Conferences this week put the spotlight on security news, with a MacBook Air being hacked in two minutes during a competition and research finding that Microsoft patches holes faster than Apple. Otherwise, H1-B visas were back in the news, word seeped out that Microsoft is planning software to compete with Google Docs and Google Apps, and Motorola announced -- finally! -- that it will divide into two separate companies.

1. Microsoft prepares 'Albany' to compete with Google: Microsoft's "Albany" project is combining Office, Office Live Workspace, Windows Live OneCare and the Windows Live service suite in an effort to take a shot at Google Docs and Google Apps hosted productivity suites, according to sources. The secret project is expected to lead to a software package that will be available in stores. Microsoft is tapping select testers to give the Project Albany beta a whirl, with the initial test focus on a unified installer for the software package, the sources said. Microsoft would confirm only that it has sent out beta invites for a product with the code-name Albany, but otherwise mum's the word.

2. Black Hat: Who patches security holes faster, Microsoft or Apple?: Apple's witty advertisements that take jabs at Microsoft, suggesting Apple products are more secure, might not square with reality, according to research released at Black Hat. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology researchers found that Microsoft outpaces Apple when it comes to issuing patches. The researchers looked at what are called 0-day patches, those that are made available the day a vulnerability becomes publicly known, examining medium- and high-risk bugs for the past six years. "Apple was below 20 [unpatched vulnerabilities at disclosure] consistently before 2005," researcher Stefan Frei said. "Since then, they are very often above. So if you have Apple and compare it to Microsoft, the number of unpatched vulnerabilities are higher at Apple."

3. Motorola to split in two and Nokia and Samsung winners in Motorola split: In this week's installment of the news we've all been expecting, Motorola is splitting into two companies, one that will make mobile devices and the other network infrastructure. The plan needs regulatory approval, but assuming that happens, the division will take place next year. According to analysts, the distraction of all of that spells good news for Nokia and Samsung, which could continue to make inroads on Motorola's tumbling market share.

4. Utilities explore energy-saving incentives for IT: Representatives of 19 North American utility companies met to consider how to cut IT energy consumption with incentives including rebates. Led by Pacific Gas & Electric, the meeting in San Francisco was said to be the first for North American utilities specifically targeting IT. Data centers were an obvious topic of discussion, but desktop PCs and other equipment were also considered.

5. Gone in 2 minutes: Mac gets hacked first in contest: Researcher Charlie Miller made a cool 10 grand and won a MacBook Air after hacking into the laptop in two minutes at the CanSecWest security conference. Miller has mad skills when it comes to hacking Apple products -- last year he was one of the first researchers to hack an