7th April 2006 Archive

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Salesforce cheers one-month of uptime with outage

We're so grea . . . aw crap

One day you're a company touting an ultra-reliable service. The next day you're apologizing for launching a denial of service attack against your own customers. Such is life for Salesforce.com. On Wednesday, Salesforce issued a statement saying, it "has delivered 99.999% planned uptime and availability on its service to its …

Applications 7 Apr 2006, 00:52
Sony schedules DVD/HDD recorder re-vamp

Five new models in the pipeline

Sony this week unveiled a raft of DVD writers with built-in hard disk storage, two of which will also feature GemStar Guide Plus+ electronic programme guide (EPG). The five new models sport hard drives of between 80GB and 250GB unformatted storage capacity and DVD±R/RW drives with dual-layer support. The RDR-HX920, RDR-HX720 …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 08:44
Liteon to ship slotload DVD writer

External drive for notebooks

Liteon will this month ship an external DVD writer that uses a slot-load mechanism rather than the more commonplace drawer system. The company is pitching the product at notebook users, though its slimline styling should appeal to desktop users too. The SLW-831SX can handle DVD±R/RW media and has dual-layer disc support. …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 09:03
Watchdog rules in favour of 'greediest man in Britain'

Says we can expect privacy at home, not photographers

Publishing a photo of a man in his own home without his consent was a breach of his privacy, according to a ruling from the Press Complaints Commission today. The photo was included in a Sunday Mercury article on "the greediest man in Britain". West Bromwich resident Christopher Bourne had complained to the press watchdog over …

Music and Media 7 Apr 2006, 09:25
Firm pitches $2,800 64GB USB Flash disk

Feeling flush?

US-based storage specialist Kanguru has launched the product for Flash disk fans who are unhappy with the weenie capacity most USB drives offer: a memory key with a whopping 64GB of storage capacity. The downside? It'll cost you rather more than your computer probably did. Yes, the Kanguru Flash Drive Max can be yours for a …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 09:29
Sky mulls 'free broadband' - report

Broadband giveaway? Getaway...

Sky has become the latest outfit to be linked with a move to provide cheap or "free" broadband, according to the Guardian. The satellite TV outfit will cut the ribbon on its broadband access service later this year following its £211m acquisition of ISP Easynet. With a phone and broadband service bolted on to its existing TV …

Telecoms 7 Apr 2006, 09:32
Villa bet on 32Red for new sponsorship deal

Double or quits?

32Red, the Gibraltar-based AIM-listed online casino and poker operator, has signed a seven figure sponsorship deal with Aston Villa. The two-year deal, beginning next season, will see the 32Red logo plastered on the footy club's shirts. 32Red chief exec Ed Ware said the deal would give the online gaming outfit national TV and …

Financial News 7 Apr 2006, 09:33
Devil rabbit terrorises village

'We are dealing with a monster', admits shaken local

Pity if you will the poor burghers of the Northumberland village of Felton - living as they are under a palpable pall of fear provoked by the attentions of a monstrous, allotment-menacing devil rabbit. That's according to the Times, which reports that the "Beast of Felton" - a deer-sized, black and brown creature with " …

Bootnotes 7 Apr 2006, 09:36
Police bust UK's largest 'DVD piracy' factory

Five held for questioning

Police and trading standards officers in London made five arrests on Wednesday after raiding the largest pirate DVD manufacturing facility ever uncovered in the UK. The premises in Leyton, east London, contained over 500 individual DVD burners capable of producing over 60,000 pirate DVDs per day. Officers from the Metropolitan …

Music and Media 7 Apr 2006, 09:40
Air pollution will kill you eight months early

Cheerful Defra report

Here's some bad news for those of you hoping to escape the forthcoming bird flu apocalypse which will, according to the usual cheerful prophets of doom, kill 98.7 per cent of the UK population by August: you're going to die eight months early anyway because of the UK's air pollution. That's the gloomy conclusion of a Defra …

Science 7 Apr 2006, 09:52
Dublin firm to target African mobile users

And launches PhoneBackUp at home

An Irish provider of online mobile data synchronisation solutions aims to target mobile phone users in emerging markets in Africa. SIMchronise, a Dublin-based start-up, showcased its wares to investors at this week's Goodbody Stockbrokers SummIT 2006 event. The firm is hopeful that it can secure €1.8m over two years so it can …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 09:53
Bling bling: Nokia models L'Amour collection

I'm too sexy for this mobile

Nokia went bling on Tuesday night with a catwalk display of new Irish fashion talent to complement the phone company's latest product line launch in Ireland. Inspired by contemporary vintage glamour, the Finnish mobile manufacturer is attempting to reach a niche market interested in phones as accessories with its new L'Amour …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 10:04
Suffolk BlackBerry pickers pushed on gadget splurge

How much!?

RIM BlackBerries have been called CrackBerries thanks to their users' addiction to the push email gizmos. But if the rumpus that's going down in the technological futureworld of Suffolk is anything to go by, they ain't as cheap as a good ol' honk on a crackpipe. Documents seen by local papers in East Anglia suggest the County …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 10:13
Nvidia shows 'best quality' twin-tuner TV card

Analogue for the Americans; digital version for the UK coming soon?

Nvidia has launched a PC add-in TV tuner card with two tuners, both of them ready to receive and record analogue broadcasts around the world. Nvidia has two versions: the NTSC-supporting part unveiled this week and a PAL/SECAM model. The DualTV card is pitched at Windows XP Media Center Edition systems and users who want to …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 10:22
Which? finds low awareness of DTV

Call for action

New figures show significant numbers of the British public are unaware the switchover to digital TV will be taking place. A survey by consumer watchdog, Which?, said four in ten Britons do not know that the analogue signal will be switched off sometime between 2008 and 2012. Also, only seven per cent of respondents knew what …

Networks 7 Apr 2006, 10:40
BAE to flog Airbus stake

UK jobs safe, company claims

BAE systems is looking to offload its 20 per cent stake in European aircraft consortium Airbus for up to £3bn, the BBC reports. The move - prompted by a fall in profits in BAE's commercial aerospace division and a desire to focus on its burgeoning "core defence business" - will not affect the 13,000 Airbus workers in the UK, BAE …

Financial News 7 Apr 2006, 10:47
AMD to focus on Turion brand for 65nm mobile CPUs?

Only 90nm Mobile Athlon 64 X2s, it seems

Don't expect AMD to offer a 65nm Mobile Athlon 64 X2 processor. According to alleged Turion roadmap details, the dual-core Mobile Athlon 64s will only be fabricated using a 90nm process, for the foreseeable future at least. AMD's 65nm mobile parts are due Q1 2007. Roadmap slides published by Chinese-language website HKEPC, …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 10:52
Subversion v. Perforce. Collabnet replies

Hooks and scales

Having allowed Perforce to comment on Tim’s review of SCM tools, we have to extend the courtesy to CollabNet, his other victim, as well. Bas Nijjer, director of UK sales at CollabNet, points out that “the BerkleyDB database wedging problem noted by Tim has been addressed by Sleepycat and the enhancement will come with the next …

Developer 7 Apr 2006, 10:56
CRB opens the umbrella

New database for criminal checks

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has launched a new database of bodies that can run checks. The move is part of an effort to reduce the number of organisations registered to run checks on potential employees through the CRB. Under the system organisations that become umbrellas are able to run checks for others that are not …

Public Sector 7 Apr 2006, 10:56
BOFH: Headcase

Episode 13 A law unto himself

So the Boss wants to know what's been happening with the 'Foolproof Wireless Security' project that the auditors decided should be implemented - a project that's as deliverable as wireless UPS units. "Oh, we gave that to Steve," the PFY says when the Boss asks. "Steve?" "Yeah Steve, down the end of the corridor on the left …

BOFH 7 Apr 2006, 11:02
Thinking in Java, new 4th Ed.

Book review A new edition of an established classic, re-evaluated.

The trophy cabinet full of awards and prizes that Bruce Eckel has won for his ‘Thinking in Java’ attests to its classic status. And, despite it having been available as a free download, it’s also been a perennial best seller. Now, with the release of a new, fourth, edition, does the book still warrant the accolades? And does it …

Developer 7 Apr 2006, 11:22
Aussie PM airs Telstra sale doubts

Won't be flogged at just any price

The Australian Government is not prepared to flog its 51.8 per cent stake in incumbent telco Telstra if the price isn't right, according to Aussie PM John Howard. Telstra's share price has been under pressure lately over uncertainty about the future of the telco and regulatory concerns. These doubts have led some onlookers to …

Telecoms 7 Apr 2006, 11:24
Acer unveils world's second HD DVD laptop

May ship with DVD support only, at first

Acer yesterday announced the second notebook to support HD DVD, following the lead set by Toshiba, the next-generation optical disc format's chief cheerleader, and as predicted. But don't expect it to ship with such a drive immediately - the first models may only ship with DVD drives. The Aspire 9800 will ship with a 20.1in, …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 11:25
Critical IE fix due Tuesday

As more unpatched browser bugs arrive over the horizon

Microsoft has confirmed it plans to release a fix for a serious security bug in Internet Explorer next Tuesday (11 April). The fix for the "CreateTextRange" vulnerability - which has become the subject of hacker exploits over recent days - will be released as a cumulative update to Internet Explorer along with four other …

Enterprise Security 7 Apr 2006, 11:27
Acer touts 'super 3G' notebook duo

But full HSDPA likely to come later as a wireless-card upgrade

Acer has re-iterated its plan to bundle Vodafone-branded 'super 3G' HSDPA data cards with a pair of upcoming notebook PCs, pledging to introduce TravelMate and Aspire laptops with the cards in the coming months. However, don't expect HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) support on day one. According to Acer, the data …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 11:46
Gmail in emergency lightning response shocker

'To hear a list of terrorist organisations, press 1...'

We can all sleep sounder in our beds, safe in the knowledge that Gmail will - if required - move with panther-like speed to tackle any possible threat to national security. The proof? We've just had a gem from an anonymous Gmail user who was "trying to contact Gmail regarding fraud" only to get bogged down in a "nightmare of …

Bootnotes 7 Apr 2006, 12:30
Asus unveils Dolby-driven laptops

Dolby Digital Live on one, Home Theater on the other

Asus this week lauded its latest laptops' successful attempt to win the thumbs-up from audio specialist Dolby. Announcing two new machines, Asus said one comes with the Dolby Home Theater stamp of approval, while the other ships with "gameplay transforming" Dolby Digital Live technology. The Home Theater accolade goes to the …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 12:43
German Postbank uses e-signatures to curb phishing

Dotted line in the sand

German bank Postbank is going to introduce electronic signatures to all email correspondence with its customers in an attempt to curb phishing. By clicking on the symbol in the email, customers can see whether the e-signature is valid. Last year, the bank introduced a new transaction number system (iTAN) to protect customers …

ID 7 Apr 2006, 12:46
Linguists have more white matter: official

Brains asymmetrical, too

Neuroscientists at University College London reckon they may have pinpointed the reason some people have an aptitude for languages, and apparently it's all about more "white brain matter" where it counts - packed into the area in which sound is processed. The team took 59 French speakers and subjected them to two combinations …

Biology 7 Apr 2006, 12:52
Is VoIP ready for business?

Concerns over robustness and reliability

Voice communications delivered using IP (VoIP) networks is currently something of a phenomenon. The use of VoIP is rapidly becoming almost as common an occurrence as accessing the internet. This trend, which originally started with individuals employing the technology to communicate without incurring telephone charges, is now …

VoIP 7 Apr 2006, 12:58
Napster subscribers up, losses down

Squaring the circle?

Napster will post a smaller loss for its fourth fiscal quarter than it previously forecast. The reason? Greater-than-expected subscriber growth has taken numbers paying for its music rental service to over 600,000. This translates into quarterly revenue of more than $26m - at least 10.6 per cent up on Q3's $23.5m - and a " …

Financial News 7 Apr 2006, 13:04
Warning over rogue anti-spyware app

False alarm alert

A rogue anti-spyware application is falsely identifying popular security products and file system tools as spyware. Security firm SurfControl advises users not to touch the application, UnSpyPC, with a barge pole. False-positive reporting is hardly unknown across many supposed anti-spyware applications, as SurfControl notes, …

Security 7 Apr 2006, 13:21
Podstar preps fiendish iPod Nano case

'I walked alone... my mind was blank...'

We're not sure how practical these iPod Nano cases are, but with their horns and forked tail, we're sure they'll appeal to music fans whose tastes tend toward the diabolic. At least the "high grade" silicone shell undertakes the saintly task of keeping your digital music player unstained and unscratched. Available in black …

Reg Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 13:23
Three-way targets cellphone parts market

PAN-TI-NEC?

TI, NEC and Matsushita are in talks about pooling their plans for W-CDMA 3G phone chips. According to Reuters, Matsushita, which owns the Panasonic brand, and NEC confirmed the talks today. The trio aims to get a factory building the parts up and running as early as the summer according to reports. The three will also …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 14:10
Sky HD is here

Geek TV Subscriptions up for grabs next week

Get your Sky HD here Deck your telly in bunting: Sky has finally announced a date for its high definition service. You can start snapping up HD Sky+ boxes and subscriptions next Wednesday (12 April), though you'll have to wait a few weeks for installation. Meanwhile, you might want to amuse yourself by selling all your old …

Entertainment 7 Apr 2006, 14:13
New site launched for disconnected Wanadoo punters

This is no LLU laughing matter

Wanadoo punters in the UK who've lost their broadband connection after being migrated to the ISP's LLU platform are being urged to air their problems on a new online forum. Wanadoo Problems has been set up by fed-up Wanadoo punter Kevin Ellis, who has been without broadband now for eight weeks. As well as paying for a service …

Telecoms 7 Apr 2006, 14:19
How much is that Apple in the Windows?

Comment A corporate view of the Boot Camp announcement

As everyone knows, I'm a great fan of Apple Computer. In fact, while running the Texas internal consulting office at Schlumberger in 1984, I bought and evaluated one of the first Apple Macs and was blown away by its power and simplicity. Instead of buying my own Mac at that time, I bought Apple stock, the value of which quickly …

Hardware 7 Apr 2006, 14:49
Subs up at RIM

Patent woes lifted

Signups to Research in Motion’s data service hit 625,000 in its fourth quarter as the handheld vendors’ patent problems straightened themselves out. The firm expects subscriber additions to rise further in the current quarter, it added, as it released its latest results yesterday. Revenues for the quarter ending 4 March came …

Mobile 7 Apr 2006, 14:59
Europeans in .eu landrush frenzy

Well, sort of

The European Commission has expressed its satisfaction with the take-up for the newly-released .eu TLD, Reuters reports. In the first hour of availability this morning, 300,000 people moved in to secure their piece of the action, according to Commissioner for Information and Society Viviane Reding. "The demand of European …

Financial News 7 Apr 2006, 15:05
Sun sends SPARC team members packing

Blasts Jupiter out of orbit

Sun Microsystems has laid off seven per cent of its SPARC processor and server group, as it pares back projects in an effort to save costs. Most of the workers were officially notified of the cuts yesterday, and word of the layoffs did not come as a surprise. Sun had a large number of SPARC research and development projects …

IT Director 7 Apr 2006, 17:35
Sun zinged by rent-a-quote analyst

Economist phones friend of Dell, HP and IBM

Imagine our surprise when The Economist - possibly the most respected magazine on the planet by business types - closed out an evisceration of Sun Microsystems by turning to a consultant who gets paid by most of Sun's major competitors. In a piece entitled "Still changing the subject" in the current edition of magazine, we …

Bootnotes 7 Apr 2006, 20:48