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27th August 2004 Archive

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  • Orbitz founder seeks to rattle Sabre

    Web competition for air tickets

    The man behind Orbitz, Alex Zoghlin, says he's signed seven new airlines for his latest attempt to buck the airline ticketing business. His new company, G2 Switchworks has yet to launch the TrueConnect website, but has already indicated that it's taking Sabre, Worldspan and his former company Orbitz head on. Both Sabre and …

    Financial News 27 Aug 2004, 09:19

  • 'Large number' of ISPs face ruin - UKIF

    Unable to compete

    A "large number" of the UK's ISPs could go bust following Ofcom's decision to allow the wholesale cost of some business broadband products to rise by as much as 30 per cent. The worst fears of new industry group UKIF were realised today after the monster communications regulator published its statement setting the Margin …

    Broadband 27 Aug 2004, 09:22

  • SCO closes BayStar deal

    Stock hits new low

    The SCO Group's stock hit its lowest point since the start of its anti-Linux campaign after settling a truce with one of its major investors. SCO has completed an agreement with BayStar Capital that ends an acrimonious dispute between the companies. Marin County-based BayStar invested $20m in SCO last October, but became …

    Financial News 27 Aug 2004, 09:24

  • Introducing the mighty Inova XO übertorch

    Let there be light

    Winter is a-coming in and that means there's no better time to kit yourself out with some top-of-the-range portable illumination. Cue the Inova XO, a compact instant sun generator which, for just £41.69 (£48.99 inc VAT) boasts the following spec: Light performance TIROS (Total Internal Reflective Optical System) with +90% …

    Site News 27 Aug 2004, 10:32

  • 150+ cuffed in US-led cybercrime crackdown

    Operation Web Snare

    A three-month crackdown on cybercrime has resulted in the arrest of more than 150 people, the US Department of Justice announced at a Washington press conference yesterday. The ongoing action - which involves US federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies - has been dubbed Operation Web Snare. The operation is …

    Media 27 Aug 2004, 10:43

  • Feds bust DDoS 'Mafia'

    US businessman allegedly rubbed out rivals' websites

    A Massachusetts businessman allegedly paid members of the computer underground to launch organized, crippling distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against three of his competitors, in what federal officials are calling the first criminal case to arise from a DDoS-for-hire scheme. Jay Echouafni, 37, is a fugitive from a …

    Media 27 Aug 2004, 11:02

  • The polluted Internet

    Comment Dirty, and getting dirtier

    I've spent a significant amount of time in New Delhi - which was, until a few years ago, one of the most polluted cities on the planet - and I've seen the effects of all those toxic fumes. A low cloud of fog lines the narrow streets at night, and the pollution seeps in through the windows while most people are fast asleep, …

    Media 27 Aug 2004, 11:17

  • Broadband users are impatient

    Yes, yes - get on with the story

    Broadband users are an impatient lot that expect the same speed of service in the "real world" as they do online. So says a survey by Cable & Wireless which found that high-speed Net users demand an always-on, instant response in other areas of their life too - and not just when they're cruising online. Not only are broadband …

    Broadband 27 Aug 2004, 11:22

  • Cisco snaffles P-Cube

    $200m in cash and options

    Summer used to be the time of year when business slowed down from its usual frenetic pace and a degree of calm settled over organisations. This year has been somewhat different and a few days ago Cisco, one of the most widely recognised IT suppliers, agreed to splash out some $200m to acquire P-Cube. P-Cube Inc. is a privately …

    Financial News 27 Aug 2004, 11:26

  • Bosses fear employee fraud

    But fail to act accordingly

    Fraud is now considered to be as big a threat as burglary, however many employers are failing to take the most basic precautions. Research carried out by financial advisers MacIntyre Hudson, shows that 38 per cent of employers questioned pointed to fraud as the single biggest threat to their business. The biggest concern is the …

    Small Biz 27 Aug 2004, 11:37

  • HP iPod to ship 15 September

    hPod coming at last

    HP's North American online store has begun accepting pre-orders for the PC maker's own-brand version of Apple's iPod. Dubbed the 'iPod+HP' - aka 'the Apple iPod from HP' - the device is being offered in its 20GB and 40GB incarnations for $300 and $400, respectively. Orders taken from today onwards will ship on 15 September, the …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 13:17

  • PalmOne 'Ace' Treo piccies leak out

    Next-gen smart phone in all its glory

    PalmOne's next-generation Treo smart phone, codenamed 'Ace', has surfaced on the web. A number of pictures at TreoCentral - one here and another here - in a forum posting reveal a device that superficially matches the existing Treo 600. One shot appears to confirm that the device will support Bluetooth connectivity - a feature …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 13:44

  • Intel unveils tri-mode Wi-Fi for Centrino

    802.11b, g and now a

    Intel launched its 'Callexico 2' tri-mode Wi-Fi adaptor for notebook PCs yesterday, as anticipated. The part, which will ship as the ProWireless 2915ABG, adds 802.11a support to Intel's line-up of 802.11b and 802.11b/g-supporting Mini PCI add-in cards. The chip giant took the opportunity provided by the launch to update its …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 14:08

  • Aussie PM slammed for spam

    G'day voters

    The Prime Minister of Australia has been accused of "double standards" after employing his son's company to spam voters in his Sydney constituency of Bennelong. John Howard has already admitted that he hired his son's firm, Net Harbour, to e-mail voters. However, the electioneering has caused an outcry "down under" with critics …

    Security 27 Aug 2004, 14:33

  • 4,000! BT! Yahoo! punters! get! double! billed!

    Double trouble

    As many as 4,000 BT Yahoo! broadband punters have been billed twice for their Net access service this month after a billing cock-up at the company. BT is still investigating what went wrong but has given assurances that the matter is being looked into and will be resolved. A spokeswoman for the ISP said that between 3,000 and 4 …

    Broadband 27 Aug 2004, 14:36

  • Filipino mobe users scammed over virus scare

    Manila dealers prey on concerns

    Unscrupulous Filipino phone shops are cashing on recent stories about mobile phone viruses to flog worried punters services they don't need. A virus called Cabir (AKA Caribe) which targets mobile phones running the Symbian operating system and spreads via Bluetooth was discovered back in June. Handsets from manufacturers such …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 14:41

  • Sheep, planes and Lara Croft

    Letters And, oddly, potted plants

    Let's get right to it. The most important story this week, without any doubt, is the wonderful news that sheep feel happier when surrounded by family photos. One, two three...Ahhhhhhh. This is not a laughing matter, friend. These folk kidnap sheep and subject them to sense deprivation, subliminal manipulation, and brainwashing …

    Letters 27 Aug 2004, 14:50

  • Telewest warns punters off cheap broadband deals

    Beware 'stingy bandwidth restrictions'

    Telewest reckons punters should beware of "stingy bandwidth restrictions" before signing up to ISPs making "extravagant claims" about their cut-price, high-speed broadband services. Commenting on this week's announcements from Wanadoo and PlusNet offering 1Mb ADSL for under £20 a month, Telewest reckons these packages will " …

    Broadband 27 Aug 2004, 15:15

  • Scientists suck hydrogen from sunflower oil

    The fuel of the future

    In the future, your car might run on sunflower oil, or at least on the hydrogen that can be derived from it thanks to research being conducted at the University of Leeds. A research team led by Valerie Dupont, has found a way to extract hydrogen from the hydrocarbon chains in sunflower oil. The technique does result in some …

    Science 27 Aug 2004, 15:19

  • Japanese banks deploy biometric palm scanners

    Vein pattern recognition, no less

    Japanese banks are turning to a new biometric identification system, based on the unique nature of the patterns of veins in our palms. Fujitsu says it has sold the vein pattern recognition technology to two banks already, one of which has implemented the system already, according to IDG News reports. The system requires three …

    Security 27 Aug 2004, 15:26

  • VeriSign antitrust claim against ICANN rebuffed

    Site Finder spat continues

    VeriSign has suffered a legal setback in its courtroom battles with Internet governing body ICANN over its controversial Site Finder service. Judge A. Howard Matz of the District Court in Central California this week threw VeriSign's anti-trust claim against ICANN out of court, dismissing its case with prejudice. The judge …

    Media 27 Aug 2004, 18:23

  • Phone win for Apple

    QuickTime makes headway

    Sprint has agreed to deliver video to its phones using Apple's QuickTime video technology. Sprint's PCS Vision Multimedia Services will deliver clips, including 'Sprint TV', to the Samsung MM-A700 handset. It's a minor announcement in the larger industry context, but a major deal for Apple, which can boast of its first carrier …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 18:24

  • Deafening phone - Siemens issues health warning

    'I'm spent!'

    Siemens has issued a warning about potential ear damage caused by its 65 series phones. If the battery is exhausted during a phone call, the handset shuts down, but before clapping out altogether, it plays a tune. Rather loudly. That's more polite than screaming "I'm spent!" in German into your ear, but the problem is serious. …

    Mobile 27 Aug 2004, 18:26

  • Avalon faces axe as Microsoft dismembers Longhorn

    Exclusive WinFS, new GUI face 'decoupling'

    Cattle mutilation appears to be a phenomenon more common on the MidWest prairies than the Pacific coast, but one steer in particular faces a very nervous weekend: Microsoft's Longhorn. Microsoft project managers have demanded that features be jettisoned in order for the next major version of Windows to ship as projected by 2006 …

    Operating Systems 27 Aug 2004, 18:33