Stories by: Mitchell Bingemann

While a recent study released by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) identified Australia as amongst the best in the world when it comes to IT infrastructure and global competitiveness, a Catch 22 between research and development (R&D) and the IT skills shortage has cemented the country as a follower rather than an innovator.

Although the controversial online music store AllofMP3.com was officially shutdown by the Russian Government this week for infringing copyright laws, customers from the site who have existing credit can still purchase songs through its downloadable windows desktop and smartphone client, allTunes.com.

Although the Unwired, Austar and Soul alliance failed to secure the Federal Government Broadband Connect grant, Unwired CEO, David Spence, believes its ownership of WiMAX spectrum will place the wireless carrier in a winning position.

Belgian-based U2U training consultant, and Microsoft MVP, Patrick Tisseghem, has specialised in Microsoft's SharePoint Server since its version 1.0 days. As the author of Inside Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Inside MOSS 2007, he's positioned himself as the go-to man for all things SharePoint, and is now bringing his vast knowledge to Australia for a series of classes to show .NET developers how to leverage the upcoming Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and build better Web applications. Tisseghem takes some time out to share his thoughts on SharePoint 2007 and its future involvement in the development of Web 3.0 with Mitchell Bingemann.

Equinix has completed a $5 million expansion of its Sydney Internet Business Exchange (IBX) centre, adding new cooling and power infrastructure to the 3000sqm facility.

Wireless broadband operator, Access Providers, has brought together its operations with acquired business units, Saise Telecom and Activ Australia, under the new Clever Communications Australia brand.

Internode is hiking up its ADSL pricing plans with increases ranging from $5 to $40 per month, citing the growing use of data-intensive online services and increasing network capacity costs as the catalyst for change.

eBay has acquired StumbleUpon, a Web browsing recommendation site that mixes social networking and novel search functionality based on peer reviews, for US$75 million.

A new inexpensive nanoglue that becomes stronger as it heats up could redefine the way computer chips are made and even pave the way for Spiderman-esque web-shooting devices in the near future, according to its creator.

Apple Australia's iTunes store is going DRM free with the launch of iTunes Plus, a new and better quality song format that frees users to play music on portable players other than Apple's iPod.

Google has unveiled Street View, a new feature that gives a panoramic flavour to its Google Maps application by offering 360-degree, navigable photographic views of selected locations.