16th February 2004 Archive
Browse by publication date, or search the site.
-
O2 opens text services to the US
SMS across the pond
Mobile operator O2 is to extend its international text messaging offering from the end of this month. O2's UK and Ireland customers will be able to exchange text messages with mobile users in North America and send messages to users in Japan and subscribers of Telecom New Zealand, following the launch of the service. SMS …
Mobile 16 Feb 2004, 08:51
-
AOL UK launches new ISP as Dixons distie deal kicks in
It's a 'Netbreeze'
AOL UK has unveiled a new pay-as-you-go ISP as part of its new distie deal with Dixons. The ISP, called Netbreeze, is described as an "Internet taster"’ service offering metered Net access at local call rates with no monthly charges. It's aimed at people who don't want to commit to a subscription service and for those who …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 11:44
-
Police arrest Forces Reunited ‘hacker’
Lancashire man bailed
Police have questioned a Lancashire man suspected of hacking the Forces Reunited Web site. The unnamed 29 year-old from Chorley, Lancashire was arrested and questioned last week by Wiltshire Police probing a cyber attack against the military equivalent of the popular Friends Reunited. After questioning, the man was released on …
Security 16 Feb 2004, 11:47
-
Lexmark printer ink ‘resists fading’
Liquid lasers
Lexmark Europe has unveiled several new printers and All-In-One (AIO) products for consumers and small office/home office (SOHO) professionals. At its annual conference in Lisbon last week the company also introduced a new ink technology that combines for the first time dye-based and pigmented inks. Lexmark claims that, when …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 11:57
-
Women out-shop men online
Etail survey puts women in front
Women are spending more than men on the Internet for the first time. Although women are responsible for more retail spending than men online shopping has always been a male preserve. But according to research from Verdict women spent an average of £495 online last year – up 71 per cent on 2002. The average UK man spent £470. …
Small Biz 16 Feb 2004, 12:38
-
Anti-virus industry: white knight or black hat?
Opinion Who protects the protected from the protector?
One has to wonder whether the anti-virus industry sleeps well at night. On one hand, it purports to serve the world by defending our computers and networks from any number of electronic critters and malicious code. On the other hand, sometimes its "cure" is worse than the problem its products allegedly treat. Add to that the …
Security 16 Feb 2004, 13:30
-
EC to crunch Wanadoo's numbers
Predatory pricing allegations provoke investigation
The European Commission is to keep a close eye on Wanadoo's accounts until the end of 2006, following allegations of predatory pricing against the French ISP. According to the FT, the Commission has ordered Wanadoo to hand over accounts for surveillance in order to prevent any further abuse of its dominant position. The …
Business 16 Feb 2004, 14:00
-
UK firms flop in the data back-up department
False sense of security
Data back-up procedures amongst UK companies leave a lot to be desired, according to early results from a government-backed study out today. A survey of 1,000 companies of all sizes - conducted as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's 2004 Information Security Breaches Survey - found that two-thirds of large businesses …
Storage 16 Feb 2004, 14:14
-
Belgian police arrest female virus writer
Gigabyte busted
A 19 year-old female technology student suspected of being the infamous virus writer Gigabyte was arrested by Belgian police last weekend. The woman was charged with computer data sabotage offences, Belgian daily La Libre Belgique reports. Her alleged crimes are punishable by up to three years in prison and fines of up to €100, …
Malware 16 Feb 2004, 14:19
-
Elpida launches 1GB DDR 2 notebook DIMM
Intel Developer Forum Chipset support some way off
Elpida has begun shipping its first 1GB DDR 2 notebook memory module, it said today. It also pointed out that it has begun sampling 256Mb DDR 2 chips. The 200-pin SO-DIMM is based on 16 512Mb DDR 2 chips and is clocked at 533MHz. It's likely to be a while before they're needed - Intel's first DDR 2-based mobile chipset, 'Alviso …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 14:36
-
Brussels to rule on Oracle-Peoplesoft deal by May 11
Deadline back on for investigation
The European Commission will decide before 11 May whether the proposed takeover of Peoplesoft by Oracle breaks its competition laws. The EC is concerned that a merger will leave only two companies, Oracle and SAP, in finance and human resources software. An investigation was announced in November 2002 and was due to report by …
Hardware 16 Feb 2004, 14:59
-
Vodafone goes 3G for data only
No phones until October, though
Come March, you will be able to get wireless data at nearly 400K per second over a 3G link in the UK and Europe, courtesy of Vodafone. Come April, there will be a phone service. But there will not be any Vodafone 3G phones until October. The problem facing the Vodafone network in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain …
Mobile 16 Feb 2004, 15:00
-
Govt mulls compulsory online form filling
How do we save £15bn?
Online transactions with the government will be made compulsory for the e-capable, and the police and NHS will be given palm-top computers if radical proposals in a government document are implemented. In a confidential report leaked to the Financial Times newspaper, Sir Peter Gershon identifies £15 billion of wasted public …
Hardware 16 Feb 2004, 15:13
-
Broadband returns to Leominster
Been AWOL
Leominster in Herefordshire is once again hooked up to broadband after being cut off before Christmas when local operator Independent Networks went titsup. Independent Networks had been funded by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands to provide unbundled DSL by installing its own kit in cabinets next to the local …
Telecoms 16 Feb 2004, 15:31
-
MS kills Mythica MMORPG
MGS project dispatched to Valhalla
Microsoft Game Studios last week cancelled MMORPG Mythica, "based on a careful evaluation of the competitive MMORPG landscape". An MGS spokesperson said that the publisher had two multiplayer titles in development - Mythica and another, as-yet unannounced project - and didn't want the bother of eventually maintaining two in an …
Personal 16 Feb 2004, 16:30
-
XandrosOS: User-friendly to a fault
Reg Review Linux with all the drawbacks of Windows
XandrosOS is a good-looking, Debian-based Linux distro designed to lure Windows XP users. It's exceptionally easy to install and use, has good hardware and peripheral detection and good multimedia support, offers Windows networking compatibility, saves one money -- and the desktop, a tweaked version of KDE, even looks like XP to …
Software 16 Feb 2004, 16:53
-
Vobis waves goodbye to HQ
German PC chain shutters shops too
Vobis, the German PC retail chain, is to close its headquarters in Aachen this summer, the company announced today. More than 180 people will lose their jobs. It is also to close 20 of its 150 German retail stores. Last week the company shuttered nine stores. The German retail chain is losing money and needs to cut costs. By …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 16:58
-
HP is flavour of the month
the month of January...
HP has come top of Context's channel survey for January. 44 per cent of resellers said HP was their favourite vendor, up from 33 per cent a year ago. The survey asked resellers across Europe their opinion of the major vendors small business programmes. Context credits HP small business initiatives for its high position. …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 17:01
-
Geordies text from underground
New way to make tube journeys substantially worse
Mobile network O2 is offering subscribers in Newcastle the chance to send text messages from underground. O2 is working with Newcastle Metro, the city's underground network, on what it claims is the first commercial rollout of an underground texting service in the UK. The sytems goes live today and uses micro cells on …
Mobile 16 Feb 2004, 17:03
-
Motorola renames chip division Freescale
We're free and we can... er... scale
Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector (SPS) will be re-christened Freescale Semiconductor when it is spun off out of the group. That process is expected this Spring, when Freescale makes its IPO. Motorola registered the name-change with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last Friday. The IPO is being underwritten …
Mac Channel 16 Feb 2004, 17:07
-
Flaw on Tuesday, exploit by Monday
Quick on the draw
Hackers have created an exploit for the latest critical flaw in Microsoft Windows just days after the vulnerability made headlines worldwide. The flaw involves a vulnerability in Microsoft's Abstract Syntax Notation 1 (ASN.1) library which could be applied to seize control of vulnerable systems. Windows 2000/XP/2003 are all …
Security 16 Feb 2004, 17:16
-
Alphabetical zoo killer terrorises Brazil
No IT angle, just dead animals
Brazilian police are fighting a desperate battle against time to save the lives of thousands of animals threatened by a merciless serial killer. Since 24 January, Sao Paulo zoo has lost three chimapanzees, three tapirs, a trio of camels and an elephant. All apparently succumbed to rat poison. The death toll mounted yesterday …
Bootnotes 16 Feb 2004, 17:27
-
AMD prunes Athlon XP prices
Launches XP-M 2600+ too
AMD trimmed its prices today, knocking back the cost of buying its Athlon XP desktop and mobile chips by up to 34 per cent. It also introduced a mainstream Athlon XP-M mobile processor rated at 2600+. Related Story Intel adjusts Mobile Celeron prices AMD Desktop Price Cuts Processor Prev. Price New Price Change …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 17:28
-
Intel adjusts Mobile Celeron prices
Tweaked
Intel yesterday tweaked the prices of its Mobile Celeron line. Only the top end of the line was affected. Related Story AMD prunes Athlon XP prices Processor Prev. Price New Price Change 2.5GHz, 256KB L2 $149 $134 -10% 2.4GHz, 256KB L2 $134 $112 -16% 2.2GHz, 256KB L2 $112 $96 -14% 2GHz, 256KB L2 $96 $96 1. …
Channel 16 Feb 2004, 17:34
