VentureBeat

Here’s the latest action:

Google moves ‘Sky’ into the browser — Google has a layer for Google Earth that is known as ‘Sky.’ Now the company has created a version for web browsers as well according to the Google Lat Long Blog. This browser-based ‘Sky’ features three separate optical sky surveys (microwave, ultraviolet and x-ray), has galleries of images from things such as the Hubble Space Telescope, and offers a search engine that lets you find thousands of named stellar items in the sky. It has the same look and feel as well as controls of Google Maps. This launch is notably close to Microsoft’s announcement of the WorldWide Telescope project.

Harvard grad server gets hacked — A Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences web server that contained applicant data for the Fall 2007 academic year as well as some housing data for this year and last was compromised by an outsider according to the Harvard University Gazette. The University took the site down for four days to investigate, and was forced to notify everyone whose data could have been comprised, as well as issue an apology. The hacker has not yet been caught.

MSN executive leaving for ad company — Microsoft chief media officer Joanne Bradford is leaving to join Spot Runner, an Internet-based ad agency in Los Angeles according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Bradford oversaw the MSN Media Network and in the past ran Microsoft online advertising initiatives. Greg Nelson has been named to take her place on an interim basis.

Nerve-tapping neckband enables telepathic chat — Way out of left field is a new device that translates thoughts into speech by picking up nerve signals according to New Scientist Tech. This technology, which requires training to operate, was used to place the first public voiceless phone call at a conference put on by Texas Instruments. Eventually this technology will be used for those who have lost the ability to speak.

Viruses are showing up pre-installed in some devices — Everything from iPods to navigation systems are showing up on store shelves with pre-installed viruses on them according to the Associated Press. These viruses can be used to steal password and open backdoors for hackers to get into. In most of the cases looked into, Chinese factories have been the source.

Specific Media acquires the ad network Adviva – The online ad network Specific Media has bought Adviva, a display ad network based in the U.K according to CNET. Specific Media made the deal to move into the European market. This deal follows Google just-cleared $3.1 billion purchase of DoubleClick and Microsoft’s $6 billion purchase of aQuantive last year. Terms of this deal were not disclosed.