Brand: MacNews

A rather arrogant Steve Ballmer, President and CEO of Microsoft, today dismissed Sun’s efforts to create a user identification system that would rival Microsoft’s Passport. “I think what we announced is right. I think the Sun thinghas absolutely no probability of mattering to the world. That’s my nonemotional view,” Ballmer said. Sun’s technology, dubbed the Liberty Alliance Project, has more than 30 partners, including the likes of Cisco and Intuit.

Thurbsy Software plans to release another public beta of DAVE for Mac OS X within two weeks, with the final version expected to ship in November, reports MacUser UK. DAVE allows Mac users to browse and connect to Windows-based PCs on a network, and also share Windows-specific network printers.

PocketMac, a solution for synchronizing PocketPC-based handhelds with the Mac, will ship in early November, according to MacUser UK. The product will be available in three versions: PocketMac, PocketMac Pro, and PocketMac Developer. PocketMac will focus on file synchronization, while the Pro version will add support for synchronizing contacts, calender, and tasks with Microsoft Entourage and Outlook 2001.

ELS, Inc. has filed a trademark infringement suit against Apple over the company’s Macintosh Manager application. ELS, which owns the trademark to Mac Manager, an application for desktop management and security, claims that Apple’s Macintosh Manager, which ships as part of OS X Server, infringes on its trademark and is confusing customers. “We gave Apple every opportunity to resolve this dispute without litigation. Apple just didn’t take us seriously.

Motorola, which yesterday posted a third quarter operating loss of US$153 million (and a total loss of $1.4 billion), expects to post a fourth quarter loss of 4-5 cents per share, marking the first time in at least 45 years that the company will report a full year operating loss.