We already know Dell wants to be the greenest company on the planet, or in the solar system, or something. So as part of his remarks to the Fortune Brainstorm: Green conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Chief Executive Michael Dell previewed a desktop PC aimed at consumers.

Updated 2:05 p.m. PT: Dell PR provided us with a photo.

The yet-to-be-named ultra-small green consumer desktop PC.

Click here for more Earth Day tech news.

Dell is targeting consumers first with this energy-efficient desktop, which is notable since the company normally rolls out green initiatives on business machines first.

(Credit:
Dell)

The PC will be 81 percent smaller and will use 70 percent less energy than one of Dell’s mini-tower desktops. And the packaging will be totally recycled. Though there’s no name for the PC and no pictures (a Dell representative insisted they didn’t just come up with the idea on the flight from Austin to LAX, and in fact have been working on it for “a while”) the desktop is supposed to be available by the end of the year.

I’m also making periodic complete backups in case I get bitten by any major new bugs in Leopard or Time Machine, but I don’t expect anything like that.

The OS upgrade process appeared to go well, but when I tried to log in, Leopard said it wasn’t able to access my home folder. I use Apple’s FileVault security technology, which stores my home folder in a virtual disk image that is encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). FileVault protects my data if the machine is stolen, and I regard it as an indispensable feature of Mac OS X.

There’s a new update coming to version 10.5.2, which according to a release note available to Apple developers includes a raft of bug fixes, but I wanted to upgrade to Microsoft Office for Mac 2008 as soon as possible, so I figured I’d just go ahead and upgrade OS X at the same time. (I’ll probably post a review of Office 2008 sometime soon.)

I may have additional comments, especially after the 10.5.2 update… stay tuned!

Ultimately I had to delete and recreate my primary account then copy my files from the disk image into the new home folder. It turns out I’d have wanted to do this anyway, since Leopard introduces a new approach to FileVault that works better with Time Machine, Apple’s new backup program.

With Leopard running at last, I was able to get Office 2008 installed, and I’m slowly working through a number of small issues– learning how to work around a minor bug in the new version of Apple’s Mail program, upgrading some third-party software I use, etc.– but generally I’m happy with the upgrade. Leopard seems a little faster overall, and Time Machine is great. It gives me a lot of confidence that my data is better protected against software and hardware failures.

I didn’t immediately upgrade to Leopard, the new version of
Mac OS X, when it shipped back in November for reasons I discussed here, but last weekend I decided to go for it.

Apple published a tech note suggesting that this problem is related to passwords of 8 or more characters– my passwords are all a lot longer than that, and so should yours be!– but the complex procedure described in the note for solving the problem didn’t help me.

(Credit:
Courtesy of Apple)

I wasn’t expecting this problem, but I was prepared for it. I made a backup of the machine just before starting the upgrade, and I also maintain a secondary user account without FileVault in case of problems with the primary account. I logged into that other account and discovered on the Web that other people have seen exactly the same problem.

Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard

I’ve been using an Apple MacBook Pro for a little over a year now, and I’m pretty happy with it.

Everything worked properly when I was done, but this was a slow, awkward procedure that most ordinary users would never have been able to handle. I just wish the Leopard installer had checked for this condition and done all the necessary work directly.

Unfortunately, Leopard wasn’t happy with the disk image for my home folder, and simply refused to open it.

commentary

Except for Adebayor’s golden opportunity in the 93rd minute, Arsenal never looked like it was going to put the ball into the AC Milan net. Threatening, ever threatening, yet never finishing the job. It was like 2006/07 all over again.

Oh, well. After a crushing defeat to Manchester United, I suppose a draw was a good result. I just wish Toure wouldn’t have been injured in the process.

At least the team threatened. Fabregas was on again and it was great to have Clichy (shown here with my two-year old demon child) and Sagna back on defense. I think our odds are good against the AC Milan dullards in Milan but it would have been nice to carry a lead into that game.

AC Milan may be the Club World and Champions League 2007 champions, but Arsenal made them look very pedestrian today. Unfortunately, Arsenal’s shooting also looked very ordinary, with the team apparently deciding to shoot every single ball directly at the AC Milan keeper. Nice plan. Worked like a charm.

P.S. Someone please cut Eboue from the squad. He adds nothing and detracts much.

The chipmaker reported its highest-ever fourth-quarter revenue of $10.7 billion and earnings of 38 cents per share. Intel set expectations for this quarter at between $10.5 billion and $11.1 billion, while analysts were anticipating revenue of $10.8 billion and earnings between 38 cents and 44 cents per share.

One very tiny new product indicates that the demand for lower-cost computers is high, which should be beneficial to both Intel and the tech industry in general. The Eee PC from Asus, a sub-notebook selling at $399, is doing surprisingly well (between 350,000 and 400,000 units) since its recent launch, which is encouraging for a non-tier 1 computer maker. It’s a product category that is doing well in emerging markets, and Intel’s ability to address that demand has “significant potential of growing the market,” said McCarron.

“Q1 is not clouded by a pessimistic view of computing,” he told analysts. He said he agrees with–and Intel is planning around–industry analyst expectations of “low double-digit growth” in PC unit volumes in the coming year. The continued shift toward mobile computing will be a main factor in driving growth in the industry, Otellini said.

“It demonstrates there is significant price elasticity in the market,” he added. “As we expand the lower-cost options that are available…we see expansion of the overall market, (so there) is a number of fairly positive indicators, whether it’s the technology or the markets themselves.”

Despite concerns over weakness in the U.S. economy, tech companies probably don’t need to worry as much, as the U.S. makes less of a contribution to their success these days. As Otellini noted, “Seventy-five percent of Intel’s revenue is not in the United States, and (outside the U.S. is) where most of our growth is coming from.”

“It would be imprudent not to be cautious about it though,” he added.

He didn’t seem too alarmed about the overall economy, despite uncertainty in the U.S.

A combination of new products categories like smaller and more inexpensive mobile computing devices and the growth of emerging markets outside the United States are all good signs for the worldwide technology industry, said Mercury Research’s McCarron.

But looking ahead, Otellini attempted to assure analysts that he is optimistic about the coming year.

“I said I have the same caution that everyone in America that watches CNBC has today. You hear all the pundits saying that the world is going to a trash basket, it makes you worry,” said Otellini. “It may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, he emphasized, “We don’t see anything on the horizon, our customers don’t see anything on the horizon.”

Intel announced its second consecutive record-breaking quarter Tuesday, though earnings just barely met the company’s own projections.

While that’s an increase in revenue of 10.5 percent over the same quarter a year ago, expectations were heightened following the company’s record-setting third quarter, in which it blew away analyst forecasts. Intel shares were pummeled in after-hours trading, dropping more than 14 percent.

“In the fourth quarter we saw that computing-related products actually grew as we expected…on the back of a very strong (third quarter),” said Intel CFO Stacy Smith. “The part that caused us to be a little below (the) midpoint (of expectations) was the demand pricing environment was worse than we expected.” He said demand in its CPU business in particular continued to grow in the fourth quarter, and the company said there were no unusual cancellations of orders or build-up of inventory. “All felt pretty healthy,” Smith said.

That way “a little bit of weakness doesn’t result in an overall dramatic change to the overall forecast,” said Dean McCarron, analyst with Mercury Research. “It puts a much smaller impact on the numbers than it did 10 years ago.”

For the first quarter of 2008, Intel is projecting revenue between $9.4 billion and $10 billion, representing more than the usual seasonal decline of about 7 percent. Smith did not attribute the decline to any one significant factor, but a combination of continued weak pricing on NAND memory and an end to some supply agreements with Marvell.

But let’s not push the panic button quite yet. The company said revenue for its computing products was on target; revenue for NAND memory was below expectations; and while total microprocessor units set a record, average selling prices were flat for the quarter. It’s not great news, but unless CEO Paul Otellini is throwing a smoke screen as bad as anything from the denial stage of the dot-com bust, Intel doesn’t see the sort of tech sector meltdown that some fret could occur.

Though cable news pundits may predict hard times ahead, reports from IBM and Intel for 2008 show the technology industry isn’t ready to mimic the banking industry’s financial woes just yet.

In order for Yahoo to extend its March 14 deadline for shareholders to nominate an opposition slate, it would need to do one of two things. Yahoo could change its bylaws and extend the notification period to a time closer to when the annual shareholder meeting is held, which currently is expected to be sometime between May 18 and July 7, or it can set its meeting sometime beyond July 7, thereby extending the notification period.

Microsoft has until March 14 to name its opposition slate of directors, and proxy solicitors say the Redmond giant should have no problem finding folks to fill out a 10-member slate. Yahoo’s entire 10-member board is up for re-election at the next shareholder meeting. The date of the meeting has yet to be selected.

Adding to that stress is the fact that its other reported options, including a News Corp. investment deal and an AOL tie-up, are considered long shots by industry observers and analysts.

Yahoo has the option of extending the March 14 deadline for shareholders to nominate an opposition slate of directors for its next annual shareholder meeting, though it is expected to maintain a hard deadline.

“The smart thing to do would be to extend the deadline, if they don’t want to talk yet but they don’t want to force Microsoft’s hand,” Jenkins said.

“It’s unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility to extend the date to nominate directors,” said Bruce Goldfarb, chief executive of proxy solicitation firm Okapi Partners. “I don’t see the motivation for Yahoo to do that. They could still negotiate after Microsoft files its slate. There’s little reason to extend the date, unless they are already negotiating a friendly deal.”

Full coverage
Microsoft’s big bid for Yahoo Click here for the latest on the software giant’s attempt to buy the Net pioneer.

In the next two weeks, observers of the Microsoft-Yahoo courtship will get a telling signal as to whether it’s headed for a shotgun marriage or a friendly embrace.

Yahoo, which is incorporated in Delaware, has a hard deadline for shareholders to name candidates, unless the company changes its bylaws or delays the date of its shareholder meeting, said Stephen Jenkins, a director with Delaware law firm Ashby & Geddes, which has represented a number of clients in proxy fights.

And while the days are counting down for Microsoft to have its slate in place, odds makers say they wouldn’t be surprised to see University of Southern California corporate-governance professor Duke Bristow show up on such a slate. Bristow has served on other proxy fights before, including Oracle’s slate in its drawn-out fight for PeopleSoft. I’m not aware of Bristow’s stance on Microsoft’s bid, since phone calls and e-mails have not been returned.

My bet is that Yahoo will extend the deadline, giving it more time to contemplate its options in a manner seen as friendly to Microsoft. Think if it this way: how easy is it to carry on a civil conversation and negotiate a deal when the other party’s 10 thugs are beating up on you?

Yahoo has plenty of reasons to enter a friendly deal and wrap up talks ASAP. It’s not only facing seven lawsuits from angry investors who argue that Microsoft’s initial bid of $31 a share was fair, but it also noted in its regulatory filings that Yahoo employees, management, and executives are distracted by the Microsoft bid.

My two key takeaways:

-You will be forced to do integration, regardless if it fits into the analyst dream world of immaculate SOA conception
-If Thomson has already achieved an SOA environment and are so focused on governance, than its clearly more important than most people realize

Wondering how to do good SOA? Check out these 10 lessons learned as presented by Ian Koenig, Thomson Financial’s senior vice president and chief architect.

Koenig’s Top Ten:
1. SOA requires governance. The only way to control the complexity of an IT infrastructure built out of services is with a governance process based on “a well defined set of interface guidelines and policies,” Koenig said.
2. Govern to the policies that matter.
3. People don’t communicate.
4. Make governance easy and do it early.
5. Reusability does not come cheap.
6. Interfaces are more important than implementation.
7. Integration is more common than “greenfield.”
8. Identify the owner for each service.
9. Be pragmatic.
10. It’s all about governance.

On Friday, John Gruber noticed the Macalope’s point that iPhone unlocking is in danger of extinction.

Today Jason Kottke checks out eBay (if you don’t remember what eBay is, ask your parents about it!) and notices iPhones are going for a premium. The ability to unlock can net you $200 over the price of an iPhone 3G.

$99 plus tax.

The Macalope doesn’t know about you, but he’s trying really hard to feel like a sucker and it’s just not working.

Your total cost for that 8 GB iPhone?

Maybe he’s doing it wrong.

Pick your favorites on the G1 handset's Imeem app.

While Imeem has “nothing to announce just yet” about an iPhone app, Graves wouldn’t rule out the possibility of developing one.

That’s good news for Imeem, considering that some other companies in the digital-music space are suffering. Cash-strapped Web radio start-up Pandora, which has blamed the royalty fees for online streaming, let go of 20 employees on Friday.

Here’s the other news from Imeem: it is not jumping on the Silicon Valley layoff bandwagon, or at least that’s what Graves said.

The free app, which will be available through the Android Market, doesn’t let users stream music on-demand. But they can create customized radio stations, check out recommendations, and buy music from Amazon.com’s MP3 service. Because the application is connected to PC-based Imeem accounts, users can see mobile changes they’ve made, such as marking an artist as a “favorite,” reflected on their Web-based profile. Right now, the only revenue stream is from affiliate sales with Amazon MP3, but executives say that will change eventually.

(Credit:
Imeem)

“I don’t think it was Android over the iPhone. We are interested in reaching mobile consumers,” Graves said. “It seemed like a good opportunity for us and a good platform.”

Music service Imeem has released its first mobile application–and it’s not for the
iPhone. The application is designed for Google’s Android operating system, first launching on T-Mobile USA’s G1 handset.

He said there wasn’t a particular reason why Imeem chose the Android Market over Apple’s App Store, currently the hot spot for mobile applications.

“I can’t really speak to Pandora’s business,” Graves said, “(but) the DMCA radio rates are reasonable, I think. I think that we’ve got a pretty varied set of revenue streams.”

“We started being conservative before it was apparent in the market that you had to be,” he explained, adding that the company will have “no layoffs.”

So, dust off your calendar. Who’s gently knocked on your company’s door in the past year about a potential merger? You might want to stash the honey jar and hire some bear trackers.

And like a Hollywood movie that’s been recast with a tweak, a virtual rerun is unfolding with the Yahoo’s efforts to fend off Microsoft. There’s talk of News Corp. or AOL stepping in to offer aid, but odds makers give those prospects a long-shot.

In the case of Oracle, it was ultimately successful in forcing BEA Systems down the merger aisle after a three-month chase around the kitchen table and no white knight to intervene. Sure, a couple potential suitors talked of coming to the rescue, but ultimately none of them saddled up.

Oracle put the squeeze on middleware competitor BEA Systems in October; Microsoft did likewise with Yahoo at the start of this month; and on Sunday, EA made a play for rival game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software.

Has your tech company played coy with a potential suitor lately? You may want to rethink your reaction.

Did someone forget to put the lid back on the honey jar?

But what really serves as the common thread among Oracle/BEA, Microsoft/Yahoo, and now EA/Take-Two is that the parties had previously expressed an interest in acquiring the target companies from as early as a year before starting a bear hug.

OK, Google watchers, you can slow down your pulse. That to-do list posting on the Google Docs blog appears to have been an innocent mix-up.

Google marketing manager Andrew Chang inadvertently published his to-do list on a blog while testing his posting software. It wasn’t a hastily removed preview of a new Google online to-do list application, a possibility some raised.