The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

7th March 2002 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site.

  • Two weeks for Ford workers to download porno email

    After that, they're in trouble

    Ford has offered British staff a two-week amnesty to remove pornographic e-mails or other questionable material from their PCs. After this, Ford will carry out random spot-checks on employee email. Ford has made its policy absolutely clear to workers, a necessary step in avoiding any legal implications. Stuart Morrice, …

    Media 7 Mar 2002, 09:34

  • Net law expert slams domain dispute process

    Buttal, pre-buttal and rebuttal

    The process for deciding ownership of Internet domains is flawed, biased and in drastic need of reform, an expert in Internet and e-commerce law has concluded in a study released today. Professor Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa has extended a previous study last year into how ownership of domain names is decided and …

    Media 7 Mar 2002, 09:35

  • Nokia, Symbian score blockbuster Samsung phone win

    Exclusive Microsoft's biggest phone ally turns turtle

    According to our most reliable sources, who have proved very reliable indeed recently, Samsung has signed a deal with Nokia to license the latter's Series 60 user interface for smartphones. Samsung has been the only significant brand to sign-up for rival Microsoft's SmartPhone platform, and it represents a major breakthrough …

    Mobile 7 Mar 2002, 09:35

  • mmO2 mulls solus supplier for 3G networks

    Big eggs, big basket

    BT Group Plc's mobile spin-off mmO2 Plc last week confirmed that it is reconsidering its relationships with 3G equipment suppliers, and that it may decide to source equipment for all four of its European networks from a single supplier. mmO2 has so far built pilot networks in the UK with Nortel Networks Corp, in Germany …

    Mobile 7 Mar 2002, 10:11

  • RealNetworks the Buffer Slayer

    Reams of streams

    RealNetworks claims it has optimized the buffering feature of its streaming media system, so that streams can launch up to 800% faster than in previous versions of its software. While the feature is first to market, it suffers some limitations compared to what rivals are currently beta testing. The feature, named TurboPlay …

    Software 7 Mar 2002, 10:11

  • IBM preps AIX 5L 5.2 for October release

    Dynamic partitions

    IBM is said to be working hard to get the next release of its Unix operating system, AIX 5L V5.2, ready to roll by October of this year, and is expected to deliver the kicker to this release sometime in the second half of 2003, Timothy Prickett Morgan writes. Historically, IBM puts out a major update to AIX once every two …

    Data Center 7 Mar 2002, 10:11

  • If we'd kept fighting MS we'd have lost, DoJ tells judge

    So it's the 'surrenderment,' then?

    The US Department of Justice, now firm buddies with Microsoft in arguing for the acceptance of the antitrust action settlement, claimed yesterday that the deal it struck with the company is better than it could have achieved if it had gone on fighting. Furthermore, claimed DoJ attorney Philip Beck, if agreement hadn't been …

    Software 7 Mar 2002, 12:21

  • ‘Mobile underclass’ rules rural Britain

    OK?

    Rural Britain is in danger of fostering a new underclass of people unable to exploit the benefits of the knowledge economy. A report published by thinktank Local Futures last night asks whether we are seeing the development of a "mobile underclass" – people without access to transport, work opportunities and ICT. The report On …

    Mobile 7 Mar 2002, 12:28

  • MS takes a bow in court

    Such philanthropists....

    As we reported earlier, the US government says it never had a chance to beat MS in court, so the settlement is the best that can be hoped for. It was the appeals court decision, DoJ reckons, that ruined the government's case. "The causation issues would have been an uphill battle that would likely have been resolved against us …

    Software 7 Mar 2002, 13:18

  • Java phones to go mega this year?

    Here we go looking for killer apps again...

    Japan's number three mobile phone company, J-Phone, has claimed another 370,600 users for its 'picture phone' service in the last month, bringing the total up to just under 4 million, or a third of its total users. Rivals KDDI and DoCoMo are also offering high bandwidth, high ticket picture services, and the success of such …

    Mobile 7 Mar 2002, 13:19

  • Wearable computing to defeat terrorism

    Honk if you believe in miracles

    Wearable-computing hypemeisters Xybernaut are at it again, this time persuading former Virginia Governor James Gilmore to serve as pitch man for the company's ambition to equip US officials and law enforcement officers with wearable devices to root out terrorists. Gilmore made an appearance at the seventh annual International …

    Personal 7 Mar 2002, 15:03

  • BTopenworld rocked by dotmusic buy

    Pop goes the weasel

    Btopenworld is coughing up "less than £1 million" to buy dotmusic.com from United Business Media (UBM). BT's mass-market broadband ISP claims dotmusic will become a "launch pad" for its music services as it builds on its commitment to create focused destination sites for users. While dotmusic has plenty of content including …

    Broadband 7 Mar 2002, 15:31

  • Mobile startups dismiss 3G – for now

    More money from voice than games, gambling and girls

    Relying on 3G is a recipe for trouble for wireless developers. The way to mobile start-up heaven is through exploiting today's technologies. This is the main message we took away last night from a seminar on the wireless market, organised by VC house 3i. Based on a survey of mobile telecoms entrepreneurs and other market …

    Mobile 7 Mar 2002, 15:50

  • Half a billion people online

    Hello, hi there, welcome, nice to meet ya...

    Half a billion people access the Internet from home according to the latest figures from NetRatings. Actually, the number is 498 million – but it's still an impressive milestone all the same. Well done everyone. Elsewhere, NetRatings found that Germany is the leading Internet nation in Europe. In Latin America that honour goes …

    Media 7 Mar 2002, 15:54

  • All that scratch makes my Xbox itch

    Japan complaints

    Microsoft's Xbox can scratch DVD disks - but not when they're playing. And only in Japan. The scratches are etched on the edge of the DVD-playing side, and are made when the DVDs are placed on the drive tray, Microsoft says. News of this apparently minor fault surfaced this week in Japan, where 125,000 X-boxes have been sold …

    Personal 7 Mar 2002, 17:12

  • Forking hell – Ballmer tells how Sun could destroy Windows

    Dr Evil plan to generate millions of different versions

    We've already touched on the million billion trillion versions of Windows Steve Ballmer says Microsoft would have to do if the Unsettling States had their way, but how, precisely, would this work? Further delving into the transcript of Steve's deposition reveals a chilling, dastardly, Dr Evil plan masterminded by Sun …

    Software 7 Mar 2002, 17:14

  • MPAA's Valenti gloats over movie profits

    So why does he whine about piracy doom?

    At this point I can only conclude there are two Jack Valentis. One of them is the president of the MPAA and rightly proud of the commercial accomplishments of the industry he represents, and the other is an evil doppelganger who lies to Congress on a monthly schedule, serving up great lashings of fear and seeking to enact laws …

    Media 7 Mar 2002, 17:47

  • HP refreshes low-end Unix servers

    PA-8700 works its down the food chain

    Hewlett-Packard has refreshed its entry level Unix servers with latest PA-8700 processor popped into the one and two-way UNIX boxes. The entry-level HP Servers rp2430 and rp2470 are designed for Internet applications and are pitched towards the branch offices of large enterprises, telcos and medium companies. The 2U servers …

    Data Center 7 Mar 2002, 18:14

  • i-mode readies German launch

    Goes to play with E-Plus Mobifunk

    Mobile Internet services will debut in Germany by the end of April after a licensing deal between NTT DoCoMo and German mobile operator E-Plus Mobifunk. Under a ten-year licensing pact, NTT DoCoMo will provide E-Plus with the patents, service know-how, and technologies needed to launch the service, initially on the Global …

    Data Networking 7 Mar 2002, 23:39

  • Handspring Treo arrives in the UK

    Combined phone, Palm OS organiser available through BT Cellnet

    The Handspring Treo, a combined phone, Palm OS organiser, wireless web browser, SMS & email device, has arrived in the UK. The Treo is available in the UK from BT Cellnet at £299 including VAT, or without connection at £499 (including VAT). If you live in other European countries, you can buy one for euro 699 (excluding tax). …

    Data Networking 7 Mar 2002, 23:39