Apple's recent $20 content update for the iPod touch has some users expressing discontent with the company's approach, but others still see a great value in the update package. PC Magazine writer Sascha Segan reports that despite the perception that Apple is charging too much for the update, the software that is installed is well worth the money, and even a bargain. Segan says that the best values in the bundle are the re-designed home screen, as well as the Mail and Maps applications.

The home screen now allows users to keep multiple pages worth of applications no doubt in anticipation of the February due-date for the developer's kit and now, Safari bookmarks. Segan says that this is "almost as good as having real third-party applications." Segan also likes the mail application, which works with many different services, such as Google's Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Apple's own .Mac email service.

A geek’s trip to Capitol Hill on Network Management

Melvin Ammori, General Counsel, Free Press David Burstein, Editor, DSLPrime George Ou, Editor at Large, ZDNet Haruka Saito, Counselor for Telecom, Embassy of Japan Christopher S. Yoo, Professor of Law and Communications, University of Pennsylvania

Christopher Yoo - After a brief introduction by Scott Wallsten who explained that the order of the presentations will be reverse alphabetical order, Christopher S. Yoo kicked off his presentation. Professor Yoo explained that networks, like roads, aren't built for everyone to use them at the same time. Yoo gave the example that if a person wants to know how fast he can travel on a freeway, he wouldn't know until he got there because we can't predict exactly how many other people will be on the road at the same time. Yoo explained the difficulty in projecting network capacity and that we can't always be right when determining whether more capacity or network management was the answer.

Films with a message: Students create anti-smoking, healthy eating ...

Students from around Beaufort County, including some from Bluffton High and Hilton Head Island Middle schools, have entered the challenge.

Akamai takes another software patent scalp

But it makes no sense to give a company a 20-year monopoly on an entire category of products merely because it happened to developed the first product in that category. Advocates of software patents might claim that Akamai would not have developed its technology without the opportunity for patent protection. But this doesn't pass the straight face test. As Akamai's own patent filing acknowledges, the basic concepts behind the patent, mirroring and DNS-based load balancing, have been around long before Akamai filed its patent application. It's hard to imagine that Akamai would not have developed its technology without the benefit of patent protection, or that other companies would not have developed similar technology if Akamai had not been on the scene.

Limelight plans to seek an appeals court ruling that the patent is invalid.

Business Briefs

Larry Yommer, Sarah Taylor, Joyce Dignan, Tony Dignan, Mike Humbertson and Amanda Funkhouser. Six winners a month will be drawn until the end of the year for anyone who purchases a medium nugget tray.For more information, please contact Chick-Fil-A at (301) 729-8073.Paugh joins Susquehanna Bank MCHENRY — Susquehanna Bank announces the addition of Matthew Paugh to its Retail Division. Paugh will hold the position of branch manager at the bank's McHenry branch.As branch manager, Paugh will oversee the daily office functions and manage the branch staff. He is responsible for expanding and developing retail and commercial sales relationships as well as assisting existing customers. Paugh joins Susquehanna Bank with six years of banking experience."Matthew brings a variety of experience to his new role as the branch manager of the McHenry office," said Kathy Getty, senior executive vice president, and regional president of Susquehanna Bank.

FETC 2008: Multimedia, presentation, and video tools

Adobe announced its Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 software for the Macintosh platform. Photoshop Elements 6 streamlines photo editing with clean, uncluttered screens that draw focus to the photos and with new tabs that provide simple access to the program's many capabilities, Adobe said. .