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25th January 2005 Archive

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  • CA ups reseller bonuses

    Tweaks dealer programme

    Computer Associates is improving Enterprise Solution Provider - the deal it offers resellers who flog its software. There is improved sales and technical training organised in seven sections corresponding to CA's product divisions: network and systems management; identity and access management; security information management; …

    Channel Register 25 Jan 2005, 09:23

  • Netsuite chases salesforce customers

    It's a CRM slugfest out there...

    Netsuite is offering salesforce.com customers a 50 per cent discount. Anyone considering salesforce.com's salesforce automation application for the first time can get Netsuite CRM applications instead for just half the price. Netsuite will guarantee to beat any subscription estimate from salesforce by at least 50 per cent. For …

    Applications 25 Jan 2005, 09:26

  • UK firms tempted with free broadband

    Always a catch

    Technology Telecom, the Glasgow-based business telco, is giving broadband away for free. The catch (c'mon now, you know there's always a catch) is that businesses must spend more than £350 a month on their landlines and sign up to Technology Telecom's phone service. Like many other companies in the sector, Technology Telecom is …

    Small Biz 25 Jan 2005, 09:29

  • Tough local laws drive corporate security

    Deliver us from lawsuits

    Cautious corporations are applying the most restrictive local and national laws globally to ensure they obey compliance regulations. Michael Colao, director of information management at merchant bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, says this has little to do with bolstering information security and everything to do with ensuring …

    IT Director 25 Jan 2005, 09:37

  • Londoners top world in leaving laptops in taxis

    Mister, you've left your hamster in my cab

    Thousands of valuable mobile phones, PDAs and laptops are forgotten in taxis every day, according to a survey out today. The international survey of 900 taxi drivers reveals that absent minded passengers are leaving sensitive information up for grabs because they fail to use password and encryption facilities on mobile devices …

    Mobile 25 Jan 2005, 09:42

  • IBM admits to low-end Linux on Power assault

    Decides server really is on sale

    IBM has obediently announced a new Linux-only Power server just a couple of days after El Reg outed the kit. IBM on Monday revealed that the OpenPower 710 will go on sale on Feb. 18 equipped with 1.65GHz Power5 chips. The two-processor box fits in below the four-processor OpenPower 720 released in September of last year. Both …

    Servers 25 Jan 2005, 09:43

  • Brocade makes income and CEO disappear

    Bad day

    Brocade hit customers and investors with a grand twofer on Tuesday, saying it will have to cut previously reported net income and that it has changed CEOs. Earlier this month, Brocade announced that an internal audit had revealed some accounting mistakes with regard to stock-based employee compensation. As a result, Brocade …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 09:46

  • Teen 'angel' arrested for £20k web fraud

    Pesky kids

    A teenage boy described as "an angel" by his grandmother has been arrested and bailed amid allegations that he netted £20,000 flogging non-existent gear from his website. The l4 year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly ran an ecommerce operation from his bedroom at his gran's house. He offered cheap plasma TVs …

    Music and Media 25 Jan 2005, 09:48

  • Unis free to rummage through century of physics research

    IoP opens archive

    Universities are to get free access to the Institute of Physics' digital journal-archives, a collection of scientific research spanning more than 100 years of publishing. The archive holds more than 110,000 articles and 1.5m pages of physics research including papers by Sir John Fleming, Sir Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr, Lord …

    Science 25 Jan 2005, 09:58

  • Maxtor cans notebook HDD project

    Up to $16m to cover cost of cancellation

    Maxtor has abandoned plans to offer 2.5in hard drives - essentially turning its back on the growing notebook market - the HDD maker said yesterday The company's NYSE-traded shares fell 4.4 per cent to close at $4.36 on the news. The 2.5in drive family was to have shipped later this year. Killing the project will cost. Maxtor …

    Storage 25 Jan 2005, 10:30

  • Infineon sales slip - and will fall further

    Sturm und DRAM

    Memory maker Infineon saw earnings rocket during the first quarter of FY2005 despite modest sales gains. Revenue for the three months to 31 December 2004 totalled €1.82bn ($2.4bn), down on the previous quarter's $2.6bn but higher than the year-ago quarter's $2.1bn. Infineon blamed the sequential decline, which affected all of …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 11:01

  • Cingular posts Q4 loss

    Integration costs...

    US mobile network Cingular lost of $497m on revenues of $7.1bn for the fourth quarter of 2004 ended 31 December. The figures include cash from AT&T Wireless, which was acquired during the quarter. Average revenue per user was down slightly at $49.22 - down 5.8 per cent on the same period a year ago. The firm blamed lower-priced …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 11:18

  • Gates pledges $750m for child vaccines

    Calls for governments to give more

    The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $750m to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization which protects children in the developing world from preventable diseases. The government of Norway is putting $290m in the pot and Gates is calling on other donors to meet the funding gap. The World Health Organisation …

    Science 25 Jan 2005, 11:23

  • C&W bull(dog)ish about LLU

    Full commercial launch set for summer

    Cable & Wireless (C&W) is ramping up investment in local loop unbundling (LLU) and is preparing for a full commercial launch by the middle of the year. In a trading update today the UK telco reports that it had installed its kit in 68 telephone exchanges with another 317 in the pipeline, as of by the end of December. C&W's LLU …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 11:30

  • Tyan unveils nForce Pro mobos

    Latest generation of Nvidia chipsets

    Tyan today launched a pair of motherboards based on Nvidia's recently announced PCI Express-based nForce Pro 2200 and 2050 chipsets, both geared to workstation and server systems based on AMD's 64-bit processors. The workstation-oriented Tyan Thunder K8WE (S2985) family will ship in both 2050 and 2200-based versions, targeting …

    System Builder 25 Jan 2005, 11:35

  • Chinese manufacturers sue DVD patent pool

    Licence fees 'contrary to antitrust law'

    The company charged with licensing the intellectual property enshrined in the DVD standard has been accused of violating US antitrust laws by a pair of peeved player makers from China. Wuxi Multimedia and Orient Power (Wuxi) both claim that the 3C Patent Group's licensing regime limits their ability to compete effectively in …

    Storage 25 Jan 2005, 12:03

  • Konica Minolta DiMAGE Xg digicam

    Review The idea point'n'shooter?

    If you want a small, easily pocketed yet stylish digicam the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Xg might be the one for you. Opening the box and removing this little beauty for the first time makes a real impact. At 2cm thick and weighing in at only 120g, the Xg is remarkably small and swish. And betters the original DiMAGE X for sheer …

    Reviews 25 Jan 2005, 12:34

  • HomeChoice doubles broadband speeds

    Vroom etc.

    Video Networks is doubling speeds for its HomeChoice service up to a maximum of 4Mb at no extra cost. The broadband entertainment outfit sells video-on-demand (VOD), home phone and net access through digital TV, using local loop unbundling (LLU) to deliver the service. Video Networks has installed kit in BT exchanges and and is …

    Telecoms 25 Jan 2005, 12:44

  • IN-FUSIO buys US publisher

    Mobile gamer goes international

    IN FUSIO, which makes downloadable games for mobile phones, has bought US mobile games publisher Thumbworks. The ex-boss of Thumbworks Craig Holland will nhead US operations. As well as improving IN FUSIO's US profile the takeover will also accelerate development of new games. Gilles Raymond, joint-CEO of IN FUSIO, said: "The …

    Mobile 25 Jan 2005, 12:46

  • Aspect orientation - the next big thing?

    Site Offer Save 30% on thousands of IT guides

    Aspect orientation promises to be the next big wave in software engineering, following on the heels of the object-oriented paradigm. Proponents tout the value of aspect orientation in providing the ability to add extremely useful mechanisms such as security, logging, persistence, debugging, tracing, distribution, performance …

    Site News 25 Jan 2005, 12:55

  • Cisco patches VoIP vuln

    IoS update wards off hackers

    Cisco is advising users of its IP telephony to update their software following the discovery of a flaw that might allow hackers to mount denial of service attacks. The vulnerability affects versions of Cisco's core Internetwork Operating System (IOS) software configured for the Cisco IOS Telephony Service (ITS), Cisco …

    Enterprise Security 25 Jan 2005, 13:01

  • NEC 338 3G mobile phone

    Review 3G without the glitz?

    When 3G service 3 in the UK a couple of years ago, it was heralded as a huge step forward in mobile technology. However, the phones were bulky, unattractive, difficult to use and tended to have battery life that was shorter than the attention span of an MTV junkie, writes Benny Har-Even. As you might expect, handsets have got …

    Reviews 25 Jan 2005, 13:02

  • Seeking clarity on patents, EU policy, and Verizon

    Letters Plus, your theories about why Hubble is really being dropped

    This week, Poland stepped in, again, to stop the adoption without debate of the European Directive in computer implemented inventions. The question of what happens next is where things get tricky. The bill's opponents have called for lobbying to begin again in earnest, while its supporters have started wringing their hands about …

    Letters 25 Jan 2005, 13:04

  • UK net traffic registers Xmas spike

    Only 330-odd shopping days left 'till next Xmas

    The UK's etailers witnessed a massive spike in traffic in the run-up to Christmas registering yet another busy festive season. Xmas 2004 saw the strongest ever performance for the UK's etailers with online retailers experiencing a 23 per cent surge in traffic compared to the previous year, Hitwise, a compiler of website league …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 13:54

  • Samsung ships 256Mb XDR chips

    Rambus technology

    Samsung has begun mass production of 256Mb Rambus' XDR memory chips. The devices transfer data at eight bits per clock cycle yielding 8GBps, ten times faster than 400MHz DDR SDRAM. They also incorporate Rambus' Differential Rambus Signal Level (DRSL) technology, Samsung said. XDR, formerly codenamed 'Yellowstone', was …

    Consoles 25 Jan 2005, 13:59

  • AOL ditches newsgroups

    Lack of use

    AOL is pulling the plug on servers hosting newsgroups. AOL subscribers will no longer be able to access such groups directly but will have to go through Google. Subscribers who try to access newsgroups receive the following error message from AOL: "From early 2005, AOL members will no longer be able to use the Newsgroup service …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 14:20

  • Good touts mobile access to corporate databases

    Does for CRM, ERP etc. what GoodLink does for email

    Wireless enterprise data software provider Good Technology this week extended its GoodLink email and PIM client to other corporate applications. The new service, dubbed GoodAccess, provides real-time access to applications and data usually shielded by the firewall. The software optimises data-readout for any Palm, PocketPC and …

    Mobile 25 Jan 2005, 14:44

  • First MVNO hopeful throws hat into Irish ring

    Others waiting in the wings

    Irish telecoms company MinuteBuyer is the first firm to officially confirm its intention to become a virtual mobile operator in Ireland. Its decision comes days after the EC announced its backing for Irish regulator's ComReg's plan to force Vodafone and O2 to open their networks. MinuteBuyer wants to set up as a mobile virtual …

    Mobile 25 Jan 2005, 14:46

  • BellSouth Q4 disappoints

    Profits halved

    US telco Bellsouth brought in Q4 revenues of $5.15bn, in the last three months of 2004, up 0.8 percent on Q4 03, but profits took a tailspin to $496m (Q4 03:$836m). BellSouth blamed hurricane damage, "severance-related expenses" and changes to retirement healthcare schemes for the shortfall. It was also hit by merger costs …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 14:52

  • US hosting provider pulls down Iranian site

    Students get 48 hours to find a new server

    Lobby group Reporters without Borders is demanding to know why US web hosting firm the Planet decided to stop hosting the website of the Iranian Student's News Agency. The Planet gave ISNA 48 hours to get off its server and find a new home. The email said the decision was final and non-negotiable but gave no explanation. …

    Music and Media 25 Jan 2005, 15:07

  • Mini-Macs: it's a small world, after all

    Letters Taxed, maxed and out of control

    Resident Register Mac-head, Tony Smith, ran an opinion piece last week, in which he suggested that Apple might not, in fact, be trying its hardest to rip off its European fan base over the Mac Mini. Other factors than naked, rampant corporate greed could be at work, he mused, citing local sales taxes and import duties as …

    Letters 25 Jan 2005, 15:08

  • RIM rejects NTP patent win

    US IP remit doesn't extend to Canada

    Research in Motion (RIM) wants the US Court of Appeal to reconsider its argument that its Canadian location puts it beyond the reach of US-based patent infringement accuser NTP. Faced with a return to the District Court of Eastern Richmond, Virginia to have a new penalty imposed following the Court of Appeal's ruling that RIM …

    Mobile 25 Jan 2005, 15:25

  • Google hits the goggle box

    Uber-search includes TV programmes

    Google's march to world domination came another step closer today with a beta search engine allowing users to search through recent TV programmes. So now you won't even have to remember what you watched on telly last night - you can check on Google. The site, designed in line with Google's minimist style, searches through the …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 15:45

  • FBI chides Hotmail and Yahoo! for sidestepping UK laws

    'Why aren't ISPs required to comply with the laws of this country?'

    Poor controls and lax compliance with local laws by global hosting and webmail firms is hampering the fight against cybercrime, an FBI agent told a London conference yesterday. Ed Gibson, FBI special agent and assistant legal attache of the US Embassy in London, said international ISPs operating in the UK used their …

    Enterprise Security 25 Jan 2005, 16:39

  • EMC rides coders to banner Q4

    Hardware star

    With its many software acquisitions doing their part to pad the bottom line, EMC reported stunning fourth quarter revenue growth. EMC's results easily outpaced those of rival hardware companies. EMC posted revenue of $2.4bn in the fourth quarter - a 27 per cent rise over the $1.9bn posted in the same period last year. The …

    Financial News 25 Jan 2005, 16:41

  • Cybersex man jailed for two years

    Online child abuse case marks legal precedent

    A Scottish man has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to a "cybersex" session with a 13 year-old girl. Neil Ross, 31, of Dennistoun in Glasgow, will also be placed on the sex offenders' register following his conviction of lewd and libidinous behaviour. The father of two was sentenced under "extended sentencing" …

    Music and Media 25 Jan 2005, 17:47

  • Computacenter flees Austria

    Disposal

    Computacenter is to sell its lossmaking Austrian subsidiary for an undisclosed sum. Computacenter Austria employs 220 people, turns over around £50m a year and had a net asset value of €2.7m as of December 2003. Computacenter says the disposal is not material to the group or to its German operations. The buyer, S&T System …

    Channel Register 25 Jan 2005, 20:26

  • Net cheers IBM's rejection of Solaris x86

    Column Executive blog is full of meme

    Why doesn't every major executive have a blog? The medium seems to serve as a way to say just about anything and have the message picked up by the media. Take Sun Microsystems President Jonathan Schwartz's blog as an example. He currently sits at the top of the brass-blogging food chain and is taking pleasure from abusing …

    Hardware 25 Jan 2005, 20:35

  • Apple cuts Mac mini memory upgrade prices

    Now $100 cheaper

    Apple has slashed the price of upgrade options for its just-launched budget Mac, hoping to turn curiosity into sales. The price of a 1GB Mac Mini has been cut by $100 to $325 on Apple's online store. The price of the combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth upgrade has also been cut, from $129 to $99. The 512MB option remains the same at $ …

    Mac Channel 25 Jan 2005, 21:08