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26th June 2006 Archive

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  • 14 fired as porn goes viral at DVLA

    And more than 100 disciplined

    Up to 115 employees at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have been disciplined over the sending of pornographic emails. The government body has dismissed 14 of those people. "Following an investigation, DVLA has dismissed 14 members of staff for gross misconduct," a statement from the Swansea-based organisation …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 08:56

  • AMD to build $3.5bn fab in New York

    Start spreading the news...

    AMD is to build a 300mm-wafer fab in Saratoga County, New York. The $3.5bn plant will be used to punch out 32nm processors, comments made by senior staffers suggest. There have been plenty of rumours of late that the chip maker was planning to construct a fab in the US and that it had its eye on New York State. Media reports …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 08:59

  • France dilutes plans for iTunes law

    But concessions may not be enough

    France has pulled back from an all out attack on Apple's iTunes Music Store, watering down the law which nearly forced Apple to allow non-iPod users to listen to music from iTunes. Apple had fiercely opposed the bill, calling it "state sponsored piracy". In March, the National Assembly, France's lower house, had approved a bill …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 09:13

  • Intel ships 'Woodcrest' Xeon CPUs

    Core-based server chips debut

    Intel has begun shipping 'Woodcrest', its dual-core, 65nm Xeon processor based on its next-generation 'Core' architecture and sibling to 'Conroe' and 'Merom', the chip giant said today. As expected, Woodcrest processors will come to market as the Xeon 5100 series, which currently comprises six models: the 5110, 5120, 5130, …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 09:33

  • Hubble going blind with old age

    NASA working on a fix

    The main camera on the Hubble Space Telescope has broken down, leaving ground-based engineers with a puzzle on their hands. As of Sunday, NASA was still not sure what was wrong with the telescope. The camera, which was installed in the last service mission in 2002, went offline on Monday last week. The Advanced Camera for …

    Space 26 Jun 2006, 09:41

  • JBoss does collaboration

    A rich open source platform on offer

    MS Exchange – it's healthy, but missing something. That, at least, appears to be the opinion of Andrew Oliver, project lead on the JBoss Collaboration Server team. And he has a point. There's an Andrew Oliver podcast here. Microsoft has never really "got" collaboration. Back in the 1990s, in the days of Windows for Workgroups …

    Developer 26 Jun 2006, 09:49

  • Mobile radiation excites the brain

    Cortextual analysis

    Researchers have reported electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones has an excitatory effect on the cortex, the outer region of the brain responsible for many higher faculties. The jury's out on whether the effect is harmful; the Italian team say it could even be beneficial. Young male volunteers at Fatebenefratelli hospital …

    Mobile 26 Jun 2006, 10:18

  • UK telcos challenge 'next generation networks' trademark

    Oi, no!

    Scottish telco Thus is calling on the UK telecoms industry to challenge a recent trademark registration of the term "next generation networks". The term is jargon commonly used by telcos to describe their next generation telecoms networks, such as BT's 21CN, which use digital technology to connect phone calls and other network …

    Telecoms 26 Jun 2006, 10:30

  • Skytastic World Cup HD compo wows the crowd

    'The ultimate way to watch the World Cup final'

    We're delighted to announce that Sky and Sony have teamed up to offer one lucky punter "the ultimate way to watch the World Cup final" - a prize draw to secure the following footie-friendly kit: Free Sky HD box and standard installation Sky World Subscription, free for 12 months Sky HD subscription, free for 12 months Sony …

    Telecoms 26 Jun 2006, 10:43

  • 'Malicious damage' causes Telewest World Cup blackout

    Police investigating

    Around 100,000 homes in the Bristol area were left without TV or internet services yesterday after two cables were "maliciously damaged". Subscribers to the NTL:Telewest service lost their service at around 3pm yesterday afternoon - just an hour before England's crucial World Cup match against Ecuador. By around 4am this …

    Telecoms 26 Jun 2006, 10:43

  • Crypto utopia Sealand ravaged by fire

    Autonomous zone now vacant

    Fire has damaged a World War II gun emplacement seven miles off the English coast. Better known as "Sealand", the fort was acquired in the 1960s by Roy Bates, who declared it an independent principality. One man was airlifted from the platform after fire broke out in the generator room on Friday. Eyewitnesses reported heavy …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 10:56

  • Is that a PC in your pocket?

    Analysis Mobiles a model for future desktops?

    Mobile phones are not, and never will be, the open and truly flexible platform that desktop computers provide. Mobile phone manufacturers are constantly telling us that the latest mobile phone can do anything a PC can, but some users are finding that their new handsets are acting in very un-PC ways; refusing to run software a …

    Mobile 26 Jun 2006, 11:02

  • EDS gets its pound of flesh from MOD

    But government won't say how much

    The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has agreed on the level of compensation it should give EDS for having changed its mind about what it wanted from the £2.3bn Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) project. EDS confessed in its annual statement in March to pressing the MoD for more cash under an innovative contractual term that …

    Channel Register 26 Jun 2006, 11:03

  • MS wants unity in communications

    Phones and email get cozy

    Microsoft will unveil its plans to merge telephone and computer systems under the "unified communications" banner, in San Francisco later today. The software giant is launching Communications Server, an extension to Exchange, which will connect Exchange server email to office telephone systems. The upshot? Users will be able …

    Data Networking 26 Jun 2006, 11:04

  • Germans gun down rampaging bear

    Zero ursine tolerance in Bavaria

    State authorities in Bavaria have shot dead a brown bear which had become the country's first wild sighting since 1835. Bruno crossed the Alpine border from Austria in May, and was at first greeted with "we have nothing to fear" complacency from wildlife agents. The 220lb bear, aiming to fatten up for its winter hibernation, …

    Biology 26 Jun 2006, 11:06

  • Mercedes unveils Bluetooth-rigged, SIM-sucking auto

    Lord, won't you buy me... etc, etc.

    Mercedes Benz has integrated text messaging into its in-car mobile phone system, the car company said last week. The rig automatically connects to your handset when it comes in range, and sucks down the contents of the phone's memory and SIM card over a Bluetooth link. Mercedes' pitch is that the system means you never need …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 11:17

  • iPod speaker rig returns to valve amplification era

    Higher fidelity?

    Some in the audiophile world mourn the passing of the thermionic valve, out-evolved by the transistor and integrated circuit. Valves, they maintain, make for a warmer sound and better audio fidelity. But now the vacuum valve is back, revived for the iPod era in the i-Steroid amp and 2.1 speaker combo. UK distributor ODS has …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 11:50

  • Buffett donates billions to Bill Gates' charity

    Rich man gives cash to richer man

    Warren Buffett, the world's second richest man, has pledged $30.7bn of his $44bn fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The billionaire investor will donate the money in stages, he said, in the form of shares in his company Berkshire Hathaway Inc. This year the Gates' Foundation will receive half a million shares …

    Financial News 26 Jun 2006, 11:59

  • Say Hello to voice phishing

    Give it up after the tone

    Hi-tech fraudsters have begun using recorded telephone messages in a bid to trick users into handing over confidential account information. The tactic has been adopted as a variant of recently detected phishing attacks targeting customers of the Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. The attack begins with a spoofed email message ( …

    ID 26 Jun 2006, 12:01

  • French Google Earth rival crashes and burns

    Geoportail slams shut

    A French alternative to Google Earth - offering hi-res coverage of the entire country - went into meltdown last Friday shortly after its launch and is still unavailable due to a stampede of punters eager to avail themselves of the free service. French prez Jacques Chirac chaired the official launch of Geoportail, Yahoo! reports …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 12:05

  • UK to trial music downloads via DAB

    Digital radio delivery

    Think you need an internet connection for music downloads? Think again. UBC Media Group, one of the UK's largest independent radio production companies, today launched a download service that delivers songs across the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) network. To be fair, we're not quite talking iTunes here. UBC's system, …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 12:17

  • Googled by GWT - Part 1

    Yes, Ermintrude, there is an alternative to AJAX...

    I have done a great deal of client oriented Swing-based work over the years. I admit to really enjoying this, as you get immediate feedback in terms of the UI you are developing and, when run within tools like Eclipse, a very rich development environment. I have always really liked the speed with which you can change some code, …

    Developer 26 Jun 2006, 13:18

  • Review Samsung P300 credit card-sized phone

    At what point does small become too small? Samsung's latest mobile phone is the size of a credit card and only slightly thicker, but has Samsung pushed the boundaries too far? The P300 first launched in Asia nine months ago but has finally made its way over to the UK. The unit, which measures 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.9cm and weighs …

    Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2006, 14:19

  • BT hooks up with KDDI for Japanese JV

    Also linked to iSoft

    BT is hooking up with Japanese telco KDDI to provide telecoms service to Japanese multinationals. Once up and running the new 50:50 joint venture will employ around 100 staff and draw on the resources of both operators. According to the latest stats, Japan is the world's second largest corporate market and "high on BT's …

    Telecoms 26 Jun 2006, 14:33

  • Free piracy protection tool 'links to porn'

    Panda vs Browsezilla

    A free web browser that claims to cover your tracks when visiting pornographic sites turns out to be a click fraud engine, security firm Panda Software has claimed. The Spanish firm issued a warning on Friday that Browsezilla installs malware which periodically connects to web pages with adult content. The pages are not visible …

    Malware 26 Jun 2006, 14:34

  • Good to ship Domino push email tool next month

    Enterprise apps renamed, too

    Enterprise messaging company Good Technology today announced the roll out the IBM Lotus Domino version of its push email server, taking the opportunity to re-brand its offerings while it was about it. So it's farewell GoodLink, hello Good Mobile Messaging (GMM). Good announced its plan to ship GMM on Domino almost a year ago. …

    Mobile 26 Jun 2006, 14:38

  • Shuttle pilot: flight risks still a mystery

    You learn from failure, not success

    The pilot who will take the controls of the Shuttle Discovery for its Friday launch says the craft hasn't been flown enough times for anyone to figure out what the real safety risks are. Mark Kelly, as ex-combat and test pilot, said if Shuttle was an airplane in testing, the 114 flights it has racked up would be regarded as a …

    Space 26 Jun 2006, 14:46

  • NY Times accused of treason

    Finally doing something right

    US Representative Peter King (Republican, New York), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has called the New York Times "treasonous" for informing the public about another secret Bush Administration counter-terrorist program, the Associated Press reports. "We're at war, and for the Times to release information …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 14:54

  • Anti-virus market hits $4bn

    Botnets boost sales

    Worldwide anti-virus software revenues hit $4bn last year, 13.6 per cent up on sales from 2004. According to analyst firm Gartner, the market is almost evenly split between enterprise and consumer sales, with shares of 51.5 per cent and 48.5 per cent respectively. Gartner reckons the consumer market for anti-virus software is …

    Malware 26 Jun 2006, 15:00

  • 'Darwin's tortoise' dies, age 176

    RIP Harriet

    A 176 year-old tortoise called Harriet, which some believe was one of three tortoises taken from the Galapagos Islands by Charles Darwin, has died in Australia. DNA tests have shown that the tortoise is the right age to have been picked up by Darwin when he was on his 1835 tour of the Galapagos aboard HMS Beagle. However, the …

    Biology 26 Jun 2006, 15:06

  • Fasthosts floored by Telewest cable cut

    Plans network upgrade

    Fasthosts - which describes itself as the "UK's number 1 web host" and "home to more websites than any other provider" - has blamed Telewest's network blackout yesterday for its service going titsup for around 10 hours. But in a move to prevent such an outage hitting the firm again it announced plans to carry out a network …

    Telecoms 26 Jun 2006, 15:11

  • Brits sent 3.3bn texts during May

    New Blighty SMS record

    SMS-loving Brits sent a record-breaking 3.3bn text messages in May - representing a daily average of 106m or, by our reckoning, roughly 1.76 missives per day for every man, woman and child in the land. In hitting the keypads en masse, they surpassed the previous high of 3.2bn messages dispatched during March, the BBC reports. …

    Mobile 26 Jun 2006, 15:13

  • Microsoft's future file system dies, again

    WinFS cops it

    Microsoft's most ambitious software plan - to base Windows on a native database - has died again. The feature was originally touted in 1991 for 'Cairo', which Microsoft then described as an object-oriented operating system, built on top of Windows NT. Cairo was sidelined as a result of Microsoft's focus on the internet, and the …

    Software 26 Jun 2006, 15:51

  • The internet's CEO signs up for three more years

    ICANN head Paul Twomey surprises all

    The CEO of internet overseeing body ICANN, Paul Twomey, has signed a three-year extension to his employment contract, it was announced this morning in Marrakech. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the tri-annual ICANN meeting in Morocco, father of the internet Vint Cerf surprised the international crowd by saying Twomey has …

    Music and Media 26 Jun 2006, 16:01

  • Junk mail scumbags in harvesting attack

    One man went to mow...

    Spammers launched a huge number of directory harvesting emails over recent days in an apparent attempt to update their email databases. The attack, which lasted several days, peaked on Sunday, 18 June when web security firm BlackSpider intercepted 109 times more of these malicious emails than it normally intercepts. The flood …

    Spam 26 Jun 2006, 16:35

  • Drug trial 'Elephant Man' to lose fingers and toes

    Blood supply problems

    Ryan Wilson, the man worst affected by the TGN1412 drug trial, is to have all his fingers and toes removed. The Mirror reports that doctors will operate to remove his blackened digits, because the blood supply to the 20-year-old plumber's hands and feet was cut off by the horrific swelling caused by the tests. Wilson spent …

    Biology 26 Jun 2006, 19:12

  • Intel gives the go ahead to buy its server chips again

    'This platform has legs'

    For the last few months, Intel has been on something you might call "Paul Otellini's Ride." It's kind of a Silicon Valley take on Paul Revere's famous ride where instead of warning about the British, Intel warned about the future. "The future is coming! The future is coming! The future is coming." Today, the future finally …

    Servers 26 Jun 2006, 21:35