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28th September 2004 Archive

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  • Claranet buys VIA NET.WORKS UK

    Consolidation

    Claranet has snapped up the UK business of VIA NET.WORKS, Inc. for £7.3m ($13.2m), in yet another round of consolidation in the UK ISP sector. The deal comes a year or so after Claranet snaffled up Netscalibur UK. No one from the company was available for comment at the time of writing to discuss the wider implications of the …

    Financial News 28 Sep 2004, 08:34

  • Nuke watchdog issues cybergeddon alert

    Plants at risk from hack attack

    The United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency warned Friday of growing concern about cyber attacks against nuclear facilities. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in a statement that it is developing new guidelines aimed at combating the danger of computerized attacks by outside intruders or corrupt insiders …

    Enterprise Security 28 Sep 2004, 08:36

  • PalmOne to launch 'big RAM' Tungsten next week

    Cutting PDA prices, too

    PalmOne is set to cut the prices of its current PDA line-up next month as it gears up for the Holiday sales period and the release of its latest Tungsten handheld, The Register has learned. Reliable sources familiar with the company's plans suggest that the new Tungsten's launch could come as early as next Monday. The new …

    Mobile 28 Sep 2004, 08:55

  • Progress pockets Persistence

    ObjectStore suitably EdgeXtended by acquisition

    It is not often that I get a genuine scoop, but I got a briefing today on Progress Software's acquisition of Persistence, even before the guys on Wall Street. Here's how it happened: I was starting a tele-briefing with the ObjectStore division of Progress when I got an email through to me announcing the acquisition, and …

    Applications 28 Sep 2004, 09:20

  • The end of the internet is nigh

    Repent of your public networks, says web guru

    BT's Graham Whitehead has told the Irish Internet Association's Congress that the internet is dying, but that the future for broadband and networked technology is bright. In a keynote speech during proceedings at Clontarf Castle, Dublin, BT Exact's principal consultant said that the anarchic and hazardous nature of the public …

    Data Networking 28 Sep 2004, 09:21

  • Freescale to launch 90nm PowerPC G4 today

    MPC7448 to take Apple notebooks to next level?

    Motorola's erstwhile chip division, Freescale, is expected to launch its latest G4-class processor, the MPC7448, today at its Smart Networks Developer Forum, being held this week in Frankfurt. The new chip is Freescale's first 90nm G4 and is based on the company's e600 core, the foundation for Freescale's upcoming line of dual- …

    Mac Channel 28 Sep 2004, 09:46

  • EC 'supports special interests of rivals' - Microsoft

    Degrading experience

    Microsoft will argue that the market for media players is much more varied than the European Commission claims when the two meet in court at the end of the week. It says that "much of the evidence that the Commission presents on this issue [of media players]" in its anti-trust ruling against the company is wrong, the FT reports …

    Operating Systems 28 Sep 2004, 09:58

  • Ofcom provokes unbundling battle

    Let slip the Bulldogs of war

    The unbundling wars started in earnest in the UK this week, after months of pressure from regulator Ofcom to encourage companies to invest in unbundling the local loop. And one conversion to unbundled ADSL broadband lines will send a shockwave through the cable TV community, with US quoted NTL throwing of the shackles of being …

    Telecoms 28 Sep 2004, 10:07

  • Pregnant mobile user arrested for talking too loudly

    Knocked to the ground for good measure

    A pregnant woman was knocked to the ground, handcuffed and arrested at a Washington DC metro station for the crime of talking too loudly on her mobile phone. The 23-year old woman was on the phone to her fiance when a transport policeman at the station told her to keep her voice down. The woman, Sakinah Aaron, admitted she …

    Mobile 28 Sep 2004, 10:13

  • IDC ups '04 PC sales forecast

    Businesses buying more as consumer growth slows

    World+dog will buy 176.5m PCs this year, market watcher IDC said yesterday, in the process raising its forecast for this year's annual growth figure from 13.5 per cent to 14.2 per cent. The reason? Businesses are buying more computers again, not only matching the slowdown in consumer PC acquisition but exceeding it. According …

    Channel 28 Sep 2004, 10:19

  • Homechoice wakes up and smells the coffee

    IP TV operator's big plans

    Tucked away in London, Homechoice can be considered the grandfather of television over a telco’s telephone line. Back in the early 1990s it created ideas like time shifted viewing, which it called “replay TV” long before anyone had ever heard the word TiVo. Even though after 8 years of offering VoD and IP TV services the company …

    Telecoms 28 Sep 2004, 10:22

  • Microsoft ends free Hotmail access from Outlook

    Script-happy spammers to blame

    Hotmail users who use Microsoft's Outlook and Outlook Express clients will now have to pay for the privilege. Users must sign up to either a Hotmail Plus account for $19.95 a year or an MSN Premium account, at $99.95 a year to continue accessing the service from their desktop client. Microsoft cited abuse by spammers as the …

    Spam 28 Sep 2004, 10:32

  • Stinky socks get nanotech makeover

    A practical application, at last

    Consumers will soon see the benefits of nanotech research, as a Pennsylvania-based company plans to use the technology to create socks that resist l'odour du fromage. NanoHorizons has developed a technique for manufacturing nanoparticles (defined as particles smaller than 100nm) of gold and silver. Both metals are already …

    Science 28 Sep 2004, 10:35

  • Labour fingered for cyber 'dirty tricks campaign'

    'Cyberhypocrites!'

    The Labour Party has been accused of being behind a "desperate dirty tricks campaign" after it registered three domains bearing the name of Tory leader Michael Howard. The Tories accusd Labour of being "cyber-hypocrites since cybersquatting is against Government rules. The domains in question - including www.michaelhowardmp. …

    Music and Media 28 Sep 2004, 10:36

  • Learn how to Integrate Cisco and UNIX Network Architectures

    Site offer Save 30% on thousands of other great titles

    UNIX gateways introduce massive performance possibilities at a fraction of the price of dedicated proprietary appliances by performing network tasks entirely in software. With Cisco Systems routers dominating the Internet and enterprise networking, and UNIX routing and gateway solutions spreading from within server farms and …

    Site News 28 Sep 2004, 11:19

  • Michael Stipe demands ringtones for electric cars

    If you believe, they put a tune into vroom

    REM frontman Michael Stipe has taken a refreshing break from the time-honoured rock star pastime of pontificating on world hunger and political injustice to address a far more pressing matter - how to avoid getting run over by electric cars. Stipe's solution to this perambulatory nightmare is as brilliant as it is simple: said …

    Bootnotes 28 Sep 2004, 11:21

  • Infinium Phantom delayed

    PC-based console misses '04 target

    Infinium Labs has put back the release of its PC-based games console and accompanying broadband content delivery service. The move was made at the behest of the company's "marketing and retail partners", who say the original 18 November launch date won't favour the products. You'd have thought that entering the US market in …

    Consoles 28 Sep 2004, 11:23

  • NTL takes control of Virgin.net

    Buys out Virgin Group

    Virgin.net is now fully under the control of NTL after the cableco snapped up the remaining 51 per cent of its joint venture ISP. Financial details were not disclosed. NTL and Virgin hooked up in 1996 to form the JV, which now has some 590,000 customers. Now, the cableco has complete ownership of Virgin.net but intends to carry …

    Telecoms 28 Sep 2004, 11:42

  • Reg Readers hail NTL abusive message

    Letters Not so keen on 'spam-free' email plans

    An old skool-style hack caught all our attention this week: poor old NTL woke up on Monday to the news that someone had recorded over their standard customer service message with a less polite alternative. The message asked callers to "f**k off and leave us alone". A novel and interesting approach to customer relations that …

    Odds and Sods 28 Sep 2004, 11:44

  • Terrorists grow fat on email scams

    Black helicopters scrambled

    Organisations such as al-Qaeda, ETA en PKK are copying Nigerian scams to fund terrorism, two Dutch experts told Dutch daily De Telegraaf this week. Harald Koppe, head of the Dutch Unusual Transactions Reporting Office (MOT), and Harry Jongbloed of the Dutch criminal investigation department, say there is "strong evidence" from …

    Spam 28 Sep 2004, 11:46

  • ATI readies 'Radeon Xpress' Athlon 64 chipset

    Coming next month, apparently

    ATI will ship its first PCI Express chipsets next month, initially targeting AMD processors, followed by Intel-oriented versions in November. And the new chipsets will ship under a new brand, Radeon Xpress. So claims Anandtech, citing no sources so presumably basing its commentary on a peak or two at the graphics chip company' …

    Channel 28 Sep 2004, 11:53

  • Boffins boost DVD capacity tenfold

    Multiplex those pits

    Scientists working at London's Imperial College have come up with a way of radically increasing the storage capacity of optical discs. The technique is called 'Multiplexed Optical Data Storage' and essentially allows each pit in the disc's reflective data layer to store multiple values instead of just one. The pits and peaks …

    Storage 28 Sep 2004, 12:49

  • Orange network wobbles after planned upgrade

    You taking the pith?

    Orange has blamed a "minor fault" during a "planned upgrade to [its] network" last night for punters being unable to use the service this morning. A number of readers contacted us this morning complaining that they were unable to make or receive calls using their Orange phones. The scale of the glitch is not known but is …

    Mobile 28 Sep 2004, 14:09

  • Xonix 256MB MP3 Watch

    Review An iPod on your wrist?

    While an MP3 watch may seem like an obvious development in the wearable device market, examples to reach the UK's shores have been few, and far, between, writes Dan Leonard. The Xonix 128MB MP3 Player Watch is one of these first MP3 Player watches to arrive. The watch itself is analogue-style, with a range of flashing indicator …

    Reviews 28 Sep 2004, 14:39

  • Microsoft offers cut-price cut-down Windows to Russians

    Almost as cheap as a pirated copy

    Microsoft will start selling its cut-price, cut-down version of Windows in Russia from early next year. Windows XP Starter Edition goes on sale in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand next month. According to the Business Software Alliance, 89 per cent of Russian software is pirated, compared to a worldwide average of 39 per cent. …

    System Builder 28 Sep 2004, 15:01

  • UK firm fined £30K for dodgy software

    Car repairer lacks licenses...

    The Business Software Alliance has extracted £30,000 from Nationwide Accident Repairs Services Plc in an out of court settlement over the firm's lack of correct software licenses. The BSA received an anonymous tip-off via its website before starting the investigation. The firm was actually carrying out an audit when the …

    Applications 28 Sep 2004, 15:02

  • 10.48pm is best time to pull women: official

    XXX insights from mobile Q&A outfit

    The whole of the UK has apparently been abuzz this week about AQA - the "any question answered" SMS service which delivers solutions to complex queries straight to your mobe. Yup, for a quid a pop you too can put your mind to rest about such matters as "Whats better for me - a banana or a bowl of broccoli?" or "What is an …

    Mobile 28 Sep 2004, 15:09

  • Amazon, Microsoft set legal dogs on phishers, spammers

    See you in court, chummy

    Amazon and Microsoft have launched a new anti-spam offensive - filing several lawsuits against organisations they allege have spoofed the Amazon.com domain name in spamming and phishing operations. "Since August 2003, Amazon.com has received tens of thousands of emails from customers, alerting us to potentially fraudulent email …

    Spam 28 Sep 2004, 15:16

  • Sony Vaio Pocket VGF-AP1L digital music player

    Reg review Does colour screen + touch-sensitive control pad = iPod killer?

    You have to hand it to Sony. Having allowed Apple's iPod to take the lead in the hard drive-based portable digital music player market, the Japanese consumer electronics giant is battling hard to win it back. It's not pinning its hopes to one product but several. August saw the release of the NW-HD1 Network Walkman, and in …

    Reviews 28 Sep 2004, 15:40

  • GE Access changes name

    Image makeover

    General Electric's marketing bods have left no stone unturned in their search for "a new branding architecture". The upshot so far as GE Access, its Sun Micro distribution business, is concerned is a tweaked name. GE Access is now to be called "Access Distribution, a General Electric Company". Not a big change, so why the …

    Channel Register 28 Sep 2004, 16:01

  • Cost cuts bear fruit for Northamber

    Profits up

    Northamber has turned in a healthy profit on the back of two years of cost trimming. The pan-UK distie expresses confidence for this year too, pointing to increased market share for its franchises, as well as better market conditions. For the full year to 30 June 2004, The company produced a pre-tax profit of £2.2m (FY 2003: £ …

    Channel Register 28 Sep 2004, 16:29

  • Get ready for biometrics at work

    It's coming soon, IT directors says

    IT directors across Europe are bracing themselves for the introduction of biometric technology in the office. An Hitachi Data Systems' survey found that 65 per cent expect to see iris scanning and fingerprint recognition systems introduced in the near future. Nearly half, 44 per cent anticipating the technology being implemented …

    IT Director 28 Sep 2004, 16:43

  • Lexar device puts passwords at your fingertips

    Get friendly and secure with your USB port

    The days of being forced to remember tens of password for various web sites and accounts may soon be behind us thanks to a new USB flash drive from Lexar Media that comes equipped with a biometric fingerprint sensor. The JumpDrive TouchGuard handles all the basic functions of a flash drive - most notably storing up to 256MB of …

    ID 28 Sep 2004, 16:48

  • Dell jumps on UK recycling bandwagon

    Retirement planning

    Dell UK is helping business to recycle their IT equipment. The service is a response to the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation, which is to be introduced in 2005. The legislation comes into effect on 13 August 2005 and makes it illegal to inappropriately dispose of IT equipment while ignoring …

    System Builder 28 Sep 2004, 17:02

  • The CD is king

    But you knew that already

    Sales of downloaded digital music in Europe will continue to grow steadily in the next five years, but will not replace the CD anytime soon. That's according to a report by Jupiter Research called "European Digital Music: Identifying Opportunity," which predicts that digital music revenue will reach €836m, or eight per cent of …

    Financial News 28 Sep 2004, 17:17

  • RIAA hunts for Leader of the Pack

    Claim your royalties - or we'll keep them

    Tens of thousands of performers have failed to claim their digital dues from the Recording Industry Ass. Of America's royalties agency, SoundExchange. If they don't get in touch by the end of the year, SoundExchange will keep the royalties that were owed to them between 1996 and 2000. SoundExchange was set up to bring the US …

    Financial News 28 Sep 2004, 17:19

  • Memo to Carly - HP customers need help!

    Letters I ordered ProLiant servers, but all I got was this lousy fan

    Last week, HP's Carly Fiorina moved to calm customer fears about product shipments. She promised a crowd of investors that HP's broken supply chain was all fixed. At the time, we asked the dear Register flock if this was indeed the case. The overwhelming response? Hell, no! (Identities withheld to protect the innocent.) We …

    Letters 28 Sep 2004, 18:03

  • Motorola sends 1,000 drones packing

    'Goodbye, Moto!'

    Motorola plans to axe 1,000 workers across a number of business units, hoping to reduce costs as it refocuses on its wireless business. Staffers from the commercial, government, industrial solutions, broadband communications and integrated electronics units will all be let go, resulting in $50m of severance charges. Other cuts …

    IT Director 28 Sep 2004, 22:19

  • Red Hat hates money, which makes it better than Sun

    Letters Reg shill disgusts free software fans

    The reaction to our story on the failings of Red Hat's Michael Tiemann's blog attack against Sun's President Jonathan Schwartz was as to be expected. In one corner, Linux zealots called us out for being Sun shills and the evil oppressors of all that is good - namely Richard Stallman. Across the ring, a new flock of Red Hat …

    Letters 28 Sep 2004, 22:51