New Hotmail users had better be ready to don the ol’ thinking cap when it comes to their email account passwords: as part of a campaign to discourage hacking, common and/or “easy” passwords such as “123456,” “password” and “ilovecats” will no longer be accepted. In fact, it has been reported that Microsoft may actually roll the new rule over to existing users, forcing those with offending gate keys to switch to a more suitable string of letters and numbers. READ MORE
There are few things that can take the wind out of a company’s sails after being bought by Microsoft for $8.5 billion. The current allegations of underhanded dealings on the part of Skype in regards to their employee stock option plans, though, just might be one of them. READ MORE
Tech writers are weighing in about the fact that Apple is now selling the iPhone 4 unlocked–$649 and $749 for the 16GB and 32GB models. Engadget’s Vlad Savov writes that while those prices might seem expensive for American buyers, internationally the unlocked pricing is relatively affordable. READ MORE
Despite growing a back-room start-up into a billion-dollar software giant, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is still the socially awkward and publicity-shy man he’s always been. In a rare move, Gates granted an exclusive one-on-one interview with The Daily Mail, revealing secrets and details about his enigmatic personal life to promote the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, an organization co-founded by Gates in 2000, which kicks off a “pledging conference” in London to raise money for vaccinating children in the world’s poorest countries. READ MORE
