Network Computing's technology editors love shiny new gadgets. The Foleo -- Palm's new "mobile companion" created instant discussion among their ranks on the system's usability, use cases -- and future. Follow their debate and then let us know what you think.

All the major enterprise WLAN vendors made their way to Interop Las Vegas 2007 last week, and I had the opportunity to meet with the majority of them. Top on my list: IEEE 802.11n and enterprise WLAN architecture providers. While previous briefings sketched out the key issues, these one-on-one meetings fleshed out some of the details (live demos didn't hurt, either).

Google Hacking is the popular sport of using Google's giant cache and index to discover files or applications that the administrators might not have realized were public. There are whole databases (Johnny Long maintains the most well known) that track fun search phrases to use, but it looks like Google themselves may have been bitten.

Put 20,000 techies into Las Vegas for Interop 2007, add 50,000 BlackBerry addicted real estate professionals (attending the 2007 ICSC show) and you get a perfect storm for cellular carriers. During this year's Interop show myself and Contributing Editor Jameson Blandford brought a variety of 3G equipment so we could still be productive while on the road. While we were able to use 3G to stay engaged with the office, the performance differed than in past trials.

While at Interop, I had the chance to talk to Stephen Hanna, Distinguished Engineer at Juniper and Co-chair of the Trusted Computing Group Trusted Network Connect working group and Paul Mayfield, Group Product Manager for Enterprise Networking.

(now you see why I do print)

The stakes were high and the action hot last night at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas -- the 2007 Best of Interop Award Winners were announced

This year the Judges had to carefully review nearly 200 entries to our seven technology categories, including: Application Networks & Performance, Data Center & Storage, Infrastructure, Management, Network Software & Services, Security, VoIP & Collaboration and Wireless & Mobility.

From those submissions, the judges chose three finalists for each category (View our list of Finalists).

Finally, it all came to a head last night as the winners were announced. And here they are.

The Trusted Computing Group Trusted Network Connect published Microsoft’s Statement of Health protocol (SoH) which lets NAP clients send health information to a Policy Decision Point (PDP)—the server that makes a decision based in whole or in part on the host health.

Besides going through the busy work of arranging for briefings at next week's Interop in Las Vegas, I've had the pleasure over the last few weeks of receiving some roadmap and pre-announcement briefings regarding IEEE 802.11n. For those keeping score, Xirrus, Meru and Colubris have all announced their plans, while Aruba, Cisco, Extricom, Motorola, Siemens and Trapeze have still to do so. I predict that by the end of third quarter 2007 most, if not all, of the vendors will have a story to tell.

Over in NWC News Analysis, we covered the formation of a new group to build an open source 802.1X supplicant. The group, called the OpenSEA Alliance, is working to develop an open-source 801.X supplicant (a client implementation) to ensure a standards-based implementation and speed industry adoption, they said.

Our editors have varying opinions on the move:

In this NWC Fast Track Podcast, we talk with tech editor Jordan Wiens about his analysis and review of enterprise key management products, review our feature stories on mobile instant messaging and mobile device management and get a report from Tom Lasusa from the wild and wacky side of IT in Network Computing's Last Mile. | Listen Now

In this Network Computing Strategic Security podcast, Richard Karpinski explores the emerging area of enterprise key management products with NWC tech editor Jordan Wiens, who recently completed an analysis and review of key management tools. In addition, Rich discusses the emergence of automated code scanners, which check enterprise code for holes and vulnerabilities, with Justin Schuch, with NWC's Neohapsis lab partner. Finally, NWC Editor in Chief Art Wittman talks about our new Rolling Review concept, and takes a look at our initial Rolling Review of database extrusion prevention platforms. | Listen Now

You've heard us say it before so forgive us for sounding like a broken record, but Vista? She ain't going nowhere -- except maybe your desktop. Sure, no one's jumping out of their seats to have the new OS installed on their PC, but eventually it's going to find it's way there. Believe us, it's a matter of when -- not if.

Yesterday, Computerworld reported on a Gartner tidbit that "QuickTime Vulnerability Exposed by Contest Poses Wide Risk". I'm in complete agreement with the title. The QuickTime vulnerability is indeed a pretty nasty one. It impacts both Mac and Windows (including Vista!) machines with any web browser as long as Java and Quicktime are enabled and installed. Pretty bad combination.