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27th February 2003 Archive

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  • HP talks networks

    Close to the Edge

    HP is looking to grow its share in the networking market by reducing the complexity associated with network rollouts. Last month HP introduced its ProCurve Network Adaptive Edge Architecture as a framework designed to deliver control at the edge of a network. The architecture is designed to make it simpler for users to manage …

    Data Center 27 Feb 2003, 10:48

  • Greenpeace whups Esso

    'Victory for free speech on the Net'

    Greenpeace has heralded the decision of a French court to lift an injunction against an Esso protest site as an "important victory for free speech on the Internet". In July last year Esso France began legal action against Greenpeace in France over the StopEsso Web site. The site used a logo which parodied Esso's own brand by …

    Media 27 Feb 2003, 11:20

  • Borrow a supercomputer for free

    Gigaflops a-gogo as NEC takes on Beowulf

    Fancy a free supercomputer? If you come up with a good enough project to use it on, NEC will lend you an eight gigaflop SX-6i vector computer worth €120,000 (£80,000) to try out for three months. Dr Joerg Stadler, NEC European Computer Systems' marketing manager, says that while some trial users may then go ahead and buy or …

    Servers 27 Feb 2003, 11:26

  • Analysts squabble over Nintendo's future

    Gamecube or not Gamecube

    Two conflicting reports on Nintendo's market status and future prospects have been released today, with research firms Strategy Analytics and DFC Intelligence almost entirely at odds over where the Japanese giant stands. The research released by Strategy Analytics concludes that Nintendo must abandon its current console …

    Personal 27 Feb 2003, 11:29

  • Supermicro preps dual Itanium 2 mobos

    Mix and match

    Supermicro is tipping its toes into the Itanium 2 market, with some dual processor mobos for the OEM market. They'll be out in volume in the summer, presumably to coincide with Madison. The mobo maker OEM market around Itanium is not exactly active, and Supermicro's entry does not suggest to us that this will change real soon. …

    Servers 27 Feb 2003, 11:46

  • Divine Inc. files for Chapter 11

    Bankrupt stock

    divine inc filed a petition to reorganise under Chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy rules on Tuesday. Coincidentally (or not) it cancelled plans to make its fourth quarter and end-of-year 2002 statement, which was due on the same day. No doubt it would have been covered in red ink. divine was founded by Andrew 'Flip' Filipowski …

    Data Center 27 Feb 2003, 12:01

  • South Africa scraps PC import tax

    Never brought in much money, anyway

    South Africa is to scrap excise duty on imported PCs, which should result in a five per cent reduction in retail prices. According to SA reports, the tax was inconsistent and easy to circumvent, as imported PC components were not included in the excise. Also the tax raised a puny amount of revenue for the government - R572m, …

    Personal 27 Feb 2003, 13:00

  • Bloomberg hacker convicted of extortion

    Kazak cracker in the slammer

    A Kazakhstan man was yesterday found guilty of trying to extort $200,000 from Michael Bloomberg, founder of the Bloomberg financial news service, by a New York jury yesterday. Oleg Zezov, 29, was convicted of hacked into Bloomberg's computer system, then emailed Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg threatening that the financial …

    Security 27 Feb 2003, 13:05

  • Post Office touts Virgin.Net sign-up CDs

    Got it licked

    Virgin.net is trying to expand its customer base by distributing its registration CDs in posts offices across the UK. The ISP - which has more than half a million punters - has done a deal with Postmasternet, a company set up to help generate more revenue for the UK's 17,000 independent local post offices. The deal goes live …

    Media 27 Feb 2003, 15:13

  • Brits! Play the PayPal currency speculation game

    Don't get caught out

    Reports are coming in from British users of Paypal who are pointing to its astonishing exchange rate today - ¢£1 for 97¢. One reader informed us that he converted US $150 in his account today - he got £145. "I then withdrew it to my uk bank account with no hassles!" We left a message with a Paypal PR person this morning, …

    Media 27 Feb 2003, 16:24

  • Tiscali UK in discount phone call venture

    Ringers

    Tiscali UK is offering punters the chance to make discounted international phone calls. The SimplyDial scheme - which was soft-launched at the beginning of the month and has just started being advertised - offers punters up to 60 per off the cost some international calls, compared with BT prices. Tiscali claims tens of …

    Data Networking 27 Feb 2003, 16:25

  • Internet telephony protocol riddled with security bugs

    Don't SIP from a poisoned chalice

    Security clearing house CERT this week warned of "numerous vulnerabilities" in multiple vendors' implementations of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), an important standard for next-generation Internet telephony systems. SIP is used to initiate communication and data sessions between users and it is riddled with potential …

    Security 27 Feb 2003, 16:44

  • Get hold of your dream .uk domain

    Nominet plans revamp of registration system

    UK register Nominet is planning a complete revamp of its domain re-registration service that may see millions able to sign up for their dream domain. The organisation's Policy Advisory Board (PAB) is asking for comments on a consultation paper for a new "wait listing service" which will enable people to pay a fee to put their …

    Media 27 Feb 2003, 17:00

  • Beijing signs MS deal with Gates, Linux deal with IBM

    Clearly you can't have too many cooperative development projects...

    The Register's department of strange coincidences notes the announcement of not one but two software co-operation initiatives in Beijing this week. Today Microsoft announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding between it and the Beijing Municipal Government, while earlier this week IBM China and the Beijing Municipal …

    Software 27 Feb 2003, 20:03

  • Downing St webmasters plot Duchess of Hacksaw's return

    Apparently...

    A usually reliable source directs us to the newly polished-up web site of Number 10 Downing Street, suggesting we might care to take a look at the interesting choice of metatags for the site. So off you go everybody, over to the site, look at the source of the page, and up near the top you have... "10 Downing Street, Prime …

    Bootnotes 27 Feb 2003, 22:03

  • UK e-commerce sites: Top 10 flaws

    Basic errors

    UK customer credit card details and sensitive data is at risk because of simple e-commerce flaws, according to a study published this week. Web server flaws, poor authentication mechanisms and faulty log-out facilities are the most widespread problems, with most flaws caused by relatively basic mistakes, according to security …

    Security 27 Feb 2003, 22:25

  • PayPal: How many Brits were robbed today?

    Letter Bloody expensive timepiece

    PayPal's dollar-sterling exchange rate today at £1 = 97¢ made some quick-witted individuals very happy. The real rate, as published at Xe.com's very fine currency converter, is £1 = US$1.57861. So what about ordinary Joe Punter who simply wanted to pick up a bargain or two? Today was not the day to use PayPal if you were paying …

    Media 27 Feb 2003, 22:37

  • Intel touts Wi-Fi in Marriott hotels

    But not in the guest rooms

    Semiconductor giant Intel and Marriott are expected to reveal details of a marketing alliance to promote the availability of Wi-Fi access in 400 Marriott hotels. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two companies are expected to announce the alliance on Thursday, in a move aimed at luring more business travellers to …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:04

  • UK Net cafe chain offers cut-price Wi-Fi

    Internet Exchange

    A chain of UK Net cafes is offering WiFi access at 30 locations in the UK at up to a quarter of the cost of a similar service offered by BT. Internet Exchange says its wireless high-speed Internet connections will enable punters to use their own wireless-enabled laptops for online access. The hotspots operate on the 802.11b …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:04

  • OpenWave phone suite challenges S60, Symbian

    3GSM Smartphones for the masses?

    You're a handset manufacturer. Why pay Symbian and Nokia license fees when you can have 90 per cent of the functionality running on much cheaper hardware? That's OpenWave's proposition, and the company that gave you WAP and the world's most widely distributed (if unused) browser has a fairly spectacular demo to prove it. …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:11

  • Photos expose cellphone biz's steamy underbelly

    3GSM The World Congress Diary

    Every February the mobile phone world holds its own Comdex in Cannes, on the French Riveria, and it's almost as big as Comdex itself. Unlike Comdex, however, it's in no danger of going bust, even though many of the participants are vendors with more debts than you can reasonably count. You're talking red ink with lots of zeros, …

    Data Networking 27 Feb 2003, 23:11

  • Nokia 3650 goes worldwide

    Yes, but how much?

    Nokia today starts shipping the Nokia 3650, its new flagship Symbian/S60 camera phone, worldwide. The phone has more features than the 7650 - a memory card slot for games and video, video recording and playback, and longer battery life - 4 hours talk time and 8 days standby. And it's tri-band GSM, meaning that Europeans can, …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:11

  • Finland's other mobile phone maker pulls through

    For now

    Benefon, Finland's other mobile phone maker, has survived to fight another day. Two weeks ago, the company revealed that its ability to survive was contingent on an immediate cash injection of €20m. On Tuesday (Feb 25), the firm announced on its website that it has received "subscription commitments" for €11.6m from investors …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:11

  • Update on Nokia 3650 pricing

    Argos blazes trail!

    Thanks to everyone who wrote in about Nokia 3650 pricing - all six of you. The 3650 is available -sim free - now in Finland for €550, a whopping £376.11 at today's currency rate. That sounds like very early adopter price to us. UK retailers expect sim-free prices to kick off in at around £320 inc. VAT (approx €469) That's …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:11

  • fastmobile turns phones into walkie-talkies

    and tries not to scare the networks away from voice IM

    Instant messaging between phones is hot, but text IM is already passé and the real interest at 3GSM is voice push-to-talk technology, mostly based on the IMS spec agreed this week by Nokia, Ericsson and Siemens. Push-to-talk streams an audio message from your phone to someone on your buddy list over GPRS. Don't talk too loudly …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:16

  • Psst: wanna buy a mobile phone testing co.?

    Concept Telecom for sale, maybe cheap

    Our attention is drawn to an ad touting touting Concept Telecom for sale in today's FT deadzone. Based in Nottingham, Concept is in adminstrative receivership and turns over £5m a year, of which £3.5m comes from the provision of mobile comms software engineers and £1.5m comes from a mobile phone testing division. Customers " …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:16

  • MS revs Orange SPV software

    Two new apps, longer battery life

    Orange slipped out an update to the Microsoft software used on the SPV smartphone yesterday. Two new apps are included: Picture manager, for viewing and storing pics in one place; and Sound manager, for creating your own sounds (what's wrong with your voice?). The rev also delivers better battery life, but Orange is not saying …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:16

  • SonyEricsson P800 survives the hype, and some

    First Impressions It's no Newton

    For almost a year the hype has been gathering around the SonyEricsson P800, which is easily the most talked-about phone on Slashdot. It must be the most hyped handheld device since the Apple Newton. I've had two weeks with one and generally, I'm as pleased as punch with it. As early reviews indicate, it's a great phone and a …

    Personal 27 Feb 2003, 23:16

  • A P800 for £49

    Bundled minutes

    On Monday we told you that UK dealers had set aggressive pricing for the SonyEricsson P800. OK, scrap that. Mobile Shop will do you a P800 on the Orange network for £49, although really it's £49 per month, with bundled minutes. The details are here. This is a common model in the US, although still quite novel in the UK. On …

    Personal 27 Feb 2003, 23:16

  • World+Dog goes Centrino Crazy

    IDF Battery Schmattery

    Today is Client Day at the IDF, so where better to begin than the keynote delivered by Anand Chandrasekher, Intel's top mobile guy. In today's briefing mobile equals Centrino, Intel's wireless-enabled, low power flagship CPU. Out on March 12, Intel is claiming huge industry support for Centrino - with four times more OEM wins …

    Broadband 27 Feb 2003, 23:21

  • Whatever didn't happen to Microsoft's Marc Brown?

    Sendo footnote

    The Microsoft/Sendo battle is the thing that is definitely on everybody's lips, here at Cannes 3GSM. And one question has many people here puzzled: "Whatever happened to Marc Brown?" - or more accurately, what didn't happen to him?. Marc Brown, for those who didn't read the trial transcripts, was a Microsoft employee, who was …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:25

  • Microsoft vs. Nokia

    And the loser is...

    A recent article in The Economist about the battle between Microsoft and Nokia for operating system supremacy on wireless instruments (Smartphones) concluded that Nokia with its Symbian OS based Series 60 SDK was already the victor over Microsoft's Smartphone 2002 SDK, writes Rick Rowell. The victory declaration was based on …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:25

  • Neither Nokia nor MS – Motorola makes Linux play

    Former behemoth tries third force option

    Motorola, which is widely-suspected of membership of the Symbian consortium, this week plumped for a Linux-Java combo for its new handset, and said there would be a lot more where that came from. The A760, which has colour screen, camera, video and MP3 player, Bluetooth and PDA functionality, will ship in Asia later this year, …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:25

  • WLAN hotspots cost more in Europe

    Rip-off Europe

    Although it contains only 12 percent of the world's hotspots, Europe has been identified as the most expensive region to access a public wireless LAN. According to recently published numbers, of the 37 percent of public Wi-Fi providers that sell monthly subscriptions, European providers charge the most. The average price of a …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:25

  • Symbian confirms BenQ gig

    UIQ win

    Symbian today confirmed that BenQ, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, is to make Symbian OS smartphones for 2.5G and 3G networks. A little thunder in the announcement was stolen when the deal leaked out last month from notoriously leaky Taiwan. BenQ's first Symbian OS product, a "data-enabled smartphone", will incorporate …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:32

  • P800 smartphone to be first to run mobile Opera

    Now find yourself a handset to wrap around the software...

    Sony Ericsson's P800 smartphone is to be the first handset to run Opera's Symbian OS mobile browser. The browser will be available for free download for the P800 here, from Monday. Mobile Opera uses Small Screen Rendering technology, which reformats the page contents into a "one dimensional" form. This is explained in a little …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:32

  • Finland's other mobile phone maker needs more cash. Or else

    Benefon teeters

    Benefon, Finland's other mobile phone maker, is negotiating for an immediate cash injection of €20m. Its survival depends upon a "succesful financing solution". If it gets the money, it intends to "re-direct the Company more into the provision of services and service solutions". Benefon's announcement, published on its web …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:32

  • 130 UK Nokia jobs under threat

    Cutbacks

    Some 130 jobs are under threat at Nokia's UK head office in Camberley following the mobile phone company's decision to axe 550 jobs in its Nokia Networks infrastructure division. The UK job losses have not been confirmed since they are currently under review as part of a consultation process with employees. In a statement …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:32

  • New wireless 11g ‘standard’ ends in tears

    Are we supposed to be surprised?

    It is nearly a year since NewsWireless Net warned of the disasters looming if American wireless manufacturers went ahead with 802.11g - the go-faster WiFi standard. Now, we hear of incompatibility problems between rival 11g products - discovered in "secret" testing sessions. Are we really supposed to be surprised? You can, …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:37

  • Juniper goes for wireless LAN sweet spot

    In for the backhaul

    Juniper Networks, chief competitor to Cisco in the high-end routing market, this week announced technology to make it easier for telcos to set up wireless-LAN services. The company has released extensions to its E-series broadband remote access routers, commonly used by service providers in DSL and cable networks, and SDX-300 …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:40

  • Intel takes Manitoba phone chip to 3GSM

    It's in the Cannes

    Intel, like Microsoft, isn't a player in the phone business; and like Microsoft, it is starting to realise that the phone business is at least as big as the PC business; so it has designed an integrated processor and DSP chip for the market. It will be shown at the 3GSM Congress in Cannes in two weeks' time. At an informal …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:40

  • Ericsson ‘stabilises’ despite another loss

    Profit this year - promise

    Ericsson, the ailing telecoms equipment maker, has posted yet another loss. However boss Kurt Hellström remains optimistic and asserts that the business is beginning to "stabilise". "Our overriding objective is to return to profit at some point in 2003 and improve cash flow," he said. "Our cost cutting is proceeding as planned …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:43

  • MS goes on attack in Sendo case

    'Fraudulent course of conduct'

    Microsoft's legal attack dogs are snarling at last in the legal battle with Sendo, the niche British mobile phone designer. The company has filed a counter-suit against Sendo in a federal court in Texas and is seeking to have Sendo's suit that it stole its former partner's secrets dismissed. Microsoft also wants to change the …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:43

  • Hutchison 3G handsets ship ‘mid-March’

    Price promo

    Hutchison 3G is to start taking pre-orders in the UK for handsets and price plans online on February 22. Fulfilment of "confirmed pre-orders" will start happening mid-March, Hutchison 3G says. So what's the difference between an order and, err, a confirmed pre-order, then? Handsets start from £400, but the first 20,000 …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:43

  • Nokia N-Gage: First impressions

    GI gives it the once over

    Several months ago, mobile phone giant Nokia slipped out something of a bombshell when it announced its new range of phones for 2003. Nestled among the various futuristic looking handsets was one that looked radically different from the rest of its kin; a peculiar little device called N-Gage which was clearly designed from the …

    Personal 27 Feb 2003, 23:43

  • BT unveils more Wi-Fi hotspots

    That's it

    BT has announced it now has 80 Wi-Fi 'hotpots' in the UK - more than double the number it had back in October - enabling punters to access the Net on the move. In an update of its programme to roll-out a Wi-Fi network it's also revealed that it has agreements in place for another 40 hotspots in the UK. However, it's …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:46

  • Occidents will happen: China rips up the 3G rulebook

    Philips boosts "royalty-free" TD-SCDMA with T3G

    My, how times have changed for American business since the early 1970s. Doing business with the rest of the world was so easy, back then. In those days, if a strategic American business, say, someone like a United Fruit Company or a Kennecott Copper found oversees dealings meddlesome, it could always find a sympathetic voice in …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:49

  • Mobile infrastructure spending to rebound

    3G leads the way

    Spending on wireless network infrastructure will rebound in the next couple of years led by the much-criticised 3G networks. Research firm IDC has forecast that although spending on wireless equipment fell by 22 percent last year and will drop by a further 6 percent to 7 percent in 2003, continued demand for mobile solutions …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:49

  • WCDMA wins boosts Qualcomm earnings

    Hang on, aren't they supposed to despise the Euro-commie 3G protocol?

    Those of us you who like to view the Qualcomm story as a parable of American isolationism and bull-headed stupidity - and that's a narrative Qualcomm executives and their creepy, militia fringe supporters (including Qualcomm sock-puppet Stewart Alsop) have done little to discourage in recent years - have one slight problem to …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:52

  • UK relaxes 802.11a regs

    Broadband a go-go

    The UK Government is to open up part of the radio spectrum in a bid to encourage operators to deliver new broadband services. The deregulation means that telecoms operators will be able to offer commercial broadband services through public networks without the need for a Wireless Telegraphy Act licence. As a result, commercial …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:55

  • Become a wireless ISP: for £300

    Feature Mesh wireless is here

    While the learned are laughing at Negroponte's fantastic "futuristic" vision of a mesh of interconnected wireless LANs "like lilypads which you hop from one to another" a UK company has produced Mesh wireless technology which you can buy and install, today, for under £300. Fancy setting up as a rival to BT Openworld? Even in a …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:55

  • Intel prepares for Centrino launch

    Pentium-M

    Intel Corp cut prices across its mobile processor line at the weekend as it paved the way for the launch of its Centrino wireless notebook technology in March. Intel's 2.2 GHz Pentium 4 M dropped by 38% to $348. Other cuts ranged from 31% to 10%. While Intel's desktop division used the launch of its 3GHz Pentium 4 in November …

    Broadband 27 Feb 2003, 23:58

  • Intel's Centrino ‘a serious threat to WLAN chip makers’

    So says the Hunn

    Wireless guru Nick Hunn has predicted the death of several silicon suppliers who make wireless LAN (WiFi) components, following the decision of both Intel and AMD to provide the bulk of the circuitry needed, on the motherboard. Suppliers of WiFi components, especially client PC Cards, could find that their market vanishes over …

    Broadband 27 Feb 2003, 23:58

  • Wi-Fi takes to the skies

    Passenger airplane trials today

    A big fat Register hello to Hans Reiger, Fujitsu Siemens PR bunny, who sent us an email today - from 30,000 feet in the air. And he replied to our reply. OK, so it's not exactly an Alexander Graham Bell moment, and the pricing for emails from airplanes, will probably be horrendous, but yes, we were impressed. Hans emailed us …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:58

  • When in Roam: Crossing mobile, WLAN and IP networks

    Trials in 2H2003

    Networking firms Motorola, Avaya, and Proxim are to tie together mobile, wireless LAN and IP Telephony networks. The trio are to develop kit which will allow seamless roaming between enterprise and mobile networks, a natural progression for WLAN technology that has become a key goal for vendors over the last year or so. By …

    Mobile 27 Feb 2003, 23:58