Intel launches first dual core Atom processor

Intel has launched its first dual core Atom processor. This new processor is the Intel Atom 330 and it is clocked at 1.6 GHz which is similar to their existing single-core Atom 230.

The new processor features a full megabyte of level-2 cache, split over both cores. It is designed to support the company’s 945GC Express chipset.

Microsoft announces $40 billion buyback

Microsoft Corp. announced that its board of directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing up to an additional $40 billion in share repurchases with an expiration of September 30, 2013.

The board of directors also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share, reflecting a two cent or 18 percent increase over the previous quarter’s dividend. The dividend is payable December 11, 2008 to shareholders of record on November 20, 2008. The ex-dividend date will be November 18, 2008.

In addition, the company stated that it has completed its previous $40 billion stock repurchase program. Microsoft has returned over $115 billion to shareholders through a combination of share repurchases and dividends over the last five years.

Adobe Releases Creative Suite 4

Adobe Systems Incorporated announced the Adobe Creative Suite 4 product family, a milestone release of the industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow.

The new Creative Suite 4 product line advances the creative process across print, Web, mobile, interactive, film and video production. With new levels of integration and expressiveness for Flash technology across the entire product line, Adobe’s biggest software release to date includes Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design editions, Creative Suite 4 Web editions, Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, Creative Suite 4 Master Collection, as well as 13 point products, 14 integrated technologies and seven services.

McAfee to buy Secure Computing

McAfee has announced that they are going to acquire Internet security company Secure Computing Corp.

The deal is worth around $465 million and would be conducted in a cash only transaction.

Secure Computing is a company that develops and sells computer security appliances and hosted services that protect users and data.

Hospital workers fired after uploading patient photos

Two University of New Mexico hospital workers have been fired after they posted patient pictures on MySpace. The workers used their cell phone cameras to take close-up pictures of injuries and then posted them to their private MySpace pages for their friends and coworkers to see.

So far no charges have been filed and the photos have been deleted from MySpace and from the workers’ cell phones.