19th April 2006 Archive

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Profits edge down at booming Moto

Bullish outlook

Motorola blamed the Asian market for a wobble in profits in the first quarter this year. Net income fell slightly, from $692m to $686m year-on-year, although overall sales topped $10bn for the first time, up from $8.16bn in Q1 2005. As with recent quarters, the surging mobile handset business tugged along the other divisions. …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 00:34
SAP exec rules out Oracle-like acquisition binge

Work hard for your money

The head of SAP's product and technology group has drawn a sharp contrast between his employer's approach to corporate acquisitions and that of rival Oracle. In doing so, Shai Agassi pretty much dashed the hopes of start-ups hoping to exploit the growing trend towards acquisition by an enterprise IT provider as an exit …

Applications 19 Apr 2006, 00:54
Yahoo! earnings! slow!

New Year hangover

The rate of Yahoo!'s net income growth slowed in the first three months of 2006. Compared to Q1 2005, Yahoo! recorded 33 per cent higher revenues after traffic acquisition costs (TAC) are deducted, and operating income 26 per cent higher year-on year. However, the company's revenue for the quarter was only slightly up …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 01:22
Mobile web access on the up

'No longer a novelty'

More and more people are using their mobile phones to access the wibbly wobbly web, according to research from Ipsos. Its latest Face of the Web report, an annual snapshot of the latest internet trends, found that 28 per cent of mobile phone owners around the world access the net on a wireless handset, up a bit from the 25 per …

Mobile 19 Apr 2006, 08:22
Companies unite against EU's broadcast laws

With friends like these...

A group of media and technology companies are complaining to the European Union that proposals to extend traditional broadcast regulations to new formats like mobile phones will damage the industry before it's got off the ground. Audiovisualstakeholders.org includes BT, Channel 4, Cisco, Homechoice, Intellect, ISPA, ITV, NTL, T …

Mobile 19 Apr 2006, 08:26
SAP rallies ISVs to own community

Extending the platform

SAP has launched an initiative encouraging partners large and small to develop new applications and business processes utilizing and extending its underlying platform. SAP's Enterprise Services Community has been launched at the company's Enterprise Services Partner Summit in San Francisco, California, with the initial backing …

Applications 19 Apr 2006, 08:47
Apple updates Intel-based Mac firmware

Fixes remain a mystery

Apple has posted a series of firmware updates for its Intel-based Mac desktops and notebooks. The release takes the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac's firmware to version 1.0.1. In each case, the download weighs in at a mere 2.8MB. You can get it here. Apple has yet to reveal what the update fixes and/or improves, and no …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 08:56
Microsoft loses battle for court docs

US backs EC...

The district court of Massachusetts has rejected Microsoft's attempt to get hold of documents which rival firm Novell gave to the European Commission. Microsoft tried to subpoena Novell to get documents to bolster its appeal against the European Commission's antitrust case. The EC ruled back in 2004 that Microsoft was guilty of …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 09:23
Global broadband population to double by 2010

Amazing

The number of broadband subscribers is expected to double over the next five years as availability increases and prices fall. Boffins have totted up the numbers and reckon there are now some 200 million broadband lines around the world. And according to researchers at In-Stat this number is expected to top 400m by the end of …

Telecoms 19 Apr 2006, 09:31
Oz nails its first spammer

Fair dinkum

Australia has convicted its first spammer under the country's tough anti-spam laws. Wayne Mansfield, and his company Clarity1, from Perth in Western Australia, were held liable for sending more than 56m spam messages in the 12 months following the introduction of Australia's Spam Act laws in April 2004. Justice Nicholson of the …

Spam 19 Apr 2006, 09:45
AMD 'to bring forward' Socket AM2 launch

CPUs, chipsets and mobos ready to go, apparently

AMD has reportedly rescheduled the release of its Socket AM2 platform, bringing forward the launch date from 6 June to 23 May, the better it seems to get as much of a lead on Intel's next-generation architecture processor, 'Conroe', as possible. According to a DailyTech report citing Taiwanese motherboard and chipset makers, …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 09:48
Sage walks away from Visma

Private equity wins again

Sage will not increase its offer for Norwegian firm Visma, making it likely that Engel Holdings will win the battle for the firm. The board of Visma is now recommending that shareholders accept the offer from Engel Holdings which values the firm at 135 Norwegian kroner per share. Sage was offering 125 kroner. A spokeswoman for …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 09:59
MacBook Pro GPU underclocked, report claims

Thermally challenged?

Apple appears to have underclocked the ATI Radeon Mobility X1600 graphics chip in its MacBook Pro laptop. According to one online report, the GPU's core runs 35 per cent slower than the clock speed recommended by ATI. The memory clock is 41 per cent below par. The speed differential was spotted by a poster on French-language …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 09:59
She should get out more

Comment And the winner is...all our suppliers

The last time I wrote about the marketing shenanigans that companies get up to I was castigated by one correspondent who claimed that this was not analysis. True — but it is informed comment — and analysts are probably better positioned to see, and point out, the murkier side of marketing than most other people. Here is a …

Developer 19 Apr 2006, 10:21
Philips tries to block ad-blocking

You will watch these sponsorship messages

Philips is attempting to patent a technique that would prevent viewers from skipping through ads embedded within recorded programmes or even channel surfing during broadcast ad breaks - or force viewers to cough up cash if they want to avoid the ads. "A viewer may either watch the advertisements or pay a fee in order to be …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 10:42
Jobs rise signals 'turnaround' in US IT sector

A 'good news' story? On The Reg?

The number of US tech jobs is on the rise after suffering four years of decline. In 2005, 61,000 new tech jobs were created in the US taking the total number employed in the sector to 5.6 million. According to US techie trade group, the AeA, this growth "is an important first step in the turnaround of the high tech industry, …

IT Director 19 Apr 2006, 10:51
Supremes won't hear Falwell appeal

Gay gripe site stays up

The US Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal of Reverend Jerry Falwell against an Appeals Court ruling that allowed a gay rights activists to continue operating a site about the television evangelist under the domain name fallwell.com. Jerry Falwell has suggested that people who are gay and lesbian are sinning and that …

Music and Media 19 Apr 2006, 11:16
HCL breaks billion dollar barrier

$250m in last quarter

HCL Technologies brought in revenues of $251.51m in the third quarter of financial year 2006 - ended 31 March 2006. Revenues grew by 28.2 per cent compared to the same period a year ago. The company made a net income of $35.94m in the period. HCL made special mention of its deal with Dixons Store Group which it said was the " …

Channel Register 19 Apr 2006, 11:18
UPC picks Nortel for VoIP

Triple play ahoy!

UPC, part of Liberty International, has chosen Nortel to provide the kit for Voice over Internet Protocol, using cable project. UPC will offer the service to business and residential customers in Austria, France and the Netherlands. It will use Nortel kit to set up Session Initiation Protocol-based Voip services as a first …

VoIP 19 Apr 2006, 11:34
Fasthosts ups reseller programme

Needs more resellers

Hosting provider Fasthosts is re-launching its reseller programme and hopes to increase indirect partner numbers by 50 per cent. The bundle consists of domain registering, email and website hosting and providing broadband and dialup access. All this is run through a webpage. Mark Snape, CEO of Novate (a Fasthosts reseller), …

Channel Register 19 Apr 2006, 11:36
No2ID plans passport protest to scupper ID cards

Drive Home Office nuts in May

No2ID is calling for mass passport renewals next month to create a spike in the system that shows the government how unhappy people are with its plans to have everyone clocked in an identity database. Guy Herbert, general secretary of No2ID, said: "If everyone renews their passport now, that inconveniences their plans to get …

Music and Media 19 Apr 2006, 11:54
Germans to get pay-by-phone public transport

Bus tickets today, cash payments tomorrow?

Residents of the German town of Hanau, near Frankfurt am Main, will soon be able to pay for bus rides using their mobile phones following the successful conclusion of a trial conducted by Nokia, Philips, Vodafone and the local transport authority, the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV). The system is similar to the Oyster …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 13:34
Samsung lauds 'fastest, biggest' MMCmicro card

But when will it ship?

Samsung today claimed to have developed the "smallest, fastest and highest capacity" memory card for mobile phones, a 2GB MMCmicro device pitched as an alternative to the more commonplace MicroSD solid-state memory format. MMCmicro cards measure 14 x 12 x 1.1mm. Samsung said it had squeezed four 4Gb NAND Flash chips into …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 13:56
Mafia boss undone by clumsy crypto

Little Caesar

Clues left in the clumsily encrypted notes of a Mafia don have helped Italian investigators to track his associates and ultimately contributed to his capture after years on the run. The recently busted Bernardo Provenzano, reputed to be the "boss of bosses" of the Sicilian Mafia, used a modified form of the Caesar cipher to …

Bootnotes 19 Apr 2006, 14:14
Gateway 12.1in laptop sports unannounced Intel CPU

Core Solo U1300 makes first public appearance

Gateway has begun shipping its latest "ultra-portable" notebook, the E-100M. It said the machine was less than an inch thick and weighs just 1.4kg (3.2lbs) and sports a processor Intel hasn't launched yet. The Core Solo U1300 first appeared on Intel roadmaps in November 2005 with a Q2 2006 debut. The E-100M is based around a …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 14:30
Wurtlizer hip to the iPod beat

Dock-sporting jukebox announced

It had to happen. The doyenne of jukeboxes, Wurlitzer, has announced a version of its classically styled One More Time music machine that features a built-in iPod dock in addition to the standard 100-CD disc stacker. The machine's sound system comes courtesy of Bose - it's an Acoustimass rig with 2x 170W RMS amplification …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 15:05
Ofcom launches probe into E7even

Reacts to customer complaints

Ofcom has launched an investigation into a small Kent-based broadband ISP amid allegations that it's been billing punters for a service it has not provided. The regulator is also investigating whether Maidstone-based E7even UK Ltd has a satisfactory procedure in place to handle customer complaints. Ofcom has been aware for …

Telecoms 19 Apr 2006, 15:08
Hilton flogs herself to mobile gamers

Always have Paris

Multi-talented hotel heiress and amateur pornstar Paris Hilton's latest self-selling venture will see her appear in her own mobile phone games, Reuters reports. Leading developer Gameloft has signed up the demure Ms Hilton, 25, through Paris Hilton Entertainment Inc. for a series of adventures. The games will apparently allow …

Mobile 19 Apr 2006, 15:18
GRISOFT bolsters AVG with anti-malware purchase

As CRYPTOCard merges with WhiteHat

GRISOFT, the firm behind AVG anti-virus, has acquired anti-malware firm Ewido Networks for an unspecified amount. The deal allows GRISOFT to add protection against spyware and adware to its existing line of antivirus and firewall products. AVG anti-virus, Czech Republic-based GRISOFT's most recognised brand, is available free …

Anti-Virus 19 Apr 2006, 15:24
Brown may tax TV quiz channels

Bell tolls for ring-in quizzes

Gordon Brown may put extra tax or regulations on TV quiz channels - bringing them into line with other forms of gambling. This follows "concerns" from the Gambling Commission. Today sees the launch of ITV Play - replacing Men and Motors on Freeview. The channel, like various others on Freeview, gives viewers the chance to win …

Music and Media 19 Apr 2006, 15:28
Reg reader in exploding phone charger drama

Three year-old son hit by Sony Ericsson debris

An angry Register reader has told how his Sony Ericsson CST-20 charger exploded on Monday night, spraying the room with shrapnel. Swindon man Scott Wichall said the lid of the smoking unit flew across the kitchen, striking his three-year-old son Kieran square in the chest. Kieran was “very scared” by the incident. Scott had …

Mobile 19 Apr 2006, 15:38
Ofcom fudges consumer protection

0870 rip-off to continue until 2008

Ofcom is to crack down on rip off 0870 calls in a bid to protect punters - but the new rules that should see the cost of calls slashed while providing greater protection for consumers won't be introduced until 2008. Last September Ofcom outlined plans to cut the cost of calls to some non-geographic numbers because of concerns …

Telecoms 19 Apr 2006, 15:48
Zspire touts stealth-like mouse

Coffin-shaped for confidence?

Zspire describes its new alloy-cased cordless mouse as "sleek, eye-catching and iconic". Maybe it is, but we're just not sure how comfortable its stealth fighter-like body is to use. That said, the company claimed the coffin-shaped rodent "supports a natural, comfortable [hand] position". Nonetheless, this piece of so- …

Reg Hardware 19 Apr 2006, 16:04
Start-up turns VMware, Xen and MS hetero

Cassatt puts the X in cross virtualization

Server management start-up Cassatt continues to build out its product portfolio at pace, moving this week into the virtual operating system arena. Cassatt has started shipping a package that can install and control virtual OSes from the likes of VMware, XenSource and Microsoft. The XVM - or cross-virtualization manager - serves …

Servers 19 Apr 2006, 16:46
IBM pushes mainframe goodness downstream

Fresh mid-sized box

IBM looks set to release a revitalized, lower-end mainframe in the coming weeks, according to a detailed analyst report. Phil Payne at Isham Research predicts that IBM will pump out - or at least announce - a successor to the z890 by the end of the month. The new z9 Business Computer should have much of the technology found in …

Servers 19 Apr 2006, 19:37
Intel fingers slow PC sales for rough Q1

AMD forgotten

Intel, as expected, blamed a weak PC market for a poor set of first quarter results. Although, such an excuse remains tough to stomach given rival AMD's smashing quarter last week. Intel's first quarter revenue slipped 5 per cent year-over-year to $8.9bn. That drop, however, was actually a bright spot during the difficult …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 20:54
Nokia examining AJAX

Script this

Nokia is evaluating broader use of AJAX with its handsets, having put a stake in the ground with this year's launch of the third-edition S60 device. Lee Epting, vice president for Forum Nokia, told The Register Nokia is determining how it can use AJAX, specifically in relation to its open source, Safari-based browser announced …

Developer 19 Apr 2006, 21:07
Apple acknowledges Intel hiccup

Wanted: Universal Binaries

Apple recorded the second strongest quarter in its history ending March 30, bested only by the Christmas quarter that preceded it. 2Q FY2006 brought home a profit of $410m on revenue of $4.36bn, up 41 and 34 per cent respectively. iPod revenue accounts for half of Apple's income, explaining why gross revenue was down 24 per …

Financial News 19 Apr 2006, 22:08