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2nd May 2006 Archive

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  • Feds ready to send robotic car army to the streets

    Grand Challenge goes urban

    We may all soon long for the days when a driver distracted by a cell phone or even a few pints was the most dangerous thing on the road. That's because the US government plans to let an army of unmanned vehicles loose in a city next year. Last year's successful run of the $2m Grand Challenge robotic race has DARPA wanting more …

    Science 2 May 2006, 03:49

  • Napster sets music 'free' with five-song barrier

    Empowered as in confined

    Unable to make even the smallest dent in Apple's iTunes music store, Napster has turned to drastic tactics. Napster CEO Chris Gorog this week stunned the online music world by acquiring the Steve Jobs reality distortion field. How else can you explain this statement from a Napster press release? "Napster was born of the idea …

    Financial News 2 May 2006, 05:38

  • Java EE clustering

    Muster for the cluster buster

    Enterprise-oriented systems must often be both scalable to deal with changing performance requirements and available 24x7 (or at least very close to this level of availability). Java systems, whether they are J2EE or Java EE 5 (collectively called Java EE in this article), are no exception. In many cases, the best way to …

    Developer 2 May 2006, 05:41

  • Making pigs from sausages

    Comment Need to port a system but think it's too complicated?

    Imagine the following situation. Many years ago, your company commissioned a computer system. It is all working perfectly but you want to upgrade it in ways that could not be conceived when it was designed. You may, for example, want management reports or data input via the internet. Then again, perhaps you would like to …

    Developer 2 May 2006, 08:36

  • Google accuses Microsoft on IE7 search

    Pot calls kettle mucky

    Google has made informal complaints to competition authorities in Europe and the US about default settings in Microsoft's IE7. The latest Microsoft browser includes a small window so users can search without opening up a specific page. The default setting sends users to MSN for searches - just as equivalent features in Opera …

    Applications 2 May 2006, 08:48

  • Consumers warned off pre-standard 802.11n purchases

    The risks of buying fast Wi-Fi too early

    Standards bodies move far more slowly than the market for fast wireless products, and the concept of the "pre-standard" or "standards-ready" product has become a common one. Such products are built to the official specifications, but may be a year or more ahead of an official certification programme for that spec. The latest …

    Mobile 2 May 2006, 09:07

  • Ballmer sends 'don't panic' email to staff

    Calm down dear, it's only a stock market

    Steve Ballmer sent staff a reassuring email on Friday, after watching the company's share price take its biggest dive in a year. Microsoft shares fell from over $27 on Thursday to just over $24 on Friday - a year low. Ballmer reiterated his belief that increasing capital spending by $2bn was necessary and useful. He said …

    Financial News 2 May 2006, 09:46

  • F-22 Raptor swallows pilot

    Trapped for five hours in $134m beast

    A hapless US Air Force pilot had to be physically cut free from the cockpit of his F-22A Raptor when the canopy resolutely refused to open, Flight International reports. The mini-drama unfolded on 10 April at the 27th Fighter Squadron's base at Langley AFB, Virginia, when the canopy "became stuck in the down and locked position …

    Bootnotes 2 May 2006, 09:56

  • Visto sues Seven, targets RIM

    Wireless email patent fight widened

    Wireless email specialist Visto has sued Research in Motion (RIM), claiming the BlackBerry maker has infringed a number of its patents. At the same time, it let another player in the push email market, Intellisync, off the hook. Visto's action against RIM followed its victory against Seven Networks late last week. An Eastern …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 10:10

  • NTL tinkers with broadband products

    2 plus 2 is 4

    NTL is tinkering with a couple of its broadband products to bring them in line with those offered by Telewest. From 1 June, NTL punters hooked up to the cableco's 2 meg service will see the speed of their service doubled to 4 meg at the same price of £24.99 a month. The upgrades are to be carried out throughout June. At the …

    Telecoms 2 May 2006, 10:23

  • Chinese suit stumps $25k for MiG-21

    Ultimate executive toy

    A Chinese businessman has stumped up $24,730 for a MiG-21 fighter punted via eBay, Beijing News reports via AP. Zhang Cheng will not, however, be taking to the blue yonder in his former Czech military hardware, last flown in 1995 and reported to be in "excellent condition". He told Beijing News: "I like to collect valuable …

    Bootnotes 2 May 2006, 10:54

  • Bounced spam messages hammer corporate networks

    A $5bn a year problem, claims self-serving survey

    More than 50 per cent of the largest US corporations have experienced mail service outages or delays because of bounced spam messages targeting their networks, according to a study by gateway security firm Ironport Systems. Spammers commonly forge the sender's email address so that some poor innocent - rather than a spammer - …

    Spam 2 May 2006, 10:59

  • Amazon ditches Google for Microsoft

    A9 switches sides in the search wars

    Amazon has ended its relationship with Google and is now using MSN to provide search results on its site. A9 runs as a standalone site offering book, news, web and wikipedia searches, and provides the technology behind searches on Amazon.com - which were previously "powered by Google". Results will now be provided by Windows …

    Applications 2 May 2006, 11:14

  • ATI buys Bitboys

    Golden child of desktop GPUs to become ATI handset R&D team

    ATI has acquired Bitboys. The Finnish graphics chip developer now focuses on handset GPU designs but is perhaps best known for pledges made in the late 1990s to ship desktop graphics cards that it claimed would massively out-perform rivals from the likes of ATI and Nvidia. Bitboys is now going to form the basis for a European …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 11:21

  • Apple to boost iTunes downloads with BitTorrent?

    Built into Mac OS X 10.5, rumours allege

    Apple's next major operating system release - aka 'Leopard' - will feature built-in BitTorrent support to speed up the company's eagerly anticipated movie download service, it has been alleged. If true, it would allow iTunes Music Store customers to grab video data not only from the online shop but also from other customers who' …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 11:24

  • Acer and Hitachi target Euro SMBs

    Big disks for small companies

    Acer is pushing Hitachi Data Systems storage kit to smaller companies in Italy, and will expand the program to all the major European countries over the next 18 months. The companies already collaborate in Asia. They are now mirroring the deal in EMEA. Italy is the first target market, with Germany slated for later in the year …

    Storage 2 May 2006, 11:30

  • The Cloud intros flat-fee Wi-Fi tariff

    'Making the Wi-Fi mobility world real'

    The Cloud will introduce a new flat-fee tariff for its Wi-Fi service later this summer that slashes the cost of accessing the net on the move. From 1 July, punters will be able to sign up to a new unlimited flat rate package for £11.99 month. Called UltraWiFi, the package is subject to a 12-month subscription. A 'pay-as-you-go …

    Wireless 2 May 2006, 11:33

  • Helio targets messaging-hungry youth

    Why email when you can blog?

    Helio, the US content-centric mobile phone service, has gone on sale today, pitching two 3G handsets, a messaging-oriented airtime package and online blogging tools to young, tech-savvy consumers. It hopes to sign up 3m of them in the next three years. Backed by South Korea Telecom and US ISP EarthLink, Helio piggybacks on …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 11:55

  • Acer extends 17in laptop line

    Aspire augmentation

    Acer has revamped its Aspire notebook line-up with four 17in models based on 1,440 x 900 displays pitched at mainstream home and office buyers, and punters looking for a large laptop on a small budget. The 9400 and 9410 sport Pentium M and Core Duo processors, respectively, with Intel 945GM and 915PM chipsets. Both use an …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 12:32

  • Samsung slimline slider to offer Bluetooth stereo audio

    D520 'defines uniqueness', company says

    Samsung will this month offer its latest slimline slider phone to European consumers, pitching the 1.6cm-thick, "easy-to-grip" device's Bluetooth 1.2-based wireless stereo playback and 80MB of on-board music storage at "the modernist and music appreciator in you". The SGH-D520 also sports a 126 x 220, 262,144-colour screen …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 13:08

  • UK retail security flap exposes 2,000 credit cards

    MasterCard launches probe

    An estimated 2,000 credit card details have been exposed by a security breach at a UK retailer. Affected users learned of the breach via an alert from MasterCard. They were informed that their card provider or bank was suspending potentially compromised accounts and issuing new accounts and cards to holders. The Scotsman …

    Enterprise Security 2 May 2006, 13:14

  • 'Smart' phishing attack targets BoI

    Next gen spam scams to get even smarter

    Bank of Ireland customers have been hit by yet another phishing scam in the form of an email asking users to update their security details. The fake security alert landed in inboxes on Friday evening, and may have fooled a number of customers into handing over their access codes and passwords, redirecting them to a website …

    Malware 2 May 2006, 13:17

  • MS in illegal music download shocker

    Copyright violation outrage

    Back in 2004, Microsoft big cheese Steve "Ballistic" Ballmer reportedly claimed that "the most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'." - in the process extolling the virtue of Windows DRM which, as we all know, completely prevents piracy of any sort, anywhere, ever. Ballmer quickly backtracked on the iPod claim and just …

    Bootnotes 2 May 2006, 13:23

  • First 'Super 3G' phones coming July?

    BenQ's HSDPA device gains carrier approval, report claims

    BenQ Mobile has brought forward the release of its first mobile phone to support the HSDPA data speed boosting extension to 3G technology. According to online reports, BenQ's EF91 will ship in Europe in July courtesy of a deal struck with T-Mobile. The claim comes via "market sources" cited by DigiTimes. How much earlier the …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 13:33

  • Samsung hails single-chip 7in LCD panel

    Q1 UMPC's 800 x 480 job revealed

    Samsung has created what it claims is the LCD industry's first single-chip, 800 x 480 colour panel made using amorphous silicon and measuring 7in in the diagonal. Interestingly, the company's Q1 UMPC, due any day now, sports a 7in, 800 x 480 display. Standard panels of this size, Samsung said, typically use four to seven …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 14:05

  • Netsky-P tops virus charts - again

    Malware's Dark Side of the Moon

    Sophos’ latest malware top ten shows W32 Netsky-P and W32.Zafi-B battling it out for top spot. Two-year old Netsky-P took the top spot for April, up from second place in March. In doing this, it swapped places with Zafi-B, which is itself 22 moths old. The two accounted for 18.5 per cent and 16.5 per cent of reports. Nyxem-D …

    Malware 2 May 2006, 14:13

  • Treasury not changing work PC rules

    Considers duties on hysterical newspaper stories

    The Treasury is denying that changes to tax rules will mean people paying tax to use their work computer for personal chores. With the ending of the Home Computing Initiative, computers come under the same tax regulations they did before. This means they must be used mainly for work purposes. A spate of newspaper stories today …

    Bootnotes 2 May 2006, 14:15

  • Windows Movie Maker 2: Zero to Hero

    Cash'n'Carrion Wanna wow your mates?

    You've seen the promises in the advertising: Microsoft's free Movie Maker 2 will make it simple to capture, edit and share your home movies. We agree, but how do you know where to start, or where you're going? Windows Movie Maker 2 Zero to Hero shows you how to produce professional looking films, with effects and transitions …

    Site News 2 May 2006, 14:27

  • Hackers control bot client over P2P

    Nugache

    Security watchers are warning of a new worm that's propagating over instant messenger networks run by both AOL and MSN. Nugache-A is also spreading (albeit modestly) as an infected email that uses a variety of well-known Windows exploits to infect vulnerable Windows PCs. If successful, the worm opens a back door that leaves …

    Malware 2 May 2006, 14:38

  • Iqua Snake wraps stereo headset around car seat

    Adder-on?

    Iqua's Snake has to be the oddest-looking in-car Bluetooth accessory we've seen, but there's a method to this particular madness. It may appear to be a hi-tech snorkel tube, but it's a microphone and speaker rig that clips onto your car seat for handsfree communications. The device fits in place between the headrest and the …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 15:06

  • iSoft suffers NHS fever

    Warns on profits

    Health service supplier iSoft warned on Friday that profits would be half the most optimistic City estimates after a key NHS customer failed to award iSoft a contract extension before its 30 April year-end. Consequently, and following earlier reported NPfIT-related problems, iSoft said it would be able to match only half the …

    Channel Register 2 May 2006, 15:33

  • Nvidia serves up free Gelato

    Still charging for the Pro release, though

    Nvidia has opened its Gelato 3D rendering software to all, releasing a free-of-charge version of the once high-end only application that will run on any Nvidia GPU - from the GeForce 5200 upwards. The Quadro-specific version is still available, as Gelato Pro 2.0. The freebie release lacks the Pro version's support for …

    Reg Hardware 2 May 2006, 15:37

  • Ofcom steps into Carphone row with BT

    CW suffers setback on local loop unbundling

    The Carphone Warehouse has suffered a setback to its ambitious plans to offer cut price broadband and phone services. A draft ruling by regulator Ofcom has failed to uphold a request by Carphone to slash the cost of migrating large numbers of users to its new service. If the draft ruling is confirmed, Carphone will have to pay …

    Telecoms 2 May 2006, 15:39

  • Ancient worm runs riot at Infosec

    Trade show gives lessons in insecurity

    Infosec may have hosted mass of secure wireless networks last week, but that didn't mean everything was secure. A quick review of the available wireless networks from Olympia's press office revealed very few open WLAN networks. However, while exhibiting at the show, security risk firm McAfee was able to detect various networks …

    Malware 2 May 2006, 16:13