Laridian announced the release of a new version of its MyBible software for handheld devices or smartphones running Palm OS 5.0 or later. MyBible gives users fast and easy access to the entire Bible with features that let them search, take notes, highlight, and bookmark the Bible text. Version 4 adds the ability to read and search Bible reference books, such as commentaries and dictionaries.

Scientists have developed a holographic laser projector that is significantly more efficient than today’s models and could be incorporated into handheld devices allowing you, for instance, to project snaps from a phonecam onto a wall. It could also be used to replace the screen on a notebook or PDA.

In the ultimate test of unplugged computing, the Mars rover Spirit has come a long way since it hurtled down through the planet’s atmosphere and came to a bouncy, airbag-protected stop at Gusev Crater on January 3, 2004. It has survived more than four times its initial 90-day mission, driven miles across the Martian landscape and weathered a red planet winter only to scale hills for its human handlers.

Crimson Fire announced they have released the long-awaited GameBoy Advance portion of their Firestorm GameBoy emulator for Palm OS.

Netcraft has released an Internet Explorer plug-in that could help people avoid becoming victims of online fraud. The Internet security company heralded the plug-in toolbar, which displays information about the Web sites a surfer is visiting, as a strong weapon against phishing attacks.

An anti-Santy worm that uses search engines to spread among online bulletin boards has been spotted, a security company has reported. F-Secure said on Friday that it was aware of seven sites that had been defaced by the worm, which appears designed to combat the Santy worm. The anti-Santy worm searches Google for sites that use the PHP Bulletin Board (phpBB) software exploited by the earlier worm, infects the sites and attempts to make the sites more secure by installing a patch.

Using GPS to track workers and vehicles is catching on with a growing number of business and government employers, bent on improving productivity and customer service, and keeping tabs on labor costs. The range of employers adopting GPS–usually fitted in vehicles or in cell phones and other devices workers carry on the job–is broadening, particularly among companies dispatching large numbers of service technicians, in the building trades and others whose workers span wide territory.

Visitors waiting for flights out of town can share their exploits over a public wireless LAN in the airport–for free. Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport next week will officially begin offering complimentary Wi-Fi access to the public.

Porn ads slipped down the list of top junk emails in 2004, replaced by those hawking online Vioxx prescriptions, ID theft scams and, stock pick information. The types of spam have also changed considerably and now feature deceptively simple text messages and Web addresses that link to sites.

Time Warner is in talks to offer cell phone service over Sprint’s network on a trial basis early in 2005. If a deal is struck, Time Warner Cable, a unit of the world’s largest media group, would be the only major cable company to offer cell phone service. That means it could offer television, high-speed Internet access, traditional phone service and wireless phone service.