable clock that also displays the weather

We're All Ears

Because they sit just inside the ends of your ear canals to block out a decent amount of external noise, a set of canalphones makes the ideal replacement for the earbuds that come included with your iPod. Altec Lansing's BackBeat Classic stands out by providing decent sound quality, a sturdy design--including durable, fabric-wrapped cables--and a distinctive appearance for just $30. For an extra $30--still a reasonable price compared to the $100-plus prices of many canalbuds and in-ear-canal headphones--Maximo's iM-590 iMetal Isolation Earphones offer big steps up in sound quality, comfort, and design. I love the metal earpieces and color-coordinated trim, eartips, and cables. You also get an generous collection of accessories: a carrying case, four sets of silicone eartips, an extension cord, a shirt clip, an airplane

Strike the Right Key

Maybe a keyboard doesn't sound like the sort of gift that inspires squeals of delight come holiday time, but at least you know it's something the recipients are going to use every day. And MacAlly's iKey Slim is the kind of keyboard they'll enjoying using. The $30 (compare latest prices) peripheral is a direct descendant of the company's popular IceKey keyboard, complete with low-profile laptop-style keys, media controls (volume up and down, mute, eject), and two built-in USB 2.0 ports. At just $30, the iKey Slim shows that a decent keyboard doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

Sign Me Up

Ten One Design's nifty $7 Autograph application addresses one of those analog gaps in this digital world. It lets you write your signature on your computer--so long as the computer in question is a unibody MacBook running Snow Leopard. A hot key summons a translucent window; trace a finger on your trackpad and you'll see your writing appear as if by dastardly black magic. Paste the result in any application of your choice; you can choose the color of the final result as well as whether the size of your John Hancock matches John Hancock's.--DAN MOREN

Greeting E-Card

Thoughtful as they are, greeting cards lack that personal touch. RogueSheep’s Postage iPhone app lets you put a personal stamp on messages by converting your photos into electronic postcards. Choose from more than 60 templates and edit photos so that they fit the design perfectly. A holiday-specific version is reportedly in the works, too.

Who's Got the Button?

For some, the austere look of the iPod shuffle is a thing of beauty. But if you'd prefer your own set of headphones instead of the included Apple earbuds (which also happen to feature the only way to control the shuffle), it's button-phobic minimalism gone too far. But two low-cost accessories put the controls back in your hands. Scosche's $30 tapStick (left) is a plastic case that slides onto your shuffle, featuring its own buttons for playing and pausing music as well as adjusting volume. (An including audio cable lets you connect the shuffle to a stereo system, making it an ideal companion for motorists.) Belkin's $20 (compare latest prices) Headphone Adapter for iPod shuffle

Take Note

I’ll be on the phone with somebody when suddenly, some vital piece of information—a phone number, an address, a time and date—will come up in the conversation. Naturally, this is when the notepad I keep near the phone decides to go missing, and I wind up scribbling data on the nearest piece of paper—an old newspaper, a napkin, a crumpled up piece of paper. Scratch-N-Scroll from Quirky can spare me the indignity of writing down a phone number on my hand, like some lovesick middle-schooler. The $15 mousepad also doubles as a writing surface; just use the stylus or, if that’s MIA, your finger to jot down notes on the pad itself. And once you’ve transferred the information to paper, just flip up the semi-transparent top sheet to make your notations disappear.

One Word: Plastics

Agent 18's popular Slider case for the original iPhone returns for the iPhone 3G and 3GS as the EcoShield Slider. As before, the slider fits the phone snugly and practically seamlessly. In this version, the case is made almost entirely from post-consumer plastic bottles. A locking mechanism ensures the case won't slide on a whim, and silicon pads inside the case help guard against those scratches that iPhones seem to attract like corduroy attracts lint. As a bonus, the case has a little table stand, too. The $35 cases come in sleek black, white and a cool blue.

Take a Deep Breath

When it comes to battery life, heat is the enemy. BBP Bags offers a no-sweat way to carry a MacBook while keeping the heat at bay. The Breathe Sleeve provides 4mm shock-absorbing neoprene protection for your laptop with ventilated panels to help keep the machine cool. The $35 sleeve comes in basic black and chic pink for 13-, 15-, and 17-inch laptops. The sleeve also boasts a couple of bonus pockets for storage, with just enough room for a power cord in front, a magazine in back and a USB thumb drive nestled snugly in between.

Cowabunga

iPhone-toting city slickers who'd like a taste of a frontier have a friend in Southern Brand. The company makes the $29 Limited Edition Cowhide iPhone Cover, which, as the name implies, swaddles your phone in the part of Ol' Bessie that she won't be needing after the last round-up. (The company offers an identically priced version made out of Longhorn hide.) The inside of the hand-made slip cover is soft suede with a smooth chocolate tanned leather backing. It's a way to add a little bit of country to your rock-n-roll mobile device.

Welcome to the 2009 Gear Guide

We've all seen the headlines. Times are tough. Budgets are tight. Money isn't exactly raining from the skies these days. Fortunately that doesn't mean great tech gear for your Mac, iPhone, and iPod is out of reach this holiday season. We've scoured the store shelves (both physical and virtual) to find impressive gadgetry that doesn't put a hurt on your bank balance. The 14 items in this collection are all under $50 and they'll fit any budget that calls for spending just a few dollars. This gear will enhance what you already own, let you get more things done, and maybe even put a smile on your face.

All Wound Up

When it’s time to plug my earbuds into my iPhone—whether to take a phone call or listen to some tunes—the last thing I want to do is waste time unraveling the Gordian knot the cable has worked itself into while jostling around my pocket. And yet, inevitably, that’s what I end up doing. SendStation’s $13 earBuddy imposes order on the chaos by squeezing an ABS reel into a tiny keychain-sized case. Wind up the cable, close the surprisingly durable-though-still-1-ounce case, and attach it to yourself with the included keyring. Your earbuds will always be close at hand—and untangled, to boot.

A Place for Everything

My iPhone makes phone calls, downloads e-mail, and pulls up any Web site I ask it to. So why should the case I store this multi-tasker in content itself with doing just one thing? eHolster must have asked itself the same question because it offers the $25 e-Vibe iPhone Case with Wallet. Not only does the universal device pocket hold an iPhone or iPod touch (or other, lesser smartphones), it also sports an ID holder, three card slots for credit cards, banks cards, and the link, pockets for both cash and coins, and a mesh pocket to stash extras like earbuds. Don't feel left out, iPod nano owners--ProPorta's £30 Wallaby Wallet does much the same thing by combining a wallet with a nano case.

Huawei responds to article

I would like to address claims made about Huawei in your article "Cisco showcases big bets on collaboration", which are inaccurate and totally without foundation.