- Microsoft to Support OpenID; details are sketchy at this point, but Microsoft looks likely to utilize OpenID (the open, decentralized identity system) in some of its products. Brady Forrest has more info at O'Reilly Radar. If this turns out to be true, it'll be a huge step forward and will put pressure on Yahoo and Google. Frankly, I think Microsoft can achieve a rare moment of 'higher ground' with this - for once, Google will look like the laggard in supporting open standards.

- Google opens Gmail to all; Google has removed the invite-only part of Gmail, after nearly 3 years (it launched April 2004). I note that the 'beta' tag is still there though! Also it could probably do with a boost in data allowance, as I for one am now over 50% of my allocated 2814 MB.

- Amazon Unbox on TiVo; Amazon.com and TiVo partner to beam movies and TV shows directly to their customers' living rooms. We're really seeing some action in the Internet TV space this year, with Apple, Microsoft, Wal-Mart and startups like Joost all jostling for early market leadership. Key to TiVo choosing Amazon over other partnership contender Netflix was Amazon's "large customer network and a large catalog of distribution rights".

- Google to cable operators: Let's collaborate; related to the Amazon/TiVo news, Google head of TV technology Vincent Dureau is reaching out to cable operators because "the Web infrastructure, and even Google's (infrastructure), doesn't scale. It's not going to offer the quality of service that consumers expect". This is mostly because of online video, which is expected to put a huge strain on Internet infrastructure this year and going forward.