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2nd August 2005 Archive

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  • Novell moves for sudden death in SCO case

    Copyright KO?

    Novell has bustled a request for judgement in front of the Utah Judge responsible for hearing its defense against SCO's copyright suit. It puts the controversial question of who owns the Unix copyrights foursquare, and is well armed enough, it hopes, to deliver a knock out blow. SCO bought Unix and UnixWare in 1995 for $100m, …

    Operating Systems 2 Aug 2005, 09:21

  • UK IT workers in demand

    Job vacancies continue to grow

    Demand for IT workers in the UK continues to rise according to the latest figures from recruitment outfit CWJobs.co.uk. The number of permanent jobs on offer between March and June (Q2) rose 2.5 per cent compared to the previous three months although this rate of growth has slowed since last year. IT contractors are also in …

    IT Director 2 Aug 2005, 09:33

  • World chip sales slide

    Industry looks to better H2

    Global chip sales slipped again in June, falling half a percentage point sequentially to $18bn, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said last night. That's the same rate of descent seen in May. Then, though, sales were up four per cent year on year - in June they were up just 0.8 per cent over June 2004's total. Second …

    Financial News 2 Aug 2005, 09:37

  • Intel cans XScale line

    PXA26x series scheduled for termination

    Intel has formally announced the death of the PXA26x series of ARM-based XScale chips for PDAs, according to company documents seen by The Register. PXA26x parts were the de facto standard for Pocket PC devices until the chip giant began shipping the more advanced PXA27x family, aka 'Bulverde', just over a year ago. Since then …

    Mobile 2 Aug 2005, 09:44

  • Space-walk no. 3 to fix Shuttle

    Something of a first

    Astronauts on board the Shuttle Discovery are preparing for a third space walk, during which they will try to make unprecedented repairs to the underside of the craft. Two so-called "gap filler" strips are sticking out of the space-plane's belly, in between heat-shield tiles. NASA is worried that this could cause significant …

    Science 2 Aug 2005, 09:53

  • AMD Q2 market share slips

    Big Xbox chip order to blame, apparently

    AMD lost market share to its arch-rival, Intel, during Q2 - despite big gains in its share of the server arena. To put it in perspective, AMD lost less than a single percentage point of market share during Q2, according to Mercury Research numbers cited by e-week.com. Intel's share rose 0.7 per cent; AMD's declined 0.7 per …

    PCs 2 Aug 2005, 09:58

  • Elpida samples 4GB FB-DIMMs

    Next-gen memory for servers

    Elpida has begun sampling 4GB fully-buffered memory modules, a preface to volume production later in the year, the company said today. The FB-DIMM is pitched at servers, and is based on technology developed by Intel but offered as an open standard. Instead of the usual parallel memory channel bus, in which every DIMM can be ' …

    Servers 2 Aug 2005, 10:03

  • BT axes 250 IT contractors

    Denies jobs being exported overseas

    BT has axed 250 IT contractors as part of a plan to shift jobs in-house. Hundreds of shocked workers - the majority of whom are from BT's IT division based at Adastral Park near Ipswich - have been given a month's notice to pack their bags. Insiders told The Register that the job cuts came out of the blue and that the work …

    IT Director 2 Aug 2005, 10:06

  • Infrared exploits open the door to hotel hacking

    Free smut - do not disturb

    Insecure hotel infra-red systems create a means for hackers to read other guest's emails, watch porno films for free and put false charges onto other guest's accounts. Adam Laurie, technical director at secure hosting outfit The Bunker, was able to demonstrate the attacks to Wired prior to giving a talk on the vulnerabilities at …

    Enterprise Security 2 Aug 2005, 10:34

  • UK music biz sues five 'illegal file-sharers'

    P2Pers who refused to cough up a settlement

    UK music trade organisation the BPI yesterday filed lawsuits against five alleged file-sharers, the first of their kind in this country. The BPI alleges the five separately offered a total of 8,906 songs available around the world via P2P networks. None of the five - three men and two women - had permission to do so, the …

    Music and Media 2 Aug 2005, 11:15

  • WestCoast buckles up Orion deal

    Consummated

    WestCoast Ltd has strengthened its hand in the UK printer market with the takeover of consumables distributor Orion Media Marketing WestCoast has long been a dominant player in the UK’s HP printing channel. Orion’s supplier relationships include HP, as well as Lexmark, Sony, Canon, Imation and Epson, and was described by …

    Channel Register 2 Aug 2005, 11:52

  • China's pig disease baffles health experts

    Human-to-human transmission mooted

    A pig-borne disease that has killed 36 people and infected 198 in China may be spreading from human to human, according to some scientists, while others suggest an entirely different disease is to blame. The Chinese government, which has just delivered the first shipment of pig-vaccines to the affected area, says no evidence of …

    Science 2 Aug 2005, 12:01

  • Private signs XXX mobile content deal

    Porn on the move

    Private Media Group - the Barcelona-based adult entertainment outfit - plans to offer smut to more than 220m mobile users across Europe. As part of the content deal with Munich-based MindMatics, Private is looking to make XXX material available to punters in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and …

    Mobile 2 Aug 2005, 12:05

  • Linux Bluetooth hackers hijack car audio

    'Snoopy here: go faster, you plonker'

    Linux hackers have demonstrated a way to inject or record audio signals from passing cars running insecure Bluetooth hands-free units. The Trifinite group showed how hackers could eavesdrop on passing motorists using a directional antenna and a Linux Laptop running a tool it has developed called Car Whisperer. The software was …

    Mobile 2 Aug 2005, 13:21

  • Fujifilm FinePix Z1

    Review Slim, sexy, yes - but is it any good?

    The Z1 features the same CCD technology found in the FinePix F10 - SuperCCD HR technology - providing 5.1 megapixel resolution in an extremely svelte package. The camera is so thin because it incorporates a lens with folded optics that enable a non-extending 3x optical zoom lens to be crammed within its body; it's similar to the …

    Reviews 2 Aug 2005, 13:34

  • BOFH 2005: All you can eat

    36 courses of meaty goodness

    Where the hell have you been? Episode 1 Uh... Holiday? Hooking the IT vending piranha Episode 2 Class A business practice Driller Killer Episode 3 X-rated data cabling shocker When desk lamps attack Episode 4 Defending admin rights The BOFH guide to equal opportunities Episode 5 Affirmitive action Danger, Falling …

    BOFH 2 Aug 2005, 14:23

  • Exploit writers team up to target Cisco routers

    Not taken down

    LAS VEGAS In a room at the Alexis Park Hotel, a nightmare scenario for Cisco has begun to unfold. It's Saturday night, a time for blowout parties at the annual DEF CON hacker convention, including the Goth-flavored Black and White Ball. But a half dozen researchers in the nondescript room quietly drink, stare at the screens of …

    Enterprise Security 2 Aug 2005, 14:26

  • Logicalis snuggles up to HP with Hawke deal

    Storage-tastic

    Logicalis Group is continuing its growth-by-acquisition strategy, with the purchase of Berkshire-based Hawke Systems for an undisclosed sum. The infrastructure reseller says the addition of 3i-backed, privately-held Hawke's £15m annual revenues to its books will take its own UK revenues to over £100m. Ian Cook, CEO of Logicalis …

    Storage 2 Aug 2005, 14:39

  • Wanadoo UK kicks off Leeds LLU trial

    Said it would

    Wanadoo UK is about to begin a month-long trial in Leeds for its own broadband service. Some 500 net users linked to three exchanges will be uncoupled from BT's network and wired up to Wanadoo's service as part of its local loop unbundling (LLU) plans. The ISP declined to reveal too many details about the trial insisting that …

    Telecoms 2 Aug 2005, 14:42

  • Apple hauls mouse technology into 1990s

    Three-buttoned beastie unleashed

    If you thought Apple's decision to adopt Intel processors was a sign of a seismic shift at the Mac maker, today's announcement of a new mouse will really rattle the continents: it's got more than one button. Yes, while the rest of the computing world has long since adopted mice with at least two buttons and a scroll wheel, …

    Mac Channel 2 Aug 2005, 15:21

  • IBM takes D-W-L for undisclosed sum

    Wheel of acquisition

    IBM has purchased data hub specialist DWL for an undisclosed sum, adding yet another niche software maker to the giant's middleware portfolio. As far as start-ups go, DWL is relatively mature, having been in business since 1996 and selling a fifth-generation of DWL Customer. Such experience has the firm making bold statements. …

    Software 2 Aug 2005, 15:26

  • Spear phishers launch targeted attacks

    Criminals oust mischief makers as malware goes mafia

    Customised malware attacks are becoming more commonplace with virus-laden emails up 50 per cent in the first half of 2005 despite a decrease in volumes of spam and simple computer viruses, according to an IBM security report. The industry giant said that targeted attacks against specific organisations and industries - apparently …

    Security 2 Aug 2005, 15:56

  • Gross-out headlines, spurious sci-fi and hotel smut

    Letters Plus MOD agency clarifies position of wind farms

    Let's get business out of the way first. Regular readers might remember that a couple of weeks ago we ran a short piece on reports that the MOD is freeing up land for wind farms. Here follows a clarification of the situation from Julian Chafer from Defence Estates, the part of the MOD responsible for managing its land: …

    Letters 2 Aug 2005, 16:05

  • Bank on us Oracle tells I-flex customers

    IBM still welcome

    Oracle has promised "business as usual" for hundreds of banks and financial institutions running software from I-flex Solutions, by pledging continued support for IBM after Oracle decided to take a majority stake in the IBM partner. Oracle announced it was buying a chunk of the banking software specialist I-flex on Tuesday, in …

    Applications 2 Aug 2005, 19:03

  • Novell axes European staff

    In Brief Pay now, save later

    Novell has discovered a hundred or so workers it can do without in Europe, as the software maker tries to save money. Novell today revealed that it has the all clear to fire between 120 to 150 employees throughout its EMEA operations. It will take a charge between $10m and $12m for the move. "These costs, which consist …

    IT Director 2 Aug 2005, 19:41

  • Black Duck and Palamida plug-in to Eclipse

    Know your code

    Software licensing specialists Palamida and Black Duck Software are bringing IP compliance to application development tools built using the open source Eclipse framework. Palamida announced Tuesday plans for a plug-in to Eclipse for its IP Amplifier product, which consists of a compliance library and detector used to identify …

    Developer 2 Aug 2005, 21:03

  • Quantum makes tape cheap and easy on the little guy

    In Brief Backup Exec bundle

    Quantum this week put out its latest easy-to-use tape storage system - the SuperLoader 3 - with support for numerous drive types and up to 5TB of capacity. The SuperLoader 3 is aimed at small- to medium-sized customers who don't want to fiddle too much with their tape backups. The system handles much of the backup and recovery …

    Storage 2 Aug 2005, 22:08