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22nd September 2004 Archive

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  • 250 'jobs-from-India' earmarked for Belfast

    'Reverses the trend'

    Some 250 new jobs are to be created in Northern Ireland after an Indian IT company agreed to expand its operation in Belfast. In a reversal of the recent "jobs-to-India" trend, HCL BPO is beefing up its call centre in Belfast to take-on new business in Europe and the UK as it provides contact services for companies in the …

    IT Director 22 Sep 2004, 09:00

  • Bulldog blames 'admin error' for poor service

    Suspends sign-ups

    Bulldog is halting the provisioning of some new broadband punters in a bid to ease the problems that have plagued the ISP for weeks. In a grovelling statement designed to explain why "all aspects of our customer service have fallen well below the standards you and we demand" Bulldog blames an "administrative error" for delaying …

    Telecoms 22 Sep 2004, 09:02

  • FalconStor wants to WORM your disk arrays

    Those pesky worms get everywhere...

    We've had optical WORMs and tape WORMs, and now it's hard drives, as FalconStor adds write-once capabilities to its IPStor storage management and virtualisation software. This WORMLock option is the key addition to IPStor v4.5, announced this week. The idea is that enterprises will use IPStor to manage tiers of storage, one of …

    Storage 22 Sep 2004, 09:10

  • Uncle Sam demands all air travel records

    'CAPPS Lite' to be tested. Volunteers not needed

    The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has demanded the passenger records of all domestic flights during the month of June, 2004, so that it can test its new "CAPPS Lite" data mining operation before putting it into production, the Associated Press reports. Passengers' names will be checked against secret bad-guy …

    ID 22 Sep 2004, 09:13

  • Click here to become infected

    Opt-out button in spam used to run exploit

    Users should be wary of pressing the 'click here to remove' link on spam messages because it serves to confirm to spammers that junk mail messages are being read. Such email addresses can be sold at a premium to other spammers. That's reason enough to simply delete spam messages, but a junk mail message doing the rounds today …

    Spam 22 Sep 2004, 09:15

  • Mexican Catholics smite mobiles

    Jamming for Jesus

    Those readers who have ever sat in the quiet carriage of the Heathrow Express angrily eyeing the "please turn off your phone" sign while suits shout into their 3G handsets regardless will applaud the steps which four churches in Mexico have taken to ensure a respectful silence during mass. Indeed, although it would seem to be a …

    Mobile 22 Sep 2004, 09:17

  • Namesco buys Simply.com

    Web host mergers

    UK web host outfit Namesco Limited (www.names.co.uk) has snapped up Simply.com Limited for £2.15m in an all cash deal. The merger effectively doubles the size of Namesco, which will now manage more than 170,000 domain names. Based in Malvern, Worcestershire, Simply.com is just ten miles from Namesco's offices in Worcester. The …

    Telecoms 22 Sep 2004, 09:57

  • PeopleSoft goes a bundle on IBM

    'Most Significant Enterprise Applications Alliance in History,' it sez here...

    PeopleSoft will include free copies of IBM's WebSphere middleware products with every set of its applications sold. Both companies will market the joint products and will collaborate to improve future interoperability. The firms are opening a "business process interoperability lab" to integrate and test applications, and will …

    Applications 22 Sep 2004, 10:02

  • Germans develop bad breath-detecting mobe

    Mouth like a camel's armpit? Siemens can help

    Here's something for any reader who has just woken up after a particularly taxing late-night "business meeting" with a head like a breeze block and a mouth like a camel's armpit - a mobile phone which tells you when your breath is a little off colour. Yup, a Siemens' team in Munich is developing a mobe with a miniature chip …

    Mobile 22 Sep 2004, 10:08

  • Voda plays Santa with 3G bonanza

    Handsets a-go-go for Xmas

    Vodafone is putting its substantial weight behind a 3G push by offering ten handsets in the run up to Christmas. From November the firm will sell handsets from manufacturers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, NEC and Nokia. They will be available in all territories except Australia and New Zealand. The firm will …

    Mobile 22 Sep 2004, 11:36

  • NASA pumps $400m into nuclear space probe

    Fission-fuelled trip to Jupiter

    NASA has awarded Northrop Grumman a $400m contract to co-design the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (Jimo) space probe - slated for a rendevouz with Jovian moons Callisto, Europa and Ganymede some time after 2012. Jimo's mission is to orbit the three satellites for a detailed analysis of each, and in particular investigate the …

    Science 22 Sep 2004, 11:59

  • AMD and IBM spread the love

    No divorce for happy fabbers

    AMD and IBM are extending a deal which has seen them co-operating on chip-making technology since 2002. The deal was due to end next year it will now run until December 2008. AMD will pay IBM up to $280m for access to its expertise because it provides the bulk of the research. The two will work together to find better, cheaper …

    Channel 22 Sep 2004, 12:07

  • Ofcom must answer broadband price hike charges - MP

    Communications regulator mute

    Pressure is growing on industry regulator Ofcom over concerns that it "may have misjudged the market implications" of a recent decision that threatens to force dozens of small ISPs out of business. Sir George Young, Tory MP for North West Hampshire, is calling on Ofcom to explain why the cost of wholesale xDSL broadband is to …

    Telecoms 22 Sep 2004, 12:22

  • Ireland bars South Pacific in rogue dialler crackdown

    I'm gonna wash that scam right out of my hair

    Ireland is to block direct dialling to 13 countries, mostly in the South Pacific, to combat the growing menace of rogue autodiallers. The ban comes into force on 4 October. Rogue diallers change the number used in dial-up connections to an expensive international number. Sometimes users are offered access to porn sites in …

    Music and Media 22 Sep 2004, 12:37

  • Nintendo aims high with low-cost console

    Catching US Xmas shoppers

    Nintendo hopes to hold its advantage over Sony in the handheld game console market, by selling its DS model for half the price of the new PlayStation Portable. The console will cost only $150, which is less than half the price that Sony is expected to charge for its PSP. Nintendo also intends releasing the DS in November, to …

    Consoles 22 Sep 2004, 12:39

  • London boozers offer beer via SMS

    Get your round in - remotely

    Tomorrow sees the launch of perhaps the greatest use yet discovered for SMS - after sending a text message to sack all your staff, naturally - when 11 Corney & Barrow boozers across London roll out a mobe drinks voucher system. The service allows your mates to log onto buymeabeer.com, select a beverage, enter your mobile number …

    Mobile 22 Sep 2004, 12:43

  • Google Germany wins Adwords trademark fight

    Paid-for-ads are legal

    Google has won the first stage of its legal battle to defend itself against accusations of trademark infringement. A court in Germany has ruled against Metaspinner Media, which was seeking to stop the search engine from selling adverts relating to its trademarks. Metaspinner Media started court action against Google Deutschland …

    Financial News 22 Sep 2004, 13:39

  • Women, and the future of IT

    Interview Professor Wendy Hall talks to The Reg

    There is a revolution coming in computing, and women will lead it. So says Professor Wendy Hall, computer scientist, advisor to the government, and president of the British Computer Society. She's talking to us today about why there are so few women in IT, why it matters, and what can be done to change things. Computer science …

    Science 22 Sep 2004, 13:43

  • UK stumps up £1.1m for cash-strapped nuke watchdog

    IT system facing meltdown

    The UK government has chipped in £1.1m to help out the cash-strapped International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - charged with monitoring the spread of nuclear weapons. The money is intended to prop up the IAEA's ailing IAEA Safeguards Information System (ISIS), which processes data about clandestine nuclear weapons programmes. …

    Public Sector 22 Sep 2004, 13:50

  • Get a PALight Workman for just £9

    Cash'n'Carrion Budget LED torch with no compromise on quality

    If you're looking for budget illumination but don't want to compromise on quality, then may we recommend the PALight Workman - a snip at just £7.65 (£8.99 inc VAT). This compact rubber-cased LED torch offers two modes - one to two years' "always on" glow for easy location, and 40 hours of brilliant white light - all from just …

    Site News 22 Sep 2004, 14:27

  • Fly.be rapped for 'harass Swiss ref' email ad

    Budget airline's 'offensive' marketing campaign

    Three months on, England's ignominious exit from the European Championship continues to cause trouble. UK advertising watchdogs this week slammed low fare airline Fly.be for sending out an email ad inviting people to hassle Swiss Euro2004 ref Urs Meier, who officiated England's ill-fated quarter final match against Portugal. …

    Spam 22 Sep 2004, 14:43

  • BT cuts LLU costs

    And unbundles LLU czar

    BT has cut the cost of local loop unbundling (LLU) to "stimulate infrastructure investment in the UK communications market". The latest cuts - on top of the reductions announced in May - should make it far more easier for rival telcos to install their kit in BT exchanges and provide services direct to punters. The UK's …

    Telecoms 22 Sep 2004, 15:17

  • JVC launches digital media camera

    Stills and movies, but no Mac support

    JVC next week launches a digital media camera that delivers both digital picture and movies at very high quality. Most new digital video cameras can take digital stills, but quality is poor. The Everio is also the first camera that comes with a large-capacity, card-type removable hard disk drive or Microdrive. There is also a …

    Personal 22 Sep 2004, 15:18

  • Public sector snaps up IT pros

    Jobs galore

    Permanent vacancies for IT staff in the public sector grew by 18 per cent in the second quarter of this year and contract positions grew by 19 per cent. For permanent jobs only the electronics and communications industry saw a larger increase: job vacancies in this market grew 31 per cent between April and June 2004. Finance …

    IT Director 22 Sep 2004, 15:18

  • P-cube goes hunting for zombie PCs

    Night of the living spam

    P-Cube, the traffic management firm Cisco agreed to buy for $200m last month, is aiming to tackle the problem of spam at source by detecting and quarantining spam zombie machines. P-Cube's IP service control platform allows service providers to identify subscribers, classify applications and offer differentiated service …

    Spam 22 Sep 2004, 15:19

  • Former Freeserve duo dial in to VoIP

    Forget 'free', it's Callserve

    Two co-founders of Freeserve have embarked on a new venture which they hope will transform the telecoms market in much the same way that the ISP shook-up the UK's internet sector. Ajaz Ahmed has been named chief exec of VoIP outfit Callserve after former boss, Peter Whent, stood down in the summer for personal reasons. Former …

    Telecoms 22 Sep 2004, 15:58

  • Broken oxygen generator threatens space station

    No air, no spacemen

    A UK space scientist has warned that a broken oxygen generator could spell disaster for the International Space Station (ISS). The Elecktron unit, which converts waste water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, broke down suddenly on 8 September, and failed again over the weekend. As yet, Astronaut Mike Fincke and Cosmonaut Gennady …

    Science 22 Sep 2004, 16:01

  • McSoftware pirate jailed for nine months

    Counterfeit Adobe and MS software

    A Scottish man who pirated computer software valued at an estimated £750,000 was this week jailed for nine months. Brendan Timoney, 40, of the village of Coatbridge, in north Lanarkshire, central Scotland, pleaded guilty to three of eight charges he originally faced at Airdrie Sheriff Court, the Glasgow Evening Times reports. …

    Channel 22 Sep 2004, 19:52

  • Former CA chief Kumar indicted as firm coughs up $225m

    Could face 100 years behind bars

    Former Computer Associates chief Sanjay Kumar has been hit with charges of securities fraud, obstruction of justice and conspiracy by the US DoJ (Department of Justice) - a result of the company's long-running accounting scandal. The Feds today unsealed the charges, which were initially handed down last week by a federal grand …

    Software 22 Sep 2004, 21:05

  • Former CA boss Kumar charged with fraud, obstructing justice

    CA pays $225m to shareholders

    Sanjay Kumar, former Computer Associates boss, has been charged with securities fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice over a $2.2bn company-wide accounting fraud. Stephen Richards, CA's ex-head of worldwide sales, faces the same charges. Stephen Woghin, CA’s former general counsel and senior vice president, pleaded guilty …

    Financial News 22 Sep 2004, 21:12