Been jonzing for a Skype handset but felt limited by the available selection? Engadget is reporting that the long wait is now over: they managed to snap photos of over 30 different Skype-compatible handsets at CES–and almost all of them look like ugly cordless phones. Is it just me or does this one (notice the misspelling of the word “use” on the box) look like one of those free calculators they give you …

> Skype 3.0 is now available. Article
> Check out ZDnet‘s year in tech photos. Photos
> Dell’s CFO will step down in January. Article
> The dawn of 2007 may mark a turning point for Linux. …

Yesterday, we briefly noted that a worm, reportedly targeting users of Skype’s VoIP service, had been discovered. Since then, a few more details have emerged. Security vendor Websense is reporting that the worm spreads via Skype’s chat feature. Users are asked to download an application called “sp.exe” in an instant message and when they do, a password-stealing Trojan …

> A Skype worm is reportedly on the loose. Article
> Oracle’s Larry Ellison looks to the future. Article
> ComputerWorld reviews Microsoft’s Small Business Server 2003 R2. Review
> Will …

Rumors of an Apple-branded smartphone, the so-called “iPhone,” have been running rampant for years now. As the rumormill had continued to spit out choice tidbits, anticipation for the device has reached a fever-pitch. Ask various Mac zealots about the phone and you’ll hear that it will be capable of just about anything–from WiFi calling to full-length movie playback, making it …

> HP Update: Why did Mark Hurd sell off shares of HP stock before the scandal unfolded? That’s what Congress wants to know. Article
> Al Shugart, the Hawaiian-shirted co-founder of Seagate, has passed away at the age of 76. Article
> Which is more free: Google’s Mini or IBM and Yahoo’s enterprise search? …

It seems like Skype is everywhere these days: on your computer, in your home, in the news and even on wireless handsets in the U.K. Increasingly, the VoIP company is even finding its way into the enterprise. Some enterprises officially support Skype, realizing its potential for communications savings. Others have blocked the app, due to security or network traffic concerns. Yet other …

> Firefox 2 RC3 is now available. You probably won’t notice any changes from the previous release candidate, as the new version is essentially RC2 with a few bug fixes. Still, this finds Firefox 2.0 inching even closer to a final product. Article

> IBM is up, Yahoo and Intel are down: read about the latest stock market movers and shakers. …

A small company called MantraGroup will soon become the first to offer real VoIP software for the PalmOS. The software, called MobiVoIP, works via Internet connections using Bluetooth, EV-DO or WiFi to connect to the device. That means the upcoming Palm Treo 700P device (which has EV-DO built-in) will be the first PalmOS device not requiring an external connection to make a VoIP call (Enfora makes a WiFi sled for the 650, but that’s a kluge at best). Meanwhile, VoIP on Windows handhelds …

Avaya’s new Avaya On Demand telephony service starts at only $25 per month per user. Unlike similar services, Avaya’s is tailored for enterprise use, officials said. This is a unique approach for a telecommunications hardware company. The long-term plan is to sell enhanced services, some of which require the purchase of high-end media servers in its MultiVantage series.

For more on the service:
– read this Computerworld …