Dear Reader,

Welcome to another edition of the Prompt Communications newsletter. The wait may be over, but don't expect the hype to die down any time soon - Apple's iPhone has finally hit the stores. Will the device have the same impact on the mobile phone market as iPod had on MP3 players? Apple certainly hopes so, but we expect Nokia, Sony Ericsson and a few other people will have something to say about that.

For any feedback on our newsletter, or to discuss how we can help you with your technology PR, marketing, social media and blogging consultancy, copywriting or surveys, please email me at hbutters@prompt-communications.com. We are always delighted to hear from you.

Best regards,

Hazel Butters
Prompt Communications

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Enterprise Technology Update

By Fiona Blamey and Lance Concannon

Microsoft adds more Web 2.0 features to SharePoint

As enterprises take more interest in social software, Microsoft has added more Web 2.0 features to its business collaboration platform, SharePoint Server.

SharePoint Server already allowed enterprises to create blogs, wikis and MySpace-like profile pages, but the new Community Kit adds features that allow users to customise their blogs, tag RSS feeds and create tag clouds.

Microsoft's Derek Burney told ZDNet that companies are starting to use user-participation technologies to solicit feedback from customers, in a bid to improve product design and customer satisfaction.

We're not sure that design by consensus will result in better products than design by actual designers, but we're always interested to see what happens when companies start experimenting with Web 2.0 to engage with customers.

With a recent SharePoint event in Berlin apparently attracting 2,000 attendees, there should be a lot of experiments to look forward to.

Google signs Ingram Micro for enterprise search

Google this week signed a deal with Ingram Micro to help push its search appliances into the enterprise space, reports Computerworld. The deal with Ingram, a leading IT reseller, is the first global distribution deal Google has signed for its appliances, and will focus on selling both the Google Search Appliance and Google Mini to SMBs, education and government.

Although enterprise search is clearly an important line of business for Google, judging by the amount of effort it has put into developing technologies and services for this sector, the company still has a lot of work to do since it currently accounts for just 1% of its overall business.

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Consumer Technology Update

By Dave Wilby and Sean McManus

iPhone insanity: ground breaking consumer handset launches today

Today Apple retail stores from Regent Street to Shibuya will open their doors at 6pm local time to receive a clamouring throng of cutting edge consumers eager to see, try and buy the coveted iPhone on a first-come, first-served basis. To get the best flavour of iPhone madness you have to travel to Apple's own backyard. In California, IT journalists "claim" this launch has the potential to create "seismic shifts in the cell phone industry" (and frankly, they should know).

Apple hopes its experience with the iPod will allow it to break smartphones as mainstream devices and change the way we think about mobile communications in general, from the services we use to the channels through which we buy the kit. Will the iPhone "change the way we live"? Certainly consumers in California who have been queuing outside Apple Stores all week or even paying other people to queue for them, think it has a chance. In the meantime, ZDNet has this handy one-stop low-down.

Corbis gets snap happy with new site powered by photographers

On Monday, Corbis, one of the world's leading image licensing companies, launched SnapVillage - its first stab at a user-generated image licensing marketplace. The new 'microstock' photography service is still in beta so Corbis, wholly owned by Bill Gates in case you didn't know, rightly predicted a few teething troubles and outages this week.

However, the idea of giving photographers a professional platform for punting their own royalty-free images for between $1 and $50 each is a sound one welcomed by occasional snappers and professionals alike. Corbis is now crying out for contributions and customers, claiming that providing and sourcing images on SnapVillage will be far a far more intuitive experience than more traditional, largely media industry focused online image services.

BBC media player comes under fire

The BBC has announced that its on-demand web TV service will launch on 27 July, but has been attacked by open source advocates because it will only work on Microsoft operating systems. The BBC suggests a Mac version might be available in the UK's autumn. The Open Source Consortium (OSC) is threatening the BBC with referral to the European Commission. Mark Taylor, president of OSC, said: "The BBC has a mandate to provide equal access to people irrespective of platform. We don't think it is appropriate to lock people into a particular desktop technology."

The BBC's iPlayer will enable viewers to watch programmes they missed, up to a week after broadcast. Digital rights management will be used to restrict how people can use content, including limiting storage to 30 days and wiping content automatically after it has been viewed. At launch, 400 hours of programming are promised and live streams will also be available. The service will be offered to UK users initially, with an advertising-supported player for international viewers to follow.

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US Media Report

By Tarryn Morley

Rupert Murdoch and Dow Jones & Co. have reached a preliminary agreement to protect the editorial integrity of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones's other publications. Murdoch has said he is just waiting for the final approval of the Bancroft family to confirm the sale.

EE Times and TechOnline have made several staff changes to strengthen their online operations. Junko Yoshida replaces Brian Fuller, who is leaving EE Times, as editor in chief. Bolaji Ojo will be the magazine's new business editor. Patrick Mannion replaces Rob Keenan as TechOnline's new editor in chief.

Steve Hill, technology editor, is leaving Network Computing at the end of June. Network Computing, Optimize and InformationWeek are set to become one print publication under the name InformationWeek.

Andrew Binstock is the new technology editor of GreenerComputing.com where he is responsible for all technology coverage and a monthly column. GreenerComputing.com addresses environmental issues faced by IT professionals.

Rajiv Chandrasekaran will take on the roll of national editor for The Washington Post from mid-July. He joined the paper in 1994, and most recently was a foreign policy reporter covering the war in Iraq.

UK Media Report

By Tarryn Morley

Warwick Ashford has been appointed chief reporter for Computer Weekly. Ashford, who started this week, will cover ICT related matters in manufacturing, engineering, construction, agriculture and mining. He will also look at ICT in the catering, leisure and entertainment, and utilities industries. Ashford replaces Bill Goodwin, who was promoted to news editor after the departure of Christian Annesley.

Deputy Editor of Computing, Emma Nash, is on maternity leave from 22 June. Chief reporter Sarah Arnott will be acting news editor in Nash's absence.

Veteran columnist, Mary Ann Sieghart, has decided to leave the Times after 19 years to write a book about politics. Sieghart is one the paper's highest-profile journalists. The Times is currently in a round of budget cuts as its parent company News International tries to save £37m to help to pay for new printing presses.