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22nd June 2005 Archive

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  • IC pioneer Jack Kilby dies

    The chip started here

    Jack Kilby, who invented the integrated circuit, has died aged 81. Kilby was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2000 for his achievement. Kilby designed the first IC over the summer of 1958 at Texas Instruments while most of the company was on vacation, and it was first demonstrated on September 12, and unveiled to the …

    Science 22 Jun 2005, 01:27

  • Apple axes single-CPU PowerMac

    Faster obsolescence

    Apple has confirmed that it's dropping the only single-CPU model in its PowerMac G5 range, the 1.8Ghz model. The Apple Store now showcases three dual-CPU Macs with the Dual 2Ghz model starting at $1,999. AppleInsider correctly predicted the move last week. When the PowerMac G5 was introduced in the summer of 2003, Apple priced …

    Mac Channel 22 Jun 2005, 01:30

  • EMC slices and dices Centera into 'virtual pools'

    More app friendly

    Hoping to advance its technology lead over rushing rivals, EMC this week rolled out a series of software updates for its Centera system that help customers get more out of the box. EMC has delivered the most notable Centera additions by releasing Version 3.0 of the CentraStar operating system. This release brings "virtual pool …

    Storage 22 Jun 2005, 02:23

  • Bright future for Europe's MVNOs

    Wanna play piggyback?

    The future looks bright for mobile virtual network operators in Europe, with subscriber numbers in for a boom. That's according to the latest report from IDC - "Opportunities for MVNOs in Western Europe". The research firm expects subscribers to MVNO services to sharply increase over the next few years, jumping from 13 million …

    Mobile 22 Jun 2005, 06:01

  • ODPM to withdraw from eGovernment policy

    New group to take over

    The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is "deliberately planning" to withdraw from setting the local eGovernment agenda. A new 'e-Government Regional Partnership Group' is due to take over the ODPM's responsibilities in this area from March 2006. Under the current plans, there will be nobody at the ODPM to continue the role …

    Policy 22 Jun 2005, 06:01

  • Oracle looks forward to SMB

    Quocirca's changing channels Will Microsoft get there first?

    Oracle’s move into the applications market over the last few years has left it with conflicting strategies for driving its two main areas of business; IT infrastructure software and applications software. This conflict is at its most acute in the small and medium business (SMB) market. Oracle would like better traction in the …

    Small Biz 22 Jun 2005, 06:01

  • Disney boffins discover Advertising food group

    Kids urged to eat 3 decals daily

    It's the kind of question we all face at one time or another. Is my child getting enough advertising in his daily diet? Thankfully, some of the smartest minds around have dedicated their lives to answering that essential query. Walt Disney's famed research and development team has developed edible decals that can be wrapped …

    Bootnotes 22 Jun 2005, 08:30

  • Dixons preps corporate makeover

    Can't mask that revs up, profits down, though

    Dixons - the UK high street electrical retailer - is to change its name as part of a corporate makeover. Now that the company operates in 13 European countries, is eyeing further expansion and has a string of different brands including PC World, Elkjop and Kotsovolos, it seems calling the firm "Dixons Group plc" is "no longer …

    Financial News 22 Jun 2005, 08:37

  • IBM and Intel punish supercomputing rivals

    BlueGene turns Top500 blue

    The latest list of the fastest supercomputers on the planet has arrived and delivered unusually controversial results. At first glance, IBM and Intel come out as the big winners on the June list of the Top 500 systems unveiled today in Germany. IBM's incredible success, however, raises some questions about just how effective …

    Servers 22 Jun 2005, 09:01

  • Yahoo! shuts door on dodgy chatrooms

    Lack of moderation

    Yahoo! has pulled the plug on user-created chat rooms in the US with apparent child sex content after major advertisers withdrew their ads. The change of heart came after an exposé by a Houston TV station which revealed Yahoo! was hosting chat rooms with titles including Girls 13 And Under for Older Guys and 9-17-Year Olds …

    Media 22 Jun 2005, 09:17

  • EDS tax fiasco hit with two barrels

    Two reports slam supplier

    Two reports from the Parliamentary Ombudsman and Citizens Advice reveal the awful impact of EDS's attempt to provide an IT system for paying poor families tax credit. Nearly two million people were overpaid a total of £2bn. On averge families were overpaid by £1,000 - money the Revenue then tried to get back pushing them into …

    Management 22 Jun 2005, 09:44

  • Scientists spot signal from solar-sail craft

    Orbital lost and found

    Cosmos 1, the experimental, solar sail-powered spacecraft launched yesterday from a Russian submarine, has gone missing. Although faint signals detected by tracking stations seem to suggest that the craft is alive and well, mission scientists don't seem to be able to find it in orbit. The mission has been jointly funded by a TV …

    Science 22 Jun 2005, 10:13

  • New Linux kernel released

    Git causes some delay

    Linus Torvalds has released the latest version, 2.6.12, of the Linux kernel. There was a slight delay caused by the retirement of Bitkeeper - the system used to keep track of code changes. Torvalds created Git as its replacement. The updated kernel includes support for Trusted Platform Modules and changes to several drivers. …

    Software 22 Jun 2005, 10:51

  • MS axes Unix anti-virus sales after bagging Sybari

    Antigen for Linux brings Redmond out in hives

    Microsoft wasted no time after tying up the acquisition of email security firm Sybari Software on Wednesday before axing sales of the latter's line of anti-virus products for Unix and Linux servers. Post acquisition, Syabri becomes a Microsoft subsidiary focusing on marketing anti-virus and anti-spam protection for Microsoft …

    Security 22 Jun 2005, 10:58

  • Google boss confirms payment plan

    Not aimed at PayPal

    After rumours earlier this week that the search giant was going after PayPal's personal payment service Google's chief executive has confirmed that the firm is looking at online payments but it would not be competing directly with PayPal. PayPal parent eBay saw its share price dip sharply on rumours that Google was waiting in …

    Financial News 22 Jun 2005, 11:30

  • Spitfire flies with Easynet

    Crikey, the pun machine is working really well today

    London-based Spitfire - which provides telecoms services to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) - has become the latest ISP to sign up to Easynet's wholesale broadband service LLUStream. Launched in December, LLUStream provides a wholesale broadband service for telcos and ISPs who don't want to hook up to BT. Using its …

    Broadband 22 Jun 2005, 12:22

  • Samsung files SMS recall patent

    Ooops

    Samsung has patented a method to allow users the recall an SMS message. The approach offers an opportunity to delete embarrassing texts providing recipients haven't already read a message, so chastened texters would need to act quickly. The technology involves development of a phone that can send a "delete request" message to …

    Mobile 22 Jun 2005, 12:26

  • China won't protect IP until it gets its own IT

    Comment Fortune cookie

    This comment from a recent edition of Fortune magazine probably summarises the basic proposition underlying progress of IP protection in China. How will China acquire its own IP? How long will this take? Since the early 1990s China has been an alluring consumer market. Initially products and, subsequently, services have been …

    Management 22 Jun 2005, 12:48

  • Outsourcing and the digital divide at CTF 2005

    Reader offer And you can win tickets

    The Commonwealth Technology Forum 2005 will be held in London in early July, just after the conclusion of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles. The Forum will see many of the big names in technology, from government, academia and industry come together to consider issues of IT outsourcing, technology innovation in Europe and how ICT ( …

    Policy 22 Jun 2005, 12:51

  • Epson R-D1 digital Rangefinder

    Review Expensive but unique

    Nothing can quite prepare you for the experience of using the R-D1, a digital camera with a distinctly 'film' feel. The R-D1 uses a combination of full manual controls gleaned from the camera's adapted Cosina/Voigtlander 'Bessa' film rangefinder body, spiced up with Epson co-developed digital elements that create a unique camera …

    Reviews 22 Jun 2005, 12:53

  • Ofcom update on Telecoms Review due tomorrow

    Important stuff

    Ofcom is to publish an update on its mammoth Strategic Review of Telecommunications tomorrow in a move which could end months of speculation about the future of the UK's telecoms industry. At stake is whether BT has done enough to convince the regulator that it is prepared to open up its network to genuine competition. Failure …

    Broadband 22 Jun 2005, 13:48

  • Reg hack triumphs on Rockall

    Success for North Atlantic charity adventure

    We have just received via carrier guillemot the tremendous news that our very own Lester Haines last week succeeded in his attempt to conquer Rockall - the world's remotest islet - in aid of charity. Details of the historic event are available on UK satire website The Rockall Times, and we are delighted to reprint here a couple …

    Site News 22 Jun 2005, 13:55

  • Compensation for pyramid scheme victims

    Get Rich (not quick)!

    Over 25,000 UK victims of an illegal international pyramid scheme could receive compensation from a $20m US redress scheme, set up to compensate victims of a fraudulent firm called Skybiz. Oklahoma-based Skybiz operated between 1998 and 2001, ostensibly selling a work-at-home business scheme in which consumers were asked to buy …

    Media 22 Jun 2005, 14:06

  • US servers for TheRegister.com

    Site News Faster! Faster!

    Readers who access the site through TheRegister.com may have noticed page access times getting faster recently. We have installed two new servers at Rackspace in Dallas – our first on US soil - to resolve intermittent latency issues experienced by many North American readers. TheRegister.com currently accounts for around 13 …

    Site News 22 Jun 2005, 14:36

  • PartyGaming sticks on price

    Place your bets now

    Online poker site PartyGaming looks like it has convinced the City that pricing for next week's IPO is reasonable, despite worries about US lawmakers spoiling the fun. PartyGaming is the largest poker site and is floating on the London Stock Exchange next week. Someone "close to the company" told the FT yesterday that the firm …

    Financial News 22 Jun 2005, 14:46

  • Ofcom's Telecoms Review 'sewn up by the big boys'

    Fears raised over future of small ISPs

    Small ISPs could lose out as part of a new regulatory settlement between Ofcom and BT to be announced tomorrow. Few people in the industry expect Ofcom to take the nuclear option and launch a full-scale Enterprise Act investigation that could lead to the eventual break-up of BT following tomorrow's update on the Strategic …

    Broadband 22 Jun 2005, 15:17

  • US firms grapple with workplace IT abuse

    Smut survey

    Half the US firms polled in a survey have experienced at least one incident of discovering illicit images in the workplace over the last year*. Of those organisations that pursued an investigation, some 44 per cent resulted in the employee's removal from the company. In 41 per cent of cases the firm took some other disciplinary …

    Security 22 Jun 2005, 15:31

  • Firefox users turned away from 10% of top UK sites

    D'oh

    Despite the increasing use of non-Internet Explorer web browsers, such as Opera or Firefox, one in ten UK websites still fails to provide proper access to anyone not using Microsoft's default offering, a study has found. Web-testing firm SciVisum looked at 100 high profile UK sites, including Jobcentreplus.gov.uk, and the Odeon …

    Applications 22 Jun 2005, 15:40

  • IBM to double down on Power workhorse by year end

    Slower chips but more of 'em

    Fresh off a stunning supercomputing showing, IBM has announced plans to upgrade one of its highest performing systems - the p5 575 server - by year end. The p5 575 currently ships with eight Power5 chips running at 1.9GHz. While the Power5 is a dual-core processor, IBM has turned off one core on each chip. In the fourth quarter …

    Servers 22 Jun 2005, 15:54

  • California aims to close loophole in state ID theft law

    Bring us another bucket of cement

    Californian legislators have backed a bill that tightens up the state's existing laws about the disclosure of security breaches involving consumer data. The California Assembly's judiciary committee voted 6-3 on Tuesday for a bill that would mean firms have to tell consumers if paper records or a back-up tape containing personal …

    Security 22 Jun 2005, 16:42

  • Norway mobile service floored - report

    Human error to blame rather than rats

    Some 200,000 punters in Norway were unable to use their mobile phones today after "human error" caused their service to go titsup. The outage happened at Norway's second largest mobilephoneco - NetCom - and lasted several hours. Human error was blamed for the incident, reports AP, after work was done at an Oslo exchange. …

    Mobile 22 Jun 2005, 16:46

  • Legal watchdog investigates Dell sweeteners

    Incensed over incentives

    A legal watchdog in North Carolina is challenging the state's corporate welfare sweeteners worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Dell. The North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law (NCICL) pledged to file a lawsuit against the computer maker and will hold a press conference tomorrow "to discuss litigation challenging …

    Financial News 22 Jun 2005, 17:47